Shifter Universe # 2: Darkness

5. Expensive Trade

ATHELYNA

The sun was lowering in the horizon, darkness quickly spreading, as Athelyna finally came to a halt. Her head was spinning while she pressed her palms against her knees. She was not sure how long she ran for, but she was completely out of breath, a dizzy spell clouding her head.

She inclined her head backwards while inhaling deeply. Despite the work out she did to clear her mind, it was still filled with rage.

She knew the moment she would return to the village her mother would continue along with her plans of marrying her off to Roland. Athelyna had yet to come up with a solution for this dilemma.

Although, if she were to be honest, she would admit that there was no solution. She could not live on her own in the wild world. She had nothing. If she went back to her mother, her only option, no matter how much she would kick and scream, would be to marry this Roland.

Athelyna ran her fingers through her damp hair before dropping to her knees. Her heart ached for the world she would never have. Tears formed in her blue eyes, stinging, while she grasp at the red fabric of her dress, crisping it into bundles of fabric.

Her hair was tangled by the wind and sweat as it messily clung to her. Her body wavered, her red lips quivering, and then she finally let the tears drop. They rolled down her cold, velvet skin, dropping onto the dirt, tainting it further dark.

"Athelyna."

The sound of that voice was enough to make her shiver in choler. Not this again. Not Isolde. Did the woman follow her everywhere just to make her life even worse?

"Isolde, not now, please, not now." It nearly sounded like begging and she nearly did not care.

Isolde held back the smile that was attempting to form on her dusty pink lips.

"It is quite rude of you to run off instead of coming to meet your future husband."

The words Isolde used caused Athelyna to curl her toes to help her control her anger. "I am not going to marry him."

"It is not your decision. Your mother and his parents have already decided for you. It would be even ruder not to go through with your duty. Do you not care about your people at all?"

"What I do is none of your concern. I am free to lead my life as I please. And this has nothing to do with whether I care or not." This was about Isolde obtaining what she desired; as always.

Isolde scoffed to muffle her chuckle. "But you are not. You must do as you are told. And this is why you can never be part of our world. You are selfish, and you do as you please." Her eyes darkened while she took a step in direction of Athelyna. "I will not let you ruin the legacy of this village. We have a duty and it comes before everything else."

Athelyna felt like Isolde was trying to over power her which led her to stand back up. She did not care for the respect other people had towards Isolde. Athelyna simply did not trust her or like her.

"I do my duty, I help. I simply want more than you do. I do not judge others like you do. I thought we were carrying a message of peace, yet all you carry around is hatred."

Isolde smiled. "If you do not wish to go to your husband, I will bring him to you."

Without uttering another word, Isolde turned around.

"I am not going to marry him," Athelyna exclaimed with fury, fire spiting out of her mouth with each word she spoke.

Still, despite her words Isolde's speed never slowed down. Athelyna pinched her lips together so hard that they turned white before she spun around. If Isolde spoke to her mother and future husband, they were going to drag her back.