Once Upon a Child of the Stars

Sixteen- Words Like Weapons

My back hits the stone wall of the building and I angrily look up at whoever has trapped me against the wall. Xavian's black eyes swirled as he towered above me, trapping me with his two large arms. 

"You need to go home, Princess," he growls. 

"What the fuck are you talking about?" I snap and try to push the giant away from me. His body does not move, instead he pushes closer to me. 

"Go back to Dyspheria. You can't handle the dangers here, and nobody wants to put up with baby sitting you all day. You're too weak to be here on Hellian," he says and a spark of hurt soars through my chest. 

"I did not want to be here in the first place, Xavian! My father wanted me to come. I wanted to stay the hell away from you," I spit back between gritted teeth and I could feel my eyes begin to shift to their purple color. 

"I wish you would have. You are nothing but a useless halfling, an abomination," he hissed in my face and at that statement I had had enough. I used all my body to push myself against him and shove his body away. To my relief, he stumbled back and I had enough room and time to storm off. 

I stormed down the hallway, but not before a loud roar was heard through the stone castle walls. I kept my head held high, giving an extra sway to my step as I walked away from the king of Hellian. Though I looked stone cold, my chest held a painful anxiety and I knew as soon as I was in the safety and solitude of my guest room walls I would crack. 

Inside, I was still just a girl with anxieties and insecurities. I had to have a strong outer shell. What kind of future queen would I be if I showed how everything hurt me when it did?

Finally, the door to my room was in sight and relief washed over me. I was just a few feet from my room when I heard someone call from behind me. 

"Lumi! Hey, wait up!" I heard Raegar yell from behind me. I stopped cold in my tracks and sighed. I turned around and Raegar was right in front of me now, slowing to a stop. 

"How are you doing? Are you all patched up?" he asked with a concerned look upon his features. 

"I'm fine.  Doctor Zebulon does good work," I say, trying to hide my oncoming emotional breakdown. Raegar looked at me for a moment and the concern stayed placed on his face. 

"Something is wrong. Are you okay?" he asks, eye brows furrowing. 

"I'm leaving tomorrow," I say firmly as I purse my lips. 

"What? Why?" he asks shocked at my statement. 

"It doesn't matter. I'm sorry to leave so soon, and because I will probably never see you after tomorrow," I say, sadness washing over me. I give him an apologetic look, but he shakes his head. 

"No! You are not leaving early. I want to know what happened," he says firmly. 

"I am not wanted nor am I useful here and clearly I cannot defend myself on this planet either," I say flatly. 

"Who did this?" he asks, his eyes darkening. I shake my head before turning around and walking towards my room door. I reach for and grab the door handle, turning it to open the door. I look back to the hallway to look at Raegar, but he is nowhere in sight. I sigh and walk into my room before closing it firmly behind me. 

Raegar 

Anger filled my veins as I knew the one person who would dare say these things to Luminara. She turned to walk to her room, and I quickly made my way the other direction heading straight for the person I knew was to blame. 

I walked through the halls and up the stairs to his office. Without knocking, I aggressively opened the door causing it to slam against the wall. Xavian's face looked up from his papers and anger quickly spread across it, but not as much anger as I held on my own features. 

"What the fuck did you say to her?" I growl out at him. He stands up to show he is bigger and taller than me, but I hold my ground. 

"How dare you enter my office and accuse me of whatever the fuck you are on about," Xavian growls back. 

"You know exactly what you did, Xavian. I don't give a shit if you are the king and I am not. I do not allow anyone to treat those I care about the way you did Luminara," I begin to yell and I slam the door shut, muffling our conversation to the outside. 

"What does she even matter, brother? She is not your mate! Leave her be!" he says, irritation flaming through his eyes. 

"Because unlike you would know what friendship is, I do! She is my friend and I care about her! And now she is packing her things to leave tomorrow! I lost her once before and I do not want to lose her again because of your selfish attitude!" I yell. 

"She is leaving?" he asks, sounding shocked at the information I had just given him. Anger soon filled his eyes once more, the color in them visibly darkening. 

"Yes, she is leaving and I know you said something to her. You are the only person in this kingdom who is asshole enough to say the things she was saying," I state, giving my brother a burning glare. Suddenly, Xavian gave a loud roar and began storming towards the door. I quickly jumped in the way, preventing his exit. 

"What the hell do you think you're doing? Move out of my way!" he yelled at me. 

"The question is what are you about to go do?" I ask, confused and irritated. 

"I'm going to stop her from leaving, what else would I be doing?" he growls. 

"Now you want her to stay? You just belittled her and made her want to leave the whole damn planet, Xavian! Do you really think you going over there and bullying her some more is going to make her stay?" I ask, irritated at the thought of him hurting her any further. 

"No," he says firmly. Out of the blue, his eyes flash crimson red. My eyes grow wide at the realization that he indeed can make her stay on the planet, with or without her consent. 

"You can not do this to her," I growl, warning my brother before he does something he will regret later. 

A Hellian only gets one mate unlike Dyspherians who can make multiple 'connections' as they call it. It is law that once a mate is found, they may not leave unless their mate allows it, and if they cheat on their mate they are sentenced to death. Hellian takes mate bonds very seriously, so seriously that it is one of our highest laws, and one that can not be broken by any, even the king himself. 

Another key factor into these serious laws is that only true mates can reproduce. This would mean if Luminara were to truly be Xavian's mate and she were to never return, there would be no front heir to the Hellian throne.

I soon realize why Xavian always acted so defensively over the sweet, little Luminara. She was always in danger, always facing trouble. He had saved her multiple times in both life threatening situations and otherwise. What I did not understand was why he would try to hurt her. Mates were meant to love unconditionally, not hurt and cause the other to want to leave. 

"Let me out, Raegar," Xavian growled, pulling me away from my thoughts. 

"If I do, you best be on your way to apologize and not to hurt her some more, Xavian. If you hurt her again, I will be the one you will face. You best hope her father does not know what you've done yet also," I warn. 

He pushes me out of his way and whips the door open, storming through the halls and I quickly begin to follow. I do not want to let him get away with any more than he already has, even though he is the King.