Weaving Destinies

“He is so dead when I catch up with him!” I thought angrily as I stumbled along the winding hallways being pushed along by the spell. I struggled to keep my towel around my body as I nearly slipped from having wet feet on a marble floor. I hurried along, hoping to get closer to Alec, when I heard voices.

“I understand the urgency of this, Hachi, but I insist that we wait for Faith to accompany us,” Alec’s voice echoed down the corridor. I smiled triumphantly to myself. He couldn’t be too far ahead. I started to run and found myself climbing a narrow staircase.

“I am sorry, your Royal Highness, but we have no time to wait for her. Besides, I think it best that you hear this alone,” a woman’s voice came down from above me on the spiraling wooden staircase. I finally made it to the top (after slipping several times) and into a large, empty room. There didn’t appear to be much of anything in here except for a large pool in the center. Water lilies floated on its glimmering surface, giving it a very magical look. Looking ahead, Alec, still wet and wearing a white cloth robe, was talking to a woman with short green hair and sharp yellow eyes who appeared to be in her mid-thirties.

“Why did you bring me up here? What is this about?” Alec was asking.

“The people are growing anxious. They want to be sure that the High Prince is safely married with an heir to the throne before something terrible happens, such as the death of the King or even your death. Some of them are worried that you and Faith don’t even have a romantic relationship. Normally I would disagree with this, but I have to admit: things don’t look too good,” the woman, probably named Hachi, said gravely.

“She needs time,” Alec sighed. “Her love and trust are not easily earned.”

“Earning love and trust? What about love at first sight? No one has to worry about actually earning someone’s affections! That sort of thing only exists in stories and fairytales!”

“I am afraid that Faith does not possess this gift.”

“What? This is absurd! The people of the Tribe of Legends have to gain love from each other? How do they know if they’ve found their soul mate? It’s absolutely outrageous!” Hachi looked appalled. “You’re supposed to be married to her by now! Has she even fully released your powers yet?”

“No,” Alec answered calmly.

“Alec! That impudent girl has you wrapped around her finger!” Hachi barked. “The man is supposed to be the leader in every relationship! You must stop obeying her and command her to marry you!”

“I respect your opinion as one of my most trusted advisors, Hachi, but this is something Faith and I need to work out alone.”

“It is not! This is something that affects the entire world! You must make your decisions more wisely. Stop thinking about what she wants and consider for once the good of Torm!”

“I am prepared to sacrifice whatever is necessary to make my beloved happy.”

“Alec, this has gone far enough!” Hachi seemed to grow taller. “No longer shall I follow your foolish rule. My true loyalty lies with Callagroth!” Her body grew longer and turned a shade of green. Her human features disappeared and were replaced by those of a snake. Soon a gigantic snake was hissing over Alec’s head. As I took a step closer, my foot slipped on the white marble, and I crashed to the ground. Hachi turned her eyes away from Alec and started to slither towards me.

“Oops…” I laughed nervously, paralyzed with fear. “I’m sorry. Did I interrupt something? I think I’ll just leave now!” Hachi lunged towards me and encircled my waist with her tail. She wound it tightly around me as I gasped for air.

“Alec, don’t just stand there! Do something!” I choked.

“Release my powers,” he responded urgently.

“Yeah, kind of hard to do when I’m being strangled to death,” I gasped as Hachi squeezed so tightly that I was surprised my bones weren’t crushed.

“I can never defeat her unless I have possession of my full powers! Please, Faith! My darling, it is your only hope!” Alec called to me, running towards Hachi. I closed my eyes until I felt the familiar pulsation-like shockwave flow through me towards Alec. Opening my eyes, I saw his body shine slightly. He stretched out a glowing hand, and a brilliant light suddenly filled the room. I heard mad hisses from the serpent as the explosion from the light hurled me into the air. The smoke that had filled the room faded away as I fell towards the ground. Alec was right below me, and I luckily fell into his arms. Clutching my towel with one hand, I looked up into his face.

“Is it dead?” I asked shakily, my entire body feeling sore and bruised.

“Yes, my love. Hachi is gone,” he smiled down at me. Our moment was ruined when I heard insane giggling from the doorway to the room. Both of us turn to see a multitude of servants who must have followed us here laughing for no apparent reason.

“If you wanted to bath together, you could have just told us, your Highnesses,” one of the butlers chuckled. I realized that both Alec and I were nearly naked. My face felt like it was on fire as Alec’s hands wrapped tighter around my shoulders and bare legs.

“We were doing nothing of the sort,” he said protectively, hugging me to his firm chest. This only made the servants laugh harder.

“Um, Alec?” I said timidly.

“Yes, dearest?”

“Neither of us have any real clothes on, and you’re squashing me. It’s not really a good image,” I pointed out. Alec, who apparently didn’t realize what he had been doing, blinked in surprise and blushed. He set me down a little too quickly, and my wet feet slid once again on the slick floor. I stumbled backwards into the pool.

I sank under the surface, my towel quickly absorbing water. The pool was at least eight feet deep, and on top of that, I had forgotten how heavy towels could be when soaked. I tried to swim to the surface, but the towel was weighing me down.

Alec dove into the pool, paddling towards me and grabbing onto my hand. He attempted to pull me upwards, but the towel was too much for even him. He made a motion telling me to leave the towel behind. I nearly drowned in a wild frenzy of refusal.

He swam up for air and then dove back down to help me. He grabbed me around the waist and started paddling upwards again. Even with the both of us flailing around, it was no good.

I was losing oxygen fast. Fatigue overwhelmed me as I no longer had the energy to struggle. Alec swam to the surface again as I sank helplessly to the bottom. He appeared a moment later with some sort of thin cloth robe like the one he was wearing in his hands. Without hesitating, I let go of the towel and wrapped the fabric against my body, making sure to cover the important parts. Alec managed to pull me to the surface, and I took gulps of air as we broke through. Too tired to tread water, I allowed him to lift me out the water and onto the marble floor. The servants cheered as I lay there trying to catch my breath.

“Mary, Walter, bring dry clothes for both of us,” Alec commanded. “The rest of you, return to your normal duties.” The servants all scurried away, leaving me alone with Alec.

“My darling, are you all right?” Alec sat down beside me and lovingly pushed a strand of wet hair out of my face.

“Yeah, thanks,” I whispered weakly. "Sorry about the towel thing. It was stupid I should have just given up and let go."

“No, maiden modesty is indeed an admirable trait. You trusted me enough to save you that you refused to expose yourself before me,” Alec said, stroking my face with his hand. “It has only made me fall in love with you even more.” My hand flew up and grabbed his.

“Stop that,” I narrowed my eyes, my voice sounding pathetically weak. He laughed and wrapped both his hands around mine.

“Still as determined and stubborn as always, even after a near death experience,” he smiled, kissing the palm of my hand. I had to secretly admit to myself that having him here beside me and holding my hand seemed to take away the burning sensation in my lungs and make me relax. I sighed deeply and closed my eyes, knowing that I was safe with him. But something was still troubling me.

“Alec?” I asked quietly.

“Yes, beloved?”

“If Callagroth kidnapped me again and threatened to kill me if you didn’t surrender the throne of Torm, what would you do?”

“Why, that is a simple question. I would hand over the crown and save you, of course,” he replied. My heart sank.

“No, Alec, please don’t,” I begged. “If something like that ever did happen, don’t ever sacrifice Torm for me.”

“My sweetheart, what do you mean? Surely you must know that I love you more than I do my planet.”

“No!” I whispered fiercely, opening my eyes to stare at him. “Don’t say that! Torm is more important than I’ll ever be! If you promise me anything, promise me this: if a time comes where you will have to make that decision, you will sacrifice me so that I may die with honor for you and your planet.”

“If this is truly what you wish for, then let it be so. I swear by everything I hold dear to myself, I will not let you down,” Alec's grip on my hand tightened.

“Your Highnesses, we have brought your clothes,” a male voice announced. I sat up and saw a maid and a butler standing before us holding neatly folded clothes. They left the room after handing them to us, and we both changed after I made sure that Alec wouldn’t peek.

Leaning on Alec’s shoulder, I managed to walk down the staircase and into a room my maids had prepared for me. I collapsed into the silk sheets and soft feathery pillows. Alec pulled a velvet-covered chair over by my bed.

“Would you… allow me to stay here for a while?” he asked hesitantly. I was about to vehemently refuse, but then I noticed how troubled he looked.

“Fine, but don’t you dare try anything,” I murmured, closing my eyes. I fell asleep almost immediately.