Elvi

A New Dawn

“Alarik, we need to talk about damage control. The people are going to lose their minds” Rowan said, as they walked back to the castle.

“Worse than they already have, you mean?”

“Well, yes.”

“Are you sure you want to do this for a woman who hates you?” Rowan sighed heavily.

“Yes. I have to believe that the Norns know what they are doing. It will take some time, but I’m sure the people will come around.”

“I’m not so sure, My Lord,” admitted Alarik.

“Me either,” Rowan laughed nervously. “I will inform the castle staff as soon as we get back, and then organise a press conference.”

*

Rowan stood in front of the nervous looking castle servants, his highers seated at the very front. He understood their nervousness, as not once in the history of the Royals, had they ever held a meeting like this. His eyes searched the crowd, spotting some familiar faces but many he didn’t recognise at all. They needed to know first, as they were sure to receive a lot of the backlash, being in the building with the King. He cleared his throat to silence the low murmuring.

“I have an announcement” he began, not knowing how else to start this conversation. “I found my mate.”

There was a general increase of gleeful cheering and clapping, excited trills and a few questions. Rowan turned quickly from Asena who looked irate, and ready for murder. He waited for them to silence themselves.

“I know that there have been many rumours flying around about it, and they are true. I have been blessed to find my mate, and the Norns have seen it fit to gift me… to gift me with a Witch.”

Anyone standing outside of the castle would think a bomb had exploded. The crowd were screaming themselves horse; Asena daring to attempt to storm out of the room, before being pulled back into her chair by her father, glaring at her lack of tact.

“Quiet” Rowan bellowed, silence falling immediately. “It is because of this that the anti-witch laws and witch prisons will be abolished. We will… we will be choosing a new sort of lifestyle where we let the witches be, most likely not living beside them, but leaving them to their own devices. This will not be questioned. It is time to look to the future and this is where the Norns are telling me the future is headed. I also want it known here, before I announce it to the world, that my mate, Elvi” he stopped for a moment, preparing himself, not catching anyones eye but choosing to look at the open door in the back of the room. “Elvi has made her intentions known and that is to not accept me as her mate.”

“Then why are we even changing the laws for her?” asked one brave servant in the shocked silence.

“Because it is the right thing to do,” he answered. “I have a lot of preparations to organise” he continued, before turning on his heel and leaving the room in uproar.

*

Elvi watched the brunette at the border from her window, just able to make her out from her station, pacing back and forth. She had no idea who this woman was, but she looked to be on a warpath. Elvi noticed Priestess walking through the village centre towards the barrier. Without hesitation she walked straight through the dome and up to the woman, seemingly greeting her. After a few minutes of wild gesticulating from the woman and calm answers from Priestess, the woman left. Priestess made a b-line for Elvi’s house, where she hurried to the door, opening it before she was even on her footpath. Priestess walked straight past her and into the kitchen.

“That,” she began, “Was the daughter of the second, Alarik. Her name is Asena, and she is not a fan of you.”

“Why? I have never even met her,” Elvi answered with raised eyebrows.

“She didn’t say directly, but I have an idea that she had plans on being Queen, and wanted to see who has taken that from her.” Elvi sighed.

“Nothing is stopping her from having him.”

“Except for the King evidently.”

Elvi snorted, pouring hot water over her tea blend into the teapot. She placed a mug in front of Priestess with a bowl of honey. Pouring the tea into the two mugs she sat herself at the kitchen table, Priestess following her.

“This Asena, what did she hope to achieve by coming here?”

“To meet you, and ‘get the witch to see reason and leave the King alone.’” Priestess rolled her eyes.

“Is she some kind of super fanatic for the King or something.”

“It appears so. And she has now suffered a great disappointment.”

“If they aren’t mates why is she even trying to get the King? He said that they normally don’t pursue someone unless they are destined for them.”

“Power is a funny thing. Sometimes, it will make people go against their core beliefs just to get it. And who higher to get it from than the King.” Elvi nodded, adding honey to her tea.

“Do you think this will become a regular thing?”

“Perhaps. Only the King will be able to tell you that. I have a feeling we are about to become very popular.”

“Just like Arryn said.”

“Yes.”

*

Rowan found himself, once again in front of the media. He took a steadying breath then began his speech.

“I have called you here for an important announcement. I have found my mate.” He paused for the gleeful celebrating and questioning from the media. “Her name is Elvi, and she is a Witch of the Vadon Coven.”

He paused again as the celebration turned to outrage. He tapped his foot in annoyance as he ignored the questions being hurled at him.

“SILENCE” he bellowed. “She has made her intentions clear, and will not be accepting my hand, nor will she be leaving her Coven. I ask of you all to keep a respectful distance from her. She has been dragged into this mate connection, the same as I have. I am willing to try this relationship as the Norns intended, however she is not” he said, raising his voice over the noise once more.

“So what do you intend to do about a Queen and Heir then, my Lord” shouted a journalist.

“Nothing. The Norns saw fit to bless me with Elvi, and I will stand by her decision. She has every right to not want anything to do with me, considering mine, and my family's history with her kind, and as she is not of a culture that has mates, she is already in a relationship.”

The uproar to this was so loud now that the King could no longer hear the questions being asked of him. Losing his patients entirely he growled, causing the crowd to freeze.

“Because of this situation, and through talks with Elvi, I am going to be enacting some immediate changes. It is time for me, my family and our kind to look to the future as the Norns intended. Number one, the anti-witch laws are currently in the works of being dissolved, this was officially put into action yesterday. Number two, witch prisons are now banned and all those residing in capture will be released by weeks end. Once again, I implore all of you to give the Vadon Coven space, along with any witch who will be trying to acclimate back into regular society.”