Chapter One

The Eastern Kingdom, known to many as the Amber City of Light, has known peace and prosperity for many generations. The heart of the city was built on amber stones in the middle of a great lake. Great towers erected from the water reached up and pierced the sky. The city was built from amber and granite, one of the great wealth's of the city. Lush greenery hung from every open window, there were gardens filled with wild flowers and vines on every city level. It looked like the city was overflowing with greenery that spilled into the lake around it. There were five bridges that led into the heart of the city, each one guarded with a watch tower on both ends. The outer city was much like the inner city, overflowing with life. When the sun set on the lake at the end of every day, it looked like the city was on fire. Gold flecks in the amber and granite made the city shimmer in golden light. It was truly a wonder to behold.

The late King Farris, the late King Keeren, and the reigning King Agot established a renewed structure of laws in the Eastern Kingdom. The laws no longer favored only the Elves, but every living creature within the Eastern Kingdom. King Agot was guided by the Council, and makes every decision with extreme care. The Council consists of thirty-seven individuals, each a different species anonymously elected by their peers to represent their best interest. This new system took over one hundred years to fully implement, but the results had been more than anyone would have suspected. Sense its inception the Eastern Kingdom has grown to over quadruple its size sense the late King Farris reigned. Enslavement of any creature was strictly forbidden, which caused the city to grow rapidly as refugees from neighboring Kingdoms flooded into the Eastern Kingdom. Although peace was brought within the Kingdom, war still ensued outside the city gates as many Kingdoms sought to reclaim their slaves. Fierce battles were fought, but none so fierce as during the reign of King Agot, for though many of the smaller Kingdoms close to their boarders had been concurred and the new laws implemented, there were many Large Kingdoms across the sea, far to the north in the mountains, and in the deserts to the south, that envied King Agots power and riches.

~

Olivia hurried down the great golden halls leading to the throne room. The Council was convening to discuss the disappearance of her brother, the heir to the throne, and as acting General, she was required to be there. Her heels echoed down the halls with each step she took, the swish of her long flowing gown did little to muffle the noise. She didn't normally wear gowns to council meetings, she preferred them to see her in her armor or sparing gear as a way of showing her strength and capability. Though the Eastern Kingdom was more progressive than other cities, there were still many that thought a females' place was in her husbands bed.

She entered into the throne room, respectfully nodding to the people of the Council as she passed them. The whole room was awash with voices and Olivia noticed every Council member was here, even Nyobi, the Fae representative. She was a princess among her people. The Fae were notoriously reclusive, caring very little for anything that didn't benefit them, but their culture demands they have a voice. Nyobi was elected as their representative out of duty, as a princess she was bound by their laws to represent the Fae. There are only eleven Fae registered as living in the city, for many preferred a relatively solitary life in the wild, as such they were the smallest faction represented. However, Nyobi was revered and respected among all the Council members, she was the oldest creature in the Kingdom. She very rarely came to Council meets, choosing only to come to those that would directly affect her people.

Olivia approached Nyobi with a smile on her face. Though Nyobi was a recluse, Olivia enjoyed her company very much. "Nyobi, it is such a pleasure to see you again," Olivia said as she embraced the Fae in a hug, kissing her on each cheek. "I know both myself and my father will find comfort in your wisdom today."

"It is my honor to be here. I am happy to find you doing well," she replied as she kissed Olivias' cheeks in return. Olivia felt a deep connection to Nyobi. The Fae were known for drawing people to them with their great power and beauty. You could feel the waves of her power the moment she entered a room and often times you could see a physical manifestation of it, like silver snow falling around her when she stood under certain light. She was beyond stunning, with long auburn hair that almost reached the floor, weaved into intricate braids that were adorned with flowers and vines. Her eyes were a vibrant green, so large and round on her small face. Her teeth were a startling white and she had six fangs, four on top and two on the bottom, which gave her a somewhat sinister look. She was lean and tall, her skin pale with gold freckles that shimmered in the sunlight. She was nature personified, wearing a simple linen gown, a crown of flowers, and no shoes.

Olivia smiled and made her way to her father who was sitting on his throne, surrounded by several Council members. King Agot was in the last few years of his life, for he had grown old and frail with time. Elves were immortal, they could live for eternity given the right conditions, age was just a number with no deteriorating consequences. However, there were some poisons that could take away an Elves immortality and cause them to age the same way many creatures do. Many years ago before Agot ascended to the throne, he was poisoned by Razz-Eyce, a clear, tasteless poison that is very difficult to make.

"Olivia, my daughter," Agot said as he reached for Olivia, taking her hand in his own. "Your presence brings me instant joy."

Olivia brought her fathers hand to her lips and kissed it, trying not to show him her sadness. "Your joy is my joy, father," she replied.

Olivia lived every day in dreaded anticipation, knowing that soon her father would pass. She held his hand still, his skin so thin and wrinkled, cool to the touch and covered with age spots. His eyes had started to fog and it was more difficult for him to walk every day, the fatigue had started to set in. The healers were uncertain of how long he had, they said it could be a year, even three years, possibly ten if he took great care of himself. Either was too short for Olivia. But though his body was deteriorating, his mind was still as sharp as a whip.

"Father, shall we begin?" Olivia asked, determined to find a resolution for their problems.

"Yes, my child," he replied. He raised his hand, and the room slowly fell silent as members of the council made their way to their seats on either side of the great throne room. King Agot chanted the ancient words of and Elfish blessing, then clapped his hands. As the sound of his clap echoed through the room a surge of power fell on the room. King Agot looked to Olivia, giving her the floor to speak first.

"Council members," She began as she walked down the steps from her fathers' throne to address the people of the Council. "I apologies for the early hour, I know many of you would prefer to be at home with your families. I am certain that many of you have already heard news of my brother's disappearance and speculate as to the cause of it. He was set to return home three days ago, but no one has seen him sense he set out on his journey. I sent out scouts in search of him or any information on his location, but have received nothing specific in regards to him."

"Nothing specific," a Council member, David Cross, said. His tone suggested incompetency. He represented the human faction in the city, and he was one of the least favored voices on the Council. "What exactly does that mean?"

"Marcus was traveling North on a well known trade rout to discuss terms of peace with the Northern Fae tribes beyond the borders of Onyx City, a Kingdom under the rule of King Vulcan. We've had no quarrel with a Northern King for centuries, there has always been an undiscussed peace between our nations. But I have received word from one of my scouts that the Northern King is traveling east with an entire regimen, over ten thousand soldiers, and that they have captives in slave carts. I also believe that Marcus and his men could very likely be among the captives. They have not attacked any of the smaller villages in our kingdom. They have been avoiding the main roads which is why we have not noticed their advance sooner. They will be here, in full force, within a few hours."

"What is your plan for defense General?" Nyobi asked, voicing the questions everyone in the room was thinking.

"I've already issued the outer city gates to be sealed. All civilians will be evacuated into the heart of the city and all soldiers will take up their assigned battle positions. Once the outer city is evacuated of civilians, three of the five bridges will be drawn up on both ends, leaving only two, the north and south bridges available for our armies to maneuver as needed. Should the outer city wall be breached, the remaining two bridges will be drawn up. I highly doubt this will happen, but rest assured my soldiers will protect this city with their life. We have faced greater odds under worse circumstances and we always survive. Ten thousand men may seem like a lot, but we have over forty thousand soldiers in this city, and many more we might call upon if need be."

"And all these people evacuating the outer city, where are they suppose to go exactly? How do you fit all those people in an area a quarter of the size of the outer city? How do you feed them, cloth them, where do they sleep?" David asked, once again with a condescending tone.

"We have a plan for this set in place, one that was approved by this very Council many years ago." Olivia replied, exasperated. "To answer you question, sense you never bothered to educate yourself on the matter, all the evacuees will be staying in the temples, coliseums, soldier barracks, shelters, schools and even the available rooms and halls here in the castle. And of course, we encourage everyone to open up their homes if they are able, especially those seated on the Council. We are all in this together and we need to represent a unified front to the people of this city. It is our job, as rulers and Council members to try and protect our people. We will be able to set up a meeting with King Vulcan once he arrives to discuss terms, and it is imperative that we discover as soon as possible if he has Marcus or not. Until then we must prepare for any possible outcome."

"What do we know of this King?" Kias, representative of the Elves, asked.

"I knew his father," Nyobi said, "he was a ruthless, cruel man with no regard for life. He killed his wife so he could marry another woman. He beat his sons and no doubt raised them to be like him. Slavery of so called lesser species is still acceptable in his kingdom. They are called the Black Elves, not just for their raven colored hair, but for their beast like temperaments. They fight with a cold precision, no remorse, no honor, completely focused on achieving their goal." Nyobi stood and walked towards the King, "They are cunning, they are smart, and they think ahead, planning every possible outcome. We cannot underestimate him, we must all be prepared to face something we have never encountered before. To this King, the Council is something he will try and play to his advantage. He will try and divide us with his words by pulling at our emotions. Though all of us are uniquely different, with varying values and beliefs, the two things we all have in common are protecting our people and protecting this city. When he arrives and we are ready to discuss terms, we must keep this in mind. Like our General has said, we must remain unified no matter what."

Everyone in the hall murmured in agreement, each of them understanding the value behind presenting a united front. Moments later, one of Olivias scouts briskly walked into the throne room. He was covered in dust and out of breath.

"Your Grace, forgive my intrusion." He knelt down on one knee, bowing his head in respect. "General, I bring news," he said as he stood and looked at Olivia, giving her the customary solute, clutching his right fist over his heart and then extending his arm forward, palm open, in surrender to her.

"Speak," Olivia replied, as she also gave him the solute in return.

"King Vulcan and a small company of men have arrived at the city gates. His army is camping several miles out, in the woods to the north. He is demanding a private audience with the King, he-," the soldier looked up at King Agot, "he has your son with him, Your Grace."

Olivia let out a breath she had been holding. He was alive, and the relief was instant yet fleeting. Marcus was still in danger.

"Let him come," King Agot said, his face revealing nothing. "He can have his private audience after he sees this Council standing together."

"He also requests that he keep his weapons, Your Grace."

"Very well," King Agot replied, waving the young soldier off. Olivia shot her father a disapproving look and he only smiled at her. "I have you here to protect me my daughter, his weapons scare me not."

Olivia loved that her father was so confident in her skill, be she still felt his decision was foolish. Her heartbeat quickened as she waited for the King of the North, King Vulcan, to arrive. She had never seen a Northern Elf before. They had been called the Night Elves or Black Elves as Nyobi said, but she never knew why. Many of the Council members talked amongst themselves as they waited for King Vulcan to make his appearance.

Olivia moved back up the steps to stand beside her father. She glanced around her at the great throne room, enjoying the feeling of reverence this mighty hall inspired. The ceiling was made of glass, held up by pillars made of pale granite flecked with gold. Each side of the hall was open to the gardens, where trees and bushes of flowers filled the area with sweet aromas. The columns and flying buttresses were adorned with white vine flowers that were in full bloom. The wall behind the throne was solid amber with a small waterfall trickling down the almost flat surface. Vines and wild flowers grew up the outer edges to the ceiling. The throne itself was made from solid gold with an intricate design. On both sides of the throne at the same level were two smaller chairs, one for the heir to the throne, and the other for the King's General. The stone floor and steps were smooth and shine, with soft green moss growing between the cracks and crevices. On either side of the throne, several stairs down, were the Council member chairs. They were slightly elevated from the main floor and creating a semi-circular shape, like a small coliseum. Long ago the hall had been used as a place of prayer and worship, but now it was used to house the important matters of the Council and the King.

Everyone in the hall grew quite as they heard footsteps approach. And when King Vulcan and his men came into view, towing Marcus behind him in shackles, a different kind of silence filled the room. Olivia was infuriated when she saw the condition her brother was in. Every instinct told her to attack, to kill this King and take her brother back, but with great effort she held back. Squeezing her hands into a fist so tight, she could feel her nails breaking through her skin. It was the only thing that grounded her and kept her focused as she looked over her brothers injuries. She took account, two broken ribs from the way he was breathing, an injured leg, his left eye was swollen shut and the other eye was barely visible through its swelling. His hands were bloodied, defiantly broke some fingers probably from punching someone's face in. He had several shallow cuts on his arms and chest, but none of them were life threatening. When she was done looking over her brother she turned her attention to King Vulcan.

He was a giant. Most Elves were tall and lean in stature, with great agility and speed, but King Vulcan was different. He was taller than average, with a huge muscular body covered in black armor. His long thick black hair hung over his shoulders and his bright blue eyes gave no hint of emotion. The scar above his left eye and the others that decorated his forearms told a story of their own—he was a warrior and he was a survivor. He griped the hilt of his sword with his left hand, preparing himself for any kind of attack; Olivia watched as the thick muscles on his arms quiver with anticipation.

He was quite a contrast to the Elves in the Eastern Kingdom with their light colored hair, silver eyes and lightly tanned skin. Olivia was his complete opposite, for his hair was black and her hair was completely white. His skin was pale like marble and hers lightly freckled from the sun. His eyes a bright vibrant blue, and hers a shining silver. He was extremely tall, where Olivia was short for an Elf, even a female one.

"King Vulcan of the Northern Elf Kingdom, what a surprise this has turned out to be, to what do I owe the honor of your presence?" King Agot said, looking even more frail when in the same room as King Vulcan.

The man was a force in and of himself, who exuded nothing but raw power. Olivia tried to focus on Marcus, but her eyes kept shifting toward Vulcan without thinking. He knew magic, that much was obvious, Olivia could practically taste it in the air. He didn't need weapons to defend himself, nothing could be more powerful than his words.

"I believe I was promised a private audience," Vulcan said, his eyes never wavering as he looked at King Agot. Vulcan knew he didn't stand a fighting chance against the Eastern Kingdom, his entrance into the city had shown him that much, but he would be damned if he let on otherwise. The whole city was a fortress. The outer city a maze of streets that only locals would be able to maneuver. The inner city would never be breached, not with the bridge system they have. When Vulcan had seen the city from afar, he had been shocked at the sheer size of it.

Vulcans men had been apprehensive. His second, Coal, had even voiced such an opinion, saying they should simply return the Prince for ransom. But Vulcan had come with only one prize in mind, acquisition, and the Prince in his custody was going to help him acquire that. He went forward with his plan, making certain his men understood the consequences for questioning him again.

Upon entering the throne room, Vulcan was once again surprised to find the King and his Council present. He heard word of how King Agot had a Council compiled of leaders from all the creatures dwelling in the city, but he never expected to see such a large number. Thirty-seven from what he could count. Still, his anger flared at being promised a private audience and having that request denied.

"And the Council and I have agreed that you will be granted a private audience," King Agot replied. He stared down at King Vulcan, his own eyes never wavering. He spared no glace towards his son, for he knew if he did he would show his emotions. Emotions would not help him in this situation. The hall was silent as both Kings waged a silent battle, both testing the strength of the other.

"I am Princess Nyobi, representative of the Fae in the Eastern Kingdom." Nyobi stood from her chair and walked forward, standing directly in front of King Vulcan, a mere five feet away. She gave no care to his men or the weapons they held, she could melt their armor onto their skin with a flick of her wrist. "On behalf of the Council, I welcome you into our beloved city. We are so rarely visited by one of the great Elf Kings, but when we are, our city takes pride in showing its strength and unity. Each of us," she said, gesturing to the creatures of the Council and King Agot, "every creature, plays a part in the success and defense of this city. I have no doubt that you will leave enlightened and inspired by all you have witnessed."
Nyobi respectfully nodded her head in the direction of King Vulcan, showing him the respect his title demanded, before making her way out of the throne room. The entire Council followed her lead by standing and quietly exiting the throne room without uttering a word. Each of them silently agreeing with everything Nyobi said. The only ones left in the throne room were King Agot, Olivia, a few of Olivia's soldiers, and King Vulcan and his men, with Marcus still in chains.

"King Agot," King Vulcan started, "while I was doing a routine security check in my forests near the outskirts of my border, my men and I were ambushed by a rather remarkable group of men. You see, they would have been quite skilful had they not been drunk and already wounded. Your son in particular threatened to take off my head when I told him who I was. I thought it only appropriate to come here and deliver the news myself so you and I may come up with a solution we can both live with."

The story was shocking yet true. Olivia could see the truth in King Vulcans words and she was more than disappointed by her brothers' actions. She eyed her brother and saw the shame on his face. Marcus knew he had done wrong by his people and once again it was going to fall on his sister to clean up the mess.

"State your terms, King Vulcan," King Agot said, his patience growing thin.

"You forfeit your kingdom to me and I will give you back your son, if you do not he will remain my prisoner until I decide he has been tortured long enough, only then will I grant him the peace only death can bring."

"You cannot possibly think that I would forfeit my Kingdom to your rule simply because you hold my son hostage," King Agot countered, hoping to figure out Vulcans true motive.

"I have my entire army camped a mile outside your city gates. I will attack this city and take it by force if needed," Vulcan replied with false conviction.

King Agot chuckled. "You have a mere ten thousand men, King Vulcan. We out number you four to one. You couldn't breach the outer city walls even if you had fifty thousand men at your command. We have over forty thousand skilled soldiers in this city ready to fight to their last breath. We have twenty thousand soldiers stationed at the borders of this Kingdom, all of which will come when called. We have three neighboring Kingdoms, all of which owe loyalty to me and will come when called. You are, in fact, out numbered," he said, clearing his throat.

"King Vulcan," Agot continued, "you seem a capable man. And if everything I have been told about you is true, then you're no fool. Will you please spare me your empty threats and tell me what it is you wish to gain from all this. I am a sick old man and my time is precious, I don't wish to waste it playing games."

King Vulcan looked at King Agot, taking in his words. He knew trying to scare the king into getting what he wanted wasn't going to work. The old man may be sick, but he was as strong as steel. He decided then that telling the truth was his best bet at achieving his goal. He only hoped that King Agot was as noble a King as legend told.

"My Kingdom is being attacked by a force more powerful than you can imagine. Slowly my men are being picked off, one by one. Those ten thousand men are the majority of my army. Five years ago I had thirty thousand men and I have not engaged in open war for over seven years," King Vulcan said, trying to emphasize the importance of what he was saying. "This force is beyond me. They kill without discrimination, women, children, entire villages have been massacred in hours by this one leech that is sucking the life out of my Kingdom."

Olivia's interest was peaked, and so was her fathers. Over half of Vulcans army had been destroyed without engaging in open warfare, such a thing was unheard of.

"Only the Fae would be capable of doing such a thing," Olivia stated, talking more to her father than to Vulcan. "King Sibohan has been our ally for centuries, his daughter has a seat on our council, there is no way they would chance any involvement in destroying an Elf Kingdom, not after what happened last time."

Vulcan looked at Olivia for the first time, only now noticing her presence. She was short, with long curly white hair that framed a sun kissed face. Her shining silver eyes were piercing. Everything about her was delicate, from her plump pouting lips to her soft small hands. She wore a powder blue gown that sparkled as it rippled in the breeze, the layered sheer silk showing every curve of her body. The low neckline of her gown showed off the strand of fresh water pearls her father had gotten for her on her last birthday. Vulcan then noticed the silver shield pin above her left breast, identifying her as the Easter Kingdoms General.

Vulcan looked back at Marcus, who was still in shackles, and then glanced back up at Olivia. He realized then, she was his sister, the great warrior he had boasted about the entire way here. Vulcan and his men had thought he was bluffing, and quite a bad bluff, because none of his men had been fearful of a female warrior. But she stood before him, proof of her brothers' word. Vulcan looked over Olivia once again, taking in the small details. Her hands, though small and soft, were calloused and strong. Her arms were toned and covered with small scars that were barely visible. He pushed his magic out towards her only to realize she held magic as well, an ancient magic that couldn't be explained.

"The Fae have nothing to do with this," Vulcan stated, "the Fae come from nature, they are inherently neither good nor evil. The thing that plagues me is pure evil, from the very pits of hell itself...Vampires," he said. He looked at King Agot, who seemed shocked.

"That is not possible," Agot said, eyes wide with fear. He was trying to convince himself that King Vulcan was mistaken. Vampires had not plagued this earth for many, many centuries. Agot's grandfather, King Farris, had led the final battle against their kind. It was that victory which inspired the king to change the laws on citizenship in his Kingdom. It was how the Council started. King Farris knew the only way to survive was for every creature to come together and fight as one.

"King Agot, I do not expect you to take me at my word. Which is why I have brought one of the creatures with me, so that you may see for yourself."

"You captured one," Agot asked, baffled even more.

"Yes, one of the witches in my kingdom made a potion to slow it down. From there we were able to chain it in silver and place it in a gilded silver cage for transport. There is no chance of it escaping, it is too weak from being unable to feed. But I can show you proof, that the creatures do exist again," Vulcan said. He was hoping that this would help sway King Agots' decision.

"You have still failed to state your reason for coming here, your reason for threatening war against my people, your reason for holding my brother ransom," Olivia said, anger clearly visible in her eyes.

"I am here to acquire a peace treaty, with a clause to aid one another while in the state of emergency." Vulcan said, very matter of fact. "Like I said, your brother threatened my life, in my Kingdom that is more than enough reason to sentence him to death. However, I saw an official peace treaty as something we could both benefit from. If you're unwilling to cooperate, I am more than happy to take my leave and send your brother back to you in a pine box."

"And how do you see us benefiting from this exactly?" Olivia said, ignoring the bit about him killing her brother.

"We both rule over very strong and powerful Kingdoms," Vulcan said, directing his words to King Agot. "Your kingdom is rich in resources like wheat, gold, cattle, granite and silks, and you have a strong trade rout to the south. My Kingdom is rich in other resources like, silver, steel, salt, jewels and oil, and we have a strong trade system across the sea to the west. We have always existed in an undiscussed peace because waging war against each other would be too costly, we are too evenly matched. By forging an official peace treaty we can discuss terms for trade, which will help both of our Kingdoms grow and flourish."

"You right," King Agot said, "but unfortunately I alone cannot make this decision. I must consult the Council. And I must tell you, the reason that this Kingdom has not sought out peace terms with you earlier is because of your slave trade. That is something many of the people on the Council will not over look. It is not something I, myself, am willing to overlook either, but I will if the Council agrees it is best." King Agot waved a soldier over to him. "Many of the representatives on the Council would be considered slaves in your kingdom, it will be hard for them to see past that. I suggest you think hard on how you are going to present this to them."

King Agot then gave orders to the soldier, asking him to have the Council return. He also requested that Vulcans men bring the Vampire, to show the Council proof of his word. Vulcan sent Coal to retrieve the beast, and he spent the time waiting trying to keep himself focused, but it was difficult with Olivia in the room. It hadn't taken him long to realize why he was so drawn to her, he could practically feel his magic reach out to connect with hers. They were Chosens, soul mates, their magic was meant to bond together.

Finding your Chosen among Elf kind was rare, but highly sought after. Many refused to bond with someone who wasn't their Chosen. An Elf's soul can recognize its mate the instant they meet and the man will pursue his soul mate at all costs. Women don't have as strong of a reaction but they do feel a draw towards their mate, and a woman can always tell because her mate's eyes will change color with their emotions. A male who has found his Chosen will have eyes that shift in and out of a bright violet color, the stronger the emotion, the more vibrant the color.

When you bond with your Chosen, you are bonding your souls and your magic. You become, essentially, one entity. Those with very strong bonds can communicate with just their minds. Every bond creates a life thread, where one can draw on the strength of the other if they are in danger or injured. In some instances, if a Chosen has died then their mate dies with them, their lives so closely entwined, but those tales have passed into legend. Most mates live on even if their Chosen has died, but many choose to end their own life after losing half of themselves.

Every instinct told Vulcan to claim Olivia. To pick her up, toss her over his shoulder, and find a private room where he could fuck her till the sun set. He took deep breaths and bit down on his own tongue to keep himself in check. He didn't know how he was going to acquire Olivia out of this arrangement, but he knew he needed to make that happen or he would never see rest again. The draw towards her had started out as a gentle tug, but now it was an aggressive force pulling so hard on his chest it was difficult to breath.

The Council had finally all arrived, each of them taking their seats. King Agot gave Vulcan the floor. He gave the same speech he gave to King Agot, explaining his trouble with the Vampires and his hope for success in trade with a lasting peace treaty. The Council had to be asked to remain quite more than once by King Agot, many of them were in uproar about a trade system being implemented with a slave labor Kingdom and even more were fearful of the Vampire's and the threat they posed.

"This peace treaty is the only solution to the problem facing all of us. And trust me, this is a problem for your Kingdom as well as mine," Vulcan said as he looked over the faces on the Council. "My Kingdom is placed at a strategic advantage for the time being. We know what we are facing, we know where they are coming from and now we only need to work together to acquire the means to destroy them. My mines are filled with enough silver to protect every creature in both of our Kingdoms from this threat, but we don't have the man power to mine all of it or forge it into weapons. And we don't have enough men to fight in our armies. I cannot do this alone. If my Kingdom falls, then you will have increased the enemies number by at least ten thousand. At that point, this city—no matter how sophisticated the plans of defense are—will fall. And after the Eastern Kingdom falls, every Kingdom on this continent will fall prey to death. We must strike now, despite our differences."

"I'll not agree to fight with some Northern King who uses my people as slaves!" Klum said, the Councils dwarf representative.

The Council erupted in conversation then, people agreeing and disagreeing, some even threatening King Vulcan. Olivia couldn't believe what she was seeing. They were suppose to come across as a united front, and here they were playing into King Vulcans hands. Nyobi warned them he would try and do this, create tension and discourse. Olivia looked to Nyobi who was sitting calmly, shaking her head in exasperation. She locked eyes with Olivia, then nodded her head in understanding. Nyobi was held in such high respect by the Council, they all fell silent when she stood to approach Vulcan for a second time that day.

"It is apparent that we have some varying opinions on how to proceed. A peace treaty with you is mutually beneficial for both of our Kingdoms, for many reasons as you have stated. However, in order for this to work, we are both going to have to make some concessions. Returning Marcus to his family will indeed grant you a peace treaty" she took a breath and looked at the members of the Council. "However, it will not grant you the trade routs you so desperately need and it will not grant you the extra workers you need in your mine. This is where compromise comes into play. We are not in agreement with your salve labor laws, and as such request that you implement a termination of such laws."

The Council murmured their agreement.

"That is ridiculous," Vulcan interjected.

Nyobi shot him a look that silenced him. "Seeing that implementing the termination of such laws would render your economy useless if done all at once, we will provide you with someone who can help aid you in this transition. Someone whom we trust, to see that every creature effected by the slave labor laws is well looked after. We will give you five years to completely shut down all slave activity, which is a more than sufficient amount of time."

"You want me to completely shift my Kingdoms way of life in five years. That is not enough time, how could I possibly accomplish such a task without starting a civil war?"

"You start out small," Nyobi said. "The fact that your Kingdom is being attacked will only force your people to rely on the ones they consider slaves even more, they will be more vulnerable to viewing them in a humane capacity. Eventually your people will realize that the only way to survive is to work together as equals."

"And who would you be sending with me, to oversee this transition?" Vulcan asked, his tone agitated and annoyed.

"Well," Nyobi glanced up at Olivia, "What better way to solidify a peace treaty than through marriage. The King has three daughters, all of age, I'm sure you'll find one of them to your liking. Each of them will know how best to approach removing the slave labor laws. They are all very well educated in such matters."

Vulcans gaze locked with Olivia, and he knew then that he would agree to anything so long as he could have her. He just couldn't let on that he wanted her too badly, or they would choose one of her sisters for him.

"Not a chance in hell!" Marcus said. It was the first time he had spoken sense arriving, and unfortunately no one was paying him much attention. "Father you can't," he continued, "I would rather die than see one of my sisters stuck with this barbarian."

"So which daughter will he merry?" one of the Council voiced.

"Olivia, of course, she is the eldest," David said. He was looking for any opportunity to rid the Kingdom of her all too watchful eyes.

"Olivia cannot go," Kias replied, "she is the Kingdoms General. We cannot afford to loose our best warrior to a rival Kingdom."

"They won't be our rivals anymore, you crone," David smarted back.

"Enough!" King Agot stated. The room fell silent as their King sat and thought. Many things were going through his mind, one of them was the coming grief he would feel at loosing one of his daughters. The other was the realization that there was only one daughter fit to do this deed, his beloved Olivia. The third was that the entire Kingdom would feel her loss, for she is very much a part of the culture in the Eastern Kingdom. He knew, that in order to satisfy the Council's needs and protect the future of this Kingdom that Olivia would have to go, but he also knew he could not order her to do so, it would be something she would have to choose to do of her own free will.

Olivia turned to her father and knelt down before him. "Father, you and I both know that I am the only one who can do this. Aleksandra, Marianna, they are both strong, but you know...you know they can't do this. It has to be me. This is the only way," she said as she took his hands in her own.

"I cannot make this decision for you my dear, you must make it for yourself. Just know, that whatever you decide, I will support you," Agot said, leaning forward to kiss his daughter on her forehead.

Olivia kissed her father's hands, wishing she didn't have to let go. She knew if she didn't agree to these terms her father wouldn't allow Aleksandra or Marianna to merry King Vulcan. The treaty would likely never get forged and her brother may never return home, for King Vulcan was within his rights to keep him prisoner. Her brother would eventually be killed, and the war in the North would spread to the Eastern Kingdom. She knew she could probably lead in that battle and they would probably win, but at what cost? How many lives would end because she didn't marry a King?

Olivia stood and turned to face everyone in the hall. She took strength in her father's steady grip on her hand, knowing he needed to stay connected to her just as much as she needed to be connected to him.

"I agree to the marriage," she said as she looked over the Council and then to Vulcan "if he will have me."

Vulcan felt the magic of the Chosen bond surge forward, he wasn't able to control it, his vision bled into nothing but vibrant violet color, all other colors fading. A few members of the Council gasped when they saw his eyes turn violet, 'they are Chosens' many of them murmured. Olivia looked as if she had seen a ghost, her eyes wide in wonder and confusion.

"You are Mine," he said, voicing an official claim. It was only then that Olivia felt the bond start to form, and she was surprised at how strong the pull was. She knew there was no going back. No changing her mind. Her whole life she had wanted to find her Chosen, her soul mate. Now that she was confronted with the reality of who he was, she wanted nothing more than to stay as far away as possible.

But his words echoed in her mind. You are Mine.

Her souls reply was the same. You are Mine.

~

I hope you all enjoyed this story. I am already editing and going through some re-writes on the second chapter and hope to post it within a week or two. My stories are always evolving and changing every time I go through an editing process. This first chapter has gone through about ten separate edits and several re-writes. I am always looking for honest feedback, so please don't hold back. I am hoping to make this series a trilogy fallowing other characters in the story that you haven't quite met yet. Olivia and Vulcan are characters that are very dear to my heart, so I hope you all love them just as much as I do. So be patient and stay tuned for more adventure! (if you're wondering when the sex comes in...that's what I mean by being patient. It will come, and trust me, it will be good.) ~Lady_Lillie17