Water and Air: A Waterfire Saga reincarnation fanfic.

Tides that Rip Us Apart And Push Us Together

I was too astonished to speak.

Not only was my own mother contemplating an arranged marriage, but she was doing it for me.

And to someone I had just met, no less.

While my mind, and if I had to be seriously honest, my heart, longed for someone else.

I stared at her, uncomprehendingly for a long moment. Isabella seemed to read my emotions and her eyes softened.

"I never met your father until our Promising." She said softly. "He never met me. I was Promised to him at sixteen and I married him when I was twenty. So did your grandmother. And yet we were happy, Bastiaan and I. I can't imagine my life with anyone other than him, not once have we been unfaithful to each other, or treated the other poorly. We respected each other, including our differing opinions, and we've supported each other the whole way through."

That was true. Isabella and Bastiaan had been happy together since before we were born. I won't say that their marriage was completely ideal, but there you have it. Mother might have been allowed to marry for love, and ended up being with someone who only wanted her money, crown and power and charmed her to do it. On the other hand, however, they were lucky. And so was Grandmother and Grandfather, Sera and Mahdi.

And there was also the unfortunate fact that I had also fallen in love with someone whom I would never be allowed to go near.

From another world.

"How do you even know whether Admiral Kolfinn and the Ondalinians would approve of this," I nearly demanded my mother. "You said it yourself. They mistrust us. They could still be chafing at the requirements of the peace agreement, not just the Permutavi."

"You're right and there were other offers for you and Sera's hands in marriage," Isabella sighed, standing.

"What?!" That was both of us. "How come we've never heard of this?" Sera nearly demanded.

Because in a world where parents arranged the marriages, or at least in certain circles, they did not feel the need to share these things with us.

"Because I believed that Mahdi, Emperor Bilaal's offer and Matali's would be for the best," Isabella stated. She swum towards us. "I won't just give you to anyone, merls." She said quietly. "Even for Miromara's benefit. You have a right not to be mistreated. And unless there is no other choice, and we are all in serious, even grave danger, I would not give either of you to anyone who may mistreat you. Emperor Bilaal is a good, honourable, wise and strong ruler," Isabella hesitated, though not because of uncertainty. "He has proven a strong and steadfast ally and friend even in the worst of times. He would not allow nor did he raise his own son to mistreat his wife and children. In fact, he and Empress Ahadi have had a happy, loving marriage and you Serafina, are close friends with Neela, who by all accounts, is a member of the imperial family and lives in the imperial palace. You will not find yourself alone in a foreign realm, completely friendless and surrounded by cold, hostile strangers. You also know Yazeed. And you have gotten time to know your betrothed. Your life in Matali would not be so bad, and as future regina, you will be dividing your time between both realms."

"And what about me?" My eyes narrowed, icily. "Sera might know Mahdi, she might be close friends with Neela, and Emperor Bilaal is someone whom you trust. Matali has proven to be a steadfast and firm ally, but Ondalina? I may be in approval for ending generations of hostility," I said hotly, my temper rising. "But in this way?" I exclaimed. "Ondalina might not be at all happy with this new turn of events, you don't even know Kolfinn, or have assurances that he will be as a friend and ally to you and Miromara as Emperor Bilaal and Matali has been to us. The Ondalinians mostly stick to themselves and don't even show their cities willingly. I don't know Astrid or any member of Admiral Kolfinn's family. The Ondalinians still chafe under the terms that Miromara under Regina Isolda, no matter how graciously, enforced upon them. And Miromara is itself offended that Kolfinn chose to withdraw from the Permutavi." I felt my rage flare. I had never lost my temper in front of my mother but now...