The Cruel Prince's Wrath

Chapter 11

Iefyr knocked on Tolanda’s door waiting for her to call he enter but there was no response so he slowly opened the door to see Tolanda pacing up and down seemingly muttering to herself. His eyes widened and he felt a pang in his chest. It was also dark in her room.

“No, no that’s not right... I am not meant to be with you... Ievos it felt wrong... it was wrong!” she hissed. “it was not my fault but it was my fault. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt you,” Iefyr said her name and she gasped looking directly at him clasping her hands over her mouth before she cried and collapsed in a heap on the floor, her skirts surrounding her like a pool as she sat and cried. He went to her immediately and held her.

“Liv was worried about you, now I am. Why were you talking to yourself?” he asked.

“I was... practicing what I might say if I ever saw Ievos again and I thought if I said it out loud then it might help me to feel better,” she said as she cuddled into his shoulder and he held her close. His comforting smell enveloped her just like his arms and she felt immediately safe.

“You need to allow yourself some room to breathe, Tolanda, you need to think of your own health, Ievos made his decision, that is not your fault or mine. I do not disregard what happened and I do feel some responsibility, but we cannot let that weigh on us we have to live our lives,”

“Yes,” she muttered against him. “It was always meant to be you, Iefyr, when we kissed for the first time it was unlike anything I had ever experienced before. I think I should have known then in that market square. It was just... literally just after when I went with Ievos that he kissed me; it confused me; my emotions were all over the place. I did not push him away and I knew then that I had feelings for him too.” She took in Iefyr’s scent with a gentle breath. The boys smelled different but both smells had provided some comfort to her; although when she lay with Ievos she had not felt so at ease. She loved him, that had never been a doubt but being with him did not leave her feeling so contented as being near Iefyr did. She now knew why that was because she was never meant to be with Ievos. It was always meant to be Iefyr.

“When I was with Ievos… something did not feel right,” she voiced her thoughts. “I know now it was because it was not right, perhaps the bond was trying to tell me something,”

“You did lay with him, though right?” he asked.

“I have told you no, it did not feel right as I keep saying and so we did not go through with it,”

“I did see you both, I told you when I was in spirit form trying to get our bond severed it pulled me to you, I saw you and him…”

“But we never continued, we were about to that is what you likely saw,” she said.

“I would never pressure you into that,” he said.

“Ievos did not pressure me either,” she replied. “He was actually very respectful and understanding,” she defended him.

“Yes, well… he was beginning to change. I knew you would be good for him but… I was also changing… my thoughts becoming darker and… worrisome. Especially after I thought you had lain with him, all my reasons for taking myself out of the situation so he could have you started to be replaced by darker thoughts that he did not deserve you as though I was regressing back to… well, how I had been at the beginning of our three-way soul bond. When I hated him.”

“He was also changing, he was certainly trying anyway,” she muttered and then looked up at Iefyr. “I love you so much when I saw those golden streams it was… bittersweet. I loved you but I also loved him and knew I was to break his heart. I never knew he would react that way though,” she said, he pulled her in kissing her on the head.

“I am constantly worrying about him too and what is to come but… we must allow ourselves some time to rest and time to enjoy one another whilst we are free of war,” he said.

“You are right, Iefyr…” she said and reached a hand stroking the side of his handsome face, his bright green eyes so warm and kind looking into hers. “I do love you, I want nothing else from life but a life with you… I even… dreamed of having your child… that was when I was with Ievos it was a very confusing time but I feel I was somehow being shown what path I was supposed to have chosen. I cannot know for sure but as soon as I saw those golden streams… it was so clear, everything made sense. I would like to have your children one day… I had pictured children with Ievos when I was with him… naturally as I had often dreamed of falling in love and being a mother but when I held that green-eyed baby in my dream… it was perfect. I was just so confused at the time and accepted Ievos completely. I loved him. I keep saying but it is true but he was not the one I was fated to be with and I feel so happy and safe in your arms, Iefyr. Do not mistake my words for regret, I love you… more than anything…” she said.

“You… dreamed of our children?” Iefyr asked feeling a swell of warmth inside of his chest.

“I did and our baby was beautiful, I got no sense of if it was a boy or a girl but it had your beautiful eyes,” She said and he smiled then took her face in his hands and kissed her softly.

“I love you so much, Tolanda, all I want is for you to be safe and happy,” he whispered. “I have been working on my meditation and I have actually managed to reach a heightened state and travel in spirit form. Not very far but it is possible. I am working on it so that I might be able to visit my brother and speak with him somehow.”

“That would be wonderful,” she muttered.

“You know,” he started and then stood holding a hand for her to also stand and meet him. “I was thinking about that dance we had in the forest of Nimara.” He pulled her to him, one hand at her waist and holding her hand with his other. She giggled slightly looking up into his stunning eyes sharp green glistening even in this dark room. They started to move around the room to imaginary music but it still brightened Tolanda’s mood and brought the shine back into her eyes.