Next morning's breakfast was an oddly muted affair.

The celebration, which had carried long into the night, must have dulled the morning energy, for the trio—Ajo, Galeia, and the Queen—were all in a bit of a daze.

It was improper not to take their meal with their guests, who remained in the castle to attend the upcoming wedding, but the Queen allowed the newly engaged couple a meal in peace after the roar of the previous night, away from staring eyes and whispering mouths.

Ajo kept a close eye on Galeia. Her bizarre response to their wedding announcement unsettled him. He could not push away the image of the tear on her cheek, and he tried to persuade himself that Galeia had simply been overwhelmed by the crowd.

She had composed herself quickly, but gave the excuse of an unsettled stomach to leave the dancing, and planted herself next to the throne where she remained for the rest of the evening.

Everyone who approached to congratulate her was met with a polite smile and nod. Not wanting to risk growing her agitation, Ajo did not bother her, and when he kissed her hand to bid her goodnight he was given the same reply as everyone else.

Now Galeia looked lost, caught in a dream, and every word that passed her lips was devoid of emotion. She looked ready to leap from her chair the second breakfast was over, but the Queen asked the couple to join her in the study for a surprise.

They were seated and waiting while the Queen beamed at them, admiring the pleasant picture of the two future rulers.

"You both had barely mastered walking when I began this work," the Queen said, "but I knew that one day all these years of effort would prove worth the wait."

She moved to a shelf where an unassuming glass dome sat with a scroll hovering inside of it.

"The Soul Bind is ready for you, or rather, you're ready for the Soul Bind." 

She lifted the casing and placed it aside, then ran her fingers over the page. When it caught the light it shimmered with color.

"I had forgotten about it," Galeia said. "Your great secret, mother. You've kept it from us all this time."

"I forgot about it, too," Ajo added. He turned to Galeia and teased, "You thought it was a weapon."

"And I recall you threatening to use it on me."

"It is not a weapon," the Queen said, "nor is it meant to be used on someone. It's to be shared by two. It does exactly as its name suggests, and will bind the souls of a pair so they may share their love for eternity."

"So...it's like a promise?" Ajo asked, still unsure what the spell would do.

"It is a sacrifice," the Queen said. "You will give part of yourself—part of your soul—to Galeia, and she will do the same."

"What does that mean?" Galeia asked, a little hesitant.

"It means you will never truly be apart. You will be connected by more than marriage, you will be connected in spirit, in true love, for all time. This is my wedding gift for you both."

"It's lovely," Ajo mused. "A most romantic gesture. Don't you think, Galeia?"

Galeia's expression was not comforting.

"How is it done?" she asked.

"A simple recitation, like saying your wedding vows. But you will feel it, instead of just exchanging words. And it requires a rare ingredient to work: Love. Honest, pure love."

"Could anyone use it?" Galeia asked, then, as if she believed she'd misspoken, she quickly added, "I mean that...perhaps the spell can be shared with others who wish to strengthen their love."

The Queen considered the question.

"I suppose, if their love is true, yes. But the spell was created for you and Ajo alone."

"Galeia is right," Ajo said. "It should be shared."

He was proud of her tender sentiment, and that she was thinking of others. 

"You are free to do what you please with the spell," the Queen acquiesced. "But take heed: As immortal beings, such a bond strengthens you. Should mortals wish to use it, however, their lives would be shared, and what happens to one would happen to the other, including death."

"What if an immortal binds their soul to a human?" Galeia asked, and when both Ajo and the Queen looked at her in surprise she amended, "I'm only curious. Would it kill...someone like us?"

"Well...yes, Galeia, if you exchanged your soul with a human, you would lengthen their life by giving yours an end. You would know death, either through great time or great violence."

A heavy silence fell over the room as the three beings, who had never feared finality, pondered their own demise.

"I was right then," Galeia said. "It is dangerous magic."

"Only if used improperly," Ajo countered.  

"Let's not think of this as a danger," the Queen said as she replaced the glass dome over the page. "There is no use bothering with things that will never come to pass. This is a good spell, a gesture of love. Not deadly, but romantic. I hoped you would recite it during your wedding in place of traditional vows."

"Thank you, mother," Ajo said. "It's a wonderful gift."

He turned to Galeia to prompt her thanks, but Galeia said nothing, only nodded.

The second the Queen dismissed them Galeia all but ran from the study. The Queen urged Ajo to pursue her and share their thoughts over the revelation they'd just received. 

He found her with Isolam, in the field where they played as children.

Ajo slipped into the wind and followed when they moved into the woods.

"Did you know Ajo would name me as his queen," Galeia asked the buck.

"Not for certain," Isolam said. "But I assumed it like everyone else."

"Everyone assumed?"

"It's the perfect match, Galeia. Surely you realized that long ago."

"I believed...one of the princesses he met on his trial had caught his eye. He barely spoke to me when he returned home."

Isolam snorted. "The man has loved you for as long as he's known your name. No one in the world could take his eye from you."

Ajo reminded himself to thank the buck later.

"Stop being coy, Galeia. I know it's not a surprise to you. You've known of his love, and you've felt it. And you've felt it for him, too."

"I..." Galeia's mouth opened and closed. "But everything is different now."

"How is everything different?" Isolam tsked and added sarcastically, "This is a fine time to be saying this sort of thing."

"Isolam..." Galeia stopped walking. "I've changed. And so has he. I don't...I don't know if I want to marry him."

Ajo's heart dropped to his stomach.

"Don't you love Ajo?"

"Yes, of course—"

"Are you afraid to be queen, is that it? You think you're not worthy?"

"There's something I haven't told anyone. I'm afraid to—I'm afraid it will bring the whole world down upon me."

"What is it?"

"I don't know if I can even tell you, old friend."

"If you can't tell me, it's not important." He paused. "You've always disliked Ajo, haven't you?

"That's not true!"

"Is he not kind?"

"Yes."

"And patient—exceedingly so with you?"

"He always has been."

"And he's handsome, isn't he?"

"He...is."

"And he loves you more than anyone else ever could or will. It would break his heart if you refused him."

Galeia gave her friend a stern look.

"That's not a reason to marry him."

"You agreed to it! You knelt before the Queen and accepted his proposal. Why didn't you voice your concerns then?"

"How could I, with everyone watching?"

Galeia sighed and Ajo sent a breeze to touch her cheek.

Isolam, however, did not move to comfort her.

"I know what this is," he said smugly. "You're frightened of change. You think marriage will mean an end to your freedom. That's not true, Galeia. It's not an end, but a beginning. You'll understand once you're married, and you'll think yourself foolish to have ever doubted it." He nudged Galeia with his snout. "And after I see you as a beautiful bride...you will watch me become a groom."

"You don't mean—"

"I've asked my own love to marry me."

"Not that little doe who had you acting so funny!"

"She's not little anymore. We've grown up and we love each other."

Galeia threw her arms around his neck.

"I am so happy for you."

The buck rested his head on her shoulders.

"As I am for you. Love is a gift. Stop being so stubborn."

"You sound like mother."

"I am the Queen's Messenger, aren't I? Her words and mine are sometimes the same. And soon, I'll be the King's Messenger—and yours."

Galeia's expression hardened. "I have to face what's coming to me."

"What's coming to you is exactly what you need—and deserve. No one knows you better than I do. I've seen the look of true love in you. How it's lightened your spirit and made you gentle." Galeia scoffed so Isolam amended, "Almost gentle. You're a true lady now, and love has done that. And when you love someone that much nothing should stop you, not even fear. Quit fighting yourself and follow your heart."

"Follow my heart," she repeated. "I will, Isolam. Thank you." 

***

Ajo was troubled.

He left Isolam and Galeia, venturing further into the woods, intending to find a secluded spot where he could ruminate on what he had heard.

She didn't know if she wanted to marry him. She said those words.

And Isolam, thankfully, had been there to advise her differently.

Movement in the trees disrupted his contemplation, and he looked up to find the Gretch sitting among the branches.

Not the Gretch—Galeia.

He still felt the sting of her words, but he considered the possibility that she had come to him now as a way to express her distress under the freedom of a disguise.

Sensing an opportunity to soothe her doubt, Ajo decided to play along.

"I didn't see you at my celebration," he called to her.

"I saw your Galeia in the woods," she answered. "She was not alone."

"No, she's with a friend. A buck named Isolam."

"She was with a man."

Ajo frowned. "You mean the Knight of the Woods. He's a dear friend to her, too."

"There was no knight."

"Who then," Ajo huffed in frustration.

"A human."

"As I said, it was the Knight. He was human once." Doubt pricked him, so he asked, "What were they doing?"

"Talking."

"They do that often. She trusts his counsel."

The Gretch clucked her tongue. "I've seen them more times. I've seen them talking—and embracing."

"It's not a bad thing to embrace a friend."

The Gretch jumped from the tree and shook the dirt from her feathered cowl. 

"I thought you'd be interested to know what she does when you're not around."

He wanted to steer their conversation to a more important topic, so he sat against a tree, trying to appear nonchalant.

"My betrothal has been announced," he said.

"Was your Galeia named?" He nodded. "How did she take it?"

"I don't know," he said. "I hope she's happy."

"You haven't asked?"

"She accepted the proposal. And I know she loves me."

The Gretch leapt at him and, using his momentary shock, pinned his shoulder to the ground with her knee. Ajo's mouth fell open in a gape, but he could do nothing but stare in wonder at the woman atop him. The Gretch leaned down to whisper in his ear.

"She loves no one. She can't. She's a beast, that one. She's a beassst." She trailed her 's' with a low hiss.

"That's not true," he argued and pushed her from him. "Why are you acting this way?"

"What way?"

"Ever since I returned home you've been...different. Like you're angry with me. Why?"

"I'm not angry with you."

"Galeia is not a beast—and she does love me." His voice dropped into a gentler tone. "She has nothing to fear from me. We'll have a wonderful life together, and she'll never want for anything—including freedom."

He was tired of the game.

"I love you, Galeia. I don't want you to be scared of our marriage."

"I'm not Galeia."

Ajo waved his hand.

"Fine," he snapped, "keep this costume. I'll tell you again when you take it off. I'll tell you a thousand times, every day. I love you."

The Gretch stared at him for a long moment.

"I don't know what you want from me," Ajo said. "Tell me and I'll give it to you. To you and Galeia."

The Gretch leaned in close. "Play a game with me."

Ajo raised an eyebrow. " 'Bodies'? You said it wouldn't be proper after my betrothal was announced."

"And you said I was Galeia anyway."

"This is what you want?"

"Yes."

What did he stand to lose by playing her game? What would he lose if he refused?

He reached up and touched the Gretch's cheek.

"You are Galeia, so I will play. I don't know why you keep up with this...this act...but if this is what makes you happy, I will play along."

Anticipation bloomed alongside the confusion in his stomach.

"Who will go first?"

"I will," said the Gretch. "Lay back."

He obliged, a small smile creeping onto his face.

When her hands tugged on the strings of his shirt he did not stop her, even when she opened his shirt and exposed his chest. She pressed her ear against his skin and listened to his heart.

Chasing an instinct, Ajo sat up and pulled her onto his lap. He touched their foreheads together and his fingers tickled across her back and shoulders before moving to her neck to guide her closer.

Right before their lips connected the Gretch's voice sliced through the intimacy.

"You think you are the strongest in the kingdom because you rule it. But I'm the true power here because I can put a king on his back."

Ajo grinned. "I'm delighted to submit."

"You don't really love your princess if you kiss me—"

"Stop pretending," he commanded softly as he tried to pull her towards him.

The Gretch put a hand on his chest to keep him still.

"What Galeia doesn't know won't hurt her," she said.

Ajo grimaced. "That's foul, Galeia. Don't ruin the moment."

He closed his eyes and leaned forward to kiss her.

A rush of cold air blew over his body.

"Your highness—Ajo?"

Ajo opened his eyes and found the space the Gretch had occupied was empty.

Isolam stood a few feet away, staring at him curiously. It must have been a bizarre picture, the future king reclining against a tree with his shirt open, but Isolam didn't remark on it.

"How are you this day?" the buck asked.

"I'm fine," Ajo replied with an unsettled tone. He couldn't comprehend what happened, so he lied, "I thought I'd have a nap."

"No one deserves it more, but I've been looking for you. It's about your queen."

"Is everything all right?"

Isolam flinched. "You need to speak with her about your betrothal. As soon as possible."