I felt her impure touch, her stained hands, and her unwanted pity. I was triggered and held her close in my embrace knowing full well that my touch alone could kill her.

I only pulled her in closer even when her eyes closed and she was fully preserved in ice. Nothing, not even a teardrop of satisfaction. I cradled her hoping that I would feel something anything but nothing. How you broke me, how you dug through me till there was nothing left to dig, till there was no tear left to cry till there was nothing to hold on to...

Even alone I am mocked, by the dead trees passing whispers within their inner circle, her scent that entered me and claimed me from the inside, spreading and replacing my identity...

I loved this woman and had laid down my life for her. I opened my heart for it to be her home, a place where I would forever give my love but this woman was capable of turning that purity into something repulsive to think of.  We were suppose to have a happy ending, grow old and die in each others arms. Without her I could not breath. Without me she could not breath. That was supposed to be our story, but it's not. Only what use to be. I raise my eyes to look at her lips

How could they be the same lips that declared their love for me, the same lips that gave me solace when I was younger, and the same lips that had caused me such suffering? She hadn't changed; in fact, she had grown more lovely as I stared at her.  When we initially met again, I detested that. When she first made me feel everything, she also made me feel nothing now.

I trace all her marks on her skin and then the mark on my own skin. I know that she is my soulmate, and that's a reality that I can't escape so it's a reality that I must face

"Here's my name, my hollow self and worthless breath, my broken soul and tortured heart here I offer nothing whole heartily, I'll be your wish, I am what you say. I let go of a child's wishes and come to terms with what I'm meant to be...a dog your dog

I'll be the stool you sit on and the floor you walk on. You don't remember my name so I'll tell you Adeline, Adeline the high princess of the fae and fairy, I tell you thief of what was meant to be mine. I am Coinneach Atticus of the sea and of its people now I only belong to you...

_______________

It's been days since the incident and I still feel so cold no matter how many blankets Aldric wraps me in.

It's probably the shock, the shock that I wish Darius still hated me no not Daruis but Coinneach Atticus. I might have been frozen but I heard his oath to me. He gave me the control to do as I please and I don't know how to react or what to do. That was when a woman entered unannounced

She was beautiful and untainted but she was clearly exhausted and she was clearly not a servant.

"How may I help you?" she didn't reply in instantly rather she started walking around and playing with my things.

"Do you know who I am?" she asked

"No"

"I am Anabel daughter of Lady Lolita and first niece of the court master of spring but most importantly I am the wife of Daruis" I became numb...he has a wife how did I not know

"again how may I help you" She ignored my question and proceeded

"Are you aware of how marriage works in this realm?" I shook my head

"of course not so I'll explain. Here we do not sign a paper and wear rings. In fact, marriage is quite rare and it's mostly done by royals to ensure a pure bloodline. Here we get married by giving each other's name and oath so I ask you did you give him your name."

"No but..."

she cut me off "There was a day that Darius asked if you knew his name, he didn't ask for fun but to see if he was still married to you from when you were kids but he gave you his name again. He knows your name and now you know his... why did he give himself to you, what did you do?!" she was near to tears but remained composed and still

"we were married?" I asked dumbstruck

"Correction you are married! but answer me why"

"I think I broke him," I said honestly she laughed quickly wiping away her tears

"You think?! Right now as we speak my husband is in chains because he wants to return to you, he has sold his title as prince and our kingdom's independence to be called another court master. He doesn't even touch or see me, his a complete ghost just existing. You did this to him, you married my husband!" she pointed at me, and all I could say was sorry. She attacked me and started violently ripping off my dress. She analyzed me, violating me completely. She spread my legs and sunk her claws in my breast looking for something on me. Finally, she stopped and yelled in frustration.

"You have too many marks!" through my tears I mumbled

"what mark"

"The mark of the souls. A mark that appears when you have found your soulmate. If one of these marks is the mark of the soul then I hope it is meant for your husband"

"I'm sorry" She slapped me so hard that my cheek began to swell almost immediately

"you can say sorry by staying the hell away from us I swear if you even dare set foot in my waters I won't hesitate to kill you, I have nothing left to lose so I don't care what they'll do to me for killing the princess mark my words" she had grabbed my neck and started chocking me with one hand. She spat on my face and when I started to lose conscience she let go. She fixed her hair and her dress then she left

I was bruised and left bleeding and naked holding pieces of my dress in my hands. But what stuck with me was what she said about marriage. I don't know Aldric's name so that means we aren't married so our marriage is broken but my marriage with Daruis is fixed. I have many marks on me, could they be more they be more than birthmarks?

That's when I felt my mind begin to burn, my already bruised body was experiencing more physical pain. I started sweating rapidly and experienced a seizure. I was remembering something...

--------------------------

On a sunny day in a green garden were two innocent children as young as seven. The girl was quite tall and fat while the boy was skinny and small so they did make an odd pair to look at. For most people, this was just another day but to these children, this was a special day that the girl had even dolled up and that was rare. Wearing a crown of flowers on her head and her mother's favorite dress that was 10 sizes too big for her and of course stolen.

"Are you sure that's the actual mark or are you just saying that because I told you I had it? I mean you do have a lot of birthmarks on you" The girl frowned.

" Of course, I'm sure are accusing me of not knowing my own body" The boy violently shook his head

"Do you not love me?"

"What! Of course, I love you I just don't think I'd make a good husband

" Why?"

"Promise not to laugh. " the girl grinned and the boy rolled his eyes of course she'd probably laugh why had he bothered asking?

"husbands are meant to protect and lead, I can't do either. I'm always running away from something and I'm always getting lost or stuck. You are the brave one, the leader not me" The boy looked down and started fumbling with his hands

" I'll be the husband"

"What?! You can't"

"Why not? "

"Because you are a girl

"So? You said that a husband protects and leads and that's what I do

"Well...um...but still" the girl giggled

"I love you and you love me, that's all that matters I didn't get dressed up for nothing" the boy blushed turning a bright redThat's's actually what I wanted to ask why are wearing something so ridiculous "the girl huffed "we getting married" "what!" the boy started running away when he realized what was happening. The girl rolled her eyes and took off her mother's stolen dress and chased after the boy naked.

The girl might have been strong and brave but the boy was quick. He had started to get tired so he stopped and climbed a tree. He looked on the ground and the girl was nowhere to be seen. He rested on the branch until the girl tapped his shoulder scaring him from behind that he accidently fell off the tree. He got hurt and began rolling in the dirt from the pain in his knee the girl rushed to his aid. She didn't help but threw a stone at him and started crying. The poor boy was the one hurt but he ended up being the one to give comfort.

"Why are crying?" "Because you'd rather hurt yourself instead of marry me" she began crying louder. The boy grabbed her face and kissed her leaving the girl in shock. "I hate seeing you cry so let us do it"You mean it?" the girl stopped crying

"Yes I mean it" The girl screamed in excitement and she carried the boy like a bride back to their secret spot. And as the girl said they got married on that very day