29..

Aranya had never imagined she would feel this way if she ran away from home, was it because she had never run away? She wondered. Now that she had thought about it, she had never even thought of running away from home. But she had missed Betla, she wanted to see her and to know if she was fine. How had she taken what she had done to her? Did it hurt her so much that she couldn’t even bare it? Is she still in so much pain now?

“I miss her, Lorcán. I hope she’s fine.” She whispered and Lorcán tightened his hold on her as he rested his head on top of hers.

“I understand how you’re feeling, Aranya. She’s fine, I’m sure. You should visit her someday, maybe when she’s not angry with you anymore. Let’s first hunt for a powerful man for her, will that do?” She looked up at him with a bewildered expression as if she couldn’t believe he had thought about this. He chuckled and cleared the tears on her lips, “I know that she badly needs a blood of power to avenge on whatever it is she wants to, Aranya. Let’s give her that power to.”

“She deserves that from me. I promised to her that I will, after all.”

“Let’s lure an evil yet powerful man, we can do this.” She nodded her head and rested her head back on his chest and they stood like that for a few more minutes. They were all engulfed in there thoughts while all Aranya could think of was her mother. She wondered if she was fine, if she was doing well or if she had gone out of her way searching for her.

Her stomach made a groaning sound and Lorcán pulled her away from his body, “Let’s feed your stomach with these fruits, okay? You ought to be hungry.” She nodded her head and he handed her one of the fruits, “I’ll go somewhere nearby by tomorrow and get us some food items.” She nodded her head again and began to take the fruit.

She smiled, “Thank you for being here for me, Lorcán. I don’t know what I would’ve become without you in my life.” She really didn’t. Because he might not know or realized yet, but she would have been lost without Lorcán in her life.

•

Keres stood in the ceremony as she fixed her eyes on the ground, she didn’t have to look up to see him while he walked inside. She had never seen King Bhaltair but she had known his name since she was a little girl and hated that name for as long as she could remember being able to differentiate between her feelings. And getting married to him today was something she hadn’t even imagine in her life, but this was reality and she had to act accordingly.

She heard the way the hall was engulfed with silence and she didn’t have to be told that he had walked in, there were breaths that were surged and through the net that had covered her face, if she wanted, she can easily stare up at his face but she wouldn’t do that. She didn’t want to see his face. She felt his presence slowly coming closer until he stood in front of her and no matter how Keres had gotten herself prepared for this situation, she couldn’t help the sweaty palms and how she was feeling the erratic beating of her heart.

She was doing this for her clan, she reminded herself.

She heard as the marriage rituals went on, how her shaky voice said ‘I do.’ As though she was somehow forced or if she didn’t say that, this hall would be turned into a pool of blood in the blink of an eye. She heard as they were pronounced as husband and wife and somehow if she wasn’t mistaken, King Bhaltair was asked to kiss his bride. If not for self control, she would’ve taken a step back when he took a step toward her, but she stood firm and waited until he lifted her net and when she lifted her eyes up, their eyes met and he smirked at her.

She watched the way he moved toward her face until he merged their lips together. He kissed her lightly before he pulled away but she was still dumbstruck. She had never imagined this was the way he looked. He was so handsome and somehow, he didn’t look as old as his name sounded. He smirked at her again, “Looks like getting married to you wasn’t a bad idea after all.” He was talking in puzzles, the mischievous smirk on his face was making everything so hard to understand and the looks on his face, she wasn’t sure about anything anymore.

She stood there as he was escorted out of the hall by her Father and other royal elites and it was said, she would be escorted to Belrynna in a few days when she’s done getting all her things ready. She couldn’t believe everything that was happening right now and one thing was certain, she had to go and ask Desdemona, she knew everything after all. After she was escorted back to her chamber, she told Katharina not to look for her and got on the back of her bird and flew to Elara directly. She was panting for her breath when she stood in front of the cave and knocked.

Desdemona opened the door with a lazy smile, she stared at her for a few minutes before she grinned. “Woah! Looks like I should start calling you Your Highness. The first woman King Bhaltair has ever agreed to marry in his life. Congratulations on your wedding, Keres.” Why did she have to know everything?!