Some before word here…

Taken

First, her country.

Her country had been at war with another for years. She wasn't sure what the war was about but she didn't care. She trusted her mother, the Queen's choice about never giving in.

It came as a shock to her and many people that the war ended one day. The Queen announced a truce with the other county's King.

Then, her mother.

It wasn't long after the truce that the King and Queen announced their engagement to each other.

Many people were happy at the news, that their countries could start to resolve their differences after years of war.

However, she was devastated. She couldn't believe her mother would marry so soon after the war, especially with the enemy.

She cried and protested to her mother but she was scolded instead. She refused to believe that her mother would marry the enemy out of love, that she was instead forced into it against her will.

Then, her older brother.

The Sieghart family was their new family. Along with a father, she also gained two more siblings.

She clung to her brother as her comfort against the strangers. He too was wary of the new family, until it came to the step-sister.

The step-sister was a year younger than her, her mother encouraged her to get along with her since they were close in age but she refused to have anything to do with the new family.

The brother saw this however and feeling pity, he started spending his time their new younger step-sister. It annoyed her at first, but over time, he started to spend more time with the sister than her.

She pleaded her brother to see reason, that the new family was polluting both his and her mother's minds. She was again scolded about his feelings and that she wouldn't understand.

One day she caught them kissing. Naturally it wasn't long after that they announced their engagement.

Then, something precious.

She wasn't sure why she fell in love with him.

He was the step-brother. The youngest in the family, a few years younger than her.

She only started to realize it after her brother's wedding.

It certainly wasn't love at first sight and she hated how hyperactive he was. Yet there was something about him that always put a smile on his face. Maybe it was his happy attitude with his own big and innocent smile. Maybe it was his drive to help her, no matter how many times she turned him down and yelled at him. Maybe it was him being so attached to her, he was too stubborn too get a hint that she didn't want to be with him.

Whatever it was, her hate towards her step-brother slowly turned to love.

To her horror, she soon found out he was to be married to a Void Princess of another country. Her heart ached at the knowledge that she wouldn't be able to spend a future with him. That her love would lead to nowhere. Yet another thing she had lost...

"I told you I'm not marrying her!" His voice echoed throughout the hall.

"Give up your feelings. Your sister had already made her choice in marriage. Now you must do your duty for the good of the country!" The father yelled.

"You married the Queen because you loved her!" He yelled back. The father slapped his cheek in a fit of anger.

"You will give your new mother the respect she deserves!" The father grabbed his hair and shoved his face to the floor.

"You can't change my feelings. I still won't marry her!" He yelled, struggling with his face in the floor.

She clenched in anger. To see the boy she loved be abused by the father made her boil with hate.

It was this that now steeled her resolve. She would get vengeance against the Sieghart family who took everything from her.

That night, she sneaked into her step-sister's room. While the sister slept, she took the sister's precious sword.

She walked through the halls, holding the sword behind her. Her destination was her mother's room where the father slept.

In one swoop, she would kill the father, framing the sister with his murder, freeing both her mother and her brother from their control.

She stopped in front of the room. Her victim lay in wait inside. She did not care if her mother was awake and if she would hate her for it, she knew what she was doing was for the good of all.

A sound from across the hall stopped her.

She turned, seeing the youngest sprint up to her.

She blushed when she caught a look at his face and took a step back.

"Ara, I'm glad I found you. Let's run away together!"

She looked at him with shock. He turned and started to run, pulling her behind him. She dropped the sword along the way, killing her step family was now the last thing in her mind.

She started to realize what her mother and brother told her about feelings. That despite their insane actions, she understood why they did it.

While the Sieghart family took everything from her, she took something precious from the youngest.

The same thing he took from her.

They took each other's heart.

Hoped you enjoyed.

Just a quick fic I came up with while cramming for exams.

And in case you didn't get it. The father was mad at Elsword for being in love with Ara because Elesis had already married Aren. Couldn't have all the step-children marrying each other right?