----Bryce POV----
The following morning I awoke and dressed quickly, finding a new set of clothes on the side of the bed. I ignored them and pulled my shirt and pants on before grasping the doorknob and walking out into the hall.
I found Ace rubbing his eyes and hobbling back into his room.
"Ace? What are you doing? It's morning." I questioned.
"It's still night, go back to sleep." He yawned before shutting his door. I walked back into my room and peered out the window, finding the dual moons shining in the sky.
I wondered how any of this was possible, and how the gods could allow Fate to decide to leave me mateless.
Bennie and I were destined to be together, it's why I felt strongly about her and why I wanted to repair things as well. We both deserved to be happy, the gods willed it to be this way.
I couldn't shake the thoughts of my dream, my mind often wandered back to the night I'd learned of my fate. Sometimes I wondered if my insistence on making it work with Bennie had to do with wanting to challenge Fate himself.
No one ever wants to face this life alone, but when you go through time thinking you will one day feel the love and affection you've witnessed all your life just to have it ripped away it's almost blinding.
I wanted to come here and convince Bennie to come back, but now that she was Solina, I hardly knew how to even speak to her.
So much had happened since we'd been apart, it felt as though the moments and times that we'd shared were nothing but a passing memory to her. I hadn't even been given the proper amount of time to show her that I was serious about my feelings. I didn't care that she was from another world, Nile and Tatia were a perfect indication that love does indeed carry through time itself.
I was quite certain that Silas had something to do with Bennie's indifference towards me. I didn't want to think about the nature of their relationship but there was something off about her demeanor when it came to him. She felt the need to defend him at every turn and I wondered if there was any chance of getting her to see reason.
I continued to pace the room until both of the suns started to make an appearance on the horizon. It was another few hours after that until somebody was knocking on my door.
"Sir Bryce, your company has been requested by the king's advisor," Yasmin spoke softly.
"Thank the gods," I muttered to myself as I was escorted from the room and down the stairs to the war room.
We arrived and I noticed Bennie in the center of the room again, tracing her finger across a worn down piece of parchment.
"Lady Solina, your guest has arrived," Yasmin spoke, bowing as she spoke.
"Thank you, Yasmin. You may go and tend to Silas, he'll need an especially large breakfast this morning. Please be sure to alert me when he's taken his medicine." Bennie replied.
Yasmin nodded in response, turning and walking towards the doors.
The room filled with silence as soon as the doors were shut. I wasn't sure if I should speak first or if I should let her do the honors. After a few moments, I opened my mouth to speak when Bennie took the opportunity herself.
"I'm sure you've realized by now what my reasons are for speaking like this, with you." She said, her eyes never leaving the paper in front of her.
"Actually I have no idea why you wanted to talk to me," I replied.
This time, she did look up and rolled up the parchment before circling the side of the table until she was standing in front of me.
"Take a good guess, Bryce Lican." She stated.
I hesitated before speaking, not knowing what her motives were.
"You want us to return to our home," I spoke.
This seemed to somewhat surprise her as her eyebrows rose before she replied.
"The fact of the matter is that you don't belong here, you and your brothers came here with intentions of bringing me back to your world. I do not intend on going with you, so, your efforts here are wasted. I want you to convince your brothers to join you on your journey back."
I scoffed and crossed my arms across my chest before I answered.
"We only just got here, we just reconciled with an uncle we all thought to be dead and you want me to just pack up and leave? I won't trick my brothers out of something they care about, so until your king decides to throw me out, I'm not going anywhere." I replied.
She stepped closer to me, narrowing her eyes before speaking.
"I'll give you and your brothers a week before you say anything to them. I'm being gracious with that much and my King and I have already had words. If it were up to him he'd be offering you and your pack refuge in the kingdom." She spoke, her words dripping with hostility.
I laughed bitterly.
"Your king's motives make me suspicious of your recent behavior. He must have done something to get in your good graces. You speak of him as though he's some gift from these gods but he's just as much of a murderer and a thief as he was before I arrived." I snapped.
A resounding slap echoed throughout the room before I realized it was I whom she'd slapped.
"My king hasn't stolen a thing. His reasons for punishment are a necessity to protect this kingdom from usurpers. Just as your reasons are your own. You had no care and no regard for the feelings of those close to you, so I don't expect you to understand the importance of his rulings." She countered.
I growled, growing increasingly frustrated with our conversation.
"I've tried, countless times to apologize for my mistakes. I wasn't given any time to prove to you how much I care for you, the time we did share together became plagued by pack issues and work. I never gave you anything, I failed you and our bond. I came here to convince you to give me another chance. I want to prove my feelings to you, no matter how long it will take." I replied.
She took a step back, her expression changing from vexation to a neutral stance. She sighed, her shoulders dropping slightly as she turned from me. When she turned back around, she opened her mouth to speak.
"Bryce...I-" She started before I interrupted.
"I don't need a yes or a no, I just want to show you how much I've cared for you. I know, my words now don't erase what happened nor do they make them better but I've lived alone for almost an entire year now. Spend some time with me, show me this world that you care so much for, and then you can reject me." I pleaded.
She was silent for a moment, thinking over my proposition before answering.
"Okay, Bryce. Let's go."
She guided me from the room and we walked until we reached the stables.
"Gorm, I need you to assist me in saddling a feathered horse for my guest."
The man smiled at her before nodding.
"Yes milady, my mother said you had visitors. This is one of them?" He asked.
Before Bennie could respond, I spoke.
"You're Yasmin's son."
He nodded in response.
"I am indeed, and how is your stay? I presume my mother's taken care of everything." He replied.
"Indeed, the only issue is finding a way to repay her kindness. Do you have any ideas?"
He laughed at this.
"My mother has always been fond of purple plump cakes. I'm sure the baker has just what you need. Lady Solina will show you the way." He spoke as he brought a horse from the stable.
The horse was nearly eight feet tall with gorgeous colors that painted its hide. The feathers were long and somewhat resembled a parrot's color pattern and shape. I smiled as I stroked the soft feathers alongside the animal.
"It's beautiful," I spoke softly.
"Indeed, his name is Ori. He's one of the fastest we have in the kingdom. You'll grow used to his impulsive nature." Gorm replied as he saddled the horse.
I climbed on carefully, allowing myself to become comfortable with sitting on the horse. Suddenly, Bennie came out from the stable sitting on top of a similar horse, only hers was a dark chocolate color with swirls of white decorating its hide.
"Ready to go, Bryce?" She asked.
I nodded, "I think so." I replied.
We took off on a trail she told me she frequented and we walked side by side, on horseback.
"Over there is where the attack started, Silas and I were able to hold off most of them but there were still heavy casualties. I often come here to replenish the land, last week I planted a new grove of trees, and today..." She trailed off, her eyes following suit.
I followed her gaze and found dozens of trees along with the burnt rubble and broken glass. The trees were already six feet tall with long branches that swayed in the breeze, breathing new life into the area.
We continued on with our ride until we reached a clearing.
"This is where I practiced my training, where I learned how to defend this land properly. What your mother taught me still rings true in my ears every day. I never hesitate, I won't." She spoke, closing her eyes as she recalled the memories from my world.
"No one can ever take away the lessons I've learned along the way, and your mother, your whole family is a part of that. I want to apologize for my hastiness and demands, I know how important it is to you that your family stay together. I will accommodate you and your brothers for however long you need."
I nodded, silently recalling the last moment we ever spent together.
"I accept your apology, but I feel like I owe you one as well. I know when I came here I was acting like an idiot, and I want you to know that I still don't trust your king. But, I'm willing to try, for you."
We rode into town, where we promptly found the baker's lodge and Bennie helped me purchase a plump cake for Yasmin. She translated, and ended up paying for the cake as well as I had no money from this world.
We mounted again and she steered us onto a different road before stopping.
"Bryce, I want you to know that our relationship is impossible. Not because of our worlds, or rewriting our fates, but because you're too late." She responded as the castle came into sight.
"Too late? What do you mean?" I asked, panic building in my chest.
We approached the stables, our short ride being cut even shorter as the clouds started to roll in, indicating the heavy rain which started to fall just upon our arrival. Gorm was there to bring the horses in under the awning as we dismounted.
I hopped off first, thanking Gorm and Ori for the ride. Just as Bennie was dismounting from the horse, Silas walked up to the stables.
"My love, there you are. Yasmin was just telling me you'd gone off on a ride, are you well?" He asked.
I stepped forward before clearing my throat to make my presence known.
"She was just showing me around," I replied.
I looked between the two of them and it occurred to me, that what she had meant before was that she'd fallen in love. With him.
I should've noticed, I should have felt the bond breaking or felt the separation from their time together. Instead, it was as if I felt nothing, even now standing in front of them I felt like I was interrupted. Rather than anger, I felt, sad.
"Excuse me, I need to find my brothers." I turned and walked back to the castle, set on finding Ace and Adrian.
When I did find them, Nile was with them and they were admiring some weaponry from this world.
I must have looked pretty out of sorts when I stumbled upon them because the Nile was the first to notice me.
"Bryce...why don't you come and take a seat son." He gestured for me to join them.
I did so, still unable to form words as I sat on the stone bench.
"Bryce, man, what happened?" Adrian questioned.
Ace placed a hand on my shoulder and sighed.
"You found out, didn't you?" He asked.
I could only nod.
"Found out what?" Adrian asked.
This time, it was Nile, who answered.
"He just found out his mate is in love with the king."
Adrian was the first to break the silence that followed.
"What did she say?" He asked me.
I turned to him and sighed before answering.
"She said, it wouldn't ever work between us because I was too late. I came here to convince her that I cared for her and that I would do anything to fix our relationship. But, I came too late to do anything."
Ace patted my back before speaking.
"Bryce, you are the poster child for 'I fucked up every good opportunity that was ever given to me.' This situation is no different from that. I know you've learned a lot in the year of her absence, but maybe you learned a little too late. Not everything is meant to be."
I sighed, letting my back hit the wall before sliding down to sit on the ground.
"I told her I would stay and try to convince her that I cared for her. This doesn't change that, I can still convince her to love me." I spoke.
"And if that doesn't work?" Ace asked.
"Then...I'll stop. I'll leave her here to be with her king as long as she's happy. But I won't go without a fight. I won't make the same mistake twice."
"Well I mean, you did that with Emily-ow!" Adrian spoke before being elbowed in the ribs by Ace.
"All the more reason to fix my mistakes. I won't leave without a chance of repairing our relationship." I replied.
Tomorrow, everything would be different.
Writer's block sucks, so sorry I was late on the uploads. I'll try to be better about it! thanks for reading, tell me what you think :)