Chapter 9 The Talk

• Ariana's POV
• It was another dawn at the kingdom and I was already up and at my father's study. I knew he strongly disliked me bombarding and wasn't a morning person but I've overheard him telling Sir Victor about continuing their discussion first thing in the morning in his study, so here I was, being the pest. I gingerly sat into my father's handmade craved chair and awaited.
• A few minutes later, I heard approaching footsteps. As certain, in came my father.
• "Are my eyes deceiving me?" he immediately questioned.
• "Good morning to you too," I said.
• "Ariana, you have less than thirty seconds to get up from my chair and to get out of my study," he warned.
• "No.I'm not going anywhere," I stood my ground.
• "I'm not going to tolerate you this early in the morning with your stubborness."
• "Why do you hate me so?" I asked a question I was longing the answer to.
• "Hate you?" he asked as if I had offended him.
• "Yes. You hate your very daughter. Why?"
• "I don't hate you."
• "You don't love me either."
• "You've made it hard for me to love you and to hand over my reigns to you. You're hard-headed and too set in your ways to differ from the path I want you on."
• "You're a cold-blooded man."
• "Well pardon my freezing heart but I have an entire kingdom to rule and surrounding counties anticipating my country's resources. I have more to worry about than loving you."
• "I'M YOUR DAUGHTER! I didn't ask to come into this world nor did I asked for you to sharp me and groom me into the queen you think I should be.I ought to be your first priority, as your own blood, your only blood, and you would put anything and everyone above me?" I asked. My heart ached and squeezed inside my chest. Hot tears welled up in my eyes, fighting to stay at bay because I didn't want him to see me cry and gain satisfaction that I was indeed a weakling.
• "You so crave my love, Ariana?" he asked with an unapologetic smirk. He stepped closer to his desk and looked at me in the eyes, and exhaled loudly. I watched as it appeared that some of his 'walls' were crumbling but his man wore his heart on his sleeve, "You wouldn't receive it until you do as I say and you become the person I want you to become," he finished.
• I rose from his chair.
• "Perhaps you and I can bond today," my father spoke again as I was at the door about to leave.
• Bond? That meant he wanted to spend some time with me. He never spent time with me in ages.
• " I would like that. What do you have in mind?" I asked as I got giddy with excitement.
• Sir Victor arrived.
• "Victor, leave us at once," my father dismissed Victor.
• Like a gleeful child, I walked side by side with my father as we made our way to the...courtyard?
• "The courtyard, father?" I asked with disappointment.
• "You thought we were going to fetch candies? Take your seat and hold your tongue unless you're spoken to!" he uttered and I complied.
• I hated the courtyard.
• Within a minute, several soilders dragged a man and a woman onto the alter.
• "Your Majesty, this couple is guilty of committing adultry. His very wife has found them in bed together, and this woman has knowledge that she was engaging with someone else's husband because she is the house help. It is written that no man should stray from his wife to the arms of another. What say you, My King?" the 'Law' asked.
• "What do they have to say for themselves?" my father spoke up.
• "We're innocent. This is untrue, My King!" the man pleaded.
• The woman was too frantic to even speak.
• "Interesting," father replied and locked his eyes on them with evil intent. I knew that look all too well.
• I stood up so that my voice would be carried throughout the courtyard, "Where's the wife?" I questioned.
• "At her house," was the response.
• "Bring her here," I instructed.
• "Yes, my Princess."
• My father reached for my arm and yanked me back into my chair.
• "Just what do you think you're doing?" he asked.
• "You bought me here and I do have a say."
• "And I told you to hold your tongue until you're spoken to, didn't I?"
• "You did say I was hard-headed, I was only proving it some more," I sassed.
• My father puffed but another thing he disliked, was for his people to see there was bad-blood in his castle.
• "Okay, since you're so rapt in the case, it has been handed to you and you will prosecute them in accordance to the laws, and you will execute. Have I made myself clear?"
• "Vividly."
• "Wonderful."
• The man's wife was escorted into the courtyard. I watched as she eyed them dangerously when I stood up.
• "Who is this man and this woman to you?" I questioned her.
• "My husband, James. And this woman is my helper, Ruth. And I'm Jane," she answered.
• "It was said that you've caught them in bed together. Is this true?" I asked.
• "Yes, My Princess. I haven't reason to lie. I still love my husband so much," she spoke.
• "Was this the first time you've found them together?" I asked another question.
• "No, it's not. I've seen them serveral times in the past. I spoke to James about it but he didn't want to stop. He said that he was in love with her and he was going to be with her while having me as his wife," the woman said.
• "Ruth, are you of this Kingdom?" I asked the other woman.She was still in tears and afraid.
• "No. I'm from a tribe called Sawahh," she managed to speak.
• "I've read about The Sawahhs. Some even said your people is a myth," I said back to her with a smile, "Ruth, please stand up and follow me."
• Ruth followed me into a private room where I conducted an inspection what I was educated on about The Sawahhs. We then proceeded back into the courtyard. I was standing at the alter too.
• "Jane, you've lied to me and this court," I rose my voice.
• "My Princess, I haven't."
• "I'll give you ten seconds to confess the truth."
• "Perhaps you should have your seat and let your father handle this. He does have better judgments than you do," Jane said rudely and my blood came to a boil. I struck her in the face and shocked the entire court with surprise.
• I hovered over the woman with anger like she was my prey.
• "You lied to my face and have the gal to insult me? Allow me to tell you and everyone else how you're a liar! Ruth is Sawahh. At the age of five, the girls' lady part are sown with a special thorn called a 'V Thorn' and on their wedding night, their husbands are allowed to cut the thread. Ruth's thread has not been cut. How it is that your husband is having relations with her?"
• "I..I..." Jane stuttered.
• "You're a liar and lying is also against our laws especially when putting someone else at risk. How old are you?" I asked.
• "Forty," she answered.
• "FORTY STOKES!" I instructed to the soilders and walked off the alter.
• ________
• "You have impressed me this morning," my father said when we sat down for lunch later on that day. He smiled at me without malice and it was an enthralling feeling to hear those words finally.