Discovering Arianna

My name is Arianna Dreamweaver. I’m eighteen years old and I’m the youngest child of King Rafe and Queen Camille of the Fae. You would think my life was wonderful being a princess but you would be wrong, being a princess paints a target on you in the Fae world. Either everyone wants to know you so you can advance their status or they are looking down on you. My family life is complicated to say the least my father is insisting I marry some Nobles twin sons called Hunter and Chase, he set up this arranged mating when we were younger the twins are now twenty three and have still not found their mate, and now I’m of age and I didn’t find my mate at my coming out gala, he’s insisting that the wedding be soon even though I’ve refused on more than one occasion insisting I only want my goddess given mate, which then infuriates my father and we argue until my mother calls one of my brothers to calm us down which never works and ends with either me or father storming off and not speaking for days.

I only have one real friend who’s been there since we were little. Skylar was an orphan who was found by my brother Rafael as a baby. No one knows who her parents are. My brother sent out alerts to all cities to ask if anyone had a missing baby but no one ever came forward to claim her so she spent her life in the orphanage just outside the castle. Skylar isn’t fully Fae, she’s a Hybrid which we found out when she turned twelve and turned into a massive Weretiger in the middle of my lounge. It explains why she was left as my father despises mating outside of our species and he banishes anyone who doesn’t reject a mate from outside the species which I find absolutely barbaric.

My oldest brother Rafael’s true mate was a Human her name was Maria, she died after giving birth to their son Caiden. Which cemented my fathers feelings towards other species. He forced my brother to take a chosen mate not two months after his mate died, their bond had not fully faded. This caused issues between him and father for a long time but eventually he did fall in love with Imogen and they are now happy. Adriel and Gianna were lucky to find their true mates within our species which made my father extremely happy. Ezekiel, Elianna and Elijah still haven’t found their true mates but my father is not hounding them to marry some random Noble’s heirs just to cement good working relations. Which I hadn’t realised until Sky mentioned it this morning, which is why I was now standing outside my fathers office getting up the nerve to knock on the door and ask him the questions I need answering.

‘What are you doing Ari? You look like you’re preparing for war baby sister’ Elijah says coming up the corridor towards me.

‘I think I am preparing for war, my brother. I have questions for our father and I want the truth. I’m sick of being lied to,’ I tell him.

‘Wow it’s finally happened, what’s the date?’ he asks, jumping around like a kangaroo.

‘It’s the 24th ,why what’s happened?’ I say and he stops jumping and grabs my shoulders.

‘Is it?’ he asks.

‘YES’ I snapped at him and shrugged him off. ‘Just tell me what’s going on Eli?’

‘Well you’re about to confront father about this ridiculous mating proposal, am I right?’ he asks.

‘Yes’

‘And it’s the 24th you say?’

‘Yes Eli for fucks sake just tell me’

‘Well I just won 5 grand, so thank you very much little sister, enjoy screaming at dad, it won’t help but you can try’ he says then walks off.

I shake my head. I swear that boy was born just to annoy the rest of us. I take a deep breath, set my shoulders and bang on the door to my fathers office. His deep rumbly come in was all I needed and I stormed in there ready to fight my case. Rafael sat with him looking over some paperwork he looked up and smiled.

‘Hello baby sister, what can we do for you?’ he asks.

‘I have some questions, I want the truth on if you can give me that respect please both of you’ I say.

Rafa just stares at me and my father finally looks up from his desk.

‘Arianna do not sass me young lady’ Father said. ‘What is it you want to know?’

‘Well father I’d like to know why Zeke Ellie and Eli who are older and still unmated are not being married off to the highest butt kisser in the kingdom like I am? Why do they get to wait for their true mates?’ I demand.

‘I told you she would figure it out, father,’ Rafa tells him.

‘Hush Rafa’ he says before turning to me. ‘Ari I understand you may be angry but this is how it’s going to be you will be married to Hunter and Chase. Your true mate isn’t here so isn’t Fae, I need this alliance and you will do as your told’

‘I WILL NOT MATE WITH ANYONE BUT MY TRUE MATE FATHER WHAT ABOUT THAT DONT YOU FUCKING UNDERSTAND?’ I scream at him.

‘YOU WILL DO AS I TELL YOU AND LIKE IT YOUNG LADY’ he screams back at me.

‘FUCK YOU FATHER ID LEAVE BEFORE I MATED ANYONE BUT MY TRUE MATE’ I scream back at him.

‘ARIANNA DO NOT SWEAR AT ME YOUNG LADY, IF YOU WANT TO LEAVE THEN LEAVE I’M DONE ARGUING WITH YOU YOU EITHER DO AS YOUR TOLD OR LEAVE TODAY’ He screamed back shocking me to the core.

‘THEN I’M LEAVING GOODBYE FATHER’ I say and turn around to leave.

‘Ari wait, don’t leave please’ Rafa asks.

‘I have to Rafa, I will not be forced to mate like you were. The others haven’t been so why should I’ I tell him. ‘I’ll come say goodbye to Caiden before I leave, father I’ll be gone by nightfall’ I say then walk out of the office and straight to my room.

When I walk in I find Eli and Ellie sitting on my bed.

‘Why are you in my room?’ I ask.

‘Eli told me you were confronting our father, how did it go?’ Ellie asks.

‘I’m leaving, I’ll be gone by nightfall’ I tell them as I grab a big duffle bag from out of my closet.

‘No Ari you can’t leave’ Eli says and tries to take the bag from me.

‘I told you months ago Eli I will not be forced to mate anyone and father isn’t backing down so I’m leaving’ I tell him.

‘Where are you going to go Ari, it’s dangerous out there’ Ellie says.

‘I’ll be fine and I’m going to travel around and look for my mate, he’s out there somewhere and I’ll be damned if anyone stops me from being with him’ I tell them as I start packing my clothes.

‘I don’t like it, Ari, you can’t leave it’s way too dangerous for a young girl on your own’ Eli says.

‘I’ll be fine, the Goddess will guide me, I’ll keep in touch, I promise I just can’t do it, but what I don’t understand is why none of you have been forced to mate with someone’ I tell them and they look at each other and sigh.

‘He tried Ari, with me anyway I told him no like you did he wouldn’t let up so I told him I would kill myself if he forced me then that was the end of it, we were expecting you to do the same but no you chose to leave instead’ Ellie says.

‘Oh Ellie, I knew he had tried this with at least one of you but I’ll never find my mate if I stay here so leaving is my only option’ I tell them. ‘Could you get everyone together so I can say goodbye in around 2 hours I need to explain this to Sky in person I can’t just leave without telling her’

‘We can do that, Ari. The babies are going to miss you so much and don’t worry about Sky, I’ll look out for her,’ Eli tells me as I shove more clothes in my bag.

‘She’s going to want to go with you but father won’t allow it as she isn’t of age yet’ Ellie says.

‘I know it’s only a month until her birthday I’ll come back for her after her birthday or send word of where I am and she can come to me I know father only kept her around because I begged him to but I’m worried he will do something to her to punish me’ I tell them as I grab a few things from my bathroom.

‘I’ll speak to Rafa and make sure he keeps an eye on dad, any sign of anything and I’ll bring her to you myself Ari I promise’ Eli tells me.

‘Thanks Eli I appreciate you looking out for her’

‘She’s important to you Ari of course I’m going to watch out for her for you’ he says.

‘Thanks I’m going to go speak to her now, I love you guys’ I tell them.

‘We love you Ari, I’ll get everyone here for 5 then I’ll walk you to the border’ Ellie says hugging me.

‘Thank you, both of you’ I tell them then leave my room and head to find Sky.

I found her sitting under the willow tree outside the orphanage so I sat down next to her.

‘Hi Ari you ok?’ She asks.

‘There’s no easy way to say this so I’m just going to tell you. I’m leaving Sky, I’m leaving tonight.’ I told her.

‘WHAT! WHY?’ she shouts.

‘My father won’t back down on this arranged mating so I told him I’m leaving’ I tell her.

‘Then I’m coming with you’ she says.

‘You can’t Sky your not of age yet and cannot leave the kingdom the barrier won’t let you go through’ I tell her.

‘Then wait, my birthday is in a month, wait and I’ll come with you’ she says.

‘I can’t stay here Sky if I do he will force me to mate with the twins and I can’t do that, I’ll come back for you on your birthday or send word of where I am so you can come to me I promise I’ll keep in touch but I cannot be forced to mate with them’ I tell her.

‘You can’t go alone, Ari ’ She says.

‘I have to Sky, I wish you could come with me but I swear I’ll come back for you’ I tell her and she hugs me.

‘When do you leave?’ she asks.

‘I’m meeting the family at 5 to say goodbye so around half 5 I’d say. Ellie and Eli are going to walk me to the border if you want to join us’ I tell her.

‘I can’t Ari, it will be too hard, I won’t be able to let you go’ she says.

‘I understand Sky, I love you and I’m sorry’ I told her, hugging her again as she cried on my shoulder.

I left Sky at 4.15 and headed home to check I had everything I would need and change my clothes. I got in and checked my bag and I had everything I needed. I took one last look around then grabbed my bag and my coat then headed downstairs. I left my bag by the door then entered the lounge and my whole family was there.

‘Auntie Ari’ Rayan and Emberley shout and then launch themselves at me, making me laugh. I’m going to miss them so much.

‘Hello my little terrors are you ok?’ I ask them as I give them a hug.

‘Yes Auntie Ari, mommy said you’re going away’ Rayan said.

‘I am, but I love you both so much and I’ll come back and visit when I can’ I tell them.

‘We come Ari?’ Emberley asks.

‘No baby you have to stay here with mommy and daddy’ I tell her and pick her up.

I walk over to my sister in law Mckenna and hand Emberley over to her.

‘I’m going to miss you Ari, please be safe’ she says and hugs me.

‘I will I promise,’ I reply.

I walk over to my sister Gia and take a sleeping baby Inaya from her. I hug her and kiss her head before handing her back.

‘Why are you doing this Ari?’ Gia asks.

‘You know what it feels like to be with your true mate Gia, you feel the sparks, you feel the bond and I want that, I won’t be forced to do something I believe is a barbaric tradition so I have to go’ I tell her and understanding crept onto her face. She looks over at her mate Valentin and sighs.

‘I understand Ari, I’m just scared for you what if something happens to you’ she says.

‘I’ll be fine Gia just concentrate on the babies ok’ I tell her and hug her tight.

Gia is like my second mom being the oldest of us girls she took it upon herself to mother me and Ellie. She is fiercely protective so me leaving must be killing her. Valentin passes me Azael and he hugs me.

‘Bye Aunt Ari I miss you’ he tells me, hugging me tight.

‘I’ll miss you too baby, be good for momma ok look after Inaya like a good big brother does ok’ I tell him and kiss his little cheek.

‘Be safe Ari if you get into any trouble at all you call I’ll come you here me?’ Valentin says hugging me then taking Azael from me.

‘I will Val’

I turn to my brothers who all look murderous. They were standing with our father urging him to reconsider and stop me from leaving.

‘Boys leave it ok he doesn’t care and I’m leaving anyway so just come here so I can say goodbye’ I tell them and they all come over.

‘If you’re really going to leave then you’re going to need some weapons. We have these for you’ Adriel says handing me a bag full of weapons.

‘Here Ari, your swords don’t forget they will come back to you if you lose them.’ Zeke tells me, handing me them.

‘Thank you guys I forgot about weapons’ I tell them.

‘Ari you’re strong don’t ever forget that and if you need me call me ok little sister’ Eli said.

‘I know thanks Eli and don’t forget your promise about Sky. She’s not in a good place right now’ I tell him.

‘I won’t I’ll keep an eye on her Ari’ he says.

‘Rafa?’ I say. He doesn’t reply, he just pulls me into a tight hug.

‘I’ll walk down with you, Ari’ Adriel says.

‘We all will’ Rafa says.

‘Where’s Caiden?’

‘He went to the bathroom to calm down, he’s very angry with father right now’ Rafa says.

‘I know the feeling,’ I tell him.

‘Auntie Ari’ Caiden called as he walked into the room, Imogen following him.

‘Come here baby’ I tell him holding my arms open and he runs straight into them.

‘Please don’t leave Ari’

‘I have to honey. I love you so much Caiden’

‘I love you too I’m going to miss you so much, I’m so sorry grandpa won’t change his mind I’m very angry with him right now’ he says.

‘I know honey I am too but I’ll be ok I promise and I’ll keep in touch ok and I’ll visit as soon as I can’ I tell him, hugging him tight.

‘I love you Ari so so much’

He finally lets me go and Imogen comes over and hugs me before moving Caiden away. I looked over to my mother and father. They were arguing quietly.

‘Mom, can I have a hug please?’ I asked her and she ran over and engulfed me in a hug sobbing. ‘Don’t cry mom I’ll keep in touch I promise’

‘Be safe my girl I love you’ she says.

‘I love you too mom’ I tell her and kiss her cheek before turning to my father.

‘Goodbye father’ I say he then just turns around and leaves without saying a word.

‘I guess I’m not good enough for a goodbye’ I say and walk towards the door to leave but turn around and look at my family one last time.

‘I love you all so very much’ I tell them then pick up my bag of clothes and my bag of weapons and I leave.

As I walk out of the house my brothers and sisters all follow me. We walk out of the Castle grounds and I look towards the orphanage. Sky is standing in her window crying but she waved goodbye to me so I waved back and she then disappeared from the window. We walked to the border barrier and I turned to look at my siblings. They all looked so sad except for Rafa he looked like he wanted to kill someone.

‘I’ll be ok, I promise. I love you all, take care of each other and I’ll be in touch’ I tell them and I hug them all one last time.

‘We love you too Ari,’ they all say together.

I then stepped through the barrier into the unknown hoping beyond hope I was right and the Goddess will guide me to my mate. Turns out it was the worst decision I could make.