me, you monster?’ Da shouts.
Leo frowns. My hands go cold. I called Leo that name back when I was taken, then bad things happened. Da reaches down and picks up the metal stake. He can hardly lift it.
‘Mellea has come home. You have no business here anymore. It’d be wise for you to simply turn around and go back to your precious Tower.’ Da walks over and manages to put his free hand on my shoulder. ‘Mellea has refused your proposal. She has made me proud, standing up for herself by never agreeing to unite with you. It’s about time you go find someone else.’
Guilt starts to build up in every muscle in my body. ‘Da…there is something I have to tell you,’ I say turning to him.
Da glances at me. ‘Don’t worry Mellea. Everything is going to be all right. It so happens I did some research into current Guardian Law. It turns out you, all of us, were lied to. The laws surrounding forced unitings were changed ten years ago, by his mother no less. It says that, “A Guardian must have the full consent of their chosen bride, the same and equal rights of citizens of the Centreland and Stray Islands of the Coasts”. That means that you’re safe. You’ve said no to him and, by law, you can come home and leave all this silliness behind.’
I cover my mouth. I feel like I’m going to be sick. ‘You lied to me!’ I scream at Leo. ‘This is why you didn’t want me to come back. This is why you kept me locked up! You knew I would find out the truth. I was actually free to leave this whole time! Was your plan to keep me stored away until I finally broke and agreed to unit with you?’
Leo turns his head slightly to the side. What does that mean? Yes or no?
I feel hot with a burning rage. I run over to him and smack him in the lower ribs with the base of my fists. ‘I can’t believe I thought you could be anything but evil! You’re such a dirty liar! I hate you!’
Leo pushes me back. ‘Excuse me. I did not lie. I merely did not correct you. My father knew that I would have a hard time getting you to agree because of the new laws and so we decided it would be best to…blur the lines of current law.’
My eyes fill with tears. I mumble, ‘I was right. You really are a monster.’
‘Mellea…’ my father calls, stepping forward. ‘Did you… say yes to him?’
I turn back and stare into my parents’ shocked faces. They both stand there with utter horror in their eyes.
‘Well, you see it’s not as if…’
Da repeats louder, ‘Did-you-say-yes?’
I stumble, ‘I… I didn’t know that… the laws had changed. I wanted to see you. He wouldn’t let me go unless…’
My father turns away. He shouts, ‘I can’t believe you’ve done this. We had one loophole and you closed it. You stupid, stupid girl! I told you! I told you what to do and you ignored me.’
‘B-but I wanted see you,’ I reply quietly. ‘Can’t you understand?’
Father glances at Leo and back at me. He shakes his head. ‘No. I understand. You’ve been bewitched by the Guardian’s power. You’d rather live in glamour with those traitors than be good, honest and kind, like you used to be. Why did you come back here, to throw your new life in our faces or to show me what a failure I’ve been as a father?’
I run back towards him, ‘No, it’s not like that I swear. If you let me explain...’
‘There is no need to explain. Look at you, coming here wearing that expensive dress… was that a bribe? Does he pay for your opulent life now? Do you like being his toy?’
‘No!’ I scream.
‘When you mess with the Guardians you lose everything that was ever important to you. I’ve told you this. But you didn’t listen. Get out my sight! Go and never come back here! I don’t ever want to see your face again.’ Da pauses for a moment before screaming, ‘Go!’ so loud my body shakes.
I grab his arm as he tries to push me back. I beg him to stop. I stare into his eyes. For a moment he weakens and I gently smile
Leo frowns. My hands go cold. I called Leo that name back when I was taken, then bad things happened. Da reaches down and picks up the metal stake. He can hardly lift it.
‘Mellea has come home. You have no business here anymore. It’d be wise for you to simply turn around and go back to your precious Tower.’ Da walks over and manages to put his free hand on my shoulder. ‘Mellea has refused your proposal. She has made me proud, standing up for herself by never agreeing to unite with you. It’s about time you go find someone else.’
Guilt starts to build up in every muscle in my body. ‘Da…there is something I have to tell you,’ I say turning to him.
Da glances at me. ‘Don’t worry Mellea. Everything is going to be all right. It so happens I did some research into current Guardian Law. It turns out you, all of us, were lied to. The laws surrounding forced unitings were changed ten years ago, by his mother no less. It says that, “A Guardian must have the full consent of their chosen bride, the same and equal rights of citizens of the Centreland and Stray Islands of the Coasts”. That means that you’re safe. You’ve said no to him and, by law, you can come home and leave all this silliness behind.’
I cover my mouth. I feel like I’m going to be sick. ‘You lied to me!’ I scream at Leo. ‘This is why you didn’t want me to come back. This is why you kept me locked up! You knew I would find out the truth. I was actually free to leave this whole time! Was your plan to keep me stored away until I finally broke and agreed to unit with you?’
Leo turns his head slightly to the side. What does that mean? Yes or no?
I feel hot with a burning rage. I run over to him and smack him in the lower ribs with the base of my fists. ‘I can’t believe I thought you could be anything but evil! You’re such a dirty liar! I hate you!’
Leo pushes me back. ‘Excuse me. I did not lie. I merely did not correct you. My father knew that I would have a hard time getting you to agree because of the new laws and so we decided it would be best to…blur the lines of current law.’
My eyes fill with tears. I mumble, ‘I was right. You really are a monster.’
‘Mellea…’ my father calls, stepping forward. ‘Did you… say yes to him?’
I turn back and stare into my parents’ shocked faces. They both stand there with utter horror in their eyes.
‘Well, you see it’s not as if…’
Da repeats louder, ‘Did-you-say-yes?’
I stumble, ‘I… I didn’t know that… the laws had changed. I wanted to see you. He wouldn’t let me go unless…’
My father turns away. He shouts, ‘I can’t believe you’ve done this. We had one loophole and you closed it. You stupid, stupid girl! I told you! I told you what to do and you ignored me.’
‘B-but I wanted see you,’ I reply quietly. ‘Can’t you understand?’
Father glances at Leo and back at me. He shakes his head. ‘No. I understand. You’ve been bewitched by the Guardian’s power. You’d rather live in glamour with those traitors than be good, honest and kind, like you used to be. Why did you come back here, to throw your new life in our faces or to show me what a failure I’ve been as a father?’
I run back towards him, ‘No, it’s not like that I swear. If you let me explain...’
‘There is no need to explain. Look at you, coming here wearing that expensive dress… was that a bribe? Does he pay for your opulent life now? Do you like being his toy?’
‘No!’ I scream.
‘When you mess with the Guardians you lose everything that was ever important to you. I’ve told you this. But you didn’t listen. Get out my sight! Go and never come back here! I don’t ever want to see your face again.’ Da pauses for a moment before screaming, ‘Go!’ so loud my body shakes.
I grab his arm as he tries to push me back. I beg him to stop. I stare into his eyes. For a moment he weakens and I gently smile
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