She's The Enemy (GxG)

(P4) Chapter 3- Hope Is Enough

'Your story is a long way from over, we're lost before we're found
Gotta be weak to get stronger. Learn how to breathe underwater'

There's a dull taste to the night air. A cold brassy feeling swirling around my mouth. I watch the moon glimmer in the sky, lit by the thousands and thousands of little stars above me. I think of the little boy, curled asleep on my bed back at the palace; I wonder what will become of him if I fail. I clench my fists, this is probably the craziest and stupidest plan on this earth and yet, everything is riding on it... 

Everything.

"You are incredibly brave," A deep voice sounds beside me as a black thoroughbred approaches. I smile over at Shea, slowing my horse down to match their speed.

"I don't know if you can call me that anymore..." I murmur, "I'm terrified." They take a moment to process this information before they speak again.

"Being brave doesn't mean not having fear. Fear is undefeatable. Bravery is doing something in spite of fear. Bravery is leaving your world for a girl you barely know. Bravery is... Bravery is surviving even though you know the world outside isn't one you wish to raise your children in. Bravery is having the guts to try and change that world," I watch their hands clench the reins as they say this, a soft glare painted on their face, "You are brave. We all are."

"I just hope bravery is enough..." I sigh, glancing up to them.

"Hope is enough," They state, locking our gazes and for the first time since I've met them, their mouth picked up slightly at the corners. To this, I don't respond, turning my head back to the others.

Hope is enough.

***

I'm in love. I'm in love with the sun and the way it shines between the trees, I'm in love with the shadows it creates- the small silhouettes of the swaying leaves gliding across the floor like rain on a windowpane. I'm in love with the feeling of water droplets running down my skin, in love with the taste of the fresh oxidised air. But above all, I'm in love with a girl. A girl with long, elegant, blonde hair and a smile able to wash away every worry and every pain. Eyes as green as emeralds themselves, eyes which shine so incredibly bright under the glint of the moon.

I can think only about seeing those eyes again. About holding her hand, resting my head on her shoulder. Especially as we approach the gate to the Unseelie Court.

 I watch the Fae guarding the gate physically tense as our whole army approach on horses.

"We're here for the wedding..." I state casually but the gate does not swing open.

"You are not welcome, orders from the King," One of the Fae says sternly. Her hand glides down to the weapon at her belt.

"Well, it is my mate's wedding so I think the 'welcome' goes without saying," I state bitterly, trying to keep myself together. My heart was pounding at five times a second, my brain wondering if we'd even be let into the palace at all. The Faerie clenches her teeth, wrapping her hand around her sword before a boy with silver hair bellows,

"Halt!" He looks at what is happening around him, glancing up to me, locking our eyes for just a second, "Let them in."

"But,  your Highness..." The Faerie protests.

"Let. Them. In. It is my wedding after all." The Faerie gulps at this, tilting her head slightly to signal to the others to open the gate.

"You'll have to leave the horses in the stable..." Xavier murmurs, moving to guide us there.

***

I climb down from my horse, glancing over in surprise to see Xavier standing beside me. I grit my teeth.

"You let us in, why?" I ask and watch him reach to scratch the back of his neck. There's a look in his eyes, one a can't quite decipher. 

"You have to stand behind the hall, there's a room to the left with a door to it... The rest of the army need to be stationed outside because as soon as there's a commotion in there, the rest of the Court will fight," He whispers hastily, ignoring my question.

"Why the hell are you helping us?" He bites down on his lips as I say this.

"You think I want to marry her? You think I'd want to make her that unhappy?" He sees the indifference in my eyes and tries to explain himself, "I don't know what you know about us but she was my best friend, my only friend. She was the one who taught me what love was and repaying her by ruining hers would be pretty goddamn selfish." Our gazes align after he says this and unspoken words are shared. He knows what it is like to care for the girl by the river and that is enough reassurance for me.

"Thank you," I say slowly, placing a hand on his shoulder. He just peers up at me, his eyes softening.

"I don't deserve a thank you."

***

The room is decorated with thousands of flowers, they hang from the chandeliers, around the pillars and decorate the archways. There's a loud crescendo as the band begins to play and a soft hum of a chorus of beating hearts. The tension in the air bubbles and boils as the music grows. A girl, filled with nerves and anger, crosses the threshold, her dress dragging a while behind. There's an odd smell of lavender and chamomile filling her senses as she walks. She always imagined that someone would be by her side when this happened. Someone to hold her arm as she walked slowly down the aisle.

Maybe, if she listened carefully she would hear the brunette's breathing on the other side of the door- the sound of her heart begging to be reunited with its other half. They are all waiting for the perfect moment. The moment when the music stops and everything goes silent. The moment when everything is still. The moment that hope no longer becomes enough.

A/N

Ik This is really short but bear with me, I just want to build up the tension for the final battle which will probably next chapter (That'll be a long one). I hope you have enjoyed and have a lovely day!