A/N: I don't own the quote from LoZ: OOT at the end. And if you want to see Soul's gown, Google Image search for "Queen of Owls", which I also don't own.

Chapter XXVIII

I awoke feeling very refreshed and wondering where I was. What had happened, anyway? I remembered raising Janos from his tomb, and bringing him back to the Stronghold to meet everyone and be there for my wedding, and then…I fainted? I frowned, confused. Why would I have fainted? Did the power of the spell I cast overtax my mind? Still wondering, I looked around. I was lying on my own bed in my own room; doubtless Raziel or Father had carried me here. I hoped they weren't too worried about me, seeing as how I was apparently all right. I sat up and shifted my shoulders a bit. Something felt…different, somehow. I couldn't quite place it. I figured I had been sleeping in the same position for too long and ignored it. I rose and went out into the hall to find someone and let them know I was awake. I walked around for a while, wondering why everything felt different in some strange way.

'How long was I out of it, anyway?' I thought. I shook my head slightly and continued on my way. I passed by several of the human servants, all of who pointed, stared, and whispered to each other as I went by. I was puzzled. Was there something on my dress or what? Why was everyone acting so strangely? I just figured to Hell with it; I just wanted to find my fiancé.

I wandered around for a while longer until I finally came across my family – which includes Kain, Janos, and all my friends – in the main hall, all talking about me.

"-found out there was nothing to worry about after all," Raziel was saying.

"She should be waking soon," agreed Father. I frowned, confused.

"Um, hi?" I said uncertainly. Everyone turned at the sound of my voice.

"Soul, you're awake!" said Courtney happily. Then her face changed to a look of wonder as she breathed, "Oh my god…that's so beautiful!"

"What is?" I asked. "How long have I been out?"

"About six months," Kain informed me. "Though I can see it was well worth the wait."

"Six months!" I yelped. "I've been asleep for SIX FRIGGIN' MONTHS!"

"Clearly," replied Janos. "Don't you realize it yet? Come and look at yourself." Uncertain and still shocked, I went closer slowly. Mother made a magick mirror in the air for me to look into. I gasped when I did. My eyes had changed from silver to fathomless indigo while I slept – the evolutionary sleep of the vampires, I understood. But that wasn't the most shocking change. I now had a pair of beautiful draconic wings of a hue to match my new eyes, though they glittered iridescently. I stared. No wonder my back had felt strange when I got up! I had wings!

"I have wings!" I gasped. I reached back and touched one gingerly. It tickled a little. "Oh, they're beautiful. I can't believe it."

"Neither can I," said Raziel. I looked up at him. "Once again, you've managed to shatter everything I believed in." I frowned, waiting for an explanation. Raziel smiled. "I believed you could never become any more beautiful." I smiled and blushed.

"This is wonderful," I said softly. "And now we can finally be married!" Raziel smiled again and took me in his arms, kissing me softly on the lips.

"Yes, we can be married," he agreed. "Today. Now. This very moment." I laughed gaily and kissed him again.

"No," I said against his lips. "In the garden. At twilight."

"Uh, isn't it bad luck for the bride and groom to see each other before the wedding ceremony?" ask ed Joe. Raziel and I looked at each other and then back at Joe.

"No," we said as one.

"Vampires don't have the same superstitions as humans," Father explained quietly.

"Ah," was all Joe said in response. Raziel and I went away together to oversee the preparation of the garden for our handfasting.

The ceremony, like we had planned, took place at twilight. Everyone was there, from my friends and family to Kain's lieutenants and their offspring and brides. Raziel was handsomely dressed in his shoulder armor and drape, as usual. I loved the way he looked dressed so. I felt radiant in an elaborate, flowing gown: it was made from satin as white as snow. The skirt was made of many layers overlapping each other, each edged in black trim. The sleeves were off the shoulder, long, and came to bells embroidered with black at the ends. The tops of the sleeves, as well as across the bodice, were edged with black lace. The bodice had black brocade starting at the centre and tapering down to a point at the black waistband. I wore a white gold tiara with glittering diamonds and moonstones set into it, from which my rhinestone-trimmed veil cascaded. Mother had curled and twirled my hair in an elegant mass of knots and curls on top of my head with a few curls hanging down in the back and two corkscrew curls framing my face. Woven into my hair were sparkling garnet roses and diamond stars. I have to say it: I was dazzling.

The handfasting went by in a blur, but I must have done everything right because suddenly Raziel was kissing me, there was a beautiful silver ring set with the words "My heart is yours" in ancient runes on my left ring finger, and everyone was cheering. We all danced the night away, with greater revelry even than when Kain had held his vampire ball six months ago. This would be a night to remember. I cast a spell to make the night last longer so the younger vampires could stay, until after hours of dancing and celebration, everyone was exhausted and ready to sleep for a few millennia. Raziel and I were given magnificent gifts from everyone as they left slowly, congratulating us and wishing us many happy lifetimes together. Mother and Father's gift was the gift of life for our children. Mixing magick with physical chemistry is risky business, but they were exceedingly cautious as they cast a spell to let us be able to have children. Janos gave me a beautiful necklace dripping with exquisite jewels, and to Raziel he gave a marvelous sheath for his sword. Kain's gift, however, was the most unexpected of all. He gave us New Golgonath. Gave it to us as our kingdom. I was flabbergasted, and marveled at the generosity of his gift, but he only smiled and said that he had built the city for me, so I could have a place to call home again. I embraced him, as did Raziel, and we went back into the Stronghold.

We returned to my bedchamber, and I found that Raziel had been in there when I had not. There were candles softly glowing all around, and sweet sandalwood and rose incense burning. Raziel spun me around playfully and I caught his lips with my own. Again and again we kissed, until Raziel swept me up in his arms and laid me gently on the bed. There, in the very bed where I had 'til now only dreamed of this moment, we made love.

Time passes, people move... Like a river's flow, it never ends. A childish mind will turn to noble ambition; young love will become deep affection. The clear water's surface reflects growth. And so I grew, and so did my friends, my city, my land. And the child in my womb grows as well. Raziel, Mother, and Father couldn't be happier and neither could I. I shall name this child Maverick if it's a boy, and Duvessa if it's a girl. I rather hope for a boy, though. A boy to grow up to be just like his noble father. Raziel and I are now king and queen of New Golgonath, and the city is thriving. We're so in love, and eagerly await the arrival of our child. Yes, our child. I used to dream of being a mother back in the Hylden dimension, but I never thought of who would be the father. But who I was in the Hylden dimension is not who I really am. I am Turinqui (A/N: 'queen') Galadriël, ruler of New Golgonath. I am the impossible offspring of an unlikely union; a half-Hylden half-vampire hybrid with unsurpassed powers. I am loved and admired and oh so greatly wanted. I know the truth now. And nothing can ever take that away.

FIN