Only the darkness and the deafening sound of silence surrounded her. Sitting naked on the cold marble floor with her knees pressed against her chest and arms wrapped around her ankles she stared at the emptiness before her. If it was not for the sound of her heart beating against her chest she felt no more alive than the deceased. The emptiness around her was a reflection of what she felt inside, a mere shadow of nothing. Discharge from her tears formed a hardened substance around each of her eyes creating grave pain and discomfort, serving as an agonizing reminder there were no more tears left to be shed. Many of thoughts ran rapid through her mind as she struggled to make since of what had become of her life.  

Forcibly confined to her chambers, Dana was not interested in providing her body with nourishment or drink of any kind. In her short life she had experienced many things but never betrayal, a betrayal at the hands of someone she respected and cared for deeply. Her mother, secretly put to purpose a meeting forcing her to meet the woman she had chosen for her to marry. Although, she voiced her love and desire to be with Lara her announcement fell on deaf ears. To ensure the marriage would commence as planned her mother thought it best she’d be confined to her chambers. Her life for as long as she could remember was never her own as her mother commanded every decision to be made. It bothered her greatly, however wanting to live up to the high expectations of being the “obedient daughter” her emotions she kept forever hidden. It wasn’t until she met and fell in love with a local stable maid, her once submissive demeanor gradually grew into the defiant Dana standing up to her mother proclaiming her adoration for the woman she loved. If she was being forced to marry it would be Lara who would bare the greatest pain of all, the thought and reason behind why she wept.

“Your highness, “she hears a knock at her door taking her away from her thoughts, “Your dinner awaits you?” Dana had no intentions of removing herself from her current position. Having grown all too familiar with her silence the cook places her dinner tray at her door in between the two guards standing watch outside her door.