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Disaster Not Averted
Last Updated:
2024-11-17 03:33:43Related chapters
The One No Rest for the Weary
MaerileeThe rest of the ball seems to drag on forever. My earlier outburst and the whole ordeal with River leaves a sour taste in my mouth, and despite my best efforts to shake it off, I remain testy for the remainder of the evening. The Oceanans have excused themselves for the night, with King Alastair and Queen Lyria offering a brief, tight-lipped promise of a formal apology tomorrow. I can still see River’s embarrassed, red face in my mind, though the satisfaction I initially felt at calling him out has long since faded. Now, I just want the night to end.None of the other guests spark even the slightest interest in me. They all blend into one monotonous sea of faces, false pleasantries, and meaningless small talk. I try to keep up appearances, but my thoughts keep drifting elsewhere, particularly to Brook and Akin. Of all the people I’ve met in my life—nobles, commoners, visiting dignitaries—the only ones I’ve ever felt even a faint connection to have been those two. There’s some
Last Updated : 2024-11-18The One Formal Apologies
MaerileeThe next morning, I sit straight-backed in my chair, positioned on the dais next to my mother and father. The throne room feels colder than usual, though that has more to do with the political atmosphere than the physical temperature.The sun is streaming through the tall windows, casting the room in golden light, but the tension in the room is palpable. My fingers rest on my lap, carefully clasped to avoid betraying any of the unease building in my chest. I’m supposed to be calm, poised. Queenly, as my mother would say.At my side mother radiates composure. Father sits on her other side, his expression one of polite anticipation, though I know him well enough to see the glint of amusement in his eyes. The situation isn’t lost on him, though he’d never show it openly. He wouldn’t say it out loud, but he found the entire situation with River and Brook amusing last night. In his mind, it’s just a bout of youthful indiscretion.Of course, that’s because he comes from Dearlish, w
Last Updated : 2024-11-19The One Wise Counsel
MaerileeNot an hour later, I watch as the council members file into the chamber, the tension from earlier still lingering in the air. I take my place beside my mother as she stands at the head of the long table. Father is seated next to her, his expression nearly unreadable to others, though I can still see the faint humor in his eyes.My gaze sweeps over the gathered advisors, familiar faces who have been part of the council for as long as I can remember. Then, a man I don’t recognize catches my eye. He’s tall, his presence quietly commanding, though he doesn’t seem to be trying to draw attention to himself. His hair is dark, falling just past his shoulders, and even from this distance, there’s something unsettling about his eyes. Who is he?Before I can ask, my mother speaks.“Before we begin,” she addresses them, her calm voice commanding the assembly. “We have a new member of the council I’d like to introduce.”I sit up straighter, curiosity piqued. I glance at the unfamiliar man
Last Updated : 2024-11-19The One Complications
MaerileeI wake up slowly, feeling a warmth that isn’t just from the morning sun filtering through the curtains. There’s a weight pressed against me, solid and comforting, and as I blink the sleep from my eyes, I realize Akin’s arm is draped across my waist, his naked body flush against mine. For a moment, I lie still, letting the contentment wash over me as I recall the events of last night. It’s a feeling I haven’t experienced before, this sense of peace, of belonging to someone completely. My heart flutters, and I wonder if maybe, just maybe, I’ve found what I’ve been searching for all along.Could it really be this simple? Could Akin be my One?It doesn’t make sense that it’s taken so long for us to find each other, though. I’ve seen Akin nearly every single day of my life. Why have I never felt that feeling of absolute certainty that my mother always described? Why have my powers not manifested unt
Last Updated : 2024-11-19The One Barriers
MaerileeMy pulse races as I storm out of the council meeting, the heavy doors slamming behind me. I don’t bother slowing down, my steps quick and sharp as I head toward the gardens. Stifling air presses in on me, the weight of Permiton’s words echoing in my mind. Who does he think he is anyway? Even if he is a seer, he’s new to the council. He had no right to interject his thoughts so soon.The moment I reach the gardens, the cool air and scent of blossoms offer a brief, fragile reprieve. My spot among the flowers, where I’ve sought solace more times than I can count, is just ahead. I quicken my pace, eager to be enveloped in the calming silence of nature, away from politics, away from expectations, away from everything.But when I round the final bend, I freeze.There, lounging in the middle of my sanctuary, is River of all people. Of course he is. Because my morning isn’t annoying enough. He’s leaning casually near t
Last Updated : 2024-11-20The One Mounting Frustration
MaerileeI throw myself onto my bed, face-first into the pillows, and scream as loudly as I can. My voice muffles into the fabric, but it doesn’t stop the frustration, the disbelief, the absolute rage building in me. My legs kick out violently, my fists pound into the bed, and I keep screaming until my throat feels raw and my chest is burning.River. River. How could this be happening? Of all the people in the world, of all the fae, it’s him? The arrogant, smug River? No. It’s impossible.He can’t be my One, he just can’t.I flip over, grabbing another pillow and pressing it to my face, screaming again. Hot tears burn at the corners of my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall. I won’t cry over this. I can’t. But the anger swirling in my chest feels too big, too overwhelming.How could this happen to me?I roll over onto my back, staring up at the ceiling as if I might find answers in the intricate patt
Last Updated : 2024-11-21The One Nothing Makes Sense
MaerileeI yank open the wardrobe, my hands trembling slightly as I sift through the dry clothes. I’m going to kill River for this. Duchess is still hiding under the bed. I grab a simple dress and some undergarments, my fingers brushing against the soft fabric as I pull them out, my heart racing with anxiety about what this could mean.Akin is standing beside me, quietly changing out of his soaked clothes. I glance at him, my chest tightening with a mixture of emotions I can’t quite name. I know what I felt with him, the certainty that settled in my bones when I woke up wrapped in his arms. But there’s obviously something deeper going on with River. My destroyed room is proof of that.Once I’m dressed, I march to the door, pulling it open just enough to slip through and quickly close it behind me. I hear Akin moving inside, the rustle of fabric as he finishes dressing. I hope he stays put. I need a moment to confront River alone, without
Last Updated : 2024-11-23The One Mother Knows Best?
MaerileeWe walk through the palace corridors in tense silence, River on one side of me and Akin on the other. The air between them is charged, both men radiating barely concealed frustration. I keep my head high, trying to focus on the task at hand. My mother will surely have the answer to this. She’ll know what to do.The weight of the situation presses down on my chest, and I can still feel the remnants of River’s kiss, the surge of power I don’t fully understand. But there’s no time to dwell on that. Not now.When we finally reach the throne room, I pause just outside the grand doors, the echo of raised voices reaching my ears. My mother’s voice, tight with anger, is unmistakable. I motion for Akin and River to stop, pressing my hand lightly against the door to listen. I can hear another voice too, one that sends a chill down my spine.Direken.He’s here, talking to my mother. No, not just talking, arguing. Heatedly.“We’ve waited long enough, Queen Kimalissa,” Direken snaps. His
Last Updated : 2024-11-23
Latest chapter
The One It’s a Myth
*Akin*The moment Caelan strode into the Oceanan camp to save us, I recognized his fighting style. There was a rhythm in the way he moved, in the stance he took. It was unmistakably Altinnian, the subtle weight shift, the way his fingers hovered near the hilt of his weapon, always prepared for the unexpected. It was something only someone trained for combat in Altinna would know, and I knew that we were saved. His rescue mission was, obviously, a complete success.I watch as he talks to Maerilee now, offering her words of assurance with a calm that doesn’t waver. When he turns to me, I can’t help the grin that pulls at my mouth.“I’m glad to be fighting alongside another Altinnian,” I say, clapping him on the shoulder. “Not to speak ill of Maerilee’s other three men, but one was a traitor, and the other two are completely spoiled princes. Literally.”He
The One The Rebels
*Maerilee*The world comes back to me in bits and pieces. Blurred shadows shift above, and damp earth presses into my back, grounding me as I try to gather my senses. I blink, my vision sharpening gradually, until I see the dense canopy overhead. Water droplets hang from leaves, refracting the faint morning light into tiny rainbows that sway and shimmer as though they’re part of a dream. It’s quiet here, with only the soft trickle of water nearby and the gentle rustling of wind in the trees. I push myself up on an elbow, and that’s when I spot them.River, Brook, and Akin are huddled around a low fire, surrounded by a group of strangers. My heart leaps as I focus on Akin, his wrists still covered, but not with chains. They’re covered in bandages, dark with some sort of balm underneath. His face is pale, but he smiles in the firelight, laughing at something one of the strangers said. Relief floods through me, so
The One Unexpected Visitors
*Maerilee*The journey on the ferry takes several hours, and they leave us bound on the deck, the bright sun beating down on us. My wrists ache from the tightness of the amethyst cuffs, and my mind feels even more constricted, trapped in a loop of disbelief and betrayal as I watch Permiton making friends with the soldiers.He’s sold us out.The thought circles over and over in my head, like a vulture picking at the remnants of a dead animal. I keep replaying the last few days in my head, remembering the moment Mother first introduced him to the court, when he cornered me and told me that we would need to connect for my power to fully be realized.I want to retch as I think of him touching me, of him inside me. Was he planning this even then? Perhaps he was even in on the plot to poison Mother. After all, he’s from Ambrosia. Surely, he knew Diereken. They’ve probably been in on this
The One Betrayal
*Maerilee*I can’t believe it. My heart sinks deep into my chest as the commander approaches, his soldiers swiftly surrounding us, their weapons gleaming in the faint light. I feel the sting of betrayal, sharp and cold, radiating through me like ice. Permiton stands there, so calm, so collected, while we’re about to be captured.“How could you?” I hiss under my breath, barely able to contain the fury bubbling inside me. My hands shake, clenched at my sides. Permiton doesn’t even look at me. He moves to stand behind the commander as if he’s always belonged there. His expression is infuriatingly calm, like this is all going according to some master plan. But I can’t see the plan. All I see is betrayal.And then everything happens at once.Before I can even blink, River and Brook surge forward, their hands outstretched. The air around us shivers, the tension crackling like lightning. I feel the pull of their magic immediately, the water in the air responding to their commands. In an inst
The One Obstacles
*Maerilee*We wait by the water’s edge, the air thick with unease. Brook seems weighted down with the reality of being banished from his kingdom. River, on the other hand, is incensed, muttering to himself about how unfair this all is.Akin is restless, eager to be moving. He tells us multiple times that he doesn’t like how exposed we are and thinks we should go back to the forest for cover until we figure out our next move. Permiton keeps telling him that our help will come soon.The vast body of water in front of us stretches endlessly, the deep blue surface unnaturally still. It reflects the gray sky above, creating an almost eerie mirror-like effect. I’m trying to stay calm, to trust in Permiton, but his cryptic reassurances aren’t doing much to ease my anxiety.“Permiton,” I finally say, unable to keep my doubts to myself any longer “are you sure about this?”He stands a little apart from the rest of us, his eyes scanning the horizon as if waiting for something only he can see. W
The One The Journey Begins
*Maerilee*The moment we set out for Oceana, there’s a palpable tension in the air. I can feel it coiling around us like a tight, invisible thread, threatening to choke me. I wonder if the others can feel it as well. Surely, they don’t all have the weight of grief so heavy on their chests, threatening to crush them.It took all the strength I have to leave my family in such a vulnerable state, knowing that war is inevitable. When I erected the barrier in the castle to seal them off from the rest of the world, I wasn’t sure if it would last. We’ve not even been gone an hour, and I can’t say for sure that the barrier is even still up.I can’t worry too much about it at present, though. My mind needs to stay sharp. The journey ahead is dangerous at best–and deadly at worst. It will define not only our fates but the future of Altinna itself. Most importantly, if we don’t complete it, Mother will die. My four Ones walk with me, surrounding me in a square formation. Akin leads to my left,
The One Impossible Goodbyes
MaerileeI close my eyes, focusing on the magic coursing through my veins. The power is there, simmering beneath the surface, waiting for me to command it. I can feel the barrier beginning to take shape in my mind, a protective shell around this room, around my mother and family. But this time, I need more. It needs to be specific, targeted, able to allow some things in and keep others out. Food, water, air, those must pass through. But nothing else. Nothing that could harm them.The magic resists at first, slipping through my grasp like water. But I don’t give up. I take a deep breath, reaching deeper, pulling on the strength I know I have inside me. And not just my own strength, Akin’s, River’s, Brook’s, and even Permiton’s. Their magic intertwines with mine, amplifying it, making me stronger. With their power, I push through the resistance.Suddenly, I feel it solidify and obey.The barrier flares to life around us, invisible but undeniably there. It hums with energy, a quiet pulse
The One This Has to Work
MaerileeAs soon as River and I step into my mother’s chamber, I’m struck by how still it is. My father stands near the bed, his hand resting gently on my mother’s arm, while my three siblings, Jimmen, Orindan, and Carmelina, are gathered around the room, their faces pale and drawn with worry. The weight of the situation hangs in the air, thick and suffocating. My mother, once so vibrant, now looks so small, so fragile, lying there motionless.I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself. I have to be strong. For her. For all of them.“I’m going to try something,” I say, my voice trembling slightly, but I force confidence into it. “I’m going to erect a barrier to keep you safe while we figure out how to save her.”My family watches me closely, their eyes filled with hope and fear. I can feel their expectation pressing down on me, and for a moment, the weight of it makes me falter. But I shake it off. I have to do this. I can’t fail.I focus on the magic within me, on the connection I
The One Strength in Numbers
Maerilee“What do you mean by that?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper, but my question hangs in the still air of my mother’s chamber like a command.My father stands at the foot of the bed, his gaze steady as it meets mine.“You have enough power, Maerilee,” he says, his voice low but certain. “You must. You wouldn’t be where you are right now, wouldn’t have found your Ones, if the power wasn’t there. You can do this.”I blink, trying to process his words. I have power, yes. I can feel it, especially with Akin, River, and Brook close by. But enough to seal the entire room? To protect my family from whatever forces are marching on Altinna? The weight of his belief presses down on me, and I swallow hard, feeling the familiar thread of self-doubt pulling tight.“I’m not sure if I can, ” I confess, looking down at my hands as if the answer could be found in my own skin. “The most I’ve managed is a barrier around Duchess’s ball. I’m not sure I’m powerful enough to protect you all.”I
