May Death Do Us Part

“I see, so you really are her mother,” Bahram spoke.

“I never wanted her to play any part in this,” Marceline pouted, “so when I received the letter that she was here with Edron’s son I came as quickly as I could. I mean if Elric is already king of almost the whole continent, there is no need for a war with the humans right? No one has to get hurt and Melissa can finally come home with me.”

“I take it you haven’t met your dear son in law,” William murmured as he sipped his tea and mouthed some biscuits.

“Elric? What’s wrong with him?”

“Other than the fact that he is an obsessive psychopath tyrant who will slit the throat of anyone who tries to take Melissa away from him, he’s a good guy,” Bahram responded sarcastically.

“Oh,” Marceline looked pensive for a minute and then looked up at Bahram, “is that why he claims to be Melissa’s mate?”

“I don’t understand..”

“Well you see the mating of lycans is very specific,” Marceline explained, “some even believe a lycan’s mate is predetermined even before birth. When a lycan meets their mate there’s an obsessive love they develop for them.”

.....

“Well considering that he lured us out here so he could bait her to come back to Meria,” William pointed out, “don’t you think maybe she is his mate?”

“That would suck,” Jonathan commented in displeasure.

“She’d have to be stuck with a crazy man like him forever,” Alexander added on.

“But she’s not though,” Marceline corrected the men.

Emma arched a brow at the red haired woman, “how are you so sure?”

“A mother knows,” the nosferatu queen responded, “you see like lycans, us nosferatu have what we call blood halves, and Melissa already met her blood half long before she ever knew king Elric. I felt it as clear as day, I have no doubt in my mind. She can’t be Elric’s mate if she already found her blood half, it just doesn’t work that way.”

“But Elric is obsessed with her and we all know it, so why is that?” Bahram questioned. “Did he get it wrong?”

“I’m not sure,” Marceline responded, looking equally confused.

William leaned back in his chair and contemplated over what Marceline had just said, if Melissa had met her half long before she met Elric, was it possible that her blood half was actually the elf prince Gareth? And if that was the case, why was Elric insistent on claiming she was his mate.

“So when are you finding your blood halves boys?” Emma tauntingly questioned her twin sons who both blushed in unison.

“Mother please!” They both mumbled in embarrassment making everyone chuckle.

*

Gareth walked out of the palace and down the rocky paths in a wobbly stride, he had a bit too much ale as usual but had decided he needed to go out and find someone who could help him with his situation with Melissa, a witch, a wizard, anyone. He was going absolutely mad without her, every time he was sober all the thought about was how much he wanted to be holding her in his arms but wasn’t.

Suddenly, hand grabbed his shoulder and turned him around, it was Finwe and he had a worried look on his face as he examined his intoxicated brother. “You’re drunk again Gareth?”

“And what do you care?” The prince responded. He grabbed Finwe’s arm and threw it off him, “isn’t this what you wanted? Isn’t this what you ALL wanted?!”

“I have always been on your side and you know this..”

“Then why didn’t you do anything when that dog Elric took her from me!”

“I’m sorry brother I should have done something and I didn’t,” Finwe responded. He then grabbed Gareth’s wrist and began pulling him back towards the palace, “come back in, you can’t let people see you like this Gareth you’re the crowned prince.”

Gareth pulled his arm away and continued walking, “I relinquish that title, you can have it!”

“Gareth..” Finwe walked ahead of him and formed an invisible barrier to stop him. “Where are you even going? You can barely walk!”

“I can’t just sit around and do nothing while Melissa is out there,” Gareth spoke firmly, “out of my way!” The dark haired prince began banging on the barrier repeatedly.

The fracas drew the attention of some of the maids who stole glances to watch what was going on.

“Finwe I’m giving you to the count of three to move!”

Finwe stood his ground as he watched his brother pound on the barrier, it was a sad site to see, love really was a disease.

“One!... Two!..”

“Gareth please you’re causing a scene..”

“Three!” The dark haired prince drew in a breath and the Aztec like markings on his forehead flared, he was about to raise his hand and use his magic when someone grabbed him from behind and locked his arms behind his back.

“Wha- what is this?!” Gareth yelled and began jerking his body.

“Don’t make me put you down your grace,” Zander spoke, “calm down and we can discuss Melissa when you’ve sobbered up.”

“Zander you traitor I thought you were my friend!” Gareth yelled as he squirmed around. Gashes of air and some vines lunged at the blonde elf but he strategically dodged the drunken attacks. “Let me go Zander! Let me go! Please...”

Finally Gareth stopped squirming and lowered his head, his brown locks covering his handsome face, “please Zander I can’t live like this..”

The cracking in Gareth’s voice and the tear drops that landed at his feet made both the men’s hearts ache.

“I’m going mad without her Zander you don’t understand,” more drops splattered on the ground. Never in his life had Zander seen the prince cry, ever, so he knew he must be in a lot of pain. And now that he had just seen Vivian off, he could relate to it.

“I know your grace,” Zander spoke comfortingly, “but we can’t do anything if you’re drunk like this. You need to sober up, eat something and wash up, after that I’ll help you find a way to be with princess Melissa.”

The dark haired prince nodded slowly and Zander let him go. He dropped to his knees and clenched his chest as if his heart was in pain, but then again, it was. Finwe broke the barrier and walked towards his brother, he crouched down in front of him and very gently pulled him into his embrace.

“I’m such a disgrace of a prince,” Gareth muttered, “look at me crying over a woman in front of everyone. How will people look at me?”

“Like a man with a heart,” Finwe responded. He tightened his embrace around his brother, Gareth was a lot like how their mother described their father father. Even though quirky and level headed, very soft and emotional when it came to the people they loved. “We’ll get her back brother don’t you worry, we have to.”

*

Melissa was sitting alone on a log minding her business and missing Gareth terribly as the men she was traveling with watered the horses and replenished their supplies. She had heard Elric speaking with one of his generals and had mentione that they would reach Meria in a few days time, it made her heart sink. The further away she was from Gareth the more hopeless and alone she felt, she didn’t even know if she would ever see him again. Even though she volunteered to return with Elric she was practically his prisoner because she knew that if she tried to leave him he was crazy enough to kill all of them by ending his own life.

“Queen Melissa..”

The redhead doubtfully turned to look at the lycan who was speaking to her. Did he just call her ‘queen’ Melissa? “Oh I’m sorry, I’m no queen,” she corrected him.

“But my queen you’re king Elric’s wife,” the man spoke with a polite bow, “hence I have to address you as such.”

[Elric’s wife huh?]

Gods that left a murky feeling in her chest, if only she had known, she would have never even given this crazy man a second glance at the ball all those years ago.

“We were instructed by his majesty to help you freshen up,” the general continued, “there is a shallow spot down the river where you can bathe, I’ll stand watch.”

Melissa raised her eyebrows at the men and he immediately turned red.

“I mean from a distance your majesty!” The general yelled, “so that no one can.. umm..”

Melissa stood up and began walking towards the river, “don’t get all embarrassed, I know you won’t peek. I’m sure you wouldn’t want your psychopathic king to gauge your eyes out.”

The general gulped and followed the redhead at a distance, she may have been joking but he knew that the king was very capable of doing exactly that.

In as much as Melissa wanted no favors from the scummy king Elric, she was actually a little relived he’d organized this for her. Today in particular she felt a little warmer than usual and it was uncomfortable, as if she was coming down with a fever. A nice cool bath may be exactly what she needed to feel better.