Alaesa opened the book, reading where she left off from last night, ignoring the increasingly loud voices from the lower level. Despite trying to concentrate on the words, she could not help but over hear them. “Cath, you are aware your father is sentenced to death, right?” Her father said, impatience slowly making his way into his words. The muscles in Alaesa’s body stiffened, trying to comprehend her father’s words. Maybe it was a mistake, or… a joke. Her father joked all the time with the family. She continued reading her history book and attempted to turn the next page, but the walls were thinner than a wafer.
“It isn’t right! All he did was say no to…”
“That is a bigger crime than stealing,” her father replied. “He should have known better!”
She closed the book, slowly opening her door to hear them better. Her father did not sound like he was joking around. “You know my father. He’s stubborn as all hell. He will not bow to anybody he doesn’t respect.”
“It’s still his own fault! Look, you’re just going to have to accept this, I’m sorry. Unless you want them after us next.”
“What if we escaped? And took him with us?” her mother asked. “We could all start over in another country!”
“Are you serious? You would put a target on our own daughter’s back just because you want to save your father from doing something, he knew would get him killed?” her father said, his voice now raised. “What the hell are you even thinking right now?”
“A way to save my father!”
He glanced at the large portrait of a middle-aged man, with similar features. He would tell Alaesa and her sister stories of how her great grandfather defended the kingdom. “He is sentenced to death and there is no saving him now,” Alaesa’s father said. “He wouldn’t bend the knee and will face the consequences.” She couldn’t find it in her to move any part of her body. She had been listening for a while, and yet the only word she heard was ‘death’. “I’m sorry, Cath. I really am, but I will not risk our family and destroy everything we have worked hard for.”
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