May Death Do Us Part

“Melissa please don’t worry too much-”

“How can I not worry!” Melissa blurted out before falling onto the bed and burying her face in her palms. “I’m sorry, I just feel so useless. How can I just sit by and wait for Gareth and Elric to slit each other’s throats over a baby that I clearly know who the father is.”

Marceline looked at her daughter and scoffed, She was as harded as she was, not wanting to sit by when she could do something about a situation. “And what do you plan on doing?”

Melissa rose from the bed and turned to her mother, “I’m going to put an end this, I’m going out there.”

Marceline stood up and walked towards her daughter, “I had anticipated that you would say something like that, and that’s why I took the liberty of reaching out to your father for a bit of help.”

“My.. my father?”

“Yes, the Kaiser of our people, Stefan.”

*

.....

Theodora had deep creases on her forehead as she watched Aiden and Renly suit up in uniform and Gavarian armor. She couldn’t believe these two men. “Are you still planning on marching with Gavarian army when it will not benefit you? The elven king already told you he won’t you get anywhere near his precious Melissa.”

Aiden sheathed his sword and turned to Theodora, “I’m aware of that.”

“Then why are you doing this? Isn’t Melissa then only reason we agreed to helping all of these people?” Theodora saw no need to put themselves in danger when there was plausible reason.

Aiden put a hand on the nosferatu woman’s shoulder, “regardless of what Gareth might have said, at the end of the day Theodora, Melissa is till my baby sister. And if being in Elric’s custody puts her and the child she carries in any risk, then it is my duty to help. Father and mother would disown me of they knew I was sitting by while she was in danger.”

Theodora didn’t like the reasons Aiden was giving but she did in a way understand where he was coming from, Melissa was his family. The only one who he had a clean slate with and forge a familial relationship with. But why the hell was Renly gearing himself to go as well?

She turned to the man and gave him an eye, “and where are you going? What do you have to fight for in the war.”

Renly turned to face the woman and walked towards her, “well other than you, I’m no longer in under the master’s cult, I suppose I do need to find a new purpose in life.”

Theodora gasped at how casually Renly could say he was going to fight in the war for her sake. “What do you mean you’re going to fight for me? This has nothing to do with me!” Her face was completely flashed and her heart was racing.

“like I said, I need a new purpose in life now,” Renly responded, still keeping a straight face. “And I chose it to be you, if Elric wins this war you may be put in danger as well. And I can’t let that happen.”

Aiden scoffed as he walked towards the door, “could the two of you excuse yourselves first before you engage in private affairs like this?”

Thoedora felt completely flushed and took a step away from Renly. “We.. there’s nothing..”

“I’ll leave you two to bid farewell,” Aiden chuckled and left the room.

Renly cupped Theodora’s face and began drawing her in for a kiss but the woman pulled back looking completely embarrassed. “What are you doing?!”

“I want to bid you farewell,” Renly responded looking confused at her reaction. “Kissing you seemed like the most logical thing to do.”

Theodora was both embarrassed and flabbergasted, Renly could be so blank sometimes, did he just do things out of instinct or did he actually do them because he felt something for her and do things because he wanted to?

“Renly...”

“What’s on your mind?” The dark haired man asked.

“well, sometimes I wonder if what you feel for me is actually love me or you’re just reacting on instinct.” The nosferatu woman sighed ans looked to the side to avert his gaze. “It makes me a little nervous and I don’t know why.”

Renly closed the gap between him and Theodora and cupped her cheek. “Have you considered that maybe loving you is my instinct.”

The woman looked into Renly’s eyes and felt her stomach elapse in a kaleidoscope of butterflies.

“Now please if you will,” Renly added on, “let me kiss you before I leave, because it’s the most logical thing to do.”

*

Aiden and Renly joined King Gareth and his men out in the castle grounds. The army was remarkable, consisting of a little over four thousand lycans, nosferatu, elves and some humans, all armored and ready to march out to Meria.

As usual, the lycans, and the nosferatu who could fly went on ahead, while the the elves, the humans and the wingless nosfetatu followed on horseback.

Aiden turned to look at Gareth, he had the most serious look on his face as he slid on his helmet.

“I will have to fly on ahead with the others,” Aiden spoke, “do be careful, my baby sister would be devastated if anything were to happen to you.”

Gareth scoffed and tightened his hold on his horse, “are you going side on me Aiden?”

“It is expected before throwing oneself at the mercy of the fates is it not?” Aiden responded before spreading his bicolored wings and shot up into the air with a powerful flap.

Gareth turned to his men, his good friends and allies who were waiting for his orders to move out. He rose his hand in the air and took a deep breath, he swore to himself that this would be the last time he would even go fighting another man for Melissa, because this time he was going to make sure no one ever plucked her from his side ever again.

The elven king waved his hand forward and with an affirmative tone gave orders to him men. “Move out!”

The horsed neighed loudly, and Gareth and him men, including king Dvalin, and his brother Finwe, forged forward towards Meria just as the sun began to rise. This was going to be a day of change, this was going to be the last time Gareth would let Elric interfere in his relationship with Melissa.

*

Estel walked out of the small bedroom chamber into the living room where the kind woman who had helped her was sitting waiting for her. When the woman caught sight of Estel, who was now cleaned up and wearing unsoiled clothing, she rose to her feet and smiledz

The elven woman was truly a beauty, Aiden was a lucky man indeed. But she couldn’t help but wonder how a man as odd looking as Aiden could get a woman as attractive as Estel. The purple of her dress complimented her eyes perfectly and her beautiful skin looked healthy and soft after her warm bath

“You look beautiful,” the woman admitted. Estel actually reminded her of her own daughter who she hadn’t seen in a long time.

Estel looked the woman’s hand in which she was holding a small comb.

“Take a seat here,” the woman spoke as she pointed at a chair that was next to her. “Sit dearie, let me do your hair for you before you leave.”

Estel obliged and sat down, allowing the woman to brush her hair. As she sat there being groomed she couldn’t help but thing of her mother, she always loved doing Estel’s hair when she was younger. In fact, she missed both her parents, they must have been very worried about her when she was captured by the mages. She couldn’t wait to find Aiden, save her son and go back to Ervelon so they could live as a happy family.

The woman finished combing Estel she put the brush aside. “I wish you could stay a bit longer, I would love the company but I can see you are eager to be with the man you love.”

“Thank you so much for everything you’ve done I’m so grateful,” Estel responded with a crusty, “you took a stranger in and gave them food and shelter. You kindness would not be forgotten.”

“It’s nothing dearie, you’re one of our own. We need to take care of our own.” The woman grabbed a small satchel and handed to Estel. “There a bit of food and a change of clothes in there for your journey.” She then turned towards the door and gestured Estel to follow. “Well, we best be on our way, we don’t want to keep lord Aiden waiting.”