“I don’t need to be taken care of! You should worry about yourself!”
“There’s nothing to worry about! I’m fine! You are my primary concern right now! You’re working yourself to the bone, isolating yourself, and leaving yourself to fester in foul moods all day long. When are you going to wake up and realize that you’re sabotaging yourself?”
“I’m fine! I can take care of myself!”
“Clearly, you can’t!”
“Are you calling me weak?” Alessia snarls.
My mouth drops open. “Alessia, what is wrong with you? I’ve never once called you weak!”
“Your actions speak louder than your words. You’ve been babying me for too long. I don’t need this mushy-gushy crap to feel good, Aurelio! I need discipline and productivity!”
“Yes, and part of that is self-care, dumbass!” I snap.
Alessia’s hands tighten into fists at her sides. “You dare insult me, weakling?”
“Look who’s insulting people now!” I growl, feeling my hands twitch once again. “This isn’t like you! Just stop!”
“I CAN’T!”
Her words are like a slap to the face. Alessia breathes heavily, her lip curling into a snarl as she looks down at me. I have a feeling she’s looking down on me in more ways than one right now, and it’s breaking my heart.
“I have not only a tournament to win, but battle preparations to make,” Alessia thunders. “I have to prepare to head up the front lines of our invasion of a strong allied nation. If I don’t look and perform my best, my nation will never see me as the queen I strive to be. One slip-up, and my strength will be called into question. The loyalty of my soldiers will waver, and we’ll collapse like a house of cards. Do you not understand how much is riding on this play?”
“I do! That’s why I’m begging you, just come to bed!” I plead.
“You just want to convince me for a bit of romance! I know better!” Alessia snaps. “I have better things to do! Go screw with one of the housemaids, if you’re that desperate!”
“Alessia! Do you even hear what you’re saying?” I shout. “I’ve never once taken advantage of you! You’re trying to drive me away! On purpose!”
Alessia turns her back to me. “I don’t care. Get out of my sight. I don’t need you, Aurelio. I’ve succeeded on my own my whole life; I can succeed without you just fine. Go read your books and skive off like you always wanted to.”
With that, she storms away, leaving me to punch the ground and scream in frustration.
I didn’t even realize I was crying until my teardrops hit the ground near my fists.
Chapter thirty-three
Alessia
Igrip my sword with white knuckles, hearing the cheers of the crowd echo down the tunnel.
“DAELIA! DAELIA! DAELIA!”
Everything is riding on this moment. This is where the fate of my country will be decided.
“ALESSIA! ALESSIA! ALESSIA!”
Sister versus sister. Hero versus Queen. State versus Church. It will clash in a spectacular fashion today.
“KHARU! EMILIA! WE LOVE YOU!”
No matter how the other competitors perform, when the dust settles, it will be just Daelia and I facing down, a one-on-one battle for the history books. Our swords will clash in a battle for the future of our nation.
What will it be?
Will the Hero emerge victorious, demanding the safety, prosperity, and empathetic treatment of all? Or will the Queen seize the day, and with it, take the safety, prosperity, and empathetic treatment into her own hands, sacrificing whatever is necessary to achieve it?
