The Human Girl's Mate

Chapter four. 'We are mates'

My walk with Morwen didn't last long, I can't stand her company. I have never met an elf female so vain and arrogant as her, but for the sake of my family and kingdom I must marry her to avoid a war with the Whitewood Elves. As our population grow, we start occupying more and more terrain around the Blue Forest.  Our humans have also started to encroach onto the Whitewood  Forest and their king isn't pleased. My father king Galrod ever the peacemaker agreed to a union, unfortunately for me, only their daughter is f marrying age, lucky Ellania unlucky me. After making excuses about my duties to the king in the morning I walk Morwen back to her carriage and learn she actually came with her father, he must've had some important business to discuss with my father. King Alaster of the Whitewood Forest is as always grumpy, I have known that man for hundred years and have never seen him smile, not even when my father agreed to to marry me off. 

They leave and I can finally relax, I need to go find Serena, I want to find out what room Elberth chose for her and maybe even take her for a stroll to the gardens. But my plans are squashed when I notice my father standing by the castle doors watching me. I have a feeling this meeting was not good news. 

'Raegel, we need to talk'.  Never have four words made my stomach drop like the ones my father just spoke. He senses my hesitation and gives me a questioning look, I could tell him right here right now that I don't want to marry Morwen, not just because of who she is as an elf but because of Serena, my sweet mate. Sadly, my father, has never gotten over my brother's death at the hands of the humans, he hates them, even though he called for peace and harmony between elves and humans, he did so under the action that the humans live under our rule. He would never allow a human female to sit on the elven throne, although we value our fated mates, we can choose not to bond, it's a hard process especially if your mate stays around you, because your hearts and souls demand to be one. 

'Raegel, come!' His tone leaves me no choice, something has pissed him off and I can't shake the feeling my night is about to get so much worse. 

Dawn came faster than I had hoped for, I walked to my mother's special garden before the sun even awoke, unable to sleep after my father's news I laid in bed tossing and turning my only comfort the moonlight shinning through my window and thoughts of my small hours with Serena. I watch my mother approach me, she came alone so whatever she has to tell me must be important, I never noticed before how graceful my mother really is, she looks like she is floating towards me, her dark blue dress dragging behind her, she is wearing her long white  hair in a braid that drapes over her shoulder and down to her hips. 'Mother, good morning, you look well rested.' I greet her with all the politeness I was taught as a child and we briefly hug before sitting on her favourite bench, under Rey's tree. 

'Are you sure this girl is your mate?' As always mother is straight to the point. It's my second favourite thing about her the first being her sense of humour. 

'Yes mother, all the signs were there, the flashes I aw in her eyes, feeling her heart skip a beat, my blackened vision, and this constant emptiness in my heart like it knows it's other half is missing. ' I try my best to explain it in as much detail as I can, because my mother might be and expert n the fated mates subject, but she has never been through it herself. My parents are not fated mates, their marriage must like mine was arranged to benefit their clans. I can see the pain behind her smile when she reaches for my hand. 'My son, you need to be sure you want this girl, you cannot bond with her and marry Morwen. But if you marry Morwen, your soul will still recognize Serena as a mate, she will have to leave the castle, and you know, castle maids who are sent to other houses or even other territories are always ostracized by their peers. Please, consider hat when you make your decision.' Her words resonate in my head, I know what she is telling me, is my fated mate really worth war? Losing my father? Because he sure as hell won't accept a human female as his son's mate, not just because of his hatred but because I am the future king of the Blue Forest elves and my marriage with Morwen will not only bring peace to both our territories, but upon her father's death I became their king too. It's a brilliant alliance, elves will become even more powerful and with both territories united there will be no chance for the humans to rebel against us. That is father's greatest fear, even though the humans are more than happy with being ruled by us. 

'I don't know what to do you mother. I don't want to with Morwen, she isn't a good elf,she is vain and arrogant, she will make a terrible queen, she will be a horrible influence on any children we may have, if I ever have the nerve to touch her like that! But I know that father won't accept Serena. I'm in an impossible position mother.' She must hear the desperation in my voice, her expression changes from serene to sad then her eyes get this glint, and she gives me a mischievous smile and I know she is plotting something dangerous. I have heard stories of how rebellious and mischievous my mother was as a young elf,Rey and I used to beg her to tell us a new story of her adventures each night, our favourite was the one where she met our father, she would relent after a while, unable to resist our pleas and snuggle into Rey's bed with both of us and delight us with her tales. 

'When I was a young elf, I was restless even though my family weren't among the richest of elves, we were still nobility, so I was raised a lady, I had the best education money could by, I learned calligraphy, languages of the world and poetry, but my greatest wish was to be a warrior. My parents were of course horrified that their precious maiden wanted to get down and dirty in the mud with lowly peasant elves. But I spent my days dreaming of wielding a magnificent sword and proving myself worthy to defend our lands! One day, my parents were called to the Blue Forest and so they took me with then in hopes that I would catch the princes' eye. when we arrived the king and queen were surprised to see me, after all, they simply wanted to talk about our lands and cattle, but the queen understood my parents plan. She took me to the courtyard where the prince was practicing his battle skills along with the court's best warriors, I was enthralled, I had never seen anyone fight like that. The prince of course ignored me all afternoon but I was too excited by all the fighting to care. Once home, my parents were confident I was in love, and well they weren't completely wrong. After that day at the castle I was determined to learn how to fight and when my parents were invited once again to the castle I pretended to be sick and stayed home. As soon as their carriage was out of sight I ran as fast as I could to the nearest market, there I would find young elves like me who wanted to learn to fight. I made friends with a few of them and they took me to their trainer, he was a grouchy old man, but an excellent fighter. He accepted to train me in secret and vowed all others to never tell anyone about me. For months I made excuses and sneaked away to train, soon enough I was one of the best fighters. Word must've reached the prince about our skills, because one rainy day I arrived to  train and he was there, cocky as ever demanding the best fighters take him on. So we did, and one by one he defeated them all, gloating about being invincible. I wanted to wipe that smug look off his face, so I stood and challenged him. We fought for what felt like hours, first with wooden spears, then wooden swords and finally when he had made himself angry with frustration he put his fists up. He got a few good punches and kicks in, but he never expected me to hit him with a roundhouse kick to the chest! He fell on his arse and everyone stopped. I leaned down to help him up but he refused, he was breathing hard and I had already broken his nose so he admitted defeat. He wanted to meet the warrior that had conquered him, but my trainer refused, after much arguing and shouting I decided to remove my helmet, Oh you should've seen your father's face! He was so angry a first, telling everyone it was a trick, a plot devised by my trainer to embarrass him, so I kicked him and he went down on his arse again. Once he admitted I was the warrior who put him on his arse we ended up chatting and laughing about it. We became friends and he'd sneak away to come train with me. And well, once both our parents realized we were friendly they married us off. And good thing they did, because otherwise I wouldn't have my two favourite rays of light!' She used to tickle us till we were crying with laughter, Oh how I miss Rey. 

Remembering our childhood makes my eyes water, I fear I might start crying so I ask mother what she's planning. 

'I'm glad you ask, I think I can work on your father and his hatred of her kind, while you my dear son, you work on getting to know your mate and letting her know you. But! You can't be you, I mean you can't be prince Raegel to her. By now she will have heard you aren't exactly fond of humans either or that you are engaged to be married. So, be the one she already knows. Be the Commander of the legions of the elves.'

I look at my mother like she is crazy, but her smile is contagious and I find myself agreeing to her plan. She goes off to meet Serena under the guise of wanting breakfast in her room, and I go off to change from my royal clothes to my armour. What kind of commander would I be if I wasn't always on duty. I go to my rooms and decide to shower, and take my time getting ready, mother is meeting Serena now and I am anxious, I wonder what they will think of each other. I hear a knock at the door, and my mothers maid walks in. 'My prince, forgive me, you are needed in your mother's room.' She looks serious so I follow her fast, when I walk in my mother is sipping some orange juice and Serena is unconscious at her feet. 

'What happened?' I rush to Serena and check she is breathing, which is silly because I can see her chest rising and falling and I can hear her heart beating, but seeing her unconscious brought out my protective side. 'Humans are so fragile, all I told her was that she is your fated mate and she fell like a leaf! ' My mother is too gleeful about Serena's fainting to my liking and I'm about to tell her off when Serena moans, that sound does something to my insides, Serena opens her eyes and looks at me, her cheeks turn pink in that adorable way of hers, then she looks at me again, like really looks and her eyes roll into the back of her skull and she flops again! What the hell is going on? 

I pick her up in my arms, she weighs nothing, so light and beautiful, I excuse myself and take her to her room. I am please Elberth gave her the back room, as it is the closest to the back doors and I can take her in that way without being seen. I lay her in her bed and watch her breathing slowly, I look around her room to get a better understanding of her. She left her wardrobe open and I can see a few of her dresses, she like light colours and favours blues and greens,  above her bed there's a window sill where she has placed two picture frames. In one she is sat between an older couple, I can see the resemblance she bears to both,like her, her father has red curly hair, but her eyes are the same as her mothers, albeit Serena's are  a few shades lighter, my eyes move to the next picture and a growl escapes my lips, it's a picture of Serena in a ale yellow dress, she has the biggest happiest smile on her face and  her arms are draped around a man's neck, her chest leaning on his back and his fingers tangled with hers. He is looking up at her face and smiling too. Who the f**k is this guy and why the hell is he touching my mate?

'That, is none of your business! Put the frame down and get out!'