“You what?” he asked me, very loudly.
“You heard me,” I said.
Then I explained everything.
“So you spoke to the Goddess herself?” he asked me again in disbelief.
“Yes, but she prefers her name Venia. It’s been forgotten for many years, and she would love for us to remember it.”
“I’m not sure what I am having a harder time wrapping my mind around, having magic, or you speaking with Venia and your dead Great Grandmother. Goddess have mercy on my soul,” he said, to add to exaggerations.
“Well, you better believe it, and like I said, she has a list of things we need to accomplish to finish carrying out my portion of the prophecy. Now that she directly mentions we are to be bound, it’s like you are a specific part in the prophecy too.”
The poor guy looked like he wanted to pass out. I couldn’t blame him. This is a lot to take in. If I hadn’t heard it from Venia herself, I wouldn’t be taking it well either. We didn’t finish our part in the prophecy yet, even though we thought we had.
“I already wanted to bond with you, and you know that. But now that it feels like we are being ordered to, it feels a little different,” he said.
“I know what you mean, but I look at it this way. Venia confirmed all of our suspicions, what we want has always been in her greater plan, and I think that means something. You and I have always been down the right path, from the moment you pointed your sword at me,” I said while sitting on the bed next to him.
“I guess we have,” he said with a small smile.
“You aren’t having second doubts about us?” I asked.
“Absolutely not,” he said with so much sincerity.
“Good, because I am just as sure about this as I was before,” I told him.
He wrapped me in his arms and fell on his side, taking me with him. We just laid there holding each other for a moment.
“Did Venia tell you when we need to bond?” he asked me.
I felt like we were entering unchartered waters. We have talked about bonding in the future, but it was always just “the future.” I had asked him for time when he poured his heart out to me in the bathroom, but now, the future didn’t seem as far away.
“No, she didn’t,” I said, pulling him a little closer to me.
“Then what do you say we bond now. Maybe not right this second, but soon, within the coming weeks. I want to go into this battle knowing that it will be you and me for life,” he said.
Just like that, he made me fall in love all over again. Now that I knew that Venia willed it, why wait?
“I’d like that,” I said while trying to hold back tears.
I was unsuccessful, and a lone tear trailed across my cheek and landed on Axel’s neck.
“Hey, why are you crying?” he asked while drying the trail the tear left behind on my face.
“Because I’m happy. Despite everything going on around us, and all the challenges we face, you make me happy.”
“Goddess... Violet, I love you,” he told me, placing a kiss to my forehead.
“And I love you back,” I said.
“Do we need to tell Trin to plan our bonding ceremony?” Axel asked me.
“Yes, I believe we do,” I told him.
But I wasn’t in a big rush. While I had Axel laying in my bed, I had other things on my mind.
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
Trin
“This is really happening?” I half screeched.
“Yes, this is happening,” Violet told me.
The look she and Axel shared said it all.
“There is so much to do, with that and the upcoming war. I’m so glad you introduced me to coffee. That will keep me awake long enough to get it all done.”
“No, Trin. You aren’t going to kill yourself over this. We have already discussed this; it’s going to be a small intimate ceremony. Our love is not for the Kingdom to witness, but we will lead by example. Axel is going to have Wisdom, Sir Thomas, and Aunt Beetie help more with preparations for the upcoming war. They will take all of your war duties from you. You are to help me with the bonding ceremony, and the speech I will have to give to the Kingdom. I have so much to share with them, and I am going to need help.”
“I am absolutely honored,” she said and gave me a hug.
“Let’s go discuss further, away from prying ears,” she told me while glancing over at Axel.
“Hey, this is my ceremony, too,” he teased.
“Yes, but do you care about any of the decisions?” I challenged.
He looked me dead in the eye and said, “No, as long as it’s Violet who I am bonding with.”
Violet let out a little sigh of contentment.
Man, am I happy for her, but they are so cute it makes me want to puke.
“Smooth,” I told him.
Violet brought back so much “slang” from her world it was drifting into normal conversation for me.
“Always,” he said back.
Violet grabbed my hand and brought me to my office. She pulled out a pad of paper from my desk and a quill and ink.
“Now, let’s discuss some non-negotiable items,” she told me.
“Ok, hit me with them.”
“In my land, we have a tradition called maids of honor. Typically the bride chooses her best friend or her sister to be the person who helps her through everything, Will you be my maid of honor, and my sister?” she asked.
“Of course, I will always be your maid of honor and sister,” I said and smiled at her.
She is my best friend. I don’t know how I got through life before she barged into my room, asking me to hide her.
“Also, I wasn’t kidding when I said this is small and intimate, just my family and his, and you.”
“Understood,” I told her, adding it to my list.
“Back home, these things are usually a lavish affair, and maybe one day we will have a wedding there, but for now, this is it for me. I always wanted to have decorations in various shades of blue and purple. It reminds me of beautiful sunsets, which I have always enjoyed.”
“Consider it done,” I told her while adding it to my list.
“After that, the reins are yours. Aside from a beautiful dress,” she said.
“Do you have any other traditions in your world?” I asked her. I genuinely want this to be magical, and combine the best of both of their worlds.
“Well, the couple exchange rings, they eat cake, take lots of photos, which are like instant paintings, and then we dance.”
Her face lit up as she explained the other little things they do at weddings. I would give her the best wedding and bonding ceremony, and I knew just where to start, the rings.
☼
After speaking with Wisdom and swearing him to secrecy, I had him create Violet and Axel’s wedding rings. Violet’s ring would have a large emerald in the center to match her necklace. Then it would be surrounded by a row of white diamonds. The wedding band would be a gold vine with tiny leaves to match her necklace as well.
Axel’s wedding band was also made of gold, but it would have Violet’s name engraved into it. It was simple but meaningful; I would know that he would want that. I asked Wisdom to inlay one emerald into the surface of the band, just to match Violet.
When Wisdom brought my designs to life, I got super excited and marked it off my list. I locked the rings in my desk drawer and then continued moving down my list. I know that Violet said a small ceremony, but I was going to make it magical.
We spent the next evening going over the points to cover in her speech, and the tone she should give. I had already given the order to post signs advertising the upcoming announcement from the Queen. Mumblings were going around the castle about what it could be.
Anyone not in our inner circle had no idea what was going on, but they were dying to know. I have been fielding questions since the moment the first sign was posted.
I found a dress in Violet’s closet that she had not worn yet, bu
t it looked magical. It was the perfect piece to frame Violet’s beauty and painted her as the beautiful blushing woman who was about to be bound to the love of her life. It also wasn’t so extravagant that her people wouldn’t take her seriously when she mentioned the hardships to come. Women will want to be her in a dress as beautiful, and men would follow her to certain death if she asked. That is what we need, as we will be asking a lot from those who have had it hard for so long.
This dress is beautiful, and somehow I will have to top it for Violet’s bonding dress.
The dress was a shimmery blue-green. The lighting determined the color shade, and light reflected it. It was a little low cut and would show just the top of Violet’s chest, while still remaining modest, as she is expected to. The skirt was not big and poufy. It was low hanging but flowed, and it too shimmered as the dress moved. This dress paired with her emerald, her engagement ring, and Queen Clarissa’s tiara, she would look absolutely stunning.
I was almost jealous of Violet, but then I remembered how much hardship she has faced. She has nearly died multiple times for this Kingdom, and she has only reigned for such a short time.
Who knew what she faced in the future?
She deserved this bit of happiness and beauty. I am even happier that I get to stand by her side and help her with it all.
I had asked Violet for a small favor, and she came through for me. I asked her if I could bring a male guest to her ceremony. She didn’t even think about it for a moment before nodding her head enthusiastically and telling me that I should bring a date.
I was going to ask Thomas to be my date. Not just my bodyguard, but to attend this ceremony with me as a courter. I hoped I hadn’t been reading his signals wrong.
But I guess I will find out... I see him walking down the hall heading straight towards me.
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
I was shocked to receive a handwritten letter from my father by currier. He left while I was visiting my new Kingdom, and I wasn’t quite sure why. I had been informed of his absence a day or two after being back.
He had been absent most of my life, what should I have expected?
So I was astonished when I got a detailed letter from him. In his messy script, he informed me that he had been living on the border of Tate and Corone since he left.
He knew that he was going to have to choose who to support, and he chose me.
I cried when I read that line. It felt like the first time I could actually connect with him. He made a conscious, and I’m sure difficult choice, to pick my Kingdom and me over his family and his birthright.
He informed me of all the changes going on within his Kingdom. The few magic workers who weren’t in hiding were being rounded up and delivered to the castle. He had not yet seen them exit. He hasn’t seen any bodies leave the castle. It’s his opinion that the Smarts enslaved these people. He guessed they were to use it as a weapon against me.
The amounts of deliveries to the castle of supplies were also increasing rapidly. He documented the suffering that the people underwent, and the increasing size of the royal family’s advisers.
Keenan and Samantha were beefing up for conflict, no doubt.
He hastily gave his account of watching large barreling clouds of dark, dense smoke drifting up into the sky as the naval fleet sank. The smoke was seen from great distances. He immediately knew this was my work, and he congratulated me on my power move.
“Stay safe, my daughter. It is not safe for you to write to me. I will stay out of sight and send correspondence again soon. I know I was not there for you growing up, but I am here for you now, in any way you need me, and this is where I chose to start.”`
I folded up the letter in tears. I tucked the message into one of Victoria’s journals to keep it safe. I was moved deeply by him and his actions, not to mention his words.
I wished he could be here for my bonding ceremony. Still, I had no way to contact him directly, and it was only days away.
One thing was clear. I needed to give him more time to get out of harm’s way before my attack. I can use that time to look more into the emerald mountains that Victoria mentioned. So once again, my plans to attack are pushed further back by events out of my control.
I was at a loss on what to do regarding the mountain. Something was telling me I need to go there before I attack Tate. I need to do some more exploring into Victoria’s diaries to get more info about the mountain. Victoria had told me as much herself.
I was to give my speech tomorrow, and maybe she could help give me more insight into my people.
☼
Luckily I didn’t need to spend as much time pouring over the journals as I previously had. I knew Victoria’s style now. She was going to save the important stuff for the blank hidden pages. The fact that she brought it up in her visit meant it was important, and actively on her mind.
After searching several journals, I found her mention of the Emerald Mountains on a hidden page. There were two pages I saw. One was of a map showing how to get to the emerald mountain. The mountain was on the border of Morthsoul and Corone. It was the southeast border at our southern shores. The mountain on the map almost looked like it had risen from the ocean. The other page was a note.
I read her writing on the mountains over again, not wanting to miss anything important.
“The Emerald Mountains are magnificent. They draw in your power and then amplify it. It is not for the weak of heart, as the emerald caves carved into the mountain, takes your power, and then throws it back at you. Assuming that you can then absorb your own power back, it is a thrill. The mountain does this in a series of trials. I’m not sure how much stronger I really am, but my magic is certainly amplified. However, this is a very closely guarded secret that no one knows of. Now you will know, but tell no one.”
Sharing my power with the mountain and going through these trials sounds like it will definitely be beneficial. I need to make this trip before the war. I need every advantage before battling Kennan, Samantha, and their allies head-on. The problem was not telling anyone about what I needed to do. I trusted Victoria when she told me to tell no one.
How could I do this without telling Axel, Wisdom, or Trin? They knew where I am at all times.
Maybe I could just tell Axel where I needed to go. He can escort me and stay outside. He would be none the wiser to what is happening, and I can keep it a secret.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized I would need back up.
How vulnerable would I be in the cave, and how long would it take to get my magic back from the Mountain after each trial?
Also, Victoria sounded very foreboding when she said, “if you can absorb your own magic back.” If I was weakened after this process, I would need Axel’s help.
It was decided. Axel and I would have our bonding ceremony, and then we would take a trip south to the Emerald Mountains. I would pass the trials, absorb what magic I could, and then we would attack Tate.
What else would throw me off course?
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
Iwoke up feeling nervous as hell. I was going to give a speech to my entire Kingdom. Wisdom created a spell to project my voice and image to a screen back in Urbem Glacies to see my speech live.
Trin had picked out a stunning gown. The colors reminded me of a mermaid, how the color changed from various shades of blue and green.
As usual, for a big event, Trin helped me get ready. She curled my hair and applied some minimal makeup. She placed Clarissa’s tiara on my head and then let me look in the mirror. I was blown away.
I thought I looked beautiful for my coronation, but Trin truly outdid herself. I pity her because somehow, she is going to have to top this for my bonding ceremony.
I twirled in the mirror and couldn’t take my eyes off the fabric of the dress. When I could peel my eyes away, they moved up to the tiara, belonging to my friend. I felt myself missing her a lot lately. Her and Thanian were likely soul mates the more that I thought of
it, but they weren’t alive for me to ask.
I wonder if she ever wanted to tell me about that?
“I have one more surprise for you,” she said before I could cry happy tears at my reflection.
“How can you possibly outdo this?” I asked her.
“You’ll see,” she said with a smile.
She walked over to the door and opened it, with Axel walking in. His eyes were glued to my body in this dress. I watched as his eyes grew huge, and his face became flushed. He was staring so long it would have been uncomfortable if he was anyone else.
He finally cleared his throat and then looked up to meet my eyes.
“There are no words to describe the way you look right now. Words like beautiful and magnificent just fall short.”
There he went, stirring up those butterflies again.
“But there is a reason I am here. Trin, being the brilliant woman she is, wanted to merge our customs. In your world, you wear rings to symbolize your love. She took the liberty of having this ring made for you. I wanted to go above and beyond just having a ring made for you, but I want to do this the way I would have back in your world. So with that..” Axel said while getting down on one knee.
Oh, my Goddess, I am going to faint.
He pulled a ring out of his pocket.
“Violet Victoria Brown, will you do me the honor of being my wife, my bond-mate, my soul mate, and fill the empty piece of my heart.”
“You will ruin Trin’s hard work,” I said as I held my hand out for him to place the ring on my hand.
I was crying, again.
“Is that a yes?” he asked me.
“Of course it’s a yes,” I told him.
I leaned in and kissed him. I felt him place his hand on my back, and it slowly slid down to my butt.
Trinity coughed, letting us know she was still present. I broke apart from Axel and then looked down to take in the ring. It was absolutely perfect. The center gem matched my emerald necklace and was surrounded by a row of clear diamonds. It was breathtaking.
“Thank you,” I said to both of them. They each had a part in making this special for me.
Emerald Mountains (The Dream Traveler Series Book 2) Page 20
