106 Chapter 106 : I need to leave

James Burchard was sitting in his study with his head buried in his hands. His kingdom was now at peace and the ruckus between the humans and the awakened had died down because of Elric’s interventions but at what cost? The lycan king was practically the ruler of his kingdom.

The king leaned back on his chair and sighed heavily, maybe if his son had been around, things would have turned out differently. Oh his son, where could he be? Suddenly his father’s words, Julius Gavaria Burchard, rang in his head.

‘Adam is Gavarian by birth, but he is something completely different by blood. Our chance to redeem our family name and wash the blood off our hands is coming, and your son will be the one to do that.’

James Burchard remembered when Elric had mentioned that Adam was an elven prince named Gareth. Maybe with his help, this oppressive reign on his kingdom by Elric would come to an end. The king abruptly stood up, “that’s it!”

Since Ada.. Umm Gareth was the heir to both the elven and Gavarian throne, he would be accepted by both the humans and the awakened, thus pushing out the monarchy Elric had set up in Gavaria and Cenia. Where did that silver haired king say Gareth was heading? Ervelon? That was it. Gods, that’s where Elric was heading as well to reclaim his wife. Would Gareth be able to stand against Elric and his army?

The king pushed his chair back and walked briskly out the study and through the halls, when he made a sharp turn he bumped into his wife, Margret, who was also heading his way.

“We have to help our son!” They both said in unison.

King Burchard scoffed and smiled at his beautiful wife, great minds did really think alike.

“I’ll have lord Boleyn prepare an encrypted message to send to all who are still loyal to the Gavarian throne,” King Burchard explained, “we can’t let that bastard Elric win. No more wars, no more oppression. All the races shall live equally as one, I swear it.

.....

Queen Margret smiled and threw herself into her husbands arms, “I will be by your side every step of the way,” she craned her neck up and gave king Burchard a quick kiss on the lips, “let’s go take down that tyrant.”

*

Melissa stirred the soup in her plate and kept her eyes fixated on it. She could feel the glare the queen was giving her piercing her side, how the hell was she supposed to eat like this? Could this woman at least pretend that Melissa wasn’t welcome there.

Gateth couldn’t bring himself to eat either, how could he when Melissa was feeling completely out of place. This was ridiculous, his mother and everyone else could shove it. Melissa was the woman he was going to be with wether they liked it or not. Gareth placed his spoon on the table and was about to rise from seat when Melissa’s voice echoed in his head.

[Don’t do it.]

historical

The man turned to look at the redhead with questioning look.

~But Mel..~

[It’s alright, I don’t want you to go against your mother for me]

~Mel I’ve known you my whole life! And I’ve known this woman for 30 minutes! If she can’t be welcoming to you then she might as well do the same to me~

Melissa sighed and looked down at her food, she was beginning to wonder if all this was worth the trouble. True, she wanted a life with Gareth, but it seemed like the whole world was against them. The blue eyed woman rose to her feet and gave everyone at the table a slight bow. “I’m going to finish up my meal in my chambers, I’m suddenly not feeling too well.”

“Maybe the bright light and radiant colors here are affecting you,” queen Tauriel responded, “I mean your kind do adapt better to dark and gloomy places.”

Gareth was about to speak when Melissa stopped him. She turned to look at the queen who was leisurely sipping her tea. “You know what, you’re probably right,” Melissa responded coldly. She had had enough of laying down and taking everything that this woman was throwing at her, Melissa was a princess and would be treated as such. “This place IS making me feel unwell, the place is bright but the people who inhabit it are as dark and as gloomy as the dead of night.”

Melissa pushed the chair back telekinetically and flipped her long lush hair as she turned to leave, “excuse me.”

Gareth rose from his seat as well about to chase after Melissa when his mother used her magic to place him back in the chair. “Don’t do that, a prince should never chase-”

The woman gasped when Gareth rose to his feet again inspite of the binding spell she had used on him. Without saying a word he rushed out of the dining room towards his beloved.

Queen Tauriel put down her cup of tea and sighed heavily. “I believe it’s about time we tell Gareth,” the woman spoke to Finwe who was trying hard not to involve himself in the little squabble, “he has to understand that he cannot be with that woman, I cannot allow it. Not again.”

Finwe put down his cup and looked up at his mother, “I don’t think it will be wise to separate them mother,” his mind wondered back to when he had first laid eyes on Melissa, at first he thought he was mistaken, but after seeing the pixies giving their blessing to Melissa when she had first stepped into Ervelon, there was no doubt in his mind.

“Nonsense!” The queen hissed as she took another sip of her tea, “I’ve already lost so much because of the nosferatu.”

Gareth rushed towards Melissa and grabbed her arm, “Mel-”

The beautiful woman pulled her hand away and turned to face him, her angry glare slowly soften when she looked into his deep brown eyes. “I need to leave,” she spoke in low tone.

“I understand you need a bit of time alone,” Gareth responded, “but I want you to know that I-”

“No Gareth you don’t understand,” Melissa interrupted the prince. She sighed and wrapped her arms around her body, her blue eyes lowering their gaze to the white marble floor, “I mean I need to leave Ervelon. I don’t belong here, I should go to my people.”

“Mel..” Gareth inched closer to her and studied her face. “We’ll leave together, we can go to Cenia like we planned earlier and start a life away from all of this.”

“No Gareth,” she responded, “I need to go to the snowlands, you need to be here with your people.”

Gareth felt like his heart had dropped to his stomach, “what are you saying? Are you saying you want to leave me?”

The woman pursed her lips, why did he have to say it like that? “I’m just saying that you belong here, you’re the crowned prince and your people need you. I need to go where I belong too.”

“I belong where you are!” Gareth declared. His heart was beating wildly in his chest over the mere thought of Melissa leaving him. He couldn’t accept it not after the lonely existence he’d lived when they were apart, not after he had worked so hard to have her in his arms again. And especially not after he’d reacclimatized himself with the feel of her touch and her skin against his, he would literally go completely insane without her.

Gareth gabbed Melissa and pulled her into a desperate hug, “this kingdom, the throne, it all means nothing compared to you.” The plea in his deep voice chipped Melissa’s heart, “please, don’t leave me Mel, I need you.. I’ll give it all up, I didn’t even want it to begin with. I’d give it all up if it means I’ll be with you.”

Melissa’s eyes threatened to produce tears at Gareth’s words, giving up his throne for her was an immense gesture but she wasn’t so selfish as to allow him to do that. Besides, that would give his mother even more reasons to dislike her and her people.

With a heavy heart, she gently pushed him away and stepped back. She kept her gaze to his chest so she couldn’t see the pain in his eyes. “I’m afraid I can’t let you do that,” she whispered, “I’m sorry Gary.” And with that she turned around and walked towards her room.

Gareth felt like the floor beneath him was starting to spin, the ringing in his ears as he watched Melissa walk away was so loud that he did not hear Ronda calling out to him. It was not until she tapped his shoulder that he awoke from his trance. The elven prince slowly turned to the woman and looked at her with hopeless eyes, “what..”

“Umm sorry to interrupt your grace, but the queen requires your presence downstairs-”

“I’m not interested..” Gareth responded as he walked passed the elven woman.

“Your men are here!” Ronda called out to the prince, “they say you travelled together from Gavaria.”

“My men..?”

“Yes your grace,” Ronda added on, “and two nosferatu women who have come to retrieve the princess.”