Cara

_01_

She sat down quietly and barely moving as her maids make wonder on her face. Today, she will be choosing a suitor for herself or maybe the other way round –but of course, the ceremony must hold.

She dreaded this day and hated the fact that she can do nothing about it. She had pleaded with her father, begged him with tears in her eyes and made sorts of promises to him –but as the king, he never goes back on his words.

"You don't teach or tell me what to do, Cara. I'm your father and you must listen to me. Always!" He thundered, glaring hells at her. "I only, knows what's the best for you and this is it."

"No, father!" She countered in disapproval, still in tears and shook her head vigorously. "I'm certain that this is not the best way for me, can't you see that you are sending your only daughter and child away?"

"Sending you away, eh?" He scoffs at her choice of words. "Don't make me laugh, Cara, I'm not sending you away but giving your hands in marriage instead; after all, you are bound to get married someday."

"But I don't want to get married father, I don't!" She muttered as the tears rolled down her cheeks. She felt her heart aching and almost choking on her own breathe. "I don't want to leave you —at least not this way."

To her, this is the worst treatment any father would ever give his daughter! He wants to marry her off to some one she don't even know, some one who she doesn't love.

The thought of her soon to be husband not loving her for the rest of her life sickened her heart, or maybe the other way round. What if she find herself not loving him, eh? What if he is not even a good man to start with?

She heard tons of stories of highly ranked men turning their wives into slaves and maltreating them every day. No, she doesn't want this kind of marriage! She dread the thought of it!

"You don't want to marry, eh?" Her father snickered, breaking her off her train of thought. "Don't make me laugh, lady. Don't just make me!"

She did not miss the stern warning in his voice but she's still determined to persuade him, standing her ground, who knows if he might change his mind? Although knowing its a futile attempt.

"I don't mean that way, father." She stated, determined on threading her words gently this time. "I always dreamed of getting married someday but only to some one I love, I want a marriage with some one who is capable of pulling my heart string."

Her father laughed very loudly. This time, there wasn't any threat in it. It was just a normal carefree laughter from a fulfilled heart — like he was trying to change his daughter's perceptive of life with his laughter.

"There is no such thing as love, My lady. I assure you there isn't!" He said to her in a voice as calm as a still water. "No royal blood marry out of love because it doesn't exist amongst royalty. Those words are of fairy tale, you should know that more than anyone."

"That is what you choose to believe, father, but there is." She doped out, wiping her non stop tears with the back of her palm. "It's the foundation of every relationship."

Her father laughed yet again before giving his daughter a reply. "Your mother and I..."

"–never loved yourselves but every thing eventually worked out because she's more dutiful." She completed her father's words, taking them out of his mouth. "You've told me this sentence times with out number."

"Yeah because it's the truth." He told her, his voice was getting hard again. "You are a princess, you should be prepared for this —this is the life you have to life in return as a royalty."

Cara felt she can't have enough of her father's words, he won't stop at nothing until he get her married to anyone. She did not know why he was doing that but she understands her father more than anyone else; he does everything for a reason.

The truth behind her sudden marriage is that, soon an empire twice their own would be waging a war against them and her father wants to marry her off to one of the powerful empires, who were willing to have her hand in marriage.

He hated the fact that there is no other ways to it but there is little or nothing she could do about it. As a king, he will have to sacrifice some thing precious to him just to save his people and hated it has to be her only daughter.

"But..."

Her slowly cut her off, interrupting her abruptly. "There is no buts, Cara. This is a royal order and you will have to abide by it, you have no right to object to it!" His voice was filled with finality.

"Father!" She cried out in despair. "You can't do this to your own daughter, you can't!"

"If you will excuse me, I have some other things I have to take care of. I'm done wasting my time with you, Cara." He told her, his voice was surprisingly cold. "You should leave while I'm being nice, Cara."

At this point, Cara realized there is nothing she can do to change her father's decision, no matter how much she try. He made up his mind already and the marriage seems to be his priority at the moment.

Cara was left with no choice other than excusing her father as he as asked of her.

______

She was strong enough to hold back her tears as she try not to picture what the future holds in store for her. She should not, she can only hope she get to pick the most suitable amongst the suitors as hers.

"I'm done, my lady." The lady, who had her face beautified, announced as she bowed slightly before retreating her steps, breaking Cara off her train of thought.

Cara sighed as she looked into the mirror she was offered. She sure look really stunning and breathtakingly gorgeous but she hated her look at the moment.

If only she have the worst look that enough to make any one who stare at her puke, the marriage would not have be mentioned of in the first place —her uncanny beauty most have played a role in this too.

No prince or emperor would take it upon themselves to marry an ugly lady, that would be an insult upon them –who would want to risk it? Definitely, no one! She wished she can just clean all the sorts on her face but she know better than stepping on her father's tail and getting on his bad side...