by Alison Pensy
Her attention was drawn to a tingle that ran up her spine. A warm, loving tingle. Instinctively, she turned to the two friends following behind her. Her gaze fell on their entwined fingers, and the wistful look Jocelyn was giving to Etyran was not lost on the Custodian. She hadn't seen them holding hands before, but the picture looked perfect. She realized at that point, with a small pang of sadness for the other Lightbender in her life, that Etyran must have come clean with Alyssa about his feelings for Jocelyn. She knew without doubt he was too noble of a man not to.
She hoped Alyssa was okay. She'd been so busy since last seeing her in Draconis's castle that she'd only just realized she hadn't seen her around for a few days and wondered if the young Lightbender was still staying in the castle. She hoped she would be attending the wedding. Faedra was very fond of Alyssa. If it hadn't been for her bravery, Etyran may well have died at the hands of Arawn. The Custodian shuddered at the thought, especially now, seeing him so happy holding the hand of her best friend.
They rounded a corner and Faedra was suddenly overwhelmed with dread. She sucked in a gasp at the enormity of the emotion, and pulled up short. She was stopped in her tracks by an arm across her chest. Faedra wondered what could have happened to change from blissful contentment to all consuming panic in such a short space of time. A split second later, she realized it wasn't her fear. It was her dad's. She spun her head around from where she was soaking in the scene behind her to see what kind of scene was unfolding in front of her that could possibly have her father paralyzed with sheer terror.
It was his arm across her chest effectively stopping her and Faen on the spot. He had his hand fisted around her sleeve, gripping the material so tight, his knuckles were white. All breath had been extinguished from his lungs.
She brought her eyes up from where her father had a hold of her and cast her gaze down the corridor ahead of them. Three men were sauntering down the passageway towards them, looking every bit like they had just stepped off a Hugo Boss runway. Their presence alone seemed to command every molecule of space within the corridor. One of the men walked slightly in front of the other two, who were flanking him on either side. The man in front was wearing a tailored black suit, black shirt and black tie, the Ferragamos on his feet polished to perfection. His jet black hair was slicked back, not a hair out of place. His eyebrows were angled above beautiful emerald eyes that glimmered in the muted light of the corridor. A straight nose lined up over full lips which were housed above a strong, clean-shaven jaw.
Faedra shifted her gaze to the man on his right. He wore the same immaculately tailored suit, but in the darkest shade of maroon. His dark auburn hair was cropped shorter, his brow more rugged, but the stunning emerald eyes set beneath them were almost identical to the man he followed. He, too, sported strong features, which were masked only slightly by a stubbly overgrowth covering his jaw and upper lip.
The man to the other side was dressed in a deep blue, equally well-tailored suit. His tousled dark blond hair skimmed over his ears and brushed the top of his shoulders. There was a brooding set to his brow, highlighted by the scowling definition to his jaw that also sported an unshaven finish. He wriggled his shoulders, his lip curling to sneer, his glittering emerald eyes flashing with annoyance. He looked uncomfortable, which brought Faedra to wonder why. His clothing seemed to caress him like a deerskin glove. Faedra's lips curved into a face splitting smile as she laid her eyes on what the man in front was carrying. The emerald staff. He responded with an equally warm smile.
Her heart then lurched as she realized the origin of her dad's fear. She turned to him and took his ashen face in her hands.
"Dad," she said, but got no response. Henry still had his eyes glued on the men who were getting closer with every step they took. Faedra, sensing that her dad's fight or flight response would kick in any second, gave him a quick shake of his shoulders before returning her hands to his face and forcing it level with hers. "Dad! Look at me!" she commanded. Hesitant, Henry tore his wide-eyed gaze from the runway models and looked, unseeing, at his daughter. "It's Draconis, Dad. It's not Savu. Do you hear me? It's not Savu. You're safe. We're all safe."
She could understand his fear. Savu was Draconis's identical twin. He used to be the most powerful being in the seven realms and had kidnapped her dad, with the help of Vivianna, in an attempt to get the amulet from Faedra and, thereby, gain the power to control the weather. In an attempt to rescue her dad from Savu's clutches, Faedra had, quite by accident, found a way to absorb the evil dragon's power, killing him in the process.
Henry blinked a couple of times before his glazed over eyes began to focus on his daughter.
"Savu's never coming back, Dad. He's gone," Faedra whispered.
Henry's shoulders sagged, and Faedra could feel his relief. He offered her a small, almost childlike smile.
"Princess," Draconis's voice pulled Faedra's attention from her recovering father. The three men had come to a stop and were now standing just a few feet away. Draconis offered her a half bow. "I trust you are well."
"Hello, Draconis," Faedra replied. "Yes, thanks. Much better than the last time you saw me." She offered him a coy smile.
"Guardian, Guardian, Lightbender," Draconis continued his formal greeting to Faen, Jocelyn and Etyran. They all acknowledged with their signature head nods. Faedra sometimes wondered what was wrong with a good old hand shake. Much to her surprise, as if Draconis had read her mind, he leaned in, took hold of her dad's hand, and gave it a firm shake. "Henry," he stated, offering Faedra's dad a warm smile. "Good to see you again, and under much happier circumstances this time."
Henry swallowed. He was probably still trying to absorb the fact that he was now shaking hands with a dragon and thanking his lucky stars it wasn't the other brother.
"Er, Hello," Henry murmured.
Draconis released Henry's hand, probably sensing his consternation, but kept his warm smile in place. He looked to either side of him. "Oh, my. Where are my manners? Allow me to introduce my two, hmm, how shall I put this?...Ah, yes, I know...associates." He gestured to the brooding male in the blue suit. "Alaris, most of you know."
Alaris, casting his master a disgruntled glare from behind, stepped forward. He gave Faedra's group a curt nod of greeting, but his eyes shone with distaste as he turned to Henry. Faedra had to give her dad credit. He was holding out his somewhat shaky hand to greet the dragon, even though Alaris was looking at him like he'd enjoy nothing more than roasting the poor man and eating him for dinner.
Alaris looked down at Henry's offered hand as if he'd just partaken of some sour milk. Henry's face paled, and he slowly withdrew it, probably wondering if he would ever get it back in one piece if the dragon deigned to shake it.
"Please excuse Alaris," Draconis said to Henry. "Humans aren't his favorite species."
Henry gulped and turned to his daughter. "Is that supposed to make me feel better?" he whispered.
Faedra offered her dad a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Dad. His bark is worse than his bite."
"Hmm, I don't think I'd want to experience either."
Alaris, still looking like a surly teenager, took a step back. His eyes glimmering with barely fettered hatred to the human standing before him. Faedra made a mental note to keep an eye on the blue dragon. She didn't think he would go against Draconis's orders and harm her dad, but she wasn't taking any chances.
"And this," Draconis interrupted her thoughts, gesturing to the man in the maroon suit, "is the Gatekeeper, Ignis."
Faedra's lips broke into a wide grin. If it hadn't been for him, she would never have gotten her dad back in the first place. Quite out of the blue, she rushed forwards and threw her arms around him, taking the red dragon by surprise. Ignis tensed, but, after a pregnant pause, he reciprocated and wrapped his arms around her.
Alaris shot Draconis an incredulous look at the Custodian's strange break with protocol. The rest of the group looked around at each other. Faedra could feel their confusion a
t her reaction, but they didn't say anything, and she didn't care if hugging a dragon was against protocol. This wonderful man/beast could have stopped her from being able to save her dad. She owed him a lot.
She eventually let go of the dragon and took a step back. Ignis flushed a little, but regarded her with kind eyes.
Remembering something, Faedra's brow pinched. "Wait a minute. Didn't Draconis call you Arin before?"
The dragon's smile increased, obviously recalling a cherished memory. "You remember well, little one. Yes, he did. Arin is...how do you say? a nickname. Draconis and I grew up together; it is the name he used when we were younglings. My given name is Ignis."
Faedra nodded her understanding. "Well, Ignis, it's good to see you again. Come and meet my dad. He's the one you helped me save." She took hold of his hand and tugged him towards Henry. Ignis shot an astonished glance at Draconis on his way past. Draconis pulled his lips into a tight line, trying to restrain the laugh that was bubbling in his throat.
"Ignis, this is Henry, my dad," Faedra announced when she had pulled the Gatekeeper in front of her father. "Dad, this is Ignis. He's the Gatekeeper. If it wasn't for him letting me into Zutherindal to see Draconis, I may never have been able to save you."
Henry tried, but failed, to hide his trepidation at his daughter's words.
"Very nice to finally meet you, Henry," Ignis said, holding out a hand.
Henry looked down at it and back up to the dragon's face. Sensing his hesitation, Ignis offered Henry a warm smile. Henry blew out a breath, smiled and gave the dragon a firm shake.
"I guess I owe you a thank you, too," Henry said.
Ignis inclined his head. "No thanks necessary. There isn't much I would not do for your daughter."
"There you are, Princess," a booming voice halted conversation. Everyone turned to look down towards the other end of the corridor. A tall, burly man with blond shoulder-length hair and a deep red cloak that fanned out behind him, was striding down the hallway towards them. Beside him was a beautiful maiden, dressed in a long white gown. Her torso was covered by multi-faceted, ornately decorated armor. Her spear chinked on the stone floor as she brought it down with each footfall.
Faedra fleetingly considered if this day could get any weirder and wondered how her dad would take it.
CHAPTER TEN
The two newcomers reached the steadily growing party developing in the corridor and greeted everyone in the usual manner. Faedra pulled her dad forward.
"Lord Odin, Freja. I'd like you to meet my dad, Henry." Faedra said, as though it was an everyday occurrence for her dad to meet mythical Gods and dragons. She turned to her dad. "Dad, this is Odin, God of War from Asgard, and Freja, head of the Valkyries." Please don't faint, Dad. I know this a lot to take in. First dragons, now mythical legends...that aren't so mythical, Faedra thought.
"So, you are the only human Kenreth allows into Azran," Odin boomed, holding out a hand. Henry looked first to his daughter, who smiled and gave him a subtle nod, then looked up at the warrior towering above him, who was assessing him with a keen eye. Mouth slightly open, Henry took Odin's offered hand.
"Good to meet you, sir!" Odin boomed again, almost shaking Henry's arm out of its socket. "I hear you will be competing in the tournament next week. I look forward to taking you up on the challenge of...what was it again?" He looked at Freja.
"Darts, your grace," Freja informed him.
"Ah, yes. Darts," Odin continued. "Sounds fascinating."
Henry paled, but offered the God of War a weak smile. He then turned to his daughter and scowled in a 'what have you gotten me into?' kind of way.
"Princess Faedra, Guardian," Odin continued. "Could we take a moment of your time? I was going to give you your wedding gifts tomorrow, but Freja insisted I do it today. She said you may only get your dress dirty, otherwise, and far be it for me to encourage the bride to ruin her dress."
Faedra scrunched her eyebrows and turned to Faen.
He shrugged his shoulders.
"Um, sure."
"This way, then," Odin said, gesturing down the corridor from whence they came.
"Coming, Dad?" Faedra asked.
Her dad looked up at Odin, who beamed a big toothy grin at him. Henry paled and cast his gaze back to his daughter. "Er, okay."
"Can we come, too?" Jocelyn asked, her girlie sing song voice unable to hide her excitement.
Faedra looked around at the group, surprised that everyone's faces, including the surly Alaris, was looking back at her expectantly. Faedra smiled. Their excitement was infectious. They were all curious as to what Odin had gotten the bride and groom for a wedding gift, especially if it could get Faedra's dress dirty.
"Come on, then." Faedra gestured to the group to follow. "Let's all go and see, shall we?"
The group stomped down the hall towards the exit.
"Your Highness."
Faedra turned to the voice, surprised to see that Alaris had walked up alongside her and was trying to get her attention. Were those nerves she sensed? Surely not. Not from the surliest dragon in all of Zutherindal.
"Yes, Alaris."
He cleared his throat, his emerald eyes shimmering, his strong jaw set. "The other Lightbender..."
"Alyssa?"
"Is that her name?" Alaris brought his voice down to a whisper close to Faedra's ear.
Faedra nodded.
"Yes, then. Alyssa." Alaris hesitated. Faedra sensed he was hanging on a question he wasn't sure how to formulate.
"What about her?"
His eyes darted about the group. Faedra had to bite her lips together to stop from grinning. She had never seen Alaris act this way, and she had to admit it was just a tad amusing.
"Um," Alaris cast his eyes downward. "Will she be attending your wedding tomorrow?"
Faedra's eyes widened at his question and she tried to keep from looking dumbstruck. Did he like Alyssa? Did this surly, brooding, and, let’s not forget, gorgeous dragon have a heart?
"Yes, she'll be there," Faedra replied.
"Good." Alaris gave a curt nod and dropped back to join his brothers-in-arms.
Faedra turned her head to follow him, not quite believing what had just happened. She was distracted by a subtle tug on her hand and turned back to face Faen, who was looking at her expectantly. "What was that all about?" he asked.
Faedra shook her head. "I have absolutely no idea."
She cast a quick look behind her at the dragons before turning her attention to the front, then marched out of the castle behind Odin and Freja.
It didn't take long to find out what their gift was. As the group rounded a corner towards the mews, Faedra stopped dead in her tracks and put her hand to her mouth. Faen stopped, too. They glanced at each other for a second before turning their attention back to their gifts.
In the courtyard stood two majestic winged horses. One was midnight black, the other as white as snow. Their coats shone in the sunshine and their silken wings were furled neatly against their flanks. The flame red of their eyes was made even more intimidating by the stomping of an impatient hoof as they stood waiting. Standing in between them, dwarfed by their immensity, was Todmus, a grin on his face that stretched from ear to ear.
Faedra stared up at a very smug looking God of War with wide, unbelieving eyes.
"Do you like them?" Odin asked the redundant question, knowing full well what Faedra's response would be.
"Do I like them?" Faedra took a calm step forward and wrapped her arms around Odin's waist, giving him a hug. He was so massive, her head only reached his stomach. "Oh, thank you," Faedra whispered. A second later, she realized who, exactly, it was that she was hugging and quickly stepped back. "Erm, sorry."
Odin chuckled. "No need. I'll take that as a yes, then, shall I?"
"What are their names?" Faedra asked.
"Whatever you wish to call them."
Faedra turned to Faen. "Wanna go for a ride?"
Faen's eyes lit up.
&nbs
p; "Come on." She tugged on Faen's hand and led him towards their wedding gift. Half way there she turned. "Jocelyn, can you look after my dad til we get back?"
Jocelyn looked up at Henry. "Of course, I can."
Henry furrowed a brow at his daughter. "Darling, I'm a grown man. I hardly need looking..." He cast a skittish glance around at the dragons and then up at Odin, swallowed, then continued. "...Okay, I'll stay with Jocelyn until you get back. Be careful, darling. They look very, um, fearsome."
"Great fun, though, Dad. See you in a bit."
***
The great hall was abuzz with chatter and laughter that evening. The nobility from each realm who was to attend Faen and Faedra's wedding the next day had been invited to join the king in a feast. Long tables in a 'U' shape were set up in the center of the hall. At the top table, the wedding party was seated in plush chairs and resided over the festivities. Faedra, Faen, Etyran and Jocelyn sat on one side of the king. Her dad and Faen's parents sat on the other. The rest of the guests were seated on benches lined on both sides of the tables that ran down from either side of the top table. The more important the guest, the closer they sat to the top table.
Faedra scanned her surroundings and soaked in the energy. The evening's entertainment was supplied by a harpist and a couple of gray-haired dwarfs playing mandolins who were seated on the raised dais at the end of the hall. Their music lilted on the air adding just the right amount of background noise to accompany their meal. The energy coursing around the room was a mixture of excitement, joy and happiness for the soon-to-be-wed couple. Her gaze wandered to the man sitting beside her, and, automatically, her lips curled into a smile. Faen was talking animatedly with Etyran who sat with Jocelyn on the other side of them. Etyran was to be Faen's best man, and Jocelyn was to be Faedra's head bridesmaid. With the energy they were giving off, Faedra doubted it would be long before she returned the favor for her best friend.
