Forbidden Choices by Jen Weddle
Chapter 14
I prepare for the worst. Who’s it going to be Riley or Theo?
“Are you alright?” a soft feminine voice prods behind the bushes.
“Yes.” I sigh a relief at the realization that it’s not a male’s voice. What if they’re just pretending to be female?
“Show yourself.”
A pretty girl, with olive skin and long silky hair stands next to the purple roses. She outstretches her hand toward me. I take her frail looking hand and shake it.
“I’m Olivia. We didn’t get a proper introduction at dinner I’m afraid.”
“Olivia. It’s very nice to meet you.”
“Can I talk to you about something, Princess?”
“Of course, sit down.” I say patting the patch of grass next to me.
“Tomorrow… is my wedding day.”
“Congratulations. I didn’t know you and my brother were getting married.”
She looks at me with the most haunting, expressionless eyes and I realize that she doesn’t want to get married.
“Oh. You don’t want to get married?” I ask. “Then why would you agree to it?”
“I do want to marry your brother, but I’m being forced to marry another man. My father needed the land so that we could grow food for the people so he made a deal with one of the wealthier families that he would trade my hand in marriage for half the land the man owns. And unfortunately he agreed.” She answers looking devastated and her eyes glimmer as she holds back tears.
I put a comforting hand on my shoulder. To be forced into marriage is one thing, but over a piece of land… what is this the 15th century? Have I traveled back in time?
“And it gets worse. I’m in love with your brother… but, but he’s a Prince.” She begins to sob, and I rub her back and hug her.
“Well does he know your feelings?”
“Yes… he’s reciprocated them. I didn’t expect to find you out here. This is our usual meeting place.”
“Oh…”
“Well, why don’t you tell the man you don’t want to marry him because you’re in love with someone else? I’m sure my brother would be happy to pay off your father’s debts.”
“Yes. We’ve discussed that, but the thing is your brother and I could never be together.” She says looking into her hands miserably.
“Why not?” I exclaim, knowing the answer without her having to tell me.
“He is Royalty… and I’m just the gardener.”
“You did all of this?” I ask amazed.
She smiles and touches one of the flowers. It moves and shifts in her hand, and then wraps around her arm. The flowers start to shift and change as if a wind is blowing, but the sky is clear and only sprinkled with a thousand stars. There is no wind. The branches and leaves stretch high above us and then we’re engulfed in a floral cave of roses that have become brightly lit lanterns of different shades of purple, emitting golden flecks of light into the air. The flowers begin to hum and sing as if they have been given life and voices.
“It’s beautiful.” I gasp.
She lets go of the branch and it returns to normal.
“It’s my ability. I can control plants, and make them turn into different things.”
“There you are my dainty little flower…”
Viktor peers from behind the rose bush. I put my hand up to my mouth and try to stifle a giggle.
“So she knows.”
“I just told her everything… I thought she might be able to help.”
“Me? How could I help you two?” I ask, secretly afraid of what the answer might be.
“Riley… you have to be with him.” My brother answers.
“Anything but that…” I say trailing off.
“The only way that Olivia and I could ever be together is if one of our bloodlines stays in Royalty. Riley is a Prince. He may be a Prince to the Wolves and Thieves and Monsters…”
“I’m sorry. Did you just say Monsters? You’re honestly going to let me give up my happiness to be Queen of the Damned so that you and Olivia can happily frolic together forever. And you want me to end up with the most exasperating creature on Earth for that.” I inquire.
“Well when you put it that way it sounds horrible.” He states.
“And honestly Riley is a really good guy. You should have seen the way he was doting on you earlier. It was sweet.”
“Well at least he’s nice to me when I’m unconscious because otherwise he makes me miserable.”
“Can’t you just give him a chance?”
“No.” I whisper, folding my arms across my chest stubbornly. They both look at me with big begging eyes. I almost feel sorry for them. Almost.
“I knew she wouldn’t go for it.” My brother sighs.
“Go for what?” A familiar voice asks from the shadows.
“I tried Riley… I honestly did. But she isn’t going to believe you guys are connected.”
“You are such a traitor.” I say standing up and kicking at the grass like a child.
“Now, I remember why I’m glad I never had siblings because this… they’ll stab you in the back and try to force you into relationships. Or something along those lines, maybe steal your Barbie dolls. It’s all the same.”
No one follows me and I walk with my head down back towards the castle. Even the flowers look wilted and dejected. I must have hurt Olivia’s feelings. Oh well… for once I thought I had made a real friend. Now I just feel betrayed.
I stop when I see two people in the distance shouting at one another. I hide behind a tall garden wall to try to catch bits of the conversation.
“You told her what?” A female voice explains.
“We’re Soulfires…” A hushed male voice replies.
“Why on Earth would you tell her that?”
“Because it’s true…”
“No, it’s not. You’re mine and you know that we connected a LONG time ago.”
“Something has changed… I don’t feel the same.”
It’s Theo and Blair. And they’re heatedly arguing about something.
“Well maybe this will change your mind.”
I peer out from behind the wall to see the two of them interlocked in a heated make-out session. Well, of course Theo would end up betraying me. He’s just like everyone else.
The tears start to run down my face so I sprint inside before the two of them can see me.
I’m not sure where I’m going, but anywhere is better than here. I manage to find my room in the large, expansive castle after opening about twenty doors. I look under my bed to find the backpack that I came here with. I try to find the tiny purple elephant that can be used as a transporter back to home… back to the familiar loneliness of a hermit life. I want to go back there now.
I empty the contents of the bag onto the wooden floor. I start to dig through the clothes. It’s not there. I know I put it in there. The book that Theo gave me is still there though.
Why isn’t the elephant trinket in my bag? Did someone steal it?
That means I’m stuck here: Forever.
I prepare for the worst. Who’s it going to be Riley or Theo?
“Are you alright?” a soft feminine voice prods behind the bushes.
“Yes.” I sigh a relief at the realization that it’s not a male’s voice. What if they’re just pretending to be female?
“Show yourself.”
A pretty girl, with olive skin and long silky hair stands next to the purple roses. She outstretches her hand toward me. I take her frail looking hand and shake it.
“I’m Olivia. We didn’t get a proper introduction at dinner I’m afraid.”
“Olivia. It’s very nice to meet you.”
“Can I talk to you about something, Princess?”
“Of course, sit down.” I say patting the patch of grass next to me.
“Tomorrow… is my wedding day.”
“Congratulations. I didn’t know you and my brother were getting married.”
She looks at me with the most haunting, expressionless eyes and I realize that she doesn’t want to get married.
“Oh. You don’t want to get married?” I ask. “Then why would you agree to it?”
“I do want to marry your brother, but I’m being forced to marry another man. My father needed the land so that we could grow food for the people so he made a deal with one of the wealthier families that he would trade my hand in marriage for half the land the man owns. And unfortunately he agreed.” She answers looking devastated and her eyes glimmer as she holds back tears.
I put a comforting hand on my shoulder. To be forced into marriage is one thing, but over a piece of land… what is this the 15th century? Have I traveled back in time?
“And it gets worse. I’m in love with your brother… but, but he’s a Prince.” She begins to sob, and I rub her back and hug her.
“Well does he know your feelings?”
“Yes… he’s reciprocated them. I didn’t expect to find you out here. This is our usual meeting place.”
“Oh…”
“Well, why don’t you tell the man you don’t want to marry him because you’re in love with someone else? I’m sure my brother would be happy to pay off your father’s debts.”
“Yes. We’ve discussed that, but the thing is your brother and I could never be together.” She says looking into her hands miserably.
“Why not?” I exclaim, knowing the answer without her having to tell me.
“He is Royalty… and I’m just the gardener.”
“You did all of this?” I ask amazed.
She smiles and touches one of the flowers. It moves and shifts in her hand, and then wraps around her arm. The flowers start to shift and change as if a wind is blowing, but the sky is clear and only sprinkled with a thousand stars. There is no wind. The branches and leaves stretch high above us and then we’re engulfed in a floral cave of roses that have become brightly lit lanterns of different shades of purple, emitting golden flecks of light into the air. The flowers begin to hum and sing as if they have been given life and voices.
“It’s beautiful.” I gasp.
She lets go of the branch and it returns to normal.
“It’s my ability. I can control plants, and make them turn into different things.”
“There you are my dainty little flower…”
Viktor peers from behind the rose bush. I put my hand up to my mouth and try to stifle a giggle.
“So she knows.”
“I just told her everything… I thought she might be able to help.”
“Me? How could I help you two?” I ask, secretly afraid of what the answer might be.
“Riley… you have to be with him.” My brother answers.
“Anything but that…” I say trailing off.
“The only way that Olivia and I could ever be together is if one of our bloodlines stays in Royalty. Riley is a Prince. He may be a Prince to the Wolves and Thieves and Monsters…”
“I’m sorry. Did you just say Monsters? You’re honestly going to let me give up my happiness to be Queen of the Damned so that you and Olivia can happily frolic together forever. And you want me to end up with the most exasperating creature on Earth for that.” I inquire.
“Well when you put it that way it sounds horrible.” He states.
“And honestly Riley is a really good guy. You should have seen the way he was doting on you earlier. It was sweet.”
“Well at least he’s nice to me when I’m unconscious because otherwise he makes me miserable.”
“Can’t you just give him a chance?”
“No.” I whisper, folding my arms across my chest stubbornly. They both look at me with big begging eyes. I almost feel sorry for them. Almost.
“I knew she wouldn’t go for it.” My brother sighs.
“Go for what?” A familiar voice asks from the shadows.
“I tried Riley… I honestly did. But she isn’t going to believe you guys are connected.”
“You are such a traitor.” I say standing up and kicking at the grass like a child.
“Now, I remember why I’m glad I never had siblings because this… they’ll stab you in the back and try to force you into relationships. Or something along those lines, maybe steal your Barbie dolls. It’s all the same.”
No one follows me and I walk with my head down back towards the castle. Even the flowers look wilted and dejected. I must have hurt Olivia’s feelings. Oh well… for once I thought I had made a real friend. Now I just feel betrayed.
I stop when I see two people in the distance shouting at one another. I hide behind a tall garden wall to try to catch bits of the conversation.
“You told her what?” A female voice explains.
“We’re Soulfires…” A hushed male voice replies.
“Why on Earth would you tell her that?”
“Because it’s true…”
“No, it’s not. You’re mine and you know that we connected a LONG time ago.”
“Something has changed… I don’t feel the same.”
It’s Theo and Blair. And they’re heatedly arguing about something.
“Well maybe this will change your mind.”
I peer out from behind the wall to see the two of them interlocked in a heated make-out session. Well, of course Theo would end up betraying me. He’s just like everyone else.
The tears start to run down my face so I sprint inside before the two of them can see me.
I’m not sure where I’m going, but anywhere is better than here. I manage to find my room in the large, expansive castle after opening about twenty doors. I look under my bed to find the backpack that I came here with. I try to find the tiny purple elephant that can be used as a transporter back to home… back to the familiar loneliness of a hermit life. I want to go back there now.
I empty the contents of the bag onto the wooden floor. I start to dig through the clothes. It’s not there. I know I put it in there. The book that Theo gave me is still there though.
Why isn’t the elephant trinket in my bag? Did someone steal it?
That means I’m stuck here: Forever.