Chapter Text
Allitha
'No Mina I'm serious, I'm not going to do it.' I turn around and walk to my room, as far away from her as I could possibly get. Behind me I can hear the sound her heels walking over the marble floor echoing through the hallway.
'Oh come on Allitha, it is just a party and who doesn't like parties?' She says while struggling to keep up with me because of her long blue dress.
I stop in my tracks and stand still facing away from her, for how long has she known me. Ooh right from the moment I was born. You would expect that your bloody own older sister knows you well enough to know what you like and what you don't like. We might not look like each other that much in both the things we do and the way we look, but we did grow up together. I look at her and see she has crossed her arms over her chest. She is clearly waiting for me to answer her question and give in to her so I will go downstairs to that stupid party. Well she can wait forever, because that is not going to happen today and I am going to tell her exactly why. 'You know it might be difficult for you to understand but I am not exactly a people person. Because you can never know who to trust and who not to trust, in the end everybody is always looking out for themselves. I am more a book person, because books are way less trouble than people and you never have to question their utter motives since they don't have one.'
Mina looks at me and rolls her cristal blue eyes followed by a heavy sigh. 'I know that, Allitha, but it is important for mom and dad that you make at least an appearance.'
'Dad himself wanted to be in the council, I most certainly did not. So why is it that I must suffer.' I shot back at her. She is trying to make me feel guilty about letting mom and dad hanging when I need to be the model daughter at the moment. On any other day at any other time it would work, but not today. 'Mina' I say 'please let it slide for this once and let me be. I do not feel good today, who knows I might even throw up on somebody.'
'No you won't, you don't look that sick to me. And besides I heard Duncan is looking for you.' I know she is trying to get me enthusiastic by saying this but it is not exactly helping. I put my hands on my hips, tilt my head slightly to the left and say: 'You know, that is not making it any better.'
Mina looks at me clearly baffled by my statement, because who wouldn't be interested in Duncan. He is tall, dark and of course, because why not, also very handsome, according to some. Oh and he also happens to be the right hand of the head of the council, which makes him extremely powerful and rich. These points makes him the reason for soooo many fights between girls, but the thing with me is I just don't like him as a human. He is just too good to be true, there is something wrong with him, there has to be.
'I can't believe you just said that!' Mina's voice pulls me from my thoughts while she lets her arms fall down her body.
'That the idea of Duncan looking for me does not want to make me go downstairs?' I ask her.
'Yes, because almost every girl in Fanro would fight for the attention he is giving you.' She said while frantically waving her arms at me. Her perfect raven hair coming slightly undone by the movement.
'Well maybe, because I don't show interest in him, makes him interested in me. You know, that is actually a very overused plot in romance books.' I shot back at her.
She sighed: 'You and your books, in real life it doesn't always work like that. You should get your nose out of those books more often and start living in the real world.'
'Now why would I leave my perfectly happy life in my room surrounded by amazing books, for an awful life in the real world surrounded by terrible people.' I say to her while crossing my arms over my chest.
'Not all people are terrible, you know.' She says, while putting her hands on her hips. 'But, if you don't socialise, how would you know?'
I can't believe she is two years older than me. Why must she always meddle in my life, why can't she just let me be. I throw my hands up in frustration and say: 'I like people or I don't like people, and most of the time it is the latter. And as a matter of fact it doesn't bother me, I am perfectly happy this way.' While I raise my voice a little bit louder than I should.
'Alright girls, that is quite enough fighting for the evening.' A deep familiar voice says. Mina and I both tilt our head in the direction of the voice. Dad is leaning on with side against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest. Standing there in the flickering light of the candles I can see that he truly pulled out his nicest suit for today's party. He got his brown hair cut en combed it back so you can't see his normal ruffeld look, he even trimmed his beard. He only does that if it is for something really important and he needs to look his best.
'Dad' Mina said, and turned her body to him. 'I am so sorry, I didn't mean to fight, I was just trying to get Allitha to join us downstairs, but she keeps making up ridiculous excuses for why she can't go to the party.'
He looked at Mina and then at me, I catch his gaze and I don't let go. We stand like that for a few seconds, dad is the first to break away and looks at Mina to say: 'Mina go downstairs and help your mother with the guests will you.'
'Yes dad, I will do just that.' She pulls her dress up a little bit higher so she can walk easier and heads towards the stairs. But not before she looks back at me and makes a face, I give her my 'oh wow very grown up' look. She turns her head back to the front and walks down the stairs.
Dad and I stand there for a few more seconds still in silence till we can't hear the sound of Mina's heels anymore. 'Follow me Allitha.' He says with a grim face while he pushes himself off the wall, turns around and starts walking towards his study.