Excerpt: Fallor

“GRAWR!” I hurled the ink pot from the desk against the wall, splattering ink all over the place. I started at it for a moment. What have I done? My father is going to kill me!

I sank onto the ground with my head in my hands. What have I done? I’ve just gone and made a complete mess of things. I can’t do this. No. What does Father want to tell me?

That girl.

Right. Why did her father bring her? I mused. Picking up one of the ink-splattered books lying on the floor, I traced the ink into spirals on its cover. This is not going to be pretty.

Maybe I should have saved the ink pot for my last resort. I winced.

“Now what was this-“ My father entered and saw the mess. “Good night! Fallor Braeden, what have you done?”

“I’ve vented my anger,” I stated calmly. “Really, it’s not that big a mess. Be thankful you have hard floors in here.” I considered this for a moment. “Actually, be thankful that I threw this first. Otherwise—“

“Fallor Braeden.” I opened my mouth to finish my sentence, but my father motioned to his desk chair. “Sit. Now.” I sat.

He paced the length of the opposite wall, his hands clasped behind his back and his face an absolute thundercloud. “Now, Fallor, now is not the time to throw a temper tantrum.”

“It is not a temper tantrum,” I interrupted. “It is a simple miscalculation of what I should have thrown first to vent my anger.”

“Stop interrupting me!” he roared. I shrank back. He continued. “You have absolutely no right to be throwing things all over the place. Another time, I’ll give you a whipping for this, but that’s not the matter on hand right now.” He stopped at the desk and fingered his signet ring lying on the table top. “What we need to discuss is your future.”

I looked down and my hair fell over my face. “What future is there for me? None. What, then, is there to discuss? Karran’s your heir. I’m destined—no, I’m doomed—to a life of misery at the hands of my older brother.”

“He loves you, really, he does, Fallor.” My father resumed his pacing. “No, you won’t be stuck here for eternity. Think, Fallor. Would you pass up a chance to become lord of another manor? To be the top ruler for once?”

“Yes, I would,” I muttered under my breath. He didn’t hear me.

“The Earl of Ravensden has offered an extraordinary chance for you to have this. I would advise you to take it.” He glanced at me. “He has offered his daughter’s hand in marriage.”

I leaped to my feet. “WHAT?”

My father chuckled. “And I thought you knew it already.”

“I did. The girl sprung it on me out of the clear blue sky.” I growled. “I have no wish to marry her! Nor will I ever!”

“Fallor, listen to me! Reason with me. This is for your future. For your whole life. You have many years ahead of you. Why live them out alone here when you can spend them with someone else?”

“Because I don’t love that someone else. And I never will.” I bit my tongue to keep my other thoughts from spilling out. That she’s a complete idiot. That she can’t relate to me at all. That she’s too blunt. That she probably cares nothing for me anyway.

Why should I be afraid to voice my opinions to my own father?

My father faced me, a vicious scowl evident on his face. “Fallor, you will marry her, and you will not give me any more argument about it! Am I CLEAR?”

“Aye, Father.”

No, Father.