Counting down the days until you see that I'm eternally yours...

Chapter 12 | 'Til Death Do Us Part

"My lady, we are asking a lot from you, but also-our King, he is risking his life being here-"
"He can return at any time to his lands," you flippantly told Dohyun, "I'm not keeping him here."
"My lady, I'm not quite sure you understand..."

They had risked their lives and allowed you time to accept your fate. In a way, it had been a kindness. No matter what, your well-being had been put first.
"I'm sorry," a tear rolled down JR's face and you wanted nothing more than to hold him, to comfort him.
"It's...it's okay. You were just trying to protect me-"
"Oh she is blissfully ignorant, is she not?" Grinkel turned his sword in his hand. "To win the heart of a mortal is a challenging feat, I must give you credit for trying Elf King, but the moon is almost full and your time is almost up."
"What will happen when the moon is full?" You innocently ased.
"You truly do not know the legend?" Grinkel looked towards you, bemused. You shook your head.
"Please, tell me." Grinkel stood, thinking deep and hard about what you had just asked it seemed. Then he asked.
"Let me poise a question to you, mortal. Have you asked yourself why the Elf King and his servant refused to tell you the truth behind the Legend? Have you asked yourself why he never did simply return from whence he came from?"
Those were indeed a good questions and thinking upon it, you had not. You had simply assumed they were being stubborn, would not leave and that they would tell you eventually, but they had not. From day one, you had only been given the bare basic information. JR's father had been killed by Grinkel's clan, probably by Grinkel's father and now JR was King, however he could not be without a Queen. That was where you came in. You were meant to be his Queen.

"The fairy clan will cease to exist if the Elf King is not saved. You must save him," the little fairy told you, her voice shaking as she did so.
"Save him from what exactly?" You asked the little fairy, tilting your head to one side.
"I am forbidden to say anymore," She rose to her feet, looking up at you with a determined gaze, "But when the time is right, you will know what to do. Please, please save our King."

JR had told you he had known of you all along, for as long as he could remember. Using a mirror, he had watched you, longing for you whilst you wandered in your world. Your fate had been sealed before birth, yet he had not forced you. Yes, he had pushed but he had never forced you. Always, he had relied on you to be his strength, to help him and perhaps you were meant to save him like the fairy in your dream had told you. You were far more important to him than you had realised...
"Are you beginning to understand anything yet?" Grinkel asked. "You were not told anything not because the Elf King was protecting you, but because he was protecting himself."
"Protecting himself?" You repeated, "But he did protect me. He never forced me to do anything."
"You foolish mortal. Magic cannot bind anyone to your will. You can't force anyone to do anything they do not want to do!" This made sense as you recalled the moment when JR and you had been levitating over the lake. You had thought he could transport you to his world but he had not. It was not because he was being chivalrous but because his magic would not allow it. It was then, you had a thought...
"Is that why...you never returned to Aranthi, JR? Because your magic would not allow you?" You looked across to him.
"I...I couldn't return. The portal would not let me through, not without...you..."
"Oh how tragic," Grinkel rolled his eyes. "His magic couldn't make you love him nor could it save him."
"Grinkel, please, you've said enough!" JR pleaded.
"What does it matter if she knows or not?" Grinkel sneered.
"There is still time..."
"SILENCE!" Grinkel screamed at JR before flinging daggers in his direction. Both elven soldiers jumped forward, taking the hit before dropping to the ground. You scanned the battle field, searching for more. That was when you realised none were left. Grinkel had lost many on his side however JR had lost them all; there were no elven soldiers left. It was just JR, Dohyun and you.
"What fun this has been, mortal, but let us end this game. You want to know the legend, the truth? Here it is." Grinkel removed a crinkled piece of parchment from inside his armour.
"NO!" JR exclaimed throwing an energy ball at Grinkel. It missed and hit the force field, its energy being absorbed before it shot back out and blasted Grinkel backwards. The parchment fluttered to the ground just by the force field. Grinkel rose to his feet once more, enraged. Ignoring you, he walked back down the hill towards JR, forcing JR to lower his sceptre, the force field breaking. Dohyun ran past you, clearly realising that JR needed help. You took the chance and immediately snatched the parchment, smoothing its crinkled edges out before you read the secret it held:

Upon the eve of the full moon on the third day of the third month in the third century, judgement will be made upon the lands of Aranthi by the Arethan spirits. The thirteenth King must take all the crimes of his previous Kings upon himself and allow his life to be taken by the Arethan spirits, allowing the goblin prince to rule instead. The King's life shall only be spared if he can prove his family worthy of reigning Aranthi by capturing the heart of a mortal, for the mortal heart is the most pure of them all. If a mortal heart can be won by the King, then the King would've proven his family's worth to continue ruling the lands of Aranthi and they shall no longer be tortured by the goblin prince and his clan.

Your mind was reeling as you let it process the truth, the legend. Eve of the full moon on the third day of the third month in the third century-was that...tonight? Judgment upon the lands of Aranthi? The thirteenth King taking all the crimes of his previous Kings upon himself and allowing his life to be taken? Allowing his life to be taken...unless...a mortal heart could be won.
Your own eyes filled with tears. JR could not tamper and had tried to let things run their course without interfering. You were not sure what to say or how to feel now that you knew the truth, but one thing was for sure; your hesitation towards your feelings for JR had led to his doom. The truth behind the legend was either love or death. You had sentenced him to death.
Light faded from the sky as the lands were plunged into darkness.
"I do believe you have something which no longer belongs to you," Grinkel held his hand out but JR shook his head defiantly.
"Whilst I still have breath in me, I won't give up!" JR stood with his palm facing towards Grinkel.
"Killing you will be pleasurable," Grinkel snarled before racing towards JR.
It all happened so fast. Grinkel and JR's weapons clashing. The Aranthian key coming loose and falling to the battle ground. Grinkel winding JR. JR crumbling to the ground. Grinkel picking up the Aranthian key and holding it up to the sky victoriously. JR trying to push himself up from the ground but then falling back down. Grinkel's sword held above JR...
You screamed...