The Arranged Marriage

"There are four major cities: Aestas Island, Cadere Shores, The Hiems, and Florens Rift. Each one surrounding the vast Kingdom of Zalyra- sorry, the great and wondrous Kingdom of Zalyra" Isabella read aloud, the petite ears of Violet consuming every word. "Florens Rift!" her small voice exclaimed, "That's here isn't it?" she asked. Isabella smiled gently at her little sister, "It is" she nodded "Now, don't interrupt me while I'm reading to you" she playfully scorned her, readjusting herself on her sister's uncomfortably small mattress. "This is boring!" Violet wined, extending the 'or' sound in the word for emphasis, "Can you not read me something more interesting, like..." her nine year-old mind thought for a moment, "Like 'The Ember Knights of Wren'? That story is far more entertaining, and a great deal shorter" she muttered the last sentence. "If father heard you say such nonsense he would take away all of your dollies!" Isabella warned her sister, even though she agreed, this was a very long book and they were only half way through. "You are most aware that you need to know this story inside out before your birthday" Isabella reminded her younger sibling, "The sacred story of Primal Earth is past down from generation to generation, we can't go missing you out otherwise who will tell your children our history?" Isabella tried to explain to Violet, who had lost interest about five minutes ago and was now playing with one of her dolls. Somehow, the mention of children had perked her ears up to attention, "I do not want children 'Ella" Violet used Isabella's nickname - when she was a baby she couldn't pronounce her whole name, so she settled with 'Ella'. "Good gracious! Are you trying to kill father off? His heart would give out if he were present!" Isabella humoured her sister's words, "They're too smelly and are sick a lot" Violet continued with her rant, "You are a child too, you know, are you smelly and sick a lot?" Isabella mocked, placing her bare feet on the hardwood floor and getting out of her sister's bed and tucking her in, book now folded and held firmly between her arm and torso. "I am not a child!" Violet half-shouted, Isabella quickly attempted to hush her sister into lowering the volume of her voice, both of them aware of their parents sleeping in the chambers next to them. "You are too a child" Isabella whispered to her, "I am not" Violet insisted, copying her sister's whisper. Her eyes followed her to the bookcase where she had stowed the book, the rest were coated with a thin layer of dust, only a few were clean. "When will you read me that one?" Violet pointed her outstretched finger at the second shelf, "This one?" Isabella placed her hand on a book bound with a fabric that seemed like leather that had been dyed dark purple, her sister nodded. "Not until you're of age" Isabella shook her head, opening up it's content and glancing over the paper, "Far too grown-up for a little lady" she shot a playful smirk at her sister and bound the leather together, tucking it underneath her arm. "No more questions now, time for bed" Isabella interjected when she saw her sibling's mouth open to ask something else, "You need your rest, goodnight flower" she said, "Goodnight 'Ella" Violet replied, Isabella blew out the candle and closed the chamber door as she headed to her own quarters.