Duty and Destiny

He rose to his feet when she returned a few minutes later. Her eyes searched the room for Xander. The guilt still burning fresh in her chest. Archer shook his head, his way of telling her that Xander wasn’t with them. Distraught she went beside him and took his hand. She was too busy feeling guilty to realize their mother’s giggling and pointing at the both of them.

“So, when is the covenant taking place?” Leora asked.

“Maybe, a week from now,” Adalia answered. Her mind and her lips were in two different places. She was trying to figure out where Xander could have gone to and at the same time she was trying to keep up with the conversation.

She sat in silence with the ladies as the men left for the throne room. They were busy admiring Novia’s dress. Adalia snuck out at the first chance she got. She expected Xander to be with the other soldiers. She found Conan at the palace doors, his rock expression not accommodating.

“Conan,” she said in a firm tone. She did away with any emotion in her voice. “Where is Xander?”

“He went out your highness.”

“Where to?”

“No one knows.”

She went back to the palace, her curiosity peaked. She didn’t think Xander could go back to the South without notifying the commander. Adalia sat next to a window with a direct view to the palace gates, hoping to catch him when he walked in.

Archer waited at a distance and watched her as she waited. He was ready to stand there for a long as it took. He wasn’t going to impose on her, not since he had sacrificed her love for Xander for her love for him. But when midnight fell, he went to her.

“No one knows where he is?”

“No,” she hooked her arm into his and leaned into him.

“You know you don’t have to feel guilty.”

“I do. I’m a bad person,” she mumbled.

“No, you are just following your heart,” he lifted her to her feet and led her to her chambers, against her mumbling protests.

“Our siblings are taking their vows in the morning. You need all the rest you can get,” he pushed her into the room and waited a couple of seconds, just in case she decided to come back out.

Archer walked to his room but stopped when he saw his door slightly ajar. Carefully he pushed it open then stepped inside. He didn’t have to look far. A light came on and there Xander sat. Archer’s eyes gave a dark flicker when he saw his bow on Xander’s lap. He watched as Xander’s fingers stroked it, laying claim to it just as he had laid claim to Adalia.

“What are you doing here?” Archer asked in a deadly firm voice.

“I love this bow,” Xander twirled it around. “What animal did you kill to make it?”

“I don’t kill innocent animals,” he moved around the room, taking in his surroundings, memorizing where everything was just in case a fight broke out.

“You just steal fiancés,” he chuckled. But there was no laughter in his eyes. The sound of his anger echoed in Archer’s room, then silence.

Archer could feel Xander’s anger radiating off of him. He bet Xander’s rage burned in his blood and seared into his bones. From the look on his face, it was obvious there was nothing he would have liked more than to kill Archer with his own bow and arrow.

Archer understood that feeling. Even though he had known Adalia for mere days, he had felt robbed and empty. Archer had taken, what he felt was, everything from him.

“I looked forward to the day I would marry Adalia and when she had accepted me, my dreams were now starting to become a reality. But I was robbed. But I will soon fix that,” he growled.

“I didn’t steal her. She fell in love with me,” Archer found himself defending his relationship with Adalia. But no matter how he said it he knew Xander wouldn’t understand.

“I know there is no way I can get justice here. But I will get my justice,” he tossed the bow on the bed and moved closer to Archer. With a smirk he turned around and left.

Archer took the threat as it was served, cold and loaded. He sat in a pocket of silence as he tried to figure out a way to get rid of Xander without hurting Adalia. But that wasn’t going to be easy.

The next morning, he was woken up by the noises of people running around, and silver platters dropping on the floor with loud clangs. He didn’t need reminding which day it was Novia did her best not to let anyone forget. He could hear his sister singing from her room three doors down, and every part of him wanted the day to be done. Although at the end of it, Novia would have to leave for the South with Randi. He was going to lose his sister, but he had Adalia to keep him company.

Archer got dressed into his ceremonial suit, complete with his sword and his crown. He made his way to his sister’s room, where he found his mother hovering over her. Novia caught sight of her brother in the mirror; she stood up and twirled her white, beaded ball dress around for him to see. The diamond tiara in her blonde hair shone in the sunlight that slithered in through the curtains. She was beautiful, a perfect picture.

Archer was admiring his sister’s beauty, but part of him couldn’t imagine and long for the day he would be gazing at Adalia in her ceremonial dress.

“Where did you drift off to?” Ilana had been studying her son. She gazed at him as he wore the same face he always did whenever he was daydreaming.

“He was thinking about Adalia,” Novia chirped and stuck her tongue out at him.

“Even dressed as a bride you always manage to act like a toddler,” Archer chuckled.

Novia didn’t laugh. Her red smile turned upside down into a frown. Her eyes began to water, and a slight sob escaped her lips. Her fingers fisted over her lace dress as her shoulders began to tremble.

“I’m sorry!” Archer said as he moved beside his sister to comfort her. Sure, that it was his little dig that drove her to tears. “I wouldn’t have made fun of you if I knew you were going to cry.”

“It’s not that,” she managed to mumble. She held on tightly to his jacket. Archer had been the only male apart from her father who had seen to her happiness and her safety. But now she was going to be introduced to a new man and a new home. It wouldn’t be a natural instinct like the one that she had from birth. Novia would have to learn how to trust Randi. She now had to trust him with her safety and her happiness. She let her brother hold her tight just for a couple of more seconds. Soon she wouldn’t have that familiar strength around her.

“Don’t worry. I will visit you at the end of every week,” he promised.

“Swear it,” she mumbled in a little girl’s voice.

“I swear it,” he lifted his right hand that ordered divine retribution to stand by.

Archer had no doubt in his mind that Randi was more than capable to protect Novia. But Novia was his little sister and his responsibility. So, whether or not she was around he had to ensure her safety.

“You need to stop crying now. You don’t want to ruin your make up,” he passed her over to their mother who didn’t have to fix much but ensured that everything was perfect.

When Lionell walked into the room, they knew it was time. He took one look at his daughter, cleared his throat and gave a slight bow.

Archer escorted his sister to the chapel door, holding onto her hand as tightly as he could. It was his way of letting her know that he was always there for her. He and his father switched places. As the little ones led the way, Archer and Ilana followed then Lionell and Novia entered before the large doors were shut behind them.

Archer’s eyes didn’t have to search that much. Right in front of his was Adalia, a smile on her rosy lips and her raven hair in a tight bun at the back of her head. A stray lock of hair dangled at the side of her face, its dark color bringing out the almost pale complexion of Adalia’s snow white skin. She was beautiful and she was his.

The two families stood across from each other as Randi and Novia stood between them. They were the bond that would bring the family together, but the glue that would hold the two kingdoms were yet to take their vows.

Archer looked across at Adalia as he listened to the innocent and pure exchange of vows. With each word that they said he imagined saying them to her and Adalia saying them back to him. He couldn’t wait for the week to lapse, for it to be his and Adalia’s turn. He saw the joy on his sister’s face and could only imagine how happy he would feel when it was his turn.

An eruption of applause chopped his fantasy off mid-word. The vows were over, and the blessings had been done. A silk ribbon tied Randi and Novia’s hands together. They were now joined forever, and only death could separate them.

Archer held his hand out to Adalia. He hadn’t been able to be alone with her the whole day, and a dance was a good enough excuse for privacy. Adalia gingerly took his hand and let him lead her to the dance floor. She felt at home in his arms and let him twirl her around the dance floor.

“I’ve missed you today,” she whispered in his ear.

“Oh?” Archer lifted his lips into a dangerous grin. “I’ve thought about you once or twice.”

“Once or twice,” she breathed out a chuckle. “A second hasn’t gone by without me thinking of you.”

He planted a quick kiss on her neck, and then looked up to see if anyone had seen. He twirled her around a couple of times until they were out in the balcony. The sun was going down and a cool breeze swept past her ball gown.

“You look so beautiful,” he cupped her cheek and whispered.

“You always say that.” She rose to her tip toes until she was only inches away from Archer’s lips.

He moved even closer to her then whispered against her lips. “Do you love me?”

Adalia had been waiting for him to speak of love the whole time they were together. But she never thought it would come inform of a question. But it was a question that she was more than happy to answer. She planted a whisper of a kiss on his lips, then pulled back to look into his eyes.

“More than-,”

“More than- what?” Xander leaned on a wall, his sword drawn from his scabbard and his fingers smoothing over the tip of it.