Read Online Thea's Tale (Sisters Of The Curse Book 1) by Lisa Manifold - Free Book Online
Authors: Lisa Manifold
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“Most families have a son to carry on the burden of ruling. It stands to reason that many would not feel comfortable or be familiar with the way we’ve been brought up.”
“Does that mean I am to bend to the way he was raised? This is my kingdom! Not his! It is my responsibility! Am I to stand two steps behind and deny all that I was taught?” Thea glared at a sofa across the room.
“I don’t think he would want you to do that,” Viviana hurried to assure her.
“You didn’t see his dismissal of me,” Thea huffed. “It was shabby. He says all the right things, but his dismissiveness of my future role in my own kingdom tossed all that by the wayside, to me.”
“What is wrong, Thea?” Adelaide came into the solarium, squinting at the bright sun spilling in the tall windows. “Are there more cups? I barely feel up to being out of bed this morning. It’s worse than yesterday.”
Thea set down her cup on the small table, and poured a cup for Adelaide, handing it to her silently. She sat on a sofa across from Thea.
“So what is amiss, sister dear?”
Adelaide’s soft voice always calmed Thea.
“I do not think Sebastian appreciates all the skills Father has spent years teaching me. I very much fear he plans to be the sole leader of our two kingdoms, my thoughts and wishes be damned.”
“You can’t know that,” Adelaide objected.
“When I attempted to discuss the organization, he patted my hand and told me he’d discuss it with Father!” The memory made Thea angry every time she thought on it.
“Oh. I want to absolve him, but such a statement makes it hard,” Adelaide admitted.
“I think he just needs time to adjust to how Father has raised Thea, and really, all of us,” Esmay added.
“I think I am not the right choice for him,” Thea muttered.
Adelaide looked closely at her. “Right or wrong, he is the choice Father has made. There’s no getting around that, Thea,” she said softly.
Something in her tone made Thea look up. Adelaide was good at maintaining a serene façade, but Thea could see a hint of sadness in her. Her mind flashed to just before the ball, and then after, when all her sisters were congratulating her. Adelaide had been somewhat subdued. As they were close, her lackluster response was odd. Thea knew she ought to speak with Adelaide about it, but didn’t want to bring it up in front of anyone else.
“A choice made without my consent!”
“Father indulges us on many things.” Viviana gave her a ghost of a smile. “We’ve been fortunate. I believe he feels this is the best thing for you. Laurycia is a good kingdom to be allied with.”
“It’s not the only one, and again, I could accept it better were I given a chance to offer my thoughts.” A few tears slipped from her eyes.
Esmay patted her hand. “He’s a good man, his poor response to you aside. You can learn to love him, Thea.”
“I don’t want to learn to love someone!” Thea stood up, setting her now empty cup on the table. “I’d like to love my future husband before we show up at the altar!”
“That is a luxury none of us are guaranteed,” Adelaide said quietly.
“That doesn’t mean I have to be happy about it.”
“Thea, please do not fight with Father about this,” Viviana begged. “It makes him so cross. You know how he is. You’ll need to find a better argument for your wishes. He’s made it public. There will have to be a very sound reason for not going through with it.”
“I’m afraid I can’t,” said Thea. She walked towards the windows, staring absently out onto the gardens. “I told him I don’t love Sebastian, and he told me essentially that my feelings didn’t matter.” She let her head fall into her hand, not wanting her sisters to see her crying again.
“Surely not,” Esmay said, coming to stand behind Thea and put an arm around her. “I can’t believe that.”
Thea nodded. “Believe it. I was told that my wishes were secondary to his decision. I
“Does that mean I am to bend to the way he was raised? This is my kingdom! Not his! It is my responsibility! Am I to stand two steps behind and deny all that I was taught?” Thea glared at a sofa across the room.
“I don’t think he would want you to do that,” Viviana hurried to assure her.
“You didn’t see his dismissal of me,” Thea huffed. “It was shabby. He says all the right things, but his dismissiveness of my future role in my own kingdom tossed all that by the wayside, to me.”
“What is wrong, Thea?” Adelaide came into the solarium, squinting at the bright sun spilling in the tall windows. “Are there more cups? I barely feel up to being out of bed this morning. It’s worse than yesterday.”
Thea set down her cup on the small table, and poured a cup for Adelaide, handing it to her silently. She sat on a sofa across from Thea.
“So what is amiss, sister dear?”
Adelaide’s soft voice always calmed Thea.
“I do not think Sebastian appreciates all the skills Father has spent years teaching me. I very much fear he plans to be the sole leader of our two kingdoms, my thoughts and wishes be damned.”
“You can’t know that,” Adelaide objected.
“When I attempted to discuss the organization, he patted my hand and told me he’d discuss it with Father!” The memory made Thea angry every time she thought on it.
“Oh. I want to absolve him, but such a statement makes it hard,” Adelaide admitted.
“I think he just needs time to adjust to how Father has raised Thea, and really, all of us,” Esmay added.
“I think I am not the right choice for him,” Thea muttered.
Adelaide looked closely at her. “Right or wrong, he is the choice Father has made. There’s no getting around that, Thea,” she said softly.
Something in her tone made Thea look up. Adelaide was good at maintaining a serene façade, but Thea could see a hint of sadness in her. Her mind flashed to just before the ball, and then after, when all her sisters were congratulating her. Adelaide had been somewhat subdued. As they were close, her lackluster response was odd. Thea knew she ought to speak with Adelaide about it, but didn’t want to bring it up in front of anyone else.
“A choice made without my consent!”
“Father indulges us on many things.” Viviana gave her a ghost of a smile. “We’ve been fortunate. I believe he feels this is the best thing for you. Laurycia is a good kingdom to be allied with.”
“It’s not the only one, and again, I could accept it better were I given a chance to offer my thoughts.” A few tears slipped from her eyes.
Esmay patted her hand. “He’s a good man, his poor response to you aside. You can learn to love him, Thea.”
“I don’t want to learn to love someone!” Thea stood up, setting her now empty cup on the table. “I’d like to love my future husband before we show up at the altar!”
“That is a luxury none of us are guaranteed,” Adelaide said quietly.
“That doesn’t mean I have to be happy about it.”
“Thea, please do not fight with Father about this,” Viviana begged. “It makes him so cross. You know how he is. You’ll need to find a better argument for your wishes. He’s made it public. There will have to be a very sound reason for not going through with it.”
“I’m afraid I can’t,” said Thea. She walked towards the windows, staring absently out onto the gardens. “I told him I don’t love Sebastian, and he told me essentially that my feelings didn’t matter.” She let her head fall into her hand, not wanting her sisters to see her crying again.
“Surely not,” Esmay said, coming to stand behind Thea and put an arm around her. “I can’t believe that.”
Thea nodded. “Believe it. I was told that my wishes were secondary to his decision. I
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