We were to move in four days the coronation was in six. I was afraid to ask Raven to join me as my King. It is not as simple as being married, not for us, others of the land but not us. I could just marry him in name, but he still would not be king. Not for us, we had to be bonded in blood, in life and in death, soul bonded. For us there was only one more step yet untaken. We had shed each others blood, we had drank each others blood, we had created life together and Raven had taken my life. I however had not taken his. And so for the final part of the bonding, he would have to sacrifice his self to me, and I must kill him. This is the hardest part, because Hiila said that if we are not meant to be soul bonded, as I am the one with the power to actually kill him, he may not survive. Odin said it’s nonsense, if that was true I would have died when Raven stabbed me in the heart, and Hiila reminds him that you must remove my heart to kill me, while all I have to do is stab Raven through the heart to kill him.

The following evening after the children were put to bed and Raven stood behind me brushing my hair, I asked. He just continued to brush my hair and said yes. “Please stop, listen to me Raven, you may not live, if we are not meant to be” I said and told him of the ritual to bond us. He put his lips to mine and kissed me soft and sweet. “My soul” he said and pulled me onto the bed.

We planned on doing it the next night. We choose a place by the lake. Odin, Hiila, Emily, and Ash stood witness. There were no words to be spoke. We walked hand in hand to the spot. The moon smiled down on Raven as always. He removed his shirt and sank to the ground on his knees, bowing his head. He looked up at me and nodded. I didn’t want to do it. “Forever” he mouthed. I hated the heavy sucking feeling as I plunged the dagger in his heart. I wanted to plunge it into my own in that moment. I fell to my knees in tears, he slouched forward. “My soul” I cried as he fell forward more. Quickly Ash gathered him and took him home.

Hours we watched and waited. They took me away worried for the life I carried within. I fell asleep to exhausted to go on. Hiila woke me right after dawn. “He wakes” was all she said, well maybe she said more, I jumped up and ran out the room too fast to hear. I slowed as I approached the door. Was it over, I wondered, was there still a chance he may yet die. Odin was standing by the door as I walked up to it. “He will live daughter, he’s asking for you” he smiled. I think I breathed for the first time that moment.

He was up and getting dressed when I entered, an angry red gash was closing where I stabbed him. He turned as he heard me enter, smiling brilliantly. “Your King, my lady” he said with a smile and I ran to him, knocking him back on to the bed.