"Are you Chessina, or Shareen?" I asked, hesitantly.
"I know now, that I was Shareen, master," she replied, "but I am Chessina and always will be."
Chessina put her face up to me and I kissed her. I have no idea how long that lasted but at length I became aware of someone nearby. I looked up and saw a figure in a grey hooded robe.
"Corrund?" I enquired.
"Yes," he replied, "Lord Emaxtiphrael is grateful and sends you both his blessings. Please follow me back to your gate. Lady Arcana has asked Lord Emaxtiphrael to inform you that the time is now propitious for your return."
Well, with not one but two deities telling us what to do, I suppose it behoved us to obey, so we followed Corrund, Chessina and I holding tight to each other.
In what I felt was a short time, we arrived at our gate, from what I could see the sun had risen somewhat so not too much time had passed in our world.
"The Lady Arcana has requested that you pass through the gate first," said Corrund, "do not fear, Chessina will follow you through shortly."
I kissed Chessina and stepped through the gate to see all our friends waiting.
"Quick, help me with this," said Dragovar. I saw a sheet of cloth with Shareen's bones arranged on it as they had been in life and together we dragged the cloth next to the gate, "as soon as you had both gone through the gate I knew what to do. You're right, it is most disconcerting to know something and not know beforehand that you know it."
After we had dragged the bone-laden cloth in front of the gate we moved back. Chessina came through but in a translucent, insubstantial form. As Shareen had flowed into Chessina, so Chessina flowed onto Shareen's bones. I could see no difference from the Chessina I knew in the body that was rising from the cloth. Indeed, as she was naked the usual physical reaction made itself felt. Fortunately, Elinne wrapped Chessina in a cloak before it became too obviously embarrassing.
Tasseder had doffed his helm and spoke to Chessina.
"Sh . . . Shareen?" he asked hesitantly.
"I know that I was Shareen, dear Tasseder," Chessina replied, "but as I told Castamir, I'm Chessina and always will be. I do, however, love you and Elinne very much."
At this Chessina was embraced by Tasseder, and embraced and kissed by Elinne. As Chessina, Elinne and Tasseder made their way back to Tasseder's manor house, Dragovar, Tasayne and I remained to collapse the gate, shrink the mirror and collect our paraphernalia. Dragovar caught sight of the amulet still clutched in my left hand.
"What's that, and where did you get it?" he asked.
For the first time since I grabbed the amulet, I looked at it closely. It was a delicate filigree of silvery metal with a blue gem mounted in the centre. Some of the filigree seemed to be in the form of runes.
"I got it from around Fishface's neck before stabbing him," I replied, "and he used it to cast an energy spell that almost killed me."
"Fishface!" said Dragovar, startled
"Yes," I replied. “We destroyed the demon guarding the soul, but the demon called to Fishface who turned up and tried to claim Chessina. She held his attention by casting every spell she knew. I managed to heal myself, crept up behind him and hamstrung him with Demonslicer. Fishface went down and we struggled. He managed to grasp the amulet but before he could use it Chessina, gods bless her, poured the water sanctified to Silvana on Fishface's hand. While that was dissolving, I grabbed the amulet, cut its chain and then stabbed Fishface through the heart."
"Castamir," put in Tasayne, "you're bleeding from your right ear."
"Yes, I think my ear-drum burst," I said, "when Chessina gave Fishface a sanctified shower, he appeared not to like it and his screams made his disapprobation plain."
"Chessina and I will deal with it when we are back in the manor house," said Tasayne firmly.
"That's what I'm afraid of," I replied.
oOo
As we walked back to Tasseder's manor I wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry in joy and relief, I think I did both. I'm also not sure if the journey took a few minutes or a few hours but whatever it was, we got there in the end. There was a lot of confused talking as everybody seemed to be telling everybody else what had happened. I do remember Tasseder's housekeeper Laria Kettle saying that now Chessina looked just like Shareen, although I couldn't see any difference myself. Perhaps Laria was seeing what she wanted to see, or perhaps I was, no matter. The only thing that mattered was that Chessina's soul was restored. I submitted to the treatment the ladies provided my ear without protest. I did feel somewhat better afterwards. The noon meal was a feast with many toasts drunk and much laughter. To think that before I met him I wouldn't have thought Dragovar capable of laughter. Towards the end of the feast someone, I think it was Tasseder, called on me to give a speech. As everybody seemed enthused with the idea, except me, I gave a speech.
"My friends," I began, and was unable to continue for a while as there were many shouts of agreement, “for you are all indeed my friends, with your help the curse on Chessina is broken and she is restored," I paused for more cheers. "Now all that remains is to invite you to our wedding."
"Wedding?" Chessina looked up at me startled.
"Don't you want to?" I asked.
"More than anything," she replied, tears springing in her eyes.
"I'm afraid I can't afford a pricy wedding gown," I said, “but we do have the robes Dragovar had made for us for court."
"What about the lump sum my brother the Duke gave you?" asked Dragovar.
"I can't use that," I replied, "that's to help the villagers."
"I think you'll find, and trust me on this," said Dragovar, "that the villagers will be more willing to accept your bride and more proud of you if you put on a display for them."
"I hate to interrupt," said Tasseder, somewhat hesitantly, "but shouldn't you have asked my permission to wed Chessina?"
Chessina turned on him, her eyes now blazing.
"Tasseder, I may look like your daughter, and I don't mind you treating me somewhat avuncularly," Chessina hissed, "but don't forget that I'm actually your aunt. You have absolutely no say in who I marry."
"Besides, old boy," I drawled, "who went and fetched her?"
"Ah, yes, sorry, I wasn't thinking," Tasseder subsided, as he was caught in the combined, and near identical glares of Chessina and Elinne.
"As you are getting married in the village, I take it you have asked Priestess Oakheart to perform the ceremony?" Dragovar enquired, "the villagers would approve."
"You know me very well," I replied. “I hope you don't mind Chessina, I wanted to get everything sorted so we could be married as soon as possible should we succeed."
"I don't mind at all love," said Chessina. “I think I like Silavara more than I thought I would. Besides the only other priests I know, we met in the capital, and they're all slimy gits."
"I won't disagree with you there," observed Dragovar. “Silavara?"
"Chessina badgered Priestess Oakheart until she picked something we could use to call her," I explained. “I still don't know her name."
"By the way Chessina," I asked, "Fishface called you Amerindorina?"
"Yes, master," she replied, then twinkled at me, "that was my demonic verbal identifier."
"You said I wouldn't be able to pronounce it?" I queried.
"I was a demon, master," answered Chessina, beaming. “I lied."
Chapter 27
The next few days were a whirl of activity as the preparations for our wedding ground on inexorably. Elinne had taken charge and directed us with the ruthless efficiency of a conquering general. On the flight back to the capital I had Tasseder as a passenger, as Dragovar's rug was carrying Chessina, Elinne and Tasayne, who all appeared to be talking nineteen to the dozen. I chuckled nastily to myself at the thought of Dragovar's ears being bombarded by girl-talk. Although, on reflection, he probably cast a curtain of silence about himself. I was pleased to discover that my wedding gown was not to be made by that pompous fool who h
ad made my formal gown for court. I was even more pleased that my gown would be very fine, but not extravagant; I know we ought to put on a show for our villagers, but I wanted to keep as much money as I could, for village renovations and improvements. Chessina and I did not share a bed during this period, as Generalissimo Elinne had decreed such 'improper' before the ceremony, and who was I to argue.
oOo
After the cavalcade had arrived at Fair Pastures I spent the night before the ceremony in the tower with Dragovar who was to be my groomsman. The travel arrangements coming from the capital being the same as those going to it, with my rug carrying Tasseder and Dragovar's the rest. Dragovar had invited the rest of the party to stay in the ducal hunting lodge, including Tasseder, who was giving Chessina away. I had had very little chance to see Chessina during these frenetic days, let alone speak to her, and I was missing her greatly. I would have been extremely irritated by the entire process had not Dragovar explained it to me.
"Castamir," he began, "this is the one time in most brides' lives when they are the absolute centre of attention. Many, indeed most of the brides who can afford such ceremonies, have little to look forward to afterwards save breeding and boredom, to put it bluntly. This gives them at least some memories to, hopefully, cherish. Besides, Elinne is getting pleasure doing what she perceives as nice things for Chessina, whom she loves. Elinne also gets practice in weddings to help prepare her for her own, whenever that is. Be patient, it will all be over tomorrow."
"You're right, Dragovar," I replied. I determined, therefore to only be mildly irritated by the entire process.
I made myself eat some breakfast next morning as to interrupt the ceremony by either fainting from hunger or extraneous intestinal gurglings wouldn't be a good idea. I dressed in my wedding robe with great care so as not to disappoint my beloved Chessina and waited with as much patience as I could muster. This was obviously insufficient as I was prowling up and down the sitting room when Silavara's owl familiar flew into the room having come in the balcony window left open for the purpose. We went down into the vestibule where Dragovar's rug was waiting. He had decreed that we would arrive thus partly to emphasise that this was a wedding of wizards, and partly to make sure that we wouldn't get dirty on our way. Dragovar did cast some grooming spells on me that were supposed to be surreptitious. When we flew into the village square, where the ceremony was to be held and landed, I was flabbergasted. Not just the low platform built for the ceremony was bedecked with wreaths of flowers and ripe grain, but the entire square was too. I was so moved by what the villagers had done that not only was I in danger of weeping, I was also grinning like a loon. I was saved from bursting into tears as my attention was taken by a procession making its way into the square.
At the head was the regal figure of Priestess Silavara Oakheart clad in white, with her familiar hovering above her. Yes, I am aware that normal owls can't do that, either the priestess or her owl cheated. Silavara was followed by what looked like the entire juvenile female population of the village, also in white, either carrying small posies of flowers or strewing flower petals over the road. I assumed that Silavara had provided such things one way or another. Behind the girls there walked Chessina, looking more beautiful than I had ever seen her, dressed in a robe of rose pink that suited her so well, with flowers in her hair. She walked on the arm of Tasseder dressed in a green robe and followed by Elinne and Tasayne carrying large posies and dressed in pastel gowns. No, I can't give a better description, all my attention was concentrated on the centre of my universe, Chessina. Priestess Oakheart ran the ceremony perfectly, it was long enough to give the villagers a show to remember, but not long enough to unduly irritate the groom and groomsman, which as we were both rather powerful wizards, was not a good idea. I remember the important part of the ceremony perfectly.
"Do you Towermaster Castamir, take Apprentice Chessina as your handfasted wife from now until you are parted by death?" the priestess asked.
"I do," I replied, and added unbidden, "and not just until death, but forever."
Although slightly startled, priestess Oakheart continued, "and do you Apprentice Chessina, take Towermaster Castamir as your handfasted husband from now until you are parted by death?"
"I do," Chessina replied, and made the same addition, "and not just until death, but forever."
"Before all these assembled people, and all the gods, I declare you both handfasted," Priestess Oakheart declared.
The crowd gave a mighty, and to me slightly painful, cheer. I discovered later that one reason for the cheer is that that was the signal for the distribution of a large quantity of alcoholic beverages that had been brought in for the occasion. The fact that approximately nine months after our handfasting the population of the village increased considerably was, undoubtedly, coincidental. The goddess Silvana does like fertility after all.
The wedding feast was sumptuous, and various people made various, doubtless witty, speeches. Chessina and I spent most of the time just gazing at each other, knowing that Chessina now had her soul back, and that we would be together, forever.
When the feast was over and we retired to the tower, we tumbled into each others' arms. We had not been together for several days, and had not really had a chance to comfort each other over the fight in the Place of Waiting. Confronted by Chessina's naked body I had my usual reaction and then I noticed something.
"Chessina, your horns, your tail, they're still there," I cried, "didn't the ceremony work?"
"Don't worry, love," Chessina soothed, "I can still have them when I want them. Arcana and I had a long talk."
"But you came through the gate right after me," I said, confused.
"For me, it was quite some time," said Chessina. “I'll tell you about it later . . . much later."
Eventually we rested, and I looked down at Chessina lying beside me in bed, asleep. In real human sleep. I snuggled down beside her and decided that I would wait until tomorrow to begin planning Fishface's permanent demise.
Fin
The Unexpected Demon Page 21
