The Mating Ceremony

Ava's POV 

I thought my ears heard wrong, as my mother's words rang out.

"No, Vera. Let's give your sister a chance," she said coolly, as though the years of neglect and hatred never existed.

Vera scoffed, storming out of the room with a dramatic swirl of her gown, leaving the door wide open.

"Come here, sweetheart," Mum called, her arms widely spread apart, waiting to receive me in its tight embrace. Her smile was unfamiliar... too soft, too calculated.

"Sweetheart," the word sounded strange, foreign. It had never been used on me before.

A flicker of hope rose in my chest, stupid and fragile.

"Mother... I smell," I tried to explain, shame heavy on my tongue.

"Nonsense, sweetheart, come give mother a hug," her voice dripped with false affection.

My feet, once rooted in suspicion, obeyed her call.

But just as I reached her—crack.

Pain exploded at the back of my head, and my eyes gave way to the dark.

...

I shot my eyes open to the sight of a strange environment.

The next memory wasn't gentle. I remembered seeing traces of guards lifting me up. "Take her away," Mother had whispered, taking some gold coins from them.

She betrayed me by selling me off. Just when I thought she was beginning to see why I didn't deserve this harsh treatment. But that wasn't my issue now as I stared around.

The cold bite of iron around my wrists. Chains. Heavy ones.

I tried to struggle free, but it was useless.

The sad dawn of reality dawned on me.

I was useless, and now sold...

Just when I had thought I would be able to attend the mating ceremony tomorrow where I would be able to find my mate if possible, but my dream was being tossed to the drain.

Ava couldn't afford the luxury of any dream. I laughed cruelly to myself.

"Help!" I shouted repeatedly, struggling with the chains, hoping someone might take pity upon me and set me free.

Why did my mother hate me so badly that she would sell me off?

Tears fell freely down my cheeks as I thought about it...

And just then, food was tossed underneath the door.

"Eat," came a husky voice. "You will need your strength for tomorrow."

Another guard chuckled behind the door.

"Yes, that's if His Majesty finds her worthy to be his maid," he said, mockingly.

Laughter. Cruel. Detached.

The food they tossed was slices of bread and something thick sprinkled on it. It was miles away from me, and I couldn't reach it even if I wanted to.

I sighed as I crumbled myself to tears.

"Shut up!" one of the guards barked from beyond the door. "You aren't the only one here..."

There were others?

I pulled my knees to my chest and let the silence take over.

I will take advantage of my freedom tomorrow. An idea crossed my mind in the depth of the night.

I will try and find my mate tomorrow, and just maybe—maybe he would accept me, and we would run away from this palace, away from everyone. And even if he doesn't, I will on my own.

I wasn't going to die here. Not like this.

Enough was enough.

And with that in mind, I decided to get some sleep.

...

Water.

Ice-cold and unforgiving.

I gasped, as it drenched my face and hair.

Was there some kind of invisible mark on my face that said, "wake up with some liquid..." Thankfully this wasn't swine pee.

"Get up," the guard, still holding the bucket of water, nudged my ribs with his boots.

"Celebration's today," he said flatly. "You want to survive in this palace? You'd better learn to be useful."

A rusty key turned. He freed my hands from the shackles. I felt my hands numb.

"Wear this and be snappy. The food won't cook themselves and definitely won't serve themselves, also. Also try and get a mask, veil, or something—jeez, you are ugly," he spat as he dropped a cloth for me.

"Ugly." Yes, the word I have grown used to.

I quickly tore off my shabby clothes and wore the new ones he brought.

OMG, I stink so bad.

I quickly joined the queue of ladies, and they shifted at my sight.

"OMG, will she be working with us?"

"I guess so." One who peeled off my clothes with her eyes, said, "I pray we don't die of her stench..." They held their noses.

"She stinks like a dead skunk," another added.

I said nothing. I couldn't afford to.

"Some of you will be assigned to the kitchen, and some of you to the fields. Do your jobs diligently, and anyone found lacking would be killed," he deadpanned, making us gulp down.

"Any questions?" the guard asked.

"No, sir," we answered in unison.

Just like always, I was being left with the hardest tasks while they all fantasized about how tonight would be like.

"I heard Alpha Kael would be in attendance tonight," one of them shyly said.

The rest rejoiced as I scrubbed the back of pots. "If only the Moon Goddess would bless me as his mate, I promise to serve him forever..." one said.

Their laughter rang like bells.

Me? I kept scrubbing.

Sighs...

I didn't care who my mate was... Even if he was an Omega, or a servant, it doesn't matter, as long as he would accept me to be his and take me away from this palace... This was all I asked of the Moon Goddess.

...

It was now evening, and thankfully we were given an opportunity to get some bath. I don't smell so bad now.

I walked around the banquet hall, hoping I could collide with my mate, or maybe pick a scent or something... I didn't really know how it worked, as Mother and Vera never brought me along when they came to witness the celebration. I was always tied down with tasks.

There was a time I wanted to come after my task, but the guards didn't let me in, saying I would scare everyone away.

Still locked in thought, I walked into someone, almost smearing the drink over them. "I'm so sorry," I mumbled as I cleaned the drink that slightly touched their clothes.

I looked up, and I remembered her glasses.

"I knew I would find you here. That was why I came prepared." She adjusted her glasses as she smiled.

"That's where you belong—on the floor, always," Vera said as she walked to my mum, who laughed at me.

Tears welled up in my eyes. My hands grabbed the remaining tray of drinks in my hands, and I angrily turned back.

I couldn't let them see me break again. I had enough. But then I collided into something stronger this time, and from the look of his attire, something told me he was royalty.

Oh no. I was done for.

I couldn't even bring myself to face him as gasps filled the air.

He knelt down to my level, and then I sensed it—the scent of lavender and honey.

No. This couldn't be. He brought my chin up, making me face him.

He was the stark opposite of me—beautiful. His gray eyes flickered as he looked into my blue ones, and then he said it, more like he felt it, "Mate!" he whispered, his voice low and stunned.

It felt as if time held its breath.

I had found him.

Or maybe... he had found me.