A/N: Hello, I'm back! I am so sorry it's taken so long, but you'd rather have the chapters take a while and be good than have them lickety-split and royally suck, right? I was thinking of making this the last chapter, but then I got some more…ideas, as you shall see. Mwahahahaha! (cough) I'm OK…
Chapter XXVII
Vampires don't have weddings. I know that sounds like an "Adventures of the Bailey School Kids" book, but it's true. When a vampire male asks a female to be his bride, and she accepts, that's basically it. However, more esteemed vampires usually prefer to have some sort of ceremony to mark their union. When Raziel and I returned inside, he somehow slipped away from me. I spotted him on the landing seconds before he called for everyone's attention.
"I wish to announce," he proclaimed, "that the beautiful Princess Galadriël has just agreed to be my bride." Everyone cheered as I blushed and covered my face. Raziel smiled as he came down and drew me up to the landing with him. We kissed there in front of everyone, and they all cheered again. The revelry recommenced with even pomp and circumstance than before. All night long I danced with Raziel, and once or twice with Kain and my father. My friends all hugged me and said how happy they were, even though they were still getting used to the idea that I was over a thousand years old, not the sixteen-year-old I appeared to be, and therefore more than old enough to be married. Those vampires old enough to survive sunlight stayed and danced most of the day away while the younger ones returned to their resting grounds. Finally everyone was exhausted and returned to their territories. My friends, parents, Kain, Raziel and I all returned to our rooms. Actually, Raziel and I returned to my room. We fell asleep in each other's arms, dreaming of each other. As I drifted off, I remembered a time when I was plagued by horrific nightmares, and no amount of herbs or magick could stave them off. It was during this time that Raziel first made his affection for me known, for he told me, "My lady, I would enter your sleep and guard you in your dreams if I could, but I cannot unless you dream of me." The nightmares stopped after that…
To say that Mother was thrilled would be a huge understatement. She and Father were both happier than words could say for me, as they knew how strongly I loved Raziel and he loved me. Mother began working immediately on a handfasting gown for me, and Raziel, Kain, and Father all started talking about territory and dowries and such. I didn't care about any of that. I spent my time in my garden, where Raziel and I agreed to hold the handfasting ceremony, tending my flowers and making everything look beautiful. But in caring for my Rainbow Roses, I remembered the blue one I had place on Janos's folded hands in his tomb. I missed him terribly, and dearly wanted him to be at the handfasting. But how could this be possible if Raziel still had the use of the Heart of Darkness? Was there any other way?
My time in the gardens was soon spent in the library, poring over ancient tomes long forgotten and cast aside. It took many days and nights of long study, but at last I found an ancient and arcane spell to revive the dead. I told no one of my intentions, as secrecy empowered the spell. Preparations took even more time, as I had to wait for the light of the full moon to do certain things, but at last I had all that I needed to do my dark work. Taking up my athame, herbs, and the potion I had brewed, and cast a spell to transport me to Janos's tomb. It was hard to look at him again, bloody and wounded as he was, but the sight of the blue rose on his hands gave me strength. I placed an emerald, for eternal life, in the gaping hole in his chest. This would be the new heart, if all went well. If…
That done, and my hands cleaned of the viscera, I continued in my work, going about it very systematically. With a raven's wing feather I drew a flamel on Janos's forehead and placed branches of wild rose all around his body. Then, tossing a pinch of dried hemlock in the air, I recited the spell I had so painstakingly striven to memorize:
"Fire to heat the spark of life,Water to cleanse away all strife,
Air to cause the lungs to breathe,
Earth to your noble corpse unsheathe.
Add Light and Dark, and the spell is done
I grant you Life ever and anon!"
That was it. There was nothing more to do now but wait. And so I did. Seconds felt like hours, minutes felt like years, but it wasn't long before I saw the blood on Janos's garments begin to fade. The emerald glowed brightly and the flesh closed over it. I watched, delighted and fascinated, as Janos's body was restored through my magick. Finally he gave a small shudder and opened his eyes. He sat up slowly, looking around.
"I…remember!" he said. He turned to me and his golden eyes widened. "Galadriël! You? You were lost!"
"But now I'm found," I replied. Grinning, I embraced him tightly. "It's wonderful to see you again, my old friend. You must know, though, that you have been dead for centuries. Over five of them. Your murderers, and Vorador, are dead. But a new power has risen. The age of the vampires has begun. Kain is now ruler of Nosgoth, and the Pillars are restored by their new Guardians." I told him the entire story, starting from when Kain took me from my library in the other dimension and I woke up with Moebius at the base of the Pillars and ending at this moment. "I wanted you to be there," I said. "For my wedding. I knew you would have wanted to be."
"Yes, of course," said Janos, somewhat dizzied by all this information. Nothing was like before, and so much had happened that he had never anticipated because I was not there. "I am still amazed that you found the edge of Kain's metaphorical coin, and in such a way! Never did I dream that redemption was possible for Raziel in his ruined form."
"It was," I answered. "And it is done. And I am to be his bride. I can't tell you how happy I am, especially now that you're here to see it." Janos smiled at me and embraced me.
"It will take some time for me to fully understand what has happened," he said. "But I do not care. The Binding is secured, the Pillars are restored, and you and Raziel are finally at peace. Nosgoth is pure again."
"Yes," I agreed, "but it will never be possible to give her back her innocence. However, some sacrifices are necessary for the greater good. But let us leave this gloomy place. You must see my parents again, and meet my friends. There is so much I want you to see."
"Then let us waste no time," said Janos with a smile. I cast a spell to transport us back to the Vampire Stronghold. As I expected, there was much excitement when it became known that Janos Audron was alive again, and many questions that we had to answer. Throughout it all, I felt tired and strangely out-of-sorts. I tried to ignore it, but the feeling grew stronger. I was jarred out of my stupor by Father locking his arms around my waist and swinging me around.
"My brilliant child!" he exclaimed jubilantly. I smiled and kissed his cheek. Slowly he set me down. "Why, whatever's the matter?"
"I feel…" I said softly, "…cold…" Then I collapsed in his arms and knew no more.