Duty and Destiny

Archer pulled her hands away from him. He took a step back then followed her gaze. With three long strides he was face to face with him. His eyes narrowed but he was too busy fuming to realize the change and danger in them. There were so many things he thought of doing to Xander. Killing him was one of them. But when he felt Adalia’s soft hands on his arm, he knew he couldn’t. This was the man she loved, and he would have to get over it.

He walked away and squatted next to the wall. He wanted to fly into the sky and let the thin air press out any murderous and romantic thoughts his mind was harboring at that moment. Archer sat quietly for a moment, dealing with the anger that was slowly dying down.

“Leave us,” he waved off his trainer and his helper. Archer didn’t want anyone else to hear what he was about to say to Xander and Adalia.

“Do you love her?” He asked in an almost whisper.

“Yes,” Xander inched closer to him. “What about you? Do you love her?”

It was too soon for Archer to think about love. He knew he felt something strong for her, something out of this world, but he couldn’t call it love. So, he called it what it was. He rose to his feet and grunted. “I want her.”

***

Adalia stood aside watching these two gladiators fight for her. One loved her and the other one just wanted her. And yet she felt inclined to the one who just wanted her. “There is no point of this discussion. Things have already been decided.”

She regretted saying yes to Xander and she wished she could take it back. Not because she wanted to marry Archer instead, but just because she didn’t know what she wanted. But the disaster had already been done; she had been promised to Archer and engaged to Xander. These kinds of predicaments happened to humans and not guardians.

“They have,” Archer’s face was a study of pale and dark fury. The corners of his lips rose in a smirk. “Our,” he made sure to stress the word. “Engagement is off. You can marry Xander. I will speak to both my and your father,” he turned around and started to walk away.

Adalia pulled on his arm and spun him around to face her. A look of panic in her eyes as her heartbeat in quick bumpy jerks. What exactly was she to say to her father once Archer had told him the whole truth. What would happen to both their kingdoms? It was hers and Archer’s duty to join both families and both kingdoms. They needed the strength in numbers, the unity to fight off the rebels. Her engagement with Xander put everything the two premiers had discussed in jeopardy.

“You don’t have to tell them anything.”

Archer chuckled and stroked her face, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. “You don’t have to worry. I will put the blame on myself. Be happy,” he removed her hand from his and stalked away.

Adalia’s saucer eyes trembled in their sockets. She was in trouble, and she needed to find her mother immediately. But then what would happen after she confessed everything to her mother? She had to wait and see how Archer’s plan would turn out. She felt Xander’s arms wrap around her. She was supposed to feel safe against his strong embrace, but she didn’t.

She pulled out of his arms and spoke. “I need to go now.”

***

Xander wondered what Archer’s game was. To be kind to Adalia and get her to fall for him, or to act like her martyr by taking the blame. He had to find out. He spent the rest of the day at Gabrielle’s side. He went into tactical meetings in which Adalia, and Archer were also present. He paid attention to the looks she shot him and the cold glances he gave her. To Xander, Archer seemed to have given up the cause, but he hadn’t old Gabrielle or his father what had taken place that morning.

Once the meeting was over, Archer decided that this was his chance. He wanted to say what he had to say in front of Xander and Adalia, just to show them that he was keeping his word. Once both queens walked in, he called to their attention. “Your highnesses, Princess Adalia and I have something to share with you and I am afraid it isn’t good news.”

“What is it?” Ilana instinctively stood beside her son.

“I cannot marry Adalia,” he waited for the gasps and the shocked noises that echoed in the room to die down before he spoke again. “I cannot in good conscious take a wife when I have the intention of joining the troops going into the forest.”

“What?” This time it was just Adalia who exclaimed. He was taking himself to the front lines. No royal was supposed to be at the front lines. It was a sure way to die. Fighting in the forests where the tree cover would not allow them to fly. Attacking the rebels head on, they had better knowledge of the forest and a tactical advantage.

“I can’t agree to that,” she roared.

“It’s not your place,” Archer turned his head towards her but never really looked at her. “You are not my wife. I do not have to take anything you say into consideration.”

“Queen Ilana, you can’t allow him to do this,” she pleaded with his mother.

“I won’t,” Ilana exclaimed. “If you don’t want to marry that is one thing, but I will not let you kill yourself.”

“I’m not killing myself. I will be leading the scouts into the forest. We need to show the warriors that we are also willing to give the same sacrifice they are giving,” Archer insisted.

Gabrielle and Lionell hadn’t said a word yet. They sat on the two thrones and watched as everyone said their piece.

“Father?”

“I’ll allow it,” Lionell said then he and Gabrielle left the room for further deliberation.

Adalia grabbed Archer’s shirt and pulled him towards her. “What are you thinking?”

“I need to do this for both our kingdoms,” he mumbled and walked away.

***

Adalia watched as her mother examined her. She knew she was in trouble. Leora had the ability to read people like an open book. She needed to make her escape. Just as Adalia was about to follow Archer out of the room she called to her. “You! Come here.”

Adalia walked towards her mother, looking everywhere except at her. She didn’t know how to lie, and whenever she did, her lips would say one thing and her eyes the other. “It’s my fault,” she confessed. Leora didn’t need to question her; Adalia’s conscience did all the talking. “Xander asked me to marry him, and I said yes. And somehow Archer found out.”

Leora cleared her throat and Adalia could see that she was trying to reign in her anger. “If Ilana loses her son, it would be because you couldn’t do your duty,” then she followed Ilana out of the room.

“I can’t marry you,” Adalia turned to Xander, and as soon as she said it a weight lifted off her chest.

“Why?” He tried to hold her hands, but she pulled them away.

“My marriage has already been arranged,” she bit into her cheeks, as she tried to stiffen her already trembling lips. “My conscience won’t allow me to marry you.”

“But-,” Xander was getting desperate. This wasn’t how he thought his morning would go. “If it’s Archer you are worried about, I’ll solve it.”

“This is my responsibility,” a glassing of tears shone in her eyes.

Just as she was about to leave Archer come back into the room. “It’s been decided.”

“What has?” It had only been a couple of seconds. What could their fathers have decided that had only taken a couple of seconds to deliberate over?

“If I don’t come back, Randi will come here and rule over the North with my sister. You will marry whomever you choose. But until then our engagement is still on,” His tilted his head to the side an amused but curious look in his eyes as he gazed at Xander. “Do you have the guts to kill me to marry her?”

‘Yes’, the word was dancing on the tip of Xander’s tongue. Adalia could tell by the murderous glare he shot at Archer.

“But if we win this fight, you and I don’t have to get married Adalia. Our families will already be united through Randi and my sister, Novia,” the corners of his mouth turned up to a sly smile. “You don’t have to worry about anything. Adalia, you will be happy,” his smile widened into a grin, and the skin around his eyes crinkled as he showed his perfect white teeth. He raised his hand to her face and cupped her jaw.

Adalia felt a strange flutter of her heart that she hadn’t had before. She turned her head into his palm and almost purred at his gentle caress. She looked up at him when he finally said. “I’ll make sure of it,” it was a promise.

She saw her hand reach out to him as he turned and walked away. But it was Xander’s hand and not Archer’s that held onto her wanting hand.

“He’s a good guy,” she heard Xander mumble.

“He’s perfect.”

She walked back to the balcony. She had to get away from all of them. Ilana was arguing with Lionell as her parents watched. Novia clang to her brother as Randi tried to console her. And Xander, he just stood there glad to be getting married to her but not feeling the same tense emotion that she was.

Adalia breathed in the cool air and tried to relax herself. But no matter how many breaths she took nothing worked. She was confused, loved and wanted and when the clouds parted giving way for the sun to shine through, she got an idea.

“Hey, we have to get going?” It was Randi who came for her. The look on his face said that he didn’t want to leave. But he had to. He was the first-born male child and therefore the next commander of the army. He had to go with his father and Conan especially with the threat.

But she didn’t have to. Yes, she was the heir to the South Kingdom throne but, her father and mother didn’t want her in the fight. Why wouldn’t they let her stay, and if they resisted all she could say was that she wants to get to know Archer better. Slowly the lie was forming in her mind all she had to do was to master the face that would sell it.

“I have to talk to daddy,” she chirped. Daddy was her magic word. She used it whenever she wanted to get the impossible from her father.

“Daddy!” Randi exclaimed. “What are you up to Adalia?”

“Nothing much,” she tightened her smile. She gave her cheeks a couple of slaps, flexed her jaw and stretched her face. She cleared her throat, and she was ready.

“Adalia, come here my dear we need to get going,” her father was standing in the midst of the other dozen or so royals.

She thought this was the best time, with Archer’s little brother Noel crying, her little sister tagging on her mother’s dress and her baby brother climbing all over her father.

“Daddy, I want to stay,” she tried to make her face as expressionless as she could.

“Daddy?” It was Leora who repeated it a suspicious look on her face.

“Sure sweetheart, but why?” the ‘daddy’ had worked. It was like a button she could push, and her father turned into goo in her hands.

“I just want to spend some time with Archer,” she could see Archer’s confused gaze and part of her was glad that Xander wasn’t there with them. How was she supposed to explain this guilt inflicted decision to him when she couldn’t explain it to herself?

“Alright then, Lionell, take care of my daughter,” Gabrielle had already restrained the little boy in one hand and was walking out of the large brass doors, his litter following behind.

Adalia stood next to Archer as they watched Randi and Novia promise their undying love to each other, and exchange heart filling goodbye kisses. She avoided Xander’s eyes. She didn’t tell him she was staying; she thought he would probably figure it out when the caravan left without her.

“Princess Adalia?” Xander held his hand out to her, to help her into the carriage but she didn’t move.

“She’s not coming,” Gabrielle said and waved at her. He blew her a kiss then instructed Xander to close the door.

Xander tried to go to her, but one bark from Conan and he was back in line. He mounted his horse as his eyes slammed her with a look of longing. He wanted an explanation, but she couldn’t give him one. She turned away just as the caravan was beginning to pull away from the castle.

“Just take a deep breath and you’ll be fine,” she mumbled to herself.