by J E Mueller
I laughed so much it hurt, the pain bringing tears to my eyes. “Why the sheep?” I asked, looking at Lee before cringing. I thought about correcting Zarek, but realized I actually didn’t mind a relationship title. I’d still make him ask for real though.
“I’ll grab Emmyth,” Zarek said heading for the door.
“They’re fluffy,” Lee responded with a shrug. “Will you be my date to the wedding?”
“Of course,” I replied as I laid back down.
“At least we’ll finally have that dance.” He smiled.
Emmyth returned with Zarek.
“I hope you’ll be feeling a bit better in the next few days. I’ll be here for another week but then we’ve got to get back and finish planning the wedding,” Zarek said from the door.
“If our healer here thinks so,” I glanced up at Emmyth.
“The next time you wake up you’ll be good to go. You’ll need lots of bed rest, but you’ll be up for longer periods of time before you have to sleep. And the sleep will be on your own terms. Take it easy for a few weeks, and no don’t go horseback riding for at least two months. And of course, you need to avoid demons,” Emmyth supplied a full answer while putting his magic to work.
“It’s a good thing the wedding isn’t until mid-spring. You’ll have plenty of time to be ready to go.” Zarek smiled. “And no showing off the scar at the wedding. My scars can’t beat your story,” he jested before heading out.
“Well, there goes my fun.” I rolled my eyes at him and let Emmyth’s magic do its work.
As soon as I was able to be relocated, I was moved back to Lee’s. Juni was ecstatic to have us back. I didn’t realize there might be a feeling of an empty nest after all of our crazy adventuring.
Tella was a constant visitor. She wanted to know everything that had happened, but I left a lot of the explaining to Lee since the story was a lot more about him than me. My parts of the tale were pretty simple, mostly traveling with Ria after my team’s failed rescue part. The final battle with the evil lord was a bit fun to recap for her though. It was decided, in the end, to keep the bit about Blessed blood out; at least until Lee was ready to let others know.
While Blessed blood wasn’t a bad thing, it was a bit controversial to what people had been taught or led to believe. It was hard to separate what the gods did and did not do from what those under them, such as angels and demons, did and did not do. People wanted a simple understanding of the divine but there was a much more gray area than expected in this business.
Even I didn’t want to believe parts of the tale, despite the fact that I was born cursed. It took a lot of discussion, and reflection on all that had happened over the last month before I was willing to accept the facts.
Over several weeks my health improved, and eventually, I was back to my normal strength. There was a large scar on my stomach from where I had been impaled, and a smaller one on my back from where the blade had gone through me. When I found myself lost in thought, I’d often touch it. It didn’t hurt for long, but it still felt weird, even months later.
While the days passed slowly at first, I found myself planning what to do next. When I could move more freely I started practicing my magic more. Ria stayed with the village, as did the others who had once served Drakus. They weren’t hard to persuade to join the right side. With a better understanding of magic, they found the acceptance they needed to live a healthy existence.
Lee and I would frequently practice our magic with the new additions to the village as well as with the troops who were stationed here to help protect everyone.
About twice a week I wrote to my family and explained how things were going and replied to their letters. While I was bedridden, my letters were long and wordy. As I felt better I wrote less, but the letters were more meaningful. All but Zarek wrote back the same amount that I sent them.
Zarek wrote to me almost every day, and often I’d get a bundle of letters talking about training and his up and coming wedding. He was excited, and I was glad to share in his excitement, even if it was from afar. Sometimes the soldiers would send letters to me as well. It was nice hearing from the ones I had worked with, and it seemed they were equally happy to learn about my progress.
When there were weeks before the wedding, Emmyth gave me the all clear to go riding. To my surprise, Emmyth had decided to stay with the village for a while since his task of demon hunting was currently done. He liked being able to help teach Lee, and enjoyed seeing the chaos of a magical town. I thought for sure he’d be summoned away, but it seemed the demon menace was either gone or regrouping.
Before we left I asked Emmyth how he knew how to find demons to hunt. Did he just wait for whispers of activity that sounded corrupt and investigate, or was there a better and more sophisticated way to go about these things?
“It’s actually more complicated than that,” he explained while leaning outside against the wall of Lee’s house. “Not all Blessed born come into the world the same way. I have had actual contact with my father. When his hands aren’t tied, he’ll explain the task to me. There are some things that they can’t interfere with, and some things they do meddle in any way. While I have, yes, investigated rumors just in case, I’m usually briefed on the mission before taking it.”
“What do you mean by, ‘don’t come into the world the same way?’” I asked.
He chuckled at the question. “The angelic parent must leave at the first sign of pregnancy if their lover is a mortal. Of course, some disregard this and help raise their child despite the consequence. Also if two Blessed borns were to have a child, the child would also be of Blessed blood.” He paused as he thought on something for a moment. “If the couple is a normal mortal and a Blessed born it can go either way. If it’s Blessed and Cursed mix I have no idea what would happen.”
“That would be an odd mix. Can it even happen?” I asked curiously. It could be possible that the mix would not allow children. Magic was always an oddity that truly did whatever it wanted.
“I don’t see why not.” Emmyth shrugged. “In the end, with all our magic and mixed blood, we’re still in the same mortal body as everyone else. The children of such parents might have no magic at all or a mix of both gifts, but they would likely be weaker.”
“That sounds like a good theory,” I agreed and quickly changed the subject. “Will you still be here when we return?”
He shrugged. “I likely will still be here, but I won’t make promises. It’s hard to say what will happen now. There haven’t been a lot of hunts for me lately. The ones I might have had were all leading up to the now resolved conflict. The fight we abruptly ended solved a lot of problems, so maybe I’ll get some lengthy time off. It’s been a nice break training with the guard around here, and this is a pleasant retreat from the rest of the world.”
I shook my head. “Not going to lie, it’s so weird hearing something I used to say regularly being thrown back at me.”
Emmyth laughed. “Settling down would be nice, but I like having a bigger purpose. I’m trained to slay demons and restore peace. It’s a fun life sometimes, but I won’t keep it up forever. Still, I think I can get another ten or fifteen years in before the demons are a little too quick for me. Then I’ll retire.”
“Is there a Blessed league and do they just send out the next guy that’s ready for demon slaying?” I asked jokingly.
To my surprise, he nodded. “Actually there is a league of sorts. More like a guild. You’ve probably seen many of them since most tend to mask themselves as bards.”
“You’re joking,” I replied in disbelief. I had just thought I was being funny.
“Not at all.” He smiled slyly. “I can play the lute and drums. I’m not too shabby at singing either. It’s a great way to get in and out of places without drawing attention. No one expects us to stay, and if there was a conflict resolved, of course, a bard would leave to carry on the song.” He winked. “If you ever find yourself in another pinch like this one, remember Vale
on’s Lullaby is the best song you’ve ever heard.”
“Is it an actual song?” I asked curiously.
“Yes, and it’s one only the Blessed know,” he answered with a nod. “And it’s one you’ll likely never hear. It’s a sad song that is only sung for someone we cannot save.” Emmyth looked at the ground.
“How many times?” I asked softly. There was no hiding that look.
“Twelve. I’ve sung it twice with others I was venturing with and the rest when I was on my own.” He looked up at me. “They say it brings their soul peace. I like to agree with that thought.” Emmyth pushed off from the wall. “Safe travels. If I’m not back when you return, I don’t doubt we’ll meet again.” He waved as he walked away.
Lee passed him on his way back home. “Good to go?”
I nodded, “I got the all clear.” I said, glancing at Emmyth. “I think I just joined a secret club,” I confided.
Lee watched me curiously. “What do you mean?”
“There’s a guild of Blessed born… If we need help and can find one, I’ve got the password.”
Lee looked thoughtful for a moment, “I wonder why he didn’t mention it to me.”
“Maybe he doesn’t think you’re ready to know, or to join.”
“I guess I don’t have the need to travel and slay demons all the time,” Lee agreed. “It’s probably a requirement to give a certain amount of time to the cause before retiring. That wouldn’t be for me.”
“But why tell me?” I asked while still watching where Emmyth had disappeared out of sight.
“You attract a lot of bad luck.” Lee shrugged. “It’s a truth for Cursed born, and it’s probably why I attract so much good luck.” The jerk literally had good luck in his blood.
“Does that mean he thinks I’ll need the extra help?” I mused. “It probably doesn’t hurt to be on the safe side.” My luck seemed to be a mix of smooth sailing and ridiculous problems thanks to my cursed magic.
“And if your siblings need it, you have a great way to pass along information now,” Lee pointed out. “Though it’s probably best to keep this secret from your family. Demons don’t like being hunted openly.”
“I agree.” I looked over at Lee. “Ready for dinner? We’ve got a long ride ahead of us.”
The ride wasn’t bad, but it took longer than expected. While I had been slowly exercising more, my body wasn’t ready for long distance riding and we had to stop often.
It sometimes baffled me that an injury that was months old could still cause so many small problems, but I didn’t have infinite health or healing abilities. I was cursed, yes, but still mortal.
When we finally did reach the castle I was swept up into the festivities. My niece and nephews took up a lot of my time while I was trying to catch up with siblings. Jameson had only ever seen me injured and asleep before they had returned, so it was fantastic catching up with him as well.
The grooms were in a frenzy to get the last minute details sorted, and while both were still happy to see me up and moving, neither were happy I hadn’t come back sooner to get my dress fitted.
Sandra marveled at my tale and my scar, but we hadn’t given her any details about Lee and Emmyth’s Blessed blood until she pressed.
“It’s foolish to believe that someone could suddenly kill someone who sold their soul. They’re basically a demon and are no longer mortal. I cannot believe that someone of normal blood could do such a thing, and I’ve heard Cursed born cannot kill a demon. They can injure them of course, but they heal too rapidly to be killed.” she said when it was just us, David, and Zarek left in the room.
Lee glanced at me before turning and facing Sandra. “To be honest, it’s a secret for reasons I’m just learning. Blessed blood can kill demons.” He informed her. “It wasn’t a lie that I killed the first one and another Blessed killed the second. I didn’t learn until after the first demon died that my mother had kept a single secret from me my entire life.”
He held up his hand before more questions could be asked. “I don’t know many details, so I can only tell you what I’ve learned. Angels and humans can have a child which can create Blessed blood. I don’t know who my father is or why he left but it was likely to keep me out of the demon hunting circle. I may have chosen that path had I known about this when I was younger. It is not the path I choose now. Will I help with local conflicts? Of course, how could I not? But I’m not going crusading and hunting them of my own accord.”
“What extra gifts does this give you?” David asked curiously, venturing into some safer to ask questions.
“It gives me strong healing powers, but I’ve yet to figure out how to tap into that power. I can also make anything I wear or wield blessed so that it can kill a demon. It’s an odd thing to attempt to master,” he replied honestly.
Zarek nodded. “I hope we never have to request your help,” He said sincerely. “Thank you for your honesty. I hope you will find a way to learn about your new gifts.”
“I hope so as well,” Lee agreed, not mentioning his minor bit of training. “I’ve had some tips on where to get started, but it’s always harder than it sounds.”
“Are there more like you then?” Sandra asked carefully.
“Yes.” Lee nodded, sticking to the simple facts. “I don’t know where they are, though. My only advice is to not bring them to light. Those who know about their gifts are likely using them. We don’t need a demon rebellion on our hands here. Let them sneak in and think they’re making progress. The hunters will find and destroy them.”
Sandra leaned her head to the side and nodded as she slowly thought over the advice. “Understood… However, it would be nice to have a line of communication with members of such an order. We hear many complaints and relevant stories daily. I’m sure there's information there that would help them, and in return, it helps us and our people.”
“If I run across any, I’ll give them your suggestion,” Lee agreed as neutrally as possible.
“Fair enough.” David smiled, wrapping up the discussion. “This is more than we could have hoped for.”
“Now back to other important news…” Zarek said as everyone turned to him. “We still haven’t agreed upon on how to combine our normal ceremonies with Jameson’s province’s traditions. We’ve got to figure a good way to blend them together. We’re supposed to be unifying us and them both symbolically and physically.”
Thankful for the distraction, we dove into discussing our ideas to help.
The week was whisked away with an abundance of festivities and family time. Flowers and food filled the air with sweet and savory scents and I was excited that the wedding day had finally come.
As was the custom in what seemed like every part of the land, neither soon to be spouse was to see each other before the ceremony. David was in charge of Zarek, and Jameson was with his family.
The beginning of the ceremony was the most unique part. Neither waited for the other at the altar. Instead, they both entered from different sides of the room and walked down the aisle together. Their faces were filled with a happiness that warmed everyone who saw them.
It was a nice change to be crying happy tears for my family.
The first part went as planned and then as a show of unity, they each had a jar with a mixture of sand, dirt, and stone from their respective birthplaces. Slowly, they poured them together into a much larger jar. Mixed together, it was impossible to see where one ended and the other began. The symbolism touched many in the room, and I was glad they had decided to use this idea.
After they made their vows, we met them outside for a wonderfully cool evening reception. As was the custom for Jameson’s homeland, they jumped over a broom before stepping out into the world together. Their next change was more fun than symbolic. Instead of observing their usual custom of a sword fight for the bride, they dueled one another. The winner got to cut the wedding cake first, but the loser had the right of a rematch if desired at any time beforehand. Traditionally the
groom would let the bride win, but with no bride, it was a fun match to watch. Zarek dazzled the crowd, but Jameson won which caused much laughter and many cheers.
The food was served and soon after the dancing began. I finally noticed that most of the guests were not nobles but were instead almost entirely the soldiers that the two spent their days with. Every single warrior not on duty or leave was there. I quickly came to learn that most of the nobles were our immediate family and a few were extended family. The two wanted only the people they cared for there. It was nice to see that they were able to do so.
As the dancing picked up, Lee asked me to dance. I hesitated, having completely forgotten that I had actually agreed to this.
“I really can’t dance,” I warned him as I got up, hoping it would be easy to get out of this.
“You don’t have to dance well, and I will lead anyway.” He smiled, not giving me an easy out, “Besides with how much everyone has had to drink, no one’s going to remember anyway.”
“Zarek will,” I said as we got out on the floor.
Zarek, having quickly noticed that we had gotten up to dance, cheered for us. Jameson, instead of helping me, implied that no one could hear him, causing Zarek to cheer louder.
“At least they’re having fun.” I sighed. It was a bit funny, though.
Dancing was very awkward at first, but once Zarek was distracted it got better. Eventually, Zarek did cut in, and shortly afterward, Jameson asked me for a dance as well. Not caring to let them have all the fun, Sandra joined me for a dance, and later so did David.
Somehow I managed not to trip over anyone, and my magic was well enough under control that no one died. I could not express how grateful I was to have learned how to not kill people who accidentally bumped into me. It still took effort, but it was no longer the hardest thing for me to do. It was still a relief to finally call it a night and let down my guard. Physically at least. Not so much magically.
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