Intertwined: her three mates

4. Taking off my mask

Liv’s father P.O.V

Tonight, all the species were reunited to meet the Wizard King’s mate. He is the first of the six Kings to have a mate, thus it is a big event. I wonder what is happening; three different males claimed my daughter as theirs, but that can’t be. It’s impossible, every being in the Six Realms has one mate only. My gaze finds my beautiful mate, Melinda, and my little daughter, Lea, from afar. How I want to be there next to them, with them. But I can’t.

I wink at Lea and put a finger on my lips. I couldn’t have her reveal my identity to anyone by accident. Lea smiled in response. I have some Fae herbs with me that cover my scent. This way, Melinda won't be able to smell me.

I can’t stop looking at Melinda. She looks so beautiful tonight. She is wearing a dark red sleeveless gown, which hugs her delicate but generous curves. Her naked shoulders are shinning. How I want to brush my fingers across her exposed skin, kiss her neck until she moans. 

She was so absorbed in her discussion that she didn’t notice my avid eyes on her. Galvin, Avalon’s second in command and my mate’s shameless stalker, follows her like a shadow. How hateful! How I want to shove that prick away and take my Melinda in my arms, to look in her eyes, to hold her for the whole world to see, for HER to see. 

For her to see me for the first time. 

But that is not what matters tonight; tonight is about Liv. 

~ * ~

3rd Person POV

Mel finally found Lea. She is about to go look for Liv when Galvin stops her and starts talking non-stop. Lea catches sight of her father. He is observing them from afar, while all the guests of the party had their eyes fixed on the stairs, still trying to understand what just happened. Lea smiles at her father as he smiles slightly, trying to be discreet.

Lea sees Sienna, a fairy that is normally in her father's household and used to be Liv's teacher before Avalon locked her in his castle for the last two years. Lea goes giggling in the fairy's direction. "Sienna!" she squeals.

The fairy smiles at her. “How are you, little one?” 

“I am fine. Today is Liv's birthday and she will have a mate. But I think something went wrong…” she says with a confused look. “How are you?” Lea asks. 

“I am fine, sweetie,” Sienna replies with a sweet smile. 

Mel gazes at them and smiles. Lea looks up at her mom and realizes that she has forgotten to introduce Sienna. “Oh… mom, this is my friend Sienna,” she says.

“Hello Sienna, my name is Mel.” she says, smiling. Sienna nods and smiles back. The fairy already knew Mel and everything about her atypical mate situation, but as a part of Liv's father's secrecy about his identity, the fairy also could never reveal her true identity to Mel.

“Who’s that?” Galvin asks, getting even closer to their little group. He wraps his arm around Mel's shoulders, and she tightens her lips in discomfort. Apparently, he does not notice nor care about it. 

“She is Lea's friend, Sienna,” Mel replies.  

“I imagine that the princess won’t return.” Galvin mutters.

“Well, I’m going to return to my group. See you later, little one! It was nice to meet you Mel,” the fairy says, smiling. 

“It’s Princess Melinda.” Galvin corrects her, but Sienna ignores his remark.

“But before that… I think you and Lea should go to the balcony,” she muttered with a smile after pulling Mel to the side gently. 

Mel gets the hint and nods. She and Lea go to the balcony, further away from the ballroom, where no one would be able to see them.

They both look at the stary sky, side by side.

And soon Mel catches a scent, her mate’s scent. She breathes it in, filling her lungs. Hands gently touch her face and a thin mask covers her eyes. Lea's father winks at her, and she giggles. Then, he kisses Mel’s left shoulder and wraps his arms around her waist, bringing her back close to his chest. He spends several minutes enjoying her presence, caressing her naked shoulders with his lips and breathing in her sweet scent of honey and tulips. 

He takes a piece of paper from his coat pocket and puts it between her fingers before he kisses her neck near her mate mark, and Mel can’t control the low moan that escapes her lips. He chuckles. The sound of his laugh erupts butterflies in her stomach. He lets go of her and kisses the top of Lea’s head, making the little girl giggle and smile sweetly.

Mel goes back to the ballroom to find Liv. She can still feel the tingles where her mate's soft touch on her shoulders had been. She can still feel the warmth of his lips against her skin, and she can’t stop sighing dreamily. She sees Liv with Cali and walks towards her daughter.

“Sweetie, we are going to see your dad tomorrow. He gave me a note asking us to meet him.” Mel tells Liv. 

“No, mom. One of them may be there.” she answers warily. 

Mel knows that she is talking about one of her mates. She thinks that Liv is a bit paranoid, but who wouldn’t be in this overwhelming situation? So, she tries to reason with her, “Of course not, sweetie... Maybe it’s your last chance to see your dad before this whole ... situation escalates.”

“Yeah, this SEE thing is going to be difficult,” Liv replies. 

 “You know what I mean.”

“Heck, I don’t know how you can accept so little...” Liv says, looking into space.

Mel sighs, “It’s not like I have a choice.”

“You do have a choice, mom. We always have.” she utters, gazing back at her mother. 

“Let’s go home, Liv. This evening was quite eventful.”

Liv sighs sharply, “Tell me about it... Where is Lea?”

“With her fairy friend.” 

“Sienna? I haven’t seen her tonight. I miss that chick!” Liv smiles at the thought of seeing her friend. 

Mel shakes her head and smiles, "Lea, where are you?" She walks around calling for her younger daughter. 

~ * ~

The next morning, Mel and her daughters walk to the grotto in the Wizard King's realm, where the portal to what Liv thinks to be her father's house is. Liv hasn't been there for two years. But last night she and her little family slept at her mom's cottage, and without asking the Wizard King's permission or even letting him know, she went to the grotto. She is rather tired of been locked 

away in his castle.

They follow the same procedure as always to enter Liv's father's place. Soon the ‘doorman’, Cordy, graces the three females with his not so graceful presence. He greets them with a very formal and mechanic nod. Cordy is a tall, dark-haired, pale, and very skinny man. He has dark, bored eyes and a too pompous attitude. Mel doesn’t exactly know what species he is; he could be an atypically not beautiful Fae, a crude Elf, an exotic Wizard, or even a Vampire. The essence of his magic and his scent are masked by some sort of glamour.

Mel nods back at the tall man. They follow him to the interior of the grotto, where he chants some words and moves a couple of stones, opening a portal to the place where they normally meet with the girls’ father.

They enter the familiar hall. The house is big, with two floors, a large open patio, and many large rooms and bedrooms. It is uniquely decorated, and large windows let in natural light and fresh air. The furniture and the ornaments are mainly white and earthy colors. Many pieces of furniture, walls, and works of art are made of wood or stone. The patio is wide and has no roof, a renascence fountain in its center, and some trees are entangled with the pillars and arcs, embracing the stone and concrete. Light and nature are an integral part of the house and gives the house an airy, almost celestial and mundane atmosphere at the same time.

Lea runs giggling to the living room as she normally does. She is always very happy to be there and see her father. A short fairy who works there, Tina, makes her way towards them. She greets them both and motions for Mel to follow her.

Liv sighs, frustrated. Nothing has changed in the past two years and nothing will ever change, she thinks sadly. She steps into the room she shares with Lea in the big house, deciding to listen to music and chill. Before long, she loses track of time, until Tina knocks on the door and instructs her to go to one of the living rooms. Liv follows her, and when they arrive, Tina asks Liv if she can put a mask on her. The good old mask, Liv thinks. She is going to see—and not see—her father. She nods and the fairy covers her eyes with the black, thin mask.

She sits down and waits for a couple of minutes. 

“Liv.” She hears his voice. She can listen to his voice while her mom is forced to wear headphones when her father is present. She hears another person also entering the room, and something clicks in her mind.

“Good to SEE you… Oh, Elf King, I see that you are here too. I mean, I don't see a thing… you get me.”

Elric chuckles in awe. “She is good,” he mutters.

“So, what brings you both here?” she asks nonchalantly.

“Liv.” Her father sighs deeply. 

“What? Did you miss me?” she asks.

“Of course, I did.” he says, “I want you to see me.”

“Oh… that is new! Hm, it doesn't seem like that, you know? With the mask and whatnot.”  

He sighs again. “I will take the mask off if you swear by a blood oath that you won't ever reveal to anyone who I am.”

“What? A blood oath? That is quite powerful magic… Did you make Lea take a blood oath as well?” Liv asks.

“No, I haven't,” he answers honestly. 

“So, you trust her… But I have to do a blood oath? She is like five!” she mutters the last sentence under her breath, exaggerating the part about Lea’s young age. 

“Liv, please don't be difficult.”

“So, I am being difficult? This whole situation is so jacked up and what you are asking me to do is nonsense. No, I won't take a blood oath.”

“It is the only way for you to see me.”

“My answer is still no.” She shrugs.

“Liv, that is necessary. I have to talk about important things with you, which involves me revealing who I am.” He tries to reason. He knows that his daughter is stubborn and won’t go easy on him. Well, he also knows that he deserves it and that Liv is loyal and protective towards her mother, and he admires that about her.

She sighs deeply. “Fine. Just because this mask is uncomfortable.” she mutters.

“Give me your hand,” he asks, and she does so. He holds her hand, palm up, and cuts her skin slightly with a small dagger. “Say that you won't reveal who I am. And no tricks.”

She would do it, but she would have some fun while doing it, turning his game against him. 

“Okay. I swear to don't reveal to any creature alive or not the identity of this man, who I take this blood oath with. I won't reveal so in verbal or written form. I also won't sing about it, dance about it, make an artistic performance about it or draw it in ink or graffiti—”

“Liv!” he warns.

“And I won't give clues, hints, or any kind of information that will help people discover his identity or appearance. I won't talk directly or indirectly about said mysterious identity or—”

“Livia!” he says firmly.

“Okay, okay” She shakes her head. “So, I swear, under the consequences and outcomes of the magic that bonds my blood.”

He cuts his palm as well and places her bleeding hand against his own, concluding the incantation. Liv can feel a wave of power course through her body as the oath is finally taken. Her father wipes her palm and removes her mask. She blinks twice and looks at him, keeping her eyes locked on him for some time. Her father looks back into her deep blue eyes, his eyes full of sadness and affection.

He is a very tall man, around 6’3 feet tall, and he has amber eyes, like Lea. His hair is silver, a bit lighter than hers. He has a strong jaw and thin lips. He looks quite strong and has large shoulders. He is a very handsome man. Unfortunately, her mother can’t see that.

He hugs her in an embrace. “It is good to finally see your eyes, my little girl” he mutters into her hair.

She hugs him back. Liv didn't see this coming but seeing him for the first time affected her as well; it is an emotional moment. 

They break their hug and Liv recomposes herself. “You are an Elf.” she says, astonished. She didn't expect her father to be anything but a wizard. Mates of different species were not common at all.

Her father nods. “Yes, and my name is Maximus. I’m Elric’s second in command.”

She also hadn’t known his name until now. She knows nothing about him.

“Why? Why did you do that to us?” she asks, unable to contain the emotion in her voice.

“Because I had to, to protect you and Lea,” Maximus says.

“Protect us from what? That wasn't fair! What you are still doing to my mom is not fair! We don't want your protection. She wants a mate, and Lea and I want a normal family!”

“I am sorry Liv. I did what I had to do.” Maximus says in a low voice. She can see the pain in his eyes. He didn't want to do it, to hide, but he still did it.

“Liv…” her Elf King mate calls.

“What? Are you involved in this as well? You knew about this… that I was your mate, you…” She feels the rage building up in her. “Get out, I don't want to talk to any of you!” she yells. She knows that Elric is surely involved. After all, her father is his second in command and they seemed close, like friends. 

“Livia, please!” Maximus says. She turns away from him.

“I know that you are angry and that I have a lot to explain, Liv. Just listen to me, please.” Elric says calmly.

“Go ahead.” she answers without turning her face to look at them. Maybe she is being childish, but she is enraged. 

Elric sighs and continues, “I knew you were my mate and I tried to protect you. No one could know about what you are, that you are a hybrid. Otherwise, you would be at risk… Now you also know what you are. You are also an Elf, Liv. After we figure out how to solidify the bond and complete the mating process—for that, we will, unfortunately, need Avalon and the King of Hell—I want you to stay with me here, in my Realm. You will be my queen and be among your people. We will reign together and help to ensure peace among the species.” he says calmly as he reaches for her hand. Sparks travel up her arm but she pulls her hand away from his grip. 

“You are delusional. Why do you even think that I want to stay with you after what you did?” she asks angrily. He looks at her shocked. He honestly doesn't know what she is talking about.

“What do you mean?” he asks.

“Oh… you don't remember. Interesting. When I was sixteen, your fairy thugs bound me with a spell, so that I couldn’t move, and you put the good old mask on me. Then, you came there, and without saying a word, or introducing yourself, or anything a non-psycho would do, you just decided to put your dirty elf hands on me.”

“I didn't… I just touched your shoulders, face, and hair,” he says defensively, making clear that he hadn't touched her in an inappropriate way. 

“It was super creepy. You shouldn't do something like that to your future mate and Queen. You should not touch people without their permission, it is just a big red flag. So, no, I don't want to stay in your Realm and be your Queen. For starters, I don't even want to be your mate. So, be kind and polite for a change and leave me alone.” she says, putting her hands on her hips.

Elric sighs deeply and leaves. He knows that he hasn't made a good first impression on his mate. But he wanted to be close to her, to touch her, and he couldn't reveal who he was at that moment. So, doing what he did was his only option. She was a teenager and she got freaked out. Damnit, she still is a teenager, a teenage witch that happens to be mates with three of the most powerful beings of the Realms.

“Liv, please… just think about it,” Maximus asks.

“There is nothing to think about,” Liv says, flashing him a tired look. She goes back to her room. She has a lot to think about. Seeing her father answered some questions she grew up having, but now she has many more unanswered questions to deal with. 

~ * ~

"We have to research. Look at the Goddess’s inscriptions, find a way to break her mate bonds with the two of them without breaking my bond with her," Elric tells Maximus as he sighs worriedly.  

"But that’s not the Goddess's will. The Goddess created those three bonds, which means that Liv should be with her three mates." 

"We don’t know if that is true yet, The Goddess's ways aren’t clear or linear. She works in mysterious ways. We can’t say for sure if the Goddess intends for Livia to have one mate or more." Elric replies, looking contemplative. 

"You are right." Maximus agrees, exhaling deeply. “But besides that, we must consider what Liv wants.”

"She’s too young, she doesn’t know what she wants. I should do what’s best for her." Elric says. 

"She won’t ever agree to it, Elric. She isn’t one to accept things or accept what people tell her without questioning anything." Maximus says worriedly. He wants Liv to only be Elric's mate and the Queen of the Elves, as they've planned for her to be even before she was born. But he knows it won’t be easy to talk her into doing it. 

"And those qualities will make her a great queen. My queen." Elric concludes.