by Frank Morin
Connor was still tempted to create a mud puddle right in front of him so he could push him in. He glanced at Verena, who was shaking her head slowly, staring at Hamish’s back.
She met Connor’s gaze and chuckled. “Leave it to Hamish.”
Connor squeezed her hand, not sure what to say, wishing he could salvage the moment and propose to her. He knew she’d say yes, but the moment didn’t feel right any longer.
“Look at the flowers!” Jean gushed, pointing at the wedding platform, bedecked with garlands and vases bursting with bright floral colors. Hamish chuckled and gestured toward one bouquet built along the rails of the stairs up to the platform. “See those blue flowers? Erich said they’re called I-can-pants-this.”
Connor laughed, but Verena scowled at Hamish. “Really? That’s the best you can come up with today?”
Hamish shrugged. “All kinds of flowers have weird names. Anika told me a few yesterday. She’s got impatients, eyeball plants, love-in-a-mist, and bat-faced goofies.”
“Really?” Connor asked. He’d never realized flowers could be so fun.
Jean rolled her eyes. “Not exactly. It’s impatiens, and bat-faced goofies are actually bat-faced cupheas.”
“Love-in-a-mist is nice,” Verena added.
“Are there really bat-faced plants?” Connor asked, looking again at all of the flower arrangements, trying to spot them.
“There are, but the blue irises that Hamish was talking about are called agapanthus, not I-can-pants-this,” Jean said sternly. Connor was impressed she didn’t even crack a smile. He preferred Hamish’s alternate name. He’d forget agapanthus in a heartbeat, but he’d never forget a flower named I-can-pants-this.
Once they climbed to the platform, the girls moved to stand beside Anika, who was resplendent in a beautiful white gown, covered in hundreds of little crystals, many of them quartzite. Verena touched her dress, and all the quartzite pieces began glowing softly, transforming her dress into a living rainbow. In that moment, Connor saw her as a woman rather than a deadly warrior.
Weird.
Memories tumbled through his mind of the deadly warrior maiden. He thought back to the first time he’d seen her tap granite, when she and Erich were plundering the barge from Alasdair, hurling the precious granite blocks far out over the Wick. He thought of the terrifying night when he’d freed Shona. He’d caught Anika by surprise, tied her in his leather shirt, and bound her to a tree by her braid. He was lucky she hadn’t snapped him into twenty pieces.
As much as Rory loved her in her fighting leathers, he was clearly transfixed by her in that stunning gown. The tall, shapely woman was simply gorgeous. Her thick, blond hair hung loose to her shoulders, but was held back from her face by narrow braids twining around her head and tied in the back.
She too wore a glittering tiara, hers made up of the various affinity stones, with granite in the center position, of course. She looked so happy Connor bet if he pushed her, she would simply float out over the crowd.
Rory looked like he was trying not to collapse in a dead faint. He had somehow won the heart of the terrifying battle maiden, and only a man absolutely committed to the match could have survived that courtship. They’d been drawn together powerfully since their first meeting, and Connor easily pictured them wrestling behind Lord Gavin’s manor house, stone-hardened bodies swaying together, looking more like they were embracing than fighting.
Rory had been smitten from the first, and now he looked overwhelmed that their wedding day had finally arrived. Connor grinned to see the indomitable captain so giddy with joy.
Connor and Hamish joined Erich, who was already flanking Rory. They would act as groomsmen, but Connor felt a twinge of sadness when he glanced to his side at the empty spots where Tomas and Cameron should have been standing.
The rest of their closest friends stood to either side of the wedding party, which was gathered in front of a graceful archway. Kilian, Evander, and Ilse, who also looked strange yet radiant in a tastefully elegant gown of black. She was still mourning the loss of her husband, but carried her grief openly and with her usual grace. Wolfram, Lady Briet, and Ivor were there as well.
As Connor looked across his friends, more memories surfaced. He thought of the first time he met Kilian, witnessing the Water Moccasin skating up the Wick with those graceful strides that no one else could quite match. Kilian, who had stopped one of Carbrey’s charges with a bucket of water applied for best possible leverage.
Most of his early memories of Evander were scary ones, with the giant rising up from underground, huge, intimidating, spouting incomprehensible Sentry speak. He felt deeply grateful both of the ancient Dawnus had joined the revolution. They’d all have died long since without them. General Wolfram, with his famous mustaches, still inspired the same sense of awe Connor had always felt around him, ever since they’d met during the battles of Alasdair. The famously clever general had met every challenge with wit and cunning and calm confidence.
Ilse commanded a host of memories. She had captured Connor several times during the battles of Alasdair, proven herself a remarkably resourceful and clever leader, and showed restraint when she could have killed many. She’d played catch-the-devil with Rory and the forces around the Carraig for months, giving Connor more chances to leave with her than he probably deserved. She’d transitioned from a daunting adversary to a cherished friend through all of those adventures, and despite her tragic losses, she kept pressing ahead, fighting evil and committing everything she had to protecting her people.
Connor stood a little taller, feeling deeply grateful to count such mighty men and women as cherished friends.
Lady Shona herself would officiate the ceremony. As the high lady of Merkland, it was her right. She looked stunning as always in an amazing gown of crimson satin that highlighted her excellent figure. It left her long, graceful neck bare, and she too wore her hair up high with bejeweled combs.
In that nostalgic mood, Connor’s mind flooded with hundreds of memories of Shona. Their relationship was extremely complicated and very deep. She’d treated him better than a humble linn had any right to expect, had explored his affinities, and extended the remarkable honor of choosing him as a potential partner for life.
She had also used him, manipulated him, threatened his family, and promised to commit his powers to a war of conquest to sweep the continent. But she’d released him when she could have held him enslaved. She had chosen the revolution against all odds, and seemed earnest in her attempts to build a new friendship. He felt cautiously optimistic they could make it work without either Shona or Verena getting killed in the process, especially since they could now openly beat on each other in their regular “training.”
Shona stepped into position underneath the archway, signifying the start of the ceremony. Rory and Anika took their places facing each other in front of Shona, while Verena, Jean, and Anika’s elderly mother flanked her. Connor, Hamish, Erich, and the siblings’ father took their places near Rory. An expectant hush fell over the enormous assembly.
Shona always liked being the center of attention, and she literally glowed with light, tapping her limestone secondary affinity. Connor had loaned her quartzite for the ceremony, so her voice echoed across the square, magnified even more by the many speakstones positioned beside each of the huge sightstone viewing screens.
“Welcome all on this glorious day for this remarkable event. It’s no surprise that not even the great expanse of our beloved city is grand enough to contain everyone who wishes to witness this singular and historic union between our beloved General Rory and his famous bride, Anika the battle maiden.”
The square erupted with cheering, and the sound spread all through the city and beyond as everyone took up the cry. The sound grew until the air vibrated with it.
Connor tapped serpentinite. It was challenging, since the red-frequency aspect to it had been snuffed out when the queen had destroyed the stone that created that affinity. Still, he managed by f
ocusing only on the green frequency. Touching it opened his eyes to the full grandeur of the cheering. Sound filled the square and radiated up above the city in endless, vibrant waves of color. It was breathtaking, and he wished he had thought to get one of Aifric’s recording diamonds.
“Our city, our lives, our very freedom are threatened by terrible danger, but instead of cowering in fear or losing ourselves in the grim nature of our duty, we pause on the eve of our great victory to celebrate hope in the union of our peoples. Not only do Rory and Anika deserve the greatest happiness life can offer simply because of their honor, integrity, and excellent characters, but their union declares to all the world that love, friendship, and peace can extend beyond political borders.”
Again cheering rattled the city. Rory and Anika looked like they could stand there looking at each other all day. Connor doubted they even heard anything Shona said, but he hoped Shona would not give in to the almost overwhelming temptation that faced high officials when standing in front of enormous crowds to begin monologuing. He would hate to do something drastic to cut her short and remind her that the day belonged to Rory and Anika. He had recently regrown her hair. He could always take it back.
The idea made him grin, but he concealed it before she noticed. Would she understand what he was thinking? She might. She knew him better than almost anyone.
Thankfully, she did pretty well. She did launch into a little speech about the great marriage traditions of Obrion, and even mentioned some from Granadure, no doubt provided to her by Verena. She challenged Rory and Anika to be true to both countries and to be examples of international relations. Not that there was any doubt of that. The two were so much in love, it made Connor think he and Hamish weren’t doing nearly enough to impress their girls. And usually people thought they were the ones who were too mushy.
Now that he could loan granite to Verena sometimes, maybe they could start bash fight training together. She used to enjoy hitting him a lot. He wondered how she would like him hitting back. It was a good idea, but he doubted they could pull it off as well as Rory and Anika. Those two loved beating on each other with a passion that burned so hot they didn’t need marble.
Within a few moments, interrupted repeatedly by more cheering, Shona began the actual ceremony of calling upon Rory and Anika to share their vows and commit to each other. Always the straightforward soldier, Rory simply took Anika’s hands in his and said simply, “Anika, I love you. You challenge me to be a better man, and I promise to walk by your side every day of my life.”
His words moved Anika deeply. Her eyes seemed to sparkle, and a soft blush spread across her cheeks, making her look even more beautiful. She grinned, her expression so bright she might have eaten a Solas for breakfast. She replied in Grandurian, then repeated her words in Obrioner.
“Mine Rory. Mine Capitain. You are strongest man I know in life. I surrender only to you of all men and walk with you as life partner forever.”
The simple words, spoken in her heavy Grandurian accent, generated another round of enthusiastic cheering. Every woman standing on the platform dabbed at her eyes with cotton handkerchiefs, and Connor didn’t blame them. The simple words were far more moving than the eloquence of any high lord.
Shona grinned. “Then by my right and duty, I pronounce you man and wife.”
The two embraced, kissing passionately, looking so happy that either of them might just simply melt away. Then with a laugh, Rory seized Anika by the waist and threw her high into the air shouting, “Hail my beautiful bride!”
The entire congregation erupted into a thunderous cheer. “Hail the bride!”
He caught her as she descended. Anika laughed and kissed him passionately on the lips again. Then she seized him and tapped granite. Her body shifted to perfectly sculpted lines, and her skin shifted to a slight shade of pink instead of white. Connor grinned to see her using her favorite Grandurian strain. He hoped the local Boulders wouldn’t feel betrayed that she hadn’t chosen Alasdair White for her wedding.
Anika threw Rory just as high as he had tossed her. “Hail mine husband!”
The assembled crowd laughed and cheered and shouted with her. “Hail the groom!”
She caught him and the two embraced again. Shona hugged them both and declared, “May your union be blessed with long and joyous lives.”
Then Connor and everyone else swept in to congratulate the couple. Several minutes of backslapping and hugging and crying passed as the crowds cheered and clapped. The entire city was awash with good cheer, and for a little while it seemed everyone could forget the terrible danger looming over them. They might all be destroyed in the next week, but they were celebrating like they would live forever. It felt completely appropriate.
Although an entire afternoon of partying and dancing and feasting and gifts was planned, the core wedding party took a moment to present their gifts first.
Hamish produced a covered cast-iron pot with great flair. Rory laughed and clapped him on the back. “I should have known your gift would be food.”
“Only the best food, fit for a king. It’s a new recipe from Schwinkendorf’s cookbook. No one has eaten this in over a hundred years.” With a flourish he opened the lid and revealed a dessert. A warm, sweet scent flooded the platform and Connor edged closer. It was a gift for the newlyweds, but they would share, wouldn’t they?
Hamish declared proudly, “I call this Torcish Delight.”
Anika daintily pulled a piece free and popped it into her mouth. The dessert looked like it was made up of layers of pastry filled with honey and powdery sugar. She tasted it and smiled. “Is very good. You make from torc?”
Hamish laughed. “Of course not. It’s Torcish Delight because it’s so good people would wrestle a torc for a chance to get some.”
Rory tried a piece and he too grinned. “Thank you, Hamish. This is a princely gift.”
He didn’t share it, but replaced the cover and set it aside. That was alright. Connor bet Hamish had seventy-five more pots full, ready for smashpacking.
Erich presented a mighty battle hammer to Anika and she gushed over it. Made strong enough to be wielded by the mightiest Boulder, the head included the ancient Petralist symbol for granite, and was made of hardened granite. It could crush even the queen’s skull if given a chance.
Connor slipped around Verena and Jean, who were still happily gushing about Anika’s dress, and placed hands on both Rory’s and Anika’s shoulders. In the palm of each hand, he held small pieces of blind coal. Their joy radiated from them like invisible heat and Connor couldn’t seem to grin widely enough. He was so happy for them.
“Congratulations!” he said.
Rory gripped Connor’s shoulder in turn. “Thank you, Connor. And thank you for helping us get together.”
“Yes. You good boy, bring first message to me from mine Rory,” Anika grinned. Then she actually kissed Connor on the cheek.
He wasn’t sure how to react. Anika had terrified him for a long time. He’d gotten over that, but most of his memories with Anika still involved bash fighting and danger.
So he squeezed their shoulders and said, “I have a gift for you both.”
Connor tapped sandstone, obsidian, and blind coal while focusing on the two newlyweds. He’d never tried connecting to two people at the same time and fiddling with their affinities, but it felt right. Rory and Anika were bound by marriage now, and even though Connor was not actively tapping chert, he felt their joy and unbreakable commitment to each other. They were bound together by bonds far stronger than any affinity, and as he connected with them, the view of their affinityscapes formed in his mind as a single, joint location.
A simple, sand-lined training yard. It smelled of sand and stone and sun. A bucket of water stood against one wall near some plank benches. Connor stepped onto the sands, grinning. Every grain was infused with their love, and he sensed countless joyful memories of competition from their daily training. The two of them had pushed each other to the utte
rmost limits of their skill and developed their core identity together as they trained and forged their union. He couldn’t imagine a more fitting affinityscape.
The right-hand wall was missing, revealing the expanse of mist-filled abyss with a single-tiered granite island floating nearby, with a solid rope-plank bridge leading to it. He jogged over and scanned the indistinct islands hovering in the mists nearby. It took only a moment to locate blind coal, and even less time to build a sturdy bridge across to that sedimentary stone using planks from the benches along the wall.
When he blinked open his eyes, both Rory and Anika were gaping at him. Rory exclaimed, “You gave us a secondary affinity?”
He handed them the tiny wafers of blind coal with a flourish. “I can’t think of a better gift. You two will be leading the charge, so what better affinity than the one that can get you through enemy tertiaries trying to end the bash fight early?”
Anika laughed and hugged Connor, lifting him off his feet in her exuberance. Thankfully she remembered not to squeeze him to jelly, but she hugged hard enough to give him painful flashbacks of Catriona’s hugging attacks at the Carraig. “You good boy. Thank you!”
Connor stepped back before she could grab him again. Verena slipped an arm around his waist and asked, “New affinities that fast?”
“I was motivated.”
She beamed at him and kissed him quickly on the cheek. “You’re always full of surprises, Connor.”
14
Sort-of, Maybe, Almost Proposing Isn’t As Hard As Everyone Thinks
Eventually Rory and Anika stepped to the edge of the platform, holding hands and grinning like little kids. They raised their hands together in a triumphant salute.
At the signal, Verena remotely triggered a dozen missiles. They shot up into the sky from launchers positioned along the outer wall and exploded several hundred feet above the city in fantastic eruptions of fireworks.