Hatred consumed Ajo.

It was a fire burning him from the inside, licking his bones and heating his skin to an uncomfortable degree.

He wanted to destroy the world but settled for an area in the woods. The time he spent tearing down trees could not be measured, and when he finally turned homeward he found an empty, joyless castle. The torches were dimmed, casting shadows in every corner where light once danced. Servants were ordered to keep their distance and remain unseen.

The Queen was on her throne, alone and miserable. Gone were the wedding guests and the court who awaited their new king. Gloom had taken their place, like an uninvited guest moving into the castle, determined to stay.

When Ajo appeared before his mother they said nothing to each other, not even a greeting, but shared a difficult look.

All was lost, they silently agreed.

The coronation had not ended, for it had never begun.

Ajo's humiliation was no doubt being gossiped about throughout the kingdom. He was not certain what would happen now, or if he would ever take the throne. The more he thought about it, the more he realized he did not care. His sole concern was that Galeia and her human never walked the woods again. He prowled through the trees day and night to make sure they obeyed his command. If he could not devote his days to love, he would devote them to hate.

And when Galeia died, he would spend them in mourning.

An abysmal future. Ajo could not see it proceeding down any other path.

Galeia must have taken his threat seriously, for he had not sensed a trace of her presence in the woods since their wedding day, some three weeks ago. More and more he stayed away from the castle and began to sleep under the trees, waking with the first peek of light on the horizon to resume his task of guarding the forest against Galeia's intrusion. On the rare occasion he did return home, the Queen met him with the same awful silence and the same dejected nod.

During the fourth week of this wretched routine, something changed.

Ajo pulled himself from the woods at the approach of dusk and locked himself inside the castle library. The idea had struck him during his hunt, that there might be a way to break the effect of the Soul Bind. He questioned his mother once about it but was met with a sad dismissal of that reality ever being possible. As the one who created the spell, the Queen assured him there was no way to dissolve it.

And she would not aid Ajo in what she believed was a fruitless quest.

Ajo rejected the notion.

Perhaps the magic was not as efficient when used on weak mortal lives.

Perhaps, if Galeia joined another part of her soul with his, she could become strong enough to withstand a severing from the human.

These ideas, at first dismissed as ludicrous, began to sound more plausible as his desperation grew. He became convinced that somehow the man had enchanted Galeia to love him. He might even be keeping her as a prisoner against her will. 

Ajo sought the counsel of the Knight of the Wood and asked if he had seen the courtship between Galeia and the human. The Knight had little information other than an instance where Galeia briefly questioned him on the wooing of humans, under the guise of being curious about the race.

"What did you tell her?" Ajo asked.

"Same as I told ye once," the Knight said. "Love will not be forced."

After many long days and nights a conclusion was reached, that the human had used Galeia as a means to lengthen his own life. Time was a human's greatest enemy, so he must have sought a way to avoid its grasp a little longer.

At the cost of Ajo's heart and Galeia's freedom.

Some humans, Ajo read, had found victory against lesser beings by using their metals and alchemy to overpower magic. If Galeia had been under an enchantment, it could be that when she spoke the words of the Soul Bind she had not meant them.

Ajo would save her.

He was a hero, after all.

As he poured over tomes of magic and wisdom, Ajo conjured a vision of Galeia to watch over him. He stared at it with confusing anger and longing—and was embarrassed that her face brought him relief.

The vision reached out to touch his cheek, but her fingers were nothing but a chill against his skin.

"Ajo."

A voice he believed was lost to him forever whispered his name.

He looked at the vision. Did it speak? He didn't know that was possible.

"Ajo," the voice spoke again and this time he saw that the vision's mouth had not moved.

Slowly, cautiously, he turned to the library door.

Galeia was there. The real Galeia. In her wedding gown.

A ghost in the doorway.

Ajo stood and the vision dissipated as his focus shifted.

He didn't know what to say. He didn't know how to feel about her presence.

"Are you...real?"

"I've made a horrendous mistake," she said.

Her voice brought tears to his eyes.

"What do you mean?"

She gave him a look that implied he already knew the answer. All the same, he needed her to say it.

"Tell me what you mean."

"I cannot stand beside mortal men." She took a tentative step into the library. "My heart has always belonged to you."

Words became difficult for Ajo to voice. "You...gave your soul—to him."

She approached, but Ajo stumbled back. He could not believe her. This was not an apology, this was a threat.

"Please, I want to come home," she said. "I want to come home to you."

Did something happen between Galeia and the human? Or had she comprehended the gravity of her actions?

"You and mother were right. I acted without thinking. I was rash. I was afraid of being queen and the responsibility it meant. I was afraid of growing up. He promised me I didn't have to, but he was wrong. We both were. Please tell me it's not too late to make things right."

"Your life is no longer your own," Ajo argued weakly. "What you did...it was too much."

"I don't believe that, and neither do you. We can find a way to break it, together."

"And in the meantime? You're not suggesting we...share you?"

"Never. But there are ways around it."

"You are mortal now."

"Half, yes. But we could fix that. We could give the human a seed like mother gave to the Knight. We could lengthen his life or even make him live forever."

"Why would I do that? This is a trick to give your real love immortality."

"I know it sounds vulgar. I only mean to extend my life with you. If that means keeping the human alive, so be it." Galeia grinned. "We could keep him in the castle as a court fool. Or we could hide him away. We would never have to see him again, just ensure that he was cared for until we found a way to make me whole again. Let me prove that I am honest. That I mean it when I say I love you more than anyone, and I am sorry for the pain I caused. I've returned to make it right."

As she spoke she closed the distance between them. She reached up and touched his cheek, and he felt the warmth of her skin against his.

"We should tell mother," he said.

"In the morning. Right now I want it to be you and me."

"But she should—"

Galeia pulled him into a deep kiss.

It was far more bold than the one they shared before, and Ajo couldn't help but fall into her. He was overtaken with conflicting emotions. Confusion and excitement, anger and relief, jubilation and doubt.

The prevailing one was caution.

"Run with me in the woods," she whispered against his lips.

There was only one answer he could give.

"Yes."

They raced through the empty halls of the castle, unimpeded by servants or guests. Though still apprehensive, Ajo could not help but be swept into the joy of Galeia's spirit. He tested her, pulling her several times into a corner to begin a new kiss, and waited for the moment when she would flinch or pull away. She never did, but fell into his arms repeatedly and pressed her lips against his with unyielding passion. He had a thought to lead her to his bedroom, under the guise of changing into something suitable for the woods, but Galeia refused to change course, and led him past the castle gates and into the trees.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"To our wedding," she answered. "I never needed a grand ceremony or a thousand courtiers watching us. It should be you and me and the woods—and one other to witness it."

"Mother?"

"No, an old friend is waiting."

"Who? Isolam?"

She did not answer and he didn't press further, for he did not want to break the wonderful enchantment that had been cast over the world. They laughed as they ran, and Ajo could not stop grabbing her for another kiss.

"We'll never marry if you don't let me go," she teased as he gently pushed her against a tree.

"We can take all the time in the world," he said, "if we spend it like this."

They carried on this way, with her slipping from his grasp and him giving chase until he caught her and took a reward from her lips.

On and on they ran.

Through the night.

Towards an unknown destination.

Into the dark, dark woods.

And Ajo was happy.

***

Galeia urged him on, and the rhythm of his heart assured him everything would be all right.

The misery of the recent past melted away, replaced with the bright outlook of their life ahead. They were moving through a cluster of closely-grown trees when Ajo stopped her.

"I love you," he said.

She smiled. "It's right through here."

They pushed through the trees and found themselves in a clearing in the woods. There was a field that sloped into a short hill, and atop that hill was a house.

"Who lives there?" Ajo asked.

"A king should know all of his subjects," Galeia teased. 

She led him to the door and rapped her knuckles against it. Under the moonlight, the engravings on the purple outer walls were difficult to see clearly, but he recognized their meaning well enough.

"A witch?" he asked.

The door opened to reveal their host, and standing on the other side, staring at her guests in amusement—

The Gretch.

Her costume was a perfect match, but this was not the Gretch Ajo remembered. Her face was older and wrinkled, and her posture slumped. He would never say it, but this Gretch was uglier.

Still, Ajo was pleased by her unexpected presence.

"My friend," he said, "is that really you?"

"It is," she answered. "Told you my real face would not be pleasant."

"It's not unpleasant," Ajo assured her, though it was a small lie.

Her visage, while not pretty, was nowhere near as gruesome as the Gretch once hinted at. Ajo expected some kind of beast, but she was a woman, and not the least bit terrifying. 

"She looked exactly like you," he said to Galeia. "All these years, I assumed..."

The Gretch was not Galeia. 

"I thought it was you."

"You were wrong," Galeia replied. "I told you I wasn't lying."

Memories flooded his mind, of all the moments shared between him and the Gretch. Some carried a tinge of regret now that he knew it hadn't been Galeia.

"This is your princess?" the Gretch asked.

"It is," Ajo said as he took Galeia's hand. "I'm pleased to introduce you."

The Gretch smirked. "Good to see you again, Galeia."

"Again? Have you met?"

He turned to Galeia for the truth, but Galeia simply answered, "You know why we've come."

"It'll be done out there," the Gretch said and nodded her head to the field.

They moved into the grass and the Gretch sprinkled a circle of red dirt. From her pockets she produced a vial of black and poured it over the dirt.

"Both of you in there." 

The couple took their place inside the circle, and Galeia's eyes carefully followed the Gretch's movements.

"Is this important?" Ajo asked, unfamiliar with this ritual.

"Yes," said both women simultaneously.

"Before it's done," the Gretch said, "are there any words to speak between you?"

"Yes," Galeia said, "I would like to speak."

The Gretch grunted. "Go on—but don't take a year to do it!"

Her voice had turned lower and more grumbling. She continued to move about as Galeia spoke to Ajo.

"I loved you," Galeia said. "You were one of my dearest, closest friends. There should have been peace between us."

Her eyes were empty of the elation they contained moments ago.

"I wanted my family, my whole family, to be with me. Remember that my hand was forced." 

She blinked and a tear fell from her eye. Ajo caught it with his finger. 

"Why are you crying?"

"You threatened his life, Ajo."

"Move—now!" the Gretch warned.

There was a flash of movement and Ajo was suddenly aware that Galeia was staring at him from outside of the circle.

"Galeia—" A sharp stinging stopped him.

"Don't struggle," Galeia said. "Stay still and it'll be easier."

"Fly's shit it will," the Gretch said with a snicker.

Chains tore from the ground inside the circle. They wrapped around Ajo's arms and legs and neck, and their touch hit his skin like whips of fire. It was excruciating, and the pain pulled the breath from his lungs. The more Ajo tried to tear them from his body, the tighter they wound and pulled at him, until he was taken to the ground. 

"Please," he begged. "Galeia—help me! Please!"

There was no concern in her expression. 

"I told you we would live in the woods. If this is the only way, so be it."

Ajo's eyes grew wide as the meaning of her words hit him.

It was a trap. He'd fallen easily into it.

"I won't h-hurt him, I swear! Please!"

Galeia shook her head. "It's best this way, Ajo. It's best this way."

"All I w-wanted was to l-love you..."

"At the cost of my freedom. You thought you could threaten me until I fell into your arms." Her voice lowered into a whisper. "I never wanted to hurt you. But this was the only way I could ensure you wouldn't hurt me."

The Gretch moved to Galeia's side, and with a grunt she cast off the costume of feathers and fur.

Underneath was a sour-faced hag.

"A fine trap," she said. "Yes, a good trick indeed. Always said there was a dark witch inside you, sister. Peas in a pod, we are."

"I'm nothing like you," Galeia replied dully.

"Liar." The hag rolled her eyes and pointed to the mass of chains growing around Ajo. "Galeia the cruel. Galeia the black-hearted. Galeia, who brought me the King of the Wood!"

"He's not the king."

"Guess the Queen wasn't powerful enough to drive the wickedness from you." She winked. "Blood always tells in the end."

Galeia moved away in revulsion and an ugly pout replaced the hag's glee.

"I see," she snarled at Galeia, "I help you with this great magic—something you could never accomplish on your own—and you hate me the second after it's done!"

"I hate what's come to pass to make this necessary."

"Come inside. Let's have us a drop of tea and talk as family."

Galeia ignored the invitation. "What will you do with him?"

"Teach him goodness and honor." The hag threw her head back and laughed until she choked. "Does it matter to you what I do with him? As long as Galeia gets what Galeia wants. You can dally with that mortal rat."

"That rat is my husband, and the other half of my soul. You will not insult him in my presence."

"Shall we have a duel over it?"

"Not tonight, Lilith. Keep your poisons and fire in your pockets."

"When you return then."

"I don't think I will."

Galeia moved to leave and Ajo's heart tightened.

The last thing he saw before the final chain fell over his vision was Galeia disappearing into the trees. Her hair moved under the nighttime wind, and all Ajo could focus on was its color.

Red. The shade of love and war.

Darkness engulfed him.

"I know what you're thinking," he heard the hag say from the other side of the chains. "You believe there can't possibly be a power in the woods strong enough to trap and keep you. You're wrong, little beast. And now you belong to me."

Ajo felt pressure on the chains as the hag leaned against him.

"What fun we're going to have."