Chapter 7: Prisoner

DAHLIA:

“Of course, Dahlia… You won’t expect me to really do that, did you? We’re not even sure you’ve found your real mate yet. What if he turned out to be some hoax?”

Both Kaist and I are of the same age – nineteen years old - and we both haven’t found each other’s mate yet until today. It was during our younger years when Kaist had this ridiculous idea one day.

“Dahlia, if we haven’t found our mate yet when we turn seventeen, will you just marry me?”

Seventeen was the usual age of fated mate awakening for werewolves like us. We were both fifteen at that time. I remembered laughing hysterically when Kaist said this to me.

“Why are you laughing that hard? Did I say something funny?”

“Oh, I thought you were joking, Prince Kaist,” I said as I wiped a tear away from my eyes.

“So, how about it? I don’t like to marry anyone I don’t know, and since we know each other so well, shouldn’t we just get married to each other by then?”

We were still young back then, but we were already familiar with the decorum expected by society from us. In particular, Kaist was seen by the nobles as a pawn by which they could advance their status in society. I bet even when Kaist was still a baby, the old nobles had already been thinking of striking a good match with him. It must have bothered him so much to say that back then…

“Well, what if we find our mates later on? Seventeen is far too early a time to give up on finding our mates,” I said thoughtfully.

I had a fancy belief that once I meet my mate, I’ll have a better life compared to this. Maybe shifting into my wolf form would become easier if I meet the person destined for me. Nevertheless, Kaist had never minded it that that I couldn’t shift at will. He had always been patient with me, always looking past my flaws. Perhaps, marrying him will be a good arrangement for me too should I never find who my real mate is.

“Then, will you marry me at nineteen? If we find our mates within that time period, we could just break our engagement. Mates are more important, of course,” I remembered my best friend saying back then.

Why was he hesitating then now? Why was he making up these excuses in front of me?

“Look, I’m sure he is my mate, Kaist, and I am positive yours is out there too! What if she’s stuck in some far flung area, and she’s actually waiting for you to come? Anyway, the engagement is still a month away, so you still have time to-”

“Actually, Dahlia, I received word from my father. He is moving our engagement party to the end of this week.”

“W-What,” I stammered. “Why so soon? And why now?”

The whole kingdom was still under chaos. The outskirts were plagued by rogue and vampire invasions. What we experienced today was proof enough of that! How can King Maurus set up a royal wedding in the midst of this?

“Father wants to show a united front despite what’s happening. He thinks it will strengthen the kingdom’s resolve in uniting our clans and will aid in our peace negotiations with The Blasted Ones.”

“But, didn’t he promise he would both give us time? He knows we aren’t fated mates, Kaist… What if news of that leaks out?”

It was an unspoken law among us werewolves that one must never marry someone who isn’t his or her fated mate. Otherwise, great chaos might ensue. Kingdoms and tyrants had toppled from their glory all because they tried to meddle with the fated mates’ love.

Surely, they knew what could happen if the two of us are married and our fated mates might someday show up! From the moment papa and the king had consented to this arrangement, they knew we weren’t the ones that the Goddess had destined for each other... So, why then are they rushing it?

“This couldn’t happen… Did you talk to your father? Did you try to oppose it? He did promise he’ll give us more time.”

“Honestly, Dahlia, what’s there to oppose? You know how stubborn my father could be when he likes something done… Plus, even if he gave me more time, there’s no guarantee that I’ll find my mate. It’s been two years already. She would have showed up by now if we really were destined for each other.”

I looked at him, dumbfounded. I know that the elders are only seeing the political gains on this action, but how about Kaist? Was he not able to see reason beyond this too?

“Even so, Kaist, are you going to give up just like that? What if she’s out there somewhere, waiting to be rescued by a prince like you?”

“And what if she’s already married, or had already died somewhere? Those are possibilities too,” he said.

I can’t believe it! Why was my best friend spewing such madness?

Perhaps sensing my anger and dismay about the news, his face softened a bit. “Now, now, Dahlia, don’t fret... This could also be a good thing too, for both of us.”

“How can it be a good thing, Kaist? I just found my fated mate, but now you are telling me we will be formally engaged soon? What good can come out of this?”

“We’ll, how about this? I’ll investigate that wolf for you. If we can confirm that he really is your fated mate before our engagement, let’s go ahead and cancel it. So, come on, tell me what his name is and which pack he’s from.”

I looked back at Kaist. It just occurred to me that I had forgotten to get all the vital information about my mate.

I wanted to cry at that moment, but I shouldn’t... This wasn’t the time for that…

“His name is Tristan, and his wolf’s name is Albus. It’s a big, white wolf.”

“Tristan, hmm? That’s a rather common name,” Kaist said, pointing out the obvious. “Do you know his family name or where he might be residing?”

“No,” I said. “I have no clue… We met him after coming from Hildt, and it seemed like he knew the terrain, so he must be living nearby, right?”

Hildt was somewhat an uncharted territory due to the large expanse of woodland and the frequency of rogue and vampire attacks. It might take quite some time to find my mate with such little information…

Kaist smiled softly at me. “Don’t worry. We still got time. Leave it to me. I’ll find him, but on one condition.”

“What is it?”

“If we don’t find him before the engagement, we’ll proceed with it, alright?”

I could feel the blood leaving my face and my whole body as I thought of the possibility of actually marrying Kaist.

Before I could speak, someone had once again burst through the door in a similar fashion as Kaist did earlier. It was papa.

“My Dahlly, what happened? Are you alright?” He immediately embraced me so tightly, I couldn’t breathe.

“I’m okay,” I mumbled in his chest, still clasped in his embrace.

“I told you never to go there, didn’t I? How did you go as far as Hildt? Didn’t you know how worried I was?”

“I’m sorry,” I said as I breathed in deeply after my father released me.

“Ugh, you’ve grown paler and thinner over night! Did you get some sleep?”

“No, not yet.”

“Then, we’ll give you time to rest, darling. I’m sure the prince won’t like it if his fiancé ends up looking like a mess before the engagement party, right,” papa said, smiling pleasantly at Kaist as he had always done before. Kaist was the son he never had, so he always had a special spot in papa’s heart.

“Papa, before that, may I talk to you?”

“Later, sweetie. Why don’t you take some sleep first?”

“No, papa,” I said, taking the courage to speak up to him. “I have to tell you something important.”

“Is it about that white wolf? I had overheard the two of you talking about him, sweetheart, before I opened the door. I know everything. These inns have no such privacy, mind you.”

My hands went cold. I dropped my voice even lower. “Then, papa, you knew I had already found my mate?”

“That is something else we need to verify, Dahlly. Until then, get some rest. You need it.” Papa’s last words were a command.

I swallowed the words that were in my mouth. I simply looked at them as papa exited with Kaist, shutting the door firmly behind them.

Tears started to roll down my eyes. Once again, I felt like a prisoner.