Deviant Fate

56 - An Unlikely Favor

-Gwen-

I awaited the moment for Arowin to throw me off his lap in a blind rage. I could practically feel his fingers twitching.

"You're going to tattle like an insufferable child, aren't you." He asked, more like stated.

I tried to slowly and silently slide off his lap, but his grip only got tighter. He was really going to make me sit in the middle of this?

"I'm doing what I was ordered to do. I'm going to be your wife. I may not be your divine, but I can give you whatever you ask." She said, her voice shaking towards the end.

Arowin scoffed.

I wasn't sure how I felt about what she said. I shouldn't care, but it bothered me. She will give him whatever he asks? What was she implying?

"If the king finds out you're not obeying his orders, I don't think it will end well for anyone." She added.

"Are you that desperate for the title? You want to be queen, so you did whatever it took to get here, huh? Who did you sleep with? My father?" Arowin was practically shouting in rage while I took the brunt of it. My ear drums were about to burst.

She shook her head no as tears fell from her eyes. The words she was saying didn't match up with her emotions. She was threatening him to do as Gerin said, but it wasn't because she wanted to be queen. Any person with sight could see that this girl was not her own person. She was being played like a pawn. Something or someone was forcing her to be this way.

"Were you forced to do this?" I blurted.

She looked up at me with tear stained cheeks. She wanted to speak, I knew she did, but she remained silent. I looked at Arowin with raised brows. I wanted him to read my thoughts, for once.

Look at her. She is being forced into this. Don't be daft. I chided him in my thoughts.

"You were forbidden to say, weren't you?" I thought aloud.

She froze and looked at me with sad eyes. Sorrow seeped from them. Her eyes were icy blue. They were soft, but bright. They reminded me of a robin's egg.

Another sigh left my lips. I didn't know if it was my Celestan instincts or because I'm the high priestess, but I had the urge to protect her. Save her from whatever burdened her.

It's funny how I'm always put in situations like this. I was supposed to hate her. She was marrying my divine, taking my spot. Even though I didn't want that spot, I still felt jealous. Now here I was, wanting to help her.

Arowin placed me on the couch and walked to kneel in front of her. "Answer me." He said sternly. "Are you being forced to do this?"

She stared into his eyes with fear and sadness. More tears streamed down her cheeks as she nodded. He dropped his head with a deep sigh and stood, rubbing his temples.

"Fucking hell." He spit under his breath. "Who is forcing you?" He spun around as she flinched at his volume.

He was always so loud. I shot him a disapproving look, but he ignored it.

"I'm not allowed to disclose anything to you." She whispered, as she wiped her face and self soothed by rubbing her arms.

"Are you to be my wife?" He questioned her. "Then you have to do whatever I say. So answer the question I asked." His tone was agitated, but he seemed to be holding back a little, for her sake.

"The king made a deal with my father. My father told me if I don't go through with this he will— he will hurt my..." she paused to collect herself. "He will hurt someone most important to me."