Chapter 21 - I never liked snakes

"Theo glad you finally joined us." Carter said as Theo, and I walked in "where the hell have you been?"

"Busy." Theo said "you've missed a fuckton of bullshit"

"And whose fault do you think that is?" Joselyn said rising from her seat slamming her hands on the table, she looked really angry. "Why is she here? I thought you didn't want to get married and thought this whole thing was stupid." Joselyn clearly upset begins ranting "you drag us along bitching the whole way about

having to marry some prissy crybaby princess, some girl whose probably always

been pampered?" She continued "and then we get here, and your new girlfriend goes berserk, you then ditched after the training session and then again last night?"

Wow she was really on one.

Orion: prissy crybaby princess huh?

Theo: listen that was before you

I glare at him and interrupt her.

"You called me a prissy princess?" Pulling my hand away from his?

"You hadn't even met me, and you already assumed I was awful."

Theo: Rion please that's not fair that

was Before I met you, I know you probably Thought some stuff about me.

"Not fair? I found out when I met you. I never had the chance to think badly of a man I've never met"

"No but you could out right reject it and me and that's fine" Theo finally said aloud.

"You don't know anything about me, about who I am."

And the flood gates open all the pain and fear and anger flood out from me.

"I never had the chance to even process me marrying a complete stranger and then I am immediately marked by him. I stopped belonging to me and immediately became yours. I lost my freedom and my right to choose in a matter of seconds." The anger I had been feeling came pouring from me.

"How did you feel when your father told you? F*cking elated? You rejected me and built an entire narrative about me. And then I'm attacked by bat spiders from the darkest places in the what ever world and then I have an all expense paid trip to the f*cking Netherworld where I'm stuck and attacked and chased by a giant centipede and then I lose my virginity and get this so cool bond where you get to live rent free in my f*cking head, this all in a matter of three days" now tears of anger and heartache for the girl in me that died, now fall down my cheeks.

"F*ck you for thinking I'm some pampered princess." Purple started to glow faintly around me, and everyone stepped back.

"This pampered princess could kick your f*cking ass anytime anywhere."

Now fully glowing purple I look to Joselyn, "And you" I point at her face "if you ever put my name in the same sentence as prissy pampered princess, I'll cut your f*cking tongue out you disrespectful little b*tch." something about her I just don't like and I made sure it was known.

"Excuse me princess, do you think your little glow display scares me, from my end you look pretty pampered to me, sitting pretty in your fancy palace wanting for nothing" Joselyn now yelling "you don't know hunger or cold like so many others"

"Watch your tone with me, you are beneath me in all aspects. You're right I don't. But do you know what it's like to have no say in your future? To live by constant expectations based off the fact I wear a dress; because I'm royalty? That common women may choose their future but mine was decided the minute I was born." now I'm pissed being royal looks good from the outside, but she knows nothing of life in the palace.

"My every move watched. My meals controlled. What I read. What I hear. What I see. For 100 years I lived under constant scrutiny and supervision. I have been free to make most of my own choices for 33 years."

Theo: Orion come back please let's just

take a breath

"Get the f*ck out of my head I'll deal with you later" I yelled at him

"You won't deal with shit b*tch I don't care that you're marked you won't do shit to him." Joselyn stepping forward.

"THATS ENOUGH" the queen said coming forth.

"You are a low born street rat now, get out of my sight, before I have you thrown in a cell I in chains and  I don't care what is going on, but you do not call the ROYAL PRINCESS and HEIR to Elysium YOUR future QUEEN a b*tch." She said "you're lucky I don't try you for treason. You are common born trash who f*cked their way up the ranks. I heard about you JOSELYN."

Woah mom get her. When did she learn all of this?

My glow disappears.

"You're a snake and you're mad you can't have PRINCE Theo  HEIR to Elysium

her soon to be husband your future king." She continued "do not think that because you have had intimacy with the prince that means you have the ability at all to speak to your future queen like that to any royal. I should have your tongue cut from your mouth. You're a snake who seems to have forgotten its place. Get out of my sight pack your things and leave I don't want harlots in my palace." And she finished with "if I see you again I will have your tongue" and then she turned her back to her.

We all just stared in shock.

"Have you spoken with your comrade about the meeting that is to take place?" She asked Theo.

Joselyn left the room trying to hold back the tears.

Orion: so, you f*cked her?

Theo: please let's talk about this later.

Orion: you planned to keep a girl you f*cked part of our personal guard

Theo: Orion it's not like that. She is, well was, one of my childhood best friends.

"I have not, I came here to do so and then this happened" Theo responded.

"Theo I insist you reconsider what I said in that office, I was on my way to the well house when, I heard the yelling." My mother said glaring harshly at him "I meant what I said."

Feeling the stares of questions about everything that was just said.

"I'm not an idiot if you think I don't know most everything about everyone who walks in this palace before they walk in you'd be be sorely mistaken."

"Carter, as you heard there will be a meeting and as my future son in law AND daughters personal guard you are expected to attend it" she said to him turning to us "I will leave you to things, I'm sure there is much to discuss before the meeting"

"Dude what the f*ck?" Carter was surprised by what just happened. "So I'm gonna leave and go help Joselyn pack." Carter said "the sooner she leaves the better we are and safer she is." And then fast walks out of the hall leaving just Theo and I.

Theo: Orion please

Orion: get out of my head, I barely want to talk to you let alone. Have you in my head right now.

"Can we we please go and talk in the room?"

I just turned and started walking back to the room. And Theo followed with his head down.

When we get to the room Marcy had hot chocolate and angel cakes. Glaring at Theo as we entered.

"Thank you for that Marcy I'm so grateful for the snack". I'm starving now, after missing lunch, when I'm upset she knows sweet snacks make me feel better. "Of course my child, I will have your lunches made and sent up shortly." And then she takes her leave.

"Are you freaking kidding me" I scream.

"You're not swearing now?" Theo said with a smirk.

"Don't do that."

"Do what?" Theo was being snarky .

"This deflect with sarcasm shit you do. Quit it."

"You had sex with her and thought it was a great idea to keep her as a personal guard after you got engaged? What were you planning to keep having sex with her after you married me?" I'm furious. "Cheat on your prissy pampered princess with their personal guard?" I'm screaming at this point.

"How cliché, I'm a jealous person and you think it's a good ideal to keep your ex around your wife who slaughters monsters with shadows and can't control her temper?"

"First of all no. Even though I thought I would hate being forced into a marriage I didn't want I always planned to remain loyal, I do believe in the sanctity of marriage Orion."  He said almost offended "Second, you're the jealous type? I thought it was just me. I hadn't thought about their being conflict between you two, a lots happened like you said."

"You were willing to bet my freaking life on her trustworthiness, Theo, that doesn't make feel very important, doesn't make me feel safe. Safe with her or you."

"Shit, I know you're right Orion, I'm so sorry. I was so stupid. Please there won't be a next time." He said stepping closer to me.

"Don' event."

"I'm sorry Orion" he repeated coming closer

"Don't, I'm serious" taking a step back

"Orion I can't change it I can only be better please come here" he takes another step toward me reach, his hands reaching out to me.

"Don't"

He keeps moving in to hold me. And I can't, he can't touch me right now. I'm boiling over inside. I can't believe him. He should have dismissed her last night before coming to my freaking bed. He should not have bet my life on her. My life. Like it's so easily tradable. When was the last time he touched her like that? I just want to scrub my skin clean of his touch.

"Don't I really don't know what I'll do if you touch me right now."

"Orion" he touches my arm.

Glowing purple power surge sprung from my chest and the shadows came as they were being called. Just flowing all over the ground waiting.

I can feel myself slip into darkness.

"Oh no you don't"

And then he grabs me. Pulling me into him kissing me.

Theo: don't

go please stay with me stay. You are all the matters now please, I'm so sorry little bunny I was so stupid, please. I love you.

Orion: you love me?

His words start to bring me back from the darkness. My glow pulling in and the shadows dispersing.

"I love you more than I need to breathe to live" Theo said cupping my face and kissing me deeply.

"Everyday from now to the rest of my life I will wake up and live for you"

***

Theo

I have never met a woman more terrifying than Queen Andromeda.

If there was ever a woman who could make any man cry it's definitely my matches mother. I thought she was going to eat Joselyn. Holy f*cking shit.

I can't believe Joselyn did that. She really forgot her f*cking place. How dare she have raised her voice to her future Queen like that. Did she really think she could stake a claim like that.

We hooked a few times during Beltane. A festival where everyone has sex with different people if they are unmarried (some even married but that's none of my business). I knew she had other partners, so I didn't think it mattered. But it makes sense with how much she didn't like Orion and continued to encourage me to hate this more than I already did.

Orion is nothing like what I anticipated. She is brave and ruthless and honest. She is loud and violent. She is strong and she is the most beautiful person I've ever seen. I've never loved anyone or anything more. I love her.

It hit me like a pound of bricks. I love her. Holding her close to me seeing that this strong girl with everything to offer even has doubts and questions of worthlessness. What was I even doing thinking like that about her before meeting her. I made so many assumptions about her and how I didn't want her to be married to a stranger.

Even though she was upset about being married to a stranger that wasn't her problem, it was the loss of her choice. Her freedom. It was never about me.

For me it was her, she was the problem. It wasn't just losing my freedom, but it was also to who I was losing my freedom. The daughter of our long time enemy. The clan we rebelled against.

How could I be so stupid. Gods I'm such a piece of shit. I never even considered it might be something she doesn't want either. I never ever thought of her feelings. I was so selfish and self absorbed.

I don't deserve her. She is worth so much more than me. How could the goddess think we are equals? Everything about her heart and the way she treats people is better than me.

I don't know her well enough to know somethings wrong. But I can feel it in my bones, something isn't right with her. She keeps losing control and doing that whole magic surge thing and then I almost lost her again earlier.

I really hope these witches have some answers.