Loving the Forbidden Prince

ETAN

He twitched the tent flap aside to find Ayleth standing there, eyes wide and pleading, Falek and Borsche behind her on either side. 

He offered her a hand and she took it, squeezing hard. But when he tried to draw her inside, she resisted for a moment. 

Stomach chilled, Etan turned back to her. "What is it?"

"Thank you," she whispered, putting her free hand to his face. "Thank you for loving me even… thank you. I won't betray you, Etan. I swear it."

He held her wide, blue eyes for a moment, then dropped to brush a chaste kiss on her lips. "You're my soul, Ayleth," he whispered. "Whatever is to come, we meet it together."

Then, as she followed him inside, her hand clasped in his, he prayed, as deeply and earnestly as he ever had, that the Father of Lights would spare her life. That her mother had been lying—or something had stayed her hand. He didn't care what achieved it, only that Ayleth remain safe. That she not drop dead at his feet. 

She walked in slightly behind him, her graceful hand white-knuckled in his. She hadn't had time to change, so as she drew the hood back, strands of her hair—disheveled because there hadn't been time to fix her braid, and she couldn't take the hood down once they were within sight of others—fell around her face, softening her features, and making her look very young.

Etan should have saluted his father, who stood, arms crossed, glowering at them both. But he kept Ayleth's hand in his, looking at her, then his mother, then to his father. 

"Father, I'm certain you know Ayleth, Princess of Zenithra, holder of the—"

"We have been introduced. And we are far beyond titles at this point," his father growled.

Eyes flashing, Ayleth inclined her head as was appropriate for one ruler to another, then met his gaze evenly, despite her dusty leathers and the scrape at her temple. 

"We have been introduced. But I am grateful to finally meet you in a place of… mutual admiration for your son."

His father snorted and shook his head. "You may have deceived my son into believing your heart of innocence, but you will not fool me, Ayleth."

"There is no deceit in me," she said firmly, still holding his gaze. "I understand your concern, and agree that the time is dire. But I am not here to threaten him—or you, or your Kingdom. I am here because my soul is tied to Etan's, and I cannot live without him," she said simply.

Etan's heart soared at the pride in her when she spoke of him, of the bond between them. He wanted to pull her aside and kiss her silly. Plunge into her until she screamed his name. But he could only squeeze her hand and send his love along the bond—now glowing with her love and admiration for him. 

"Ayleth, I am Adrien," his mother said softly, slipping between his father and Ayleth, offering a hand. To Etan's eternal gratitude, Ayleth took his mother's fingers and kissed her knuckles in a show of harmony. 

Etan's breath caught. Technically, Ayleth outranked his parents, though the line became blurry while she was still an heir. Politically, she had every right to command this room, to control this conversation. Her respect and humility… it was a gift to him. 

"It's lovely to meet you, Adrien. I… grieve the circumstances. But I have yearned to speak with you for weeks. It is a special honor to do so tonight."

Etan's mother smiled and she looked at him, tears beginning to silver in her eyes. "I have yearned to speak with you, also," she said, her voice husky. "Perhaps… perhaps we will have a chance to know each other better, soon."

Ayleth bowed her head again. "I hope so."

"Lovely," his father snapped. "But none of us will know the other beyond the day Zenithra send their forces against us in pursuit of their daughter—who I vowed I would never touch, never remove from their possession again. Etan, you have not only breached the Peace Accord, you have breached the contract between Summitras and Zenithra that allowed us entry into their borders in the first place!"

"I didn't—" he started, but Ayleth spoke over him.

"I brought my seal," she said quietly. "I pursued Etan. I was… disturbed by his apparent alliance with the Lady Sarya. He did not beckon me. I came of my own accord. And I left a message to my parents to that effect."

"They know you're here?" Etan's father gasped.

"No. They know—or will know—that I left by choice. I led them to believe I was taking another solitude, another time of reflection… to consider my future." 

His father's face pinched to a scowl. "They will never believe it—especially when they find out where you have been."

"Perhaps not," she said. "But I will stand in defense of Etan—in defense of Summitras—on this score. I was not taken. I left. My parents are aware of my… free spirit. It will not surprise them greatly that I have taken this time."

Etan shook his head. He hadn't known she'd tried to buy time. Was that why her mother hadn't killed her yet? They were still looking for her, in case she was just off camping with Falek again?

"If we can find a plan together," Ayleth said carefully, "I will work with you in whatever capacity will be the most likely to bring us through this peacefully—and together. I will send them a message in my own hand, with my own seal."

"I cannot imagine they will care to listen to that, under these circumstances!"

"I will make them," she replied simply. 

His father's head jerked back with what Etan knew to be his disapproval of Ayleth's naivete and pride—as he would see it. Then he shook his head and stepped up to Ayleth, putting himself between her and Etan's mother. Etan tensed, his father's entire demeanor hummed with the desire for violence. King or not, Etan would not allow his father to lay a hand on his wife. 

Ayleth didn't back away, but Etan shifted to block his father, to stand between them, meeting his father's eyes—not as father to son, but as man to man.

"Move," his father snarled.

Etan shook his head. "I will not let you touch her anymore than you would allow me to lay a hand to mother. I vowed my life before hers, and I meant it."

"You… what?" his father asked, his voice a low growl. 

"She's my wife, Father. We married during the reflection. I'm sorry. I wish you had been there. But it was the only way I could be certain. We are bound. The contract is signed. She's mine," Etan said simply. 

"You… you vowed for her? What of your vows to me? Your vows to your people? Those mean nothing now?" 

"Of course not!"

His father's face twisted with fury. Then he leaned into Etan until they were nose to nose. "You have singlehandedly brought our Kingdom to ruin. You have delivered us into the hands of our enemies—people will die, Etan. Many, many people."

"Father, I—" 

"Do not speak to me.. Get out of my sight before I kill you myself."

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