SPELLBOUND
Chapter XI: You Must Remember THIS
Nobody
At the first touch of Amy's lips upon his, Alec felt like he was being roused from a long, dull dream. Things came sharply to focus. Every sound was a hundred times clearer. And the world became of colors so vivid that it was as if everything had only been in shades of gray before.
Drawing Amy's small body closer, Alec felt at peace; and at her warm, unguarded response he nearly lost control. Alec was clutching her and running his hands down Amy's back and to her bottom. Amy gasped in surprise but Alec couldn't bring himself to let her go.
Amy twisted and wiggled and their lips slid apart. "Alec," She moaned breathlessly. "What are you doing?" She asked as Alec's lips slid down the slender column of her throat after having nibble at her ear. "No… Don't… Alec..."
"I like it when you say my name." Alec whispered across her parted lips before claiming them once more. "Sweet. You're very sweet."
"What's the matter with you?"
"I'm sorry. Very sorry." But he wasn't. Not when the next thing he did was clamp his mouth over hers and began to kiss her as if his life depended on it.
"Have you gone mad?"
"Yes… Yes… I'm sorry...Just one more."
Amy let Alec kiss her one last time, packing a life time of emotion in this one kiss. Simply because she wanted to, because she didn't know if he would ever kiss her again. Because she was young and had lost her heart to him a long, long time ago.
It was the kind of kiss you only give to the man you love the most. Forever. If by the time that kiss ended Alec didn't know Amy loved him it was because he was too dim.
"Which he wasn't, really."
So when the kiss ended and Amy took off running up hill into the deep of the forest – Frog at her heals after stopping briefly to lick Alec's face – Alec knew three things with Absolute Certainty.
THE THREE THINGS ALEC KNEW FOR SURE AFTER KISSING AMY:
Amy loved him
Whatever he felt for Dionne wasn't love
He was in a hell of a fixture.
Alec's mind remained clear as he made his way homeward. He turned things over and over in his head, trying to make sense to them but he couldn't. He only knew there was something that wasn't quite right, that didn't fit… the way he had fallen for Dionne.
He was going to marry her. Alec took marriage seriously. It wasn't a game for him. It was forever and for the life of him he couldn't remember why he had chosen Dionne.
"Alec, darling, how was your walk?" Dionne's cheerful voice cut through his thought like a knife blade, but now the damage was done and even as he felt his mind slipping away from him, he tried to cling to the idea that something wasn't quite right… if only he could put his finger on what it was…
If only it didn't hurt each time he tried to remember…
If only he could push himself…
If only his mind didn't cloud so badly when he was near Dionne…
If only…
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Gerry
"If only we knew for sure who she is." Callie was complaining as she walked around the Guard's Hall.
"So far nothing. I've talked to all her servants and to Erik, at length. I've coaxed, gossiped, flirted with everyone! But none talks. If they know they aren't saying…" Cherith informed us.
"I think Amy know something." I supplied, remembering how she had acted the night Frog had been hurt. The very specific commentary she had made: Now you look like me.
"Maybe." Cherith agreed. "I think my father knows something too but I tried to ask him and he told me not to pressure Amy. I even tried the puppy-dog eyes on him but nothing."
I knew Cherith's puppy-dog eyes and they were something hard to say no to.
"We need to do something soon. Very this dammed wedding ever takes place."
"Very soon then. Mom told me the engagement ball is on three days time."
"You parents are supporting this madness?" Callie asked surprised.
"Not at all. They don't trust Dionne any more than us. But they think is better if she doesn't suspects whatever it is they do know before they have a solution."
"So we have three days…"
"At the most."
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Amy
"Jadzia!" I called loudly into the dense of the woods. "Jadzia! Please come!" Between my palms I rubbed the star-shaped pendant she had given me before.
"I'm here; there is no need to yell. What brings you here, child?"
"Alec's ring. The one you gave him when he was a kid…"
"Yes, I remember."
"He said it was a magic trifle but is it possible that it wasn't?"
"What do you have in mind?"
"I was thinking… maybe, if there was magic on it, real magic, it could help him break away from Dionne's spell, whatever it is!"
Jadzia smiled. "That ring has powerful magic, it's true. One isn't supposed to play with the affairs of the heart, that ring reacts to true love and true love only. When Alec met his mate, the ring took the right shape and size to fit the finger of that woman, and that woman alone. It will react to a false claim too. If you can get Alec to try it on Dionne, the magic will take its course, and it's very likely Dionne's magic will be broken."
I digested all she said. It seemed like the perfect answer.
"But first, Amy, you need to make him remember about it. He needs to remember he had faith on the ring and all the intention to marry the woman to whom it belongs. Otherwise it will be pointless."
"I think I can do that… but, will it affect the spell Dionne put on me. The curse to kill my brother?"
"I believe I told you Dionne has always been rather imprecise with her spells. Her spell was to kill your brother if you said something about your common past, but she forgot to include all other information you may supply that didn't derive for the fact that you know what she is."
"It's a silly mistake."
"Big mistakes usually are. Dionne's flaw, one of them, is that she thinks she's too damn infallible."
I frowned. "If you knew that then why you didn't say so before?"
"Nobody bothered to ask me."
"Jadzia…"
"Actually, dear, it's not my position to intervene in human affairs. Magic or no magic, humans must fend on their own, in their affairs my magic – or any kind – just tends to complicate things more."
"But you have meddled in the Windam's affairs before."
"I was asked to each time." Jadzia explained. "Kaze is very dear to me, that's why I helped her and why I protect her kin. But even with her my meddlesome ways were kept to a minimum. All the answers she found she found them herself – just like you have – otherwise they wouldn't have been worthy."
I shook my head. "I'll never really understand you magic folk. But this world is big and wild and I guess I wasn't born here to figure out why things happen."
"Exactly."
"I guess I'll leave now. Need to plan how to get Alec to remember this,"
"Wait! Before you go, care to tell me if Alec is as good a kisser as the gossips say?"
"Jadzia!"
"What? I had to amuse myself with something while you figure things out!"
"Well… if you put it that way…"
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Three days later I hadn't yet found a way to speak to Alec privately. If I didn't know better I would have thought he was avoiding me. As it was I was left with this little piece of information I had and the memory of those stolen kisses to keep my mind full and my dreams sweet.
Now it was the day of the engagement ball, or the night, more appropriately, and I was standing in a dark corner with Cherith.
"I'm still not sure I should have come." I said fingering the folds of my formal dress. Lady Kaze had insisted I had one made. It was the single, most expensive thing I had ever owned, it was of a lovely sage green silk that Cherith had chosen, and all was wearing Jadzia's pendant, in the short time I had had it, it had become my talisman; and my hair was all pilled up on top of my head, only a few wisps of it covered my scar. My only other accessory was Frog by my side.
"You're my friend." Cherith said. "I want you here." She was wearing a cherry-red velvet gown that made her skin look like porcelain and her eyes shine almost violet.
I couldn't help to hug her. "Thanks for being my friend; it means the world to me." She said a few moments before the most comical expression crossed her face. "Oh dear… Uncle Marco is here."
"I thought you liked your uncle."
"I do… my cousins, now that's another story all together. Don't get me wrong, they are nice enough girls but, God do they like to talk!"
Lady Kaze easily located Cherith and motioned her to come and say hi to her uncle. "You stay here, I'll go and then you go look for me saying there's an emergency or something. Okay? Good!"
Smiled at her back. Then I became aware of a shadowy figure standing next to me. "Amy."
It was Jadzia.
"What are you doing here?"
"Why I was invited!" She said with a laugh as I turned to her. She was wearing a hooded cloak but her slender arms moved to pull the hood back reveling her white and silver beauty. I had often heard she was the most beautiful creature on earth, and each time I saw her I was certain of it, regardless of the form she was using. Tonight he had opted by her human form and was trying her best to remain low key. "I think something will happen tonight, and I wanted to come. Besides… I knew someone would be here, someone I never lose any chance I get to see."
I saw her eyes trail to where Lady Kaze and her family were standing, more specifically; Jadzia's eyes were on Lady Kaze's brother, King Marco, ruler of Lhite. He was a tall imposing man on his forties, very handsome indeed for what I could see, with dark blond hair and an easy smile.
"Anyway. Are you planning on talking with Alec tonight? You're running out of time."
"Yes, I will, as soon as I can get him away from Dionne I'll talk to him."
"Good." Jadzia said. "Be brave, Amy." I nodded. "I think Cherith is calling for your attention."
"Oh, yes…" I said.
"Go." Jadzia said and I made my way towards Cherith.
"Amy! Here you are, I've been looking for you!" Cherith said as she hadn't seen me not five minutes ago. "Uncle Marco, Aunt Carla, this is my dear friend Amy."
"Nice to meet you." Queen Carla said. She seemed to me like the kind of woman who went out of her way to ensure the people around her were at ease.
King Marco shook my hand distractedly, looking at something behind my head. I discretely turned and saw that Jadzia had hidden deeper into the shadows and had put her hood up once again.
Suddenly I remembered that I was supposed to be there with an emergency. "Gerry was looking for you." I said. "He told me he needed to tell you something or other… I can't seem to recall."
"Oh, well, I better go… excuse me?"
At Lady Carla's nod, Cherith took my arm and hastily made her way to the doors that opened to the inner garden of the palace.
"Thanks."
"I thought we were going back to our corner."
"Need of credibility, we are looking for Gerry. He always hides here, dislikes this things almost as much as I do. Anyway, better we are seen on his company or my mother will give me a sermon on how I must be nice to Jenna and Laura even if they do make my ears ache."
Cherith quickly located Gerry and made him go and stand with us at the edge of the ballroom. We saw Alec was dancing with Dionne.
"What is it, Amy? You're frowning."
"Oh, nothing, I just remembered I had something to tell Alec but I can't really say it in front of Dionne."
"Oh, I see…" Cherith said as the dance ended. "Alec!" She fairly yelled and he came bearing a look of annoyance. Dionne was at his side.
"What?"
"Could you please, dance with Amy here for a moment? I need to speak with Dionne… privately if you don't mind. This is the only way I can be sure you won't eavesdrop."
"As if I cared for you little gossips." Alec grumbled but never the less offered me his arm as a smooth waltz began.
He bowed, I curtsied and he placed his hand at my waist. As we turned I saw that Cherith had promptly dumped Dionne to the tender mercies of the infamous, strawberry-blond haired twin princesses Jenna and Laura Lhite. Cherith was standing clear at the other end of the ballroom with Gerry and Callie and Frog.
"I have been meaning to talk to you." Alec surprised me by saying.
"My lord?"
"I quite believe you're very familiar with my name to call me that." He murmured and I blushed recalling the way I had kissed him last time we had been alone together.
"Very well, Alec."
"I have been thinking I ought to apologize for my behavior."
I fixed my gaze on his chest. "Nothing to apologize for." I whispered.
"You never answered me, you know, about what was our relationship."
"We were friends." I answered quickly. "I guess I should apologize too, I never congratulated you on your engagement. I'm glad you find it though." This part I had practiced it well.
"Found what?"
"The owner of the ring, of course."
"What ring?"
"The one you always wear around your neck? You told me Jadzia told you only the woman you are meant to marry; your soul mate could wear it. You already tried it on Dionne, haven't you? Because frankly I never took you for someone who would settle for less than your soul mate as your wife."
"No, I don't believe I would settle for less." He said perplexed and when the dance ended he bowed politely at me and made a bee-line for Dionne.
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Nobody
The ring! Of course. How could Alec have forgotten about it? If he was really planning to marry this woman, and by the looks of it he really was, Alec was going to make sure she was his soul mate. As Amy had pointed out, he wasn't the type to settle for less.
"Cousin darlings!" Alec said cheerfully as he approached Jenna and Laura to retrieve Dionne from them.
"What do you want?" Jenna and Lauren asked as one.
"Why do I need to want something to come and greet my cousins?"
"Since you can't stand us." Laura said and Jenna nodded. "Love us sure, but not like."
"I suppose you want to make scarce of ourselves so you can talk you lady.
"If it's not too much trouble…"
"I suppose we shall oblige your love sick ways. She's not fun to tease anyway."
"Been telling her shocking things and haven't manage to produce even the faintest blush."
"Bad thing to chose someone who's so world weary."
"Would you two leave already?"
"Thank you my lord, they were giving me a headache. "Dionne said once the twins went to seek another victim.
"They are nice enough once one warms to them."
"Does that ever happen?"
"Kindly do not diss my family."
Dionne awarded him with a look of utter innocence. "Of course, darling." She said meekly. "Is there anything you wished to discuss with me?"
"Actually," Alec said and fumbled with the gold chain around his neck. "I want you to try this on."
Dionne reached for it, but as her fingers touched it she withdrew her hand quickly as if she had been scalded. "What is it?"
"The ring I'm going to put on my wife's finger when I get married. If you are meant to be that woman, this ring will fit you just right."
"But why do this now? All the arrangements have been made! Everyone knows we are betrothed. Why do you do this now?"
"I've been having problems to remember things lately. Since I meet you, as a matter of fact. But I was reminded of this and it means a lot to me."
"What if it doesn't fit?"
"I won't marry you."
"Is that meant to reassure me?" Dionne asked with offended pride.
"It's meant to reassure me. In the light of the fact that everyone I love either doesn't like you or doesn't trust you, I want to know this is what is good for me. IF it fits, nothing in hell, heaven or anything in between that will prevent me from making you my wife. And I will honor you and protect you, even from those I've loved all my life. So try this ring on."
Dionne held the ring and winced as if in pain, and as she tried to slide the circlet into her fourth finger the ring caught on fire and she had to drop it.
Alec picked the ring up and placed it on the chain, quickly replacing it around his neck, the ring laid innocuous once more. "That settles things then. I'll inform my parents our engagement has been canceled. I trust you believe I never meant to hurt you. To be truthful, I can't even recall why I made this choice in the first place but I never meant to hurt you."
"What is it? What have I done wrong? What is it that you don't like about me? What made you change your mind?" Dionne's voice was wily coaxing, and in a flash Alec realized she was trying to entrap his mind.
"I kissed a girl who made me thing a thousand things I've never felt around you. And I realized this is wrong." Alec said, speaking for himself for the first time in weeks. "I don't love you. We are through. I don't recall feeling anything for you, not really and I though it shames me to publicly break off this engagement, I can't marry you."
"I see." Dionne said in tones of menace. Alec decided he didn't much cared for Dionne's tantrums; he needed to find his parents and begin to undo the mess he had made and try to remember how he had gotten himself in such situation. "This is far form over, Alexander. You can count on that."
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Alec
The farthest away I got from Dionne the more like myself I felt.
Amy. I had to find Amy. I had kissed her… and it had felt quite wonderful.
I also had to find my parents. And Cherry-pie, I had totally neglected her in the last few weeks. And Frog! He hadn't ever left my side since he was pup, not until now. But at least he was with Amy.
I heard Frog's distinctive barking. It was insistent, calling for attention. I decided to go investigate. Frog, for what little I remembered, was with Amy all the time now, if he was barking the odds were that she was in danger. When that thought finally register in my brain I broke into a run following the sound of Frog's barking.
"Shut up, stupid beast!" Dionne's voice said, how had she got there so quickly if I had just left her across the palace?
"Leave him alone," That was Amy.
"You too shut up." Dionne snarled. There was a sickening thud of flesh hitting a wall. Amy whimpered and Frog's barks grew frenzied. "Now, you're going to tell me what you did? What you said?"
"Nothing." Amy gasped just as she and Dionne came to view. Dionne was chocking her, her hands clamped around Amy's throat.
"Don't lie little bitch! You reminded him of that damn ring, didn't you? He said he was remained of it. Speak!"
"I wasn't going to let you destroy Alec the way you did with Erik."
Erik…
"Ah, yes, of course. I don't understand how you still love him after all the wrongs he did to you."
"My brother never did anything wrong to me. It was you."
"Brother…" That man, Erik, was there now. Apparently Frog's barking had attracted someone else.
Dionne let go of Amy and she collapsed to the floor. "Erik!"
"You said I didn't have family. I asked you!" Erik voice was accusing and I saw for the first time something like remorse cross Dionne's face, but it vanished quickly. "I asked you many times…."
"Don't make yourself the victim, Erik. I gave you a far better life than the one you had in that stinking village. If you had to make a few sacrifices in the process…"
"You were scarifying my life!"
"Minor inconvenience." Dionne said unruffled. "I believe I have to kill her now. Pity, I actually had thought about sparing her. But since you dammed love for her won't go away…"
"No!" Erik said and moved forward. Dionne's magic was swift, hitting him square in the chest and knocking him backwards.
"Close your eyes if you don't want to look, love. At any rate don't worry; it only hurts for a moment."
Without much of a thought I ran to where Amy was attempting to rise to her feet. I heard Dionne's incantation, it was a killing curse and I would be dammed before I let it fall on Amy.
Amy shrieked as I snatched her up and held her against me, by back shielding her from Dionne. I waited but the blow of magic never came, instead I heard a crash and something like an explosion.
Turning slowly I saw Dionne sprawled on the ground, various cuts and scrapes of different degrees of severity dripped blood all over her yellow dress.
"Oh my god." Amy breathed out, I held her tighter.
The sound of many, many footsteps coming this way was very clear. We had made quite a scandal.
Dionne was obvious to all of this. "Why won't you DIE!" She yelled at the top of her lungs "What is it about you that makes you so freaking endearing to everyone? You're brother found his way back to you. His Highness found his way back to you! They all come back to you time and again! You want to know something about your precious brother, Amy? He's not a loving man, he has chosen to love so few people in his life, and I could have lived with that if I wasn't because he chose to rather love you his darling little sister than to love me who I could give him all the pleasure in this world, and power and everything!"
"Erik never wanted any of that." Amy whispered but in the stillness of the night her voice carried.
"I should have torn your heart out not just wound you! But I will correct that mistake, now!"
There was something like a flash of lighting. Amy buried herself in my arms, bracing herself for whatever would come.
Out of no where a hooded figure materialized in front of Amy and me and she caught Dionne's magic with her bare hands as if it were nothing.
Dionne palled, clearly noticing her magic wouldn't serve her against this person. "I never thought you would be this silly." I knew that voice. It was timeless and unique. It was Jadzia in her human form, something not many ever got to see. Her hands went to her hood and lowered it slowly. She was glowing. "Your magic is so inferior to mine, Dionne, and not even my magic can fool true love, what made you think yours could?"
"You know nothing of my powers! When I left you I was a mediocre witch, now…"
"Now you're older and part of me hoped you were wiser. Clearly you're not. But to attack those I hold dear, near my forest no less! Never thought you had the nerve."
"What do you know!"
"Just about everything. You wonder what is it about Amy that her dear ones keep finding their way back to her? Even against the most powerful of your spells? She knows love, Dionne, you don't. Amy would have given up both Alec and Erik had you made either of them happy, just like I had to do once." I saw Jadzia turn her head a little, her amethyst eyes fixed on my uncle Marco who had come along with just about half of the ball's guests. "You never could accept other people's fortune, Dionne, that's why no one has ever wanted to share anything with you. Not their hearts, not their lives…"
That's when Dionne made her biggest mistake ever: She deliberately attacked a unicorn.
What a way to seal one's fate.
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End of Chapter XI
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Okay, it's long but I hope not boring. My cramps are killing me so bear with me please. Excuse the miss spellings and please review.
Ibeg you.
Clavie in Pain.