Travel to the Past:
Part Four
This was bad. This was very, very bad. Willow looked around, desperately searching for some sort of landmark, but nothing looked familiar. She started to run down a back alleyway, hoping it was some sort of shortcut. Willow couldn't see where the alley ended, it twisted and turned, acting more like a maze than a possible escape room. She heard a horse whinny from somewhere behind her. Willow gasped and pumped her legs harder. She couldn't let the person on horse's back catch her, or she'd be doomed.
A sharp turn to the left came in the alleyway. As she turned, her feet hit a patch of ice, and she fell, her body contorting violently in an attempt to catch herself. Her ankle slammed into the opposite wall, and bent at an unnatural angle. Willow screamed, hearing the bone crack loudly. She could hear the horse's feet pounding against the tightly packed snow. The rider pulled the horse into a quick stop as she was spotting, laying helpless on the ice. The rider dismounted, and grabbed her wrist. Willow screamed again and tried to pull her wrist away, but it was futile.
"Stop screaming, Willow!" Willow gasped and looked up. It was Thomas! The thickly padded winter clothes had masked his lithe form beyond recognition.
"Oh, I'm so glad it's you, Thomas.. I think I broke my ankle.." She told him. Without a word, Thomas picked her up and set her down on the horse, before mounting behind her. Wrapping his arms around her, Thomas grabbed the reins and set off at a healthy canter.
"I'm taking you home, Willow." He said, simply. Willow whipped her head around, trying to face him as best she could.
"Home? You mean to the boarding school? Don't take me home, Thomas! I can't go home!" She began to plead. He ignored her, stating simply,
"It's where you belong, Willow. Stop fighting, and come home. Now." There wasn't a hopeful hint in his voice, it was a pure command.
"No!" She exclaimed, and began to push at his arms, trying to throw one of them off the horse. Despite being thin, he was also very toned, and easily kept her trapped on the horse. Desperate to escape, Willow pulled her legs up and vaulted herself off the horse, ignoring the blinding pain from her ankle. She thrashed her limbs violently, trying to grab a hold of something. Finally turning her head forward, she found herself about to hit the alleyway wall dead on. Willow opened her mouth to scream, but it was cut short as her head hit the wall, the thick sound vibrating in the air. Blood gushed from a large wound, staining the pure white snow. Willow felt herself falling into the cold darkness, unable to save herself.
Reaching out for something, anything, she encountered a soft, slightly mushy object. Willow gasped and sat straight up, looking around. She was laying in the same makeshift bed she had been sleeping in for the past month now. She had thrown off her covers and shoved her pillows away during the night, explaining why she felt so cold in the dream. Examining her ankle, she found it intact and properly functioning. Rearranging her bed correctly, she groaned slightly and laid back down. Thomas? She hadn't thought about Thomas since the 2nd day after she had been transporting back in time almost 400 years, to the time where her ancestor Ariel Serenity existed. Willow yawned and rubbed her eyes, thinking about how adamant she had been about staying.
"Well, it makes sense, I suppose." She said softly to herself. It had been a full month since she had arrived in this ancient version of her hometown. She had met more interesting and beautiful people in this single month than she had met throughout her entire life back in the modern world. She loved everything about ancient Corus: the balls, the absence of democracy, the abundance of joy that seemed to float through the entire city, living the palace, mingling with knights and nobles.. everything. There wasn't a single thing in the city Willow didn't embrace with open arms.
"Why should I ever go back?" She asked herself. Her mind drifted back to her parents, who didn't see her as often as she liked, but loved her dearly. There were her friends from school, and Thomas as well. They were probably worried sick about her back home. Willow sighed, and rolled in bed again, growing restless. She knew she would have to go back home eventually. It was all just a matter of finding that simple little red book, reading the spell, and traveling back to the simple life.
"I shouldn't worry." She told herself. "Once I find the book, I'll be able to go back when I'm ready. No sooner." Content with that thought, Willow closed her eyes and drifted back to sleep.
~*~
"I hate January." Ariel announced over breakfast that morning. Anthony laughed, and Willow raised an eyebrow.
"Do you now, Aribelle?" He asked her. Hearing Anthony use that darling nickname made Willow smile. Ariel scowled.
"I do! And I hate February, too." Willow giggled, joining in on the interrogation.
"Why do you hate January and February, Ariel?" She asked her cousin. Ariel crossed her arms and pouted, looking no older than three.
"There's too much snow! It snows and it snows and it snows, and I still have to practice! It's horrible, awful torture." Ariel exclaimed, sighing dramatically. "I should just resign myself to the life of a noble lady and grow fat, staying inside all winter eating chocolates and tea." She announced, continuing her dramatic note. Willow cracked up, trying to imagine what Ariel would look at five feet and 300 pounds. Ariel's scowled deepened, and sighed again, throwing her hand against her forehead.
"Oh, nobody loves me! I live in a cruel, cruel world." Anthony laughed and rolled his eyes, kissing the top of her head.
"Go get bundled up for practice, Ari." Ari smiled at Anth and headed off to her room to get changed. Willow smiled and stood as well.
"I should be going. I'm meeting Matthew at the library. We're going to head down to Lower Corus today." Willow ran a brush through her hair, pulling it back into a horsetail. Anth smiled a bit.
"You've been spending a lot of time with Matthew this past month. This is Matthew Beaumont, right?" Willow nodded,
"Yeah, he's a Beaumont." Anthony smirked.
"Good to know you've finally found yourself a lover, Willow." Willow gasped, becoming flustered and red in the face.
"A lover?! No, no, Matthew is just my friend! We have common interests, we enjoy hanging out together. It's nothing like that, Anthony. Girls and boys can be just friends, you know." Anthony laughed and finished off his coffee with a long sip.
"Sure, I know. I'm just teasing, Willow." Willow blushed slightly,
"Oh!" He grinned.
"Go meet up with Matthew, Will. I don't want to make you late." Willow smiled and nodded her goodbye to Anthony, heading out for the library.
As Willow walked to the library, she kept Matthew on her mind. Was it possible for her to be simply friends with him? They had spent a lot of time together over the past month, becoming best friends very easily. What if something more was to come of this? Willow laughed softly to herself and shook her head, pushing the thoughts to the back of her mind. It was a beautiful but freezing January afternoon. The sun reflected brightly off the sparse snow on the ground, and the virgin flakes that were beginning to fall softly as Willow headed to her rendezvous.
By the time Willow had reached the library, the snow had begun to fall considerably faster and with much more force. Willow debated briefly about telling Matthew they needed to reschedule their latest scholarly meeting, but decided against it, instead mentally vowing to leave earlier than normal. She would simply head straight from Lower Corus, where they would be searching for that bothersome little red book, rather than heading back to Matthew's apartment or the library afterwards. It would be that simple. Or at least she hoped so.
Heading up the stairs, she found Matthew wrapping his tattered scarf tightly around his neck, picking up a poorly knitted hat and pulling it over his messy hair. Willow smiled, and stopped midway.
"Ready to go, Matthew?" She questioned. He jumped and looked up, startled.
"Willow! Yes, yes, of course I'm ready to go. Do you have gloves, a hat? Are you layered?" Willow laughed and nodded, and Matthew grinned.
"And I brought some blankets and food over.. I thought we could have dinner here..you know, a literary picnic." Matthew told her, his expression somewhere between hopelessly hopeful and utterly embarrassed. Willow faltered, thinking about the promise she had made to herself only minutes earlier. The last thing she wanted to happen was to get stuck at some seedy inn or all night pub in Lower Corus. She looked up at Matthew to decline the offer, and faltered again, seeing the look on his face. She coughed and took a breath, smiling and biting the inside of her cheek as a reprimand.
"That sounds lovely, Matthew. I'm sure it'll be the best part of the day." Matthew's face broke out into a wide grin, and the two headed down the stairs to the main doors.
They began the long walk to Lower Corus in silence, Willow watching the now moderately heavy snowfall, Matthew watching Willow watch the snow. A conversation finally struck up between the two. They talked about anything and everything, and before they knew it, they had arrived in the district of Lower Corus Matthew felt they would have the greatest chance of success in. Matthew lead Willow into a tiny, darkly-lit shop. The entire store could not have been larger than a small apartment, and with less room to move about in. Along every wall, book cases stood, reaching up to the ceiling, books dangerously close to spilling out. Independent stacks of books that came as high as Willow's hip created several aisles in the center of the store, and off to the right of the door sat a small table and stool, where the owner of the shop sat, reading. He was an older man, most likely about 60 years of age. His bald head was dotted lightly with age spots, and upon his nose sat thick spectacles in gold frames. The man was clad in tunic and hose that were the color of dirty wash water, and the leather shoes on his feet had holes in them. Willow looked to Matthew, and he tilted his head slightly, motioning for Willow to follow him through the first makeshift aisle.
"A little red leather book, right?" He asked, browsing through the hundreds of volumes, occasionally picking up a book for himself. Willow nodded, heading over to the far side of the store. Despite finding several introductory volumes to philosophy, the search through the small store was fruitless. Matthew took Willow's books from her and placed them all on the table. The man glanced up from his book and dog-eared a page, placing it down. He readjusted his rear end on the wooden stool and coughed, leaning over the table.
"Seven books..let's see here..carry the 2.." The man murmured to himself, scratching out the math on a tear of paper. "That'll be 30 coppers." He announced after several moments. Before Willow could even reach for her change purse, Matthew had produced the due charge, and the man was wrapping up the books in a bundle.
"Matthew!" She exclaimed, looking up at him indignantly, her hands on her hips. Matthew laughed,
"Don't worry about it, Willow, I wanted to. Besides, you need to save all your money in case we find that little red book you're talking about, and it turns out to be some kind of ancient heirloom. Now *those* are expensive." He replied, and took the wrapped bundle, thanking the shop owner. The man vocalized a sound somewhere between a grunt and a grumble that the pair took as a response, and left the store.
Willow and Matthew searched through several more book shops during the afternoon, but the little red book was not in any of them. Each time Willow left a new store and ventured back out onto the streets of Lower Corus, she noticed how quickly the snow was building up. By the time they began their walk to the Royal Library, a solid eight inches of snow sat upon the streets of the city. Willow looked up at the palace nervously; the snow showed no signs of stopping soon. It was hard enough at present to walk anywhere, if three or four more inches settled, she doubted she would be able to make it back safely. Matthew, however, seemed less than concerned about what seemed to be an incoming blizzard. He marched along the road contentedly, ignoring the snow that was drenching the bottom of his pants, and no doubt his shoes. She laughed quietly to herself, watching him trudge through the white nuisance. She'd never met anyone in her life quite like Matthew. He was funny, almost goofy, but incredibly shy and quiet at the same time. A true introvert, Willow thought to herself. Just like me, really, she thought, thinking of her own mannerisms. Thomas had always said she was moody, not introverted, but Willow knew better. She was equally content to spend time with her friends as she was to sit alone for hours on end, engrossed in a good book. Willow smiled, looking up at Matthew. No wonder we connected so easily, she said silently. We're similar, but we have a lot to teach each other. That was the best kind of relationship there was, in Willow's opinion.
"Hey, Matthew?" She asked as they turned right onto University Lane, the street the library sat upon. He looked down at her, making a face as he finally realized what his poor pants had endured.
"Yes?"
"Do you think the snow's going to stop soon? We won't be snowed in, will we? I mean, being snowed in a library is a wonderful fantasy, but I'm not sure about the reality." She asked, her eyes following snowflakes as they danced down from the heavens slowly, taking residence on their coats and in their hair.
"I'm sure it'll stop. The biggest snowstorms usually fall in December and February. They usually skip January, we don't need to worry." He told her, and pulled on the brass handle of the library's main doors. The doors opened several inches and then stopped.
"What the.." Matthew mumbled, and pulled again. Willow heard the cartilage in his elbow rumble, and he let go, wincing slightly.
"It must be the snow, we'll have to shovel it out of the way with our hands or something." Willow said, and begin moving layers of snow with the side of her shoe. After several minutes, they had cleared a path for the door, and it swung open and closed with ease, though the snow was quickly piling in front of it again. Willow gave the infant pile a nervous glance, and walked inside.
As Matthew stoked the fire and set up the literary picnic he had promised her, Willow doodled idly on a piece of paper, thinking about her real life. What if she never found that silly little book? She'd live out her entire life in a time she really didn't belong in. She loved everything about Corus, but once in awhile, Willow desperately wanted to have access to a computer, or just settle down next to her newly found friends and watch something on television. And that was only the tip of the iceberg. She had been in Corus for slightly over a month now, and the yearning to tell someone the truth about herself was starting to build. Thinking about the people she knew now, she wondered how they would react. Ariel would take it in stride with a squeak and a witty comment, as usual. Ian and Anthony would probably go wide-eyed for a moment, and then burst out laughing and what they would assume was a joke. Mel may believe her, Willow couldn't be sure, but she didn't seem like the type of person who'd want to sit back and here about the hundreds of alien concepts that Willow knew about. Dominic and Simon would tease, and Ane would gasp and write every word she spoke down in her blank book, thinking about what a wonderful novel her tall tale would make.
And then there was Matthew. Matthew was forever pouring over thick volumes, day after day, searching for new theories, and projects and idea that would either prove or refute them. Anything new and intellectually challenging captivated him. Willow smirked slightly, imagining how he would react if she tried to describe the Internet to him - how he would be able to reach practically any document in milliseconds. She could see how his eyes would light up as she explained electricity to him, and then the amazement drifted away as he realized that that meant the Gift had become archaic, and practically nonexistent. Willow frowned, thinking about how her world treated the rare children who were born so richly Gifted that they were not able to simply not use it. Those children were taken away from their families at a very young age - often before a real bond was formed between the parents and the infant. The parents were always too scared of their child's power to try to raise them, instead choosing the same method every parent did. There was a school set up, far in the mountains, where the children were raised by teachers and mentors, completely isolated from mainstream society. The children were taught how to develop and therefore control their ability. Those who mastered the concept and overcame the rejection of their parents were able to be reintroduced into society, with no one the wiser. However, most times as the children grew older and learned the truth about their special school, they became depressed and reclusive. Most ended up living as students and then teachers at the same school, others ran away and died or became mountain hermits. Rarely, some went back to society and became activists, speaking out against the segregation of the Gifted. Willow knew several of the activists It was one of the few political aspects of her personality, but she was very adamant about it. She smiled broadly, watching the royal green air shimmer around Matthew's hand, in the air, and in the now roaring flames of the fire. It was one of the aspects Willow loved most about the ancient world she was now slowly becoming a part of - the freedom.
Matthew looked over at Willow, smiling gently as he watched he daydream.
"Willow? Dinner's ready." He called to her. Willow blinked and looked over at him.
"Sorry, what?" He laughed softly.
"I said, dinner's ready." He motioned to the floor, where a large, thick red blanket was spread out. Sitting upon the blanket was several bowls and plates, each with something different on them. Willow smiled and walked over, sitting down on the blanket and taking a plate, filling it with sampling from all the dishes. Matthew sat and did the same, and they ate quietly.
After they finished, Matthew packed up all the dishes into a large pack he had with him, and folded up the blanket. The two gathered up the rest of their things, and headed towards the door. Willow yawned - this had been fun, but she was tired and ready to go home and go to bed, now. Matthew grinned and ruffled her hair.
"I'll talk to you tomorrow, all right?" She nodded.
"Okay. Thanks for today, and dinner and everything, it was a lot of fun." Matthew smiled gently at her.
"It was my pleasure." He told her, and pushed on the door. It didn't open. Matthew scowled and pushed again, harder this time. The door moaned and creaked open an inch. Willow gasped. Keeping the door closed was a solid four feet the snow, the result of the heavy snow and gusting winds. Willow knew that whenever there was a sizable amount of snow and wind that large snow drifts were possible, but the thought hadn't even crossed her mind that it would get to be so deep. Matthew grunted and pushed against the door again, but to no avail. The snow was there, and it was not going away. He sighed, leaning against it.
"What are we going to do? We're stuck here." He told her. Willow scowled. She knew this was going to happen - she had even promised herself she was going to purposely go home early to avoid this from happening. And yet, she was stuck in the library. Looking around, she noticed the large red blanket sitting with Matthew's things.
"We have a blanket. We'll have to set up camp in front of the fire, and wait until someone bails us out. There's no way to contact anyone, is there?" She asked. Matthew shook his head, spreading out the blanket.
"Nope. We have a fire going, and I'm sure every house in Corus does too, but I'm not trained well enough with my Gift to do anything with that." Matthew doubled the blanket over, creating a makeshift sleeping bag. "Go ahead, crawl in and go to sleep." He said to Willow, who sat down and began to unlace her boots.
"What about yourself? Do you have another blanket?"
"No," he said, shaking his head. "I'll sleep on the ground next to the fire, or in a chair or something. I'll be fine."
"Matthew, it's cold. You need to be under the blanket too." She told him, flushing slightly as she realized that meant they would both be sharing a space of only a few feet. They'd be right next to each other, all night. Maybe even touching. Willow felt her cheeks begin to burn. Matthew turned redder than Willow's hair and looked down at the floor.
"I..well.." He coughed, glancing at her and then back at the floor. "Would you mind?" He asked shyly. Willow fidgeted with the shoelaces in her hands, her eyes glued to a piece of snow that sat slowly melting on the floor.
"No..I-I mean..you'd get sick..no..I don't..mind, that is.." She said, stumbling over the words, wondering where her ability to speak coherently had gone. Matthew nodded, slightly.
"Um..well..I mean..alright.." He replied, just as awkward. Cautiously, Willow slipped into the makeshift sleeping back, trying to relax as Matthew laid down next to her. Willow's breath caught in her throat as Matthew's arm slid along her own. She coughed slightly, and managed a petite smile at him.
"Goodnight.." She said, squeaking slightly. He nodded, scrounging up a small smile to return hers.
"Goodnight, Willow." With that, they both turned over onto opposite sides, their backs towards each other, and fell asleep.
Willow had no dreams of Thomas and icy alleyways that night. Her sleep was peaceful, protected. By what she could not be sure, although in the back of her mind she knew it was Matthew. When she woke up this morning and found his arm slung over her stomach, him sleeping on his stomach like a baby, her thoughts were confirmed. She smiled slightly, and closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth. Willow lay for a long time like that, in a drifting state between consciousness and sleep. She breathed deeply, inhaling his unique scent. It was a combination of expensive lotions and oils, the rich musk of the library, and another scent Willow couldn't quite place. When they mingled and formed his smell, they were intoxicating, almost like a drug. She could have laid there forever, and she planned to for a short while. Until Matthew woke up, at least.
He stirred gently, and she didn't even notice at first. It wasn't until she heard a quiet stammer, and his arm move quickly from her stomach that Willow realized Matthew had woken up. She blushed, realizing the full extent of the situation they had been in and what its implications were, and wondered if she should even bother opening her eyes and facing him. After several long moments, Matthew had regained his composure enough that he was again blessed with the ability to form a coherent sentence.
"A-are you awake, W-Willow?" He stuttered quietly. Taking a deep breath, Willow shook her head slightly, hoping the blush would disperse, and opened her eyes. Matthew was leaning over her, his hair falling along his forehead and into large blue eyes, creating slanted shadows upon his face. His lips were parted slightly with breath, and he was staring down at her. Willow couldn't but blush again, and she sat up to escape the scene.
"Yeah..yeah..I'm up.." She said, running her hands through her hair in a futile attempt to look presentable. She heard Matthew shuffle behind her, and then smelt something very good. Turning around, she found him heating a plate of leftovers over a small pile of hot coals. Willow smiled and moved to sit next to him.
"Are you always this prepared for freak snowstorms?" She asked him, grinning. Matthew laughed, his cheeks dusted with a blush.
"Of course. What kind of crazy hermit scholar would I be if I wasn't?" He replied, moving some of the food around with a fork. Willow couldn't help but smile.
"Not a very good one." She agreed, and continued to watch him make breakfast.
It was only a few hours after they had eaten breakfast that the Royal Library doors were thrown open, and a small band of snow-covered shovelers appeared.
"Willow!" Ariel squeaked, running up to her and throwing her arms around her cousin. "We were worried that the snowstorm had eaten you up and chopped you into little bitty pieces and that we'd have to scour the streets looking for your fingers and toes!" She exclaimed, hugging Willow tightly. Willow giggled and hugged her eccentric relative back.
"No, me and Matthew made it back here in time. We just spent the night, it wasn't that bad." From behind, Willow could hear Ian and Anth snickering and making comments, no doubt about the situation Willow and Matthew had spent the last 14 hours in. Willow scowled and shook her finger at them.
"You two shush and help us home, or I'll rat you out to Mel and Ariel!" Ariel grinned at Willow, and then turned to make a face at Anth.
"Oh, making faces at me, are you?" He challenged.
"Yes, and *you* can't do a thing about it!" Ariel retorted.
"Oh, I can too!" Anthony replied. With that, he charged forward and scooped Ariel into his arms, tickling her mercilessly. Ariel shrieked and hit his hands, trying to get him to stop between giggling fits.
"Anth!" She managed to grab his hands, and held them securely against her stomach. The two calmed down and smiled lovingly at each other. Ian cleared his throat.
"As sexy and lovey dovey as this library may make everyone else feel, *I* want to go back to the palace." With that comment, Anth pecked Ariel's lips and released her. The group of five gathered up everything, and began to walk home. Looking around, Willow saw that at least three feet of snow had fallen, and the final depth of the snow drifts weighing against the Library doors was almost nine feet. If Tortall had looked magical before, it was indescribable now. A pristine blanket lay over the entire city, glistening on every rooftop and sleeping peacefully in front of each citizen's front door.
"Hey, Will?" Ariel said after a long silence had enveloped the group on the walk back. Willow looked at Ariel.
"Yeah?"
"Why were you down in Lower Corus all day, anyway?" Willow grinned and shook her head.
"It's a long story, Ari. But it's not important right now." Ariel shrugged, placated by the answer, and the band marched on.
~*~
The rest of the winter passed fairly uneventfully. Ariel continued to wake up and complain about practicing in the cold weather, and Willow continued to spend most of her time with Matthew, either pouring over books, searching for Numair's journal, or just enjoying each other's company. Willow had no doubts that she loved Matthew, but despite how many times Ariel insisted, she always replied that she loved him, but was not *in* love with him. It was impossible not to love him, though. Matthew was, by far, the closest and most loyal friend Willow had ever had. He understood her, and there was a deep trust that ran between them. Willow trusted Matthew more than she'd ever trusted anyone else, even her parents, even Ariel. She didn't know exactly what inside her had connected so profoundly with Matthew, but something obviously did to create the relationship she held with him.
Spring came early to Tortall this year. By mid-March, the temperatures had soared into the mid 70s and seemed content to stay there. Willow had never really had a preference on weather types - as long as it wasn't too extreme, she was happy. Ariel, on the other hand, was acting like a child in a candy store. Every morning she woke up and bolted into Anth's room, attacking him with tickles and squeaks about how the sun was shining and the birds were singing and the snow was gone forever. Willow couldn't be sure, but underneath all the annoyed grunts and groans, she thought Anth enjoyed the rude awakening. It was painfully obviously that the two were madly in love. She couldn't figure out what was keeping Ariel from moving in with Anthony, other than the fact she only lived a door frame away at present.
Willow had woken up early that morning, and was quietly going about getting dressed and concocting breakfast for herself, when there was a knock at Ariel's door. The small redhead in the bed groaned, and sat up, rubbing her eyes.
"Do you want me to get it for you, Ari?" Willow asked, pulling on a shirt. Ariel made some sort of sound, and stumbled out of bed. Willow laughed and went to open the door, as Ariel searched blindly for her pants. As the door opened, Willow was confronted with a beautiful young woman whom she did not recognize. The woman had pale blonde hair that was very fine, and long, falling almost to her hips. Her skin was peaches and cream, her eyes sapphires. Her build was very slim, accentuating by the fitted summer dress she worn in pale yellow. She stood a few inches taller than Willow, at about 5'5". Willow smiled politely, feeling somewhat shadowed by the woman's appearance.
"May I help you?" She asked as she heard Ariel come up behind her. Ariel gapsed.
"Summer!" Ariel squeezed past Willow and hugged the woman. Willow blinked - Summer? Ariel knew this woman? Summer smiled brightly.
"Hey, Ari. How is my darling baby sister?" Ariel grinned and lead Summer inside the room. Willow balked - they were *sisters*? They looked nothing like one another! Other than the small build. And the nose. And the smile. And the skin tone. Willow laughed quietly to herself, wondering how she had overlooked the details the first time. Despite their hair colour and a few other traits, they were quite obviously sisters. Willow's thoughts were confirmed when she heard Summer squeak. Willow smiled and closed the door, going over to sit down with the two girls. Summer had laid out a beautiful pale pink dress on the table, and Ariel was fingering the fabric, running her fingers over the embroidery.
"Other than the fact it's pink, I love it, Summer." Ariel said, smiling. "It'll fit me, right?" Summer nodded.
"It should. We only took your measurements a few months ago, and unless you've gained a lot of weight," she paused, pinching her younger sister's flat stomach, "You should be fine." Summer grinned as Ariel squirmed away from her sister's pinching hands.
"I don't gain weight." She said indignantly, and Willow laughed. Summer looked over to her, smiling.
"I don't think we've ever met, have we? I'm Summer Serenity, Ariel's sister." She offered her hand, which Willow shook. She was slightly taken aback - Summer's grip was strong and firm, something she wasn't expecting from the fragile-looking woman.
"I'm Willow Serenity, your cousin." Willow said with a grin. Summer laughed, surprised.
"I should have known! It's not often a girl looks so similar to Ariel without there being a familial connection." Willow grinned. She liked this girl.
"So, what's the dress for?" Willow asked Summer, who beamed brightly.
"My wedding. Ariel's going to be a bridesmaid."
"Oh! Congratulations! Who are you getting married to?" Summer smiled.
"His name is Tomas of Genlith. Technically, it's an arranged marriage, but I love him.." She said. Willow smiled. It was obvious in the way her voice changed slightly when she talked about her finacé that they truly were in love.
"I wish you all the best." Willow told her sincerely. Ariel, who had been quiet and generally uninvolved through most of the conversation, suddenly perked up.
"Are you gonna invite her to the wedding, Summer? I think you should." Ariel said, her voice full of authority. Summer laughed.
"Of course she's invited, if she wants to come." Willow smiled broadly,
"I'd love to come. I've never been to a wedding before.." She told Summer. Ariel gasped.
"You've *never* been a wedding? That means I get to dress you up and play with your hair and put make-up on you again, just like the time you went to a ball!" Willow giggled, and threw up her hands in mock defeat.
"Sure." She said, and the three continued their conversation of the wedding.
The wedding day approached quickly. On April 4th, a palace servant paid by Ariel came in and woke Willow, Ariel and Anthony up early. The three bathed, and Ariel put on her bridesmaid's gown, having Willow tie up the corset for her. She giggled, looking down at her small chest, which the corset had pushed up and out so prominently.
"This is so crazy, they're all poofy and poking out and *there*! They've never been that there before!" She told Willow, and then continued to fiddle with her hair. Finally deciding on a simply bun held in place with a jeweled clip, Ariel finished dolling herself up and went to work on Willow.
Earlier in the week, Willow and Ariel had gone on a hunt through the markets of Corus, searching for the perfect outfit for the wedding. Despite Willow's protests, Ariel insisted it had to be light coloured, possibly even white. At the end of the day, they had both decided on a pale blue dress. It was made of an airy linen fabric, perfect for the summer-like temperatures. The sleeves were short and puffed out slightly, and the stiching was dark blue. Despite Willow's protests, Ariel had bought the style that included a corset, and was now forced to have her own petite breasts pushed out into the world. Willow sighed, as best as she could. Oh well, she thought, it's not a big deal. She sat relatively still as Ariel twisted her hair into loose curls that cascaded over her shoulders softly. A few well-placed silver pins pulled the curls back slightly, opening her face more. A light dusting of makeup finished the outfit, and Willow smiled brightly. She was always incredibly happy with the way Ariel made her look. As Ariel was fussing with a piece of her hair that refused to stay back in the bun, Anth came through the connecting door without knocking. He was wearing a high collared black shirt that closed with polished silver buttons, and fitted black slacks. He looked like he was ready for a funeral. Ariel smiled brightly when she saw him.
"Why, if it isn't the Black God himself." She said, walking over to Anthony and hugging him tightly. Willow smiled, watching their lips touch briefly in a greeting. Willow couldn't be happier for Ariel. It was obvious that she and Anthony were meant to be together. Anthony grinned at the two small redheaded girls in the room, slipping his arm around the waist of the one who loved him with all her heart.
"Are you girls ready to go? We can't have someone that's important as Ariel is being late." Ariel giggled, and Willow smiled, nodding.
"Yeah, we're ready, Anth." He nodded, and the three left for the wedding.
Sitting in the middle of Upper Corus was the largest chapel Willow had ever seen in her life. Done completely in regal grey stone, it towered well over the manors of the nobles and other buildings. It was one of the few building that existed in all of Corus that was not dwarfed by the palace. Willow had seen it many times, her boarding school sat just down the street, but it modern times it was delapitaded and ignored. Several of the steeples and statues that gleamed in the spring sun had since collapsed into the actual building. For a long time, the ruins had been a popular place for tours, until a freak accident had claimed the life of an entire tour group. Since then, although it remained a historical site, it had not been touched, and continued to self-destruct more and more each day. Despite its large size, the doors were what impressed Willow the most. They were several inches thick, done in a deep mahogany. Both sides had been intricatedly carved, displaying scenes of the many royal marriages and funerals that had occured inside. The othre side of the doors appeared to have been carved much more crudely, and there was no apparent pattern or scene within the marks. Once they passed through these doors, Ariel kissed Anthony once more, and disappeared down a side hallway to find Summer and the other bridesmaids. The two reamaining guests walked down the aisle and took a seat near the front, on the bride's side. There was silence between Willow and Anthony for several minutes, until curiousity got the better of her, and Willow spoke.
"Anth, do you know why the inside of the doors look like that?" Anthony turned around in his seat, looking at the doors. His brows furrowed, looking like he was trying to remember the reason, and then something lit within his blue eyes.
"Oh, of course! Those markings are magical - they keep this place protected, from all kinds of things." Anth explained. Willow nodded, intruiged.
"What kinds of things, exactly?" She questioned. Anthony took another moment to think before formulating an answer.
"I think war and war crimes, mostly. It's said that people who have committed crimes against the king and haven't been caught can't pass through the doors because of the spells, but I don't know if I believe it or not." He told her. Willow mulled this over, digesting it thoroughly for the next several minutes. What if it was true? She smirked slightly, imagining a car alarm type sound resonating through the building as someone tried to come into the chapel. Willow continued to think on that subject, as well as several other matters of no important, until the wedding commenced.
The service, although long and sometimes mind-numbingly dull, was beautiful. Summer looked angelic in her gown, made of pure white silk and lace. A large, beaming smile was present on her, making her entire face glow with happiness. Her eyes gazed lovingly into Tomas', who looked quite dapper in black and white formal attire. After four hours, three different monks, eighteen chosen well-wishers, and several attempts at completing all the necessary rituals, Summer and Tomas were married. The newlyweds clasped each other's hands tightly and jogged out of the enourmous chapel, a cheering and whooping crowd following them, some throwing flower petals or grain. Tomas helped Summer into a white carriage and then climbed in, closing the door. The carriage driver looked around, watching, waiting for the rest of the guests to board their respective carriages. Several minutes later, the procession set off, heading for one of the many gardens of the palace.
The palace in spring was a breathtaking sight. Over one hundred gardeners worked full days, aiding the perennial plants and trees, and planting thousands of annuals. The shrub mazes were carefully groomed, the fountains polished, the trees and other plants fed. Sets of garden tables and chairs were taken out from storage and meticulously cleaned before being placed strategically throughout the vast greenery.
The area set aside for Summer's wedding reception was a small area nestled the mazes and the famous rose gardens. Hundreds of whitewashed steel tables and high-backed cushioned chairs had been set out on a large lawn. Planks of pine created the orchestra, leaving ample room for dancing. Under high, white tents sat over 20 chefs, all hired to prepare and serve the food for the reception, which ranged from roast duck to iced cream in three different flavours. Summer, Tomas, and all others involved in the wedding sat at a long pine table covered with a white linen table cloth. This table sat atop a small platform, perhaps five feet above the ground, allowing all that came to the reception to clearly see the blushing bride and proud groom.
Willow was placed at one of the normal tables, although she was very close to the bridal party. She smiled as she read through the list of guests who would be joining her table. Anthony Corganne, Ian Corganne, Melusine Desjardins, Matthew Beaumont, and two people she didn't know, Valentine March and Marcus LaSalle. After many minutes of sitting by herself at the table, a young woman with dark hair and gentle hazel eyes sat down across from Willow. She was tall and lean, her sleeveless dress revealed well-toned arms. The woman turned, examining the set-up of the reception. As she did, her hair fell away from her neck slightly, revealing the beginning of a jagged scar. Willow was beginning to have serious doubts that this woman, despite her graceful air, was a noble lady. Willow was beginning to work up the courage to ask the woman, who she assumed was Valentine March, if she was a noble lady when Matthew came up quietly and sat down next to Willow with a smile.
"Hey." He nudged her arm slightly, catching her attention. Blinking and looking away from the woman, Willow smiled brightly.
"Hey, Matthew. What took you so long, the other tables are almost completely filled. Speaking of which..what's taking *everyone* so long?" She questioned him, rather pointedly. Matthew laughed softly, and Willow couldn't help but smile to herself. She was sure there wasn't a loud bone in Matthew's body. Even when he was completely comfortable around someone, he was quiet. It was just his nature, and Willow loved that about him.
"Mel and Ian decided to stop at home, after they ended up taking off half of each other's clothes in the carriage. I guess they're just in one of those moods. Anthony was in the carriage with them, so he should be here soon. I came with Marcus and Valentine, and Marcus has been talking with Summer's parents since we got here." Matthew explained. Willow smirked. Ian and Melusine were like rabbits. Willow was surprised that Melusine had never been pregnant. She didn't know much about the use of contraception in the past, although she assumed it wasn't as effective as the contraception of the present day. Willow began to wonder about ancient methods of contraception and their place in the ethics of the average Tortallan, when Melusine, Ian and Anthony showed up at the table. Mel's hair, which had been in an intricate updo at the ceremony, was now down and cascading haphazardly around her face and upper body, and Willow noted with a small smirk that Ian's shirt was misbuttoned. Anthony was rolling his eyes, speaking quickly with Matthew and casting glances in Valentine's direction. Willow looked up to the bridal table and smiled at Ariel and Summer, her two supposedly cousins. They both smiled and waved back, obviously enjoying themselves immensely. Willow sighed slightly and rested her chin in her hand. Now she understood why her parents, on the occasion that she saw them and they had time to talk, complained about the weddings they had attended recently. Joyous occasion or not, it's no fun having no one to talk to. Willow thought to herself, glancing over at Matthew and Anthony. They seemed deep in conversation about one thing or another, Willow hadn't been paying particular attention. She was about to turn and try to strike up with the only other silent member of the table, Valentine March, when Matthew tapped her shoulder.
"Willow?" Willow turned around, looking at Matthew. He had the slightly reserved, very nervous look on his face that always appeared when he was about to ask her something that he didn't know her response to. This look appeared quite often.
"Yeah, Matthew?" She replied, idly wondering why she never called him Matt, as everyone else did.
"Would you like to dance?" Willow's breath caught slightly in her throat, surprised. Matthew was the last person on earth she would expect had the ability to dance. Willow herself was a close second, in her own mind. She could see in Matthew's eyes that his mind was beginning to interpret her hesitation as unwilling-ness, and she opened her mouth to answer him.
"Everyone else is.." He said hastily before she could answer. Willow laughed slightly, and smiled at him.
"Sure, I'd like to dance." Matthew's face brightened considerably, worry lines dissapearing. They both stood, and he lead her to the dance floor with only a mild level of awkwardness apparent in his steps.
They talked very little as they danced. Most of the songs being played were slow, and Willow found the closer she was to Matthew, the harder it was to her breathing rate normal, let alone hold a coherent conversation. She didn't understand why, but every time she looked up at him, into his large blue eyes, she felt as if she would faint. Emotions would wash over her with the force of tidal waves, and she was practically forced to move closer to Matthew to keep from falling. They danced through several songs, their palms sweating so much that by the end of the last song, they couldn't even hold their hands together without them sliding. As the song ended, Matthew and Willow laughed nervously, and walked back to their seats.
The rest of the wedding went off without a hitch. The food and cake was delicious, Tomas and Summer were obviously quite enamoured with one another, and Matthew and Willow managed to push their awkward dancing experience into the back of their minds and discuss cake philosophy for the remainder of the reception. As usual, the two lost track of time, and ended up being some of the last guests to leave. Summer thanked them both quite graciously for coming, and arranged to have one of the lingering carriages take Matthew home. Willow accompanied him along for the ride, as she had never seen where he lived and she was quite curious. The thought never crossed her mind that the real reason she went with him in the carriage was because she didn't want to leave him, and go back to Ariel's cold bed alone. She was sleeping in Ariel's bed now because Ariel was sleeping in Anthony. Surprise, surprise.
The carriage stopped in front of Twisting Vines Boarding Home, an apartment complex only two blocks from the Royal Library, and a popular place for University students and young scholars to live at. He pulled out a large, slightly rusty key, and tried to open the front door to the complex. Because it was privately owned and operated, people were not permitted to simply walk in from the street. Each tenant was given two keys - one to their specific apartment or suite, and another to the main door of the building. Matthew placed the key inside the lock and turned it. The locked clicked loudly, signaling that entrance was now permitted. Pushing on the door, however, Matthew found that it only opened a matter of inches before stopping. He growled slightly, something Willow had never heard him do before. She giggled a little, and looked at the lock, and then back to him.
"Troubles with the door?" She questioned innocently. He scowled.
"Yes. They didn't move the blanket that keeps the draft out - again."
"Well, that's no good. Let me try to open it." Matthew stepped back, and Willow pushed on the doorknob. The door strained and opened another inch.
"I think you have to jiggle it back and forth.." Matthew told her. Willow took his advice, and the door opening widened to six inches.
"I think if I just push on it hard, it'll open.." She said, and pushed. And her hand soared through the glass paneling that made up the top half the door, making a terrific shattering sound in the process. In shock, Willow retracted her hand quickly, looking at it. Her right index finger was cut, a thick stream of blood pulsing from it. Surprisingly enough, the wound didn't hurt, but it certainly was messy. Matthew's eyes widened,
"This isn't good.." He quickly took out his hankerchief, something Willow knew he had bought just for the wedding, and wrapped it around her finger.
"It doesn't hurt.." Willow said absently, still somewhat in shock. Matthew banged on the door until a disgruntled person who had clearly been asleep came down and let them in.
"Mithros, what was she trying to *do*?" The disgruntled sleeper asked as he saw the hankerchief around Willow's finger, which was quickly turning deep red.
"She was trying to open the door, because someone left the draft blocker in place, *again*." Matthew said, sounding slightly annoyed. The third person glanced back once more at Willow. The hankerchief was now completely red, and tiny droplets of blood were beading on it's edges.
"I'll go get a healer, Matthew." The third person said, and pulling their robe around themself tightly, went out into the warm night. It was several minutes before a healer arrived.
"Are you okay, Willow? Does it hurt?" Matthew asked, obviously concerned. Willow smiled slightly and shook her head, feeling fuzzy and dazed.
"No, it doesn't hurt.." She told him. "But my head feels fuzzy.." Matthew swallowed and tightened the hankerchief, causing several droplets of blood to fall onto her dress.
"I'm sorry about your dress.. I'll buy you a new one.." He told her, watching the blood soak in and stain. Willow shook her head absently.
"Don't worry about it, Matthew.." She told him, as the healer walked in the door. Matthew looked up, grateful that he had arrived. The disgruntled sleeper nodded to Matthew and went back upstairs to their room. The healer sat down in front of Willow, and carefully unwrapped the hankerchief from her finger.
"She cut it on the glass. Her hand just went right through the door.." Matthew told the healer, who nodded and absorbed the information without a word. Willow blinked several times, trying to decide if she should exert the energy to keep her eyes open. She quickly decided to when she saw a deep blue substance floating out of the healer's hands and begin to circle around her injured finger. Ignoring the messages of pain the nerves in her finger were sending to her brain, Willow watched intently as the deep blue substance pulled the two sides of the laceration together, and a thin layer of skin fused them together. She continued to stare at her finger and the quickly dissapating blue until the healer spoke.
"The laceration really wasn't that bad, so it's mostly healed right now. Keep it banaged for the next 2 or 3 days, and you'll be as good as new, save a small scar on your finger." Willow nodded,
"Alright. Thank you." She reached into her purse to retrieve his payment, but Matthew was quicker. Placing a hefty tip along with the payment in the healer's hand, Matthew thanked him several more times as he showed him to the door. After the healer left, he came back and sat down next to Willow, who was cradling her injured hand in her lap.
"You didn't have to do that, Matthew. I had money." She told him, smiling slightly at his kindness.
"It was my building's door that you hurt your hand in, and you were trying to do something for me when it happened. I think I'm entitled to pay the man." He replied with a small grin. She laughed,
"Even so, you didn't have to give him such a big tip. It took him all of five minutes to fix my finger." She reminded him, and Matthew shrugged, still grinning.
"I wanted to make sure you had the best care.." He said with a blush, and stood up. "You need to go home." He said quickly. Willow nodded and stood as well.
"Thank you again, Matthew. And today was fun." She said, deseperately searching her mind for a word less generic and meaningless than 'fun.' Finding nothing, she gave up and walked to the door with Matthew in silence.
"I'll come by tomorrow to see how you're doing, Willow." Matthew told her, and before she could turn to leave, he brushed his lips tenderly against her cheek again. Willow smiled and blushed crimson.
"Okay, Matthew. Bye.." She said softly, and walked over, looking over her shoulder at him several times during the short walk to the carriage. Once inside, she laid down, curling up on the seat. What was happening between her and Matthew? Thomas passed briefly through her thoughts, and then disappeared again into the vast blackness of Willow's subconcious. Whatever was brewing, whether it be romance or a deeper level of friendship, she liked it, Willow decided. She closed her eyes, and listened to the clicking of the horse's feet against the cobblestone. What a strange, wonderful place.
Part Four
This was bad. This was very, very bad. Willow looked around, desperately searching for some sort of landmark, but nothing looked familiar. She started to run down a back alleyway, hoping it was some sort of shortcut. Willow couldn't see where the alley ended, it twisted and turned, acting more like a maze than a possible escape room. She heard a horse whinny from somewhere behind her. Willow gasped and pumped her legs harder. She couldn't let the person on horse's back catch her, or she'd be doomed.
A sharp turn to the left came in the alleyway. As she turned, her feet hit a patch of ice, and she fell, her body contorting violently in an attempt to catch herself. Her ankle slammed into the opposite wall, and bent at an unnatural angle. Willow screamed, hearing the bone crack loudly. She could hear the horse's feet pounding against the tightly packed snow. The rider pulled the horse into a quick stop as she was spotting, laying helpless on the ice. The rider dismounted, and grabbed her wrist. Willow screamed again and tried to pull her wrist away, but it was futile.
"Stop screaming, Willow!" Willow gasped and looked up. It was Thomas! The thickly padded winter clothes had masked his lithe form beyond recognition.
"Oh, I'm so glad it's you, Thomas.. I think I broke my ankle.." She told him. Without a word, Thomas picked her up and set her down on the horse, before mounting behind her. Wrapping his arms around her, Thomas grabbed the reins and set off at a healthy canter.
"I'm taking you home, Willow." He said, simply. Willow whipped her head around, trying to face him as best she could.
"Home? You mean to the boarding school? Don't take me home, Thomas! I can't go home!" She began to plead. He ignored her, stating simply,
"It's where you belong, Willow. Stop fighting, and come home. Now." There wasn't a hopeful hint in his voice, it was a pure command.
"No!" She exclaimed, and began to push at his arms, trying to throw one of them off the horse. Despite being thin, he was also very toned, and easily kept her trapped on the horse. Desperate to escape, Willow pulled her legs up and vaulted herself off the horse, ignoring the blinding pain from her ankle. She thrashed her limbs violently, trying to grab a hold of something. Finally turning her head forward, she found herself about to hit the alleyway wall dead on. Willow opened her mouth to scream, but it was cut short as her head hit the wall, the thick sound vibrating in the air. Blood gushed from a large wound, staining the pure white snow. Willow felt herself falling into the cold darkness, unable to save herself.
Reaching out for something, anything, she encountered a soft, slightly mushy object. Willow gasped and sat straight up, looking around. She was laying in the same makeshift bed she had been sleeping in for the past month now. She had thrown off her covers and shoved her pillows away during the night, explaining why she felt so cold in the dream. Examining her ankle, she found it intact and properly functioning. Rearranging her bed correctly, she groaned slightly and laid back down. Thomas? She hadn't thought about Thomas since the 2nd day after she had been transporting back in time almost 400 years, to the time where her ancestor Ariel Serenity existed. Willow yawned and rubbed her eyes, thinking about how adamant she had been about staying.
"Well, it makes sense, I suppose." She said softly to herself. It had been a full month since she had arrived in this ancient version of her hometown. She had met more interesting and beautiful people in this single month than she had met throughout her entire life back in the modern world. She loved everything about ancient Corus: the balls, the absence of democracy, the abundance of joy that seemed to float through the entire city, living the palace, mingling with knights and nobles.. everything. There wasn't a single thing in the city Willow didn't embrace with open arms.
"Why should I ever go back?" She asked herself. Her mind drifted back to her parents, who didn't see her as often as she liked, but loved her dearly. There were her friends from school, and Thomas as well. They were probably worried sick about her back home. Willow sighed, and rolled in bed again, growing restless. She knew she would have to go back home eventually. It was all just a matter of finding that simple little red book, reading the spell, and traveling back to the simple life.
"I shouldn't worry." She told herself. "Once I find the book, I'll be able to go back when I'm ready. No sooner." Content with that thought, Willow closed her eyes and drifted back to sleep.
~*~
"I hate January." Ariel announced over breakfast that morning. Anthony laughed, and Willow raised an eyebrow.
"Do you now, Aribelle?" He asked her. Hearing Anthony use that darling nickname made Willow smile. Ariel scowled.
"I do! And I hate February, too." Willow giggled, joining in on the interrogation.
"Why do you hate January and February, Ariel?" She asked her cousin. Ariel crossed her arms and pouted, looking no older than three.
"There's too much snow! It snows and it snows and it snows, and I still have to practice! It's horrible, awful torture." Ariel exclaimed, sighing dramatically. "I should just resign myself to the life of a noble lady and grow fat, staying inside all winter eating chocolates and tea." She announced, continuing her dramatic note. Willow cracked up, trying to imagine what Ariel would look at five feet and 300 pounds. Ariel's scowled deepened, and sighed again, throwing her hand against her forehead.
"Oh, nobody loves me! I live in a cruel, cruel world." Anthony laughed and rolled his eyes, kissing the top of her head.
"Go get bundled up for practice, Ari." Ari smiled at Anth and headed off to her room to get changed. Willow smiled and stood as well.
"I should be going. I'm meeting Matthew at the library. We're going to head down to Lower Corus today." Willow ran a brush through her hair, pulling it back into a horsetail. Anth smiled a bit.
"You've been spending a lot of time with Matthew this past month. This is Matthew Beaumont, right?" Willow nodded,
"Yeah, he's a Beaumont." Anthony smirked.
"Good to know you've finally found yourself a lover, Willow." Willow gasped, becoming flustered and red in the face.
"A lover?! No, no, Matthew is just my friend! We have common interests, we enjoy hanging out together. It's nothing like that, Anthony. Girls and boys can be just friends, you know." Anthony laughed and finished off his coffee with a long sip.
"Sure, I know. I'm just teasing, Willow." Willow blushed slightly,
"Oh!" He grinned.
"Go meet up with Matthew, Will. I don't want to make you late." Willow smiled and nodded her goodbye to Anthony, heading out for the library.
As Willow walked to the library, she kept Matthew on her mind. Was it possible for her to be simply friends with him? They had spent a lot of time together over the past month, becoming best friends very easily. What if something more was to come of this? Willow laughed softly to herself and shook her head, pushing the thoughts to the back of her mind. It was a beautiful but freezing January afternoon. The sun reflected brightly off the sparse snow on the ground, and the virgin flakes that were beginning to fall softly as Willow headed to her rendezvous.
By the time Willow had reached the library, the snow had begun to fall considerably faster and with much more force. Willow debated briefly about telling Matthew they needed to reschedule their latest scholarly meeting, but decided against it, instead mentally vowing to leave earlier than normal. She would simply head straight from Lower Corus, where they would be searching for that bothersome little red book, rather than heading back to Matthew's apartment or the library afterwards. It would be that simple. Or at least she hoped so.
Heading up the stairs, she found Matthew wrapping his tattered scarf tightly around his neck, picking up a poorly knitted hat and pulling it over his messy hair. Willow smiled, and stopped midway.
"Ready to go, Matthew?" She questioned. He jumped and looked up, startled.
"Willow! Yes, yes, of course I'm ready to go. Do you have gloves, a hat? Are you layered?" Willow laughed and nodded, and Matthew grinned.
"And I brought some blankets and food over.. I thought we could have dinner here..you know, a literary picnic." Matthew told her, his expression somewhere between hopelessly hopeful and utterly embarrassed. Willow faltered, thinking about the promise she had made to herself only minutes earlier. The last thing she wanted to happen was to get stuck at some seedy inn or all night pub in Lower Corus. She looked up at Matthew to decline the offer, and faltered again, seeing the look on his face. She coughed and took a breath, smiling and biting the inside of her cheek as a reprimand.
"That sounds lovely, Matthew. I'm sure it'll be the best part of the day." Matthew's face broke out into a wide grin, and the two headed down the stairs to the main doors.
They began the long walk to Lower Corus in silence, Willow watching the now moderately heavy snowfall, Matthew watching Willow watch the snow. A conversation finally struck up between the two. They talked about anything and everything, and before they knew it, they had arrived in the district of Lower Corus Matthew felt they would have the greatest chance of success in. Matthew lead Willow into a tiny, darkly-lit shop. The entire store could not have been larger than a small apartment, and with less room to move about in. Along every wall, book cases stood, reaching up to the ceiling, books dangerously close to spilling out. Independent stacks of books that came as high as Willow's hip created several aisles in the center of the store, and off to the right of the door sat a small table and stool, where the owner of the shop sat, reading. He was an older man, most likely about 60 years of age. His bald head was dotted lightly with age spots, and upon his nose sat thick spectacles in gold frames. The man was clad in tunic and hose that were the color of dirty wash water, and the leather shoes on his feet had holes in them. Willow looked to Matthew, and he tilted his head slightly, motioning for Willow to follow him through the first makeshift aisle.
"A little red leather book, right?" He asked, browsing through the hundreds of volumes, occasionally picking up a book for himself. Willow nodded, heading over to the far side of the store. Despite finding several introductory volumes to philosophy, the search through the small store was fruitless. Matthew took Willow's books from her and placed them all on the table. The man glanced up from his book and dog-eared a page, placing it down. He readjusted his rear end on the wooden stool and coughed, leaning over the table.
"Seven books..let's see here..carry the 2.." The man murmured to himself, scratching out the math on a tear of paper. "That'll be 30 coppers." He announced after several moments. Before Willow could even reach for her change purse, Matthew had produced the due charge, and the man was wrapping up the books in a bundle.
"Matthew!" She exclaimed, looking up at him indignantly, her hands on her hips. Matthew laughed,
"Don't worry about it, Willow, I wanted to. Besides, you need to save all your money in case we find that little red book you're talking about, and it turns out to be some kind of ancient heirloom. Now *those* are expensive." He replied, and took the wrapped bundle, thanking the shop owner. The man vocalized a sound somewhere between a grunt and a grumble that the pair took as a response, and left the store.
Willow and Matthew searched through several more book shops during the afternoon, but the little red book was not in any of them. Each time Willow left a new store and ventured back out onto the streets of Lower Corus, she noticed how quickly the snow was building up. By the time they began their walk to the Royal Library, a solid eight inches of snow sat upon the streets of the city. Willow looked up at the palace nervously; the snow showed no signs of stopping soon. It was hard enough at present to walk anywhere, if three or four more inches settled, she doubted she would be able to make it back safely. Matthew, however, seemed less than concerned about what seemed to be an incoming blizzard. He marched along the road contentedly, ignoring the snow that was drenching the bottom of his pants, and no doubt his shoes. She laughed quietly to herself, watching him trudge through the white nuisance. She'd never met anyone in her life quite like Matthew. He was funny, almost goofy, but incredibly shy and quiet at the same time. A true introvert, Willow thought to herself. Just like me, really, she thought, thinking of her own mannerisms. Thomas had always said she was moody, not introverted, but Willow knew better. She was equally content to spend time with her friends as she was to sit alone for hours on end, engrossed in a good book. Willow smiled, looking up at Matthew. No wonder we connected so easily, she said silently. We're similar, but we have a lot to teach each other. That was the best kind of relationship there was, in Willow's opinion.
"Hey, Matthew?" She asked as they turned right onto University Lane, the street the library sat upon. He looked down at her, making a face as he finally realized what his poor pants had endured.
"Yes?"
"Do you think the snow's going to stop soon? We won't be snowed in, will we? I mean, being snowed in a library is a wonderful fantasy, but I'm not sure about the reality." She asked, her eyes following snowflakes as they danced down from the heavens slowly, taking residence on their coats and in their hair.
"I'm sure it'll stop. The biggest snowstorms usually fall in December and February. They usually skip January, we don't need to worry." He told her, and pulled on the brass handle of the library's main doors. The doors opened several inches and then stopped.
"What the.." Matthew mumbled, and pulled again. Willow heard the cartilage in his elbow rumble, and he let go, wincing slightly.
"It must be the snow, we'll have to shovel it out of the way with our hands or something." Willow said, and begin moving layers of snow with the side of her shoe. After several minutes, they had cleared a path for the door, and it swung open and closed with ease, though the snow was quickly piling in front of it again. Willow gave the infant pile a nervous glance, and walked inside.
As Matthew stoked the fire and set up the literary picnic he had promised her, Willow doodled idly on a piece of paper, thinking about her real life. What if she never found that silly little book? She'd live out her entire life in a time she really didn't belong in. She loved everything about Corus, but once in awhile, Willow desperately wanted to have access to a computer, or just settle down next to her newly found friends and watch something on television. And that was only the tip of the iceberg. She had been in Corus for slightly over a month now, and the yearning to tell someone the truth about herself was starting to build. Thinking about the people she knew now, she wondered how they would react. Ariel would take it in stride with a squeak and a witty comment, as usual. Ian and Anthony would probably go wide-eyed for a moment, and then burst out laughing and what they would assume was a joke. Mel may believe her, Willow couldn't be sure, but she didn't seem like the type of person who'd want to sit back and here about the hundreds of alien concepts that Willow knew about. Dominic and Simon would tease, and Ane would gasp and write every word she spoke down in her blank book, thinking about what a wonderful novel her tall tale would make.
And then there was Matthew. Matthew was forever pouring over thick volumes, day after day, searching for new theories, and projects and idea that would either prove or refute them. Anything new and intellectually challenging captivated him. Willow smirked slightly, imagining how he would react if she tried to describe the Internet to him - how he would be able to reach practically any document in milliseconds. She could see how his eyes would light up as she explained electricity to him, and then the amazement drifted away as he realized that that meant the Gift had become archaic, and practically nonexistent. Willow frowned, thinking about how her world treated the rare children who were born so richly Gifted that they were not able to simply not use it. Those children were taken away from their families at a very young age - often before a real bond was formed between the parents and the infant. The parents were always too scared of their child's power to try to raise them, instead choosing the same method every parent did. There was a school set up, far in the mountains, where the children were raised by teachers and mentors, completely isolated from mainstream society. The children were taught how to develop and therefore control their ability. Those who mastered the concept and overcame the rejection of their parents were able to be reintroduced into society, with no one the wiser. However, most times as the children grew older and learned the truth about their special school, they became depressed and reclusive. Most ended up living as students and then teachers at the same school, others ran away and died or became mountain hermits. Rarely, some went back to society and became activists, speaking out against the segregation of the Gifted. Willow knew several of the activists It was one of the few political aspects of her personality, but she was very adamant about it. She smiled broadly, watching the royal green air shimmer around Matthew's hand, in the air, and in the now roaring flames of the fire. It was one of the aspects Willow loved most about the ancient world she was now slowly becoming a part of - the freedom.
Matthew looked over at Willow, smiling gently as he watched he daydream.
"Willow? Dinner's ready." He called to her. Willow blinked and looked over at him.
"Sorry, what?" He laughed softly.
"I said, dinner's ready." He motioned to the floor, where a large, thick red blanket was spread out. Sitting upon the blanket was several bowls and plates, each with something different on them. Willow smiled and walked over, sitting down on the blanket and taking a plate, filling it with sampling from all the dishes. Matthew sat and did the same, and they ate quietly.
After they finished, Matthew packed up all the dishes into a large pack he had with him, and folded up the blanket. The two gathered up the rest of their things, and headed towards the door. Willow yawned - this had been fun, but she was tired and ready to go home and go to bed, now. Matthew grinned and ruffled her hair.
"I'll talk to you tomorrow, all right?" She nodded.
"Okay. Thanks for today, and dinner and everything, it was a lot of fun." Matthew smiled gently at her.
"It was my pleasure." He told her, and pushed on the door. It didn't open. Matthew scowled and pushed again, harder this time. The door moaned and creaked open an inch. Willow gasped. Keeping the door closed was a solid four feet the snow, the result of the heavy snow and gusting winds. Willow knew that whenever there was a sizable amount of snow and wind that large snow drifts were possible, but the thought hadn't even crossed her mind that it would get to be so deep. Matthew grunted and pushed against the door again, but to no avail. The snow was there, and it was not going away. He sighed, leaning against it.
"What are we going to do? We're stuck here." He told her. Willow scowled. She knew this was going to happen - she had even promised herself she was going to purposely go home early to avoid this from happening. And yet, she was stuck in the library. Looking around, she noticed the large red blanket sitting with Matthew's things.
"We have a blanket. We'll have to set up camp in front of the fire, and wait until someone bails us out. There's no way to contact anyone, is there?" She asked. Matthew shook his head, spreading out the blanket.
"Nope. We have a fire going, and I'm sure every house in Corus does too, but I'm not trained well enough with my Gift to do anything with that." Matthew doubled the blanket over, creating a makeshift sleeping bag. "Go ahead, crawl in and go to sleep." He said to Willow, who sat down and began to unlace her boots.
"What about yourself? Do you have another blanket?"
"No," he said, shaking his head. "I'll sleep on the ground next to the fire, or in a chair or something. I'll be fine."
"Matthew, it's cold. You need to be under the blanket too." She told him, flushing slightly as she realized that meant they would both be sharing a space of only a few feet. They'd be right next to each other, all night. Maybe even touching. Willow felt her cheeks begin to burn. Matthew turned redder than Willow's hair and looked down at the floor.
"I..well.." He coughed, glancing at her and then back at the floor. "Would you mind?" He asked shyly. Willow fidgeted with the shoelaces in her hands, her eyes glued to a piece of snow that sat slowly melting on the floor.
"No..I-I mean..you'd get sick..no..I don't..mind, that is.." She said, stumbling over the words, wondering where her ability to speak coherently had gone. Matthew nodded, slightly.
"Um..well..I mean..alright.." He replied, just as awkward. Cautiously, Willow slipped into the makeshift sleeping back, trying to relax as Matthew laid down next to her. Willow's breath caught in her throat as Matthew's arm slid along her own. She coughed slightly, and managed a petite smile at him.
"Goodnight.." She said, squeaking slightly. He nodded, scrounging up a small smile to return hers.
"Goodnight, Willow." With that, they both turned over onto opposite sides, their backs towards each other, and fell asleep.
Willow had no dreams of Thomas and icy alleyways that night. Her sleep was peaceful, protected. By what she could not be sure, although in the back of her mind she knew it was Matthew. When she woke up this morning and found his arm slung over her stomach, him sleeping on his stomach like a baby, her thoughts were confirmed. She smiled slightly, and closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth. Willow lay for a long time like that, in a drifting state between consciousness and sleep. She breathed deeply, inhaling his unique scent. It was a combination of expensive lotions and oils, the rich musk of the library, and another scent Willow couldn't quite place. When they mingled and formed his smell, they were intoxicating, almost like a drug. She could have laid there forever, and she planned to for a short while. Until Matthew woke up, at least.
He stirred gently, and she didn't even notice at first. It wasn't until she heard a quiet stammer, and his arm move quickly from her stomach that Willow realized Matthew had woken up. She blushed, realizing the full extent of the situation they had been in and what its implications were, and wondered if she should even bother opening her eyes and facing him. After several long moments, Matthew had regained his composure enough that he was again blessed with the ability to form a coherent sentence.
"A-are you awake, W-Willow?" He stuttered quietly. Taking a deep breath, Willow shook her head slightly, hoping the blush would disperse, and opened her eyes. Matthew was leaning over her, his hair falling along his forehead and into large blue eyes, creating slanted shadows upon his face. His lips were parted slightly with breath, and he was staring down at her. Willow couldn't but blush again, and she sat up to escape the scene.
"Yeah..yeah..I'm up.." She said, running her hands through her hair in a futile attempt to look presentable. She heard Matthew shuffle behind her, and then smelt something very good. Turning around, she found him heating a plate of leftovers over a small pile of hot coals. Willow smiled and moved to sit next to him.
"Are you always this prepared for freak snowstorms?" She asked him, grinning. Matthew laughed, his cheeks dusted with a blush.
"Of course. What kind of crazy hermit scholar would I be if I wasn't?" He replied, moving some of the food around with a fork. Willow couldn't help but smile.
"Not a very good one." She agreed, and continued to watch him make breakfast.
It was only a few hours after they had eaten breakfast that the Royal Library doors were thrown open, and a small band of snow-covered shovelers appeared.
"Willow!" Ariel squeaked, running up to her and throwing her arms around her cousin. "We were worried that the snowstorm had eaten you up and chopped you into little bitty pieces and that we'd have to scour the streets looking for your fingers and toes!" She exclaimed, hugging Willow tightly. Willow giggled and hugged her eccentric relative back.
"No, me and Matthew made it back here in time. We just spent the night, it wasn't that bad." From behind, Willow could hear Ian and Anth snickering and making comments, no doubt about the situation Willow and Matthew had spent the last 14 hours in. Willow scowled and shook her finger at them.
"You two shush and help us home, or I'll rat you out to Mel and Ariel!" Ariel grinned at Willow, and then turned to make a face at Anth.
"Oh, making faces at me, are you?" He challenged.
"Yes, and *you* can't do a thing about it!" Ariel retorted.
"Oh, I can too!" Anthony replied. With that, he charged forward and scooped Ariel into his arms, tickling her mercilessly. Ariel shrieked and hit his hands, trying to get him to stop between giggling fits.
"Anth!" She managed to grab his hands, and held them securely against her stomach. The two calmed down and smiled lovingly at each other. Ian cleared his throat.
"As sexy and lovey dovey as this library may make everyone else feel, *I* want to go back to the palace." With that comment, Anth pecked Ariel's lips and released her. The group of five gathered up everything, and began to walk home. Looking around, Willow saw that at least three feet of snow had fallen, and the final depth of the snow drifts weighing against the Library doors was almost nine feet. If Tortall had looked magical before, it was indescribable now. A pristine blanket lay over the entire city, glistening on every rooftop and sleeping peacefully in front of each citizen's front door.
"Hey, Will?" Ariel said after a long silence had enveloped the group on the walk back. Willow looked at Ariel.
"Yeah?"
"Why were you down in Lower Corus all day, anyway?" Willow grinned and shook her head.
"It's a long story, Ari. But it's not important right now." Ariel shrugged, placated by the answer, and the band marched on.
~*~
The rest of the winter passed fairly uneventfully. Ariel continued to wake up and complain about practicing in the cold weather, and Willow continued to spend most of her time with Matthew, either pouring over books, searching for Numair's journal, or just enjoying each other's company. Willow had no doubts that she loved Matthew, but despite how many times Ariel insisted, she always replied that she loved him, but was not *in* love with him. It was impossible not to love him, though. Matthew was, by far, the closest and most loyal friend Willow had ever had. He understood her, and there was a deep trust that ran between them. Willow trusted Matthew more than she'd ever trusted anyone else, even her parents, even Ariel. She didn't know exactly what inside her had connected so profoundly with Matthew, but something obviously did to create the relationship she held with him.
Spring came early to Tortall this year. By mid-March, the temperatures had soared into the mid 70s and seemed content to stay there. Willow had never really had a preference on weather types - as long as it wasn't too extreme, she was happy. Ariel, on the other hand, was acting like a child in a candy store. Every morning she woke up and bolted into Anth's room, attacking him with tickles and squeaks about how the sun was shining and the birds were singing and the snow was gone forever. Willow couldn't be sure, but underneath all the annoyed grunts and groans, she thought Anth enjoyed the rude awakening. It was painfully obviously that the two were madly in love. She couldn't figure out what was keeping Ariel from moving in with Anthony, other than the fact she only lived a door frame away at present.
Willow had woken up early that morning, and was quietly going about getting dressed and concocting breakfast for herself, when there was a knock at Ariel's door. The small redhead in the bed groaned, and sat up, rubbing her eyes.
"Do you want me to get it for you, Ari?" Willow asked, pulling on a shirt. Ariel made some sort of sound, and stumbled out of bed. Willow laughed and went to open the door, as Ariel searched blindly for her pants. As the door opened, Willow was confronted with a beautiful young woman whom she did not recognize. The woman had pale blonde hair that was very fine, and long, falling almost to her hips. Her skin was peaches and cream, her eyes sapphires. Her build was very slim, accentuating by the fitted summer dress she worn in pale yellow. She stood a few inches taller than Willow, at about 5'5". Willow smiled politely, feeling somewhat shadowed by the woman's appearance.
"May I help you?" She asked as she heard Ariel come up behind her. Ariel gapsed.
"Summer!" Ariel squeezed past Willow and hugged the woman. Willow blinked - Summer? Ariel knew this woman? Summer smiled brightly.
"Hey, Ari. How is my darling baby sister?" Ariel grinned and lead Summer inside the room. Willow balked - they were *sisters*? They looked nothing like one another! Other than the small build. And the nose. And the smile. And the skin tone. Willow laughed quietly to herself, wondering how she had overlooked the details the first time. Despite their hair colour and a few other traits, they were quite obviously sisters. Willow's thoughts were confirmed when she heard Summer squeak. Willow smiled and closed the door, going over to sit down with the two girls. Summer had laid out a beautiful pale pink dress on the table, and Ariel was fingering the fabric, running her fingers over the embroidery.
"Other than the fact it's pink, I love it, Summer." Ariel said, smiling. "It'll fit me, right?" Summer nodded.
"It should. We only took your measurements a few months ago, and unless you've gained a lot of weight," she paused, pinching her younger sister's flat stomach, "You should be fine." Summer grinned as Ariel squirmed away from her sister's pinching hands.
"I don't gain weight." She said indignantly, and Willow laughed. Summer looked over to her, smiling.
"I don't think we've ever met, have we? I'm Summer Serenity, Ariel's sister." She offered her hand, which Willow shook. She was slightly taken aback - Summer's grip was strong and firm, something she wasn't expecting from the fragile-looking woman.
"I'm Willow Serenity, your cousin." Willow said with a grin. Summer laughed, surprised.
"I should have known! It's not often a girl looks so similar to Ariel without there being a familial connection." Willow grinned. She liked this girl.
"So, what's the dress for?" Willow asked Summer, who beamed brightly.
"My wedding. Ariel's going to be a bridesmaid."
"Oh! Congratulations! Who are you getting married to?" Summer smiled.
"His name is Tomas of Genlith. Technically, it's an arranged marriage, but I love him.." She said. Willow smiled. It was obvious in the way her voice changed slightly when she talked about her finacé that they truly were in love.
"I wish you all the best." Willow told her sincerely. Ariel, who had been quiet and generally uninvolved through most of the conversation, suddenly perked up.
"Are you gonna invite her to the wedding, Summer? I think you should." Ariel said, her voice full of authority. Summer laughed.
"Of course she's invited, if she wants to come." Willow smiled broadly,
"I'd love to come. I've never been to a wedding before.." She told Summer. Ariel gasped.
"You've *never* been a wedding? That means I get to dress you up and play with your hair and put make-up on you again, just like the time you went to a ball!" Willow giggled, and threw up her hands in mock defeat.
"Sure." She said, and the three continued their conversation of the wedding.
The wedding day approached quickly. On April 4th, a palace servant paid by Ariel came in and woke Willow, Ariel and Anthony up early. The three bathed, and Ariel put on her bridesmaid's gown, having Willow tie up the corset for her. She giggled, looking down at her small chest, which the corset had pushed up and out so prominently.
"This is so crazy, they're all poofy and poking out and *there*! They've never been that there before!" She told Willow, and then continued to fiddle with her hair. Finally deciding on a simply bun held in place with a jeweled clip, Ariel finished dolling herself up and went to work on Willow.
Earlier in the week, Willow and Ariel had gone on a hunt through the markets of Corus, searching for the perfect outfit for the wedding. Despite Willow's protests, Ariel insisted it had to be light coloured, possibly even white. At the end of the day, they had both decided on a pale blue dress. It was made of an airy linen fabric, perfect for the summer-like temperatures. The sleeves were short and puffed out slightly, and the stiching was dark blue. Despite Willow's protests, Ariel had bought the style that included a corset, and was now forced to have her own petite breasts pushed out into the world. Willow sighed, as best as she could. Oh well, she thought, it's not a big deal. She sat relatively still as Ariel twisted her hair into loose curls that cascaded over her shoulders softly. A few well-placed silver pins pulled the curls back slightly, opening her face more. A light dusting of makeup finished the outfit, and Willow smiled brightly. She was always incredibly happy with the way Ariel made her look. As Ariel was fussing with a piece of her hair that refused to stay back in the bun, Anth came through the connecting door without knocking. He was wearing a high collared black shirt that closed with polished silver buttons, and fitted black slacks. He looked like he was ready for a funeral. Ariel smiled brightly when she saw him.
"Why, if it isn't the Black God himself." She said, walking over to Anthony and hugging him tightly. Willow smiled, watching their lips touch briefly in a greeting. Willow couldn't be happier for Ariel. It was obvious that she and Anthony were meant to be together. Anthony grinned at the two small redheaded girls in the room, slipping his arm around the waist of the one who loved him with all her heart.
"Are you girls ready to go? We can't have someone that's important as Ariel is being late." Ariel giggled, and Willow smiled, nodding.
"Yeah, we're ready, Anth." He nodded, and the three left for the wedding.
Sitting in the middle of Upper Corus was the largest chapel Willow had ever seen in her life. Done completely in regal grey stone, it towered well over the manors of the nobles and other buildings. It was one of the few building that existed in all of Corus that was not dwarfed by the palace. Willow had seen it many times, her boarding school sat just down the street, but it modern times it was delapitaded and ignored. Several of the steeples and statues that gleamed in the spring sun had since collapsed into the actual building. For a long time, the ruins had been a popular place for tours, until a freak accident had claimed the life of an entire tour group. Since then, although it remained a historical site, it had not been touched, and continued to self-destruct more and more each day. Despite its large size, the doors were what impressed Willow the most. They were several inches thick, done in a deep mahogany. Both sides had been intricatedly carved, displaying scenes of the many royal marriages and funerals that had occured inside. The othre side of the doors appeared to have been carved much more crudely, and there was no apparent pattern or scene within the marks. Once they passed through these doors, Ariel kissed Anthony once more, and disappeared down a side hallway to find Summer and the other bridesmaids. The two reamaining guests walked down the aisle and took a seat near the front, on the bride's side. There was silence between Willow and Anthony for several minutes, until curiousity got the better of her, and Willow spoke.
"Anth, do you know why the inside of the doors look like that?" Anthony turned around in his seat, looking at the doors. His brows furrowed, looking like he was trying to remember the reason, and then something lit within his blue eyes.
"Oh, of course! Those markings are magical - they keep this place protected, from all kinds of things." Anth explained. Willow nodded, intruiged.
"What kinds of things, exactly?" She questioned. Anthony took another moment to think before formulating an answer.
"I think war and war crimes, mostly. It's said that people who have committed crimes against the king and haven't been caught can't pass through the doors because of the spells, but I don't know if I believe it or not." He told her. Willow mulled this over, digesting it thoroughly for the next several minutes. What if it was true? She smirked slightly, imagining a car alarm type sound resonating through the building as someone tried to come into the chapel. Willow continued to think on that subject, as well as several other matters of no important, until the wedding commenced.
The service, although long and sometimes mind-numbingly dull, was beautiful. Summer looked angelic in her gown, made of pure white silk and lace. A large, beaming smile was present on her, making her entire face glow with happiness. Her eyes gazed lovingly into Tomas', who looked quite dapper in black and white formal attire. After four hours, three different monks, eighteen chosen well-wishers, and several attempts at completing all the necessary rituals, Summer and Tomas were married. The newlyweds clasped each other's hands tightly and jogged out of the enourmous chapel, a cheering and whooping crowd following them, some throwing flower petals or grain. Tomas helped Summer into a white carriage and then climbed in, closing the door. The carriage driver looked around, watching, waiting for the rest of the guests to board their respective carriages. Several minutes later, the procession set off, heading for one of the many gardens of the palace.
The palace in spring was a breathtaking sight. Over one hundred gardeners worked full days, aiding the perennial plants and trees, and planting thousands of annuals. The shrub mazes were carefully groomed, the fountains polished, the trees and other plants fed. Sets of garden tables and chairs were taken out from storage and meticulously cleaned before being placed strategically throughout the vast greenery.
The area set aside for Summer's wedding reception was a small area nestled the mazes and the famous rose gardens. Hundreds of whitewashed steel tables and high-backed cushioned chairs had been set out on a large lawn. Planks of pine created the orchestra, leaving ample room for dancing. Under high, white tents sat over 20 chefs, all hired to prepare and serve the food for the reception, which ranged from roast duck to iced cream in three different flavours. Summer, Tomas, and all others involved in the wedding sat at a long pine table covered with a white linen table cloth. This table sat atop a small platform, perhaps five feet above the ground, allowing all that came to the reception to clearly see the blushing bride and proud groom.
Willow was placed at one of the normal tables, although she was very close to the bridal party. She smiled as she read through the list of guests who would be joining her table. Anthony Corganne, Ian Corganne, Melusine Desjardins, Matthew Beaumont, and two people she didn't know, Valentine March and Marcus LaSalle. After many minutes of sitting by herself at the table, a young woman with dark hair and gentle hazel eyes sat down across from Willow. She was tall and lean, her sleeveless dress revealed well-toned arms. The woman turned, examining the set-up of the reception. As she did, her hair fell away from her neck slightly, revealing the beginning of a jagged scar. Willow was beginning to have serious doubts that this woman, despite her graceful air, was a noble lady. Willow was beginning to work up the courage to ask the woman, who she assumed was Valentine March, if she was a noble lady when Matthew came up quietly and sat down next to Willow with a smile.
"Hey." He nudged her arm slightly, catching her attention. Blinking and looking away from the woman, Willow smiled brightly.
"Hey, Matthew. What took you so long, the other tables are almost completely filled. Speaking of which..what's taking *everyone* so long?" She questioned him, rather pointedly. Matthew laughed softly, and Willow couldn't help but smile to herself. She was sure there wasn't a loud bone in Matthew's body. Even when he was completely comfortable around someone, he was quiet. It was just his nature, and Willow loved that about him.
"Mel and Ian decided to stop at home, after they ended up taking off half of each other's clothes in the carriage. I guess they're just in one of those moods. Anthony was in the carriage with them, so he should be here soon. I came with Marcus and Valentine, and Marcus has been talking with Summer's parents since we got here." Matthew explained. Willow smirked. Ian and Melusine were like rabbits. Willow was surprised that Melusine had never been pregnant. She didn't know much about the use of contraception in the past, although she assumed it wasn't as effective as the contraception of the present day. Willow began to wonder about ancient methods of contraception and their place in the ethics of the average Tortallan, when Melusine, Ian and Anthony showed up at the table. Mel's hair, which had been in an intricate updo at the ceremony, was now down and cascading haphazardly around her face and upper body, and Willow noted with a small smirk that Ian's shirt was misbuttoned. Anthony was rolling his eyes, speaking quickly with Matthew and casting glances in Valentine's direction. Willow looked up to the bridal table and smiled at Ariel and Summer, her two supposedly cousins. They both smiled and waved back, obviously enjoying themselves immensely. Willow sighed slightly and rested her chin in her hand. Now she understood why her parents, on the occasion that she saw them and they had time to talk, complained about the weddings they had attended recently. Joyous occasion or not, it's no fun having no one to talk to. Willow thought to herself, glancing over at Matthew and Anthony. They seemed deep in conversation about one thing or another, Willow hadn't been paying particular attention. She was about to turn and try to strike up with the only other silent member of the table, Valentine March, when Matthew tapped her shoulder.
"Willow?" Willow turned around, looking at Matthew. He had the slightly reserved, very nervous look on his face that always appeared when he was about to ask her something that he didn't know her response to. This look appeared quite often.
"Yeah, Matthew?" She replied, idly wondering why she never called him Matt, as everyone else did.
"Would you like to dance?" Willow's breath caught slightly in her throat, surprised. Matthew was the last person on earth she would expect had the ability to dance. Willow herself was a close second, in her own mind. She could see in Matthew's eyes that his mind was beginning to interpret her hesitation as unwilling-ness, and she opened her mouth to answer him.
"Everyone else is.." He said hastily before she could answer. Willow laughed slightly, and smiled at him.
"Sure, I'd like to dance." Matthew's face brightened considerably, worry lines dissapearing. They both stood, and he lead her to the dance floor with only a mild level of awkwardness apparent in his steps.
They talked very little as they danced. Most of the songs being played were slow, and Willow found the closer she was to Matthew, the harder it was to her breathing rate normal, let alone hold a coherent conversation. She didn't understand why, but every time she looked up at him, into his large blue eyes, she felt as if she would faint. Emotions would wash over her with the force of tidal waves, and she was practically forced to move closer to Matthew to keep from falling. They danced through several songs, their palms sweating so much that by the end of the last song, they couldn't even hold their hands together without them sliding. As the song ended, Matthew and Willow laughed nervously, and walked back to their seats.
The rest of the wedding went off without a hitch. The food and cake was delicious, Tomas and Summer were obviously quite enamoured with one another, and Matthew and Willow managed to push their awkward dancing experience into the back of their minds and discuss cake philosophy for the remainder of the reception. As usual, the two lost track of time, and ended up being some of the last guests to leave. Summer thanked them both quite graciously for coming, and arranged to have one of the lingering carriages take Matthew home. Willow accompanied him along for the ride, as she had never seen where he lived and she was quite curious. The thought never crossed her mind that the real reason she went with him in the carriage was because she didn't want to leave him, and go back to Ariel's cold bed alone. She was sleeping in Ariel's bed now because Ariel was sleeping in Anthony. Surprise, surprise.
The carriage stopped in front of Twisting Vines Boarding Home, an apartment complex only two blocks from the Royal Library, and a popular place for University students and young scholars to live at. He pulled out a large, slightly rusty key, and tried to open the front door to the complex. Because it was privately owned and operated, people were not permitted to simply walk in from the street. Each tenant was given two keys - one to their specific apartment or suite, and another to the main door of the building. Matthew placed the key inside the lock and turned it. The locked clicked loudly, signaling that entrance was now permitted. Pushing on the door, however, Matthew found that it only opened a matter of inches before stopping. He growled slightly, something Willow had never heard him do before. She giggled a little, and looked at the lock, and then back to him.
"Troubles with the door?" She questioned innocently. He scowled.
"Yes. They didn't move the blanket that keeps the draft out - again."
"Well, that's no good. Let me try to open it." Matthew stepped back, and Willow pushed on the doorknob. The door strained and opened another inch.
"I think you have to jiggle it back and forth.." Matthew told her. Willow took his advice, and the door opening widened to six inches.
"I think if I just push on it hard, it'll open.." She said, and pushed. And her hand soared through the glass paneling that made up the top half the door, making a terrific shattering sound in the process. In shock, Willow retracted her hand quickly, looking at it. Her right index finger was cut, a thick stream of blood pulsing from it. Surprisingly enough, the wound didn't hurt, but it certainly was messy. Matthew's eyes widened,
"This isn't good.." He quickly took out his hankerchief, something Willow knew he had bought just for the wedding, and wrapped it around her finger.
"It doesn't hurt.." Willow said absently, still somewhat in shock. Matthew banged on the door until a disgruntled person who had clearly been asleep came down and let them in.
"Mithros, what was she trying to *do*?" The disgruntled sleeper asked as he saw the hankerchief around Willow's finger, which was quickly turning deep red.
"She was trying to open the door, because someone left the draft blocker in place, *again*." Matthew said, sounding slightly annoyed. The third person glanced back once more at Willow. The hankerchief was now completely red, and tiny droplets of blood were beading on it's edges.
"I'll go get a healer, Matthew." The third person said, and pulling their robe around themself tightly, went out into the warm night. It was several minutes before a healer arrived.
"Are you okay, Willow? Does it hurt?" Matthew asked, obviously concerned. Willow smiled slightly and shook her head, feeling fuzzy and dazed.
"No, it doesn't hurt.." She told him. "But my head feels fuzzy.." Matthew swallowed and tightened the hankerchief, causing several droplets of blood to fall onto her dress.
"I'm sorry about your dress.. I'll buy you a new one.." He told her, watching the blood soak in and stain. Willow shook her head absently.
"Don't worry about it, Matthew.." She told him, as the healer walked in the door. Matthew looked up, grateful that he had arrived. The disgruntled sleeper nodded to Matthew and went back upstairs to their room. The healer sat down in front of Willow, and carefully unwrapped the hankerchief from her finger.
"She cut it on the glass. Her hand just went right through the door.." Matthew told the healer, who nodded and absorbed the information without a word. Willow blinked several times, trying to decide if she should exert the energy to keep her eyes open. She quickly decided to when she saw a deep blue substance floating out of the healer's hands and begin to circle around her injured finger. Ignoring the messages of pain the nerves in her finger were sending to her brain, Willow watched intently as the deep blue substance pulled the two sides of the laceration together, and a thin layer of skin fused them together. She continued to stare at her finger and the quickly dissapating blue until the healer spoke.
"The laceration really wasn't that bad, so it's mostly healed right now. Keep it banaged for the next 2 or 3 days, and you'll be as good as new, save a small scar on your finger." Willow nodded,
"Alright. Thank you." She reached into her purse to retrieve his payment, but Matthew was quicker. Placing a hefty tip along with the payment in the healer's hand, Matthew thanked him several more times as he showed him to the door. After the healer left, he came back and sat down next to Willow, who was cradling her injured hand in her lap.
"You didn't have to do that, Matthew. I had money." She told him, smiling slightly at his kindness.
"It was my building's door that you hurt your hand in, and you were trying to do something for me when it happened. I think I'm entitled to pay the man." He replied with a small grin. She laughed,
"Even so, you didn't have to give him such a big tip. It took him all of five minutes to fix my finger." She reminded him, and Matthew shrugged, still grinning.
"I wanted to make sure you had the best care.." He said with a blush, and stood up. "You need to go home." He said quickly. Willow nodded and stood as well.
"Thank you again, Matthew. And today was fun." She said, deseperately searching her mind for a word less generic and meaningless than 'fun.' Finding nothing, she gave up and walked to the door with Matthew in silence.
"I'll come by tomorrow to see how you're doing, Willow." Matthew told her, and before she could turn to leave, he brushed his lips tenderly against her cheek again. Willow smiled and blushed crimson.
"Okay, Matthew. Bye.." She said softly, and walked over, looking over her shoulder at him several times during the short walk to the carriage. Once inside, she laid down, curling up on the seat. What was happening between her and Matthew? Thomas passed briefly through her thoughts, and then disappeared again into the vast blackness of Willow's subconcious. Whatever was brewing, whether it be romance or a deeper level of friendship, she liked it, Willow decided. She closed her eyes, and listened to the clicking of the horse's feet against the cobblestone. What a strange, wonderful place.