Mirror Bound

by Kirsten Bij't Vuur

  How did Lukas do it, last so long whilst going at it at that pace, I didn't know, but I sure enjoyed it to the full.

  I felt a high come and go, then felt another one creep on to me, slowly but inexorably, demanding an outlet by making some excited sounds, then rising quickly and end suddenly in delightful release.

  Nearly at the same time I felt Lukas' slight weight land on me once again, and once again I held him in my arms, now sharing the pleasant feeling of his sweating, heaving chest with Paul, who wanted him in his arms as well.

  'You're worth your weight in gold all over again, horny man!' the voice in our heads cried out in triumph, reminding us that we had spectators.

  We didn't even care, and Paul voiced the reason: 'So now you have said goodbye to us, Lukas, and it was incredible, but why won't you believe me? It will not happen!'

  And the voice in our head echoed: 'He's right you know, it will not happen.'

  Lukas sounded small at being found out, and replied: 'I just have this really strong foreboding I will not be able to stay here, I can't help it.'

  And what could we do besides hugging him until he felt better? We could not take his fear away from him, and we would have to get married in the knowledge that our very dearest friend would not be able to enjoy the day, would not be able to enjoy any day anymore for fear of being stolen away.

  Looking at Paul in helplessness, I saw his face trying to look encouraging towards me. It seemed he had hopes for a solution, even if I didn't.

  Still we dressed our best, I let my hair loose, and Paul put the golden necklace around my neck. It was stunning, the green of the stone matching the green of my dress beautifully, the workmanship of the tiny claws holding on to each other perfect.

  Then Paul showed me my ring, it was gold of course, but much simpler than the necklace, just three golden threads crossing one another in an intricate pattern. Paul looked at me like he used to do when he was longing for me, but unable to put that longing into words or actions, and as it used to do then, his look caused my heart to skip a beat.

  We stood in silence, and when we both remembered to breathe again, he gently took my hand and tried the ring on it. Of course it fit perfectly, we all knew it would. He carefully took it off, and put it back in its little silver box.

  Then Lukas stepped forward, and handed me a similar silver box, asking:

  'Will you please open that for me?' I did, and in it was another golden ring, larger, but with the same three threads in a different, but just as intricate pattern.

  'It's beautiful, Lukas,' I said. Lukas smiled and replied: 'I made it for Paul. He hasn't seen it before now.

  Will you try it on him?' I handed him the ring and said: 'No Lukas, I will put it on him in church, this time, you should have the honour'

  And indeed Lukas took the larger, calloused hand in his own slimmer one, and carefully put the ring in its place. It also fit perfectly. Paul studied it for a moment, then kissed Lukas and said: 'It's beautiful Lukas, you have learned a lot in a few months. Thank you so much.'

  As Lukas removed the ring and put it back in its box, Paul gave him the other box as well, asking: 'Will you keep both of them until they are needed?'

  Lukas nodded, and put both rings away in the pocket of his vest. He had taken to wearing one too, it was just so practical to have a lot of pockets when working, and this was the posh version, of a fine quality leather, with brass buttons and of course tailored to fit his slender shape exactly.

  Now we were all ready to go to church, and in good time. We were going to walk there, for my father would join us at the church to give me away, and then we would be fetched by George's carriage to the Nomes' estate for the party.

  Just before we were going to step out of the door, Paul looked up as if he heard something, though everything was silent. Still, he told us: 'Please wait another moment, I have some wedding guests to collect.'

  And he went up the stairs, returning within a few seconds with a satchel over his shoulder. 'Ready, let's go,' he said, not volunteering what he had fetched at such a short notice, but I was getting quite a bit nervous now, so I didn't ask what his cryptic remark meant.

  He took my arm, Lukas the other, and off we went.

  Paul seemed a bit distracted on our way, as if he was thinking really hard about something that was not pleasant to consider. I hoped it wasn't our coming wedding, but of course I had enough faith in our love not to really believe that.

  And after a few minutes it was over, he was cheerful again, and Lukas also did his very best to appear normal. In a rising mood we arrived at the church, where my father was waiting.

  We greeted each other with a kiss, and the guys shook hands with him, and I asked: 'I never asked, is it a problem for you to enter a church?'

  He laughed, and said: 'If it was, I would have warned you. My gods are not as strict as the god of this church, and because I know them a lot more personally, I also know they are happy whenever someone finds their true love.'

  And to be sure, he entered the church without discomfort, greeting the vicar politely, in every way a proud dad with a daughter on the brink of marriage.

  The ceremony was short and to the point, at our request.

  We stood by the altar, I with my dad, Paul with Lukas, and when the vicar started the ceremony my dad handed me to Paul with a flourish.

  This gesture made us all smile, and soon after we both spoke our vows, and

  Lukas handed us the rings, Paul put the one he made on my hand, and I put Lukas' ring on Paul's.

  Then we exchanged our wedding kiss. Lukas was the first to congratulate us both with a tight hug and some kisses.

  My dad admired the ring on my hand as he kissed me to congratulate me.

  Then he shook Paul's hand, admired his ring as well, and observed: 'I know you will make my daughter very happy, I'm glad you two are married now.

  You are a really good metalworker, Paul, these rings are the work of an artist.' Paul thanked him for his compliment, but added: 'Only Melissa's ring is my work, Lukas made the one I'm wearing.'

  That impressed him even more, and he told Lukas: 'Then you are an artist as well. That is exquisite work. And I know you make my daughter happy as well, even though you were not before the altar with her.'

  Of course Lukas would hug him there and then, and my father did so without any restraint.

  Chapter 49

  After settling with the vicar, we waited for the carriage and drove towards the manor-house in a leisurely way.

  My father was very interested in Lukas, and spent the time we were driving talking with him. Paul and I sat hand in hand, silent, husband and wife now.

  When we arrived at the manor house, the lawn had been decorated with flowers and lanterns, and there were chairs placed upon it in rows. George and Frances were hosting, and quite a few guests had already arrived, my mother, both my sisters and their children, running around on the rest of the lawn with Bertha and the few rescued children still resident.

  Tristan. Ilsa, Julia and Marcus were there, as well as Jonathan and Jonas. We greeted them all with a hug, and I introduced Paul and Lukas to my sisters.

  They had not brought their husbands, I suspected my father to have a hand in that, for both my sisters had married mundane men, and of course this ceremony would not be the traditional wedding they were used to.

  When we were talking to my sisters, Paul and Lukas of course very interested in the similarities and differences between them and me, George came towards us quite diffidently, as if he had news but didn't know how it would be received.

  'Paul, Melissa, I have some unexpected guests for you, who have elected to stay in the back garden for a moment to see if they are indeed welcome at this party.

  I must admit I gave them the knowledge of your marriage, and they wanted to attend very much. Please come with me.'

  Paul of course had an idea who these mystery guests would be, they had been close friends to George and Frances in their youths
after all. He didn't look particularly happy about it, but resigned rather than angry or disappointed.

  As we rounded the house and entered the garden, I could see a very elegant woman and an even more elegant rather tall man, both very well-dressed.

  They were a little older than George and Frances I guessed, more my parents'

  age. The man bore a striking resemblance to Paul, only with the clear upper-

  class air that his son so distinctly lacked.

  Of course Paul handled the situation calmly, in a way he must have realized they had a right to be present at his wedding.

  He embraced his mother first, and shook hands with his father, and his reticence was clear, as well as his parents' regret at this aloofness. I had a distinct feeling they did not understand how their youngest and most talented son had come to be so far removed from their own little world, and I was very curious as well as a little apprehensive how they would receive me, a commoner, and not even talented to their sight.

  I would soon find out, for Paul took my hand and said: 'Mother, father, may I introduce you to my bride, Melissa Kenwick. She is also my apprentice in the arts, and a gifted engineer.

  Dear Melissa, these are my parents, Mary Kenwick and Edward Kenwick, adepts in the guardian tradition.'

  They seemed ready enough to welcome me into the family, Paul's mother, a small woman with straight brown hair put up in an intricate hairstyle, and an elegantly cut dress in a rather sober colour and fabric, said: 'You are beautiful, Melissa, may I embrace you? We're related now.'

  And of course I embraced her, I got no feeling from her that she thought me beneath her notice, but of course she might have the same iron self-control her son had.

  Her embrace felt genuinely friendly, and then I was addressed by Paul's dad, a mirror image of his son, same finely chiselled features, same curly hair, though greying in his case, same intelligent eyes, but also the same reticence that had characterised Paul in our early acquaintance, only rather stronger.

  He felt so familiar I couldn't help spontaneously embracing him as well, and though it did surprise him it did not put him out, fortunately. He said:

  'Welcome to the family, Melissa, did I hear right that you are Paul's apprentice as well as his wife? I can't see any talent in you? Nor in you for that matter Paul, what happened?'

  I could imagine Paul preferring the company of George and Frances, his parents clearly meant well, but it seemed they lacked a little feeling, for a sensitive boy without siblings his own age it must have been lonely growing up without actively being loved.

  Taking his hand, I heard him tell his dad: 'Don't worry dad, I'm as strong as

  ever, and Melissa has plenty of talent to train, we've just gotten a new shield to protect us from being spied out by witch hunters.

  Living in the city among the people it is wiser to not be broadcasting our power.' His dad didn't let up: 'And have you reached adept status by now?

  Last time we met you were still only a master.' 'Dad, I've been twenty-one for half a year, and I've been made master-craftsman and finished my refuge. I have no time to practice magics constantly,' Paul sounded disappointed by now, and I understood completely, this was no talk for a wedding day in general, and he hadn't seen his parents for years, they might show some interest in him as a person.

  Still his dad wouldn't let it go: 'Your mother and I never understood why you'd want to be a physical labourer in the first place. You're a Kenwick, and an active guardian, magic should be your only goal in life.'

  This started to sound like well-trodden paths, and I was now desperately thinking of something to say to stop this weird cross-examination without offering insult to his father.

  Paul couldn't step out of his path either, and observed: 'I practice magic because I have to, because I can't not be a guardian.

  But I am a crafter because I love doing metalwork, because it makes me happy. Besides, it pays the bills, practising magic doesn't.'

  This upset even his mother: 'But darling, you don't have to work for a living, you're a Kenwick mage, the strongest potential in decades, the youngest guardian ever, you could have been an adept years ago.

  We'd be happy to set you up with an income, and a house in a better neighbourhood, where you needn't hide your talent. We could introduce both of you in the highest circles, you could even practice your metalwork in your spare time, people love a certain quirkiness.'

  They were clearly hopeless. Paul squeezed my hand and I looked at him in sympathy, as he said decisively: 'You know I want to be independent mother, we're making an excellent living for ourselves, and we're very happy in our current home.

  Let me introduce you to our intimate friend Lukas, and then we can start the ceremony, everybody is here.'

  Paul now led his parents around the house towards the lawn, where Lukas was playing with the children and with Jonathan.

  We walked right up to him, and of course he clearly recognized Paul's parents

  straight away, falling into his role of herald automatically.

  'Mother, father, our best friend Lukas Hermeides, an exceptional healer from traditional Greece, Lukas, please meet my mother and father, Mary and Edward Kenwick.'

  Lukas bowed elegantly and said: 'Pleased to meet you, sir and lady Kenwick, I can clearly see where Paul got his good looks, and his talent.'

  They were as puzzled by him as nearly everyone else who had a trace of talent, he seemed a noble Englishman, but he had a foreign name and an alien feel.

  At that moment, George appeared in his formal robes, a splendid figure of midnight blue and silver. Paul left his parents to Lukas for a moment, and I saw him talking to my dad for as much as ten minutes.

  But Lukas had no trouble at all to entertain the Kenwicks, his easy manners and polished appearance clearly impressed them a lot, and they answered his questions about their estate, their respectable family, their other children and their hopes for Paul with eagerness, showing a personal interest in Lukas as well, which I couldn't help but realize they hadn't shown at all towards their own son.

  When Paul came back we all sat down for the ceremony. George was also going to keep it to the point, just a short history of how this marriage came about, exchanging vows, and on to the party. My dad and Lukas took up their positions again, except that they didn't have the rings anymore, we'd keep those right where they were.

  I looked over the people gathered before us, and they all had some connection or other with magic, something I hadn't even realized really existed six months ago.

  Suddenly I noticed the silver elven statues together on a chair in the audience, and I nearly laughed out loud at the implications of their presence at another wedding. They had been in the satchel Paul was carrying, they had most likely asked him to be allowed to attend the wedding, I supposed they liked weddings. I hoped they would bring us good luck, even though they were not originally made for us.

  George began to speak, and he described how we met, and how we came ever closer together, not leaving Lukas' role out of it.

  Then my father handed me to Paul again, and we exchanged our vows once again, including Lukas in them as we hadn't in church.

  Surprisingly, Paul now held out his hand to Lukas, and when Lukas put his own into it, as was clearly Paul's intent, he fished something out of his pocket, and to Lukas' shock and delight he put a third ring of three golden strands on Lukas' hand.

  Then Paul kissed him lovingly, and immediately afterwards I followed suit.

  Then Paul and I kissed again, sealing our marriage in front of all our friends and family.

  My dad, strangely, had disappeared, maybe he was on his way back to where my mother sat, I didn't know. I hadn't seen him leave.

  Our small audience came forward to congratulate us, whilst some members of the staff were clearing away the chairs, and a little orchestra was setting up for the dancing.

  I was busy shaking hands and hugging, when I heard a disturbance behind me, and an exclamatio
n of horror from Lukas.

  My eyes were pulled towards him and I saw him nearly fainting in fright, and as I moved towards him to support him, I looked in the direction of his gaze and the ruckus, I saw something I had seriously not considered ever seeing for real.

  A tall, athletic man with the face of an angel came striding towards us, arms wide in welcome, gladness all over his features.

  A hushed awe fell over the crowd surrounding us, and when he came closer I realized why: his presence was overwhelming, radiating friendship and benign dignity, making me feel like I was very special, reminding me of the dreams where I had loved this man intensely, leaving home and country behind to be worshiped by him and his people.

  I managed to help Lukas up despite the overwhelming feeling, and I could see his intense fear had changed into worship as well.

  Some part of my mind now detached itself from the bespelled part, and said sarcastically: 'It's just a trick, you know, you can shake it off easily, look at Paul and the other mages, they're not impressed.' Of course that wasn't part of my mind, but the voice of the statue, and it was right.

  Looking at Paul, his parents, Tristan, George, Frances, and even Marcus and Jonathan, I could see they were wary and not glamoured at all.

  Feeling a bit dirty again, I soon felt the glamour for what it was, and I poked Lukas in the side with an elbow, hissing: 'It's not real, Lukas, shake it off.'

  But apparently he had heard the voice as well, for he had already reverted to

  his original state, though somehow he seemed less frightened.

  Maybe he was one of those people to whom an imagined threat was more paralysing than any real danger. He certainly had never let us down in a dangerous situation before, he had always acted quickly and adequately, even though those situations had been less personal of course.

  Anyway, by this time the man had come close and tried to embrace Lukas jovially, but Lukas ducked his grip and fled behind me.

  I remembered my role-playing, and tried to look adoring, and when the tall man noticed having been thwarted I saw just a fleeting look of anger pass over his beautiful face, then he was all smiles again, and he hugged me instead.