“As the grass of the field and the trees of the woods bend together under the pressures of the storm, so too must you both bend when the wind blows strong. But know that as quickly as the storm comes, so equally quickly may it leave. Yet as you both stand strong in each other’s strength, so shall you receive strength. Together you are one, apart you are nothing. Know that no two people can be exactly alike. No more can any two people fit together, perfect in every way. There will be times when it will be hard to give and to love, but then you see your reflection as in a woodland pool, when the image you see looks sad and angered, then it is time for you to smile and to love, for it is not fire that puts out fire. In return will the image in the pool smile and love. So change your anger for love and tears for joy, it is no weakness to admit a wrong, more it is a strength and a sight for learning. Let the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and these our brothers and sisters bear witness that Tristan and Willow have joined together in the sight of the elements and the Gods of Olympus. And may they bless them, as we do ourselves, and so shall the two be conjoined as one mind, one heart, and one soul together in peace and love through the union of Life Bond now and forever,” Erik finished, arms wide, his words weighing heavy upon their hearts.
Unbinding their hands, he reached around and gave them a sapling to hold instead. “Plant this in a grove when you return home to Griedlok as a symbol of the words you have spoken today, so that as it flourishes, so may the love you both openly share before us.”
A cleric emerged from his right, a pillow in hand, a crown sitting squarely in its center. Bordin stepped onto the platform and lifted the offered crown into the air. Tristan faced the elder king and slowly bent to one knee before him.
“I, Bordin of Griedlok, recognize the oaths you two have made. You are Tristan of Lancaster no more, From this day forth I name you Tristan of Griedlok, my future heir to the throne of Griedlok. Rise, Tristan of Griedlok and embrace me as a son,” Bordin said to all those assembled, placing the crown upon his head.
He got to his feet and embraced the elder elf. It was brief, but some of the tension that had built up between them had somehow disappeared and he saw a smile creeping up on the old man’s face. “Remember your oaths and protect my daughter from harm. You are responsible not only for her and my granddaughter growing inside her, but for all of the people of Griedlok that depend on you to rule one day in my stead.”
“I will, I promise,” he bowed his head and the king laid a hand on his cheek and squeezed lightly. “You are now my son, turn and embrace my daughter with the love I see glowing upon your face.”
He turned and brought Willow to him, hugging her tightly as the armor allowed and looked into her beautiful face. Bordin slipped the necklace around his neck as John slowly placed the other one around Willow’s. The two stepped back and he turned with Willow to face those rising to their feet before them.
“All hail Tristan and Willow of Griedlok!” Erik roared from behind them and the answering cheer made his heart soar. “Let us celebrate with a feast and let our voices carry upon the wind. Let all those that would do these two harm hear our cheers and tremble at the thought of raising a finger against them with ill-intention.”
With that, Willow and Tristan stepped off the altar’s steps and walked out of the chapel as husband and wife.
III
They had cake and wine, the accompanying toasts were heart-felt and passionate. They danced under magical stars in the palace, their hands clasped the entirety of the night, unable to bear being apart. Darkness had fallen before he even realized that time was passing, so swept up in the moment that nothing else in the world intruded upon the joy he shared with his new wife.
He felt Erik begin to pull them towards the outside world and he tried to resist. He was not ready for the night to end.
Merlin stepped forward and bowed before them. “I am forever in your debt, both of you. No matter where you are, or what I’m doing, if you call, I will be there.”
He nodded his head in gratitude and smiled at the towering orc behind him.
Kylee was suddenly there, and she hugged them both fiercely. “Enjoy your night together, I love you both.”
He was stunned by the sudden display of emotion and his jaw dropped. He hugged her tightly, then patted her lightly on the shoulder. She turned to look at her father hovering nearby, and he knew that was a discussion quickly approaching; he wished her well.
John came up on his left. “Best to get going, don’t want to miss your flight.”
“What?” he asked in shock. “What flight?”
Ushered out the doorway and into the night, he beheld a large silver dragon waiting for them patiently outside.
Amysta came to her husband’s side and smiled at them. “We have a cottage deep in the woods, a retreat we occasionally use to get away from the hustle of palace life. For tonight and tomorrow, it is yours. Enjoy it while it lasts, we still have work to do. We’ll need you both back here soon, and hopefully unhurt.”
Willow’s face flushed at the last comment and they both hugged the king and queen in thanks.
“You coming or not?” Wyrddlin’s low voice floated their way and he shook his head in wonder.
He’d never imagined his wedding night to be anything like this and it was all too magical to even comprehend. “Thank you all,” he told them, and they smiled warmly in return. Hand in hand, the two of them walked to the saddle waiting for them, and he helped boost his wife onto the front seat.
Wife! They had actually done it!
Wyrddlin’s head turned their way and the large eyes focused with intense pride. “Congratulations to the both of you, shall we?” He had just gotten his legs strapped in when, with a quick burst of his wings, Wyrddlin took to the air. The people below waved up at them and before he could even take another breath, they were above the elven city and winging north.
Willow leaned back into him and he could feel their love binding them even tighter. “I love you,” she said, a tear leaking down the side of the cheek. “It was perfect.”
“Yes, it was, and I love you too,” he returned, hugging her close. Wiping a tear from her eye, he kissed her near the nape of her neck and felt a stir of their lust starting to begin. With dragon wings beating beneath them, they soared over the forest and into the night.
Chapter 23
Shrike
I
Kylee woke to a knock on her door. She moaned and cracked an eyelid. She was not ready to be up yet. The sun had barely crested the horizon, judging by the low light filtering through the drapes to her right. “What?” she called, sure that it was Merlin once more checking on how she was doing. Why couldn’t the man just leave her alone?
She didn’t want to talk about it anymore, the grief wasn’t going to go away with the wave of a magic wand, and nothing he said would change any of that. She got herself into a seated position, her legs hanging stiffly over the edge of the bed. It was possible she had a bit more wine than she intended the night before, but upon seeing her father for the first time, she couldn’t help it. The two hadn’t had words yet, but she knew that time was fast approaching, and she dreaded what might come of that.
“Excuse me, madam, but the king has requested your presence,” an elder elf, she’d heard referred to as Jarel, informed her with a bow of his head.
Her mind jumped to thinking of her father and she inwardly cursed having even thought about him, like her fears had unwillingly summoned him. Then she recalled that it was Erik’s aide that was knocking on her door, not Bordin’s, and her heart started to simmer down. “Why so early?” she groaned, her hands massaging her aching temples.
The elf gave her a curious look. “Early, my Lady? I’m afraid the day is nearly gone and soon night will be upon us.”
“What?” she asked, stunned, turning to glare at the man; quite certain that he had to be making that up. “Someone put you up to this?”
Jarel shifted uneasily from one foot to another. “It’
s already evening, my Lady, and the king has asked that you meet him by the stables.” With that, the elf bowed to her and disappeared behind the closing door.
The day was almost gone? How’d that happened? She couldn’t have slept through the day! She had never been that drunk before. She was always up at dawn and on the move long before other people even rolled over and opened their eyes. Tuskar had—
She paused, remembering her companion with fresh grief. He’d always been there to wake her up and get her moving. Her mind had depended on that consistency and without his thoughts to pull her upward, she had remained in deep sleep, only roused by the knocking on the door. It was just another way in which her life was already affected by his loss.
Getting to her feet, she went about putting the clothes on that had been provided to her upon arrival. She forewent the dress, it wasn’t her style, and pulled on a fresh pair of black pants and a dark gray tunic. Pulling her hair back into a ponytail, she ran some water over her face, looked at herself in the mirror, and steeled herself for what was coming next.
Stepping from the hall, she was greeted by one of the king’s servants, and she waved them off dismissively. She had walked the palace many times since her arrival and knew where the royal stables were. She’d already been there on more than one occasion to tend to her horse. The servant bowed and left her to her own devices. She rolled her shoulders and straightened up, trying to figure out if it were possible to go back to sleep again after this little excursion, or if she’d be up the entire night and the day after. Why the hell did she sleep so long?
Why did the king wanted to meet with her? She was Willow’s sister. She appreciated that there was a friendship there, which had sprung into being with the king’s restoration, but what did that have to do with her? Was he simply meeting her on that basis or was there something else he wished to discuss? She hoped it wasn’t a social call based on her supposed hierarchal status, because she would have to set him straight on that shit right away. She would not be catered to and wanted nothing more than to be left alone while Merlin divined the next leg of their journey to kill that wicked witch in the west. She wanted nothing to do with the life of royalty; they could keep it.
Approaching the stables, she was startled to see that Bordin was standing next to Erik as they walked along the stalls. Her sluggish thoughts, when told that a king wanted to see her, might have been right after all. “Fuck me.”
They must have picked up on her curse, because they both turned, and their conversation broke off. “Welcome, daughter of Bordin,” Erik greeted, extending his hand.
She wasn’t sure if she should acknowledge that, especially in the presence of the man that was supposed to be her father. She could feel the elder elf’s eyes on her, studying her face, searching for resemblances between either him or her mother. Slowly, she reached out and grasped the extended hand, it would have been rude to let it hang there otherwise. “Forgive me, your Majesty, it’s Kylee, daughter of Lura.”
The other king winced, but refused to show any other outward emotion, content to just remain silent by Erik’s side. As far as she was concerned, that was fine with her. She had never had a father and didn’t need one now.
Erik ignored the other man’s sudden discomfort and broadened his smile. “So it shall be til I hear otherwise. Now, I’ve heard that you’ve recently suffered a loss. I’m sorry to hear that. Nothing that I can say or do will lighten that grief, but I also have to recognize and honor the sacrifice as well as why it came about,” he told her with a low tone, motioning with his hand for her to follow him through the stables. “You assisted Tristan and Willow with the recovery of Excalibur, and I understand that you sacrificed your own chance at vengeance against your family’s butcher in order to see it done.”
Bordin’s mouth pulled into a grimace and she saw a flash of guilt pass over his face. Did he know the extent of what had happened and why? Had Willow told him everything that had taken place so long ago? From the look of his eyes when they turned her way, she could see that she had. Anger rose unbridled within. She knew why her sister had done it, but it wasn’t her place to say anything. It was part of her life, not Willow’s! She should have a choice whether or not to allow this man into her life; not have it taken away from her, no matter how well intentioned.
They were nearing the kennels and she suspiciously eyed the king as he led her forward. “I don’t think I’m ready for what I think you are offering to do,” she muttered, believing the grief too close to the surface to easily be swayed by another life to be responsible for.
“We may not have time later. My scouts report enemy movement in the west, and I expect the Phoenix’s hordes to be encamped before the castle within the week. This may be the only time I have to see that your wolf’s death is honored appropriately,” he responded.
Hesitantly, she stepped into the kennel after the two men; curiosity getting the best of her. How did a bulldog replace Tuskar? What could the monarch possibly think would honor her friend’s death? No, she was better off alone, despite his good intentions.
Sounds of barking dogs greeted them as soon as the door opened, and she winced at a fleeting memory of Tuskar’s growls as she stepped inside. Pens held multiple breeds of dogs at various ages and she was surprised to see Erik continue to walk as if they’re barking didn’t even faze him. She looked to Bordin, but it didn’t look like he knew for sure what they were doing either. His eyes found hers and she quickly diverted them away.
Exiting the back of the kennel, they entered another part of the grounds and she saw a very large Direwolf lying in a bed, several smaller pups chasing each other around the pen. They were pure black with white paws, one of which had a white muzzle which wound its way down its stomach. She eyed it curiously and for a brief second, felt the pull of the creature’s mind as it reached out for her in recognition of her gift.
Erik followed her gaze and motioned for the man feeding them to separate the pup from the others and carry it towards her. Looking into the innocent eyes of the creature, she let her mind drift and found a young eager mind greeting her thoughts.
“Obviously, she’s not ready to be separated from her mother yet, but when she is—she is yours. I’ve given Rourke here orders to let you visit as needed. You are free to come and go as you please,” he told her, not leaving any option open for her to say no.
She reluctantly agreed, unable to refuse the unexpected gift while looking into the young pup’s eyes.
“Good, thank you Rourke. Now, I have a favor to ask of you,” Erik told her after the other elf carefully put the Direwolf pup next to her mother and moved off.
She eyed him suspiciously, knowing that this is where the other shoe dropped.
He chuckled, “nothing like that. I don’t want anything from you. What you have done has already earned my gratitude and I can never repay what you have sacrificed on my behalf. No, this is of a more personal nature.” He began walking towards a wooden building at the other end of the grounds. Bordin had to drag his eyes away from the Direwolf pups and take a few quick steps to keep up.
He opened an aged wooden door and held it open for her. She stepped into a sparsely lit room, her eyes searching the rookery with curiosity.
“A few years ago, I happened upon a nest of shrikes while I was out hunting. Their mother lay dead next to the nest, and the hatchlings were obviously going to die without her there to feed them. So, I gathered them up and brought them home with me. To my regret, all but one died, and although I have worked hard over the years to train the remaining male, I just can’t seem to earn the creature’s trust enough to get him to respond. I was hoping that you would give it a try. It’d be a shame after all of that, for the shrike’s remaining years to be spent cooped up in this aviary of ours,” he explained as he escorted her to a roost holding a very large, black and gray bird. He was hooded, but his neck was craned, and the pointed beak was pointed straight at them.
She was speechless.
; “A Direwolf is one thing, but a shrike? Do you know how dangerous those creatures are? It would have been better to leave him dead in the woods where you found him!” Bordin suddenly spoke for the first time, and she purposely kept her eyes glued to the magnificent bird in front of her.
Her father’s attitude stirred something in her, making her even more interested in the shrike perched before her. “So am I,” she responded without glancing his way, stepping forward and laying a hand on the bird’s shoulder. With her mind, she slowly reached out and touched the bird’s consciousness with her own.
Everything that Erik told her was confirmed within the first few seconds of their joining and she felt the independent stubborn nature of the shrike resist her first attempts at connection. Slowly he let her in, and she let her mind mingle with his unhindered, the psychic touch so strong that it instantly made her want to retreat, as it reminded her so much of her dead friend.
The shrike was massive, the roost he was on creaking under his shifting weight. His wingspan was easily six feet across and his gray talons flexed in response to her scrutiny. He was well muscled, but a bit weak from not having enough time in the air. She saw a leather tether around his ankles preventing his flying away and she slowly reached down and undid them.
“Do you really want to be doing that?” Bordin blurted and for the first time she turned and glared at him with hostility.
Damn straight.
“Let her be,” Erik replied calmly, clearly unconcerned with what she was doing.
She untethered his feet and watched as he suddenly shifted weight, realizing that he was now free. Slowly she reached up and removed the hood, allowing the bird’s eyes to find her and see her as she was. Their minds slid through their lives as one, each seeing the span of the other’s life, and she felt a kinship with the bird she’d rarely felt with any other. She sympathized with him; she felt like a caged animal these days as well.
The New Age Saga Box Set Page 81