Chapter 1
Adaliyah
′i need to talk with you alone’
‘We are alone.’
Alena did not move; instead, she continued to sit silently, chin up looking straight past her sister towards the garden beside them. Adaliyah closed her eyes and sighed. It had been years since she had last seen her sister and it was already uncomfortable. Regardless, as the eldest between them, she decided to be the bigger person; choosing to signal her servants, Mari and Azya, to leave. The women stopped dressing the breakfast table instantly and took leave. As they closed the door behind them, Adaliyah bit into a lightly toasted bun and finally took her eyes off her sister’s face. This was the first time she has seen Alena in years but nothing had changed. Her locs were still secured upon her head with a scarf, that made her seem as though she were wearing a heaven-given crown. The square nose she stole from mama. The lips and eyes that indicated she was papa’s child in more ways than the love he had shown only her. Even the freckles on her face that were all of her own making, Mama would say happened because she was kissed by the sun the moment she came out. A blessing by the heavens in looks and wit. That was clearly how she managed to still look the age of sixteen at more than a decade later. The only real difference in Alena now, was the clothing she bore. Everything about her now screamed that she was militant and ready for battle. Adaliyah desperately wanted to know why though she had no single reason to interfere; Alena had made it very clear all those years ago, that she did not want her help. Unless... Unless Alena wanted her to? Why else would she be here? Adaliyah would never admit it if Alena did not first but she deeply missed her sister. That level of companionship was incomparable. She found herself craving that level of affection often yet the pain in having lost her sister in the way that she had, made it very easy to keep distance from everyone. It was a pain she was not ready to experience again. She had dealt with enough loses.
However, the look on Alena’s face was not one of someone who wanted to rekindle sisterly love. Regal as ever, Alena simply just sat there as always looking like the sun had come out only for her; as though she was art to be admired. As if wanting to annoy Adaliyah further, Alena carried on in silence. Adaliyah fought the need to kiss her teeth. With the faint sound of the kitchen door closing, likely behind the servants; Alena relaxed. As she slouches, a look of pain and worry crosses her face.
’i come here today hoping that I am right; that you are aware that there is something wrong in Graca and are simply not sure how to address it.’ Adaliyah looks startled at the sudden accent found in her sister’s voice and the sheer commonality of her state. Alena continued. ’if there is misunderstanding i shall clear it up now. We must feel shame. Our grandfather died to bring down the thorid monarchy and everything it represents yet generations later, here we are. Speaking thorie like it is more important a language than our own, acting as though what and who we have in our country is not enough. overtime we have become everything our family fought to remove. Do you even know if your servants are managing to provide food for their family? We’ve never needed this, our country does not need whatever it is we have become.’
What the fuck has that got to do with me? If there was anything to happen now however, it would not be Adaliyah losing control. She would never allow for anyone to act as though she they know more or better than she.
‘Then what would you suggest I do Alena? Our people wanted to show our family their appreciation and they chose to gift us two with a simple and easy life. Everything else they have become, is their choice.’
’do you not hear it when you speak sister? Would it kill us to earn our living?’
‘I repeat Alena. And do what?’
’i know you do not wish to be involved anymore. Why not teach and make your living without feeding off this land?’
‘You want me to teach little kids? Like I am some any commoner, Alena?’
’like a commoner?’ Alena stands up. Her gaze upon her sister changed. Suddenly and unexpectedly, she moves onto her knees at her sister’s feet. The anger from her face moments before, stilled. ‘Adaliyah, we have done nothing to be anything more than commoners. You do not deserve this high horse you sit on just because the person who overtook a monarchy happened to be in your relation. Grandpapa wouldn’t want this for us! Not for the people he lost his life to defend. He did all that to ensure the future of his people and right now his people are suffering because the work is not over. All the people know is that they want to support us but it is not because we are monarchs. We do not have any reason to live a different life to our neighbours my sister.’
Seemingly unphased by Alena’s speech, Adaliyah shifts her focus upon the table and pours herself tea. She refused to engage with such stupidity. Alena eventually understands this and gets back up to sit in her chair and begins to speak again having dropped the commoner’s accent. ’they had told me you wouldn’t be interested as you were too concerned with yourself. i didn’t believe them. i couldn’t. allow me to tell the tale you first told me, that sits heavy on my heart till this day.’ Alena grabs a muffin from the centre of the table and picks it apart. ‘“The man who sits on a tower of gold in the midst of disparity is weak in comparison to the man who sees gold and disperses it. For when the man on the tower slips, the people will attack until he is left with nought. Yet the man who shared may slip as much as he wants but the ground he shall never find.” Adaliyah, don’t let it be your chair.’ Alena stands up and turns to leave the room. After a moment, Adaliyah realises the door still has not opened and turned towards it. ’or you will find that I am the one removing it for you.’ closing the door behind her, Alena leaves Adaliyah sitting in the room alone, shouting after her.
’what is that supposed to mean Alena!’
Though she had always been the one to inspire war like mentality in her sister when they were children, Adaliyah had long since grown out of her militant thoughts. The trauma her reality left her, was too overwhelming to just carry-on fighting. She became old too quickly and learnt that not in all her youth, had she ever been able to sit. To be free. She never was allowed that yet she alone made those things possible for Alena. Made sure that she would not suffer the life of not becoming her own person before she was prepped and groomed for the world their family inhabited. Yet somehow, all these efforts just made Alena more devoted to ‘the cause’ and Papa loved her immensely for it. Opinionated and unapologetic. The child more likely to have made Grandpapa proud. The one more like them, so when Alena left the room without answering her question, Adaliyah did not kid herself, she knew what it meant.
