WIND WARRIORS

Chapter Twelve: The Eleventh Hour

Marit

"Can't believe it has been a year since Aimee was born." I told Oliver as he walked me back to my house from Merle's-where little Aimee had just had her birthday party.

It had also been a year since Oliver first had kissed me and I had agreed to try to love him.

"Time passes very quickly when you less notice it." Oliver said, opening the garden gate to my father's house.

Oh, yeah… time goes by very quickly… without you even feeling it. Like me and Oliver, we are happening and I didn't notice it till I was already head over heels. I can't really say when it happened. Maybe it was the first time I caught Sonia flirting with him and I got jealous, or when I stopped one day and realized it had been months since the last time I had thought of Armand… or maybe it was one random afternoon, when he was tucking some stray hairs behind my hear – something he did often – and his hand brushed my cheek and I wished it stayed there.

"Yes, you're right." I said unlocking the door of my house. "You know, the theater company is going to put a play next week, we should go."

"I'm afraid I can't." Adam said.

"Why?"

"I won't be there. I have to go to Seaside, there are some problems with the company there, some paperwork missing and my presence is needed."

That meant he was going to see Armand, I knew it. Armand had never been the book keeper type, it was so him to lose paperwork. But I didn't care about Armand, not anymore. "Would you be gone for long?"

"Why? Will you miss me?"

"Of course."

"It will only be a couple of weeks." Oliver said with a smile.

"You know, sometimes I do miss Seaside, haven't seen my grandmother in a while."

"You could come with me, you know... if you want."

"Oliver, you know I can't travel with you, it isn't proper."

"It would be, proper I mean… if you marry me, that is." Oliver said quickly. I froze. For a long moment there was only silence. "I'm sorry, Marit, it's too soon, I shouldn't have asked. Please forget I ever mentioned it."

Oh, no, he wasn't talking it back that easy. "What if I don't want to forget it?" I asked, turning to face him.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that if you ask nicely, I just might say yes."

"Are you serious?" I nodded and right then, outside my house, Oliver dropped to one knee and said: "Would you marry me?"

"Well… let me think about it… let's say… Yes!" I answered easily as he got back to his feet, picked me up and spun me around. And when he kissed me, I so knew I had made the right choice.

"But I don't want a rushed wedding," I said later, "I want, you know, the whole number." Silly as it might sound, I had been planning my wedding since I was seven, and one only marries once so…

"Anything, anything you want." Oliver said. We agreed he would properly ask my father for my hand before he went away to Seaside, he also agreed to deliver a letter to my grandmother, letting her know the news.

----

Merle

I must say that Dad took very well the news of Marit's wedding.

Guess that when it really came down to it, all he wanted was to feel included, I know that was bugged dad the most about me marring Rafer, I didn't ask for his permission nor did I particularly cared what he had to say. I knew how it was like to lose Rafer – almost lose him anyway – and, like Rafer, losing him again was a risk that I was not willing to take.

So, anyway, Dad took the news pretty well and Marit and Oliver were getting married in three months, the standard courtship time.

It was Monday, Rafer and I had been walking the market, hearing the complains of the villagers – usually, King Roger would be the one doing it but he was starting to give more and more responsibilities to Rafer. A little after two, I decided to go to my father's house and start fixing supper, we always ate supper at dad's house on Mondays, once again, it makes him feel included. Plus, he really loves playing with Aimee.

So I took Aimee to Dad's. "Dad?" I yelled once I closed the main door.

"Kitchen!" Marit yelled back.

I went there, clearly feeling there was something wrong, and sure enough, in the middle of the kitchen there was my dad and this elder woman standing there, glaring daggers at each other.

"Pa-pa." Aimee called, as she always did when she saw dad.

My father's scowl disappeared in an instant. "I was wondering when you would come." He said, ignoring the lady and coming to me. "Hi, sweetheart." He said, kissing my cheek. "How's my little treasure doing today?" dad asked, taking Aimee from me.

"She has been cranky all morning." I answered. "She really doesn't like the Market."

"Well, now… we are going to make sure you aren't cranky anymore." Dad said, starting towards his study… well, it used to be dad's study, now it was full of toys.

Merle, the lady and I stayed in silence for a long moment. "Mer," Marit said finally, "Remember grandma Anne? She came to help with the Wedding preparations."

I focused my eyes on the old lady; now that's why she seemed familiar, my maternal Grandmother. "Sure." I answered shortly, "I'm going to start to fix supper, if that's okay." I turned and grabbed the apron.

"How are you doing, Merle?" Lady Anne asked, coolly. "I heard you married. I certainly hope you did since you already have a daughter…"

"I married about two years ago."

"So you say, but truly I don't believe in what I don't see and since I wasn't invited…"

Lady Anne kept talking; I was pointedly ignoring my grandmother who, I was sure, was eying me with disdain… Marit had always been her favorite… I mean, last time I had seen the woman she had been demanding that my father sent me with her and Marit to Seaside, so I could be raised like a proper lady. I had refused to go, choosing to stay with dad instead… dad didn't force me to go and Lady Anne never forgave him…. Or me.

"Anyway," Marit said. "I've been working on the guest list, dad say money isn't an issue and I can have as big a wedding as I want…"

"Of course you will have a big wedding, dear." Lady Anne interrupted. "At least one of you two should have a proper wedding."

"If that's because of me, I assure you: I had a proper wedding."

"Really? Was anyone I know invited? Was there the mandatory three months courtship?"

"Neither my husband nor I cared much for those things. But we are well wed."

"And when am I going to meet this husband of yours? I mean, at least he will have the decency to show up…since he didn't had the decency to marry you according to the rules of good society."

I was about to answer but just then Rafer walked in, wrapped both arms around me and pushed me, gently, against the wall… and we sort of started to make out. Marit was already used to these kinds of displays so all she did was take my place in the stove and make sure the sauce didn't burn. Meanwhile, Lady Anne cleared her throat repeatedly, clearly uncomfortable.

"Oh, please! Don't do that in front of me!" Marit cried. "I don't want to see while you feel each other up." That was on account of the fact that Rafer's hands were moving way down my back and I was practically plastered against his body… sometimes we got a little bit carried away.

"Sorry," Rafer apologized; he still had one arm around my waist.

"I take you're her husband?" Lady Anne asked, startling Rafer and me.

"That's correct, m'am. And you are?"

"I'm Lady Anne Cavett. Merle's grandmother."

"Your grandmother, buttercup?" he asked, looking down at me and then kissing the top of my head, "Why didn't you tell me?" Rafer turned to my grandmother, "I'm Rafer."

"Rafer…?" she asked, waiting for a last name… she was eyeing him as if he were a bug. More or less the look she always gave me.

"Windam. Prince Rafer Windam for you; thanks."

"A… Prince?" Lady Anne asked, clearly confused.

"Crown Prince, actually…" Rafer said smoothly.

--------

Rafer

By the look Merle's grandmother was giving me I was sure she thought I was a good for nothing. She looked very surprised upon finding out I was a prince. Usually I don't use my title so blatantly but the woman deserved it. I had been hearing all the things she was telling Mer about our marriage and well, I wasn't about to accept anyone saying anything about Merle and me… or our daughter.

Lady Anne had the good common sense to remain silent after I said I was the crown prince of the Windam Valley. Marit kept babbling about her wedding while Merle cooked. Finally, Donovan came carrying Aimee and I took her from him.

"Stop doing that, you're going to burn her." Merle said once she noticed that to distract her, I was making fire forms for Aimee. I had learned from Jadzia – the only unicorn that chose to remain in the Unicorns' forest once al others chose to leave. - How to control my powers better, now I could use them to entertain my daughter.

"I will certainly not." I said but never the less I closed my palm and the little flame disappeared.

"Da-da!" Aimee cried, she really liked the fire forms. I kissed her little head.

"Sorry, baby." I told her to soothe her. Since fire forms were out ruled, I started to play with her with her puppet rabbit. Donovan was sitting there too, making funny faces to Aimee and patiently waiting for the food to be served. Marit and Lady Anne were making wedding plans.

Merle came and sat down next to me, she passed me Aimee's food and I started to feed her. I'm an expert at it… I manage avoid being hit by food… most of the time. Though this time I wasn't so lucky… I got distracted by Marit asking me if I could ask mom is she, Marit, could have her wedding at the Palace gardens, and Aimee got her hand in her food bowl and next thing I knew I had mashed apples all over my face.

Life couldn't get any better…

Merle laughed as Aimee giggled, very pleased with herself. I was about to protest being laughed at by two girls when Merle kissed me and, while doing so, licked the mashed apples from my lips. Then she cleaned my face with a cloth napkin as if I were a child. When she was done I took another napkin and started to clean Aimee. Merle leaned into me till her head was on my shoulder, I couldn't see but I can swear she was smiling.

I was looking at Aimee but I could feel Merle's silky hair against my neck…

I had my two girls with me…

… Sometimes life can't get any better.

The End.