Chapter 8: A new begging
Jet: So in the last chapter, we find that Veger is now the head of the counsel and is now the ugly old man we all know and hate from Jak 3. Okay, he's not as old as he is in Jak 3 but he's still just as ugly, he still wants to bring down the palace to find the catacombs. He keeps talking to Damas about it and Damas really couldn't care less about what he had to say. Damas meets up with Molly and the two of them go to Selena's old garden which- thanks to Molly- is still alive. There Damas tells her that every woman in his family for some reason could only have one child, he tells her this because he wants her to know this before he asks her to marry him but right when he is about to ask Erick comes and ruins the moment.
Penny: What a jerk.
Jet: Anyway, so Damas has to go take care of something and Molly meets up with Ashelin and talks to her about her love life. Then Erick finds out about what's going on with Damas and Molly and feels bad. So Erick and Ashelin go patrolling outside the city and they are completely alone. Then Metal-heads show up and one of the smaller ones poisons them and they are taken to the nest where Erick comes face to face with the Metal-head leader. The leader tells him that if he wants to save Ashelin's life that Erick must get them eco. Erick, having no other choice, agrees. At the same time Damas and Molly are having a small moment together and finally Damas asks Molly to marry him. Do I even have to tell you that she says yes? Erick gets the Metal-heads the eco and Ashelin's life is saved now Erick is wants nothing more than to see the end of the Metal-heads. Well that's it, on with the chapter.
One month had passed since Molly had agreed to marry Damas and the two of them couldn't believe that the wedding was just three weeks away. It was amazing how fast a wedding could be put together when that wedding was for the King and the woman who was going to be his Queen. For the two of them it seemed that time was moving in slow motion, everyday seemed to be longer and longer. Molly had already gotten her dress and- more as a joke- Damas kept trying to get a peek at it, but every time he was caught by Molly.
Erick was happy for his friends, he hadn't told them about what he had done for a number of reasons; the first was he saw how happy they were not knowing and he didn't want to wreak that, the other reason was because if anyone found out that he had helped the Metal-heads his life would be over. So he kept it to himself, even Ashelin didn't know what happened and he was going to keep it that way and tried to forget about it himself by turning his thoughts to his friend's upcoming wedding. But every so often he couldn't help but to think of new ways to destroy the Metal-heads.
One day he came across a strange older man, he had sleeked black-gray hair, he wore a lab coat and yellow gloves. Erick had heard of this man and of what he was selling, a machine that could turn a man into a dark-eco-powered super-solider. Erick didn't tell anyone about this so he went to talk to the man on his own. "So tell me, how does this machine of yours work?"
"It's very simple, just take anyone off the street, strap them to the table and then just start pumping them with dark eco."
"How do you know that this works?"
The man laughed, "Have you ever heard of the brink?"
"You mean the edge of the world? I don't even think it exists."
"Oh I assure you, it does. I lived there. See, I lived in a grand city and we were fighting a war, and much like with your war- we were losing. With my scientific genius and the help of the Dark eco sage, we created this," he pulled out a diagram, "The Dark Warrior project."
Erick took the diagram and looked at it, "And this worked?"
"Yes, until my son took the Dark eco sage and hid him away, not that it mattered. We still had enough dark warriors to win the war and after the war ended I took the project and left; I've been looking for someone to sell it to for years." Erick looked back at the diagram, "Ask yourself," the older elf said, "can you really afford not to take my offer?"
Erick looked at the man, "How much do you want for it?"
After Erick had agreed to pay the man he left, but Erick couldn't shake the feeling he was being followed.
At the palace, Damas and Molly when having another small moment sitting on a window sill, Damas held her close and kissed her exposed skin; her shoulders, her neck. "I love you." He breathed.
"I love you too." She said. "I can't believe our wedding is in three weeks."
"I know."
"I wish we were married now."
"Me too." He kissed her again. "At least our wedding isn't too far away." Damas looked at her, for some reason she looked sad. "Molly, is something wrong?" He asked, concerned.
"I just know my father isn't going to be there. I just wish that he could have understood how I felt." She felt tears fill her eyes and fall down her face, "I didn't really think about it all those years ago but when I left… I probably really hurt him."
Damas held her tighter; this was the first time he had heard her talk about her father since she had run away from home. "It's okay, Molly. My parents aren't going to be there either…" He looked away from her.
Molly put her hand to his face, he held it and looked at her, "You know they would have been happy to see us together." She hugged him, "And I know they're watching us."
Damas smiled, "And I know your mother is doing the same." They kissed.
"I love you." She breathed.
"I love you too." He paused.
"What is it?" She asked.
"Well you're going to be my wife so I have to tell you about the safe house."
"The safe house?"
"Yeah, but you can't tell anyone about it, not even Erick or Ashelin."
"Why?"
Damas explained that the safe house was if anything happened that put the lives of the royal family in danger, the family would go there and wait for the king to come and tell them it was safe, and if anyone outside of the family found out where in the city it was then they would be in grave danger. Molly understood and promised not to tell anyone.
Ashelin was sitting in the brake room at the fortress; she sat alone at one of the tables, that is until Torn came up and sat next to her. She looked at him, she had been thinking about telling him who her father was, he had to know, "Hi." She said.
"Hi," he said back, "You look like something is on your mind."
She sighed sadly, "Torn, if someone in my family did something bad would still see me as a friend?"
"Sure, as long as you didn't have anything to do with it. Why?"
She looked away from him; she just couldn't bring herself to tell him, "It's nothing. I just… -never mind."
She got up to leave, but Torn grabbed her arm, "Ashelin, what is it?"
She looked at him, "Okay, you remember that guard you told me about, the one that you hate?"
"Yeah, what about him?"
"Well… he's my father."
"WHAT? Your father?" He exclaimed. Ashelin couldn't look at him, she didn't have to- his tone said it all. She pulled her arm out of his grip and began to run away, he most likely never wanted to talk to her again. She ran into the nearest rest room she could find and locked the door and started to cry, why did she tell him?
She stayed in there for over an hour. When she finally did come out she was surprised to find Torn standing next to the door waiting for her, she looked away from him. He walked up to her, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you." She said. "I just knew how much you hated him so I thought if you knew I was realted to him that you –"
He hugged her to shut her up, "Ashelin, I don't care who your father is or what he did. It's you I care about. You didn't have anything to do with what happened that day." She hugged him back.
Later that day Erick was sitting in one of the bars in the city. He finished his alcohol beverage and then walked over to one of the tables where a young man was sitting. Erick looked down at the teenager; he had orange hair and looked a little scrawny. He had a mask on top of his head so looking down at him Erick couldn't see his face. "What are you up to kid?" Erick asked.
"What do you mean?" The teen asked.
"I mean you've been fallowing me all day, why? And how did a teenager get into a bar?"
The teen looked up at him, he had the tattoos on his face that told Erick that he was a guard, "I have my way, I am a guard after all."
Erick sat down across from him, "You look a little young to be a guard."
The younger elf laughed, "Yeah well I'm sixteen, that's old enough."
"All right, all right, what's your name?"
"Errol."
"All right Errol, you want to tell me why you've been following me all day?"
Errol laughed again, "I was told you're the key to my destiny."
Erick laughed, "What crack job told you that?"
"The old soothsayer in the bazaar, Onin and her bird."
"Sorry to tell you this, but if you're listening to an old hag and her pet bird then you need help and I can't give it to you."
Erick got up and started to walk away, "You know, I wonder what the King would say if someone tells him that his most trusted guard is making back ally deals behind his back."
Erick looked at him and smiled. "You're good. Alright, I've got nothing to lose. I'll let you tag along." Erick called for the barmaid and she brought over a bottle of beer and a bottle of soda. Errol reached for the beer, but when Erick grabbed the beer Errol grabbed the soda like that was what he was going for in the first place. The two of them drank.
The night before the wedding was party night, Ashelin had set up a bachelorette party for Molly with the other female guards and she had talked Erick into putting together a bachelor party for Damas with some of the male guards. (Bachelor and bachelorette parties for Precursians do not usually have strippers, instead it is more for men getting drunk and women to talking to the soon-to-be bride of what she hopes the marriage will be like.)
"Oh Molly you are so lucky." One of the female guards said.
Molly smiled, "Thank you."
"I can't believe you really are going to be the queen." Another said.
"I know, I can't believe it either."
"I knew it was going to happen eventually." Ashelin said.
Molly looked at her, "I know, you're the one who suggested it in the first place."
"What?" Everyone asked, unbelieving. Molly just laughed at all of their faces.
With the guys, most of them where already drunk. The only one who really wasn't drinking was Damas. Erick went over to him, "Hey what's with you?" He asked taking another drink.
Damas looked at him, "Nothing," he took a small drink, "I just don't think I should have a hang-over on my wedding day, that's all."
"Hey, it's your party." Erick said taking another drink, "Your last night of freedom as most people call it." Damas looked at him and shook his head; clearly the alcohol was starting to get to him.
Damas looked away from his friend, his last night of freedom? 'No' he thought, 'I haven't felt free since I was seventeen years old.' He took another small drink.
Back with the women, they all were laughing about random things. One of them came over to Molly, "So, you and your soon-to-be husband talk about kids yet?" She asked.
Molly went a little red, "Well no, not really."
"What?" Some of the others said, "Well do you want kids?" One of them asked her.
Molly smiled, "Well, yes I do. I've been thinking about what it could be like, being a mother."
"Yes, and the way you're going to get to that point hasn't crossed you mind at all." Ashelin said sarcastically.
"ASHELIN!" Molly exclaimed, going even redder. A few people laughed, Molly looked at them, "Well either way, I think that is more my business."
"So you have thought about it." One of the guards said. Molly glared at her and then laughed.
Back with the guys, Damas had had a few more drinks, not really enough for him to get drunk but enough for him to enjoy the party with everyone else that was drunk out of their minds. Erick was hanging on him because he was so drunk that he couldn't hold himself up right, "Yo-you know, you and Molly really should have kids." Erick said hiccupping as he talked, "Lots and lots of kids."
"Oh yeah," Damas said, going along with what Erick was saying for a laugh, "and why do you say that?"
"Because having a-a kid was the best thing I've ever done."
Damas laughed, "Oh really, well I don't know about a lot of kids but one would be nice."
"Well, here's hoping that your kid nothin' like y-ou."
He finished the drink and was about to get another one, when Damas grabbed him, "I think you've had enough Erick."
"I-I'm fine." Erick said hiccupping.
"No you're not, your very, very drunk- you've had enough."
"No no I'm not drunk."
"Yes you are."
"One more is not going to hurt..." He reached toward another drink.
"Erick I said-" but the rest of his sentence was cut off by Erick punching him in the face. Damas hit the floor; he picked himself up and wiped the blood that was coming out of his nose off his face. A lot of people where staring at them.
He looked at Erick who was just staring at him unbelieving what he had just done, "Damas, I'm, I'm sorry. I-"
But Damas held up a hand to stop him, "It's okay, just no more drinking tonight, alright?"
"Yeah." Erick said.
Damas wiped more blood off his face, "Man, you got me good." He said, he started to laugh. "Do me a favor and never hit me again." The two of them walked out leaving everyone else wondering if the party was over.
The next day, Damas woke with one thought in his head; he was getting married that night to the woman he loved more than life itself. As he got out of bed he thought about what his life would have been like if he had never met Molly. He shuddered at the thought of him being forced to marry Nira came into his head, he was very glad he had ran into Molly twenty years ago. He smiled to himself as he got dressed; it was twenty years ago, almost to the day when he had literally bumped into Molly. He had been a stupid little boy doing something that didn't have any point to it and somehow doing that had led him to the girl he was marrying later that day, 'funny how fate works' he thought. He looked at himself in the mirror to make sure his nose wasn't broken before he left his room.
Molly had woken up thinking almost the same thing her soon-to-be husband was thinking, she sat on her bed brushing her long blond-green hair, just thinking about the fact that after today she would be married to the only man she had ever fallen in love with, it was like something out of an old children's tale or something out of some of the plays she had been in. She was just the ordinary girl, just another face in the crowd and today she was marrying a king- she couldn't believe it. As she got up to leave the room she thought about what her life would be like if she had never met Damas, most likely she would have work in her father's newspaper office like he had wanted her to, but she most likely would not be as happy as she was now.
Unlike in other places, in Haven it was not bad luck for the bride and groom to see each other before the wedding. However that doesn't mean that Damas and Molly saw each other all day. In fact Damas did think he would see Molly until the wedding and he was right. Precursians had their own wedding traditions; one of them being that the father of the bride didn't give her away but that the bride and groom walk down the aisle together. There was no maid-of-honor or best man, there wasn't even a flower girl. No, the only ones that would walk down the aisle that day were Damas and Molly.
Damas and Erick stood outside of the main room of the temple where all the guests were waiting, the two of them waiting for Molly and Ashelin to arrive. Damas looked at Erick, grinning, "Your hang-over go away yet?"
"Yeah," Erick said, "You know, I can't remember a thing that happened last night. Did I punch a wall or something?"
Damas laughed, "No, why?"
"Because I can't shake this feeling that I hit something." Damas started to laughed harder, Erick glared at him, "What are you laughing at?" He asked.
"You punched me last night because I wouldn't let you get another beer."
"Oh… sorry."
"It's fine. You were drunk, you didn't know what you were doing. To tell you the truth I'm just glad you didn't break my nose." Then the doors opened and Ashelin walked in, she was in a beautiful floor length scarlet dress, the bottom half of the dress looked like it had glitter on it, it tied in the back of her neck, she had on light red gloves that went up to her elbows. Her shoulder length red hair was pulled back in a pointy tail. She walked up to her father and kissed his cheek, Damas looked at her, "Where's Molly?" He asked, eager to see his bride.
"Don't worry, she's coming." Then she looked at her father, "Come on dad, let's go get our seats."
"But I want to see Molly." He said as she began to drag him.
"You will see her. Now come on." She led him in the other room.
So Damas was left standing there for about ten seconds before the door opened again and this time it was Molly, in the most beautiful dress Damas had ever seen; it was strapless and gracefully fell to the floor and was made to show off her slender figure, it slightly dragged behind her as she walked, there were diamonds sown into it at the top and bottom of the dress, her hair was pulled back in a bun to hold her veil- which flowed behind her as she walked up to him, Damas took her in his arms and held her close. She looked at his tux; it was very simple but that was what she liked about it, she put her hand to the seal of Mar that hung around his neck, "I can't believe this day is finally here." She said.
"I know. After today nothing will keep me away from you." He pulled away from her and held out his arm, "Shall we?" He asked. Molly took his arm and the two of them walked into the main temple.
As the doors opened everyone looked and smiled as the bride and groom walked down the aisle together. The two of them got to the end of the aisle and the monk began to go through the vows to Damas, to honor, love and cherish for all time. The monk paused for his answer, he looked at Molly and with confidence said, "I do."
Then the monk began to repeat the vows to Molly and when he stopped she looked at Damas and with confidence said, "I do."
"Then by the powers vested in me," the monk said, "I now pronounce you husband and wife." He looked at Damas, "You may kiss the bride."
Damas took Molly in his arms and she put her arms around his neck and their lips met in an explosion of passion. Damas picked Molly off the ground and held her as he was kissing her, everyone cheered and applauded. After the two elves pulled apart and Damas had set Molly back on the ground, the two of them just stared at each other unable to believe that they really did just get married.
At the reception everyone was congratulating them and wishing them the best of luck. Erick came up to them and gave a small bow, "My King," He looked straight at Molly, "and my Queen. congratulations."
"Oh Erick." Molly said, laughing and embraced Erick like a brother.
She let Erick go and he looked at Damas, "You do what the next step is right? Time for a kid." He said, teasing them.
Damas shook his head, "Erick, you brought this up last night."
"I did? I don't remember."
Ashelin came up, "Come on dad, give them a little time before getting into that." She led him away.
Molly looked at Damas, "Did he get drunk last night?"
"Badly." Damas said, "He punched me when I told him he couldn't have anymore beer."
"He punched you?"
"Yep, gave me a bloody nose."
"Oh well, at least he didn't give you a black eye or something. I would have to hurt him then." Molly listened to the music and took Damas' hands, "Let's dance." She said as she begun to lead him onto the dance floor.
Damas laughed nurvously, "Molly, you know I can't dance."
She smiled at him, "Then let me lead." The two of them began to dance.
Later that night Damas lead Molly to their new room. With the door locked and neither of them planning to leave until the next day, the two them began to get know each other on a much higher level then ether of them had ever imagined.
Four weeks after the wedding, Molly and Damas were down in the kitchen eating breakfast. Molly managed about two bites before she ran for the nearest bathroom and vomited. Damas ran in after her. After she has finessed being sick he held her, "Are you alright?" He asked.
"I-I think so. I don't know what just happed but I'm okay."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah don't worry about me, I'm alright."
Damas wasn't convinced by her words, but he went along with her that is until the next morning when she got sick again, "Okay Molly, something is going on and I want to know what."
"Damas, I don't know."
"Well then, I would feel better if you went to the hospital just so we can find out what is going on."
"Okay," Molly said. "but let me brush my teeth first. All I can taste right now is vomit…"
"Okay."
After Molly had brushed her teeth Damas took her to the hospital and waited as a doctor ran tests on her to try to find out what was making her sick he was relieved when she came up to him, "Well?" he asked, concerned.
Molly smiled at him, "I'm pregnant."
Damas was speechless, "What?" He finally managed to say.
"I'm pregnant. Damas, we're going to have a baby."
Damas smiled and embraced her, "I don't believe it, we're really going to have a baby!" They shared a kiss and then Damas began to lead Molly back to the palace, both of her hands resting on her abdomen, blown away by the fact that there was a tiny baby growing inside of her at that moment.
Jet: Wow, Damas and Molly got married and now Molly is pregnant, you know what that means. A certain hero is going to be showing up soon.
Penny: That's great Jet, but what about the fact that Erick bought the Dark Warrior Project and is now working with Errol?
Jet (not listening to Penny): What? Oh yeah, Erick and Errol. Hey Penny do you think Errol's gay, I never did figure that out... Oh well, I love the way this chapter turned out, mostly because I was up until three working on it and I love the way the wedding went over. I took some of the idea for the wedding from Light-Eco-Sage but she said it was okay. One more thing before I close this chapter, head's up Jak and Daxter fans, games 1, 2 and 3 are being rereleased in HD, on the PS3, it doesn't come out until Feb 7 but you can preorder it at Game Stop for $40 total.
Penny: $40 for three games, that's not bad.
Jet: I've already preordered. So tell me what you think and I'll see all of you when the next chapter is up.
