An Invitation To Love

First chapter

The Northern Kingdom has been at war for years.

The kingdom maybe had a strong military but waging war against two great empires at the same time was not a good idea, even his stupid general said so.
But he didn't care. A greedy king and a ruthless court, that's what they were.

Perhaps he should have instead given the money he spent on wars to his people who were suffering from famine and disease, but he did not care.

He wasn't even a good father to begin with. This man strangled his own wife because she cheated on him or at least that's what he claimed to justify what he did.
Nobody knew what was going on in his head, he was ruthless and coldhearted.

He saw his children as pawns, they were going to obey him and do what he wanted.

Indeed heartless.

Allora and Lily were non-identical twins along with one older brother who was willing to do everything for his younger sweethearts.
Their father knew that and knew how to best put it in use.
He once put a knife at Allora's neck and bruised it so that Lance would follow his order.

Lance was dead now.
Their father sent him to the war, to his death, he killed him.
He didn't want to give the crown to his son.

The only source of security was gone and so their father could do anything.

Even though Allora could never forgive him, she still did what he wanted and put herself to use.
She wanted to protect Lily.
Her little sister, who her father hated the most because she reminded him of their mother.

He would lock her in a dark room for days without food and Allora would sit outside the room listening to her muffled crying until he would have mercy and let Lily out.

Nobody could go against him.
Nobody dared.
Because a King that just follows his irrational side would do anything without regretting it or thinking twice about it.

A few days ago, their father made a peace agreement with the King of the South and in order to make the deal unbreakable they agreed on linking the families together. With that they took the only thing keeping Allora alive. Her little Lily.

Lily knew he wouldn't miss a chance to get rid of her.

Her whole world was crushing down in front of her eyes, and she felt helpless.

She was frustrated, devastated but what could she do?
It's not like she had a choice. Her father didn't even ask her, let alone tell her.
She found that out very late and on her own. Could it even get worse?

"I'm fine" that's what she told herself and believed. Because faking it was better than having this killing feeling in her heart.

"I don't even know what he looks like.
He could be a heartless monster or anything that goes this way."
But she had no say in that.
She could neither say what's on her mind nor run away.
Well, the second one could be done but what would happen to Allora.

At least marrying someone from this family or specifically the king of this kingdom would bring a lot of advantages with it.

She didn't believe in love, her mother died because of this not understandable feeling so it should be something she will never feel.

She observed the gifts she received from the great emperor of the south.
They were placed neatly at the corner of her room.
A lot of gold and diamonds as if they were buying her.
She had to admit that she was feeling expensive.

She laughed at the thought.

A knock on the door brought her out of her thought flow.

"Allora just come in, you're not that respectful normally" her voice sounded hoarse.