Echoes From The Past

Seven

We were running through a lush meadow, the sky above us a dramatic canvas of shifting grays and blues, signaling the approach of a storm. The grass under our feet was wet with morning dew, turning darker with each step we took as the first drops of rain began to fall, light and hesitant. Soon, however, the heavens opened in earnest, sending us sprinting for the shelter of an ancient oak tree, its massive branches spreading wide as if to embrace us in its age-old protection.

As the rain intensified, we huddled close under the oak's thick canopy. The raindrops drummed rhythmically against the leaves, creating a curtain of water around us, isolating us from the rest of the world. The air was charged with the fresh, earthy scent of rain, mixing with the adrenaline and fear that coursed through our veins.

He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into the warmth of his chest, and I couldn't help but shiver—not from the cold, but from the intensity of his touch. "You still shiver from my touch," he observed, a playful smile tugging at his lips.

I looked up at him, the stormy backdrop a stark contrast to the warmth in his eyes. His hands found my hips, pulling me even closer, as if the space between us was still too much to bear. "Are you still cold?" he whispered, his voice a husky undertone against the howling wind.

Shaking my head, I pressed myself against him. Our breaths mingled, and when he kissed me, it felt like a seal of something forbidden yet undeniable. His hands cradled the back of my head, deepening the kiss, while my fingers explored the muscles of his back, each touch reaffirming the connection that felt as old as time itself.

"Tyler! We can't... What if another witch finds out about us?" I managed between breathless kisses, the reality of our forbidden love briefly clawing its way into our sanctuary under the oak.

His response was to kiss me again, more passionately than before, as if trying to erase my fears with each caress. "This is all that matters, Alexis. Right here," he said, his voice firm with conviction. He cupped my face in his hands, his thumbs gently wiping away the raindrops that mingled with my tears.

In the hushed sanctuary beneath the oak, as the storm raged around us, the reality of our situations grew heavier, more insistent. Rain streamed down in rivulets, each drop echoing the turmoil within me. Despite the solace of Tyler's arms, a stark realization pierced the warmth: I had to return to Eldoria, my kingdom, my home.

"Tyler, I can't stay here. I have to go back to Eldoria," I murmured, my voice tinged with reluctance. Every part of me yearned to stay wrapped in the cocoon of his embrace, but duty to my realm beckoned.

He stiffened, his hold tightening slightly. The look he gave me was tormented, torn between his feelings and the burdens of his royal birth. "Alexis," he started, his voice strained, "there's something you need to know about Eldoria."

I met his gaze, a knot of dread tightening in my stomach. "What is it?" I asked, fearing the answer.

Tyler took a deep breath, his eyes searching mine for understanding before he revealed the grim news. "My parents... they're planning something dire. They want to expand our kingdom's power, and they see Eldoria as... as a threat, or a resource. I overheard them talking—they're planning to seize Eldoria, to destroy it if necessary."

The words hit me like a physical blow, rendering me speechless. My home, my people, threatened by the kingdom that Tyler would one day rule. The irony was bitter, the pain sharp.

"And there's more," Tyler continued, his voice barely above a whisper. "They want me to lead the charge. They're grooming me to be commander, and they want it to happen before my twenty-first birthday."

My heart raced, panic and betrayal swirling chaotically. "But, how can they ask you to do this? How can you accept?" I asked, desperation lacing my words.

"I haven't accepted, Alexis," he assured me quickly. "I've been trying to find a way to stop this, to protect Eldoria without betraying my duties here. It's why I haven't told you—I didn't want to drag you into this, into the politics and the fighting."

His confession, while meant to be reassuring, only added layers of complexity to our predicament. The thought of Tyler, the man I cared for deeply, potentially leading an assault on my own kingdom was unbearable.

"But what can we do, Tyler? If your parents are set on this, how can we possibly stop them?" I asked, feeling helpless.

Tyler's gaze was resolute, his jaw set. "We find a way. Together. I refuse to be the tool of destruction against your people, against you. We need to figure this out, to find a way to protect Eldoria and keep what we have here."

As the storm's fury ebbed to a mere whisper around us, I gathered the fragments of courage scattered by the revelations Tyler had shared. The weight of an impending war loomed over us, a shadow darkening our newfound resolve. Yet, there was another truth, one even more personal and terrifying, that I needed to confess.

"Tyler," I began, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me, "there's more you should know about my situation. It's not just the kingdoms that pose a threat to me." I paused, the next words catching in my throat as the image of a man—powerful, ruthless, and driven by dark ambitions—flashed in my mind.

"My father... he's a notorious warlock known for his relentless pursuit of power. He's not just any warlock; he's a master of dark arts, one who harnesses powers by taking them from others, often leaving destruction in his wake." My voice faltered as I spoke of him, the man who was supposed to protect me but instead was my greatest threat.

Tyler's eyes widened, his protective instinct visibly kicking in as he took in the gravity of my words. "What has he done, Alexis?"

"He's been... collecting powers, especially the dragon powers passed down in my family. They're unique because they can manipulate the very essence of life and magic," I explained, the cold dread settling in my heart. "He took these powers for generations starting from my great-great-grandmother, then when my mother refused to have a child, he-" I cleared my throat, and Tyler's eyes dropped at the realization of what my father did to my mother and as a result had his child. "and now... he plans to take them from me when I turn twenty-one."

The silence that followed was heavy, filled with the unspoken horrors of what my fate had been if left unchecked. Tyler's hand found mine, gripping it tightly as if to ward off the ominous future with his very touch.

"And there's more," I added, the words tasting bitter on my tongue. "He wants me to have a daughter first—a new bearer of the dragon powers—so he can continue this twisted cycle. Once she's born, he plans to kill me, just as he did my mother."

The horror in Tyler's eyes mirrored my own fears. "This is monstrous, Alexis. We won't let him do this. We'll find a way to stop him."

A sickened silence hung between us for a moment, the implications of my words settling like a cold fog.

"And Tyler," I added quickly, the urgency clear in my voice, "you must keep this a secret. Your kingdom, the Kensingtons, if they learned of my powers and my predicament, they might see it as a strategic advantage. Given their ambitions towards Eldoria, knowing they could eliminate a significant threat like me with less effort... they wouldn't hesitate."

Tyler's face hardened his role as a prince and protector, and he was now at odds with the grim reality I presented.