The Half-Witch Bride

The Arrival

~Celeste's POV~

"Sorry...what?" I asked. "Did you just say Elven King? Nobody told me about Elves existing."

"Whoa! I thought they were just fairy tales!" Jensen said excitedly.

"The actual Elven King is coming from the Undying Vale?" Mom asked.

"Undying Vale? Hold up, someone is gonna have to explain this to me. I know about witches, wolves and vampires, but now there's an Elven King and an Undying Vale?" I asked, a bit taken aback. Dad made an apologetic face towards me.

"We kinda just let them become fairy tales and they might as well be. They left Earth eons ago, to the Undying Vale. It's another dimension of sorts. The Elves were the first to go, followed by the fae, sirens, some wolf packs, and other creatures. Some have speculated that the witches were the last to end up there. We never thought to mention it because those on Earth have never gone there, and those in the Undying Lands have left Earth behind for good. All we really know about them is that they're a proud race and keep to themselves and their traditions and customs." I was speechless at this point.

"So why are they coming to Earth now?" Chris asked.

"Well, the letter says the King is traveling to Earth in order to find his Queen. Looks like no one in the Undying Vale is a match, so he's taking a chance on Earth." Dad handed the golden letter to Chris, who observed it.

"Can I see it?" Jensen asked. Chris tossed the letter towards Jensen, who caught it. He scooted closer to me so that we could both read it.

To Those Remaining on Earth,

King Eldin Elderoth of the Elven Kingdom is in search of his Queen.

He and his closest officials shall be visiting in order to see if the King's destined mate is among you.

We shall be arriving at Twin Moon Pack in three days.

- Councilman Thallan Glynren -

"Whoa, this is really fancy!" Jensen exclaimed. I had to agree on that part. The letter was practically glowing with how golden it was. The lettering was beautiful, whoever wrote this had some serious calligraphy skills. I guess that's to be expected from the Elven people, if they are anything like the fairy tales show them to be. I handed the letter to Mom, who took a look at it.

"Three days!?" she gasped. "Oh dear, we need to start preparing first thing tomorrow morning! Celeste, I'm sorry, but we are gonna need to decorate everything with as many flowers as we can. The Undying Vale is a beautiful land, full of wild and spectacular nature. We may not have the same flowers, but I'm sure the flowers you grow will please the King! No other pack will leave such a lovely image in his mind!"

"Well it's a good thing I just got all these seeds in," I chuckled.

~Eldin's POV~

~One Week Ago~

I sat at the head of the long, white, wooden table. It was surrounded by my council members who took their seats after me. I knew exactly why the council wanted to meet with me, and I wasn't particularly looking forward to it.

"Your highness," a man beside me began speaking. The man who spoke was the head of the council, a nobleman who held significant influence among the other members. He was annoying at times to deal with, but it was the duty of a King to listen to his council members on all issues in the Kingdom.

"Yes, Councilman Lucius Malum, you have the floor," my voice filled the room, reaching the carved, high ceilings.

"Your Highness, you are nearing your one thousandth year, and yet you have no Queen or destined mate. Elven Law dictates that a King who has reached the age of one thousand without a mate must take the most eligible Elven woman as his Queen." Lucius explained. "If I may, I offer my daughter, Savina, as an eligible bride for the King." He bowed his head towards me. I showed no emotion at his suggestion. I had not found my destined mate in all of my nine-hundred and ninety-eight years of life thus far. Although I bore no emotion, I was quite frustrated by this. Have the Gods created no mate for me? Or perhaps they had not been born yet? Either way, I had to choose a queen in accordance to our laws in two years. Savina was certainly the most eligible of brides. She had good breeding and blood, and raised as a noble, she had a good grasp on our law, traditions and customs.

"Your Highness," another councilman spoke up softly. I turned my head to a man who sat three spaces away.

"Thallan," I nodded my head at him.

"We have searched all over the Undying Lands for your destined mate, but perhaps...she is where we haven't searched yet."

"Are you suggesting that our King's mate is on...Earth?" Lucius asked, a hint of disgust in his tone.

"Yes, Councilman Lucius. It is the only logical explanation," Thallan answered. Lucius scoffed.

"There is no way that our next Queen is someone from Earth. Earth only houses those wolves and treacherous vampires." I listened in silence, but pondered upon Thallan's suggestion. It was true, no one thought about searching on Earth for my mate, mostly because Earth and the Undying Lands rarely ever contacted each other. I pursed my lips in thought, a habit I had since I was young.

"Your Highness, you aren't seriously considering traveling to Earth are you? There is no way that the Goddess would allow one of them to be the Queen of the Elves," Lucius huffed. I stayed silent, and continued thinking. We Elves were a proud race, preferring not to mix with the other species. Sometimes we would take chosen mates in order to marry within the Elven race. Since we rarely commingled with other kingdoms and races, most of the Elves never found their destined mate. Personally, I didn't enjoy that aspect of our tradition. But changing it would be more of a hassle, and going against tradition would end up with my head on the line. The last King who challenged the Council was disposed of promptly, replaced by my father, who the council chose as the most eligible King.

But what I did want was my destined mate. I had felt empty for a long time now, and I knew that finding my mate would make me feel whole. I didn't even care if they were another species. I straightened up in my seat, alerting the council members that I was ready to speak on the subject.

"I would like to give Earth a try. We will hit as many packs and vampire camps as necessary and if I do not find them there, I will take a chosen mate." Some council members nodded their heads. Some remained silent, keeping their opinions to themselves. Lucius was the only one who showed disdain on his face, but he stayed silent on the matter as his King spoke. "Thallan," I continued. "I will leave it to you to send a message to Earth about our arrival and its purpose. I'm sure they will be surprised to hear from us and would like to have enough time to prepare. I will only take a small entourage to Earth, leaving the rest of you to attend to matters here. Lucius and Thallan, you will be traveling with me. I am not sure how long it will take, so we may be gone a while if we are to hit every pack or camp. This will end our meeting, we will travel a week from now." I stood up, signalling the end of the meeting. The members also stood and bowed their heads as I turned and walked out of the large room.

I was joined outside by my personal guard and head of the warriors, Ruvaen, who saluted as soon as the doors shut behind me. He and I had grown up together and was the only one who ever knew my true emotions. He was far more muscular than our traditional, leaner build, which gave him immense strength. He was younger than me by a few hundred years, but he had always been stoic and far more mature than others his age. His dirty blonde hair was woven into many braids, typical for our warriors. I was not afraid to smile in his presence.

"My Lord, you seem pleased. Good news I hope?" He asked, walking beside me as we walked through the tall, white halls of the castle.

"We shall be traveling to Earth soon, Ru," I answered him. I smiled even wider at his confused look. "You know I do not have much time left to find my mate," I continued. "Thallan suggested that we search Earth." Ruvaen nodded, but he had that look in his eyes that signified he had far more questions.

"My Lord, are you sure that your mate is on Earth?"

"No, I'm not sure. If they aren't, I can then rest easy knowing I did what I could to find them. I would spend the rest of my life searching for them, but I cannot leave my people without a Queen and an heir to succeed the throne. The Laws dictate that I take a chosen bride after a thousand years of being mate-less." Ruvaen nodded again, understanding. He knew that finding a mate was important to me.

"And if you do find your mate on Earth, then what? We are a proud race, and I know many Elves who would not be entirely pleased if our Queen was not Elven herself, let alone from Earth." I pursed my lips at his comment. He was right, unfortunately. If my mate was from Earth, and not of Elven descent, then she would face many hardships. But I was confident that whoever the Goddess grants me would be more than capable surely.

"If the Goddess pairs me with an Earthling, then so be it. I will not go against fate. The Gods have their reasons for their choices, and I have no standing to question their ways. If anything, this trip will be a nice change from the mundane. It's been a while since we traveled outside of our Kingdom." Ruvaen nodded, a smile playing on his lips, perhaps from reminiscing about our old adventures.

"When do we travel?" He asked as we both arrived at an intricate, carved, dark-wooded door that contrasted starkly with the white of the castle. He reached out a hand to open the heavy door for me, swinging it towards him with ease.

"In one week we shall be making our way onto Earth," I answered, stepping into the door frame that led to my private section of the castle. "Please have a handful of your best warriors ready for travel. We will be light in terms of people, but I want strength just in case." Ruvaen bowed his head in response.

"I will have ten of my best men ready and equipped for travel." I nodded back and he closed the door, leaving me alone in my chambers.

~Two Weeks Later~

I had grown weary of traveling around in these machines that earthlings use to move around. We had so far hit three wolf packs and one vampire camp with no luck. I pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration. I knew that hitting every pack and camp on Earth would be a daunting task, but this was already taking a toll on me. Lucius had been not-so-silently complaining about Earth the minute we had arrived. He was not pleased by the manner in which we were being welcomed in. Thallan, on the other hand, had been taking diligent notes about Earth, asking questions about Packs and comparing them to the small number we had in the Undying Vale. Although no hostility had been shown as of yet, Ru and his warriors were on guard at all times, eyeing the unpredictable wolves. Both sides were very much on guard, not exactly knowing how to interact with each other.

We were on our way to the Twin Moon Pack. From what I heard, this pack was more affluent than the others in the area, consisting of a large quantity of members. Their Alpha was strong, and the pack loyal. They were located in a more remote area up in the mountains, a distance away from other packs and human cities. The Luna of the Blue Moon Pack had told me that the Alpha of Twin Moon adopted a girl into his family, that she was not even a wolf but a human. That was most curious to me indeed. Why go through the trouble of raising a human in a wolf pack? They were weak, and possessed no special traits or abilities that made them significant in anyway. They should have given the child away to a human family.

I shook my head, as the "car" rolled through a dense forest and made its way up the mountainside. Quite some time had passed before I felt the vehicle slow down and take a turn onto a dirt road. I rolled the tinted window down to take a look. Up ahead there was a large iron gate that swung open upon our arrival. It was completely covered in copious flowers that sparkled and glowed in the sun. I was a bit taken aback by the scene. I had not seen much beauty in the plain flowers that grew in the wild around these parts, but these were magnificent. As we drove through the gate, the trees that lined the dirt road were wrapped in the same beautiful flowers. I reveled in the scene. Was this how it always looked here? Or was this because of my arrival? Either way, it certainly did seem that this Pack had far more wealth if it could afford flowers of this quality and quantity.

The car continued to roll through the territory, followed by five others behind it. I watched as houses began rolling past, one after the other. Every single house had flowers dripping off of roofs, door frames and windows. It created the most intoxicating scent as I took a deep breath in. I looked ahead to our final destination. There was a large house looming over the others. While it wasn't a castle, it was a fairly large manor that matched in style to the other homes around it. It too, was dripping with flowers, the columns in the front wrapped heavily in vines. All of the pack members were standing by the large house, awaiting our arrival. It was quite impressive to see just how large this pack was compared to the previous ones. In the middle stood a man and a woman who I assumed was the Alpha and Luna.

The car rolled to a stop in front of the manor and the driver promptly got out and opened the car door for me. I stepped out and walked forward a bit, making sure my cape fell out behind me. I had worn my sea-green tunic ensemble that had gold, embroidered leaves and flowers all throughout. It matched my pants and cloak that bore the same color and design. My silver hair was worn down, with two braids that draped down my chest. I wore a silver, Mythril circlet that encircled my head delicately in swirling branches. It was an impressive sight, and perhaps a tad too much for the Earthlings, but if I was to meet my destined, I would look kingly for her.

I heard the hushed whispers and gasps of awe coming from the wolves as they gazed upon me. Lucius, Thallan and Ru joined me, followed by the ten warriors. As a group, we approached the Alpha and Luna.

"This is how each and every pack should be greeting us," Lucian stated under his breath. I ignored his comment and turned my attention to the muscular, broad-shouldered wolf. Both he and his Luna bowed their heads.

"Greetings, your Highness! I am Andrew McNeely, Alpha of the Twin Moon Pack. This is Maria, my Luna. To my left is my Beta, Chris Parker. On behalf of Twin Moon, we welcome you to our pack," His loud voice boomed out. "We are happy that you made it safe and sound. I hope that your stay here will be pleasant and to your liking." I bowed my head forward in acknowledgement.

"I hope your journey here was smooth. Going up the mountain is sometimes difficult in the winter." The Luna spoke, her tone genuine and musical.

"Yes, thank you Luna Maria," I responded with another nod of my head. "I will admit that the journey here has been a bit tiring."

"Oh! Well then, let us get you situated in your rooms!" The Luna clapped excitedly and ushered us into the house. Me and my men followed her inside and towards the west wing of the house. The decor inside was tasteful and befitting of an affluent pack. The rooms were spacious and the furniture sturdy. Not a speck of dust was seen. I was shown to the largest room in the west wing, the double doors swinging wide into a room filled with carved, dark oak furniture. There was copious space in the room, enough to allow for some matching dark couches and a glass table to be placed in front of the bed. Every surface had a vase filled to the brim with beautiful flowers, all sparkling and shining in the light. The fragrance from the flowers wafted in the air, creating a delectable scent. There was another scent mixed in with the flowers, one of jasmine and sandalwood. I found it curious, but my attention was turned away as the Luna spoke once again.

"If you need anything, please let any of the Omegas running around know. Please do not hesitate to send for me or my husband. We are at your disposal for the duration of your visit."

"Thank you Luna Maria."

"Ah! I almost forgot, tonight we will be holding a grand feast in honor of your arrival at the banquet house not far from here. At nightfall, our Omegas will come to get you. There you will meet my children," she said with a warm smile. I couldn't help but give her a small smile in return.

"I look forward to it," I answered, entering the room. She took the cue and closed the door behind me. I walked over to the flowers placed in the middle of the glass table, leaning over to inspect them closely. The petals sparkled delicately, flush and full. They could easily rival the flowers of the Vale. I couldn't get enough of the fragrance as I was hit once more with the scent of jasmine and sandalwood. I didn't know how a flower could produce such a scent, but oddly, it felt more like an undertone to the fragrance. I picked out a small, white rose and carried it with me as I walked over to the large window that overlooked the property.

The horizon was filled with trees as the forest surrounded us. The trees were tall and untouched, protecting the pack from prying eyes and outsiders. Not far away was a small lake that looked almost like silver in the sunlight. Not far from it, I noticed a strange building made of glass. My eyesight allowed me to see what was inside even at such a distance. I spied what looked like copious amounts of flowers and plants. Next to it was a garden that was overflowing as well. Could this have been the source of all the flowers? Whoever was growing them had quite a talent, it seemed.

I heard a knock at my door as I continued to gaze at the view.

"Enter."

The door swung open and closed shut. I heard the familiar footsteps of Ruvaen, who approached closer.

"My Lord," he bowed. "Is everything to your liking?"

"Yes. This is quite nice compared to the other packs. No one else has flowers such as these," I commented, pressing the rose close to my nose. "There is going to be a feast held tonight at the banquet house. The Luna relayed this to me that an Omega will lead us when night falls."

"Yes, my Lord. I have been notified, and my men shall be posted around for protection."

"How are my councilmen doing?" Ru rolled his eyes at my question.

"Thallan is very eager to speak with the elders of this pack. It seems they have more historical information with an extensive library. He is also curious about the appearance of the flowers. Lucius is somewhat appeased, since this is, by far, better accommodation than before. I thank the Gods for that. I wasn't so sure I could handle his passive-aggressiveness anymore." I nodded with a smile. Lucius was a proud noble, who, despite following our customs religiously, would certainly speak his mind.

"My Lord, I also came to convey a message from the Alpha. At your convenience, he wishes to speak with you in his office about your arrival." I nodded and turned to Ru, placing the rose down on the window sill. The sun was at its highest point, signifying the start of the afternoon. Nightfall wouldn't come for a while.

"I will speak with him later in the afternoon. Please let him know. You, Thallan and Lucius will also be present."

Ruvaen bowed his head and turned around, leaving me alone. I explored the room some more, discovering the spacious bathroom, covered in white marble. There was a large bathtub in the middle, stocked with various oils, and bottles, and sponges. A hot bath sounded quite pleasant before continuing with the day ahead. I looked at the tub and wondered how to get the water going. Immediately giving up, I walked back out into the room, depositing my cloak on the back of one of the couches. I opened my door and spotted a small woman standing not far away. She perked up as I beckoned for her to enter, quickly scurrying to me.

"Your highness!" She squeaked, bowing low and nervously. "I am at your service!"

"I wish to take a hot bath, but I am unsure of how...your system...works."

"Oh!" she said, straightening up and holding back a giggle. "Let me fix one up for you!"

I stepped aside and she entered, quickly heading towards the bathroom. I followed and watched as she turned one of the nozzles that made the water flow. She kept a hand in the running water, checking the temperature. As soon as it was hot enough, she turned a smaller knob, causing a small "clunk" at the bottom of the tub. I soon heard the sound of water filling up and saw steam building slowly.

As she was busy fixing up the water with oils and fresh flower petals, I began to unbutton my tunic. I let it slide off my shoulders and down my arms, catching it before it fell. I folded it and placed it down on the bathroom counter. I then untied the string that held up my pants, letting them fall down to my ankles. I was now fully nude, my unmarked, smooth pale skin exposed to the air. I turned around to see the shewolf staring with her mouth agape. I watched as her eyes glided down my chest to my sculpted abs. Before her eyes traveled any further down, she darted her eyes back up to my unamused face. Flustered and red-faced, she quickly turned off the nozzle, bowed and scurried away. I stepped out of my clothes and walked over to the tub and slid into the water with a smile.