Jadenite's Tailoring Adventures: Marriage?
By Jadenite
Head held in the heel of my hands, solid green eyes looking at the grassy yard before me, I sighed, releasing both stress and tiredness. Liara, the GuildSeamstress of the Fellowship of Esgari, toyed with a daemon the Prince of Esgoroth, Etrigan Y'Cronus, had conjured. I'm Jadenite Brithan, a nearly GrandMaster Tailor who holds the position of Lady ShadowThreader within the Fellowship of the Esgari. Nineteen years of age, only five feet and six inches tall, and weighing a hundred twenty-three stones, I'm your average teenage girl just about to bloom into full womanhood. I reached a hand down to smooth my navy blue fancy dress at the legs. When I looked back up, I pushed my ice blue hair behind my ears, looking back at Liara. Clouds skittered across the sun, casting some refreshing shade across the land. The sweet salty smell of the sea drifted into my nostrils. It smelled so good. Better than the stinking animals I was always around.
Lessa Jancis stepped onto the gray stone stairs that led to the door of the guildhouse, putting her lightly tanned hands on her hips. I glanced up, watching her face. Brilliant emerald green eyes were squinted as the clouds flew passed the sun, letting its bright gaze fall back across the land. Lessa Jancis, LJ to many of her close friends, was a very nice, very pretty girl, no, woman was more like it. She stooped down and then sat next to me on the stone stairs. She put her elbows on her knees, still watching outward. I glanced to watch Liara strike the killing blow against the summoned crimson daemon, which dematerialized into the warm air. It's shriek of pain, confusion, and frustration was loud, piercing. A smile touched Liara's pale face, while she did a short, sweet victory dance. Both Lessa and I applauded her and she turned to us, taking a deep, dramatic bow.
"What's the matter?," Lessa leaned back on the stairs, elbows positioned on the stair at the middle of her back. I turned a critical forest green eye on Lessa. She kept looking at the grassy yard in front of the guildhall. A frown touched my slightly tanned face.
"Nothing," I responded in my fairly high pitched voice. She moved a strand of her dark brunette hair behind an ear, her eyes never straying from the area in front of the guildhall. I smoothed my dress at the hips.
"Uh huh… like I haven't heard that before. Jade, I wasn't born yesterday. Something's wrong. What is it?," her eyes flicked to look back at the field in front of us. Liara was at the shore to the ocean, fishing. Etrigan was sitting upon his gray horse, dusting off his black wizard's hat.
"Really, it's nothing." I adjusted the star sapphire engagement ring on my left hand. Lessa took notice, a small grin touching her face.
"You nervous?," I looked up at her, then out at the ocean. Small black shapes in the distance shifted on the clear, blue water. Boats. A pair of seagulls squabbled amongst themselves over some food.
"A little." Lessa nodded. Her eyes closed as she leaned back completely, crossing her arms over her chainmail tunic. Her breathing was slow, steady. "Really, I just miss him. And I'm scared for…" My hand glided to my stomach. It was a little bigger. Bigger because I was pregnant. Lessa opened one eye and looked at me. She grinned.
"You know you're not allowed to see him… and don't worry about the little one. He or she will be perfectly fine." Her words were reassuring. No wonder she was a close friend of mine.
"You want to feel it?," both my hands on my stomach, I grinned at her. My face was a glow. All pregnant women's seemed to be. Lessa opened both eyes and leaned up.
"Sure. Does it move?" I nodded. Lessa reached out and gently laid a hand on my stomach. She felt around for a moment then withdrew her hand. The baby had kicked. "Wow. I'm jealous." I cocked my head to the side.
"Why?" She watched me, a grin still on her face.
"Because you're going to have a kid." Lessa watched me for a moment longer, finally looking away after awhile.
"Lessa, you'll have one, one day. I promise." She looked back and smiled. Nodding, she stood and stretched, doing some exercises to loosen her back.
"Don't really want one but thank you." I nodded. "So where is Jon at before the big day?" My mind thought for a moment.
Jon Michell, a six foot, one inch tall, muscle bound man was my fiancée, soon to be my husband. He was a warrior, sticking to the Paladin's Virtuous vows of rooting out evil and living by a code of honor. Belonging to the honorable group known as The Circle, he had fallen in love with me and me with him, when The Circle was called The Paladins' Guild of Trinsic. Now, we were to get married. I was so happy. But where he was now, I didn't know. The location anyway.
I shrugged at Lessa's question, fumbling with my fingers.
"I don't know. Rucus, Reno, and The Fire King all took him somewhere earlier this morning to have a "Bachelor's Day Out." I don't know where they went off to. I miss him…" She grinned down at me.
"You got the dress ready?"
"Liara is going to finish it today."
"What about your hair? I really hope you aren't going to keep it like that…" Lessa put her hands on her hips again. Sunlight glinted off her clean, chain linked tunic. Her soft brown hair fell across her face while her eyes appraised my icy blue hair. I lifted a thick strand of my hair, gazing at it out of the corner of my eyes.
"Is it really that bad?," my voice was soft and cautious. I thought it looked fine but Lessa had always happened to have an eye for critical things like that.
"Not really. But it needs to be spiffed up." Lessa reached out and held the strand, then let it go. She glanced over her shoulder. "Hey Liara, come here for a second." Liara put her fishing pole down and stood. She smoothed out her white long skirt with pale hands. Fixing her floppy hat, Liara walked over, her pale gray eyes appraising both of us.
"Hm?," the sound she made was pleasant. Long dark brown hair tumbled over her shoulders, highlighted by her white shirt. Her frame was a little thin, but not weak by any account.
Lessa crossed her arms under her breasts and then said," You think Jade needs to fix her hair up before tomorrow?" Liara appraised my hair while I sat on the steps. She nodded.
"Yeah… I think it should be fixed up a little. In fact, I'm going to go finish your dress," Liara grinned, starting up the stone steps. She stopped and turned around. "Lessa, you do her hair. Oh this is going to be so much fun!" Liara squealed, then ran up the steps and went into the house. I smiled, shaking my head a little bit.
"The way she sounds, you'd think she's the one getting married." I nodded my agreement. "Well, let's go get started." Lessa held out her hand and helped me up. We went into the house and closed the door.
*****
"All right, you ready?," his voice deep, a little scratchy, Rucus watched Jon Michell with clear green eyes. He ran his dark hands through his long blonde beard. A loose black belt was tied around his waist, black sheath, with a grandmaster blacksmith made Katana in it, hanging loosely off the belt. He had one robe arm pushed deep into the other midnight colored sleeve, leaning up against the gray, eroding stone of the bank. Jon, brown eyes the color of gorgeous earth tones and just as gentle, flicked to look at Rucus as he nodded his response.
"Yes, just a moment," Jon's voice was smooth, charismatic. He closed the lid to his safe deposit box at the bank, the sun's shimmering rays reflecting off its surface. Sliding it back towards the teller, he smiled, telling her thank you, then turned to Rucus. "All right, let's go."
Rucus, pointing towards the wooden, thatched roofed of the blacksmith shop, pushed off the building, running his other dark hand over his bald head.
"Reno went to get something from the blacksmith," Rucus directed his finger towards the bamboo walls of the mage shop. A pair of white doves nestled on its top, snuggling together. A sea of people pushed passed each other on their way to complete errands and tasks they needed to do. "Tallen and Fire went to the Magic shop to buy reagents."
Jon nodded, pushing one hand deep into his pocket, the other rubbing over the smooth finish of his freshly tempered platemail breastplate. He looked one way, then the other.
"So we just wait?," Jon's voice was low as his eyes appraised his surroundings. People shuffled into the bank's old, wooden doors, others shuffling out. To the south, a long, freshly painted wooden fence kept out all those who sought to steal the green heads of cabbage within. A dirt road ran from left to right, leading to one of the three gates outside of the city. A leather clad guard wielding a mighty silver halberd strolled by, giving Jon a pretty little smile. Walking away, she put a little more swish in her bottom, wanting him to watch. He didn't. He was too busy searching for one of his three friends. Rucus had crossed his arms, his right foot rolling a small rock underneath his boot.
"No… I'm going to go see what Tallen and Fire are doing and bring them back here. You get Reno and come back with him," Rucus responded, looking up from the rock he rolled under foot, to meet Jon's questioning gaze as it stopped and finally settled on Rucus. Jon nodded his agreement, then turned, pushing his way into the crowd.
*****
"If you could give me, I don't know, about twenty black pearl, I'd be very happy," a rhythmic, comforting sound came from his throat. The vendor reached behind the counter, checking for the items in question. The air smelled of both burning pitch and fragrant flowers. The ground was dry dirt, a few blood stains and scorch marks here and there. Two large, plate armor clad guards checked for any more disturbances. There were none. A pair of blackened, bloody bodies lay sprawled across the floor. A man knelt before one of them, searching through their things. Tallen looked back and shook his head.
"Fire, why are you looting them?," Tallen's voice was stern, questioning. The thief looked over his shoulder, fingers prying an expensive ring off the man's fingertips. He appraised it for a moment, then shoved it into his pocket.
"Hey, they were criminals, they get what they deserve. Plus, I gotta make a livin' you know?," The Fire King stood, brushing his hands off on his fiery red pants. Everything about him was red. His Mohawk, his shirt and long pants, the shoes he wore, even his eyes. A thief, by true trade, was secretive, quiet, unassuming. Fire was just the opposite. He was quite flamboyant and everyone knew him to be a thief. But he was good enough to never be caught in the act.
Fire fingered the hilt of his dagger, its simple black and red crisscrossing pattern making it look more elegant than it really was. Tallen, running a hand through his pine green hair, shook his head in both frustration and pity. He adjusted his dark healer robes, then turned back to the counter, the vendor rising up with a sack of black pearl. She placed it on the wooden counter, fingers picking out one small pearl after another, counting them silently to herself. After she had placed twenty of the items on the counter, she shoved the leathery brown bag she had taken them from back under the counter, watching Tallen's mature face.
"How much?," the healer's voice was gentle, yet authoritative. Watching him with crystal blue eyes, the vendor hooked a strand of honey blonde hair behind one of her ears.
"One hundred- forty gold coins please." Tallen nodded, Fire stepping to his side, hands thrust deep into his pockets. The thief sucked on a tooth, his fiery red, piercing eyes gazing at the vendor's young face. She flicked her eyes to catch Fire's gaze, then back to Tallen counting his money, and smiled.
"You guys almost ready?," a low scratchy sound came from behind. Fire peered over his shoulder at the bulky armored figure in the doorway.
"Almost, Tallen called in response, pushing his money across the counter to the woman. She thanked him as Tallen pocketed the twenty black pearl he had purchased. "All right, done." Rucus nodded, leaning on the side of the doorway's bamboo frame.
"Where to?," Fire stood in front of Rucus, Tallen standing just a few steps beyond the outside of the door. Rucus combed a dark brown finger through his bush of blonde beard, opaque green eyes watching Fire.
"To wait for Jon and Reno at the bank." Fire nodded, pushing passed, out into the open air. Rucus turned, stepping through to join the two.
*****
"Almost ready?," Jon's smooth, gentle speech came out lazily. Leaning up against beige stone of the armory, he watched just beyond the three foot high walls. Crowds streamed to and from the adjacent provisioner's shop and the tailoring shop just south of the armory. Hard metal clanks came from the iron forge, a group huddled around working on a project. The air smelled of burned flesh, dirt, metal, and sweaty bodies. Not pleasant, but not vulgar either.
Reno undid the belt that held his robe closed, letting it and the ebony material slip from his body. He looked back, nodded, wiping his slightly tanned hand over his coarse, red hair. Slipping the miniature leather straps on his breastplate loose, he let that fall to the tiled stone floor with a clatter. It chipped off a pebble, sending it to skitter across the ground. He lifted up the other breastplate he had purchased, slipping it into place and fastening it.
"What do you think?," Reno turned around so Jon could get a good look. The paladin gave a satisfactory nod. Reno clothed himself again and handed his bruised breastplate to the vendor before him, who handed him a sum of gold coins. "So, where are we going today?" Reno counted his cash, then threw it into his backpack.
"Tallen's taking us somewhere. I don't know where though. We're going to go back to the bank and wait for Fire, Tallen, and Rucus to come back." Jon pushed off the wall, brushing his long black pants with his hands.
"Okay." Reno slipped passed a group of people blocking the exit door, followed by Jon.
*****
The door closed with a soft click, not letting the heat in the cramped building out. Tanned chests lined the northern and western walls. A forge sat comfortably in the center of the room, a group of cedar stools sat around it. Three groups of eyes peered to the figure that stood at the doorway. I gave a small, flirtatious wave of my hand, showing off my star sapphire wedding band. The figure waved back a little, then pulled his shadow copper helmet off his head, revealing the face underneath. It looked mature, wise, hardened. Skietra strolled across the room, passed me, looking at the woman behind me. He put his hands on his hips, helmet cradled comfortably in the crook of his arm. His black, soothing eyes watched Liara's fingers work at the cloth material in front of her.
"Tis looking very good. Jade, you will be the prettiest bride in the lands," his gaze landed on me again, a comforting hand patting my shoulder. I gave my brightest smile, looking up into his eyes. Lessa yanked my hair, causing me to yelp in pain.
"Hold still," she growled, mumbling something under her breath. I ran a finger down the seams of my dress, eyes watching my knees pulled up on the stool. Skietra twisted a hunk of his dark, slightly bluish beard between two fingers, pulling a stool up close to mine.
"So what style are you going to wear at the wedding?," the paladin loosened his leather belt, letting his scabbard sag to the floor. He sat flatly on the stool, legs touching the ground because of his height. When he stood, he nearly towered over me, as nearly all my friends did.
"I'm going to put it up, like in a bun," Lessa fiddled with my hair, her voice sounding broken and slit because of the pins she held between her teeth. Skietra nodded, self-consciously running a hand over the V'Nah Teb Royal Family crest on his armor. He was leader of the Paladin Vanguard, the front line defenders for the kingdom, before it collapsed. Now V'Nah Teb was occupied by the Ophidians, a race of Serpentine Warriors who inhabited the realm known as Serpent Isle. The only way to Serpent Isle was to go through the Serpent Pillars in the Britannian Sea. Now, however, they led only to the Lost Lands and not Serpent Isle.
"That sounds very nice. It'll fit you very well my friend." Skietra removed his plate gloves and tossed them into an open chest on the wall. It was his to keep his things in. Liara stood, holding out the dress she was almost finished sewing.
"What do you think so far Skie?" He rubbed his hairy chin, eyes appraising the fabric and design.
"Very nice, very nice." Liara grinned, face swelling with pride. She beamed then rushed to finish the dress. "Jade, this wedding is going to be great. Possibly the most fantastic ever held in Britannia. How did you possibly get Lord British himself to attend the wedding?"
I watched his eyes for a moment, a grin spreading across my face. Lessa pulled and tugged on my hair, wrapping it around the pins she held in her mouth, getting it all together.
"Well, remember how the group called The Circle used to be The Paladin's Guild of Trinsic?"-Skietra nodded, leaning forward to listen to me-"Well, the leader, or at least one of their most active members, Bram Stormgald knows Lord British. He simply asked Lord British to attend and the king said he would. I was so excited." Grinning, I bounced in my chair with excitement. Lord British himself was going to attend my wedding.
*****
Laughter erupted from the men's throats, rising into the crowded smoke-filled building. It was just as loud as the talking and noise around them. A clear glass bottle shattered against the wooden floor but was drowned out in the noise of the room. Mugs clanked against the round wooden table tops, beer spilling out, but no one caring.
"All right, all right," Reno tried to stifle his laughter enough to get a few words out. "So what did she do after he hit her?"
Jon raised a hand, wiping his eyes of the tears that were in them. Tears from laughter. He took a quick swig of his beer, then looked at the table seriously.
"After Lyk had struck her, she bolted." Everyone grew quiet. "But when she realized he hadn't even given her a scratch, she came back with that Viking sword of hers, swinging faster and wilder than anyone I have ever seen!" He made arm motions with his free hand, jabbing and parrying and thrusting. The table erupted into laughter again.
"But what happened to Lyk, Jon? What'd you do?," Tallen was the only one not laughing. Not that he didn't have a sense of humor, quite the contrary. He found this story disturbing, however. Jon's bright brown eyes came to look at Tallen, who waited patiently. The story really wasn't all that humorous, but the others were drunk. Tallen's body, however, could take quite a bit of it before he would be drunk.
"Well, I was laughing very hard at what had happened. When I saw her swinging, I just laughed and finally took out my weapon and ran up to him and started hitting him along with her. We chased him into the woods and he got away because he was fleeter of foot," Jon took another swig of his ale, watching everyone's face again, a calmness finally over him. The table listened in rapt attention. "I then lost Jade and decided to go back to the spot we had been in. When I came back, I found her hitting him again, harder than before, while two bystanders watched her whack at him. It was quite hilarious. We started chasing him again and ran all the way to this road where two archers and a fighter were. They watched us and Lyk tried to hide behind them. They did nothing as we charged passed them and killed Lyk on the spot. Then we explained to them what had happened. They laughed and went about their way."
"Didn't know that stupid girl had some fight in her," Fire's deep voice caught air. Every eye turned to him while he downed the last of his beer and held up a hand to a barmaid to order another one.
"She's not stupid Fire. Just because you don't really like her doesn't mean she's stupid," flames of rage poured from Jon's mouth. The thief sulked back a little, eyes turning from one pair to the next. He was uncomfortable now.
"Well, I ain't mean she was stupid like she couldn't do nothin'…," he tried to get out of the hole.
"Mmmhmm…," No such luck. Jon looked back at the rest of the table. "Anyway, so she got one of the greatest kills on a murderer that she ever had. Quite funny actually." The rest of the table nodded.
Rucus noticed the door open and a pair of stout warriors step through. They looked around the room at the people, halberd wielded in hand with the greatest of precision. Each wore golden plate armor from head to toe, the visors on their helmets up so they could see around the room. One of them pointed towards the bar, the other nodding. He walked to the nearly clean oak counter across the room.
"Hey, guys, look at that." Rucus pointed towards the door, then at the other man walking across the room. Each turned in their seat to look at the two. "What do you suppose they want?" The men shrugged.
"Could be anything really, you know? They could be lookin' for someone or they could just need a room and a good drink for the night," Reno turned back to the table, drinking a bit of his ale. He wiped off his mouth with his robe sleeve, black eyes watching the others.
"I don't think so… look," Tallen pulled on Reno's sleeve, directing his attention at the bar. The bartender leaned over, listening to the man whisper in his ear. His eyes opened wide and he pulled away, his mouth dropping. He said something back and the man nodded. The gold plated solider walked back to the door with his friend and waited.
"You think that's the end of it?" Jon downed the last of his beer, flicking an eye to look back at Tallen.
"Nope. Look." The bartender pulled a wooden mallet from behind the counter, rose it up, and thunked it down on the wooden counter. The noise was loud, clear, audible above all the noise in the room. The talking quieted down until the bar was completely silent and all eyes were turned to look at the round face of the bartender. He put the mallet down, wiping his hands on the dirty apron he wore, his green, golden ringed eyes watching the faces that looked at him.
"I got an announcement to make." He had their attention. "Those two over there, at the door, are a pair of guardsmen from Lord British." A murmur swept the room. "And they came down here to deliver a memorandum from the great benevolent king. If you would like to tell everyone what this is about…." The bartender swept his hand out towards the guard who had told him the news.
The guard cleared his throat, looking around the room. A smile was spread easily across his calm face. He took a deep breath and began. "In the northern realm of this land called the Lost Lands, lies a region called V'Nah Teb. About twenty years ago or possibly more, a royal family ruled those lands. That royal family, the Esgari, were nearly wiped out by the serpentine warriors you call Ophidians, the inhabitants from the fabled Serpent Isle. How they came to be here after the collapse of the Serpent Pillars, no one but the Avatar possibly knows. What we do know is that Lord British has ordered the Ophidians extinction. The establishment of V'Nah Teb by the Esgari royal family must happen. Lord British, in his great benevolence, has offered 100,000 gold coins for each Ophidian slain and brought to the castle of Britain." Gasps were in the room, followed by low, excited murmurs. Tallen's eyes opened wide, his right hand stroking the stubble on his chin. He flicked a glance at Jon, whose eyes were just as wide. The two guards stood still for a moment, then bowed their heads. "This liberation of V'Nah Teb begins today."
A few people left, then a few more. Everyone watched the door, watched each other. 100,000 gold coins for a single Ophidian body… quite a bit of money. Any adept skilled warrior could kill a single Ophidian Peon in a few swings. There were hundreds, possibly thousands of Peons amongst the Ophidians. To kill just a few of them would mean an entire fortune.
Fire licked his lips. The thought of gold made him sweat. He gently set his recently filled mug of ale on the table, wiping his hands off on his bright red shirt. He watched the others, each, in turn ,setting their mugs down and looking around. Everyone inside the tavern was quiet, a few trying to seem not too hurried to leave for the money they could make.
"100,000 gold coins for a single Ophidian," eyes looked to Reno. His tan skin had gone a little pale. "I say we go up there right now or there's not going to be an Ophidian left…"
"I agree," Jon spoke softly, leaning into the table, his eyes watching the others sitting around their table, making sure they weren't listening. "We go up there right this minute or there won't be an Ophidian left." There were nods. "I can't wait to see the look on Jade's face when I come home with 600,000 or 700,000 gold coins… what do you think she'll do?"
"What hasn't she already done?," Rucus grinned, sarcasm in his voice. Jon glared at him but it evaporated, replaced with a sly grin.
"You do have a point there my friend."
Tallen rolled his eyes, running a hand over the coarse fabric of his dark healer's robe. Rucus got up, pushing back his chair. He stretched, rubbing his bald head as he did. People in the adjacent tables watched him. He grinned.
"I just want all of you to know…" – he glanced around at all of the tables surrounding them and the rest of the tavern – "That my friends and I are going to get every one of them Ophids and ain't none of y'all gonna stop us." The entire table slapped their hands to their foreheads, covering their eyes, and uttering a curse under their breaths.
"Not if we get there first," a gruff voice sounded from the side. A muscled man stood, slinging his morning star over his back, looking at Rucus.
"Well then, we'll have to race there now won't we?" Rucus looked back to the table. "Let's go boys."
*****
He groaned, wiping sweat from his brow. The sun beat down on the sand, on his head, on his body, on everything. He let his broadsword rest on the ground, waiting for the others to emerge. The healer came to stand next to him, his black eyes watching the wavering sand before them. The heat was almost unbearable but the thought of the money was all they needed to continue. Another sloshing sound. Another emerged. The bald warrior walked ahead of him, crouching down, looking at the sand. Sunlight reflected off his dark head. He studied the tracks. Others had already been through this pass. Another sloshing sound and yet another came forth. Red eyes looked around, the thief grabbing the hilt of his dagger and yanking it clear.
"There been any yet?," his voice was like fire, hot, prickly. The paladin shook his head.
Another sloshing sound and the last emerged. A sucking sound and a wink and the blue moongate fell out of existence. Reno walked next to Rucus, looking at the tracks. All of them wanted a battle, but all of them wanted the money more.
"What's the plan? Just go out there and fight? Or do we have a definite strategy for getting these Ophidians back to Lord British?," Tallen looked over at Jon. Jon held his helmet over his head, watching the sand dunes in the distance. His face scrutinized the area. Small enough to keep a few contained but large enough for them to get away if they needed to. Jon pulled his helmet on.
"Me, Reno, and Rucus are going to take these bastards head on. Fire is going to drag the bodies off and keep them safe. And you. You're going to heal us Tallen. We're going to need it." The healer nodded. The others nodded to the plan. Jon took a breath, then held his sword out, pointing towards a group of black figures headed towards them. "Let's head out.
*****
Spinning around in a circle in the grass, I held my arms out, the group forming a little circle around me. Lots of smiling faces looked my way, happy about the dress and about the event. Many hadn't ever seen anything like this, some had only been to a few. But whenever a wedding took place, everyone came together to celebrate.
"It looks gorgeous."
"Simply stunning."
"If you weren't being married to Jon, I'd probably take you for myself." I blushed. Bram Stormgald always had a way with words. I stopped spinning and looked at all the smiling faces. Liara beamed when I gave her the most polite curtsy I could in my wedding dress. It was simply beautiful. Its silky folds that covered the shoulders, the "V" neck that came down, exposing just a small bit of my cleavage, the ruffles at the ends of the sleeves, the satiny fabric that covered the waist. All of it was simply gorgeous.
"It is beautiful. Very," Bram's piercing crystal blue eyes looked from the bottom, to the waist, to the chest, to my face. He ran his gloved right hand through his slick, black hair, a smile on his face. My heart fluttered. Bram was very handsome. It wasn't like I was just realizing this fact. I had always known he was handsome. But now, without the armor on, he looked even more handsome. He flexed his muscled arms, from all the fighting he had done over the years to liberate Britannia of evils. He was a paladin, the most virtuous of warriors in the lands of Britannia. More importantly, he was a White Circle Paladin in the group known as The Circle. The Circle was previously The Paladin's Guild of Trinsic but disbanded and formed under a new name with a new agenda. Bram was an active member, a master of war, and a master of compassion.
"You really think so?," I pulled the hem of the dress up, looking down at it, then back up to Bram's lightly tanned face. He smiled and nodded his approval. I looked over my shoulder at the pale woman standing there. Her gray eyes watched me, watched the dress, a smile on her face. She hooked her brown hair behind both ears. "Liara, this is the most fantastic job you have ever done. It is so beautiful. I couldn't ever hope to make something as good as this."
"Thank you Jade. You look fantastic in it."
"I agree with that statement," Darthan watched me with his black eyes. He crossed his arms over the earth tone brown shirt he wore, which matched his long pants and the boots he wore. A smile was on his face, his slightly graying beard highlighting the contours of his mouth and standing out against the two ponytails his reddish brown hair was in. "You do look fantastic."
"Pfff. Please." Every eye in the circle turned to the girl who stood to my right. I glared over at her, a scowl on my face. She watched back with simple, lusty blue eyes. Her icy blue hair matched mine perfectly, except her's were in two long pigtails. She wore a short skirt, almost the color of her hair, just a little darker, the same with her shirt. Draped behind her was a cloak to match. Her title fit her. Ice Queen. "I look much, much better in something like that than Jadenite does. I mean, come on, isn't she ugly? Look at her."
I sniffed, trying to hold back the tears. One of my good friends from childhood and she was embarrassing me in front of people I wanted to make the best impression on. But she had always been that way. She never really meant it but sometimes her comments did get out of hand. The five of us girls who grew up together thought so – Javana, WindSong, Tiffany, Ice Queen, and I. All five friends. Each of us had our own personalities, our own lives, a few of us our own loves. But all of us were the best of friends and always would be.
I balled my hands into fists and put them to my side, frowning at her, everyone in the circle looking her way with sneers. She grinned slyly. She always had a nonchalant attitude towards everything. But then, again, she had to. She was a thief by trade. An honorable thief, but a thief nonetheless. How we became friends, still surprises me, but she was one of my best ones. But now, she was being extremely mean to me and I didn't deserve it.
"Take it back," I growled. My high-pitched voice sounded very funny, even to myself. Ice Queen just laughed. Her real name wasn't Ice Queen, it was Amber Misthran. We called her Ice Queen because of something she did to someone a long time ago. Now, no man ever wanted to get close to her, because she'd give them the cold shoulder.
"Nope." She rose her nose defiantly.
"Take it back!!! I'm pretty!! Say I'm pretty!" I was almost begging.
"You are… pretty ugly." Ice Queen laughed her little high pitched whine of a laugh.
"Jade, don't let her get to you. You, as well as I, know she's always been like that," a soft, almost too quiet voice came to my ears. I nodded to the voice. My other friend's voice. Javana Aspien. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her standing beside me, her long silky black hair falling to the midst of her back, midnight black eyes watching Ice Queen. She stood only a few inches taller than I and was about my weight. She was three years older than I, unlike the rest of my friends, who were younger or just as old as I. Her dark, almost ebony skin was as beautiful as any I had ever seen, smooth and soft. But even her good looks did no justice to what she held inside. Inside her heart. Javana had a love for nature, a love for law and order, and a love for the forces of good. She was a trained killer. Trained in the ways of the very nature she protected. She was a skilled Ranger, able to slip into the night, woods, or even shadows of the day unseen and undetected. Her skill with a bow and arrow were unmatched.
"Yeah, I know," I turned my back on Ice Queen. "She can be so aggravating sometimes though." My smile returned and I watched those who surrounded me. All my friends, all excited about the wedding, possibly more than I, because Lord British himself was going to be there.
*****
All he could see was gray. No colors. But he knew he wouldn't see colors in the state he was in. He was dead. Dead like the other four. Dead because they were foolish enough to go after money. Not quit when they had the chance. And then they had been killed. He felt weightless, felt no emotion, no pain. All he knew was that he needed to be resurrected by the skilled healers or he would lose all the knowledge that he had gained over the years.
He couldn't even figure out exactly how it happened so fast. One moment, the team had been killing Ophidian after Ophidian, and the next, they were all dead and were running to Papua, the nearest town in the Lost Lands with a healer.
He saw Rucus's ghost leap over a swamp area, like he might get wet. Jon chuckled to himself a little. Ghosts couldn't get wet. Ghosts. They were all ghosts. Running to Papua to be brought back to life.
They had been fighting Ophidians, simple Peon Ophidians with no weapons and no brains. Easy pickings. But then a few Avengers, the guards of the Ophidian overlords, came to rumble. Not easy but easy enough. Then a Matriarch came into play. A nice challenge but they dispatched of him rather quickly. Just as they were ready to take the bodies back, an entire group of Ophidians came. Sixteen Peons, twelve Avengers, three Mages, and a Queen. And when that happened, they all had been trapped and were killed. Each one, slaughtered, one by one. First Reno had been killed, then Rucus. Tallen, with his mighty Magick and healing capabilities, had been killed. And then Fire. Jon was the last to fall.
They had lost everything. All of their belongings that they had had on them. And all of the Ophidian bodies. In his first moments of death, Jon saw the Ophidians carry the dead away to have the funeral rituals that they have. The five of them knew that they had to get to Papua, the closest city, as fast as their spirited legs could carry them. And that's what they were doing.
Tallen ducked into a clearing between a pair of trees, running across a bridge. Jon followed. The others had taken another route but they were all going to meet at the same place. Papua. Everything was gray, a dead, lifeless gray. But that's only because of the way his ghost eyes could see. People passed by him, right through him as he darted off the bridge and into the swampy thicket. He knew they couldn't feel or see him. He followed Tallen and saw Rucus leap over a bush off to the south. Reno followed closely behind, followed by Fire. The healers' hut loomed ahead, Tallen flying through the door. Each of them, in turn, went inside, the healer's bringing their bodies and souls back together.
The door closed behind him, Jon walking down the steps, looking at the others. Their faces were pale, drained of blood. Each took a deep breath, then exhaled, panting. They all wore the same dark gray robe. The robe of death.
"What in the hell happened out there?," Fire finally spoke up as they caught their breath. Reno looked from one pair of eyes to another, then back to Fire. Jon gazed at the ground, not wanting to meet any of their eyes. "Well Jon? What happened, huh?" Every pair of eyes were on him.
"I… don't know," he shook his head, standing up straight and looking through the trees at the sun.
"What in hell do you mean you don't know?," Fire pointed towards the north, where they had run from. "We just died out there and you don't know what happened? You better start explaining, or I'm going to kill you again!"
"Fire, calm down. It's not Jon's fault. If we blame anyone, we should blame Lord British for this. The Ophidians were obviously ready. They aren't ready like that often. Only when they are all threatened," Tallen touched Fire's shoulder. The thief pulled it away and stormed off into the village. The other's just watched him.
"What's the matter with him? We died. It happens. Not like we're dead forever or something," Rucus rubbed his blonde beard, gazing from Fire, back to Jon's face.
"He's never been dead. He can't handle it. When I first died, same thing happened to me. I felt alone and pulled away. Now, though, I don't really care." Rucus nodded.
"Jon, when's your wedding? Tomorrow right?," Tallen, looked at the man.
Jon nodded. "Yes, why?"
Tallen gazed at the sun, then the ground, then back at Jon's face.
"Jon… it is tomorrow…" The paladin's mouth dropped open.
"What? Umm… how?"
"Look at the sun. It's nearly half passed nine in the morning. Jon, when we left, it was nearly after three in the noon. Jon, it's morning and it was afternoon when we left. Think about it. It's tomorrow," Tallen grinned. "My boy, today, you get married!"
Everyone slapped Jon on the back as he stood there completely stunned.
"Guys, wait. Stop. Think about it. The wedding was scheduled for early in the morning. Eight in the morning. If it's half passed nine, we're late… Tallen, tell me you're wrong. Tell me it's not half passed nine. Tell me you're wrong," worry spread across Jon's face while he looked at the healer. Tallen rubbed his chin, looking back up at the sky. His eyes squinted, his mind seeming to calculate the times and positions in his head. He looked back at Jon, frowning. The paladin sighed, putting his face in his hands. "God no. We're late. We got to get back to the bank guys. We gotta get a rune to Del, so we can make it to the Esgari Fellowship hall in a hurry." Each of them nodded. "Reno, go find Fire and tell him to come on."
"All right."
*****
Tears ran down my face while I sat on the chair Etrigan had provided for me. Nynaeve provided a white handkerchief for me to wipe my tears away. Nynaeve was one of my better friends. She, once, was part of the Esgari Fellowship but Etrigan and her had differences and she had left to form her own guild. Even so, we stayed rather good friends. She was skilled at magery to an extent. She watched me with her black eyes, a little frown on her face. Her short, light green hair matched her plain dress and highlighted her dark tanned skin.
"There, there child. I'm sure he's just running a little late. Sometimes, things happen," she offered in her sweet, soft voice. It was so refreshing to have her there with me. She made the events that were happening less burdening.
"I know… but it's over an hour that he's late. Jon isn't usually this late and now he is. And I'm worried about him and what might have happened to him and where he's at," I wiped a few tears away and held the handkerchief in my hands. Nynaeve watched me. I felt Skietra's comforting pat on my forearm. I looked up into his eyes. He was there too, offering his support.
"Wedding day jitters mi'dear. Happens all the time," he leaned in closer to my ear. "Little secret. Men always get them. What they mean is that the woman is so good, they are afraid that they might not be up to the woman's expectations." My solid forest green eyes glanced at them and he gave a single nod. I blinked. If what he had said was true, Jon was scared that he wasn't up to my expectations and was scared that I wouldn't have him. But that was wrong. I would. I loved him. But I was scared too. Probably more scared than him. Why was he so late?
I sighed, touching a cute little white bow on my wedding dress. Javana paced around in front of me, watching the ground, Ice Queen off on the other side of the room, looking out the single window. My other friend, the bard, WindSong sat on the floor re-stringing her lute. WindSong's real name was Ruby McClarine, and she was one of the two youngest out of my circle of extremely close friends from childhood. She wore two pigtails like Ice Queen but her's were longer and black, more dull than Javana's. Her skin was a dark tan, her eyes an amber color. The name WindSong was the name her father had given her because of her gift at composing and playing music. From a young age, WindSong knew how to play several instruments, and as she got older, she learned how to successfully compose music well. She performed in Britain for people the majority of the time and she had come to my wedding, not only because she was my friend, but because she wanted to play – for free.
"Jade, I know he's gonna come. I met him once. Remember, I told you about that, when I went to go find Ice in Delucia. Anyway, he's really nice and I know he's going to come. Don't worry. He's late because," WindSong looked around, grinning. "Because he probably got his privy parts stuck in the zipper."
"Wind! Hush girl. I have never heard you talk like that. What's gotten into you?," Javana put her hands on her hips, tapping her foot, looking at WindSong. WindSong smiled her pretty little smile, showing off her polished white teeth. "I swear, you and Ice become more and more alike day by day."
"She's my new apprentice," Ice Queen's sly little voice crept across the room.
"No I'm not," WindSong stuck her tongue out.
"Whatever." The thief looked back out the window, watching the ocean.
I sighed. My friends. The last, however, wasn't going to be able to make it. Tiffany Zorbak, my paladin friend since grade school, was off fighting a war on Buccaneer's Island. Reportedly some pirates had smuggled black pearl from the mainland and were selling it for outrageous prices on the island. Tiffany, along with a few of the members from the group called The Circle and other Paladin Guilds had banned together to stop it. She did, however, send a gift, and sent Bram to deliver it. That's why he was at the wedding and she was not.
"You going to be all right Jade?," Nynaeve asked in her soft little voice. She knelt down next to the chair, looking up at me. I gave a thin lipped smile, wiping some more tears from my eyes. She patted my leg. "That's a girl. Buck up. He'll be here soon. I know it."
*****
Reno groaned. He tapped his foot, waiting. Mages pushed and shoved passed him, stepping onto the pentagram on the floor, uttering the words, and vanishing before his eyes. Yet the rest of them never came through. Only mages went. His friends didn't come up. He groaned again and rolled his eyes.
"Dammit, will you guys hurry up?," he crossed his arms over his chest. He hated the gray robe he was wearing but it was the only clothing he had. They didn't have time to change. They were in a rush. A grating sounded and Jon popped into existence. He stepped off, looking at Reno, and nodding. Reno watched him with his simple black eyes.
"Where are the others?" Jon pointed behind him. Another grating sounded and Tallen winked into existence. He stepped off and stood next to Jon. Another, then another. Rucus and Fire stepped off. They all looked at each other. Hurriedly, they ran to exit the Mage shop.
Tallen, the only one with a rune back to Delucia, had taken it with them when they went to the Ophidian field. When he got killed, they lost it. What that meant was that they had to take the long way back to the mainland of Britannia. The long way meant going through Moonglow, hopping a ship, and riding back. Then hightailing it to the Esgari Fellowship Hall, where the wedding would proceed from.
"All right, we're going to go to the harbor, jump on the ship there, and get back, all right?," Jon called out to the others as they followed him. He disappeared after running over a teleporter. Each reappeared, following the paladin through the streets of Moonglow. A battle cry was heard in the distance, near the bank.
"Crap," Tallen said under his breath. "Hey Jon, watch out. Guild wars!" The paladin nodded.
"I know."
A woman came crashing over the hedge to their left, stopping them dead in their tracks. She rode atop a gray stallion, armored in verite chain mail armor, wielding a mace. Her fiery eyes looked to them, then back down the road. She reared her horse and went charging down the road ahead of them. The five all looked at each other for a moment, shook their heads, then took a minor detour through a side street, trying to get away from the guild war.
"All right guys, listen, if we can cut across through these streets, then move southeast again, we'll get to the port in no time. We'll make it there before they have time to miss us," Jon grinned, stopping to catch his breath. The others nodded, looking down the narrow passageway. They made their way down the passageway as fast as they could, considering how tired they were and how weak they were from their previous deaths. Nearing the end of the passage, each had a smile on his face, until, that is, the carriage rolled into the way. It was too big to climb over and it sat too low to crawl under. The only way to get passed was to go back out the passageway and take the long way around. And they had already wasted time coming through the passage.
Groaning, they turned, heading out the other way of the passage, mumbling curses to the both the driver and carriage. Backtracking, they found themselves in the middle of the guild wars. They wove their way through the crowded mass of bodies, dead, living, fighting, and falling, moving southeast, towards the harbor. The boat, however, was leaving without them. They ran towards it but it pulled out of port before they could reach it. All of them stood on the dock, looking outwards.
"How long until the next one?," Jon's voice was angered.
"Three hours."
"What are we going to do?," Reno asked. Jon gave him a look. He put a hand to his back.
"Swim to it." Jon pushed Reno, who fell into the cold, salty water. He looked to Rucus and Tallen. Both took a step sideways, then jumped in. His eyes fell on Fire.
"Oh no you don't. I am not going in there. I'll find my own way back."
"I don't think so." Jon grabbed the collar of Fire's robe and pulled him in as he fell off the pier.
*****
"It is nice to meet you. Where is the groom?," Lord British bowed his head slightly, his straggly white hair meshed under the crown he wore. I looked to the ground as Lord British kissed my hand.
"He's… he's not here yet," I frowned, looking up to his gray eyes. A frown touched his face. It was wrinkled, yet still surprisingly handsome. I had only seen him once before, but that day had been a tragic one. Someone thought it would be funny to cast magic upon him. They killed him nearly on the spot.
"Where… is he?," the king looked a little bewildered by my response. My eyes gazed at Nynaeve, then Etrigan, then Skietra, then Lessa, then Liara, and back to Lord British. I swallowed.
"He's… late..," a tear rolled down my cheek. Lord British wiped it away with a thumb.
"There, there dear. How late?"
"Nearly four hours my lord," Bram stood to Lord British's side, his hands clasped behind his back.
"Four hours?," the king drew back surprised. He evaluated the words and Bram's honest face, then looked back at me. He measured my green eyes in his. I was lost. His eyes were penetrating. "Are you going to be all right? I've never known someone to be four hours late to their own wedding." I looked at him and nearly burst into tears on the spot. He looked back to me with a playful smile on his face. "And I do not know why someone would stand up a woman so beautiful as you." I felt myself blushing. To be complimented by the king of Britannia was the greatest feeling anyone could have.
"I'm sure he'll be here soon Jade," Darthan stood next to Liara in the line that allowed Lord British to walk to me. He smiled his brightest smile.
"Thank you Darthan. I hope he's here soon." Everyone gave their best smile.
*****
"3000 coins for the horses. No more," Fire grunted at the man before him. The pudgy, slightly muscled figure looked him up and down and gave a bearded grin.
"I can say one thing, you got guts."
"Most thieves do."
The man smiled. "I like your style. I'll give em to you for 3000 coins." He looked over and spat. "Hey boy, bring them five horses out." A stablehand held the reins to three horses in one hand, two in the other, pulling them out into the open air beyond the stable doors. "Now, where's the coins?"
Fire pulled out a brown leather pouch he had tied to his robe. It was the little money he had left. He counted out 3000 coins, then handed them to the stable owner. He glared at the coins in the man's hand, up to his face. Grunting, he pushed passed the man and went outside. Jon, Tallen, Reno, and Rucus were all sitting astride their horses, waiting for him.
"3000 coins it cost me. You owe me Jon," Fire pointed up at him with his pale finger. He climbed up, Jon grinning.
"I promise, I'll pay you back Fire. Right now though, we have an hour's ride to the Esgari Fellowship Hall. We either start moving now, or I'm going to be getting married tomorrow…" – he was quiet for a moment, looking forward – "Or not at all." Jon shook his head, ran his fingers through his hair, then kicked his horse in the sides, sending it charging forward. The other's followed in hot pursuit.
*****
Liara burst through the door to the guildhall, looking at me, a grin on her face. My heart quickened when I saw that look. It could mean only one thing. He had finally come. Seeming to read my thoughts, Liara nodded quickly, then ran back outside. I looked up at Javana, a smile on her face, clasping my shoulder in friendship. I took a deep breath, wiped the rest of my tears away, then got up and moved out the door.
He wore the robe of death, sweat pouring down his face. My heart raced. I was scared. Something had happened to him. That's why he was late. It wasn't because he didn't want to be married to me. It was because he had been killed earlier on and was trying to get back here. That's why he wore that robe. That's why he had the horse. I ran to him, in my wedding dress, cheeks tear stained. He ran to me, sweat staining his face, letting some dirt be washed away with it. We embraced, held each other close.
"Jade… my god. I'm sorry. If you knew what happened…"
"Shhh… Jon… I know…" We held each other close, in our deep embrace. I heard two hands clap together, joined by two more, and then two more, until everyone in the guild and all of our friends were standing around the two of us, clapping, applauding and smiling. Tears clouded my vision as I sat in his sweet embrace.
"I believe," I heard Lord British's calm, sincere voice. "That the only thing left to do is say 'By the power invested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride.'" I closed my eyes and felt Jon's lips on mine.
That's how I became Mrs. Jadenite Brithan Michell, wife to Jon Michell, Ophidian slaying paladin.