Rowans Choice

Chapter Four- Not my choice

I would never in a million years choose Rowan, not for a mate, not for a friend, not for an enemy, and sure as hell not for an eternity.

Rowan would never have been...my choice.

I pace my room, the anger is boiling over. I flick my hand out every two seconds and zap unsuspecting furniture into fire balls until I come to a stop in a suffocating swarm of smoke.

My door is thrown open and my mother runs in with her servants and two buckets of water already in hand.

If you knew me, you knew when I was in any way mad, that something would be on fire.

"Andromeda" my mother curses whilst muttering profanity and flapping a blanket about to disperse smoke "I hoped you would grow out of this rage"

I watch them put out the fires around my room, dousing the flames. I shake my head and grit my teeth as my mother approaches me and reaches out a calming hand.

She takes my arm and lowers it back down to my side before she pulls me into her arms.

"Stop" she whispers calmly. "This is a great honour. Our family has been chosen to create the next pairing of the kingdom. You are to be the Queen consort of Queen Rowan"

"Two Queens mother. Have you ever heard anything so absurd" I ask angrily.

"You were chosen Andromeda" she states frustratedly, and she runs her hands down my hair softly, looking into my eyes, begging me to do the right thing and accept my fate.

"Please stop attempting to burn the house down..." she begs "I cannot afford to rebuild our home a second time, not until you are royalty... and nobody wants to marry a pyromaniac fairy with an out of control temper"

I can't help the smile that dares my lips to lift, despite my mood.

"How can I stop... when she taunts me so"

My mother begins to tidy around me. I sit down on the edge of my bed and stare out of the window opposite. There are still instruments sounding off in the great hall, they come from a party being prepared for the veil, a party to celebrate Princess Rowans choice.

"Princess Rowans choice" I whisper to myself sulkily as I stand and walk to the window.

I look down among the happy crowd to the source of the joy and cheering. Princess Rowan is being escorted back to the Oak. She is annoyingly smug. I can see it from here, how she is pleased with her decision, her choice.

Ugh, I hated her.

Her guards surround her. Sycamore is at her feet like a little Rottweiler, and her crown is effortlessly sat on her perfect freaking hair. Hair that glows so heavenly that I am distracted by how much I hate her for a moment.

Damn it!

I couldn't afford to let my guard down now, not for even a second. I had not loved Rowan for many years, she saw to that, she took my trust and my love of her and she let me down. She put me in a position that no fairy girl should ever find herself in. On top of all of that, she saw to it I never joined the guard, my most longed for role in the kingdom.

I had to hate her, there was nothing else I could do. I feared though, that behind the pain, in a far and hidden part of me, was a sixteen year old who never truly stopped loving her. I would rather slit my own throat though, than ever admit it to myself, or her.

Rowan of Olamoore just chose to spend eternity with the one person in the kingdom that would gladly hand her over to the enemy.

"If she wants forever... i'll gladly make this a short one" I whisper to myself.

"What did you say" my mother asked, coming to my side and looking down to the crowd below.

"Nothing" I lie.

My mother smiles "than let us get you ready for the party" she suggests, turning me around by my shoulders to face a new gown laid out on the bed.

The look of horror on my face makes my mother stifle a laugh "Andromeda... please" she pleads "I love you in a dress"

I shake my head confidently "not happening"

She looks me up and down disappointedly "but you're so beautiful"

I turn to the family dressmaker in the doorway and widen my eyes. She knows me better than this.

She bites her lip and nervously looks to my mother who isn't amused and then back to me "I have your preferred, waistcoat, shirt and fitted trousers too" she reveals "I figured, knowing you, that a tailored two piece was going to be your first choice"

I smile and point in her direction, she ducks out of sight as if a fireball was about to burst from it.

My mother and I pause for a moment, watching her stand again.

She pats her clothing back down neatly, looking embarrassed by her actions.

"Sorry" she squeaks. "I didn't know if you were still mad"

"Luna, she's never cremated a fairy" my mother says, shaking her head as if the dressmaker was being dramatic.

"I can't believe you made her a shirt and trousers against my wishes" my mother says as she inspects them, hung on the back of the door.

"Perfect" my mother muses unexpectedly.

I frown and walk over to see it. Why was it perfect?!

My eyes widen, and I look to Luna dumbfounded "it's all pink" I cry out with horror.

"Your mothers one stipulation, whatever you wore, it had to be pink"

My mother smiles at me in delight.

"I don't like you" I groan.

"It's Rowans favourite colour. You have to please her from the off for this union to start off right"

A growl rolls up my throat.

My mother smothers my lips with her hand "Don't say it... just get dressed. We have an engagement party to attend my sweet daughter"

My eyes roll so far back in my head at that awful word, that my mother sighs.

She slaps me playfully, before releasing me. "Yours"

Engagement!

Banish me, for the love of all magic, banish me!