Chapter 5

Elara has been studying for a couple of hours, now It was already night at House Valen. Yet she didn’t notice what time it was till she looked out the window.

Since it’s been a while since she started studying today, she got thirsty, so she left her room briefly to get herself a glasses of water before returning to her studies. She didn’t ask one of the servants to fetch her one, because she didn’t want to bother anyone, she knew they were already busy enough with all the house work.

Speaking of house, her house was quite and the lights were dimmed. As she passed by the drawing room to reach the kitchen, she heard voices. She peaked through the door that was ajar. Inside the room was her fathered and several family members along with him. She could hear them talking about her age and the ‘dangers’ of remaining unmarried at her age.

One of them gently suggests finding her a suitableble match in order to secrete her future through marriage.

They suggested some people. But her fathered responded calmly.

“I understand your concerns, but I know what’s best for my daughter…”

He didn’t want to force her into something that will make her unhappy. To him, the most important thing in the worlds is his daughter’s health and happiness. So he ends the discussion right there.

She stays unseen, and only listens to their conversations. She didn’t interrupt it. Elara had always loved her parents, but ever since her mothered passed away when she was very young, she only had her father left. He didn’t remarry the whole time nor did his personality change even in the slightest. It was clear that he truly loved his wife and daughter.

Elara understands that her father is protecting her but she also knows that, that protection has limits in a dangerous world. Before being noticed, she returns to her room and resumes studying court politics but with a renewed focus.

The weight of the responsibilities of being the only child settled in. This pressure of her getting married only grew. It was a ‘normalised’ expectation that society had for young women in this era. Not having a brother or sister made all the pressure go only to her. It was like their was a weight on her shoulders. But her father protected her as much as he could from the dangers of the world ever since she experienced the loss of her mother that day.

The only problem about her father’s method was that she couldn’t rely on love alone to survive this life. He had good intentions, but you shouldn’t shield others from the truth no matter how good your intentions are.

Her motivation to be strong enough so that her father will not have to protect or worry about her ever again was the only thing helping her push through any obstacle she finds along the way.

Love had shielded her once but she only got so far. This time, knowledge is the thing that will shield her in this new life.

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