LOVE & MAGIC

Chapter Thirteen: Sister, sister

Kaze

It was tradition in Circe that the marriage ritual was performed with only the groom and bride and their parents in attendance, then the couple would leave for their honey moon and too weeks later there would be a banquet and that was called the wedding.

When Chris and I got the invitation for Emily's wedding I was over the moon, Marco had told me that Emily had fought with my father because she wanted to include me in the guests list and he wouldn't let her, Marco said she had been real sad about it, that Emily missed me. Father could stop me to go to my sister wedding as Kaze Lhite, but he didn't count on the fact that I was Kaze Lhite no longer, and as Lady Windam there was nothing he could do to stop me from seeing my sister at her wedding party.

The banquet was scheduled by early January, which suit Chris and me just fine since we were finally taking our "honeymoon" trip on late December and would be near Circe anyway. I was so excited I could barely hold myself still, if it weren't because of the baby and Chris constantly repeating that it wasn't good for me or the baby that I jumped around I would have been doing so.

It was so weird because when I left Lhite I never thought I would miss Emily as much as I had and now that I was going to see her again I couldn't believe how excited I was. I wasn't going to take chances, my sister wanted a perfect party – I had heard her repeat it enough times, since we were kids and she started to plan her wedding as, I was informed, it was normal for girls to do, I was always more concerned with horses and swords though – so I let Carla pick up my clothes for me and the jewelry to go with it so I looked just right among my sister friends since I knew that was important to Emily.

Marco, Carla, Chris and me showed up together in the ballroom of the Circe Palace, but after a little while they leaved me alone, Marco wanted to introduce Carla to our parents and since Chris was his closest relative it was proper for him to be there when Carla got introduced. I didn't mind, so far no one had recognized me and I was scanning the crowd for the one face I would recognize.

We spotted each other at the same time and she did a double take as I waved her to signify it was me. A smile lit up her already beautiful face and she started towards me, I was so happy that my own smile didn't waver, not even after I saw that Emily had Adam in tow.

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Emily

First I thought it was being tricked by my own wish to see her but then I saw her wave in the unladylike fashion that was so her, something she had picked up from our brother and his friends.

"Kaze," I said into her hair as we hugged tight. I drew back to that a good look at her. She looked more or less the same as the last time I had seen her wearing a gown – my 21st birthday party – only that... "Why do you have a tan in the middle of winter?"

"Oh," she said as if she hadn't realized of it, "Well, before coming her I was at Andre's by-the-sea village."

"Andre?"

"Prince Andre, from Seaside?" she offered. "You know, they don't get winter in Seaside."

"I actually did know that." I said in my big sister voice, something she used to hate but now only made her smile. I took another look, "Hey, you got to tell me where you got that necklace," I added, as usual, distracted by shinny things, and her necklace was rather impressive – deep blue zafiros and clear white diamonds - and shinny; in fact, I was just beginning to notice that everything about her appearance screamed 'wealth'.

Kaze touched it absently, "Birthday present," she said. "I thought it was a bit too much but no one listened to me. I would have settled for cookies as a present."

"I bet you would have." A masculine voice said as the owner moved to stand by Kaze side. Surprisingly, it was King Christopher – though, since it was just a mildly formal event, it was ok to just call him Lord Windam. My surprise only grew when I saw him reach out and slip his arm around my sister's waist, his hand lingering there with affection for a moment before he turned his attention to me.

"Lady Emily," he said while taking my hand and kissing, a common way of showing respect for a married lady from an already mated man, "Lord Circe," he added letting go of my hand and acknowledging Adam who stood stony silent behind me. "Congratulations for your wedding, may you two be as happy as I am with my wife,"

I didn't know who the new queen of Windam Valley was but I was about to find out. Just as he finished saying 'wife', Christopher moved back to Kaze side, just that this time he wrapped both arms around her and kissed her temple. My sister acted is it was oh-so-natural and I saw her place her left hand over Christopher's, and as she did so, I saw the blue diamond of her engagement ring and the wedding band on her ring finger; and I saw the matching band on his finger.

"You two are married?" I heard Adam asking at my back. His voice still startled me, he rarely talked to me. Hell, he hadn't even touched me since our wedding night, and he hadn't – not even in our most intimated moment – been even half as affectionate as my sister's husband was being with her at that moment.

"It took some convincing but I got her to say yes," Christopher said proudly.

"But you hate him." I heard Adam protest with far more vehemence that he had while saying 'I do' and I wondered why I was noticing all these stuff so suddenly, why this was bothering me.

Kaze just giggled. Christopher answered. "A lot of people seem to have that impression,"

"But actually, he just has an uncanny talent to irk me no-end once in a while," Kaze said, you could hear the love in her voice. "But Chris is pretty adorable most of the time."

"I just got called adorable and I actually feel flattered, there is no doubt, I'm getting soft with age." He managed to say with a straight face before he and Kaze burst into laughter.

They seemed to live in their own happy little world, "You're so anci-"Kaze started but then broke off turning pale and leaning back into Christopher's chest, who just held her tighter.

"Are you okay?" Adam, Christopher and I asked at the same time, but no one laughed.

"I'm fine." She said looking up to her husband first and then turning to me, ignoring Adam for all effects and purposes. "It's just a bit of a dizzy-spell; I get them sometimes with the baby and all." She smiled.

"You're pregnant?!" I exclaimed surprised.

"Yes, just three months, Jadzia told me when I was on my fifth week."

It wasn't an uncommon thing for Jadzia and other magic creatures from her forest to inform women they were pregnant, especially when the kid was going to have magic as a Windam child was bound to have.

"She is just starting to show," Christopher informed me.

I heard Adam grunt something at my back. I turned to see him, for some reason he looked angry and didn't even seem to notice me. I looked back at my sister and then back to Adam again. As I watched Adam's expression I finally understood. There was longing there. Adam longed to be in Christopher's position: looking at his wife pretty face as he caressed her pregnant belly, getting big with his baby.

I finally understood Adam's stony silence, his lack of affection for me, everything. Adam didn't love me; his heart already had an owner: my own sister... and I never saw it into just then, at my 'wedding'.

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Kaze

I thought Emily looked weird for a second, for the first time in my life I noticed it she was older than me. I mean I always knew but she never had actually looked it, she was always charming and mature, never just older. She glanced at Adam and I saw something in her expression; then she shook her head and her usual bright smile was there but she seemed uneasy.

I didn't manage to care about it for long though, because dinner was about to be served and lately I always got very distracted at the sight of food. I ended up sitting between Marco and Chris, which was good and bad at the same time. Good because they would give me anything I wanted – like Marco gave me his baked potatoes and Chris his dessert – but bad because they also spent most of their time hovering over me.

My parents, on the other hand spent most of their time ignoring me, and when they addressed me it was always formal, which put both Marco and Chris in an ill disposition towards them and left Carla and Emily to carry on with the polite conversation.

"So," Emily said, "How long where these two engaged?" She was getting the full story from Carla.

"It was a really short engagement," Carla said, "About one and a half."

"Months?" Emily asked, surprised. One and a half months WAS a short engagement.

Chris laughed, "Hours." He took my hand, "I just figured I couldn't live without her, so I asked her and married her the same day, before she got time to change her mind."

I always blushed when he talked like that, as if I were a big prize he had won; all my life I had been told I wasn't good enough –not pretty like Emily, not smart like Marco, simply not good enough - but Chris... he always made me feel both loved and wanted, like I was something special... precious.

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Chris

"Things are going really well in Mhalta, Queen Eleanor is making an excellent job as a regent, and King Lionel is doing a lot better now that he has less pressure on him, his health is improving quickly. I expect to have my troops out of Mhalta by early spring." I said.

After dinner, men and women ended at opposite ends of the large sitting room, each group discussing whatever they discussed when the other party wasn't around. In our case, we were talking politics. Well, Marco and I were talking politics, most of the other men didn't dare to voice opinion and the host himself, Adam, wasn't really at all that talkative either.

"That's wonderful, ever since King Lionel fell ill, Melnick was on the lose." Marco said, "And with Joshua being so young, and the council don't accepting to be ruled by someone who was only royal by marriage there was not much Queen Eleanor could do,"

"Yes. But now things seem to be getting back to normal in Mhalta. And Melnick is no longer a concern."

"Whatever happened to him?"

"Well... you know what happened last time he decided to pay a visit to Cloud City." I said slowly, it was not a topic I was comfortable discussing, especially for what Melnick had done to Kaze, Melnick had put both my wife and child on danger, and my anger about it still boiled too hot and too close to the surface, though I managed to control it most of the time, "Kaze and I decided it was not up to us to judge him for his crimes so we turned it back to Mhalta and Lady Eleanor saw he had a proper trial, last I heard he was sentenced to 30 years in the salt mines."

"Not surprising," Marco said, "Melnick managed to get enough people hurt or pissed off... he thought he was king while his brother was sick... but it all went back to him... I can't really say I feel bad for him though I know I wouldn't wish the salt mines to my worst enemy but, for Melnick, I'm willing to make an exception."

"Me too." I answered curtly.

The salt mines were no joke, they were the highest punishment anyone could get in Mhalta; most people preferred death than working endless hours in the mines, with the cold and the wet and the air that was too thick to breathe it. Most of the people sent there died within the first two years working there. For the most part, the goblins worked the mines, humans were only sent there for punishment. The goblins actually loved the mines; that was why no one felt bad about using the salt extracted from there.

Both Marco and I were silent for a second, "Anyway..." He trailed off and smiled, I turned to see what he was looking and I saw Kaze coming toward us. I couldn't help but to smile too. I would never get tired of just watching her.

At first it took me a while to see it, the first thing I did notice were her eyes, then it was her way of just being herself – even while faking being someone else – and then I came to see and understand her true beauty. It wasn't an in-your-face kind of pretty, a distracting beauty... she just was... Kaze: her beauty quiet, serene.

Kaze smiled at Marco but hugged herself at my side. I lowered my gaze to her, "Sleepy?" I asked and she nodded. "Marco, gentlemen, if you excuse me." I said as a goodbye, starting to steer us around.

"Of course. Good night Kaz."

"'Night, Marco," she said with a sleepy voice that I just knew it was fake.

And I was right, as soon as we made it to our room she wasn't' at all sleepy. In fact, it was all her fault we stayed up till two in the morning, acting like bunnies just released out of jail. Not that I'm complaining. I was really enjoying myself and fully appreciating the joys of the married life.

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Emily

Late that night I was getting ready to bed, thinking in what Kaze had told me earlier when I had been able to be alone with her for a few moments.

"Yes, I was with Adam for a while. Nothing beyond kissing, I swear" Kaze had said, "I didn't know you two were betrothed, as soon as I found out I ended it. You're my sister and that's more important than any guy, please believe that."

"Do you still love Adam?"

"No." There was no doubt in her voice. "The only man I love is Christopher 'Horse Stealer' Windam."

That I could believe. There was no doubt about it: Kaze loved her husband. I knew her; she wouldn't have married him if she didn't. I envied her. She married for love; I was married because I was told to. I thought I loved Adam, at first I really did but now that I knew he didn't love me back well...

"Hey, there." Adam said smiling as he slipped his arms around me. I wiggled out of his embrace. "What's wrong?" He asked trying to move closer.

I considered it for a moment and decided to tell the truth. "Nothing. I just really rather not have you touching me while you're thinking about my pregnant little sister."

He didn't even try to deny it. "Kaze told you?"

"She told me you're, basically, a two timing bastard." I answered, for once not worrying about being proper.

"Yes, I've been called that before." He said as if he didn't care. "Too bad for you you're stuck with me."

"Oh no, you are stuck with me, Adam." I informed him. "If you think I'm just going to let this slip by, you're delusional."

"Really? What are you going to do?"

"For starters, if you don't behave you simply won't have an heir... I won't let you touch me and you know that any child born out of wedlock doesn't qualify as heir to the throne. I'll let your line die with you."

"An exactly how do you plan to do that? You're my wife, Emily, I have rights."

"And I have a brother who can and will kick your ass." Adam winced, and I saw knew he was afraid of Marco. Good, something on my favor, so far I had only been bluffing, now I had something to hold to. "However, if you ever manage to make me feel a bit of... respect for you. I just might consider giving you an heir, which is all you ever wanted from me." I said because, after all, that was my only duty as his wife.

"And how do I do that? Ear your respect I mean."

"You could start by pretending to be a man and stop drooling over another man's wife. As for the rest, I'll make the rules as I go, but for now I'm going to bed." I declared shoving pass him and blowing of the candles, leaving us in the dark.

From my side of the bed all I could see was Adam's profile. After a few minutes he started towards the bed and not three seconds later I heard him shriek in pain as he slammed his shin against one of the sharp corners of the bed.

"Serves you well." I said in a loud whisper as my married life begun.

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End of chapter Thirteen

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Notes:

Now I'm wondering why I didn't just dropped this back at chapter 11... now I have to think of an end...

Is almost four in the morning, please forgive the bad grammar and stuff.

Much love,

CrazyClavie.