5 What if...?

"Auri, wake up," Astrid called as she gently tapped on Auriana's shoulder. They would be late for breakfast and also drag everyone behind, which would also delay their journey if she didn't wake up soon. "I know you can hear me. You have never been a deep sleeper," she stopped and folded her arms across her chest and stared at Auriana.

"You don't have to wait for me, I would prefer to be late or even better, to be left behind," Auriana said with her eyes still closed.

"That can not be done, you know that, someone will be here soon to check up on us. So there is no way we would be forgotten," Astrid replied, and she opened her eyes. "I will find a way to keep you from meeting every unmarried man in my kingdom," she promised, and Auriana smiled.

"Thanks," she replied and sat up. She looked out the window, the sun was up but the first thing that came to her mind was if he was asleep right now or if he can't find sleep just as she didn't until it was almost too late to do so. "I will return to my room now. Thanks for having me," she said and stood up.

"I guess I am not the only one whose parents want to have shoved into a man's arms," Astrid uttered after Auriana was gone. The past few days since her visit here had been the most relaxing without having anyone talk about how she was running out of time in finding a husband, but now she has to return there again. All good things must come to an end, so they say.

*

"Are you sure are alright, Auriana," Queen Dahlia asked. Auriana was still looked as distressed as she was last night when they had a conversation about her mate. It was so unlike her.

Auriana was an obedient girl. One who would do anything her parents tell her to do, although mischievous sometimes, but that was always overlooked with how well mannered and respectful she was along with her dedication to her duties as the kingdom's heir. She was also like every other shifter, eager to turn eighteen and then meet her mate.

"I am alright, Mother. It is just that my wolf is against this trip. She doesn't want to go," Auriana replied, and Dahlia's brows pulled together in a frown of confusion.

"Are you sure?" She asked, although she couldn't sense any lies in her words. It was weird that her wolf didn't want to go and find their mate. The wolf should always know better than anyone else.

"I am sure. This is why I haven't been myself , she has been restless and protesting," this was not a lie. Her wolf didn't want to leave because the further away they went, the more the distance between them and the Varecien was. In other words, the more the distance from their mate and she didn't want that.

"This a terrible sign," Dahlia muttered. If the wolf is protesting, it means that the likeliness of finding him was near zero.

"Your Majesty, does that mean her mate won't be found in Deranna?" Astrid asked to get her to admit it. That might make them stop the trip, and Auriana can go back to her life. This was her way of helping her friend.

"Ah…well… yes, the likeliness of that being the outcome is high, but we can't give up, right?" She said, trying to encourage herself rather than talking to the one who had asked.

"Being with Auriana for so long, I have come to learn many things, one of those would be that the wolf of a shifter is always the first to identify its mate, am I right, Your Majesty?" Astrid asked again. She looked at Auriana, who silently thanked her with her eyes and a faint smile.

"That is true, Astrid, but…" she stopped and took a deep breath "You are right, he isn't there," Dahlia sighed and massaged her temple. "Auri, I am so sorry, your father and I didn't ask you about this before. I will call your father and ask that we return to…" Auriana shook her head. "What is it?"

"Let's take Astrid to her home first, then we can return home," she said with a smile that helped calm her mother, who suddenly got worked up. "While we are at it, tell more about the vampires, I know very little about them," she asked. This would be her chance to find something useful from her mother. "Please don't be biased and talk about what you do not like about them only. I want to know everything, I mean, I will be dealing with them soon when I become queen."

"Why are you asking about this all of a sudden?" Dahlia had a suspicious look in her eyes, but Auriana didn't budge.

"I know how much our kingdoms despise each other, but what if it isnt suppose to be that way? What if it is possible that we can leave in peace with each other and…"

"That is enough, Auriana. You are still too young to fully understand the depth of our conflict. This has been going long before your father and I were born. Long before the past hundred years, which you must have ready known," Dahlia interrupted Auriana. She was starting to get unnerved.

"Tell me this Mother, from my wolf's reactions, it is clear that my our mate isn't human. When I asked about the vampires, her unrest eased up, and she was eager to hear about it as well," Dahlia squinted her eyes. Beside them on the carriage, Auriana felt her father's present just outside the window, which meant he is able to hear whatever they said.

She felt hesitation rise in her, but she steeled her heart. She needed to know what the vampires are truly like. Living with them, was it as bad as the rumors had it? She didn't feel that way while with him. They say a vampire's body is cold, just like the snow thay fell there all year round, but she felt warmth from his touch. They also said Vampires didn't have a heart. She also felt that to be wrong. Every word he said to her, she knew he meant. When he spoke of never letting go of her, those words came from the heart.

"Auriana," Dahlia called in a warning tone. Her eyes spoke volumes of the warning that she could not bring herself to say to her daughter.

"Hear me out, Mother," Auriana said, refusing to back down just like that. "What if the mate we are searching for is not a shifter, and neither is he a human but a vampire? What then, I can't be with him? Would you advise that I reject him despite knowing the pain that would cost me and the possibility of it killing me?"

"Auriana…" Dahlia called, her hands shaking just thinking of the possibilities.

Astrid gasped and quickly clasped her hands over her mouth to prevent further sounds from escaping. Auriana was brave and bold, unlike herself, who could not speak in such a manner to her parents.

"There is no way you would be mated to a vampire. Your wolf is just like you, unsure of what is good and right for her. Do not speak of this ever again." Dahlia said in a dismissive tone.

"What if I said I have met him, and he truly is a vampire?" Auriana threw the questions, and this time, King Edgar could not stop himself from speaking.

"Auriana," he called and moved the curtains that blocked his view of the inside aside. He stared at his daughter, who had her gaze locked with her mother's and the woman doing the same. "Dahlia, calm down," he said, and she looked at him before looking away at the other window. "Auriana…" she interrupted him.

"What I said is not a lie, Father, I have met him," she insisted and all he did was nod his head. This surprised everyone in the carriage, but they didn't speak about it.

"I find it hard to believe you because you have never been near the kingdom of vampires, Auriana, or do you say otherwise?" Edgar asked, his voice and demeanour still as calm as before.

"Yes, last night. Astrid was taken, and I went after her," she revealed, and this brought a change into the expressions of everyone, especially Astrid, who was horror stricken.

"What?!" Dahlia exclaimed, alternating her eyes between the two girls. Astrid's reaction proved it all. It really did happen.