“I’m not talking about the actual ceremony,” Xiaolang denied with a slight roll of his eyes. “Most men are nervous when they think about living with one woman for the rest of their lives. The responsibility usually starts to kick in about now.”
“Xiaolang,” I said patiently, “I’m the Dean of a not-yet-completed Chahiran Academy, which will soon be filled with rambunctious teenagers who have little to no control over some pretty powerful magic. Living with Chatta will be a cake walk compared to that.”
He laughed outright, trying to smother it with one hand to avoid drawing attention to us. “I hadn’t thought of it that way,” he choked out, trying to get back in control again. “Alright, point taken.”
From my right side, my mother poked me in the ribs. “Garth, start walking.”
Whoops, I’d apparently missed my cue…good thing someone else was keeping tabs on me. I started walking forward, my eyes automatically searching for Chatta. Ah, there!
For the second time in five minutes, I lost focus on what I was supposed to be doing. Chatta looked simply stunning. When she told me that she’d decided we’d both wear formal robes for the ceremony, I had assumed that her robes would be just that…robes in a more elaborate material. Mine had been tailored to fit me better, but they hadn’t been all that much different.
Hers were different. Very different. It emphasized her very nice figure, and the black set off her hair and eyes in a particularly enticing way. I wanted to just stand there for a moment and appreciate the view. Fortunately, Xiaolang must have sensed it when my mind went blank and he put a hand on my back, pushing me forward. There were definitely pros to having an empath as your best man.
Chatta smiled at me, a smile I knew very well. Everything was going perfectly to plan and she was ecstatic. I relaxed when I realized everything was going well. If she wasn’t worried, I had no cause to be.
Finally, we reached each other. I took her hands in both of mine, and I’m sure my smile looked giddy. All I could think about was that in ten minutes or so, we’d be married, and I wouldn’t have to let go of her again after that.
People switched places as they were supposed to, moving very gracefully after all of that practicing that Drill Sergeant Mom had put them through, but I didn’t really notice it. I caught out of the corner of my eye when Asla came to stand next to Xiaolang, though. I probably wouldn’t have if I hadn’t heard Night’s voice say dryly, “Focus, Xiaolang. You can ogle Asla later.”
I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing when Xiaolang shot Night a dirty look.
“What’s funny?” Chatta whispered, bewildered.
“I’ll explain later,” I whispered back. I didn’t have time to explain it now. Straightening, I gave her a nod. Chatta nodded back, saying she was ready. I touched the amulet hanging around my neck, activating it so that my voice would be broadcasted to every corner. “On my honor, and by the name of my family, I will take L-Chattamoinita Delheart under my name, and swear to cherish and love her for the rest of my life. L-Chattamoinita Delheart, will you accept this oath?”
“I will.” She dimpled at me before continuing. “Rhebengarthen, under the Ordinances of Hainian Law, will you be my consort and accept me as yours?”
“I will.”
“Witnesses, do you hear and bear witness?” Raile asked formally of the people surrounding us.
“We do so witness,” everyone chorused, more or less in sync.
“Under law and by their will, I declare Rhebenchattaan and Rhebengarthen to be lawfully married,” Raile continued. “Let no one separate them.”
Everyone in the audience burst into clapping and cheers. Some even stood and called out congratulations. It was all very nice and heartwarming; I just didn’t like being the center of so much attention. There was a part of me that really wanted to escape.
“And no, Garth, you can’t take your bride and disappear somewhere,” Xiaolang added wryly.
Those in the audience that knew me well laughed at this statement. Actually, practically everyone laughed. It was my turn to give a dirty look to Xiaolang. “Thanks for that.”
“Hey, I’m just breaking the ice,” he protested innocently. “Now, let’s go party, shall we?”
~*~
What followed, of course, was a whale of a party.
The ceremony itself had been a completely original creation by Chatta, but the reception afterwards was an interesting mix of Chahiran, Hainian and, somehow, Coven Ordan customs. We had food everywhere, it seemed, and the center of the main floor had been cleared for dancing.
I led my new wife and consort out onto the floor as the music started, falling into step with her with practiced ease. Chatta was right earlier, she was a good dancer, and I enjoyed twirling her around the floor.
After a few beats, other couples started joining us. When I was sure that not all eyes were on us, I relaxed a little and slowed the pace a bit so I could talk.
“So, are you satisfied with how things turned out?”
“Ecstatically so,” she assured me with a gamine grin. “And you? I know I kept throwing in additions without a lot of forewarning.”
I could have done without the huge crowd, but I wasn’t about to tell her that. Another pearl of wisdom my father taught me was that a good husband knew when to shut up. “I think it turned out fine. I was a little worried because some of the ceremony had a lot of choreography to it, but it went off without a hitch.”
“Now if we can manage to escape in a few hours without someone catching us…” she added with a lecherous waggle of the eyebrows.
I laughed outright. “My thought exactly.”
“You did set up the honeymoon cottage for us?” she asked, as if she had just realized she hadn’t followed up with me about that.
“Xiaolang did,” I assured her. “He even had the foresight to stock it with easy-to-prepare food. We should be set for about a week.”
“Speaking of…don’t look now, but he just led Asla out onto the floor.”
I was really tempted to look, but knew that if I did, I might make things awkward. “And how does she feel about this?”
“She’s blushing,” Chatta informed me smugly.
Blushing was a good sign. “I really hope that she gives him a chance.”
“Oh, I think she might,” Chatta assured me in this I know something you don’t manner.
I gave her a slightly suspicious look. “Clearly you know something. Spill.”
“We were having a nice little chat while decorating.” Chatta’s eyes were sparkling with repressed humor. “Xiaolang’s had more of an impact on her than anyone’s realized. The fact that her children both adore him has softened her considerably.”
That was good news all around. I spun us both around so I could sneak a peek at them. Asla was smiling up at Xiaolang, looking completely comfortable within the circle of his arms. Xiaolang was nearly glowing in sheer happiness. No, I didn’t think we needed to worry about them any longer.
As I turned, I spied something completely disturbing. I blinked several times, but my eyes insisted on maintaining what they were seeing. “Chatta…is that Professor Doss and En-Nelle of Tain dancing?”
She turned to look, steps slowing. “…and she’s blushing…”
I wasn’t sure if I was happy about that confirmation or not. “That’s a little…
…disturbing,” Chatta finished. “I think we need to dance facing the other direction.”
“Couldn’t agree more.”
We wisely shuffled off and danced elsewhere.
I couldn’t keep dancing with her the whole time, of course. Other people insisted on dancing with the bride too. I got caught up in dancing with other people as well and soon lost track of her entirely.
My bride had disappeared somewhere. Now, the question was who had absconded with her while I wasn’t looking? I started wading through people, trying to sort through all of the people surrounding me, with limited success. I had so many p
eople stopping me to say congratulations and say a few words that I couldn’t seem to move more than two or three steps at a time.
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of a short body with bright blond hair darting off toward the entrance. Trev’nor? I turned automatically, trying to track him. It was impossible, of course. I quickly lost him in the crowd. Giving up, I went the easier route. Night, where is Trev’nor going?
“Wait, I’ll ask.” There were a few moments of silence. “He says there’s a strange feeling to the building near the front doors and he wants to see what it is.”
Strange feeling near the front doors? It abruptly hit me what Trev’nor was sensing. The stone! Ack, what if he touched it? I had no idea how that stone would react if an untrained Earth Mage started messing with it. A little worried, I started going after him.
Trev’nor beat me there easily. Of course, he didn’t have two dozen people stopping him constantly. Still, I could easily tell when Trev’nor reached it.
The stone started talking.
Well, to be precise, it started broadcasting. On a mostly blank wall, the stone displayed images in a slightly jerky fashion, the sound thankfully too soft to be heard over the general crowd. I picked up my pace and managed to get through the crowd by ruthlessly ignoring anyone trying to get my attention.
I got there right after Kartal did. The Wizard was standing there, watching the history that the stone was displaying with outright greed on his face. “Garth, this is fantastic! Why didn’t you tell me that this stone is a living memory crystal?”
“Because I had no idea it was,” I drawled in response, resigned. “Trev, did you really have to play with the stone?”
Trev’nor blinked up at me with innocent blue eyes. “But it was trying to talk to me!”
At least I wasn’t the only one that had gotten that impression…
“Forget that,” Kartal ordered in exasperation. “I’m going to start conjuring crystals. I want direct access to all of the information stored in this thing, and I can’t do that if it’s locked in this stone. Garth, as I make the crystals, start transferring everything.”
Did he seriously think he was going to set me to work at my own wedding? Ha! Shaking my head, I ignored this directive and quickly disappeared into the ground. It was only under the surface that I could feel everything above my head more clearly. From this vantage point, I could tell precisely where Chatta stood. Popping up again, I came up right behind her, sliding an arm around her waist and pulling her close to me.
My mother and Asla blinked at me, startled by my abrupt appearance. I ignored them too, looking only at Chatta. “My pretty bride, if we don’t leave now, they’re going to set me to work again.”
She opened her mouth to ask something, only Kartal’s bellow cut her off. “GARTH! GET BACK HERE!”
“I was going to ask who, but that rather answered my question,” she drawled with an annoyed glance in Kartal’s direction. “Well, in that case, let’s run away.”
“Brilliant plan,” I approved. I beamed at my mother and sister. “Bye.”
Before anyone could try to stop me, I disappeared again, Chatta in tow.
Epilogue
I formed a pillar of stone under my feet, lifting myself several hundred feet in the air, and sat down to take a good long look. My temporary monolith gave me an excellent vantage point of our newly completed Academy below.
The site for the Academy was breathtaking, sitting high atop the pale cliffs dramatically forming a lazy ring around the azure blue harbor below. I could see our student body, in my mind’s eye, as they took full advantage of its warm waters and gentle waves. Shifting my gaze farther to the horizon, I could just make out the beginnings of a very real and fearful set of obstacles that now ringed the Isle of Strae.
I turned slightly, facing the south. Somehow, and even after an elaborate explanation, I wasn’t sure how, the Isle of Strae had a glamour on it similar to Coven Ordan. To the naked eye, it looked like there was a gap between shore and ocean. The water appeared to cascade into an endless abyss a hundred meters before it could ever touch the Isle. It was a formidable and impressive barrier, meant to protect the new Academy from outside attack until we could strengthen its defenses enough to protect itself. There were far too many rogue Star Order Priests about for our peace of mind.
I was satisfied with their finished product, and the only way anyone would be coming to Strae would be in the company of an Earth Mage or an Air Mage.
Eventually we would return the ocean to its original state. For now, with things still so unsettled in Chahir, it was going to have to stay that way. Like it or not, we were too tempting a target for those who hated us, and I had no intention of leaving my students and staff vulnerable.
Chatta and I both liked cities, and I could envision a thriving city and port someday, sharing the island with us. There would be houses for growing families, and cafes, and entertainment. All of the things that would make this massive stretch of earth and rock in the ocean a real home. In fact, I might very well have to make good on my promise to Vonlorisen at some point to expand the Isle or make another island nearby. It was only two miles long, after all—eventually, we were going to run out of room.
I stood up, and stretched my legs, looking behind me at the main body of the island, not able to see the end of it from here. In the few months since I had first set foot on its forbidding shores, it seemed to me as if it had softened somehow, and was actually starting to look greener and more inviting. That first day had left a lasting impression, as a group of us gathered to scry and walk the immediate grounds for the campus. Raile Blackover had paused and offered a simple prayer for those who had died in the fighting here, over two hundred years earlier.
Raile and other magicians from Coven Ordan harvested stone from the area to replace the Amphitheater they had given to Hain. I found time in my busy schedule to help them remove and transport it, with far less trouble than the original stone had caused.
The Sojavel Ra Institute was still working at the original structure in Del’Hain, just barely scratching the secrets it had to share. Trev and I had triggered something they still didn’t completely understand. I suspected they had a long road ahead of them, expending a great many memory crystals before it was done.
I was still standing on my enormous foot stool, lost in thought, when the Head of Administration floated into my line of sight.
Chatta sat cross legged in front of me, already dressed in her new Academic robes for the dedication. She had sensibly designed a shorter version of the Witches robes for the staff and the formal version of that was just as short, if in nicer fabric. Every time I saw her I was continually amazed at how beautiful she was and how fortunate I was that she couldn’t possibly see as well as I could.
“It wouldn’t look very good for the Academy if you showed up looking like that, Dean,” my enchanting wife informed me. “It is important to put our best foot forward; we never get a second chance to make a first impression.” I held out my arms to her, and was glad that I had made this a very wide pillar, when she exuberantly launched herself at me, knocking me to the stone surface, not far from the edge.
“Talking about making a good impression,” I laughed at her, trying to catch my breath. “What would they think if they saw the Head of Administration and Academics making such unseemly and suggestive advances to the Dean of the Academy?” I fluttered my eye lashes at her, in mock horror. With that she really gave me the works. I found it completely unfair that she had mapped out all of my ticklish spots the first week we were married. I’d yet to find half of hers!
Chatta was right; I needed to get dressed in my new Dean’s Robes. They were even hotter and more uncomfortable than the robes I had worn for our wedding. It seemed tailors were always striving to surpass their own bench marks for hot and miserable.
I gently returned my pillar into the earth, while Chatta got a last few kisses in, before we needed to look respectable.
“Oh, by the way,” Chatta continued, almost as an afterthought as she handed me my robes to shrug into. “Nolan has experienced his first Magical accident. Vonlorisen didn’t tell me exactly what happened, he just said that every flower in his garden was suddenly the size of a horse.”
“Horse-sized flowers?” I asked, laughing at the image.
“That must have been a sight.” She started to laugh too at the image I had planted in her mind. “Vonlorisen said it didn’t last long—barely a day—but he thinks we should start training Nolan now.”
“I think we should pick up Trev’nor too. Granted, he hasn’t had an accident yet, and he is a little younger than Nolan. Still, Xiaolang was very specific about his premonition that Nolan and Trev’nor should meet, and whatever is coming, they need to be kept together.” Another thought occurred to me and I added thoughtfully, “Strae is part of Chahir, and I am betting the increased power from the ley lines here will help Trev close the gap, just like Kaydan. Living in Del’Hain didn’t stop her from evolving into a Mage, it just slowed her down.”
“I’ll add Nolan’s name to the Class Roster,” my Head of Academics said, making a note to herself. “I am sure Trev would be delighted to be your assistant, until he turns a building upside down.”
I hoped she was kidding.
~*~
It was a perfect day for the dedication; the sun was warm, but surprisingly not stifling. There was a gentle breeze coming from the mainland, and the pleasant smell of the ocean. I greeted Raile and the Magicians from Coven Ordan. From the number of them there today, I couldn’t imagine there was anyone home minding the store. It made sense, since all of them had at least one ancestor buried here in the cemetery.
We were just starting to catch up with the events of the last week or so when Raile stopped speaking abruptly, and just stared over my shoulder. I looked at him for a moment, wondering what had him so distracted, and then I felt it too. I didn’t have to look to know what I would be seeing when I turned around. Gardener!
Balancer (Advent Mage Cycle) Page 31