A BLOOD Oath

The Wrong Bond

The forest was totally quiet.

Even the insects had stopped making noise.

Nobody was. Talking.

The old woman was standing at the edge of the fire and the silver pendant around her neck was catching the light from the flames.

Arielle could not stop staring at the pendant.

The symbol on it was the one from the underground shrine.

It was the symbol that was burned into her hand.

It was the symbol that had changed her life. For better or for worse, she didn't know yet.

The old woman said "You were never supposed to survive the oath" in a calm voice.

Her voice was too calm like she was just talking about the weather.

Kael immediately stepped forward putting himself between Arielle and the old woman.

His hand was resting on the handle of his sword.

He said "You know about the oath".

It didn't sound like a question.

The old woman smiled a little.

She said "I know more about it than you do".

Then Lucien appeared out of the darkness behind them.

Arielle still did not know how he did that.

Lucien said "That answer concerns me greatly".

The old woman ignored him and looked at Arielle.

She said "You have started feeling each other haven't you?"

Arielle froze because nobody had told the woman anything but she somehow knew.

The old woman noticed Arielle's reaction right away and said "Thought so".

Sera slowly got up from her place by the fire. Said "Who are you?"

The old woman hesitated for a moment before saying "My name is Elira".

The name did not mean anything to Arielle. It seemed like it did not mean anything to anyone else either.

Eamon crossed his arms. Said "Great we have a name but I am still confused".

Elira sat down beside the fire like she was coming home not like she was entering enemy territory.

She said "The blood oath was never meant to be used the way the kingdom uses it now".

Kaels face got harder. "What does that mean?"

Elira said "It means your kings turned magic into a weapon".

Nobody said anything for a moment. The only sound was the fire cracking.

Elira looked at the symbol on Arielles hand. "When the oath was created it had one purpose".

Arielle said "What purpose?"

Elira looked at her. "To bind two people who were meant to protect each other".

There was silence again. Then Eamon said "What?"

Elira said "The original oath could only form between people who were meant to be.

Lucien looked worried."I do not like where this conversation is going".

Arielles heart was beating faster now because something felt very wrong.

Kael seemed to sense it and said "Get to the point".

Elira looked at him and for the time she looked unsure.

She said "You should not be alive" and Arielle said "You already said that".

"No I mean neither of you should be alive".

The forest seemed colder and it felt like nobody was breathing.

Elira said "Because the oath should have killed both of you instantly".

Arielles stomach tightened. She said "What?"

"The ritual was not complete"

Lucien had a grim expression on his face, he stopped smiling.

Kaels voice got dangerous.

"Explain".

The old woman stared into the fire. Said "The blood oath needs balance, two willing people".

Arielle felt the oath pulsing under her skin. Then she realized something.

The ritual. Neither she nor Kael had agreed to it.

Elira. Said "Exactly".

Nobody said anything and the implications were terrifying.

Sera said "If the ritual was not complete it should have failed".

Elira said "It did fail" and her expression was troubled.

Arielle stared at her. "What does that even mean?"

Elira. Then pulled out a piece of old parchment from her bag.

She handed it to Arielle and the moment Arielle touched it her heart stopped.

She recognized the handwriting. It was her father's.

Arielle said "No" before she could stop herself and her hands were shaking.

The world seemed to be spinning. She felt like she was going to fall.

The parchment was old and weathered. Arielle unfolded it carefully.

The first line made her feel like she was going to die.

It said "If you are reading this then I have already failed".

Arielle could not continue, it felt like the fire, the forest and the others all disappeared.

All that was left was the letter and her father's handwriting and his words.

Arielle forced herself to keep reading. What she read made her freeze.

It said "Kael protect my daughter" and Arielle froze.

The whole camp. Nobody moved or spoke.

Arielle read the line again and again. She could not understand.

Kael looked just as stunned as she felt. That did not make sense.

He should already know. He did not.

Arielle slowly looked up at Kael. Said "Kael..."

His face was white like he had seen a ghost.

He said "I have never seen that letter" and Arielles pulse was racing.

The oath told her that he was telling the truth and she did not know what to think.

Kael took the parchment. Read it quickly and his face got darker, with every line.

Arielle watched as confusion turned into anger and something else, something that looked like grief.

The fire popped loudly. Nobody seemed to hear it.

Finally Kael looked up. Said something that changed everything.

He said "I was not sent to destroy your family" Arielle's world stopped.

Arielle stared at him unable to speak or think.

If that was true then everything she believed for the past three years was a lie.

Everything.

Then Elira said something that shattered what little certainty was left.

She said "You were never supposed to be bound to Kael" and there was silence.

The forest seemed to be holding its breath. Arielle slowly turned to Elira.

The womans eyes were soft, almost sad and she said "You were promised to another oath-bound".

Arielles face went white.

"What?"

Elira looked directly at her. Said a name, a name that nobody expected.

A name that made Kael reach for his sword, a name that should have been impossible.

The name was "Ronan".