The Protector

Chapter Twelve: The Decision

" They chose her..." Kara said to herself in complete disbelief. The entire room went silent. None of them knew quite how to react to the news but their attention was hyperfocused on Victoria.
" They chose me because I am around his age, we know each other but also because, as you are aware Queen Aurora, I have been helping managing things for the council for years now. I was the best cantidate" Victoria replied to which Kara finally spoke " Cantidate? He isn't some fucking election or some shit. He has emotions and it would make more sense that he chooses someone that he genuinely feels something for. Not someone that a ' Council 'deems fit for him" Kara's blood was boiling at this point and she didn't care that everyone knew it. " Is someone Jealous? " Victoria snarled to which Aurora clapped her hands together which made the room fall silent again. She then turns her attention attention to Kara.
" Sweetie, whilst that is not how we do things here. Their kingdom is different. They have traditions and rules that they must follow. It is the way of their people and we have to respect that"
Kara steps foward from her place and turns to face them all. " The tradition is fucking stupid. That is some middle age backwards as bullshit. And I am not going to respect that. Gabriel is my friend and he deserves to be happy with someone that actually cares about him and not his title" Kara glares at Victoria who smiles without fear. " aww do you think you'd make a better wife for Gabriel? " She mocks again which enfuriates Kara even more. " LISTEN HERE YOU PUNK ASS, POMPOUS,  PRINCE FANTASIZING, WANNABE BACKWOODS BITCH. I Don't give a fuck about who Gabriel chooses or who he falls for. But he deserves to have a choice in the matter" Kara is screaming and losing control and whilst she wants to stop her, Aurora knows that Kara has needed to get this out. However, they all find themselves shocked after Gabriel answers with " I choose Victoria".

Kara's heart sinks lower than it has ever sunk before and she almost could not believe the words she was hearing coming from Gabriel. Aurora was also in complete shock at this. " Kara, this is for the betterment of my people. I don't have as much of a choice in this as you think I do. I have to do this. I have to take on my parents role and I have to be King. I'm..sorry" His face almost completely expressionless leaving Kara without words for several minutes. " Its not that you don't have a choice. Its that you made your choice Gabriel. You made the choice to be obligated to something that you could change. I don't know much about your parents. But your parents from the sounds of it, changed things which brought people together. It brought your people together. And yet here you are, doing the exact opposite. Going with the ways that your parents fought so hard against. This isn't for the betterment of your people. This is because you can't grow some fucking balls and admit that you deserve more than what you allow yourself to have"
And with that, Kara stormed out of the room, making her way down a long hallway that she didn't know where she would end. But she did know she couldn't be around Gabriel anymore. It was too painful. He was such a fool and she could not bare the sight of him.

" I think it best that I take my leave " Gabriel requested to the Queen who nodded and with that, Gabriel and Victoria left without another word being said. As the doors closed behind them, Victoria smirked " Well that could've gone better". Gabriel's eyes were filled with anger and disappointment as he shifted into his wolf form. " Shut up. Let's go home " He growled to Victoria who now shifted into her wolf form which was pure white and her eyes changed from Scarlett to a bright Blue. They both ran down the street at top speed which made many people have to leap out of the way.

Meanwhile, Kara manages to find a door that has a shiny silver knob. She entered the room and closes the door quickly behind her. It's a bedroom. Beautiful furniture filled it complete with an enormous purple with Pink and Purple blankets and fixtures. On the bed sat Queen Aurora. Kara wondered how she got there but couldn't hold the pain back any longer and slumped down against the door and began crying. She felt so betrayed. She knew he was going to leave but..he chose her. He actively chose her. This pained Kara in so many ways that were confusing to her. She had so many questions and so many feelings deep inside that she couldn't understand.
Queen Aurora walked over and knelt down in front of Kara and pulled her into her arms, holding onto Kara as tightly as she could and Kara embraced the ccomfort. She cried for what felt like hours and still felt nothing but sadness.
" Kara..my dear.." Aurora whispered softly. " Do you love Gabriel?".
Kara wasn't sure how to answer that question because she had never really Fallen for someone other than Jack. And even then she wasn't sure if that was love or a crush. It had to be a crush. Because the way Gabriel made her feel so far beyond anything Jack could have ever provided her.
" I don't know. I just know it hurts. It hurts so bad I just want it to stop" Kara sobs into Aurora's perfectly white dress. " Sweetie. I think you need to figure how you really feel. Because I know you care about Gabriel and I know he cares about you too. But you have to understand. Gabriel was doing what he thought was best. He wasn't doing this to hurt you and from what I could tell..he isn't happy about the decision either" Queen Aurora explained but this made no sense to Kara. " If he wasn't happy with it then he shouldn't have done it " She shouted which was broke by more tears.
Kara's nose was still bleeding but as it mixed with the tears pouring from her eyes, it seemed to hurt less and less. " Lycans are a proud people. And they have traditions that we are never going to completely understand. This doesn't mean it's okay or that it's right. But it's the way they are and unfortuently we have to accept that for now. Gabriel is King. And when he sees what we see, he will change it. I just don't know how long that is going to take. I wish I did but I really don't"
Aurora knew that Kara was suffering and she wanted to make the pain stop but she had to let Kara get this out. If all truth, she was disappointed in Gabriel as well. She thought that he would be able to see how much Kara cared for him but it would seem for the time being at least, he is still blinded.

Meanwhile, Gabriel and Victoria are running through the sand of the Witch Kingdom, Gabriel staying in front of Victoria who was trying her best to keep up. " Damn, you really haven't missed a step " She chuckles but Gabriel kept on running. " I'm sorry I hit her. And I'm sorry I picked a fight with her. I know she means something to you" Victoria apologizes but still no reaction came from Gabriel and so she decided to change the subject again.
" The Kingdom has missed you. It's been so different since you've been gone. I've tried my best to upkeep things but it has been difficult. We are running out of food. Santara told me she explained that to you...and about your parents. I'm sorry Gabriel. They were like family to me too " Victoria remembers his parents fondly and misses them every day. She had ensured that they were given the proper respect ritual to send them off. Music, a giant fire pit, and as many flowers as they could find. The sounds of thousands of howls still echo in her head from that day. " I wasn't sure you were even coming back ya know? I thought you might have gotten hurt or something. We feared the Vampires would get to you and I kept asking to come to earth but the council refused to allow me. They kept saying I was too vital or some bullshit. It fucking sucked"
They continue running through the desert and the only thing Gabriel can think about is the anger and disappointment in Kara's voice. How could he fuck everything up so badly? She had to understand that this was something he had to do. This was something he needed to do. This was something they had discussed beforehand. They would have to separate at some point and that he couldn't take her with him. Despite how much he would've loved to do so. But the Kingdom would've never completely accepted Kara. They barely accepted outsiders as it was from what he could remember. And besides that, he has a job to do. It has to get done. He has to fill the role his parents left behind for him. He was no longer a prince. He was a King. He was the leader of an entire kingdom. A reality that Kara would also someday face when Aurora passes on. " Fucking hell" He mutters to himself as the sand crunches beneath his feet, kicking up in a storm behind him.

Meanwhile, Kara had managed to calm down and Aurora and Kara had managed to finally catch up a little. It was hard for Kara to not think about Gabriel but as Aurora explained the kingdom and the people, she began to realize how vastly different they are from the Lycans. The Witches, were for the most part accepting and welcoming. They lived luxury but were not spoiled by any means. They worked for every single thing they had and this made Kara take pride in her Witch Roots.
" So can you train me? " Kara asked Aurora as they sat together on the edge of the bed. " Of course. I would not have it any other way. We can start the training as soon as you would like. It may a bit early but I think you should be able to adjust to the powers. It's been long enough that you should be able to perform some of the smaller Spells" She smiled happily which made Kara excited. Finally, she would be able to do magic. Finally, she would have some sort of use. And finally, she would be able to defend herself.
" But it's going to take alot of hard work and you will have to be very determined about it. I'm sure you are going to surpass me in no time though " Aurora placed her hand on Kara's shoulder. " And by the way, it is quite interesting that this is the room you picked to enter because this was your room when you were a baby " Aurora looked around the room happily, lost in the thoughts of when Kara was just a small baby and crying for more milk. " This was my room? " Kara looked around as well, almost not believing the words. She had never had something so elegant in her life before. This room itself was almost the entire size of Margerats house.
" Yes Darling, and it still is your room if you'd like to keep it " Aurora offers to which Kara nods approvingly. " That would be lovely. Thank you"
" Now you should probably get some rest. It has been a long day and we are going to start your training bright and early so be ready, okay?" To which Kara nods again as Queen Aurora leans forward and kisses Kara's forehead and exits the room.
Kara moves further onto the bed and lays back, resting her head on what she swore was a cloud and not a pillow. Her thoughts traveled back to Gabriel though. No matter how hard she tried to push him from her mind. " Fucking asshole" she growls as she rolls over on the bed. " I'm going to get stronger and I am going to be the best fucking Queen I can be. And if I ever see that bastard again. I'm gonna deck him"