Two Worlds; True Mates

Chapter 6

Falyn Pov

“Falyn, Arlo, there’s something we need to discuss, if you don’t mind.” My father said, lifting his eyes to mine.

I frowned, unsure what to think about all of this, and nodded. I hated being put on the spot, but I understood it was something I needed to get used to. Twenty-two, that’s the age they said they’d make me queen, and it was two years from now. I was looking forward to it, but at the same time, I was worried. Worried about how hard this will all be, if I’m good enough for it. I flinched as a large bang was heard at the sink, turning my eyes to watch as Victoria had tried to hop over the counter and fallen on a plate, sliding into the sink instead. She gave us all glares as if she knew we were staring at her and hopped out of the kitchen, leaving us alone. “Of course, father, please go ahead,” I said, sitting up straighter as I played with the bottom of my braid nervously. I felt Arlo’s fingers slide against my knee and pat it lightly, giving me a soft smile that relaxed me as I nodded at him, before he pulled his hand away and turned towards my father.

He looked at my mother for a moment and I looked at her, wondering which one of them was going to speak first, but it was my mother that ended up talking. She placed her hands on the table face up, a clear indicator that she wanted me to place my hands in hers and I did so, allowing her to grip them slightly as she smiled warmly at me. “Your father and I have been talking about this for a few weeks now, and we’ve thought that, if you’re both in agreement, that we could make this happen.” She started to say, chewing on her bottom lip for a moment. I studied her, noticing just how exhausted she was. Dark circles under her eyes, her sky-blue eyes shining like gems from her beautiful golden skin, but nothing could take away from how exhausted she was. Her shoulder dark brown hair was messily pulled back into a low ponytail that was slightly falling apart, her fingers hastily pushing back the extra strands that she normally would have taken a few seconds to retie her hair before, but simply pushed them behind her ears now. Her back was sloped slightly, instead of sitting up straight like she always has before, and it looked to me like she needed to just go take a hot bath and sleep for a few days to replenish herself. Then again, when would she have the time? Mother woke up earlier than anyone else, going out and handling the kingdom, before my father took over for her while she started to teach the witch children. Afterward, she would go to the library for the scrolls, barely making it home in time for the dinner father had prepared ahead of time. She never had time for herself, never had a moment’s rest, and I could tell by looking at her how desperately in need of sleep she was.

I wished I could help her, that there was something I could do, but right now, I had no idea how to help her. Mother looked at Amelia, a soft unspoken request to ask her for a few minutes alone, and as she stood she bowed, excusing herself to go find Victoria, as a loud pang was heard somewhere upstairs, indicating she was getting into something. Mother looked at me once more and sighed. “We have a request, that you can say no to, if you’d like. We’re not pressuring you in any way, we’re just simply…hoping you say yes. Falyn, we’re wondering if you feel like you’re ready to be Queen, now.” She said softly, gripping my hands tightly in hers. I gasped, my eyes widening as I felt Arlo stiffening beside me, showing me he hadn’t known about this conversation either. To think they were throwing this at us right now, both of us at once, was surprising. “You’ve proven you’re more than capable, Falyn. For the past five years, you’ve worked through every scroll I could possibly have shown you, and your training is exquisite. You’ve surpassed many of the assassins and even given your father a hard time with your element at your disposal. You’re smart, you’re swift, and you’re fully capable of being the Queen. Arlo, you’ve been going every day with Jem to take care of the kingdom, and you’ve learned plenty about how to run the kingdom. Mostly it would all be on Falyn’s shoulders, but we’re positive with your upbringing as a Duke, and the work you’ve been doing with Jem, that you’re fully capable of taking over. If you two feel like you’re ready, we’re ready for you to take over.” She said carefully.

Arlo wasted no time, his chair moving side by side as he straightened beside me, and without looking I was fairly sure he was shaking my father’s hand, a bright grin on his face. “If Falyn agrees, then I agree as well. I would be honored to take over. I’ve been ready to marry her since the first moment I felt the pull with her, and as scary as it is, the idea of being king, I’m more than happy to accept. I know that no matter what happens, it’ll be okay, because I’ll have her by my side,” he said warmly, his fingers brushing against my knee once more, before letting go.

I felt panic rising inside me, my eyes shifting between my mother and my father as I tried to figure out what was going on in my mind. The idea of marrying Arlo, I wasn’t upset about that. As he’s said, I’ve also been ready to marry him the moment I felt the pull. Having learned from Sage earlier what it felt like, and feeling it for myself, I wanted every bit of the intimacy that came from finally marking my mate, holding him close, and being one with him in the way Sage and Rhys had achieved. I was completely ready to marry him.

I wasn’t sure what it was that was holding me back then, because I didn’t think it was being the Queen, either. I hadn’t even been scared when I was fifteen, looking at the beautiful Goddess sitting across from me, asking me if I was fine with being the Queen. I wanted nothing more than to take the time, for myself and for Sage, who needed me desperately to say yes so he could be where he belonged. No, I felt like I was ready. I was strong, stronger than most others in the kingdom, and I was prepared mentally, the past years learning everything my mother had put out for me, on top of my own reading and studying of the kingdom and the scrolls of the past. I’ve sat down countless times with the members of the kingdom, listened to their problems, and did my best to fix them by myself, without asking my parents for help. No, it wasn’t that either. Finally, I realized exactly what it was, and it made me feel small and silly for thinking about it. “I…I can’t.” I said, chewing on my lower lip. I felt my mother’s fingers stiffen around mine, but before she could say anything I looked at her, trying to get her to understand. “We talked to Sage about this, asked him to be there for the wedding, remember? He and Rhys said they weren’t sure if they could be there. That meant traveling from one dimension to another, being away for two months. We all know your dimensional element is slightly wonky, that you don’t always get to the right time or place that you want, and they need to decide what to do with Rune as well. He said he’d think about it and tell us the next time we visited, but it’s been a while since then. What if he says no? I…I don’t think I can get married without Sage there.” I said with a sigh.

Because of Sage being a natural dimensional elemental, he had automatically known exactly how to use his power without needing to worry or train, but my mother had trouble getting the right time and place, simply because she had so many other elements inside her, bubbling around ready to be used. Once, we went to visit Sage, and ended up watching a small one-year-old looking Rhys running around the pack ripping his diaper off and waving it around and around in the air, giggling gleefully as his mother tried desperately to stop him. We didn’t stay long, simply because they wouldn’t notice us, but it wasted that visit and we had to wait another two months before finding Sage again. My mother looked at my father, her eyebrows raised in a way that suggested they were speaking silently with each other, before looking at me with a smile. “It’s been a while since we visited, I think another visit is needed.” She said simply with a smile.