10: Darken, DarkHeart

Chapter six: Astraea

we appeared back in my own palace and things felt quieter than normal. we were in the throne room but no servants were around as there normally would be. 

"sister." Althaeon spoke softly, "turn around."

i did as he said, and there, sitting on MY throne was my husband. his legs were crossed and he wore all black like his hair and wings. 

"your in the wrong seat darling." i spoke calmly. 

"and you should not have brought your brother." with a wave of his hand, Althaeon was gone. "i sent him back to his own kingdom, he can also no longer enter this palace. i knew you were headstrong dear, but i didnt know you were stupid as well, walking right in like this."

"i know." i told him, walking up the stairs to the throne and throwing the book at his feet, "i know."

"there really is keeping nothing from you is there?" he chuckled, his bright green eyes looking cold. "so, have you come to stop me?"

"why would i?" i asked, "you know i would give anything for you as long as it does not harm my loved ones."

"indeed." he nodded, "the fairy moon in in two months time."

"i know." i told him, "every fairy can feel it coming."

"your not a fairy." he tapped the arm on my throne with his fingers. 

"but i have the powers of the two most powerful." i reminded him, "im your link, right?"

"you are." he answered. "if i had know about that then i would never have done that to you, but that is in the past."

"can you answer me a few questions?" i asked. "i deserve that much if i am going to die anyways."

"go ahead." he waved his hand. 

"first of all," i started, trying to not cry, "how long have you known? and secondly, how can you just throw me away like i am nothing, after all we have been through together?"

"i have known for a few years now." he answered. "and you are not nothing to me."

"im carrying our child." i told him, he looked shocked. "but that wont change anything will it?"

"your..... your with child?" he looked broken, and i could feel his emotions, he was fighting with himself. "you lie, your trying to save yourself. otherwise you would not have come here."

"you know damned well that i am not lying." i snapped at him, "you are the one person i cannot lie to, we have a deal, and last i checked, it was never broken. i am carrying your child Oberon. so you will either have to wait another fifty years to bring her back, or kill both me and our child."

he looked like he was thinking of what to say next, but could not go on.

"what?" i took a step closer, "nothing to say? the one thing we have been trying for for years finally happened, and you have nothing to say?"

he started to talk, "My Star...."

"no." i interrupted. "you lost all rights to call me that Oberon. because i feel your emotions, i know that you still plan to go through with this. i get that you want your sister back, but to sacrifice me and out child just to get her back..... that is unforgiveable. if it was just me, i would agree in a heartbeat...."

i sighed. "i know you wont let me leave the palace. ill be in our room, find another room to stay in, because i do not want to see you."

i turned and barged out of the throne room, MY throne room. i held onto my emotions the best i could until i reached our room before i broke down. 

as soon as my door was closed i fell to my knees in sobs, knowing that there was no way out of this one if he would not change his mind.  

i sobbed because the man who i have been married to for twenty-two years was not who i thought he was. or was he? i had always known that he would give anything to have her back, he was always willing to give me up for her. i was just hoping that he loved me more. 

i walked to the balcony of our room and looked out onto the city, the streets were oddly quiet, i wonder what he did to them. i could see the barrier he had placed around the palace, i knew that even my mother could not get through. i looked down at the courtyard and could see the remaining Dark Fairies going about their lives. 

a familiar green caught my eye, Lunar. Lunar was married to my uncle Carliles and was a dark fairy. but they both lived in my mothers palace, which means dark fairies can enter the barrier. 

i rushed from my room and ran down the many flights of stairs, running into Lunar in the entrance room. 

"Are you okay?" Lunar asked me, worry on his face. "your brother came to me in a panic, what is going on?"

"Oberon." i answered, "he is going to bring Celeste back."

"how?" he asked, brushing his short green hair from his face, "that should not be possible."

"it is if you use a link between the two fairy kings and sacrifice it." i told him, "only one link can ever be made, and guess who it is."

"Astraea...." Lunar looked deeply sad for me, "what can i do to help?"

"i have no one on my side here Lunar." i told him, "i just need a friend. i know you have a life with Carlisle, and i would not dream of asking you to stay, but...."

"say no more." he help his hand up. "i will stay, and be the friend and protector you need. i owe you that much as my queen."

i laughed a bit, "you know you dont belong to Oberon anymore."

"more the reason to help you." he smiled, "your father owns me. i am not tied to Oberon anymore so you know you can trust me. but you will always be my queen."

"even if i leave him?" i asked, tears going down my face.

"fairies do not have divorce in the sense that humans do." he told me, "if a fairy couple decides to leave eachother, their property still belongs to both. in this case, you will always be the fairy queen."

"so you can come and go as please right?" i asked him, a smile forming on my face.

"i can." he answered. "as a dark fairy, i can go through the barrier."

"good." i looked around, fairies entering the palace around us. "lets make me a queen for Oberon to reckon with."

"Carlisle?" he asked with a smile, and i nodded. 

"i want Oberon to know that no matter what he does, i AM his queen right to the end," i smiled back. "if he gets to be a big, bad, scary guy.... then make me worst."