Filed to story: The Chosen Saga Novel PDF Free
“Korine!”
“NO! If she gets chosen, you said I would have to marry that weasel, and I won’t do it! You can’t make me, so you better fucking ensure that her name isn’t entered!”
Araiya almost fell out of the tree trying to listen to them. She was almost free of this shit hole. She would not let this piece of shit sell her off for his benefit. No way in hell would she go through with that sham of a marriage.
Her stepfather breathed. “Korine, I already paid off one of the Elders to ensure her name isn’t entered. I was guaranteed that both of your names wouldn’t be entered. I am not letting her get away, and I won’t let you take the chance of dying. Now calm the fuck down, go inside and pretend to be nice. It is Araiya’s birthday, and to make this plan work, we must play both of our parts. So, I do not care if you don’t want today to happen, but her mother begged me for this day, and I agreed. You will play nice, so my plan fucking works. Do you understand me?”
“Ugh, god, why do I have to do this, though.” Korine’s voice was high pitched and nasally, whining over everything. It annoyed Araiya to no end.
“She is gone tomorrow, and you will do this. There will be none of this crying bullshit. I gave you everything you ever wanted. You whined and cried, and I made it happen. I got an old magistrate from Fire to agree to a marriage. Araiya will not have a young man for a husband but a man my age. He will not be kind; he will not be gentle. I have done what you’ve asked of me, daughter, so you will do as I ask. You will endure tonight so that we can seal this deal. She must be presentable; Donal will be coming to inspect his prize. If she is not found suitable, then it will be you!”
“Daddy, you can’t mean that!”
Jon was livid. His body was heaving while he watched Korine cry. His round face was red as spittle flew from his mouth. “Yes, Korine, I do. I need this connection to the Fire province to secure our future. If Araiya is not found suitable and Donal doesn’t agree to the match, you will step into that role. You will marry the old, angry bastard, and you will not be able to say any different.” Jon was livid. This was the first time Araiya had ever heard him yell at Korine. He must need this, not just for his career either. Araiya thought Jon had made a mistake. She stood from her hiding space and climbed back to the barn. The argument was interesting, but if tonight went according to plan, this would be Korine’s problem. She chuckled to herself as she completed her chores. It looked like Korine might finally get what she deserved. Interesting, to say the least, but not her problem.
Araiya finished up in the stables and was brushing down Lincoln’s stallion, Hellion. Hellion was a stunning and very temperamental born and bred war horse, wasting his life here just like Araiya. They bonded over their early morning talks, and the coaxing Araiya had to put in to take care of him. When Lincoln walked in, she finished the braid she was working into his mane.
“Aww Rai. I wanted to work with him.”
“Linc, if you want to gain his trust, you must come into his stall, you know.” She chuckled while handing Hellion another sugar cube. “He’s slow to trust but very loyal once you earn it. Aren’t you handsome?” Hellion nuzzled her shoulder, making her laugh.
“He loves you.”
“That’s because he has great taste.”
“He won’t let anyone else near him, not even in his stall.”
“You have to take the time to let him warm up to you. Come in.” Araiya waved in Linc. Linc opened the gate, and Hellion stomped his hoof, shook his head, and started to step away from Linc. “Wait. Hellion, look at me, boy.” She grabbed Hellion’s face and brought him close. “I am leaving today. I won’t be here to take care of you anymore. Linc is your person now. I can’t take you with me. You aren’t mine. I will miss you, handsome.” Araiya patted his neck and turned back to Linc. “Now, bring your ass over here and stop being a suck. He is your damn horse.”
Linc stepped closer, and Hellion reared. Araiya had to dodge his hooves and laughed as Linc screamed and jumped out of the stall. “I was thinking about giving you one last gift.”
“What are you talking about? You already gave me my gift, which, if I am honest, Linc. It was way too much.” Araiya called over her shoulder as she calmed down Hellion.
“Honestly, this is for purely selfish reasons.”
Araiya turned back to Linc. “What do you mean?”
“Hellion scares the shit out of me. I picked him out last year thinking of how good I would look, but he hates me. It’s a hundred percent mutual, I promise. Geralt is more my speed.” He glanced at the dapple-gray stallion Jon let him buy two months ago. “Hellion loves you, and he won’t let anyone near him. Since you’re leaving tomorrow one way or another, you will need a horse for travel. Take him, he needs you, and you need him. Plus, it will piss off my dad since he paid handsomely for him, and I gave him to you.”
“Hellion is your horse, Lincoln.” The midnight-black stallion placed his head over her shoulder and puffed out a breath. Lincoln started laughing. “What’s so funny?”
“Hellion just told you, in the only way he could, that you are an idiot, his idiot. He’s clearly your horse. He runs like the wind, and I have this feeling you will need a quick getaway.”
“I am not going to the Fire province. That prize can go to Korine.”
“Korine? What do you mean?”
“Well, dear brother,” she latched the stall back up before turning back to him, “it seems that Korine was the instigator of my amazing gift from your father. Everything with Jack apparently happened because she wanted him, and Jack was with me.” Araiya shook her head. “So, your father somehow manipulated the situation to where I was to be married to an old man in the Fire province and Korine engaged to Jack.” Lincoln gasped. “She was complaining about having to get ready with me. If I am found unwanted or undesirable by the magistrate of Fire, she is to take my place. We both know I will not be engaged by the night’s end if all goes to plan. How late is it?”
Lincoln followed her out of the stables and looked up into the sky. “It is about lunchtime. You probably have a little time left to make it to the ritual. You better hurry.”
“Shit.” Araiya threw down the horses’ brush and quickly looked around the stables, double-checking her work. Linc quickly pulled her out of the stables and pushed her to run.
“I already said I will double-check everything,” Linc called after her. “I will fix anything that needs to be fixed, and I will cover you up at the house saying that you had a couple of things left to do back here so you can run into town, but you better hurry.”
Araiya ran down the side of the house. She was about to
continue past when she heard her mother. “I am heading out with Araiya for our walk before we get ready for the ceremony tonight. Love you.” She froze as she caught her mother’s lie and watched as her mother walked out the front gate. They had no plans to start their walk yet. Their walk usually ran the property line, not out the front gate.
She trailed her mother into town. She followed from a block behind, trying to see where her mother was going. Whenever her mother looked around, Araiya would move behind whatever was around to stay out of sight. She had just dove behind a few barrels by the pub when she heard her name being called. Araiya looked over her shoulder and saw one person she had never wanted to see again. She turned back and quickened her step. Fuck, the idiot made her lose sight of her mother, so she decided to run the rest of the way to the temple to enter her name into the Choosing.
Araiya ran into the temple and saw that they were packing up the table. “Am I too late?”
“Nope, you are just in time.” The Elder looked over. “I am surprised you’re here. I thought your father said you would not be participating in the Choosing this year. He made it clear last year when it was brought up that both you and Korine could participate this year that none of his children would be attempting the Choosing.”
“Well, thankfully, I am not one of his actual children,” Araiya responded. “What do I have to do?” She smiled sweetly.