Chapter five - Weight of Silence

Liora

So stupid of me. I was waiting for his words. He just tightened his grip around his knife. He didn't care and didn't react after giving me a flicker of hope, he would say something.

Kaira's goblet hovered near her lips as she flicked her gaze towards me.

Then set her goblet down gently, then glance at Darius. Darius exhaled through his nose, the sound barely perceptible but enough. His goblet rested against his palm, fingers tapping against the metal.

Alistair, the eldest prince, wiped his mouth with practiced ease, his expression still, and the king just concentrated on his food.

''Nice try, sis.'' Cassius whispered in my ear like he knew what I wanted. Cassius, of course, was entertained with the different gestures about what I said.

Kieran had not said a word; I kept staring; maybe he would say something, but without warning, he pushed back his chair. The scrape of wood against the stone was sharp.

All eyes snapped towards him just as he rose to his feet. His gaze flickered towards his father, then Alistair, and instantly they looked away, then finally turned to me. I felt a shiver down my spine. Without saying a word, he turned and left the hall, shutting the door behind him, the sound echoing through the chamber.

''That was bold of you, Lady Liora.'' Kiara said, ''Would it be better if I don't speak at all?'' I said, and Alistair cut in sharply, ''Yes! Who gave you the audacity to even speak? This is a dining hall, not where to have a discussion,”he said angrily.

''But the king and the nobles discuss here even when eating. She did nothing wrong here.” Cassius said, ''That's true, and silence is wasted on interesting women.'' Darius said, indirectly talking about me,

''Interesting? I believe the word you're looking for is reckless,'' Alistair said angrily, then continued, "It is a dangerous thing to forget one's place at a royal table."

''Oh dear brother, I find that the most interesting creatures are often the ones who forget.'' Darius said Cassius smirked wider. ''After all,'' he continued smoothly, ''what's a royal table without a little… entertainment?''

Alistair's gaze flickered towards him. ''Oh wow, I do love it when you stir the pot, Cassius.'' Kaira said, ''I live to serve.'' Cassius sips his wine. ''You are crazy, Cassius.'' Darius said, laughing, ''I won't take that as a compliment.'' Cassius said, I just exhaled slowly, feeling really uncomfortable but trying to steady myself.

Kieran

The wind howled, tearing through the trees, sending waves of rustling leaves into the cool evening. I stood at the edge of the cliff, arms crossed. My breath curled in the cold air, but I barely felt it. My thoughts were louder than the wind, heavier than the steel.

I didn't turn when I heard footsteps; I already knew who it was, Cassius. He always moves like a shadow; his presence is more felt than heard, his amusement lingering in the air before he even speaks.

''My, my. What an interesting evening it turned out to be,” he said while he approached. I exhaled sharply. "Hasn't it? What took you so long?” Cassius chuckled, the sound rich in amusement. ''You were expecting me.'' I removed the hood, uncovering my face, and I turned, my sharp gaze locking on him.

Cassius was exactly as he always was. Even if the wind bit at his face, he didn't show it. ''I knew you wouldn't be able to resist.'' I muttered

He smirked, ''And how could I? You storm out of the dining hall after our lovely little bride puts on a show, and I'm just going to let you disappear?. No, no, dear brother. I had to come see, just to know how much she's gotten under your skin.'' I clenched my jaw. ''She hasn't.''

Cassius hummed, stepping closer. ''Mm, that's why you're standing on the edge of a cliff like you're two seconds away from turning into a wolf.'' I didn't answer because Cassius wasn't wrong.

I wanted to lose myself in the wilderness, and run through the trees until I couldn't think, but running wouldn't fix anything. Cassius exhaled, tilting his head. ''She's interesting, isn't she?'' I shot him a sharp look. ''She's reckless.''

He smirked. ''She's reckless, and yet you didn't correct her in front of the others.'' That's interesting. I look back at the cliff. ''I'm not Alistair.''

''I never said you were.'' Cassius laughed while I scoffed; we both knew what that meant.

''How come you haven't unchained her yet? You don't want her?… Then why accept her? You should have just declined while the priest said the vow.

''Cassius…'' he interrupts. ''I know I'm talking too much, so you're going to let her keep snapping her teeth.'' Cassius mused, ''See how long she lasts.''

I exhaled through my nose. ''She's already lasted longer than expected.'' Cassius laughed, shaking his head. ''That she has. You should have seen Alistair's face in the dining hall.

I had felt the weight of Alistair's disappointment before I even entered the hall.

Cassius leaned against a jagged rock, watching me closely. "And the wedding? I sighed. I didn't answer at first, thinking of that day.

I expected her fear but not the way she looked at me. Not with terror nor submission but with defiance, I felt something deeper and unexplainable.

Cassius hummed, as if reading my thought, ''She didn't submit.'' I tightened my grip. ''No.''

''Did that bother you? I think that's why you didn't unchain her, just because she didn't bow in front of everyone or symbolically submit.''

No… that's not my reason for not unchaining her.

''Then what?''

''She's something else; I need to figure her out.'' Cassius smirked, ''How would you do that when you don't know her last name and she hasn't even seen your face or even know how cute her lord is?'' I sighed and walked out, "At least get to know something about her! " he yelled as I walk away