A Fairy-Tail Marriage

Blake knew that Jonathan had visited certain areas of the world where they taught different fighting techniques than Braxton might be familiar with. He was listing ways to defend himself.

“Okay, Blake, that’s enough,” Braxton told them as they reached the circle Blake had prepared for the fight. “I’m as ready as I’ll every be.” He turned to Althea. “I wish you would go back.”

“I won’t,” Althea said with a shake of her head. “I love you.”

“I love you,” Braxton told her, cupping her face with his hand. He began to undress. “Will you hold my clothes for me?”

Althea laughed. “Of course, you brazen hussy.” He laughed with her.

Jonathan sauntered into the circle, already nude. His body was marked with the scars of battles, and Althea wondered what his werewolf form would look like. In human form, he was the same size as Braxton, so she assumed they would be equal as wolves as well.

“Good morning, Queen,” Jonathan called, waving to her. “Enjoy that title now, for it will not be yours long.”

Althea rolled her eyes at him, which irritated him if the clench of his jaw was any indication. She turned back to Braxton. “Good luck, my love.”

He smiled at her and turned to face her brother, his face stern and angry. “Anything to say before we shift?”

“Well, you should say good bye to your bride,” Jonathan barked. “Also, no interference from the little fairy, or my man will shoot her.” He indicated with his head a man with a bow and arrow, arrow in the notch and ready should he need it.

“Your man aims at my wife, and mine will kill him.” Braxton waited for Jonathan’s acknowledging nod, which meant nothing. “She will not interfere.”

Jonathan looked at Althea and waited. She called, “Neither me nor my friend will use magic to interfere.”

“What about your fairy guards? Yes, I’ve noticed them,” Jonathan said.

Althea looked around, frowning. She had been so concerned about Braxton, she hadn’t noticed they were encircled by fairies in their war garb.

Braxton promised, “They won’t interfere either, unless they feel the queen is in danger.” A subtle warning: if Jonathan won, he could not harm Althea.

“I agree. Let’s shift.”

Jonathan shifted before the word had left his mouth completely. Braxton followed. Both wolves howled and charged simultaneously in a blur of fur and teeth. Snarls, growls, and the sounds of snapping teeth filled the west field. Althea cringed as she watched her husband and his brother try to kill each other.

The battle was short, however, though bloody. Jonathan drew first blood, scoring Braxton’s chest with his claws. Braxton fell back, rolling, and managed to regain his feet quickly. Blood seeped from the wound, but Braxton lowered his head and charged again. He slammed his shoulder into Jonathan’s chest, and they bowled over, kicking up dust around them. Braxton’s teeth latched onto Jonathan’s throat, but Jonathan managed to shake him off. Braxton used his claws and dragged them down Jonathan’s spine, creating wounds much deeper than the ones on his chest.

Blood spattered the ground as the pair circled one another to catch their breath. Althea wished they could speak while in wolf form. Braxton was breathing hard, but Jonathan was wheezing. He arched his back and a whimper escaped him before he could stop it. Blood also dripped from a tear at Jonathan’s throat caused by Braxton’s teeth. Althea winced again, sorry that he was in pain but not sorry Braxton was still all right.

Braxton advanced once more. Jonathan retreated a few steps, then sprinted at Braxton. They slammed into each other, snarling and growling louder than before. A yelp sounded, and Jonathan lay on the ground, unmoving though breathing and awake.

Braxton backed away several feet and shifted. The wounds on his chest looked much worse in human form, and his nose and lips were bleeding. He’d have several bruises all over his body tomorrow. Althea wanted to run to him, but Blake grabbed her arm and shook his head. She looked back at the pair.

“I don’t want to kill you, Jonathan,” Braxton said. “Don’t make me. Shift into human form.” Jonathan made a sound deep in his throat in response but did not shift. “Brother. Shift.” The almost pleading note in Braxton’s voice broke Althea’s heart. He did not want to kill his own brother but would if he had to. And it would weigh on him for the rest of his life.

Jonathan looked at Braxton, then down at the ground. He howled and shifted, his howl becoming a scream of agony. He growled at Braxton, “You know how much more this hurts as a human.”

“I do. But I need your word you’ll leave and not return. If you do return, I’ll have you killed before you reach the castle.” Braxton sounded hard, cold, but inside his heart was breaking.

Jonathan stared at him. “I’ll go, little brother. But I will not give up the throne. If you want me gone, you’ll have to kill me.”

Braxton stared at him, indecision clear in his eyes. He looked at Blake, who nodded. Althea gasped, and Braxton’s eyes moved to her. She shook her head as tears fell down her cheeks. Blake looked at the ground; she would win this, and he prayed to the gods no harm would come from it.

“Guards!” Braxton yelled. The fairy guards flew forward, closing the circle around the brothers. “Jonathan needs to heal, but he’s dangerous in wolf form. He will shift so he can heal, but he must be held captive until he is deposited far from here. Can you do that?”

“King Braxton, we will bind him once he shifts and transport him magically to the location of his choice. Or your choice,” the leader of the fairy guards pronounced. Braxton nodded and named a land across the sea from this kingdom. “Yes, King.”

Braxton returned his attention to Jonathan. “Shift and heal. Good bye.”

Braxton turned and walked toward Althea and Blake. Blake stepped forward. “Braxton, you must kill him. I know it’s hard, but he’ll come back. What if he challenges you after you’ve started a family? Or when you’re ill? Now is the time.”

“Blake, I can’t. He’s my brother. My sister would never forgive me, and I would never forgive myself. If he returns, I’ll have him killed. I promise to you,” Braxton said. Blake sighed but stepped away so Braxton could reach Althea.

“Braxton! I will return! This isn’t the en—” Jonathan’s words were cut off by the fairy guards, who had magically silenced him. Braxton watched as he tried to speak and finally gave up. He shifted, the fairies surrounded him, and he was gone.

Tears of internal pain slid down his cheeks. He looked at Althea, who cried with him. “I have to shift to heal.”

“I’ll stay with you,” Althea promised. He shifted and lay on the grass. She dropped beside him and put his head in her lap. He closed his eyes. “Forever.”