Once Upon a Child of the Stars

Nineteen- One Seat Away

I sit on the bed in my room once again and let the tears flow. I then realized how much I had come to hate my mate, if that is what you could even call him. Xavian may be king, but I will not let him stand in the way of my happiness. I had already decided that I would take Raegar's help in escaping the planet. We had to devise a plan, one that would allow me to slip passed Xavian and return to Dyspheria where I belonged.

I had nothing against the family other than Xavian. Lavina was a sweet, motherly woman and Ozias even with his rough exterior was a king and fatherly man. Xiomara had a similar rough outside as her father, but she too had a soft heart and I knew she would help comfort me in the end.

I wiped my tears away, knowing I was stronger than the salty drops that trickled down my face. I was stronger than Xavian, and I would escape him.

After a while and some water splashed on my face, a knock came to my door. I was expecting Raegar, but when I opened the door I came face to face with Kaedian.

"Um, hi," he started.

"Hi," I said in an awkward response.

"May I come in?" he asked, as if it were some scandal that he enter my room.

"Be my guest," I say, stepping to the side to allow him access. I closed the door behind him and turned to look at him.

"I may have heard what Prince Raegar said to you, about escaping," he says shyly.

"Yeah? Are you gonna run and tell King Xavian?" I say, sarcasm dripping from my lips.

"Of course not! Actually, I wanted to help," he pauses for a moment before speaking again. "And possibly come with you back to your planet," he says like a child asking for something large they do not know if they can have or not. I stand silent for a send with my lips pursed before I reply.

"Sure," I say flatly.

"Wait, really?"

"Yeah, why not?"

"Yes! I will help you as much as I can! I swear to you!" he says, excitement showing in his lightened eye color. Suddenly, a knock comes at the door and I once again make my way to it. I open it, and as I expected the first time, Raegar stands in the doorway.

"What is he doing here?" Raegar asks, confused as to why Kaedian was in my room. Kaedian rubs the back of his neck while I nudge Raegar into my room before closing the door.

"He wants to help and come with us to Dyspheria," I say.

"You want to go to Dyspheria?" Raegar asks, turning to the awkward brown haired man. "Why?"

"I have always wanted to travel, and I have never quite fit in here. I just feel that maybe what I am looking for in life is not on this planet, Prince Raegar," Kaedian explains.

"You do know you're free to leave whenever you want to, right?" Raegar asks, raising an eye brow at Kaedian.

"Oh I know, but I don't want to travel alone. Space travel scares me and I have never had anyone willing to follow me. Now, I can help Luminara and I can achieve my dreams!" he responds with excitement. Raegar turns to look at me, now raising both eye brows. I give him a shrug.

"I don't see the harm in an extra set of hands to help us get off this black rock," I say.

"Whatever," Raegar shrugs at me.

"Great! So where do we start?" Kaedian asks.

"We start by going to dinner and not making it obvious that we are planning to help Lumi escape," Rae glares at Kaedian. "Let's go. Dinner is waiting for us," Raegar instructs and he opens my room door, gesturing for us to exit. We do as he suggests and he closes the door and leads us down the halls.

We make it to the dinner table, which is long and grand. Xavian is seated at the head chair, while on his right his mother and father sit, waiting for the meal to arrive from the kitchens. I notice a chair to the left of Xaxian also at the head of the table where I know his mate, me, would sit.

An idea to piss him off pops into my head, and instead of sitting where I am meant to sit, I sit one chair away, across from his father. Raegar gives me a look of confusion, but it soon turns to humor as he realizes I have done this purposefully.

"Darling, you're supposed to sit next to your mate as future Queen," Lavina says gently.

"Oh! My apologies. On Dyspheria, we sit a seat away until we fully accept our mate bond," I lie with a smile. "I did not think that would be an issue as it is just the family here, and I want to bring a piece of my home beliefs when I can," I continue to play my facade.

"Well I suppose it would not hurt anything-" Lavina speaks but she is cut off by a growl from her son.

"You will sit next to me as you are meant to, Mate," Xavian growls at me.

"One seat away wont hurt anything. I want this to be my home too, and as a mate you should respect my wish and my decision to sit a seat away as it is my tradition," I defend myself. I know Raegar is smirking behind me, but I cannot see him as I am selling my lie about sitting away from Xavian as well as pissing him off. He growls at me but I manage to keep my head up.

"Son, let her sit where she pleases. Your duty as a mate is to make her happy just as much as it is the other way around," Ozias steps in.

"You are no longer king, Father! You have no say and neither does anyone else!" Xavian roars before turning to me, his eyes a furious black. "Sit where you belong before I make you sit where I know you will hate it more," he growls lowly at me.

"I wish to sit here!" I exclaim, doubting his threatening words. Where else could he possibly make me sit anyway? Where could be worse than next to him?

He growls once more before standing to his full, tall height and stalking over to me. I stand up and take a step back, knowing he is pissed and I do not want to be struck if he decides to swing at me.

Swiftly, he lunges and grabs me before dragging me, kicking and screaming back to the table.

"Put me down, you psycho!" I yell. A gasp is heard and I know it is Kaedian, but a chuckle from Xiomara and Raegar who remain standing near the table cover the noise. Xavian drags me to his chair, and without missing a move, sits me onto his lap.

"No! There is no way I am sitting here!" I yell before sliding off and sitting in the chair next to Xavian.

"Pull a stunt like this again and that is the only place you will ever sit," Xavian says in a low, threatening voice. I gulp and remain quiet. Xiomara takes a seat next to her mother and Raegar sits to my left where I once was sitting.

For someone who does not want me around, Xavian seems to want to keep me close and under his control as much as possible. I glare at the king, but he does not see as his eyes are on the food that is just now being brought into the room.