A forbidden love

Chapter 4: The feast

After bathing, I was met by the seamstresses who helped me into my dress. It was a strapless and had an off-white color. Soren always used to say off-white colors complemented my silver hair. My hair was put up in a braid and I heard a knock on the door. I expected it was Soren, he always arrived a few minutes too early. Opening the door, an elf guard stood in front of me. He bowed his head before looking at me, "your highness, this was left at the palace doors with a note to you."

Looking down at his outstretched hand, he held a broken arrow with a note tied to it. Nodding for him I leave, I took it into my room, closing the door. Just like before, the fletching was broken off. The shaft was stained black, and I recognized who it was from; the fae man I saw in the forest.

Looking at the note, I squinted trying to read the writing scribbled onto the page, you have something that belongs to me, little princess. The hairs on my neck stood on end as I looked at the thing. The black blood on the shaft made the arrow look like it was dipped into ink, using its tip to scribble on the paper.

There was another knock at the door, and I didn't have time to think. I grabbed the pendant from my bed and hit it with the arrow under my pillows for safe keeping. Running to the door, I quickly patted my dress, I wasn't sure why I did that, it just felt right.

I quickly practiced a fake smile and opened the door to see a neatly dressed Soren gleaming from ear to ear. His silver hair was neatly tied back with a ribbon as a few loose strands caressed the sides of his face. The sight gave me butterflies as I subconsciously bit my bottom lip.

"You look stunning." He took a step back taking in the sight of me. I thanked him as I took his hand, and we walked together to the throne room. All the way down I kept thinking about the fae, how did he manage to get the arrow all the way to the palace? Did he get through the barriers? Perhaps he bribed one off the watch guards.

"You're doing it again," Soren looked at me worried.

"Doing what?"

"You're thinking about something else; did something happen?"

He knew me too well, sometimes it was scary how well he could read my expressions. He stopped us and took a step in front of me cupping my cheeks, he looked worried.

I sighed trying to come up with an excuse, "nothing, I was just thinking about the hunt from this morning." He gave me that look that said I know your lying, but he didn't ask me any further. I would tell him about everything when I was ready, I appreciated the fact that he was so understanding.

We walked into the throne room hand in hand, and I made turns greeting the leaders of the eleven tribes. There were two long tables parallel to one another on both sides of the room, with a large table at the from of the room where the throne usually sat. My mother was seated in the center, with my sister to her right, on her left was a seat left open for me, and on the outermost sides of the table was another chair on both sides for whoever my sister and I brought to the feast.

I went to stand next to my mother, everyone in the room fell silent, before the queen mother gave a toast, and everyone took their seats. "You look lovely," my mother looked at me, her eyebrow raised. What was wrong with what I was wearing? I usually dressed like this.

The stag was brought into the throne room on a large golden plater placed on a table in the center of the room. Every family took turns helping themselves to portions of the stag. Once everyone was seated the room began to hum with a low chatter as everyone started talking.

I looked to my sister, the seat next to her was open. Evelyn never fancied men, so she never brought a man to any social events. The only men you ever saw her with were the hunters, she grew fond of hunting and staying outside with whatever free time she had. She was like a mouse, hiding away from almost everyone. She much preferred the company of the forest, hiding in the trees like a bird.

I leaned towards my mother, "Mother, I must speak with you and Evelyn afterwards." She mother surveyed me my expression before nodding. She knew it was something serious. I had to tell her about the fae. We all sat in silence eating our meals. Soren placed his hand on my thigh, looking at him I knew exactly what he was up to. He squeezed my thigh and in return I elbowed him.

"Ow, I didn't do anything."

"Not yet anyways." He scoffed and placed I kiss on my temple.

"I'm not letting this go, I will have you."

Once everyone was left the throne room, Soren kissed me goodbye. I ran up to my room to retrieve the items I had collected throughout the day and accompanied my mother and sister to the study. Once we were all inside and the door was locked behind us, I took out the arrow, note and pendant I had stashed under my pillow and placed it all on the table in the center of the room. 

"I ran into a fae in the forest today, just beyond the barriers. I chased him, but he was trying to lead me away from the kingdom so i had to come back. I attacked him with this arrow, it was given to me by one of the guards before the feast. He said it was left for me by the palace doors."

I told them about everything, including the pendant. As I spoke they both sat there quiet, not saying a word. Once I finished telling my story, my mother picked up the pendant and cursed under her breath. "This is how that fae got through the barriers, it's a good thing you kept it."

"What is it mother?" Questioned Evelyn, "It's an ancient royal seal. It belonged to the fae king before the great war, and this could mean the beginning another war."