Blood of Dragons (7 page)

“We all miss her,” Isla says quietly as she begins to pull my hair up off my nape.  I just nod and wipe at a tear.

By the time Isla is finished with me, I have perfectly lined eyes, flawless makeup and ruby red lips that make a stark contrast to my light complexion and white dress.  I haven’t put the dress on yet, though.  I’ll do it at the palace.

Kallen and Kegan have gone ahead of us to the palace so it’s just me, Isla, Mom, Dad and Zac in the carriage.  Zac is constantly pulling at his necktie and sleeves.  I feel for him but he looks so cute in his little royal blue suit that I’m not going to come to his rescue. 

My excitement is growing the closer we get until, I hate to admit it, my sadness is overshadowed by my joy.  I know I’ll feel guilty as hell about that later.  Especially if anything bad has happened to Tabitha.  But this is my wedding day.  It has come a lot sooner than I ever thought it would, but I’ve made my peace with that and I am marrying the most incredible person in the universe.  I love Kallen more than I ever thought possible and I know he loves me just as much. 

I step out of the carriage last and we all walk up the stairs to the palace door which is immediately opened by a doorman.  I am in awe when he leads us onto the balcony just inside the main door.  The great hall below has been transformed into a wonderland of white.  White flowers, white ribbon, white cloth draped over the benches near the river. 

“Beautiful,” Mom says in a hushed voice.  I understand why.  It looks so pure that we fear our voices will somehow taint it.

“This way,” the doorman says gruffly.  So much for worrying about tainting it.  Jerkwad.

We follow him down one of the twin staircases and walk through the hall and down a hallway I haven’t been in before.  He stops in front of a set of double doors and then opens them wide.  Inside the large room are several maids who are apparently waiting for me.  They grab my dress from Isla and usher me farther into the sitting room where a large full length mirror stands along the far wall.

With very little talking, they take over.  In a flash, all of my clothes are removed, which I am not thrilled about.  I glare at the Fairy who did it and make her naked, too.  See how she likes it.  She doesn’t.  She screams and leaves the room.  Still naked.  I would have given her clothes back if she would have waited a minute.  Geez.

Ignoring the abrupt departure of the maid, Isla makes me some undergarments and then the maids that are left, who are trying not to make eye contact so as not to draw attention to themselves, help me into my dress.  Isla does a few magical adjustments and it fits perfectly.  With my hair up and the black ringlets that surround my face, I do look like a Grecian goddess.  This is the exact look I imagined when I designed the dress.

Mom’s doing the ghost crying thing again.  Even Isla’s wiping away some tears.  I even catch a maid crying.  I don’t think it’s because she’s happy for me though.  Her mumbling through her tears that I’m not good enough for him is my clue to that.  I debate the maturity of making her naked too, but I eventually decide against it.  If she cries during the ceremony though, I will take her voice away.

A knock on the door is followed by Dagda opening it and walking in.  Gee, good thing he knocked.  What if I had still been naked?  “Are you ready?” he asks and then he stops.  His eyes take me in and he shakes his head.  “I marvel at the fact that I had a part in your creation.  Someone as beautiful as you should not have come from a tyrant seeking revenge.  You truly are a gift from the Angels.”  He turns to Mom.  “Thank you, Quillian, for nurturing Xandra into the strong and intelligent woman that she is.”

Um, gulp.  Who is this guy?  And did he really say all of that?  I am so taken aback that I let him pull me into a quick hug.  I even hug him back.  “Thank you,” I murmur against his shoulder which I have just covered in tears. 

Pushing gently against my shoulders, Dagda backs up.  “I will be waiting for you at the altar.” 

Dad has come into the room and he looks pissed to see Dagda touching me.  Great, a turf war on my wedding day.  And the turf is me.

To my surprise, Dagda instantly diffuses the situation.  “Jim, your daughter is ready for you to escort her down the aisle.”  Then, with a slight nod to all of us, he leaves without another word, leaving everyone in the room stunned into silence.  Even the maids are staring after him with open mouths.

“Good lord, the modesty of his youth is starting to resurface,” Isla finally says in wonder.

“You mean he used to be like that all the time?” I ask.

“Only when he was weak,” one of the maids mutters as she straightens the short train of my dress.  It’s the same one as before.  With a small amount of magic, I take her voice and put her in a cage.  I’m not going to have her muttering rude things during my wedding.

I hear Mom stifle a giggle and even Isla is having a hard time looking stern as she says, “Was that really necessary?”

Well, that’s a stupid question.  “Yes.”

Isla tilts her head and looks at the maid for a moment.  “Fine.”

I try not to look surprised.  “Is it time to go?”

Dad grins.  “I was sent in to tell you that.”  He holds his ghost arm out for me and I do my best to wrap my bare arm around it without going through it.  I suddenly regret not designing a dress with sleeves.  I believe I’m going to have frostbite by the time I get to the altar.

Mom and Isla bustle out ahead of us to make sure that everything is perfect.  I don’t doubt that it will be.  I don’t think Dagda would settle for anything less.  Forgetting about the maid in the cage until after the ceremony, I walk out the door and down the hallway to my soon to be husband.

Chapter 7

There are about ten people in the great hall that I don’t know but I don’t care.  I only have eyes for Kallen.  My god, he is absolutely gorgeous.  He is in a picture perfect white tuxedo style suit.  The only splashes of color at the altar are Alita and Kegan who are both dressed in royal blue.  But even their vividness is not enough to draw my eyes away from the Fairy I love.  The fact that he is grinning from ear to ear with love in his eyes tells me that he only has eyes for me as well.

It seems to take forever to get to him.  I want to let go of Dad’s cold arm and run to the altar but I try to maintain a steady pace.  When I’m finally there, Kallen holds his hand out to me and Dad disappears into the background.  I can’t help it; I have to kiss him right this moment.  So I do.  I stand on my toes and bring my lips to his.  It’s a sweet kiss.  The kind of kiss that makes you smile when you remember it. 

When I finally drag myself back and turn to Dagda, who will perform the ceremony, I see that I’ve amused him and probably everyone else in the room.  A quick peek at Kallen though, tells me that he loved it.

Dagda begins to speak.  “This couple standing before you has already pledged their love in a left hand-fasting.  They choose now to be bound for eternity.  Their love has set them on a fiery, passionate path and they will travel this path together always, never wavering in their conviction that their love will last.”

Turning to me, he says, “Xandra, you came to this realm a stranger but you have proven your loyalty to the Fae many times over.  You have found your way into my cold heart and the hearts of many others.  You are everything that a Princess should be.  You are honest, kind, intelligent.  You are strong in the face of your enemies and compassionate with those you love.  Your temper runs hot, your logic often saves you and your presence lives on in the memories of those who love you and those who fear you.  You truly are a Princess of this realm.  Yet, you are so much more.  It will take your husband an eternity to unravel all of your mysteries.”

To Kallen, he says, “Kallen, you have been like a son to me.  You are strong, but yield when necessary to let your wife learn.  You are wise and your opinions are well respected yet you also know when to hold your tongue.   I have always considered you a Prince of this realm and you were to be my designated successor.  Now, I am able to sleep soundly at night knowing that you will sit on the throne someday next to Xandra, using your strength and wisdom to guide her when necessary and support her when she is forced to make difficult decisions.”

To both of us, he says, “Please join hands.”  Kallen takes my hands in his and Dagda continues.  “A match made for eternity, a love to withstand the effects of time.  From this day forward, you will be Prince and Princess, the sole heirs to the throne of the Fae realm and you will put the kingdom above all else except your love.  You will seal this bond with a kiss as proof of your promise that your souls will cherish each other through whatever life may bring to you.  Once this is done, you will be right hand-fasted forever more.”

This is it.  He’s my husband!  Well, as soon as our lips meet.  I stand on my toes again, seeking his when a sudden flash of light explodes inside my mind.  The pain is unbearable for a split second.  Then it’s gone.

Kallen’s lips are on mine.  “Well, I did not see this coming,” I mutter. 

Kallen jumps back from me.  “What the hell!”  My thought exactly.  I was certainly not planning on getting married today.  If I had been, I would have chosen Xandra, not Kallen.

Chapter 8

“Kallen, what is the matter with you?” Dagda growls.

Kallen looks at him as if he has lost his mind.  “What do you mean, what is the matter with me?  Look at her!”  He waves his hand towards me.  “Or him, I should say.”

Isla is now at his side.  “Kallen, are you ill?”

“Is he under a spell?” Dagda says, looking at Alita.

She shakes her head.  “If he is, your Majesty, it is not a black magic spell.  I do not even feel a twinge.”  Poor Alita.  She looks as if she has failed him. 

“You are correct, Alita.  There is no dark magic here,” I say trying to reassure her.  “It is more of a cosmic anomaly.”

“Xandra, what are you talking about?” her mother asks me.  Hmm, I guess the only one who can see me in my true form is Kallen.  This is awkward.

Kallen points an accusing finger at me.  “That. Is. Not. Xandra!” he practically shouts.

“Isla, what is happening to him?” Dagda asks.  “Has he lost his mind?”

Isla looks as confused as everyone else.  But she does reach a hand out to attempt to take Kallen’s temperature.  He swats her hand away. 

The small crowd behind us begins to murmur.  Focusing on that, Dagda gestures to one of his guards and the guests are being escorted out of the great hall.  Now, it is only family and close friends.  They all look so lost.  I believe it is time for me to interject.  What I am going to say I do not know, for this is the first time in my existence something has happened without my knowing beforehand.  I am not sure what has happened nor how it will end.  This is rather exciting for me.  “Excuse me.”