May Death Do Us Part

301 Chapter 301 : The goal justifies the means

“What are you so worried about?” Jonathan asked the lycsn as they move down the small road towards the Gavarian capital. “you have been quiet the entire journey, are you missing your mate?”

The taunt in Jonathan’s voice made Elric look up and shake his head. “I haven’t heard from her from the time I sent the letter, are you sure the man who was to deliver it did the job?”

“Of course he did,” Jonathan responded. “that man works within the palace, he is able to hand-deliver the letter to the princess herself. So I can assure you that Eira is waiting for you as we speak.”

“Even if it so happens that she did not receive the letter,” Alexander added on, “what’s the worst that could possibly happen? She is your mate after all, what, do you think she’ll fall for some other man and get married to him.”

The thought of Eira marrying some other man was starting to weigh heavier and heavier on Elric’s shoulders. It was amazing how the law of mates worked, he had not seen her in sometime, and before that they had barely interacted, but his feelings towards her grew day by day. This was definitely some sort of sorcery.

“On the contrary,” The silver haired lycan responded. “I fear she may concede to her parents wishes, and settle with whichever man is least annoying among the ones she has met so far. if only I had some sort of response from her, some sort of assurance that she will not give up on me or on her happiness, I would feel much better.”

“Is this the most feared lycan, the son of Edron speaking in such a way?” Jonathan chuckled. “The years have definitely softened you up. What you should be saying is, you will slay any man who dares lay single finger on her before you get to Gavaria.”

When Elric heard his men chuckle behind him, he turned around and gave them a scornful stare. It was true, the years really had made him a little soft. But then again, was it truly the years that had softened him up? Or was it the princess?

Back in the day, he would have not hesitated to gather hundreds of men, march to the capital and lay carnage and waste to anything that stood in his way. But he did not want Eira to perceive him as a man of impatience and violence, he did not want her to think that he was a monster or a psychopath like everyone had said. He wanted her to feel safe around him and not to fear him.

.....

Before leaving the snowlands, Elric had sworn to himself that the only times he would act like a monster, was if anyone tried to harm her. Only then, once he revealed the beast within.

“Chin up lycan,” Jonathan spoke. “I can assure you you have nothing to worry about, in a few days you and her will be united, and only the gods will be able to tear you a part.”

*

The next morning, Maxim seem a bit disoriented. He kept tapping his feet and biting his nail as his eyes fixated on the food in front of him that he did not touch.

“Did something happen between you and the princess?” Lord Adalbert asked the young elf. “because I’m assuming that’s the only thing that would have you so nervous.”

The truth was that Maxim was worried about something completely different. When he had woken up that morning, he had walked to his table and found that the vial containing the poison was gone. Of course, Maxim should’ve been happy that he had finally gotten rid of that dreadful little potion, but it was unsettling not knowing who had taken it from his table, and for what reason.

Had someone taken it to use as evidence against him? So that they would draw a wedge between him and Princess Eira? Or had one of the maids come in while he was asleep to clean his chambers, and accidentally thrown it away? Maxim did not know, and this made him very uneasy.

“I am just a little nervous about today’s training,”Maxim lied. “it is the last day I’m going to train the princess, and it’s a bit disheartening. What if it’s the last day that I’m ever going to see her.”

“Don’t lose hope,” Bertram responded. “With the way things have been going, I know that of all the men and suitors that princess Eira had met so far, you are the one she is most fond of. If there is any man with the highest chance to end up as her husband...” The elderly elven man placed a gentle hand on Maxim’s shoulder “it is you Maxim, so hold your head up high, you have worked hard for this.”

Maxim nodded and forced smile on his face. If that vial that had gone missing had landed into the wrong hands , today might indeed be the last time he was going to be with Princess Eira, because that little vial would expose him for what his true mission had been all this while. In fact, if the worst case scenario happened to occur, Maxim might even be sentenced to death for attempting to harm the princess.

*

“Maxim? Maxim?!”

The green eyed elf looked up at Eira who was looking down at him in concern. He quickly stood up and gave her his attention.

“Princess! Is there something wrong? Are you alright?”

“Those are questions I should be asking you Maxim,” Eira responded. “you seem a little out of it today, I have been calling out to you for the past five minutes, but you were so lost in thought you couldn’t even hear me.”

“Forgive me princess, I must be a little tired,” the green eyed elf responded.

The red haired princess sat down on the lush green grass and invited the elf to sit next to her. She then adjusted her position so that she could face him and gave him a warm smile.

“If there is something bothering you, you know you can tell me right? I mean we are friends after all, are we not?”

“Of course we are,” Maxim responded.

Eria reached from Maxim’s hand and gently placed hers on top of his. “Then tell me what’s wrong, you have been acting strangely the entire afternoon.”

Maxim took a breath and looked up at princess Eira, and just like always he was drawn in by her beautiful amethyst eyes. he really wanted to tell her the truth, to tell her everything that had been going on, and to apologize for even thinking about hurting her. But he didn’t want to lose her as a friend. he also didn’t want to put her in a state of panic, if he revealed that the poison he was supposed to use on her had gone missing.

“I am just worried about tomorrow,” Maxim spoke softly. His hand moving on top of hers and squeezing it lightly. “Do you really have to fight? What if you get hurt or worse? There has to be some other way for you to choose a husband.”

Eira looked down at their interlocking hands, and blushed a little before clearing her throat. “I have already made my decision Maxim, but you don’t have to worry..” The princess looked away and covered her mouth with her other hand. “You are a good teacher, and with what I have learned I assure you I will be alright.”

Standing at a distance, Zhelimir elbowed his cousin Damien. “You see, you were wrong about Maxim all this time. The only reason he was acting so strange, was because he had a thing for our little cousin.”

Damien did not respond, he had not failed to notice that Maxim was acting even more suspicious than he usually did today. There was something that this elven man was up to, and Damien hoped they would figure it out before it was too late.

“Don’t encourage him,” Damien spoke before turning away. “Eira already has a mate, you and I both know that. Nothing creates a bitter and resentful enemy like a broken heart.”

*

Back at Ivan’s Manor, Jacob was sitting in his room twirling the little vial that he had taken from Maxim’s quarters the previous night in his fingers. He couldn’t help but smile at himself at hoe easy it had been to steal this little potion from him.

The next day would be the day that the beautiful princess Eira would choose a husband. And thanks to this little vile in his hand, and thanks to that stupid elf Maxim, Jacob would be the man that Eira would choose.

Was Jacob proud that he had to use a potion to get Eira to love him? Of course not. But at this point, she was not willing to take any chances. He had almost lost her once, he would not allow that to happen ever again.

Besides, did it really matter that he was using such methods if it meant that his goal was to make her happy? Because Jacob knew that he was the only man who would love Eira like she had never been loved before.

Jacob strongly believed that the methods he used were unnecessary if the end goal was to secure the princess’ happiness.