Episode 154: Parents (Danija)

The waterfall flowed with a subtle sloshing sound over the edge of the falls, down into the canyon. She took one last look, once she had made it back to palace-level, before turned back to the festival.

When she turned, her dad stood before her. She rocked on her heels, her body ready to jump.

“Dani?”

“Hi,” she said. “I was just taking a walk. It’s nice here. Lucky Eury.”

She hoped he wouldn’t see through her lie.

Her dad studied her, then took to her side and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. It felt like a slimy lie. He wasn’t an affectionate father, he was up to something.

Her heart raced, knowing there was a chance he had just seen her with Telek.

“Trying to get one of your own?” he asked, confirming her suspicions. At least she hadn’t progressed past kissing.

“No. Just talking to someone.”

“It’s time to come home. Eury is established. The roads will be light for travel, with everyone here.”

Right, the festival. Except, the festival was a good opportunity for a merchant. She was sure her parents were making a season’s worth of wages in the span of their time at the festival, and lodging was free here, unlike most places they travelled to.

“I have one of those travelling things,” she argued. “I can meet you at home. Or just get back to work.”

Work would be even better; she could avoid her family for another six months if she went to work. Then, they would come and collect her wages for her, and they would be gone again.

If she just, somehow, found a way to erase herself from existence before their next visit, things would go well. Maybe she could fake her death.

She hoped they didn’t know who the prince was. He wasn’t a crown prince, he was just a prince, because of birth. That, in her mind, made him just a person. Someone she had bonded to.

Her dad steered her toward the large gates toward the Upper Dell. “Or you can come with us; we hardly see you anymore.”’

She tried not to gape. There was no way he wanted to spend time with her, he had even told her before if he spent too long with her she wouldn’t be able to get her work done.

She didn’t even like her work. She just cleaned things and put things away and made sure new things were made, and she wasn’t even paid. She had a rag for a bed, in the corner of the room beneath an old cabinet.

She had no belongings except three outfits for wearing on land.

She wasn’t a child anymore.

“Okay. I’ll get my things,” she said. She could slip away to her room and never return. She pulled out of her dad’s arm but he grasped her shoulder and steered her back toward the gates again.

“Your mom got them for you. She’s waiting at the Upper Dell entrance to the palace.”

“I left something with the queen,” she replied. If she could have the queen see her, she could stop this. Somehow she had convinced her parents to hand Eury over. She would understand. She had given Telek the bond, they were close.

The last thing she wanted was harm to come to Telek as they held her hostage. She didn’t want him to pay for her, she wanted him to not want to pay too. Not that she was worthless, she was worth something in her own mind. She didn’t think she was worth gold and bobbles, though, she was worth time and love.

Maybe, or she had heard too many stories and read too many books.

“Let me rephrase: It’s time to go. Now, not after you talk to other people.”

“I have a bond,” she blurted out. “I need to figure that out. The queen can…”

He cut her off before she could finish her statement, before she could stomach the idea of losing the connection to Telek.

She had ruined his life. He had bonded to her, and even if he survived that he was going to either have to buy her or die later or at least deal with the idea that he gave up his girlfriend for her. He was breaking up with his girlfriend right now. Maybe. If she could just stop him.

But, her dad’s grasp was too firm on her. She couldn’t go anywhere.

“We suspected you might,” he said. His hand was firm but his voice was poetic.

“Why can’t I just stay here?” Danija demanded. She never talked back to her parents, but she was desperate.

She was so close to being away from them, free of them.

If she could just marry him, publicly, quickly, they would have no hold on her. If it were the sea kingdom, the bond itself would be enough to lose their place as her life controllers.

“You can, soon,” her dad replied.

“No. I’m not going. I’m staying at the festival. I have a date tonight.”

She wanted to sound confident, but she was almost certain the sentence had come out weak and unsure.

Her dad stopped walking and looked at her. “Are you going to make this difficult? After all we’ve done for you?”

They had done almost nothing for her. Except ensure she was in one piece for her sale.

At least it wasn’t an auction.

“How about you just find someone else to make miserable.”

She didn’t wait for him to answer. His hand had fallen from her and she took the chance to run, as fast as she could. Her feet tumbled one across the other through the grass. She ran, and hoped someone would see her running.

It was too little, too far from the population, because she felt his hand grasp her arm. He yanked her back and in a flash they were among the pines of the Upper Dell, old growth trees towered above them.

She turned to see her mom, her plump body a befuddlement in a world of thin people. “So? Did you bond?”

She stared at the her mom. She wouldn’t cave to them. Her eyes hurt as she held back frustration. They wouldn’t let go of her, and she needed this to be over.

Her mom smiled and engulfed her in her arms. “Don’t cry! This is the beginning of the rest of your life! You should celebrate.”

“Why are you taking me away then.”

“This is a matter of the bride price,” her mom explained, as though she didn’t see it as being sold.

“He hasn’t even proposed yet.”

“We’ll take care of that.” Her mom turned toward her dad. “I’ll be back by sunset. If I’m not, take her to Thelos.”

She lurched, but her dad held her back. There would be no running again, she had lost her chance to escape. Her fate was up to Telek now.

She promised herself she wouldn’t blame him for whatever happened.

“You’ll be with him by the end of the day,” her dad whispered in her ear. She felt chills run down her body. She wanted away, out, anything.

She stood there, defeated.

He transported her to their house. She hadn’t been there in years.

“Why are you doing this?” she asked.

“It’s for your good. People take better care of investments than people they take for granted.”

She shook her head. She wished she had a travel pack; the lie wouldn’t get her away anymore than running.

“I’m not an investment,” she argued. “I don’t need to be taken care of.”

She had done a good enough job of it on her own.

“Do you want him to take your for granted?” her dad asked.

It was one of those questions that made no sense, except to irritate her.

She folded her arms and closed her eyes.

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