~ ETAN ~

"You don't have to worry, Etan," his mother said patiently. She and his father were seated at a small table in their tent. Etan had excused the servants dancing attendance when he came in. His mother thought he was being dramatic. "We already received the message that Sarya is returning to her parents. It's a pity, but we'll speak with them. There shouldn't be any political—"

"That's not why I'm here."

At the solemn tension in his tone, both his parents looked quickly up from their meals, caution in their eyes.

"What is it, son?" his father asked, his tone heavy, but protective. Etan prayed he would continue to feel that way when he heard.

"There's something I didn't tell you. About our time in Zenithra. And events have.. caught up with me."

His mother had already put her spoon down, but now she wiped her hands on the linen napkin in her lap and turned in her seat to face him, her face serious, but a light of sympathy in her eyes.

His father dropped his spoon into the thick stew, heedless of its splash on the tablecloth.

"What is it?" His tone told Etan, he didn't know the answer to that question, but he knew Etan—and he knew the sound of a man bracing for impact.

His own tone, as King, held a warning that impact would not be minimized simply because Etan was Prince.

Etan swallowed, but raised his chin and met his father's eyes evenly.

"I found my one," he said, keeping his voice low, but firm, praying that just outside the tent, swathed in a deep hood and under the guard of Falek and Borsche, she would hear him. "I tried to deny it. I tried to keep everyone else out of the line of fire, but.. she is the one the Father made for me, and she's here. And I will not deny her again."

His mother's shoulders dropped, and her brow pinched. He couldn't tell if she was relieved or disappointed. Probably both. But his father caught his meaning and his jaw went hard.

"What are you saying, Etan?"

"I'm saying that the woman who is my Queen is standing outside, and I want you to meet her. But you need to understand who she is, and... And we need to make a plan."

"Who is it?" his father said through his teeth, his voice low and dark with warning.

But Etan's mother got to her feet and hurried to him. "Are you certain, Etan? Absolutely certain?"

"I have never been more certain of anything in my life," he said earnestly. "I did everything in my power to deny her, but.. I cannot. Now her life is in danger, and with hers, mine. Ours. Our Kingdom—"

"Who. Is. It?" His father snarled, tossing down his napkin and standing from his seat.

Etan swallowed and turned to meet his eyes. "The Princess Ayleth of Zenithra," he said proudly.

His father's eyes widened and his jaw went slack. Yet, while he absorbed the shock, Etan's mothers hands tightened on him.

"I knew it!"

Etan tore his eyes from his father's dark gaze to meet hers. "You did?"

"I suspected," she said, her sadness and joy chasing each other across her face. "Your eyes were always on her. And there was something.. proud about you when she was in the room. Just like your father. With me."

She turned away from Etan then and took a deep breath. Her shoulders rising and falling once before she strode over to his father and stood in front of him.

His dad hadn't looked away from him yet. The shock was still there, but dark, thunderous clouds were building in his eyes.

"What have you done?" he hissed.

His mother put a hand to his broad chest. "Derryn, I told you—"

"You told me a child's fancy! You told me something a noble son, a good son, a true Prince—a future King!—would never do. To his parents, or his people."

"Father—"

"What have you done? What lust have you given yourself to that you would take a witch into our family—"

"She is not a witch!"historical

"Her mother is!"

"Yes, she is. And I fled home to find Quwan and plead his advice to free Ayleth from a horrific spell her mother has placed on her—she could die at any moment. I have to get her home, to Quwan, with all haste!"

His father blinked like Etan had sprayed water in his face, but his mother caught her hands up to her mouth. "She's here?"

"She's outside," Etan said without breaking eye-contact with his father. He'd known his mother would likely be understanding even if she feared. But his father.. his father held the reins of power. And his response to this would determine the course of everything that happened from this moment.

And his father stared at him just then as if he were a traitor.

"Dad," he said quietly, "I didn't choose this. I swear it. But I cannot deny it, either. She is my heart. She is my soul. And she loves me just as deeply."

"Does she even know the Father of Lights? How can she choose a soul bond if her soul is dead!?"

Etan sucked in a breath and shook his head. "No, she doesn't," he said. "But I pray.. I believe she will find it. With time. With the opportunity. She has been surrounded by the temples of the Goddess—"

His father broke into action, sweeping his mother gently, but briskly aside and striding to stand at Etan's toes, glaring.

"You abducted the daughter of a witch, a pagan herself, and brought her under my roof, under my patronage—you cast our entire Kingdom into war to fulfill your lusts!"

"No! Father—"

His father shook his head, his eyes still wide and the wrinkles and tension that had finally left his features since they'd signed the Peace Accord were suddenly back. His father's entire body rigid with stress. "If her parents find out—this is war, Etan. Do you understand that?!"

"Of course I understand. It's why I tried—"

"THEN WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE? RETURN HER, IMMEDIATELY!"

His father's rage rained on his face and Etan closed his eyes for a moment, breathing, praying for the right words. For calm. For his father not to run him through before he could make them see.

"Will you please just meet her?" he said calmly, opening his eyes to look between his parents. His mother nodded, but his father's eyes narrowed.

"You brought the daughter of my enemy, the one who has belittled, marginalized, and worked against me throughout this entire process—we held on by our fingernails, Etan!"

"I know, Dad. I do. That's why.. that's why I was so.. I was trying to find a way through that wouldn't make it all worse."

"And you thought kidnapping her was the answer to that?"

"No!" Etan snapped. "I left her! I left her in my enemies hands, trusting her to the Father of Lights, but she came for me! She is fierce, and strong, and she will not be stopped when she knows what is right—and we are right, Father! We are right!"

His father blinked and pulled his head back, his jaw twitching. "Right, is it? All of this between you is right?"

"Yes."

His father shook his head slowly, but then he stepped back and fluttered a hand towards the tent door. "Well, then, by all means, Etan. Brings us this Queen of what is right.. Show me the fruits of your labor for your people. Show me what we have gained in exchange for a decade of peace!"