Disclaimer - All characters belong to Tamora Pierce
Twisted Hearts Chapter
4 - A Godly Wedding
Authors Note - Just thought I'd say I haven't decided really whom Numair will be with yet. But I couldn't kill Daine really I love her too much! So on with the story. Oh and I will find Varice someone if Daine and Numair get together. By the way I have replaced Chapters 1, 2 and 3 with hopefully with better laid out chapters so if there was anything you didn't understand hopefully you can go back and read over them much more easily.
Past (1 year ago)
Erone scrubbed hard at the floor beneath her, the hot sun on her bareback. Mina had told her it was the hottest summer equinox Cathhak had ever known. Wiping a bead of sweat from her forehead she leaned back on her heels.
"A moments rest" she thought "Then I will continue"
"Daine, my sweet" a female voice called behind her.
"No, no, no" whispered Erone, leaning forward "You don't exist, leave me ALONE" she shouted.
"Please, face us daughter" a gruff male voice implored her.
She did, not really know why, trying to believe that when she turned nothing would be there and it was just the heat had tired her. She was wrong. There in the doorway stood two figures. The sun blinded her, and made them seem faint, misty almost. She shielded her eyes to see them better and began to scream.
Standing in front of Erone was a pretty woman with cream-coloured skin topped with golden curls and a man with antlers rooted into his brown hair.
She rose slowly to her feet and began to back away, fear clearly showing in her face. Both looked hurt at her actions towards them. She stopped, feeling sorry for these two people who obviously had her confused with another girl.
"Who, who are you?" she ventured.
"Daine do you not know us?" the woman said, her eyes brimming with tears. She trembled slightly and instantly a strong arm encircled her shoulders. Erone openly stared at the man, who looked back with an unblinking stare. Finally Erone let her eyes drop.
"I'm not Daine," she whispered "I'm Erone"
"Oh sweet what happened to you. Why can't you remember anything, even your own parents?" the women pleaded.
"But, but you must be Gods" the girl exclaimed.
They smiled at each other then turned back to her "Your Half-God remember Daine and you have wild magic to" the woman said kindly, hope in her eyes.
"Wild magic?" she questioned, confused.
"Yes its.No not yet she's beginning to remember, Just a few minutes longer please" the woman pleaded. They both looked upwards.
"As you wish" the man muttered. He looked back to Erone "We will visit you again as soon as we can daughter. I love you, Daine"
"Goodbye dearest. I love you to" whispered the woman as they both began to fade into a haze of white light. Erone watched as the two were engulfed in the light, which seemed to gather around them from the very room they stood in. Stretching out a hand to try and touch the light, it seemed so solid; it disappeared from under her fingertip. Erone leaned backwards onto cold marble and began to cry.
Now
Varice and Numair knelt before the alter in the palace ceremony room. They held hands across the short space between them. It hadn't taken long to plan the wedding, Jonathan had been happy to offer all the help he could. Thayet had allowed one of her own personal dressmakers to produce something for Varice, and it was perfect.
She knelt, smiling up at Numair. Her blonde hair had been pulled up on top of her head, with a few ringlets hanging down to frame her face. Wild flowers adorned her hair and a mage had magicked them so that light reflected off them in glittering patterns round the room. Her dress was simple, but beautiful. It was long and flowing, a tight bodice at the top which flowed into a long skirt from the waist. It was square across her chest, and the sleeves were square across her shoulders and they came into wide points at her wrists. The bodice of the dress was decorated in many fine, sparkling jewels and intricate embroideries. It was a cream colour and complimented her face and hair. She wore hardly any make-up but her faced glowed with happiness.
Numair was breath-taken at her beauty. He hardly listened to the ceremony he was so engrossed in Varice. He only realised that they were finished, and man and wife, when Varice took his hand and they turned to their friends who watched.
They clapped the new couple. Numair looked around at his closest friends. Alanna was smiling broadly, holding Baron Georges hand in her own. He sat smiling also obviously staring at the beautiful Varice as only he would. Onua sat near the back, clapping and smiling also, but the smile did not reach her eyes. Numair knew she remembered Daine, and he felt guilt in his heart. He turned to smile at the rulers of Tortall. Jon sat clapping, obviously very pleased at how the ceremony had gone. Thayet did not look as happy. She clapped as expected to, but she did not smile. He knew some of his friends would be thinking of Daine now, he did also. He had even visited her grave for the first time since her funeral that morning, to make sure one last time she wouldn't be angry with him if he married Varice. He didn't think Thayet would look so displeased though.
"It is of no matter though" he thought, "I will be happy and so will Varice"
She smiled up at him and he lifted her chin with his hand bringing her lips up to his as they shared their first kiss as man and wife.
Jon and Alanna had organised a huge ball in Numair and Varice's honour that evening. It was a grand affair, they seemed so pleased that Numair was happy and seemed to be getting on with his life.
Varice was in her element. Bustling round to different groups of friends and enemies alike, bragging about her perfect wedding. It had been hard to separate the couple since they had wedded that morning but now Numair found he liked the comfort of his close friends, not the envy and falseness of people he did not even know.
He stood to get himself some of the wine Jon had imported especially from Yamani when something heavy barrelled into his chest. He was knocked to the floor, taking his chair and numerous plates of food with him. The clatter echoed through the hall and people stopped their conversations to watch the event unfold. A few women screamed at the sight of Numair on the floor and a large badger sat on top his chest.
"Lord Badger" Numair greeted, Thank You for dropping in on me"
"This is no time for your cheek," the Badger God said, "What do you think you are doing?"
"This is a ball is in mine and Varice's honour. We were wed today"
"I know" he replied gruffly "Why?"
"Because I love her" replied the mage puzzled "And she loves me. You should know-"
"Of course I know why people marry" he half-shouted "I want to know why you married her when Daine-"
"Daine is dead" Numair interrupted "I have to live my own life now, I-"
"You loved Daine, did you not? And she is no-"
The badger god disappeared suddenly. Numair sat up slowly and Varice rushed to his side.
"What was that about?" she questioned, wrapping her arm round Numair's shoulders.
" I do not have any idea" he muttered "Would you mind if we left for awhile you Majesty?" he said to Jon.
"Take as long as you need" the King replied, concern in his eyes.
Before anyone could move Thayet stood suddenly. "I told you" she half- shouted "I knew we should still be looking for Daine now!" and she ran from the hall, leaving an uncomfortable silence behind her.
"Lord Badger, we told you we wanted no interference from the mortals" Mithros voice boomed "We Gods can handle the matter"
"That's why it has taken us over three years to realise what has happened to my daughter then?" Weiryn said stepping forward.
Mithros glared at him "We had to be sure to was Enchantress Chalice's doing, God Of the Hunt"
"I do not see how this does not effect her mortal friends. They have a right to be told she is still alive," the Badger argued.
"But with interference from them we would not have been able to catch Chalice. Now we know she still has power we can strip it from her" the Great Goddess said kindly.
"But why would such a powerful Enchantress be bothered with my daughter" Sarra said quietly "She's just a young girl"
"We shall bring her here to find out, Green Lady. She shall not be looked upon lightly." Mithros said, kindness in his powerful voice.
"What I would like to know," cackled the Graveyard Hag "Is how come she still has power and why we cannot get through to the girl. Her memory is in pieces"
"That stone she wore" Kidunka commented, "I always believed she hid some of her power in it"
"Where did she get such a great power from?" Sarra asked uncertainly.
The badger turned to her "She gave her soul to one of the Gods of her world, the Devil, in return for infinite power. But in anger she destroyed her own world and God, Mithros's brother, stripped her of her powers. He had no world to govern and no were to place her so he gave her to us and we allowed her to live here, thinking she would cause us no concern"
"A grave mistake then" the Graveyard Hag cackled.
"Yes" said Mithros "And one not so easily repaired"
"So what must we do?" the Great Goddess asked, turning to Mithros.
"We shall call her here to find out what she has done to the child" he replied.
Authors Note - Just thought I'd say I haven't decided really whom Numair will be with yet. But I couldn't kill Daine really I love her too much! So on with the story. Oh and I will find Varice someone if Daine and Numair get together. By the way I have replaced Chapters 1, 2 and 3 with hopefully with better laid out chapters so if there was anything you didn't understand hopefully you can go back and read over them much more easily.
Past (1 year ago)
Erone scrubbed hard at the floor beneath her, the hot sun on her bareback. Mina had told her it was the hottest summer equinox Cathhak had ever known. Wiping a bead of sweat from her forehead she leaned back on her heels.
"A moments rest" she thought "Then I will continue"
"Daine, my sweet" a female voice called behind her.
"No, no, no" whispered Erone, leaning forward "You don't exist, leave me ALONE" she shouted.
"Please, face us daughter" a gruff male voice implored her.
She did, not really know why, trying to believe that when she turned nothing would be there and it was just the heat had tired her. She was wrong. There in the doorway stood two figures. The sun blinded her, and made them seem faint, misty almost. She shielded her eyes to see them better and began to scream.
Standing in front of Erone was a pretty woman with cream-coloured skin topped with golden curls and a man with antlers rooted into his brown hair.
She rose slowly to her feet and began to back away, fear clearly showing in her face. Both looked hurt at her actions towards them. She stopped, feeling sorry for these two people who obviously had her confused with another girl.
"Who, who are you?" she ventured.
"Daine do you not know us?" the woman said, her eyes brimming with tears. She trembled slightly and instantly a strong arm encircled her shoulders. Erone openly stared at the man, who looked back with an unblinking stare. Finally Erone let her eyes drop.
"I'm not Daine," she whispered "I'm Erone"
"Oh sweet what happened to you. Why can't you remember anything, even your own parents?" the women pleaded.
"But, but you must be Gods" the girl exclaimed.
They smiled at each other then turned back to her "Your Half-God remember Daine and you have wild magic to" the woman said kindly, hope in her eyes.
"Wild magic?" she questioned, confused.
"Yes its.No not yet she's beginning to remember, Just a few minutes longer please" the woman pleaded. They both looked upwards.
"As you wish" the man muttered. He looked back to Erone "We will visit you again as soon as we can daughter. I love you, Daine"
"Goodbye dearest. I love you to" whispered the woman as they both began to fade into a haze of white light. Erone watched as the two were engulfed in the light, which seemed to gather around them from the very room they stood in. Stretching out a hand to try and touch the light, it seemed so solid; it disappeared from under her fingertip. Erone leaned backwards onto cold marble and began to cry.
Now
Varice and Numair knelt before the alter in the palace ceremony room. They held hands across the short space between them. It hadn't taken long to plan the wedding, Jonathan had been happy to offer all the help he could. Thayet had allowed one of her own personal dressmakers to produce something for Varice, and it was perfect.
She knelt, smiling up at Numair. Her blonde hair had been pulled up on top of her head, with a few ringlets hanging down to frame her face. Wild flowers adorned her hair and a mage had magicked them so that light reflected off them in glittering patterns round the room. Her dress was simple, but beautiful. It was long and flowing, a tight bodice at the top which flowed into a long skirt from the waist. It was square across her chest, and the sleeves were square across her shoulders and they came into wide points at her wrists. The bodice of the dress was decorated in many fine, sparkling jewels and intricate embroideries. It was a cream colour and complimented her face and hair. She wore hardly any make-up but her faced glowed with happiness.
Numair was breath-taken at her beauty. He hardly listened to the ceremony he was so engrossed in Varice. He only realised that they were finished, and man and wife, when Varice took his hand and they turned to their friends who watched.
They clapped the new couple. Numair looked around at his closest friends. Alanna was smiling broadly, holding Baron Georges hand in her own. He sat smiling also obviously staring at the beautiful Varice as only he would. Onua sat near the back, clapping and smiling also, but the smile did not reach her eyes. Numair knew she remembered Daine, and he felt guilt in his heart. He turned to smile at the rulers of Tortall. Jon sat clapping, obviously very pleased at how the ceremony had gone. Thayet did not look as happy. She clapped as expected to, but she did not smile. He knew some of his friends would be thinking of Daine now, he did also. He had even visited her grave for the first time since her funeral that morning, to make sure one last time she wouldn't be angry with him if he married Varice. He didn't think Thayet would look so displeased though.
"It is of no matter though" he thought, "I will be happy and so will Varice"
She smiled up at him and he lifted her chin with his hand bringing her lips up to his as they shared their first kiss as man and wife.
Jon and Alanna had organised a huge ball in Numair and Varice's honour that evening. It was a grand affair, they seemed so pleased that Numair was happy and seemed to be getting on with his life.
Varice was in her element. Bustling round to different groups of friends and enemies alike, bragging about her perfect wedding. It had been hard to separate the couple since they had wedded that morning but now Numair found he liked the comfort of his close friends, not the envy and falseness of people he did not even know.
He stood to get himself some of the wine Jon had imported especially from Yamani when something heavy barrelled into his chest. He was knocked to the floor, taking his chair and numerous plates of food with him. The clatter echoed through the hall and people stopped their conversations to watch the event unfold. A few women screamed at the sight of Numair on the floor and a large badger sat on top his chest.
"Lord Badger" Numair greeted, Thank You for dropping in on me"
"This is no time for your cheek," the Badger God said, "What do you think you are doing?"
"This is a ball is in mine and Varice's honour. We were wed today"
"I know" he replied gruffly "Why?"
"Because I love her" replied the mage puzzled "And she loves me. You should know-"
"Of course I know why people marry" he half-shouted "I want to know why you married her when Daine-"
"Daine is dead" Numair interrupted "I have to live my own life now, I-"
"You loved Daine, did you not? And she is no-"
The badger god disappeared suddenly. Numair sat up slowly and Varice rushed to his side.
"What was that about?" she questioned, wrapping her arm round Numair's shoulders.
" I do not have any idea" he muttered "Would you mind if we left for awhile you Majesty?" he said to Jon.
"Take as long as you need" the King replied, concern in his eyes.
Before anyone could move Thayet stood suddenly. "I told you" she half- shouted "I knew we should still be looking for Daine now!" and she ran from the hall, leaving an uncomfortable silence behind her.
"Lord Badger, we told you we wanted no interference from the mortals" Mithros voice boomed "We Gods can handle the matter"
"That's why it has taken us over three years to realise what has happened to my daughter then?" Weiryn said stepping forward.
Mithros glared at him "We had to be sure to was Enchantress Chalice's doing, God Of the Hunt"
"I do not see how this does not effect her mortal friends. They have a right to be told she is still alive," the Badger argued.
"But with interference from them we would not have been able to catch Chalice. Now we know she still has power we can strip it from her" the Great Goddess said kindly.
"But why would such a powerful Enchantress be bothered with my daughter" Sarra said quietly "She's just a young girl"
"We shall bring her here to find out, Green Lady. She shall not be looked upon lightly." Mithros said, kindness in his powerful voice.
"What I would like to know," cackled the Graveyard Hag "Is how come she still has power and why we cannot get through to the girl. Her memory is in pieces"
"That stone she wore" Kidunka commented, "I always believed she hid some of her power in it"
"Where did she get such a great power from?" Sarra asked uncertainly.
The badger turned to her "She gave her soul to one of the Gods of her world, the Devil, in return for infinite power. But in anger she destroyed her own world and God, Mithros's brother, stripped her of her powers. He had no world to govern and no were to place her so he gave her to us and we allowed her to live here, thinking she would cause us no concern"
"A grave mistake then" the Graveyard Hag cackled.
"Yes" said Mithros "And one not so easily repaired"
"So what must we do?" the Great Goddess asked, turning to Mithros.
"We shall call her here to find out what she has done to the child" he replied.