Broken Vows

Dragons and Plans

Willow’s POV

The room is spinning, and I can’t believe what I’m feeling or what I saw; everything feels like a crashing wave trying to pull me under.

“Willow, what are you talking about? What did you see?” Rana asks, the concern ringing through her words.

I don’t get to answer her as the castle seems to come to life, and I can hear the shouts of guards. I get out of bed, not even bothering to grab my robe as I run down the hall to the sound of the shouting. In time, I get to the kitchen door to see the dragon disappear over the forest of trees. Cadmus is gone; how is he gone? How did this happen? So many emotions of anger, hurt, and sorrow. I don’t know what to focus on.

The hand on my shoulder makes me jump, and when I spin around, I’m met with his ice-blue eyes, and I feel better for a moment. Just having him near me calms me and makes me feel safe again. I begin to think my vision was just a dream brought on by my tired mind.

“Princess, you should be in bed, though I’m glad to see you awake again, but you should be resting.” Hadeon’s reassuring voice is soothing.

“I had a vision of Cadmus and me as children, and I think I was meant to be his. I was going to go speak with him when I heard the guards and the commotion. Now he’s gone. How did he escape Hadeon? He killed my mother, and now I don’t know what to believe or think, but he’s gone.” I think I sound completely mad at this point, but Hadeon pulls me closer to him, pressing himself to me, and I am made very aware that I am only wearing a thin nightgown. Hadeon’s black shirt is half undone, and I can feel his smooth perfect skin pressed against me. My stomach is in knots as I feel my body getting warmer.

“You simply had a dream, Princess. You don’t belong to him; you and I are in love. I can’t live without you, Princess. Please don’t ever say that you are his again. Don’t you love me? Don’t you want to be with me?” Hadeon sounds so hurt over what I said, and when I look into his eyes, they seem pained, and I hate myself for saying anything to hurt him.

“I’m sorry, yes I do love you,” I murmur, feeling guilty for his pain.

“That’s my good girl. Trust me, Princess, I want to know how that beast escaped just as much as you do. I plan on getting to the bottom of this, but right now, I think you should go and rest. I don’t want you to have another episode so you shouldn’t push yourself too fast.” Hadeon says, kissing me on the forehead and sending shivers down my spine.

Rana clears her throat, and I wonder how long she has been standing there. I pull out of Hadeon’s arms, and Rana hands me my robe giving Hadeon a funny look. If I didn’t know better, she almost looks angry at Hadeon, but why would she be?

I slip the robe on, and Hadeon smiles at Rana, “Take her back to bed while I find out what has happened.” He pronounces.

“You don’t have any authority to do that. Willow is the Supreme, and the coven answers to her.” Rana’s tone is a little cool, but she has a slight smile like she’s trying not to offend Hadeon too much.

“Well, we are engaged. Surely that counts for something?” Hadeon retorts with a raised eyebrow.

“No, not until you are married, and even then, Willow is still the Supreme,” Rana says simply.

Hadeon’s smile never drops as he looks at Rana, “Well, I think Willow will give me her permission to see to this matter for her so she can get some rest. We can’t have the Supreme falling ill now, can we?” Hadeon looks at me, smiling sweetly, “What do you say, Princess? Do I have your permission?”

“Yes, of course, but I want to stay. I need to know what happened.” I say, and Hadeon looks concerned.

“Do you really feel up to that now after everything you have been through, Princess?” He looks so worried, but I know I wouldn’t be able to rest not knowing. So, I give him a nod, and Rana tries to hide her smile and quickly turns before Hadeon sees her.

Richard walks back into the kitchen with a few guards and coven members. The look of worry on his face makes me worry again, and I grip the sapphire pendant.

“What is it? How did this happen?” I interrogate the group. Richard hangs his head and takes a long breath looking back at me and answering.

“Someone helped him escape. There was someone with him. We couldn’t get a good look at who it was, but magic was used. The guards were spelled with strange magic.” Richard declares, and I’m lost trying to think who could do something like this.

Hadeon is the first to say something. “You say there was someone with him?”

Richard looks at me, and I nod before Richard responds to Hadeon’s question, “Yes, they were small, like a child, but much faster. They moved like the elves.”

Hadeon looks angry for only a moment, “Well, we will just have to secure the castle. We don’t want the beast coming for the Supreme, now do we?”

“No, of course not.” Richard responds, “My lady, you should get some rest. I will see that the necessary precautions are taken.”

“Yes, Princess, you rest. I will assist them. Will you join me tomorrow afternoon for lunch?” Hadeon takes my hand and kisses it softly.

“I look forward to it.” I blush, but Rana takes my other hand and we turn and walk back to my room. My mind is humming with Hadeon, but I still have pangs of worry over how Cadmus escaped, and was my vision just a dream induced by my exhaustion? Who was that with Cadmus? Who helped him escape and why? What will the Dragon Elders say when they arrive and find the king has escaped? Did they have a hand in it? Should we even let them onto our lands now? So many questions and I can’t find the answer to any of them. If only my mother were here to guide me through this.

***

The maid bustling around my room wakes me, and she gives me a little curtsy. “Sorry, my lady, I just came to get the dishes. I didn’t mean to wake you.” She says shyly.

“It’s all right. I should be getting up anyway.” I reply, trying to put the girl at ease. She is human and one of several that work in the castle. My mother never saw a problem with humans or shifters working and living in the castle. They all took magic oaths of silence and loyalty, so mother saw them as any other coven member.

I check the little clock by my bed, and it’s already eleven. I said I would meet Hadeon for lunch. The maid is about to leave the room when I stop her.

“Will you please have Hadeon meet me in the rose garden and have a lunch set up there for the two of us?”

“Yes, my lady.” The girl smiles and bobs a curtsy again before rushing from the room.

I’m trying to push past all my thoughts and emotions and focus on getting ready to see the man I love. The one I’m going to marry, he is who I want, and whatever that vision was, I refuse to believe it. I have chosen what I want and how my life is going to go. I will not have it chosen for me by some fated bond that is just ridiculous.

By the time I have myself dressed and presentable, it’s a few minutes past noon. I hurry to the garden and see Hadeon looking bored as he strolls around looking at the roses. He sees me and gives a slight smile.

“I see this is how it will be. I ask you to meet me and you keep me waiting, Princess?” His tone is amused, but his face is hard to read.

“I do apologize. I just wanted to look beautiful for you.” I say, smiling at him and walking to him.

“Well, you succeeded. You do look beautiful. I was also thinking something, Princess. Let’s just get married tonight before anything else can happen. Let’s just get it done. I know my feelings for you, and they won’t change. So why don’t we just speed things up and get married? Then we can be together and create a world we want to live in, where I can always be with you and keep you safe. I will be yours, and you will be mine.” Hadeon’s words are warm and sweet, with just a hint of demanding laced through them.

“You do love me? You aren’t having second thoughts, are you? I just didn’t know what I would do if I had to spend another day without you to call mine, now and forever. I will love you forever.” He sounds as if my answer can either make him or destroy him.

I can’t think clearly as I look into his face, knowing he is what I want. I feel safe and loved. I feel like nothing wrong could happen so long as he is with me.

“All right, let’s just have the ceremony tonight then.” I smile as he rushes over, kissing me deeply.

“I knew my Princess wouldn’t break my heart.” He whispers, kissing my forehead. “I don’t think I have ever been happier in my life, and I will make sure you have nothing but happiness from this day forward; I’m yours.”

Hadeon’s sweet words have my heart soring, and all I can think is that he is mine and I am his, and tonight we will be married with vows of love. For this brief moment, I’m not worried over plans and dragons; I’m just happy and so in love. I have never felt like this, and I can’t explain the pull I feel when I am with him. It feels like we are just meant to be, and I know he will keep me safe in his love from now and forever, just as I will keep him.

After the turmoil of the last few days, this moment of peace is everything to me. As I pull back from his arms, he kisses me again quickly before smiling and letting me go.

“I know you have things to arrange, and I need to go and get a few things ready as well. But I think the ceremony should happen right here under the light of the full moon. Don’t you?” Hadeon smiles, and I just nod.

“I will make the arrangements then. What is it you have to do?” I ask feeling a little sad that he won’t be with me.

“Well, if I tell you, it will ruin the surprise, won’t it?” He says playfully, kissing me again. “Just trust me; you will love it.”

I smile as he turns and walks a few paces before shifting to the black crow and flying off into the woods. I rush to the castle to tell Rana and make all of the arrangements. We are having a wedding, and I can’t stop smiling. It’s the only thing I can think about. The events of last night seem like a distant memory.

I find Rana in the kitchen with her mother, and I don’t even feel a pang of sadness. I’m too happy and excited now. As I rush to them bursting to tell them the wonderful news.

“Rana, I’m getting married tonight, and we need to get everything ready,” I exclaim happily. Rana just looks at me like I’m insane.

“You are getting married tonight?” She says slowly, “You think that is a good idea?”

I cut in before she could finish. I am feeling frustrated at her lack of enthusiasm.

“Yes, I am, and yes I do. I thought you would be happy, and I thought after all the sadness that has plagued us lately, we could use some happiness.” I huff a bit at my friend.

Elizabeth cuts in before Rana can say anything else. “Yes, my lady, that sounds so lovely, and we will have everything ready. Please give me all the details we must work quickly. We don’t have much time to prepare things.”

I smile at Elizabeth, but Rana just looks sad for a moment before she comes and hugs me.

“I love you like a sister, and I am happy if you are happy,” Rana says, and I hug her back.

“I am happy; Hadeon makes me so happy. I will always be happy with him; I feel it.” I smile, and Rana smiles a sad little smile and hugs me again.

“Let’s plan a wedding then.” Elizabeth chimes in, and I giggle. This is truly happening.