Chapter 285

285 Chapter 285 : Please, don’t cry

“Mother?” Elric called to the lycan woman who seemed to be in a daze. “Mother are you okay?”

He put his hands on her shoulders and shook her a little, thus pulling her out of her musing.

“That mage you have been seeing in your dreams,” Layla explained. “He is one of the mages of the rocks, he is the oldest and most powerful of them all. They call him ‘the fate’.”

“The fate?” Elric mumbled to himself. “Is that why he said he has been watching over us all?”

Layla continued her walk and gestured her son to follow suit. “I do not know much about the mages of the rocks, all I know is that they are powerful. It is said that they learnt the art of forbidden magic and transcended to a level at par with the gods.” She stopped and turned to look at her son who was trying to take all of the information in. “They are the ones who placed you and the others in the transmigration cycle in order to save our races.”

“I see...” Elric was even more convinced now that he absolutely had to return to Gavaria, if this mage was as powerful as he sounded, it would be wise to heed to his words.

“What else did he say to you? In your dreams?”

“He keeps telling me that the curse that befell me will find it’s way to Eira,” Elric explained. “And that love is the only thing that can break it.”

Layla searched her son’s face, “curse? What curse?”

.....

“I don’t know,” Elric responded. “That is all he says right before I wake up. I must go to her, mother, both my life and Eira’s could be in danger if anything should happen to her.”

“And what makes you think Gareth will allow you anywhere near his daughter?” Layla questioned. “From what your father tells me, all of this fiasco of her getting married is so the two of you don’t end up together.”

Elric creased his eyebrows and gasped slightly. “Of course...” how had he not figured this out earlier? So Gareth and Melissa knew that their daughter and him were meant to be together, but they hated the idea so much they were willing to have her bound to another man. “I can’t let them do this... I have to go to her..”

The silver haired prince turned around and briskly started walking back to the palace.

“Elric!”

He turned to his mother, ready to deny her request for him to stay and not pursue Eira. The Luna rushed to her son’s side and pointed to some men who were standing near the palace gates.

“If you leave on your own, your father will be suspicious,” she explained. “I have packed all you’ll need on your journey there, and there is a horse ready for you where those two men stand.”

“Mother... I thought you-”

“I would have loved it if your mate was anyone else, anyone, but my wishes are not those of the gods,” Layla explained as she fixed her son’s cloak. “Nothing good comes from defying the will of the gods..” she cupped his face and looked deep into his honey brown eyes. “Now go to her, if you ride fast enough, you will arrive before she is given to another.”

Elric held the woman’s hands and squeezed them tightly, “thank you..” and with that he ran to where the men were standing.

*

Edron was on his way to his chambers when he saw his son and two other men riding out the palace gates through the window. “What in the...” he turned around abruptly but almost bumped into his Luna who had seemingly appeared behind him.

“Layla! Where is Elric-”

“Worry not,” Layla responded and wrapped her arms around her husbands neck. “He is just a little bored sitting around the palace doing nothing, so I sent him off to see the snowlands.”

The alpha calmed down significantly, but he still felt a little uneasy. “When will he return?”

“Who knows, maybe in a few days,” Layla said nonchalantly. “Elric is not a cub anymore, he has the royal gaurds with him, he will be fine.” She pressed her lips seductively against Edron’s, and she immediately felt him loosen up. “Come now, it’s cold and I require my husband’s warmth.”

*

Eira walked into her room feeling a little more drained than she usually did, she was glad all this was almost over, but she also dreaded what lay ahead. After meeting the final group of suitors the following day, she was expected to choose ten suitors from which she would select a husband.

She sat down on a sofa facing her window and brought her knees to her chest. If Elric was not part of the suitors tomorrow, that would be the end, him and her could not be together not matter what.

Even though she had been in denial all along, Eira knew, she knew that Elric was her blood half. And now that there was a possibility of not being with him, she knew that she loved him. Regardless of his past, what he had done, regardless of what anyone thought or said about him, her feelings for him were undeniably true and there.

She lay her head on her knees as soft whimpers left her lips. Were these emotions only a burden of hers? Did he not feel the same? Isabella had said he acknowledged her as his mate, so then why wasn’t he here?! Why would he let her be married off to another man?!

The whimpers turned into sobs, the red haired princess felt like her hurt was going to explode. If this is what it meant to be a princess, to be her parent’s daughter, she didn’t want it anymore.

Outside the door, Isabella leaned onto Eira’s door that she was about to open and sighed. She had never heard Eira cry before, the sound was heartbreaking. She stood up straight and wiped her own tears that had trickled down her cheek, she had to do something, she couldn’t stand by as her friend signed her life away to misery. It wasn’t right.

*

The icy wind slapping against his face was nothing compared to the sudden surge of sadness that had flowed through him. Elric held the reins of his horse tightly with one hand, and used the other to clench his chest tightly.

“Eira... I’m coming. Please, don’t cry.”

Night had fallen and the temperature had become deathly cold. But all of that mattered not, for the first time in his life, Elric was going to fight for what was truly his. Not out of spite, greed or possessiveness, but out of pure and honest love, this time it was different.

*

Bertram circled Maxim slowly, inspecting his ensemble from head to toe. His hair, his clothing, his shoes, even his musk.

When the man stopped in front of the dark haired elf, Maxim felt a little uneasy. “What is it? Is something wrong? Is my hair out of place?”

Lord Bertram shook his head and gave the young elf a smile. “If the princess does not fancy you with the way you look right now son, then she must be either blind, or a little mad.”

Maxim nodded thankfully before turning and heading out the door to the carriage that was waiting for him. The day had come, today would determine wether his mission would be a success or not.

The young elf knew he had no luxury to fail, he had to gain Eira’s trust in the one hour that would be allocated to him. He also had to ensure he made it on the list of the top ten suitors at all costs, only then will he have the opportunity to get close to her. Close enough to enact his plan, and leave without being considered a suspect.

When the carraige came to a halt outside the royal palace, his door was opened by one of the royal guards.

“Name...”

“Lord Maxim Adalbert,” the elf responded. “First and only son of Bertram Adalbert.”

The guard glanced at his list and then nodded. “Welcome my lord, right this way.”

Maxim got off the carraige and followed the gaurd into the palace. He was patted down by a second guard to check for any weapons before he was allowed to proceed further into the palace.

As they walked the large halls, Maxim would glance at the numerous paintings on the walls. There were several of a young red haired girl in all staged of her life from when she was an infant. It was apparent that Eira’s parents were very fond of her. And just like his sources had told him, she was the only child of the king, her father’s little angel.

They reached the doorway of the library where there was a plaque with Eira’s name on it, the place must have been a gift to her, she was indeed a treasure to her parents.

It was such a shame Maxim had to take her away from them. Such a shame indeed.