A forbidden love

Chapter 9 : Soulmates

"We are soulmates, and you are mine."

That's all I needed to hear to shake me back to my senses. I sat up straight in my bed with a gasp for air. I don't know what came over me, but the next thing I knew, my feet were carrying me towards the direction of the library. I had to find answers. Ever since the fae found his way into the elven kingdom things have been weird. 

Once I stepped into the massive library, I began looking through every shelf and every book that would answer my questions. I was so determined I hadn't even noticed my sister practically screaming at me. "Arya!" I snapped back to reality, "huh?"

"For f*ck's sake, what's gotten into you? You looked like a mad woman storming through the palace. You looked like you'd seen a ghost." I had no idea I was so unaware of my surroundings, I looked over Evelyn's shoulder to see the librarian who looked at me as if I grew horns. "I-I don't know what's overcome me, I'm looking for a book..."

Evelyn looked at me like I was delusional, "a book? You stormed through the palace to get to the library just to get a book?" This book story wasn't going to make up for my behavior. "I know what it sounds like, but it's a very important book..." I looked at her with serious eyes, Evelyn knew that whenever I was deadly serious about something, it was best to leave me to it.

"What type of book? Let me help you." 

"N-no! It's alright, I can look for it myself,"  at this point I really didn't think it was a good idea to tell Evelyn about what I just discovered until I figured it out for myself, "I saw a rare flower in the forest yesterday, and I just remembered what it looked like as I woke up, I rushed here so that I find could out more about it before I forgot what it looked like." I know... that was a terrible excuse, but it was all I could think of, and it was feasible since Evelyn knew I had a weird interest in plants. I shoved Evelyn out the library encouraging her to continue  with whatever plans she had for today.

Once she left, I couldn't help but feel terrible for lying. I've never done that before, we were always so open and honest with each other. 

Turning my attention back to the matter at hand, I scanned through the shelves for a book, any book that would give me more information about soulmates. After grabbing a book, this is what I gathered so far about the topic. 

Soulmates was a blessing from mother nature herself to bless the union between the fae and the elves. To keep the peace between our two species, she tied the lives of elves and fae together with a red string. Before the great war, it was common for fae and elves to be soulmates, other times it was a bond between two of the same race. 

After the war when the elven queen died, and her body released a massive energy wave, it severed the ties the elves had with mother nature, she hardened her heart towards us because of how many elves and fae were killed, she blamed us for all those deaths. As a result she took away our ability to find true love. That's when we began seeking out lovemates to fill that hole inside our hearts. Often when we found our lovemates, someone we truly loved, a ceremony was held to bless our union, and our souls were bound together, like soulmates.

Aa for the fae, when they lost there connection to our magic, mother nature felt sympathetic towards them, so she decided that they may keep their soulmates so that they never lost sight of their true humanity.

Although it is extremely uncommon for elves to have soulmates, there were few instances where they claimed to have met their significant other and huge celebrations were held. We thanked mother nature for blessing us and that she hadn't forgotten about us completely. However, soulmates only lasted for about three years together, when one of the two would die. 

 This was when we came to the conclusion that she did that only to satisfy her hatred towards us and watch us suffer. It was like a game for her, watching the most beautiful love bloom between an inseparable couple, and then violently tear them apart from each other, making the survivor suffer from the pain. It was said that she did this to punish the elves she thought to have evil in their hearts.

I wasn't sure what to think in that moment. Was mother nature going to punish me? I couldn't imagine any reason for her to do so. Panic began to wash over me. Was she going to make me fall in love and then kill me, or was I supposed to watch the fae die? No, he was the enemy, there wasn't even a possibility for me to fall in love with him. 

So many questions were boiling in my mind, and I didn't even know what question to focus on first. I closed the books I'd looked through, and rushed out the library. I wasn't exactly sure what to do with myself anymore. Should I go to the fae? There wasn't really any point, what were we going to talk about, and Soren didn't want me going there alone anyway. Perhaps I should have gone to Evelyn or mother, anyone just to help take my mind off things. I couldn't go to Soren, he was in a meeting with the nobles, in a few hours we'd find out what they plan to do with the fae.

Time passed as I walked around aimlessly in the gardens with my head in the clouds. Two women walked past me, giggling. "I heard they are going to lash him in front of the kingdom to make an example out of him."  My thoughts instantly went back to the fae, "excuse me," I interrupted them before they walked away, "yes your highness." one of them replied, "Who are you talking about?"

They looked at me confused, "Your highness didn't hear? Her majesty and the nobles have decided to make an example out of that fae they caught tomorrow evening." I wasn't sure what to think, but I had to stop this. I felt the need to protect him, without a moments thought I ran back to the palace. "Arya, I was just looking for you." I turn to see my mother with Evelyn by her side. "I just heard you are going to punish the fae in front of a crowd."

"Ah, yes I'm glad you're up to speed, I was just going to tell you. He wasn't giving us any answers, so we decided this was the only way to get him to talk." This didn't feel right, we were a peaceful kind, why were we being so violent? "Mother, the fae seems more willing to talk to me, please allow me to ask him questions first before you publicly humiliate him." I begged her, "No Arya, you don't know what that creature is capable of. He could hurt you." 

I was sick of hearing this, I am more than capable of protecting myself. "Mother, I can defend myself! I am second best to Evelyn out of our entire army, I can take on one fae if need be." I hated that I was seen as second best to my sister, it made me look weak in my mother's eyes. As royals, it was necessary to be able to defend ourselves incase of any threats. 

My mother and sister looked at my with shock. I'd never raised my voice like that to my mother. She gave me a daring glare, "very well, you may speak to the creature, but if anything happens-"

"Nothing will happen mother, I won't let you down." I knew my mother loved my sister and I very dearly, she called us her little treasures when we were younger. I knew she wasn't favoring my sister above me, she was simply looking out for me. But she needed to have more faith in me, I can do just as much as Evelyn can. 

Later that evening I made my way down to the dungeons, before entering my sister grabbed my wrist, "be careful." I gave her a smile and turned to walk into the dark room yet again. "I'll be waiting right outside if you need me." That was the last thing I heard as I closed the door behind me.