The Alpha's Elemental

    A long time ago, a treaty was signed amongst the supernatural representatives from each of their families. Wars had been raging on for centuries that the new leaders wanted so desperately to end, and this was the only out that they had managed to see within their power. The treaty would be renewed every hundred years to make sure that no two families or more would actively go against one another.     Until now.     The Walsh family was the family of elementals, each generation could control at least one of the four elements. Their eldest daughter, Anya, currently turned eighteen; she had been a prodigy at learning the fire element and had been receiving lessons since she was nine from the Fire Priestess, Ella. Ella was an older woman with gray hair and hazel, almost a bright yellow, eyes.     The Priestess was currently looking for the princess, who was slightly childish and would play with the village children and skip out on her duties from time to time. "Anya!" Ella said, gathering the skirts that were gathered around the courtyard of the castle. The auburnette turned to look at the Priestess before smiling and waving. Ella couldn't help but smile back as she finished putting the skirts back into the wicker basket that they had been thrown from. Anya was sit, reading to a bunch of children around the fountain at the courtyard.     "Priestess Ella, you shouldn't be working like that - we were going to clean them up once I finished reading Little Red Riding Hood to them," Anya said, suddenly appearing and gently grabbing the skirts from the older woman. "I thought I was free from lessons today?"     "So did I, Anya," Ella said with a tight lipped smile. "It seems that something has came up, your father and mother request your appearance at once," Anya went from confused, to embarrassed to panic. Her complexion turned white and Ella gently grabbed her hand. "It seems that it's time, my dear."     "I suppose so," Anya said with a slight smile. She turned back to the children who seemed confused. "I will be back shortly, I promise. We still need to find out what happens to her granny, right?" The children nodded before gathering their things and running off towards the village. Anya turned to the Priestess, her composure was suddenly sullen. "I suppose it's about time they sold me off, huh, Priestess Ella?" Anya sighed, twisting her hair on either side to make it look more presentable and elegant for the king and queen. She dusted off her olive green dress and began walking towards the castle when Ella caught her arm.     "Please, they sent me after you, Princess," Ella said with a goofy grin. "They knew you would be upset and sent me to slow you down so that you could cool off. Wouldn't you help this poor old woman back to the castle?" Anya looked at Ella, a woman whom she respected greatly and looked up to despite the other's short stature. Anya smiled softly before placing her hand on the woman's, and let out a soft chuckle.     "Just the other day, weren't you saying how you're still a young spring chicken, Nana?" Anya called the woman her nickname fondly, it was what Anya had called her from the time she could talk. The two were not related, as positions within the castle - whether it be an advisor, guard or tutor - could not be blood-related to the nobles.      "You haven't called me that in a while, Anne," Ella said while patting her hand. "I still remember the first time you actually spoke, the king was hoping it would be 'Daddy,' and of course your mother was hoping it would be 'Mommy,'" The woman chuckled as they opened the door to the parlor of the castle, "What a surprise it was when you said 'Nana' and reached out for me, they were both heartbroken," Anya laughed with the older woman at that.     "My father told me I cried out for him, my mother for her," Anya replied as they neared the receiving room. "My, how the story changes," She chuckled.     "Anya, dear," Her mother's soft voice reached her ears as she turned to look at the woman. She had blonde hair and striking green eyes, something that Anya had inherited along with her fair complexion. Her mother rose from the seat on the couch and wrapped her arms around her daughter while Ella slipped her arm out and stood beside the guard at the left to the archway. When Eliza pulled away, looking into her daughter's eyes, Anya noticed how they were teary. Anya smiled as Eliza cupped her eldest daughter's face.     "It's okay, Mama, we knew it would happen eventually," Anya muttered. "It's no secret that with the expiring treaty coming up that the werewolves are planning their attack," Her father cleared his throat at this, her attention going to the dark bearded man who's hair was fading on his head. He almost seemed as teary as his wife, if not more. Francis Walsh, a man who was feared amongst the many kingdoms, who also had a soft spot for his children. "Oh, don't get soft on me now, Dad," Anya said as she approached her father and wrapped her arms around him in a hug. "Olivia and Gina are far too young to be married off, they still have so much to learn from Nana."      "Still, if I wasn't scared that our armies could handle the attack and end it in one night, this wouldn't be happening," Francis replied as he pulled away from his daughter. "Please, Anya, sit down so that we can tell you about your future husband," Eliza scoffed at his words and looked to the side. "Eliza, please, dear let's be civil. They're coming at the end of the week, we need to at least seem happy that this isn't turning into a bloodbath," Eliza looked out the edge of her eye, her husband offering her his hand which she hesitantly took.     "I suppose you're right, dearest," Eliza mumbled as she turned her attention back to her family members. "I just wish we could have gotten into a near-war with the warlocks or the shapeshifters, not werewolves. At least they're not as savage,"     "Eliza," Francis's warning tone told his wife to hush, which she did reluctantly. "Anya, your husband is the crown prince to the throne of the werewolf kingdom. His father is the Alpha, so he's next in line," I would hope so, Anya thought bitterly. Ella gave her a look to which Anya just smirked at. "You will have an extravagant life as they're the second richest kingdom, just above us. However," Francis paused. "They're also the most exposed, a few of their own have broken off and went rouge as they call it - they're breaking off from their pack and possibly starting their own?"     "Why is that, father?" Anya asked.     "That, we do not know," Eliza spoke up. "It's odd, they even told us they haven't seen it in the past five hundred years. However, they promised us that they have some people on the inside investigating the break off, they promised us they would keep you safe," Eliza paused, a dark glint going through her eye as she spoke her next words. "Otherwise, if anything happens to you - if anyone touches a hair on your head," A flame erupted from her left hand, growing in power. "I will burn them all down to the ground."     The room went deadly silent, Anya cleared her throat and put on a brave face. This is something she had been expecting since she was fourteen, she knew that she would eventually be married off to someone else, she was just hoping it wasn't a month after her eighteenth birthday. "Now, Mother, calm down - if they give you their word then you have their word. I promise to write to you every day to ensure that nothing is going wrong." Eliza calmed down, Francis shooting her a grateful look. "Now, I was promised a talk about my future husband - not politics. I'm sure I'll hear enough about it over at Maes for months to come," She offered both of her parents one of her fake smiles she had mastered over the years and it worked into calming them both down to talk about her husband.     "His name is Duncan Edwards, he's roughly twenty-four years old and one of the most fierce warriors that the Maes Kingdom has ever seen," Francis began. "They are also more technologically advanced than us, they brought in modern technology of the twenty-first century to further help their training in their armies as well as giving them forces in the air," Anya's eyes widened as she had never heard of anyone using the air except for witches and warlocks, as well as air elementals. "Duncan has never had a mate, which is odd, but there are stories of some of their villagers and guards never meeting their mates. The reason is unknown, but they end up dying a lot earlier versus those that have found them."      All Anya could think of was that she would end up getting out of this marriage, as long as she didn't bear his children, rather quick if he never found his mate. "If he finds his mate, what then? Would our marriage be void?"     "No, as long as the treaty between us stands you will still be their queen," Eliza replied. "However, they did mention that if he ever did and you wanted to step down from their kingdom, you're welcome to return home once the new treaty between all of the kingdoms is signed." Anya nodded at this and fought the urge to blow air out of her cheeks. A part of her did want to be queen, not married off to a noble and to be forgotten, up until now she was promised to be the Queen of Crelatha - her own people - but it was diminished as soon as the wolves were planning their attack on their kingdom.     Elementals were feared by all of the kingdoms, as some of them can control up to three elements. They used to be seen as a threat and at one point in history was almost hunted down until extinction. Their numbers were still low, and were struggling as a result. Despite having once been a proud and powerful supernatural species, they were reduced to ashes, dirt, droplets and short breezes when it came to the possibility of fighting in a battle - much less a war.     "I promise I will fulfill my duty in this treaty, Mother and Father," Anya said silently as she stood up. "I won't let you down," She excused herself and left to go to her room. She was not going to make a fool of herself in Maes, she would go beyond the werewolves' expectations and rule them rightfully. A part of her, however, wondered what would happen if her future husband did find his mate. He can't live without her, once the treaty is signed I will step down and not interfere with their relationship. She thought to herself. She never expected herself to marry for love, but it was a nice thought.     It just wasn't fate.