AYIBAEKIPREYE
Zilayefa stood before the Duke, her hands cl clsed into fists by her sides, her eyes blazing with a mix of anger and frustration. "Your Highness, I ask you, what are your intentions for me and my family?" she asked, her voice firm and determined.
The Duke looked at her, his expression unreadable, his eyes cold and calculating. "Your family, Zilayefa, needs to be put in order. I will not have them becoming a nuisance to the castle or tarnishing the good name of my family," he said, his voice dripping with authority.
Zilayefa's eyes narrowed, her anger simmering just below the surface. "And what of me, Your Highness? What is my place in all of this?" she asked, her voice laced with sarcasm.
The Duke's gaze lingered on her, his eyes seeming to bore into her very soul. "You, Zilayefa, will be a good and proper maiden. You will stay in this castle, with your family, and you will do as you are told," he said, his voice brooking no argument.
Zilayefa's anger boiled over, her face flushing with indignation. "And what of my freedom, Your Highness? Am I to be a prisoner in this castle?" she asked, her voice rising.
The Duke's expression didn't change, his eyes remaining cold and detached. "You will have everything you need, Zilayefa. Land, wealth, power. You will want for nothing. But you will not leave this castle without my permission," he said, his voice firm.
Zilayefa's mind was reeling, her thoughts racing with rebellion and defiance. She knew she had to be careful, had to play the game, but it was getting harder by the minute.
"I'll be going for a war in two days time," the Duke said, his voice breaking into her thoughts. "You are not to leave the castle until I return."
Zilayefa's eyes widened, her heart pounding in her chest. She knew sooner or later he'd leave to fight for the kingdom, but she hadn't expected it to be so soon.
"Your Highness, why can't I leave the castle?" she asked, her voice frantic. "What if I need to get something from the market or I need to be somewhere?"
The Duke looked at her coldly, his eyes flashing with warning. "You don't need to go anywhere, Zilayefa. Whatever you need, will be provided for you. Don't leave this castle," he said, his voice dripping with menace.
Zilayefa felt a shiver run down her spine, her anger and frustration simmering just below the surface. She was trapped, trapped in a castle, with a man who saw her as nothing more than a pawn in his game of power.
Just then, the house butler walked up to them, his eyes respectful as he greeted them. "Your Highness, you have a visitor," he said, his voice low and smooth.
The Duke nodded, his expression unreadable, and with that, he excused himself, walking back into the direction he came from.
Zilayefa watched him go, her eyes blazing with anger and frustration. Why could her family do as they wished and she couldn't? She was so angry, her mind racing with thoughts of rebellion and defiance.
As she stood there, she realized that she hadn't seen the Duke's pet wolf, Fire, for some time now. Where could he be? she wondered, her curiosity piqued.
She turned to make her way back to her chambers, her mind racing with thoughts of escape, of running away from the castle and the Duke's suffocating rules. But she knew she couldn't, not yet, not until she had secured her family's future.
As she walked, the silence of the castle seemed to press in around her, the only sound the soft rustle of her gskirt against the stone floor. She felt a sense of unease, a feeling that she was being watched, and she glanced around, her eyes scanning the corridor.
But there was no one there, only the shadows, and the silence, and the weight of the Duke's words, hanging in the air.
Zilayefa's eyes followed the Duke as he walked away, his broad shoulders and confident stride exuding an air of authority and power. She felt a surge of anger and frustration as she watched him disappear into the distance, his words still echoing in her mind.
"Put your family in order, make sure they don't become a nuisance to the castle or tarnish the good name of my family," she repeated to herself, her voice barely above a whisper. The arrogance, the audacity, it was infuriating.
She turned to make her way back to her chambers, her mind racing with thoughts of rebellion and defiance. Who was he to dictate her life, to tell her what to do and what not to do? She was not a child, she was a grown woman, and she would not be treated like a prisoner.
As she walked, the soft rustle of her gskirt against the stone floor was the only sound that broke the silence. She felt a sense of unease, a feeling that she was being watched, and she glanced around, her eyes scanning the corridor. The castle was always quiet, but today it seemed eerily silent, as if the walls themselves were holding their breath.
She reached her chambers, her family busy with their own activities, oblivious to the turmoil brewing within her. Her mother looked up, a question in her eyes, but Zilayefa shook her head, forcing a smile to her lips. "I'm fine, mother, just a little tired," she said, trying to sound convincing.
Her mother nodded, accepting her words, and Zilayefa breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't want to worry her family, not yet, not until she had a plan.
She sat down on the edge of her bed, her mind racing with thoughts of escape, of running away from the castle and the Duke's suffocating rules. But she knew she couldn't, not yet, not until she had secured her family's future.
A soft knock at the door interrupted her thoughts, and she looked up to see the butler standing in the doorway, a tray in his hands. "Dinner, my lady," he said, his voice low and respectful.
Zilayefa nodded, taking the tray from him, and he bowed, his eyes flicking to her family, who were watching with interest. "The Duke has asked me to remind you, my lady, that you are not to leave the castle until he returns. If you need anything, I am at your service."
Zilayefa's eyes narrowed, her anger simmering just below the surface. She forced a smile, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Thank you, I'll make sure to remember that."
The butler bowed, his eyes flicking to her face, and for a moment, Zilayefa thought she saw a glimmer of understanding, of sympathy, in his eyes. But it was quickly masked, and he turned, leaving her to her thoughts.
Zilayefa's mind was a whirlwind of emotions as she ate her dinner, her family chatting and laughing around her. She forced a smile, trying to join in, but her heart wasn't in it. She was trapped, trapped in a castle, with a man who saw her as nothing more than a pawn in his game of power.
As the night wore on, Zilayefa lay in bed, her eyes wide open, staring at the ceiling. She knew she had to be careful, had to play the game, but it was getting harder by the minute. She was not a patient woman, and the Duke's arrogance was testing her limits.
She drifted off to sleep, her mind racing with thoughts of rebellion and defiance, her heart pounding with excitement and fear. She knew she was playing with fire, but she couldn't help it, she was drawn to the flames, and she would not back down.