Arranged

by Spears, Jessica

  When the two were within a few feet of each other, the big man raised his arms as if to smash in the smaller ones head. The lanky soldier darted to the side seconds before his opponent could render a deathblow and darted behind the large man. In the blink of an eye, he had climbed onto the large man's back and locked an arm around his neck. Four arms flailed, trying to tear the slender man from off his back, but failing. The small man planted his legs into the back of the large soldier and held on tighter.

  Everyone stood by and watched as the hefty man began to turn purple in the face. Qwinn watched in amusement as the large soldier fell to his knees, gasping for air. A few more seconds and the big man lay unconscious, but not dead. Qwinn clapped his hands slowly, stepping into the circle. The small soldier, hardly out of breath, placed a fist over his heart.

  "That is very impressive," Qwinn praised. He clapped the small man on the back. "What is your name and where did you learn to fight like that?"

  The small man tried to fight his smile. "Larius, your majesty and the fighting comes to me. Ever since I was a child, when I enter a fight, my heart speeds up and time slows down."

  Qwinn wrote his name on the paper and motioned for everyone to continue, pulling the smaller man aside. "How long have you been a soldier?"

  "Only twenty years. My father wanted me to do something useful with my skill."

  Qwinn nodded, "You are a very valuable member. I have a special job for you."

  The smile finally grew on the Larius' face. "Anything sir."

  "You have heard about the human woman who has been brought here?" he asked, moving them farther away from the men, keeping their conversation private.

  Larius nodded. "Your future wife."

  Qwinn smiled, glad that he had heard respect in his voice, Larius didn't hate her, but then again, he hadn't met Alison yet. "Yes. The closer it gets to the eclipse, the more I need someone to watch her carefully. The other guards…leave more to be desired. I need someone who will protect her until we are married."

  Larius bowed his head slightly. "I would be honored to sir."

  Qwinn clapped him on the back and chuckled. "I'm glad you said that. Meet me after the training and I will give you further instruction."

  Larius bowed again and returned to the sparring circle. Qwinn couldn't help the good mood he found himself in, though they were talking about war today. He was relieved to know that now Alison would be protected properly until she was bonded to him and could better protect herself.

  He continued studying the fighters, writing down more names as he went, then meeting with his captain and discussing the possible recruits for the secret mission.

  The captain took over a few drills and they continued to train, honing their skills. Qwinn explained to the soldiers, who had never fought the Torin face to face about the poison they spit onto their enemies eyes, blinding them. He taught them how to notice the signs that the poison was coming, and then he had them practice dodging slingshots of water, which represented the poison.

  The hours blurred by as the men trained and Qwinn continued drilling them until he felt they were finished for the day, calling another training the following night. They shuffled out of the training hall and a few of the servants rushed in to clean up the mess of weapons left behind.

  Qwinn could hardly wait for the training to finish so that he could hurry to the tents to see Alison. As soon as everything was cleaned and prepared for the following day, he hurried out of the palace.

  ALISON TIED THE BELLS AROUND HER ANKLES, feeling like a fool; Adalia thought it would help her notice where she was putting her feet and when she was moving incorrectly. They had been practicing for hours, her leg ached, but the excitement was still fresh in the air. The young girls that Adalia had been training were well into learning their routine.

  Alison, on the other hand, felt slow, she was still going over the first couple of counts in the routine and according to Adalia, learning to move her body in ways the dance called for.

  She repeated the steps again, listening to the musical tinkle of the bells tied around her ankles. Adalia did the foot moves with her for the first round then went to the group of women making costumes, helping them choose colors and come up with designs.

  Alison repeated the moves again, sinking deeper into her lunge. Maybe the bells weren't so bad. She could hear every move she made. She quickly corrected her flow and smiled proudly when she got it right.

  She started again from the top, closing her eyes and listening to the music for a moment, letting the steady beat become her heartbeat. It was always easier when she felt the music move through her. She began the dance, carefully calculating each move and ignoring the dull ache in her leg. She promised herself that when she performed this round correctly, she'd take a well deserved break.

  She spun, trusting her bodies balance as her arms fluttered prettily around her. She couldn't help but smile, so far so good.

  Her legs bound into a leap, keeping her knees bent on impact to absorb the shock. Perfect. Her bells tinkled, adding a nice addition to the drums. Her hips swayed and swished, the long breezy fabric of her purple dress flowing around her ankles. She heard a few voices chatting, but she chose to ignore them. On the correct count, she folded herself, only to spring open and spin. This was her best run through yet.

  Adrenaline coursed through her. Her smile grew. The dancers were watching her now, but she didn't meet anyone's eye, staying focused. She was nearing the end of what she'd learned so far and reveled in how amazing it felt to move her body this way. She felt as if she were born to do this. At this very moment, at this very place, she belonged.

  Suddenly, a familiar face stood out from those watching her, causing her to almost miss the next step. She recovered well, ending the dance with a proud smile. A few clapped around her, quickly returning to their responsibilities.

  Alison turned shyly to Qwinn, who was watching her intensely. Her heart leapt at the look she thought she saw in his eye. Could he be looking at her the way Vin had looked at Adalia?

  At that moment, Qwinn seemed to snap out of it, a smile taking over his face so quickly that she began to wonder if she had actually seen it or just imagined it. Slowly, she walked over to him, her heart still beating rapidly from the dance, a shy smile on her face. "I thought you were training."

  He peered down at her with a smile that held a secret she didn't know. "We finished for today. We'll continue tomorrow," he answered gently. "You're very good."

  A blush lit her already flushed cheeks. "I've been practicing all day."

  Adalia stepped into their conversation, beaming. "And you were absolutely beautiful doing it. Wasn't she, Qwinn?" she asked, an amused and plotting glint in her eye.

  Alison lowered her eyes shyly. How could Adalia ask that?

  "Yes. I'd say she might even be better than you," he teased his sister.

  Alison swallowed in surprise. He thought she danced beautifully.

  Adalia jabbed him in the ribs before throwing a proud smile at Alison. "Take a rest then we'll learn the next set." With that, she left them alone.

  Qwinn met her eyes and smile. "You look like you're having fun."

  She nodded. "It's hard, but I like it."

  A flash of uncertainty crossed her eyes. "I'm glad you found something you enjoy."

  "Adalia said I could perform at the festival if I learn the whole dance."

  His eyes widened, but he didn't say anything. Rather, he nodded. Alison lowered herself onto one of the large pillows, rubbing the stiffness out of her leg and sighing gratefully.

  "Is your leg bothering you?" he asked. She couldn't help but smile at the worry she heard in his voice.

  "It's a little sore. I have been on it so much since…the accident."

  He reached out as if to soothe the ache away on her thigh but thought again and instead held onto her ankle. She tried to fight the blush that threatened to overtake her at his touch then she sighed again as she felt a warm wave wash up h
er leg, soothing her pain. He opened his eyes with a happy glow lighting their dark black irises. The warmth in her leg disappeared the moment he opened his eyes; however, the ache did not return.

  "Thank you," she said, folding her legs comfortably under her. She couldn't stop the voice in her head, that sounded just like Adalia, telling her that he liked her. "How was your training?"

  Qwinn was looking around the tent, no one was paying them any mind. "It went better than I thought it would." Suddenly, he tensed. Alison followed his eyes. Shea was watching with her piercing green eyes. she stared right back at Qwinn. Almost immediately, Alison felt insecure. She grew angry at herself about the fact that this woman made her doubt herself.

  The next thing she knew, Qwinn picked up her hand and kissed it. She tore her eyes from Shea and looked to him in surprise, trying to hide the pleasant shock on her face. He smiled at Alison, who suddenly found herself having trouble breathing.

  "Come to watch the dancers?" an annoying voice nearly made Alison cringe. Her heart continued hammering in her chest as Qwinn met Shea's glare.

  "Alison is doing quite well, don't you think?" he asked with a sticky sweet sneer.

  Shea shrugged. "I haven't noticed."

  His gripped Alison's hand tighter, almost uncomfortably so, as he tried to rein in his anger. "I'm sure everyone in Vidar will notice how amazing she is when she dances at the festival," he growled.

  Shea blinked in surprise. "She's…" she trailed off, frowning. "Maybe I should take her training into my own hands to make sure she is ready. Adalia has too much on her list of things to do."

  "No!" Alison blurted, her cheeks burning in embarrassment.

  "I would prefer her to train with Adalia," he glared.

  Alison gasped at his sudden tight grip. Immediately, he released her, an apology in his eyes. Shea snorted in amusement and sauntered away, throwing a smoldering look over his shoulder. Alison studied her hands. She knew Shea was laughing at her weakness. And suddenly, she did feel very weak and very human.

  "Is your hand alright?" he asked gently, taking up her hand again, gently this time, and studied it.

  At first, Alison couldn't answer, her body was painfully aware of every move he made. Even now, her hand was beginning to warm and tingle from his touch. She wasn't sure if it was from his magic or just because he was touching her.

  "I'm fine…you just surprised me."

  Qwinn began to stroke his thumb across her hand absentmindedly. The slight movement was enough to drive her crazy. "I didn't mean to hurt you," he apologized.

  She shook her head and pulled her hand away, pretending to straighten her skirt. Adalia walked over, plopping on a pillow beside the two. "I'm exhausted already. Those girls are going to be the death of me," she said, pointing to the three young girls that were playing with their costumes.

  Alison smiled. "You're a good trainer."

  "Yeah and that's why they won't listen to me," she sighed sarcastically, pushing her hair out of her face. "Maybe I'm getting too old for this."

  Qwinn snorted. "Ever since you were a child you loved to dance. It's in your blood."

  "It's in yours too," she shot back.

  "I would rather protect our people than entertain."

  She glared back at him. Alison could tell that this wasn't a new argument between them.

  "Do you know how to dance?" Alison asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

  Qwinn was silent as he thought of how to answer, which made her wonder what he was leaving out. "I know a different style of dance than the kind you're used to."

  Alison smiled shyly. "Will you show me?"

  He shook his head; he didn't have to think about this answer. "I think it would be better if I didn't."

  "Come on, show off," Adalia encouraged.

  Again, he shook his head. "I would rather not."

  "It's been so long since you've done it, I wonder if you can't anymore," she challenged him.

  He snorted, "Trust me, I can still do it."

  "Prove it!"

  He glared at her. "I don't want to…at least not here."

  "Please?" Alison chimed in.

  He turned his angry eyes onto her. "You don't know what you're asking."

  "I would love to see how you dance. I'll never ask you to do it again," she begged, touching his arm. "Just once?"

  Adalia raised her brows, waiting for an answer. He worked his jaw. Alison thought he was going to refuse then after a long, silent and tense moment, he stood, making his way toward the empty platform. He didn't look happy.

  Adalia starred after him in shock. Maybe he did like Alison if he was willing to do something he didn't want to, merely to show her.

  He leapt onto the dais with an easy bound and almost instantly, every eye was on him. Dancers stopped what they were doing and some even came to sit on the pillows. A buzz of excited whispers filled the room and Alison's anticipation grew. If everyone was reacting this way to him, it must mean that he was an excellent dancer. And from how he argued, he hadn't done it in a long time.

  The drummers, who had been keeping a steady pace, now changed to a more rhythmic and exotic beat. There was a hush from the crowd as Qwinn stood on the dais, staring down at Alison.

  Suddenly, he curled in on himself, into a ball on the ground only to spring up a few beats later, kicking out his leg as he did a somersault without touching the ground. His moves were almost as fluid as a dancer was, but they had a sharper, masculine edge to them.

  He bobbed dangerously before sliding his leg out, catching himself on his hands behind his back. He pushed off his hands, flying up, landing on his feet as if it were as easy as breathing. His movements hypnotized Alison, along with everyone else in the crowd.

  She could almost see the imaginary foe he was attacking. He spun and spun then leapt and slammed a fist into the dais, causing Alison to jump with surprise. He rolled forward on his shoulder and kept rolling upward until he was only holding himself up with his right hand, his body suspended above.

  Her jaw dropped. She had never seen anything like this before. He was lethal, yet beautiful. She couldn't look away, even if she had wanted to. He easily rolled out of his position, only to set up for another one. He flipped with his legs and hands on the ground, then flipped again, his feet a blur of motion. The drums picked up, as did the wildness of his movements. He suddenly stopped, curling into a ball on his side. For a heartbeat, she wondered if he had hurt himself, then he was an explosion of action again. He was moving so quickly that he was a blur to her human eyes. Somehow, in all the flailing of limbs, he came to a stand and was flipping backwards, his head inches from the ground. When he landed, he lifted his hands to the heavens then down as he bowed deeply.

  The crowd of dancers, entertainers, and the like that had gathered around, burst into loud cheering, snapping Alison out of her hypnotic state.

  Qwinn nodded grimly and stepped off the dais, hardly hearing the cheers or feeling his people pat him on the back as he returned to the cushions, a triumphant, yet annoyed light in his eyes.

  "That was amazing!" Alison exclaimed before she could contain herself. She still couldn't look away from him. "No wonder Adalia is always insisting you're a great dancer."

  Qwinn shook his head, hardly out of breath. "Dancing is in my past. That is where it will stay."

  Alison couldn't help but feel sad at his words. "Why wouldn't you want to share that with everyone?"

  Again, he shook his head. It seemed that he didn't want to talk about this at all. But Alison's curiosity was burning. Alison opened her mouth to speak but at that moment, Adalia threw her a look, telling her to drop it.

  "I just came to see how things were going, I'll leave you to it," he said standing to leave. Before she could think, Alison grabbed his wrist. "Please stay." He looked straight ahead, not willing to look at her. "I won't ask you to dance again, I promise." she said gently.

  QWINN WORKED HIS JAW, HATING THE FACT THAT SHE HAD A WAY OF SAYIN
G a simple phrase and make him want to stay. He was too close to his past here. He was a fool to even show her what he could do; now everyone was watching him with a knowing look. He hated every memory he had made here when he thought he was in love with Shea. And yet, here he was, his human bride-to-be asking him to stay longer.

  He continued to stare at nothing, if he didn't look at her, he wouldn't be overcome as easily as a child. Whoever said that humans had no powers had obviously never met Alison, a simple look left him willing to bleed for her.

  "Please stay." she repeated.

  His resolve was beginning to slip. He needed to put distance between this place and him, now. He turned suddenly to her, crouching to her eye level. She blinked in surprise, but smile kindly. "How about you come with me? I think you've had enough practice for today."

  Alison smiled hopefully, and then glanced at Adalia for permission. Adalia glared at Qwinn for a moment then shrugged. "You'll have to work twice as hard tomorrow."

  Alison's smiled bloomed more and Qwinn felt his heart slam in his chest. She nodded quickly as she stood; he immediately took her hand and headed for the door, thankful to be escaping this place.

  Of course, since fate seemed to hate him, Shea intercepted them at the door. "Where are you taking her? She needs to practice," she said, not even bothering to look at Alison as she spoke of her.

  "I'm done for today." Alison spoke up, shocking both Qwinn and Shea with her boldness. Qwinn fought the smile that threatened to overtake him. He knew getting Shea angrier was not a wise thing to do.

  Shea turned her piercing green eyes to the human, finally. If looks could kill, Alison would be stone cold. Qwinn squeezed her hand. "Move aside Shea."

  She remained frigid for a moment before stepping aside, "Fine, but do not come crying to me when the girl is not ready."

  They walked out and as usual, Shea had to get the last word in. "Who was foolish enough to think that a human could learn the dance of the bride."

  Qwinn's blood ran cold as Alison turned back to listen as they kept walking. "Dance of the bride?" she asked, now turning her painfully trusting eyes to Qwinn.