𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚐𝚒𝚛𝚕(𝙰𝙲𝙾𝚃𝙰𝚁)

𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯 𝔱𝔴𝔢𝔫𝔱𝔶-𝔱𝔥𝔯𝔢𝔢

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

age: 29

    I had a terrible feeling in my gut when Elio told me we needed to gather in the throne room. I was chewing on my lower lip as we waited for the rest of his siblings to arrive. Elio kept a hand on my lower back. 

    Eris and Callum entered the room, Eris holding Foster's hand and guiding him into the room. Foster was nine, now, but Eris was a mother hen with him.

    Eden was standing near me, our eyes catching each others every few seconds. We'd spent the last year sneaking around.

   No one had caught us, and since we were both female, we didn't have to worry about each other's scents being on the other.

   Beron took his place on the throne, his wife on the smaller throne beside him. He sighed, eyes flitting over all of us.

"There is a war coming that we must prepare for," he announced. Silence settled over us as we took the words in.

"Are we sure?" Eris dared to ask, concern on his features as his arm protectively wrapped around his little brother.

"Yes, there is no avoiding it now," Beron sighed. "We will fight against Hybern."

"What are we to do?" I spoke up.

   Elio pinched my side, and I winced. But I shut myself up, realizing it wasn't proper for a female to speak up during a discussion of war. 

"Marzia, I'm sending you away to stay with your sisters," Beron decided. "Eris, Callum, Elio, and Eden will stay here. All of them except Eden will fight. I am sending Foster to stay with my brother. Evelina, your husband will decide what to do with you."

"What to do with me?" I repeated, ignoring Elio clearing his throat to get me to shut up.

"Yes," Beron comfirmed. "If he wants to send you away, or have you stay here."

"She'll stay here," Elio said. "I want to be able to protect her myself."

    I grimaced, but didn't argue. I didn't feel comfortable being sent away. I had just adjusted to living here, I couldn't start all over again.

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

Elio entered the sitting room, where I had been dusting the mantel. I smiled in greeting, turning to face him.

"Hello, my dear," I greeted. "How was your day?"

"You don't want to know," he glared, the words nearly a growl.

"Oh, I'm sorry," I frowned, approaching him. I went to wrap my arms around him, but he pushed me back.

"You're so beautiful," he praised me, stroking my cheek. "But also very foolish." The words stung, but I ignored it.

"What's wrong, darling?" I asked, my head tilting to the side as I studied his features. "What can I do?"

"Mother above, just leave me alone!" he snapped, grabbing a vase from the table and chucking it towards the wall. I jumped, my eyes going wide.

"Elio!" I pleaded. "Please, stop, just tell me what's wrong."

"It's nothing, Eve," he sighed, shaking his head. "It's nothing you did, baby. I'm just stressed with the upcoming war."

"Speaking of," I said, trying to ignore the nerves biting at my stomach. "I don't think we should be trying for a baby right now. Not with the war."

"What?" he demanded, his brows furrowing as he looked at me.