She's The Enemy (GxG)

Chapter 8- You Can't Avoid The Inevitable

"I'm getting married..." I tell the girl after weeks of missing her face. She sits up and looks at me with questioning eyes. I'm standing on a few of the rocks in the middle of the lake tracing my boots on the surface of the water. I'd come here the second I'd found the small acorn she'd left by the trunk of a tree in front of our house.

"I thought you didn't like the idea of marriage at such an early age..." She mutters softly and I hop across the rocks towards her. I don't how many times I've crossed this border but it's a lot more than I had before I met this girl.

"My father wishes to see me happy and cared for before his time." She flinches at the word father and I go to sit beside her,

"How have you been?"

"I am to be crowned Queen tomorrow..." She whispers, "I'm so scared."

"You'll make an incredible queen."

"And you'll make a beautiful bride..." I look over at her and brush a lock of her hair behind her ear.

"What about you? Do you have to be married after being crowned?" She frowns at me and sighs.

"It is not like it is here. All Fae have mates... it is like a bond with another- an unbreakable bond. And you only feel it once in your life. Only once you have found your mate can you be married. It is considered a great privilege to be the mate of a Royal Fae... So, no I do not have to be married to rule my kingdom..." I try to smile but for once I can't because when I look at her, the only thing I see is the sadness and longing in her eyes.

"Who are you to be married to?" She asks quietly and I wonder why she cares- it's not like she'll know him.

"A boy named Ari. We've been friends since we were young- it made sense."

"It made sense? Do you love him?" She says with a little more annoyance in her voice,

"I mean... no, but I'm sure I'll grow to..." I protest latching her gaze in mine.

"You humans!" She yells standing up in annoyance, "Don't you understand? Love is something so rare you may only get once or twice in your lifetime. Marrying someone because 'it makes sense' isn't love and it won't become it. You are wasting your life Emelie!"

"I don't care! I don't need to be in love! My father has done so much for me and I can't just let him down!" I yell back standing up to face her. I can see the annoyance in her eyes, and I can feel it bubbling within me.

"This shouldn't be your father's choice! It should be yours. You should have the chance to fall in love!" She sighs and looks at me breathing slower, "You aren't going to live forever. Your life is short- you have to live it to the fullest..." I take a moment to respond. There's this beast roaring inside me and my head is hot. I don't know why I'm so upset. Maybe partly because I know everything, she's saying is true and I don't want her to be right or maybe because I missed her a stupid amount and I hate how much control she has over me. I don't know. But I just blew up.

"And why do you care- hey?" I snap at her, "You have a lifetime to find your mate who you know is perfectly designed for you! You have so much freedom, yet you complain about having too much pressure on you! Your life is perfect! It's everything I've ever wanted. You can do anything and yet I'm held back by the simple fact that I was born a woman. I can't fight, I can't defend myself, apparently, I can't even live without a man by my side!" She steps back in shock as I breathe out the anger bubbling inside of me. I feel the tears dripping down my face and for a moment I can't even understand what I'm feeling. I look at her face and I know I've hurt her, and I wish I could take back every word.

"I can't do this right now..." I walk towards her, an apology on the end of my tongue.

"Stop!" She yells at me; tears are running down her face now too.

"I'm sorry-" I begin but she cuts me off,

"No. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for caring! I'm sorry that your life sucks so much. I'm sorry that I can't do anything about it. That I lost my father and that the fact that I'm scared to run a whole bloody court by myself is distressing for you. I'm so- goddamn sorry!" And with that, she wipes the tears from her face and disappears into the fog. I press my hands to my forehead. I'm such an idiot- What the hell did I just do?

***

As I walk back through the town Ari spots me running up to me and placing a hand around my shoulder,

"How's my beautiful Fiancée?" I pull him off of me,

"Not now Ari..." I grumble and begin to head back to the house,

"That bad huh?" He says, running to catch up with me. His brown eyes almost hide his pupils in the shade of the trees.
"Ari!" I exclaim, looking up at him, the shadow of tears in my eyes, "Please..." I look around the village centre, there are quite a few people out, mostly getting water ready for the night and bread for tomorrow morning's breakfast.

"Look... We're going to spend the rest of our lives together; I just want to know if you're okay. I'm your friend before your fiancé... Are you having doubts about it?" I shake my head feeling the tears threaten to roll,

"Ari..." I whisper but he interrupts me

"Cause if you are- I want to know..." He continues, seemingly lost in his own train of thought.

"Ari," I say, a little louder this time. Nothing.

"Because I really want to do this but if you aren't ready yet..."

"Ari, Shut Up!" I yell and feel the eyes of the village turn to us. Ari opens his mouth and shuts it again searching my eyes in confusion, "I said I didn't want to do this now! Please- just go!" Absolutely everyone is watching us now and I just want it all to go away. The anger. The expectation. The pain of knowing I hurt one of the most important people in my life and I'll probably never see her again. I look up at him and watch his heart break right in front of me. Then I tear my gaze from his and walk away. He doesn't follow me this time.

A/N

I hope you are enjoying! Thank you for reading and have the most incredible day!