THE TRUTH

"How can it be void. I married you by our traditions in front of your whole kingdom. Even your father was alive to witness it so how could you say it is void? If any marriage here should be void it should be the one you had with her!"

"Savvy, shut up." Thaggar said in an unusually calm voice making Savvy shiver.

Thaggar walked to a nearby chair and sat down prompting them to sit on the floor in front of him. There was silence for a long time in which Thaggar's deep breaths could clearly be heard. He was preparing himself to speak and Akira, though remembering his request for her to be the one to tell Savvy, saw the need for him to speak and she knew he also did.

"Savvy.....I don't hate you." Thaggar begun quietly.

At his words, Savvy wasn't certain she even wanted to hear the rest of his words. She rarely saw Thaggar this hesitant before and a rotting feeling settled in her stomach as she gazed into his pained eyes.

"If things had been different then...." Thaggar paused and looked at Akira knowing his next words would probably hurt her,"....I would never had taken another wife."

Akira's throat constricted and she fought back the urge to cough. She didn't want to sit and listen anymore but if she stood she was certain Thaggar wouldn't continue to speak with Savvy so she forced herself to remain sitting. Savvy had a sad smile on her lips, feeling hopeful and yet frightened. If they could find a way to make the marriage valid then maybe her husband would love her too.

"I promise to compensate you after we dissolve the marriage and Akira is queen."

Savvy's face fell, her skin pale as she stared at Thaggar in disbelief. She thought....

"I cannot change the fact that you are my sister so....."

"What?" Savvy asked her voice barely a whisper and she was beginning to tremble once more.

Akira looked at Savvy, her heart clenching as if she was the one being spoken to. Without a second thought Akira placed her hand on Savvy's that were resting on the floor. Savvy squeezed Akira's hand, accepting the comfort but still shaking and her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"You are the daughter of the late king and Daki.

Savvy was swaying as though she was about to collapse so Akira moved closer and hugged her. Savvy, overwhelmed, reciprocated the hug and begun to sob because she now knew that she could never have the man she so desperately wanted. She was his sister....

"I'm sorry but if you want any more answers, the only one who can tell you that is your mother...."

"I don't need it." Savvy mumbled in between sobs,"S-she is so evil.....what mother would do this to her only child? Is it because I'm a girl?"

Akira hugged Savvy tighter and Savvy squeezed her back. Thaggar just watched them, unable to do anything else. He decided to go to the kitchen and have something prepared for Savvy to eat knowing that she probably hadn't eaten. When he came back, Savvy had her head resting on Akira's bossom with her hands wrapped around her waist while Akira was running her right hand through Savvy's hair and the other was patting her back. He smiled and walked closer with the tray in his hand.

"Am I disturbing?" He asked gently sitting down as well.

Savvy shook her head and released Akira. She sat up straight, her eyes puffy from crying the whole night and morning.

"Eat something." Thaggar urged her.

He could see she was still trembling as she reached out to grab the cup of water. She drank slowly with a pained expression as if the movement of the water was hurting her throat. Seeing her struggle, Akira started cutting the meat into small bite sized pieces and coating them lightly in what she recognized as the remainder of her soup from last night. Thaggar had brought a bowl of rice as well so she poured the soup over it and mixed it well before starting to feed Savvy.

"Well this is odd."

All three heads turned to look at the source of the voice only to find Taki. She had a small smile on her lips as she looked at the truly unusual sight before her.

"It's a good odd I guess." She added sounding excited and she straight away sat down next to Akira also wanting to be fed.

"I'll feed you later, let me finish with Savvy." Akira said with a chuckle looking at Taki who had her mouth already open.

"But this is the only soup left." Taki whined bringing her face closer to the spoon,"Just one..."

"Fine." Akira relented and fed her and Taki cheered before standing.

"Next time you have to feed me the whole meal and my beloved sister-in-law here will do my hair." Taki announced before skipping away.

Akira smiled and continued to feed Savvy, trying to not make her uncomfortable by pointing out the new appearance of tears in her eyes at hearing Taki call her sister-in-law. Once she finished eating, Akira decided to stay with her for the rest of the day as she understood that Savvy needed someone to care for her.

"I'll be sleeping in Savvy's room tonight." Akira whispered to Thaggar as she handed him the dishes.

"But we didn't fini....."

"Shhh!" Akira shushed him quickly with a frown and turned around, her hair slapping him,"Are you stupid?"

Thaggar frowned but he didn't stop her as she walked away with Savvy.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Akira called out when the reached the stairs.

Thaggar waved back, heavy hearted and feeling lonely then he watched her walk away.

"What do I do now?" He asked himself and sighed.

He handed the plates to a maid and went outside to rediscover what he had done before he had the privilege of rolling around with Akira in bed.

"Bring me my horse!" He bellowed making the stable boy scramble to get the warhorse.

He waited patiently while looking around feeling like he was in a new place even though this was the place he grew up in. He already missed Akira terribly. She had been with him only for six days but he felt as though she was his whole life.

"My king, your horse." The stable boy said handing the horse's reins to him.

Thaggar nodded and took them. He quickly mounted and rode away to just look around. He had like to explore outside the walls but he didn't feel like doing that so he just rode around the palace grounds, observing everything and everyone. For the first time he even went to the poultry and helped carry some eggs.