Marriage and Sadness

staying in the kingdom, the king and queen announce their plan for their daughter who just turned of age, staying to hear this, he hears them set up a marriage for a duke by the name of Grover Julius Freeder, Alcaeus then got to research him as he saw with his sharp eye's the unhappiness in Makeda's eyes with her emotionless excretion back, after going around the capital, he found this nobleman was known to abuse his wives and bankrupt many small businesses for his own personal gain and is a regular in the brothel even when he was married, he was scum through and through, and he was furious, he snuck in to talk to Makeda and she hugged him while crying.

Makeda:" Alcaeus... I... I-"

Alcaeus:" it's okay it's okay, I know why you're upset, I'm here for you"

Makeda:" I... I wanted to say no... but my parents... they... they..."

seeing the black eye on Makeda that was covered in makeup, he was furious, so he asked if there was anything he could have done, she said no, and was also scared, she then told him a story just a little before they meet, one of the general's tried to rape her and the maid's killed him only because he was so engulfed on violating her, she was saved and wasn't raped thank's to the made, but stripped completely naked, since then, she had a fear of men and a hatred for her ancestors Merlin and Solomon, she did treat Alcaeus as the exception, though him being a man was surprising for her, she accepted him over time as he was able to control himself as well as giving her the necklace that would help her in life, though it took almost all his magic to make the necklace with his magic since it was made of gold and gems with its special effect, he almost passed out making it, but it was worth it in the end.

Alcaeus:" let me help you, is there anything I can do to help, even if just a little"

Makeda:"... support me, I am going to meet the other princesses who are to see their marriage candidates in The Hobbit kingdom in 2 week's, can you meet me there, from there, I do want to talk to you and help me through this"

Alcaeus hated the idea of Makeda getting married against her will and hugged her as he then abandoned his plan's to head to the human kingdom and headed straight to the hobbit kingdom, traveling day and night for nearly a month before he got there, going on foot, he had to hurry, and by the time he got there, he collapsed getting to the gate. he woke up 2 day's later as he was hungry and ate some dried meat there, the doctor came and examined him as he was starved, dehydrated, and exhausted for a long time before they made him drink water while he was unconscious and made him drink some soup to fill his belly, then all that he needed was time to rest, but even after all that, even though he was still sore and tired, he forced himself up and asked if the princesses came and the man said yes, he then used his magic to get his item's as Alcaeus then rushed out of the medial center against the doctor's order's as he said Alcaeus wasn't ready to get up yet, but pushed through his bodies tiredness to rush to the castle, thankfully, the hobbit king knew Alcaeus through Artemis as the king had a deep respect for the Artemis familia as well as knew of Alcaeus since he treated his injuries while he was in the dungeon and got back, so Alcaeus can get in without any trouble.

Alcaeus:" Raymond, Aubrey, are they here yet"

Raymond:" Alcaeus, slow down, you just woke up by the way, who do you mean"

Alcaeus:" the princesses with their fiance"

Audrey:" oh no, you're just in time... but we heard about your condition, are you sure you're okay"

Alcaeus:" there is someone who needs my support in this and I can't let them down"

Raymond:" can't break a promise you make without a fight even if you're body is near its absolute limit, I'm glad that hasn't changed, okay, come here, their right in here"

being let in this kind of party is only for those of high nobility, so only counts and above can enter without question and all other's are turned away, however, if they enter as a guest, then lower status people are allowed in, and with the king allowing him in, not even a duke would be bold enough to question him being in this kind of event, as he entered, he found he had to wear some of those fancy clothes, so he used his magic to create a suit for him, it was restrictive, so he hurried to find Makeda, though, on the way, he found 3 familiar faces.

Alcaeus:" Reika, Kame, Antiope, is that you"

Reika:" yes... but my name now is Camilla Bellona Trueblood, and... I was the princess of the werewolf kingdom of Lykalion"

Alcaeus:" princess, but you never said you were before"

Camilla:" my family left me because they thought I would be weak like my parent's, but after hearing about my strength, they decided to take me back and force my hand in marriage to make sure they have a line of strong heir's to rule the kingdom since a woman cannot rule"

Camilla clenched her fist and held her tear's back with a fake smile as Alcaeus saw and was pissed at this, he made a statement to help ease her pain, and then thought about the other two as well.

Alcaeus:" you can lead people, sure you're a hot head and get ahead of yourself, but you're caring and careful to make sure everyone around you is safe, and what about you two, are you in the same situation"

Aspalis:" I am now Aspalis Agrotora Tengoku with my coming of age"

Alcaeus:"... the first and middle name..."

Aspalis:" it's not a coincidence, as thank's for helping me get confidence and travel the world, mother renamed me after some of the huntresses in Artemis's legend"

Alcaeus:" I see"

Aspalis:" I am being married to a Kitsune with a lot of influence, this way, when father pick's an heir for his crown, he can take it using me as a base for my mother to also get more power over the kingdom by ruling through me to influence it for our race"

Alcaeus:" so she's using her own daughter as a tool to gain power"

Aspalis:" no, father was the one who decided it, and mother was opposed to it but lost since she couldn't find another suitable man to marry me, but it's fine, it's for my race, so what's one sacrifice to the many in need... don't worry, I'll be fine, I've always been a tool in my mother's eyes"

tears ran down her eye as she couldn't suppress her crying as well, and Camilla patted her back, he saw as all of them were sad, and then he asked Antiope her story.

Abigail:" I'm Abigail Norabel Ainiainippe, my mother married me to a man who is strong, she said while it would be nice to find a strong warrior for myself, this one who asked for my hand is famous and a level 6 as well, so it's not like I can deny such a strong man"

Alcaeus:" you can't marry someone off of just because they're strong"

Abigail:" it's the way of my race, we care for 2 things above all when choosing a partner, strength and if they meet our taste, it's that important for strong children in the future, especially in my case"

Alcaeus saw as the 3 people he grew up with were in pain, and he wanted to help them as well, as well as know one more thing.

Alcaeus:" what about Artemis, what did she say about this"

Carmilla:" we were basically forced to leave her familia, as we were royals, she couldn't stop it at all, she clenched her fist to hard blood came out, but she couldn't stop our parent's wishes... Alcaeus, I know I don't ask this often, but... please, help us"

Alcaeus now had to do something, but then, he thought of something else, Astrid, he then said he'd do what he can to help them even if it meant stealing them as he went to see if Astrid was there, and like a gem, she was in a dress he knew she hated wearing being presented as some doll for the elves as he got her attention to see him.

Alcaeus:" Astrid, over here"

Astrid:" Alcaeus... I see, thank you for coming, but my name is Sharifa now, so treat me well"

Alcaeus:" are you happy"

Sharifa:" ... the man I'm marrying is a duke who has a lot of power in the elven community, and he has a lot of status over others"

Alcaeus:" what's his name"

Sharifa:" Gregore Trufflit"

Alcaeus:" that bastard's father beat's his children and wive and divorced his wife after she stood up to him and she got in jail due to him throwing a tantrum about her not knowing her place, and his son is a spitting image of him in all the worse way's, I even heard he killed a few people just for the hell of it, you can't marry that man, you're life will be hell"

Sharifa:" this is for the sake of our kingdom, people like the idea and approve of our marriage since's he's a well known high elf as well"

Alcaeus was now pissed that now even Sharifa was in a bad marriage and then found the kings and queens who were the parents all but Camilla's parents were in one spot as he tried to approach then all but spear's stopped him from getting close.

Alcaeus:" hey, let me through, I need to talk to them"

Soldier:" sorry kid, nobody allowed near the kings and queens without special permission"

Alfred" hold in, is that... guard's, let him through"

Soldier:" yes sir"

then being let through, he then talk's to the parents about the questionable marriages, while on the surface they seemed good, all of them were unhappy, sadly, each said this was something they cannot stop as they are of marriageable age and cannot avoid marriage now, and politically speaking, this was a great idea, though, he saw how sad each of them were, and then asked a bold question.

Alcaeus:" tell me this, how can I get them out of those marriages then, what do I need to do, name it and I'll do it, I don't care how long it takes, just don't let them marry these terrible men just for influence or public approval"

Bella:' that is a mighty bold statement and demand to say to kings and queens... but I guess fair game is fair game, fine child, I'll tell you, but don't come crying to us when you fail, there actually is a 10-year long event that happens to still be going on right now, you see, technically speaking, the only way for a peasant like you to even approach the hand of the princesses of a nation is to prove you are worthy of them yourself, so if you want to get them out of their current marriage, you're going to have to take their hand's instead for yourself, can you do that or will you back down"

Alcaeus was thinking a bit, he's been taught by Artemis that having more than one married partner goes against the fundamental meaning of marriage, though there are exceptions, and marrying them like this was not at all how it should go, but then he thought of a plan, if he took their hand's in marriage, leagaly speaking, they could all divorce him safely by the time they turn 20, so if he didn't lay his hand's on them by then, they can be happy making decition's of their own life, so he then got the resolve to agree and the hurdle was indeed high, he would be informed that he had to complete a number of impossible task without a Dunamis, some of these tasks wouldn't be too hard with one, but without one is next to suiside for just about anyone, similar to Hercules, but he only had to do 5 for one of the princesses, however, if he wished to help all 5 of them, he'd have to do 25 impossible tasks all together, and time wasn't on his side, he had less than 2 month's top's to complete them.

Alcaeus's thoughts:" This is bad, only 2 months to do 25 impossible tasks, this will be hard, but..."

Alcaeus:" okay, what task do I need to do then"

Hellena:" oh, trying to take the hands of 5 princesses at once, you're being greedy boy, but that's just fine, okay, to get Sharifa's hand in marriage, you must find a lost treasure from someone famous, shot a target 4 miles away with a standard bow, know at least 100 different Rune spells of various types, be able to use and harness Ki to the Nth degree, and create a cure for a disease that is deemed incurable"

Alcaeus:" wait, didn't I already do 4 of the 5 of those already"

Hellena's thought's:" now that you mention it, he did find the Bab-ilu as it merged with his body with what Artemis told me last time and showed, he's hit targets from 10 miles away if that's even possible, know's over 500 different runes by heart, Ki is basically his staple in strength, and he's cured my disease, I'm guessing he means the Bab-ilu key, better tell him later"

Hellena:" not that you mention it, you did do many of these already with even us witness to the undeniable proof, in fact, he can call it out now, so I guess you can get her hand as agreed"

Alcaeus:" this might be easier than I thought, what else do I have to do"

determined to help his friends, he will take their hands and grant them freedom, he saved Sharifa, now it was time to save the others.