Bewitched

6 Lovers leave, problems stay

“We can’t keep doing this.“ Niobe sighed as she raised her head from Castor's bare chest.

“Why? Don’t you like it? “ Castor asked, chuckling, a cocky smirk on his lips.

He had this boyish charm about him and Niobe couldn’t turn away from those eyes. She knew sleeping with a dark witch was wrong, let alone the King.

“You know why.” She said, her tone turning a little solemn. “If anyone found out… “

“What if anyone found out? Is there some law against it? “ Castor asked, knowing very well he was right. There was nothing wrong with what they were doing, theoretically.

“If anyone found out, I would probably lose my seat in the council. And everyone would turn away from me. “

“Then let’s not tell anyone. “ he said, still completely calm. He was always controlled, level-headed.

“I don’t plan on telling anyone, but what then? “ Niobe asked, her head swirling with thoughts. What even was this?

“What do you mean?” Castor asked, raising his eyebrow and scanning Niobe's face.

She narrowed his eyes at him a little before speaking her mind.

“What I mean is, where is this going? Us. Are you just going to keep sneaking in at night, using your witches to teleport you here? We both know you can’t keep doing that. And no one can know about this, so? Where is this headed?“

Castor closed his eyes for a moment and looked away from her. He knew very well where this was headed, but didn’t have the heart to say it.

He did like her and enjoyed the time with her very much. She was intriguing, beautiful and the fact that she was a light witch, a forbidden fruit so to speak, made him crave her even more.

“You’re not telling me something.” Niobe whispered, her powers usually didn’t work on him but she saw a glimpse.

A glimpse of guilt and a secret.

He looked her right in the eye, those violet eyes expressing the regret he felt.

“There’s something I haven’t told you. I wanted to but I just didn’t know how.” He said, still looking in her eyes.

Niobe sat up on the bed, starting to worry. “What is it?“

Castor hesitated before he replied. “My mother and my advisors found me a bride. I am getting married at the end of the month.“

Niobe stopped breathing for a moment, her brain processing the information.

“You are getting married? Didn’t you think of telling me before all this!? “ She shouted, getting out of the bed.

“It was decided a few weeks ago and I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t know how. “

There was silence after that. She was looking down at him and he was looking at her, none of them speaking for a while before Castor broke the silence.

“What do you want me to say? “

Niobe's bitter laughter spread through the room, she couldn’t believe her own ears.

“What do I want you to say?!? You are the king! You can marry whoever you want and if you want to marry that woman,…….then I have no idea what you are even doing here. “

“What I am doing here is being with you, because I want to be with you! “ He fought back, standing up and facing her.

“No! If you wanted to be with me you wouldn't be preparing a wedding! “

He grabbed her wrist, trapping her hand to his chest.

“We both know I cannot marry you, I never could. There are people that think I’m not supposed to be king, I cannot give them a reason to doubt me. I have to marry her, her family is a great asset. “ Castor tried to explain. Being a king wasn’t that easy, the world of dark witches was dangerous and cruel, only the strong could survive.

“Then I don't see a single reason for you to be here with me. “ Niobe threw in his face, snatching her wrist back.

“You can’t be serious.” He said, his voice now calm and even.

“I am very much serious. Leave. “ Niobe said, pointing at the door.

He stared at her, contemplating whether or not she was serious, but in that moment there was nothing that would change the mind of the witch in front of him.

He took a step towards her, planting a single kiss on her forehead before she turned away.

She didn’t even turn around to see him leave the room but right after he closed the door behind him, she collapsed on the ground, tears falling.

Something draw her to him but she was too naive to see the truth. They were never meant to be. No matter how much she wanted to be with him, he would never be hers and she wouldn’t let her life be destroyed over false hope.

*****

The council was sitting in their seets, discussing a trivial issue with their herb supply for hours and Niobe’s head felt as if it was kicked by a horse.

She normally didn’t mind these meeting but she wasn’t feeling her best lately.

“Are you listening Niobe?” Pealor asked from across the table, eyeing her suspitiosly.

“Yes, I am. We are running short on Loutcan and Divisna. “ She said, burying her eyes to his scull.

“I think the real question is how are we going to get more. “ said the other man in the council.

This was a problem. These kind of herbs could be found just in the mountains and there were barely any mountainous on the light witches’ territory.

There were, however, a lot more mountains up North, on the territory of dark witches.

“Would it be possible to request an entrance to the North? “ asked the woman next to Niobe.

“Probably yes.” Niobe replied, frowning at the thought of a certain king she would have to contact.

The grimace that crossed her face was covered with a fake smile after a second but someone saw.

Right after the meeting had ended, Niobe headed to her room. She wanted to nap with how tired she was.

Pealor followed her and caught up with her in the middle of the hallway, making her stop in her tracks.

“What’s up with you? “ He asked,  suspicious.

“What do you mean? “ she asked, trying to sidestep him but he didn’t let her.

“What’s with you and Castor? I saw your face when the boy was mentioned earlier. “ he pushed further, wanting to know what was happening.

“He’s not a boy. “ she spat, verifying what pealor suspected but things were much worse than he thought.

“So you say, Niobe. What is going on? “ he asked, his tone now giving away the clear message. He wouldn’t let this go.

Niobe sighed and took his hand to drag him to her room. She had to make sure no one was listening to what she was going to say.

She closed the door behind them and turned to Pealor with a serious expression.

“You have to promise that it stays between us. Promise me as my friend. “

Pealor seemed to hesitate for a moment but nodded swiftly making Niobe sigh once more.

“I slept with him. “ she said in a soft voice, knowing very well anyone who knew would judge her.

“You what?! Tell me it was a one time thing. “

She looked down on the ground before replying. “It wasn’t, but it’s over now. “

Pealor sat down on one of the chairs in the room, trying to process. “I can’t believe you slept with a dark witch! And not just anyone but the king! “

“That’s not the worst part. “ she said softly, sitting down as well and putting her hand on her slightly swollen stomach.

“What are you talking about? “ he asked with worry for the young woman in front of him.

Niobe took a deep breath before letting out her biggest secret. “I am carrying his child.”