War's Love

Burnt Hopes

I did a once over and noticed I had left the onyx stone that my mother used to wear was sitting on a table. I walked over and placed it around my neck and let it lay on my chest neatly. It was my mother's and when I was very little my father gave it to me, since I resembled her the most out of my siblings. 

I had her ebony hair and her amber-ish gold eyes. My father doesn't talk about her much and every time I come home the same way she used to. 

I guess me and my mother were suckers for the wiles of danger and excitement. 

I went downstairs to smell Oriana's cooking. It was heavenly to smell her roasts and apple turnovers that her husband had taught her to make. Everything my sisters did was the opposite of what I wanted. I didn't want to cook and clean the house for my husband. I wanted a simple life of thrills.

I went to the table the candles burning brightly in the room. Today I was turning 16 and that meant no more daydreaming about that boy. I wanted him more than any present I was going to be given. He was everything to me and I would rather have him here than some strange guy that will be my husband for life. 

What will I do if he never shows up?

That question plagued me for years. I don't regret loving him and holding onto to him. In some ways I know its foolishness to keep pretending he'll come my way again. I had tried to forget him, but nothing I did seemed to get me to stop thinking about him. 

I sat down at the table and gazed at the flame wondering how warm it might feel to be next to that boy. He'd hold me to him and I would fall asleep next to him, his warm flesh against mine.

"Eleza," I jerked up a little dreamily to see Oriana. Her eyes were pale blue and her hair was lighter, a chestnut brown color. "You're so beautiful in that dress, I knew that color would look nice on you," She was probably the cheery one around here, but she was pretty open to my outings more than May was. 

I went back to looking at the candle the wax slowly burning down and the time it's got left was short just like my life was. What I had come to know as myself would disappear once I was married and I prayed this day would never come. 

The front door opened and I turned my head to see my father. His jaw nearly dropped when he saw me in the dress Oriana had made. It had draped nicely to my skin and the silver blending into the dark green at the bottom and sleeves. He was almost on the brink of tears. "You're as beautiful as your mother, Elezana," I placed my hands in my lap and sat up. I knew he missed her and that I reminded him of her in so many ways. 

After my father had calmed down, we started eating dinner. We were talking about the usual things like how our days went and that kind of thing when my future was brought up.

"Eleza, we need to talk about it. I know you don't like the idea of marriage, but," My father started and I stood up. My sisters were watching me with concern. I wanted to run, but there wouldn't be a point to. I knew he'd bring this up. "Someone has asked for your hand," He said it almost more worriedly than I thought he would.

I looked at him and my sisters were also curious. I wanted to know if it was him. "Was it Rickard again?" I asked. Why the heck did I ask about him? Stupid. Stupid. He shook his head. "Then who?" I asked almost afraid of what he might say.

"The message was delivered here this afternoon by a crow," He began a small tale and I was waiting with a lump in my throat. I was nervous for once in my life. "Eleza, the God of war has chosen you as his bride," 

I froze. What?

The candle burnt out and so did my hopes for seeing that boy again.

He's about to make his entrance. I'm enjoying this a little too much, but man is this going to be good. I hope you enjoy the next chapter. I hope your ready...