When she started walking away, Cian decisively followed her. "If you have anything to say, say it to me. Don't keep it in your heart."
Seren stopped walking but didn't look at her brother. Her words did not sound cold, but they had no hint of emotion either. "His Majesty had always kept me locked inside the tower and kept me away from the outside world saying it is to protect me, that I should never ever step out of the tower and should not mingle with others. But now, he is giving me away to some stranger from a faraway land. What His Majesty did all these years by confiscating my freedom, it is nothing now. It seems like there is no need to protect me anymore."
Cian understood what she meant. Even though she was not showing it, she must be hurting and thoroughly disappointed with their father. For nearly two decades, every single day of her life was spent like a prisoner, and she had long accepted her fate. This cruel move would definitely feel like a betrayal.
Indeed, that was how she felt. All her years inside the tower were like a slap to her face. Was being kept in the tower truly to protect her? If so, then why was it so easy for the King to give her away like an object? Why did it feel like she was being thrown away?
The King had stolen the precious time of her life, her childhood when she should be enjoying like other kids. She grew up on her own, accompanied by the cold walls and the lonely corridors of an empty tower instead of having fun like other girls of her age. She did not even know what friendship was like, nor did she know what having a dream in life was like, as she never got to interact with people and had no chance to decide what she wanted in her future.
What was all of her suffering for?
Has she ever done anything wrong for her to be punished like this?
Cian had no words to console his sister and simply followed her.
When they stepped out of the gardens, Cian could no longer bear the silence and offered, "If there is something you want, you can tell me. I will try my best as long as it is within my means."
Seren just nodded but did not reply. Though she was angry and disappointed, she could never blame her brother for anything. She knew whatever happened with her, Cian had no part in it; instead, he was the only person who genuinely cared for her, and many of his actions from the past made her realize it.
Whether it was taking her to the lake without permission from their father, fighting for her with their own cousins whenever they teased her when she attended events inside the palace, arguing with their father not to send her back to the tower, all these memories flashed in her mind.
Back then, Seren had witnessed Cian's heartfelt request to their father. Her brother, who was young at that time, could do nothing in front of their powerful father, the King of Abetha. He was punished by being sent outside of the capital, away from her. Even though he was now a crown prince, King Armen was still the ruler, and his words were what truly held power in this kingdom.
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Drayce left King Armen's study after discussing the details of the wedding with King Armen and Queen Niobe.
Just as he was about to reach the palace's wing where his bedchamber was, he noticed the resonance of familiar energy coming from the opposite direction, causing him to stop in his tracks suddenly.
The knight behind him was surprised by his action and asked, "Your Majesty, is something wrong...?"
Drayce raised his hand to stop him from talking and looked in the direction where he felt that energy was coming from. His red eyes saw the expected—the Third Princess, Seren. From a distance, he saw that Seren was walking back towards the same palace wing with her brother.
"She seems fine. We could have arranged the wedding for today itself," Drayce mumbled under his breath.
The knight behind him heard his king but pretended as if he didn't. He quietly lowered his head behind his king, not daring to take a look at their soon-to-be queen. In front of her, they should always lower their heads.
Just then, Seren stopped mid-walk as she too felt a strange yet familiar kind of energy coming from a particular direction. She tried to remember the times she had sensed this energy. One particular occasion was during the engagement of the Second Princess, and after that, she sensed it again the day she sneaked out from Martha's watch, but she ignored it at that time because of the chaos in the marketplace, and she was in a hurry to save her own life. There were several more instances when she felt it when she stayed inside her assigned bedchamber, but she never paid it any particular attention, thinking it was her mind playing tricks on her.
Seeing her stand still in the middle of the path, Cian looked around to check what caught his sister's attention. He asked, "Is there anything wrong?"
Seren did not know what to answer, so she simply did not say anything. She merely stared in the other direction, but all she saw was a group of knights blocking her sight.
Cian followed her line of sight and recognized the knights from Megaris based on their black uniform. Because of the knights blocking their sights and due to the distance between their groups, Cian too couldn't see Drayce but informed his sister, "Are you looking at those men in black uniform? They are the royal knights under the direct command of the King of Megaris."
As if it didn't concern her, Seren turned around and resumed walking. Cian could only sigh.