Chapter 42 Shrieks

Kyan
I LEAVE Isla IN ROSA'S care asking the maid to get her out of the wet dress and tuck her in but the stubborn girl refuses and says that after her has changed, she will be back to the party.
If Rosa thinks it is strange that Isla is wet and shivering and I brought her into the room in my arms, then she doesn't show or say it.
She curtseys respectfully at our arrival and my departure. Now sitting next to my drunk sister, I wish I had remained in the orchard with Isla. I don't know what spell she placed on me at the river but I'll try to evade it next time, if there will be a next time. I told her what I had done, and that was so stupid of me. I hope she was too giddy with the wine to remember it later.
Lyza doesn't say much to me. She continues to drink wine and drawl songs and thankfully no one pays close attention to her. She belches then clamps her hand over her mouth.
"Did you hear that?" She slurs with a giggle.
I force a smile. "Not a thing."
"You should have more wine," she pushes her goblet to me, "it is Aunt's birthday after all!"
I moist my lip with my tongue and struggle to keep myself under control. I want to drag her and lock her upstairs in her room. It's a pity she'll have to suffer in the morning.
"Thanks. Already had some," I tell her. She stares at my face like I have spoken in another language then she shrugs her shoulders and gulps noisy from the goblet.
My father's wheezy cough gets my attention. He is bent over coughing while my mother rubs her back with a worried look on her face.
I doubt that the best doctors in the Kingdom have failed to identify what's wrong with him. Is it a rare sickness they have not heard about? Maybe there are other symptoms I don't know about.
Something moves in my peripheral vision and I turn to see Isla traipse in with a slight stagger and sway in her steps. Lyza sees her too and jumps from beside me to Isla.
I run my eyes over her, she has changed into another kaftan, black in colour. She seems to be dazed and stares right over Lysia's head at... Me. My hand reaches up to smooth my hair and I catch myself, what is wrong with me? Didn't I spend almost an hour with her outside just a while ago?
She walks around Lyza and walks to me. I suck in a breath and release it.
"Kyan." She sits in the seat Lyza has recently vacated.
I bob my head at her. "Isla."
There is excitement in her voice, she leans in closer and I can smell the wine in her breath as it hits my face in small waves. "I've never been this... Lightheaded before. I like it." She reaches for a jug to pour out more wine but I catch her hand.
"Please don't. I know it feels good but trust me you won't want to take any more."
She considers this for a second. "All right."
A dull clanging is heard. Isla winces and covers her ears, Lyza comes to sit at the unoccupied seat beside me and buries her head in her arms. Father uses a steel fork to beat against a tray. A shush falls across the room and everyone falls silent.
"Everyone I have an important announcement to make,"my father says once he has gotten everybody's attention.
I feel someone watching me, my eyes dart to Rakar's glare. I hold the stare until he looks away. Satisfied, I give my father my rapt attention.
"As you all know," his voice is not the loud boisterous one I'm used to but it sounds ragged and hoarse. "My son Kyan is getting married in twelve days." The applaud is tumultuous considering the small crowd. I look away neither happy nor embarrassed.
"But my daughter has reached her eligible year and she is yet to be matched." Ire surges through me and my heart lurches, I want to launch myself at him and shut him up. "Being the concerned father that I am, I was troubled by this. Little did I know that my worries will be short-lived," he pauses to effect, "I have found an eligible man for my daughter, Princess Lyza."
Lysia's head snaps up and she makes a strangled whimper. She turns to me, eyes demanding if I know what is going on. I turn my eyes away, I can't bear to see her face.
"In the person of Lud Guzio, my loyal advisor! She'll be marrying him on the same day my son gets married!"
Reluctantly, hands begin to clap and my father looks at Lyza grinning from ear to ear. "Come here, my dear."
Lyza doesn't budge. Her skin is flushed and the glow from the chandeliers makes the sheen of sweat on her forehead glimmer.
Isla stills at my left-hand side, she gives a muffled gasp. From here, I can almost hear Rakar sniggering. The Duchess and my mother remain unfazed while Namir and the other members of the Royal Court are murmuring amongst themselves. Lud tries so hard to feign indifference but the gleam in his eyes says it all.
Lyza rises wobbly to her feet yet her eyes are steady and her glare is piercing.
"No." She hisses, her voice doesn't quaver. She stands a bit straighter.
The guests gasp and hiss at Lysia's disrespect. My father squints, he cocks his head slightly watching Lyza.
My mother and my Aunt shake her heads disapprovingly, Lyza has insulted the King. Lud shoots daggers at her and I glare back until he realizes I'm looking at him and his glare fades.
"Father," Lysia's voice reverberates in the balmy hall. "I'm not going marry this thing. Why would you even consider Lud?" And she turns to mother, "you agreed to this?! Do you hate me that much? I can't believe the both of you." She begins to run out of the hall, the sandals clipping against the floor.
"Lyza!" I want to reason with her, talk to her.
A guard from nowhere grabs her, stopping her from leaving the hall. The party is thrown into an uproar. My father slouches in his chair sadly and my mother wraps her arms around him to comfort him.
And that's when she shrieks. Lysia's high-pitched voice produces an irking, ear-splitting sound. The guard let's her go and she runs out. Without thinking, I bolt out of my seat in her wake.
"Lyza?" I walk inside her room. She lays on her bed sobbing uncontrollably into her pillows.
"Go away, Kyan." She chokes amid sobs. Her body shudders and shakes violently with every sob. "You knew! You knew!"
And I don't deny it. I notice Rosa's small figure perched on the bed beside Lyza. Rosa sniffles and I realize she is crying too.
Rosa gives me a watery smile. "Thank God you are here," she descends from the bed and walks to me, "please talk to her."
Pursing my lips, I give her a stiff nod. She disappears out the door.
"Lyza listen," I begin but her cry interrupts me.
"Oh shut up Kyan," she sniffs. "You knew about it and you didn't tell me. You don't expect me to marry Lud, do you?"
"N-No," I stutter. My answer only provokes more tears.
"Why can't I just be left alone? First you took Osar from me and now I'm going to marry Lud!" She screams into the pillows which muffles the sound.
My breath catches. Slowly, I walk to her bed, "I did what I thought was best."
"Why do you people keep meddling in my affairs? My business is mine alone and who I choose to love is my business."
I'm at lost for words. I've deeply hurt my sister and it makes my heart bleed just thinking of it. The words that come to mind are insufficient but I dare to say them anyway. "I'm so sorry, Lyza."
The door creaks open and Isla walks in. She glances at me and then her gaze darts to sobbing Lyza, her face falls.
Noiselessly, she crosses the distance between the bed and the door. She slips into the covers and pulls Lyza into her arms. Lyza rests on Isla's shoulder still shuddering and shaking with sobs. A hard lump forms in my throat and tears sting my eyes.
Isla meets my gaze, something unreadable flickers in her eyes then she tears it away. Feeling useless and bitter, I turn away and head out through the door.