Set in Stone
By Misha
Disclaimer- Not mine. I’m just borrowing them for a little while and will return them when I am finished.
Author’s Notes- This is the response to a request from featuring the dialogue prompt “So this is what a broken heart feels like” and a scene between Kenna and her mother. This is set before the beginning of Book 1. It’s kind of light Kenna/Dom, with a few hints of Adriana/Leon and a little foreshadowing, because I couldn’t resist.
Pairing- Mild Kenna/Dom
Rating- PG
Summary- Adriana and Kenna talk about Kenna’s future.
Words- 738
“You can’t have him.”
Kenna turned at the sound of her mother’s voice. The words had been spoken quietly, but with purpose.
“I…” She began and then trailed off. A denial would be a lie and Kenna never lied to her mother.
“When this alliance is over, you’re going to be married,” her mother reminded her.
“I know,” Kenna said quietly. “I just… I love him, Mother.”
Adriana’s face was sad. “I know, Butterfly, but royalty can’t always follow their heart.”
Kenna was quiet, looking at her mother carefully. She wondered if her mother was speaking from experience; if there had been some painful love in her past, but Kenna couldn’t bring herself to ask.
“If you can’t keep your emotions in check, I’ll have to send the boy away,” Her mother warned.
The words were like a dagger to her heart. Kenna couldn’t imagine life without Dom. He was her best friend. The tears came unbidden. She had always known she couldn’t have Dom, but to hear her mother put it so coldly, it just…
It finally her. There was no future for her and Dom, no magical way for them to be together. The knowledge was overwhelming.
“So this is what a broken heart feels like,” she sobbed bitterly.
“Oh Butterfly,” her mother whispered, wrapping her arms around her. “I know it feels like your heart is broken but… Love comes into our life more than once. Sometimes it is bitter and sometimes it is sweet and sometimes we find it in the place we least expect it.”
Once again Kenna was sure there was some hidden meaning in her mother’s words, but she was so wrapped up in her own pain that it barely registered. “You can’t send him away,” she pleaded.
“I won’t,” Adriana promised, “as long as you remember who you are and where your future lies.”
“I will,” Kenna promised, blinking away her tears and straightening. “Who do you think my husband will be?”
“I don’t know,” Adriana told her, “believe it or not, you will get some say.”
“As long as I choose from the list of eligible princes,” Kenna said bitterly. She saw the expression on her mother’s face and sighed. “I know. Remind me again of my options?”
“Well, there’s Prince Tevan,” Adriana reminded her, referring to the Crown Prince of Fydoria.
Fydoria was Stormholt’s closest ally and Tevan was the only one of the suitors Kenna was familiar with. Familiar enough to know that while he was a nice man, she didn’t want him as a husband.
“I don’t want a husband who’s prettier than I am,” she said making a face, “who else?”
“There’s Prince Aaron of Thorngate,” her mother told her, “he’s known to be quite serious and quite handsome. Prince Damon of Panrion, but he doesn’t have the best reputation.”
Kenna nodded, not needing to know more than that. “And then, of course, King Luther has four sons,” her mother told her.
“And you’d prefer me to choose one of them,” Kenna said shrewdly, thinking of how her mother kept pointing out how important Luther’s co-operation was to the alliance.
“Ideally, yes,” Adriana admitted, “you seemed fond enough of Prince Seoras last fall.”
“He was fine,” Kenna said with a shrug. He had been handsome and charming, but there had been no sparks. Still, he was preferable to Prince Tevan and apparently Prince Damon.
“Prince Diavolos is said to be the most handsome of Luther’s sons, though he’s several years older than you,” Adriana mused, “there’s also Baltair and Marco, but Seoras is closest to you in age.”
“I’m sure one of them will appeal,” Kenna said with a shrug, even though she wasn’t sure at all.
The idea of being married to a stranger filled her with dread, but she knew she had to put a happy face and go along with the plan. She couldn’t let her mother send Dom away. She needed him in her life, even if it was only as a friend.
Adriana smiled, “I’m sure they will too.” She squeezed Kenna’s hand. “It will be months for before the alliance is finalized and as I said, maybe the situation will surprise you and you will come to love your spouse.”
Kenna nodded, though she didn’t believe that was possible. She loved Dom. He was the one she wanted, not some King’s son and she couldn’t see that ever changing.
- End
