Destiny
Mychel Redfort sighed, and aimed his arrow at yet another game.
Yet his heart wasn't in it. After all, he would be separated from his soulmate in a matter of days.
Permanently.
His life was governed by politics since he was old enough to bear arms, and while he had some freedom to do what he liked, he didn't have it in things that truly mattered.
Like making his soulmate - the woman he loved - his lady wife.
Her father was the bloody King of Seven Kingdoms. Yet somehow that didn't matter, not when she was born out of wedlock.
Well, if he wasn't allowed to marry her, then he would part from her on friendly terms.
He would make their last days together truly memorable.
That way, she won't hold it against him when the inevitable happened.
His bride-to-be, Ysilla, was beautiful and delicate, but she was also shy to a fault.
She didn't have Mya's courage, or Mya's spirit.
Mychel wanted to hate her, but he couldn't. She was as much a pawn in this game as he was.
He looked towards the door as it opened, and there was Mya, with her usual smile, reserved only for him.
"I heard you are planning to break up with me." she said
"Not by choice." he assured her "You are my soulmate, and nothing would change that. But you know how it is."
"We could change it." she said thoughtfully "We could write to the King and ask him to legitimize me..."
At that, he laughed.
"Joffrey?" he managed to ask between bouts of laughter "The Long Night would return before that little prick would do something like that. He'll probably refuse out of spite. That, and you would threaten his claim if he were to legitimize you."
Mya pursed her lips, but said nothing, knowing he was telling the truth.
"No." he said seriously "We must adjust and accept the hand we've been dealt."
Mya nodded, with sad eyes.
"So if our love has to go out..." he grinned "Let it go out with a bang."
She nodded eagerly as he carried her off to the bedchamber. Both of them were grinning widely at their final act of defiance.
-x-
The wedding was a grand affair, and every member of the nobility in the Vale was invited.
As he danced with his new bride, he realized that his soulmate was not there, and would never be again.
"Is something the matter?" Ysilla asked him, gently
Everything.
It was what he wanted to say, but he couldn't. Not now, and not ever.
"Nothing much." he said "Just tired, is all."
Tired of the politics, of dancing to the tune of our parents.
His eye caught a movement from the outside, and his eyes widened when he saw Mya. Her hand was held by that of his brother, Jon Redfort, the only other person who knew their secret.
He let go of Ysilla's hand and made his way over to them, visibly angry.
"Why did you bring her here?" he demanded "Why are you making this harder than it already is?"
"I thought you'd want to have one last dance together." Jon mumbled
"Well, you thought wrong." he said sharply, more sharply than he intended
"Mychel..." Mya spoke up "He meant nothing wrong."
"He is just rubbing salt in our wounds." Mychel said bitterly "I think you should leave, the both of you."
They nodded, and left, with their heads bowed.
He watched them until they were out of sight, then he returned to the feast, shoulders slumped.
"Not all soulmates end up together." he muttered bitterly