Disguised In Stardust ✔

Chapter Thirty (End)

"You don't have to go through with this if you don't want to. You can always call it off." I said to him.

"It's just... my heritage. We've been doing this for generations. I can't just abandon it- I'd be letting down my entire family." he lamented. Even when he wanted to sound honest, I could tell he was lying through his teeth.

"This is you, we're talking about. Not your family. You can make your own decisions. You know that, right?" He just heaved a long, tremendous sigh. I could feel the living warmth in his breath; it made me tremble.

"I just don't want to disappoint them, that's all." he protested, responding far too quickly. His voice caught and nearly cracked at the last syllable. He averted his eyes when he saw me staring, and his face flushed crimson.

The faint hum of music laced the walls. I could hear the muted drums and singing voices from afar. "It's begun," he said softly, "we have to go."

While we walked, I could imagine the panic running about in that head of his. He didn't want to rule, that much was clear, but those violently warring feelings had stopped him from stepping down.

Emotions were hard.

The muffled music grew louder as we approached. His father sprung to us in a hustle, grabbing Faelin and yanking him forth. "It has started, foolish boy! I told you to be ready. We must get you there urgently." Halvor threw me a glance before taking off with Faelin stumbling behind.

I followed them the best I could but Halvor spread his wings and zipped away, leaving me breathless and my knees wobbly. I continued to jog, chains and necklace jingling as I turned the corner. In the main hall, citizens were lined up on the sides in chairs, protected by guards along the wide aisle.

Streamers and vines decorated the large vaulted ceiling, hanging in 'u' shapes. When I entered, everybody collectively looked at me. I bristled at the attention. Upon my entry, the entire room fell silent. The music had faded to nothing but a few low beats from a drum.

Faelin was already at the platform towards the front, shifting nervously on his feet. A man in armor stood in the middle, behind a small pedestal. Faelin was whispering to him with a distressed look on his face. "Our second Lord arrives." the man announced, jarring me from my thoughts.

The surrounding whispers died down a bit, and the music tuned up. A small acoustic guitar began to play, as well as the rumbling of symbols. I walked down the aisle in uncertainty. The eyes were prying me apart, scrutinizing. I just wanted to turn all those eyes away and tell them to just leave, but that would be imprudent.

"Lord Faelinsis, ayap irq dihnos, born on Silleon. Lord Dain, umix tohdaan, born on Earth." he announced, partly in their own language. "We gather here today to mate two destined souls known to rule Oletis."

"Do you, Lord Faelinsis, agree to reign over our people, to strive for the preservation of peace? To keep order, arc rarlo gasir?" Faelin looked at him with a grimace as a hush fell over the main hall.

"I..." he started, pausing abruptly. I reached for his hands and firmly grapsed them.

"Go on. It doesn't matter what you decide, I'm staying with you either way." I whispered to him, low enough so that only he could hear me. I found myself leaning forward a little.

"Okay." He took a breath and squeezed my hands tight. There was a moment of whispering, both confused and judging. Faelin raised his head and took another breath, trying to calm himself. I could feel his rapid heartbeat in the back of my mind, aching.

"I... I can't."

He shook his head, eyes screwing shut and his lip raising in a wince. He didn't want to see the distraught and puzzled faces of the citizens around him. I wouldn't want to either.