Spellbound Chapter 12: This You Never Say, a fairy tales fanfic

SPELLBOUND

Chapter XII: Things you never say

Alec

I don't exactly remember much about what happened after Dionne chose to attack Jadzia, I remember Dionne's bone chilling scream when the curse she sent Jadzia's way turned against her – you never attack a unicorn, and certainly not with magic, unicorns were born of magic itself and magic never turns against itself. Dionne's scream was the kind of sound you never forget, the kind that when it comes in your nightmares makes you wake up in a cold sweat.

Instinctively I drew Amy closer, keeping her as safe as I could.

Dionne collapsed to the ground and began to shake, screaming in pain and then she went utterly still, unnaturally so, and went so, so quiet.

"Is she dead?" I heard Cherith ask from somewhere behind Gerry's back.

"She's not but she'll soon wish she were." Jadzia answered sounding so tired. "Believe me."

Jadzia kind of sagged and she looked ill, like she was about to swoon, in a moment my Uncle Marco was by her side, holding her steady, their gazes caught and held and it was as if they spoke to each other about something no one else could understand.

"Better take Jadzia inside," My mother said gently while my father ushered all the other guests back into the Palace's ballroom.

Just as my uncle was helping Jadzia to the family quarters, Erik passed out cold. "Oh my," Amy whispered and I think she tried to go see what had happened to her brother but before she could so much as struggle in my grasp she went limp.

I picked Amy up, cradling her against my chest. Gerry and Callie went to see what was wrong with Erik.

"Magic Withdrawal," Callie said as she and Gerry heaved Erik to his feet and began to take him up to his room. "I think they both have it. I wouldn't be surprised if you passed out soon, too, Alec."

Well, now that she mentioned it, I felt a little bit sleepy and kind of dizzy but other than that I was fine, and I said so.

"Maybe you should go lay down too," Cherith said walking by my side and alternatively worrying over Erik, Amy and me. Frog was there too, as usual, and he was the more tranquil of all of us.

"I will after I put Amy to bed." I said because otherwise Cherith would never, ever shut up.

I placed Amy on her bed and Frog went to lay down by the foot of the bed and then Cherith pushed me out of the door and told me to get into my room and sleep or she would make sure I didn't leave my room in a month. Knowing Cherith like I know her, I thought it was for the best if I followed her instructions.

As soon as I put my head down on my pillow and closed my eyes I feel asleep and slept through the night without waking up once. Maybe it was because I hadn't been under Dionne's spell for quite as long as Erik or Amy, or maybe it was because they didn't have magic and I did, but it turned out all I needed was a good night of sleep to be back to my usual self.

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Cherith

My first intention had been to stay with Amy but I was being little help, nervous as I was. Gerry noticed right away so after he went to make sure Alec had gone to bed he came for me.

"Come on, now." He said softly and hooked his arm around me, helping me to stand. "Mrs. Rose can take care of Amy, you come now."

"Go," Mrs. Rose told me and I nodded. "I'll stay with Amy, I'm sure she'll be fine."

"Alright, if you lot team up against me." I said joking and let Gerry guide me to my room, leaning against him for support. "I hope there aren't many nights like this." I said softly.

"Hope so too." Gerry said. "Are you okay?"

"Me? Yes, yes of course." I said with a wan smile, feeling tired.

Gerry stopped in front of my door and cupped my face between his hands. My breath caught. "Gerry?"

He leaned his forehead against mine. "I'm just glad nothing bad happened to you." He said quietly and I could feel his breath across my lips. I closed my eyes and tilted my chin up. Ever so gently, Gerry fit his lips over mine, rubbing gently and I went week against him, and he held me and kissed me for a long moment.

My first kiss.

It was heavenly.

Nobody

"I'll be fine." Jadzia said, "I assure you."

"I've never understood what you do and I don't think I want to."

"I guess that was always the problem between us, wasn't it?"

Marco Lhite nodded, "I suppose… I never wanted to be part of your world, and you loved it too much to come live in mine."

"I don't regret the time I spent on it, though." Jadzia said with a vague smile. "The love I felt for you changed me forever."

"It changed me too. And I don't regret it either, having met you, I mean." Marco was silent for a while. "I really did love you, once, Jadzia; I loved you with all my heart."

"I know." Jadzia said, remembering that time she had masqueraded as a human, trying to understand how they worked… how they could be cruel and kind and risk themselves for things like love or honor. How she had met young Prince Marco by chance and how that meeting had changed them both.

They had fallen in love but when the truth came to light…

"I think part of me will always love you, in a way that most often than not I'm afraid to think about. But now my heart belongs to my wife and…"

"I know." Jadzia repeated and smiled. "I'm a unicorn, Marco. I know everything."

"So you say," Marco agreed readily.

"It's time for me to go." Jadzia said after a while.

"I'll go walk you."

"I can find my way." Jadzia said, stepping away.

"Goodbye, Jadzia."

Amy

I felt so very heavy, as if I were under water and trying to swim my way up, every one of my limbs felt heavy.

I could hear voices in the distance.

"It has been too long," I think Erik was saying.

"The doctor said it was to be expected." Cherith replied.

I tried to move, to go towards the voices as they pulled me up and up and up.

"I hope she can travel soon, we must go back home."

Home?

"Home?" Alec's voice was decidedly un-amused.

"Of course, home. Did you expect we would stay here?"

I began to stir.

"Shut up you two! You're upsetting her." Cherith said in a sharp whisper. There was some grumbling and then sound of footsteps fading away, the door opening and closing.

The thump of the door was what woke me, I think. I stared up at the canopy over my bed. Frog must have sensed I was awake for he lifted himself into my bed and whinnied piteously, placing his head on my stomach and staring at me with his big, brown, doggie eyes. I scratched behind his ears. Then the screaming began.

"Amy will remain here!" Alec roared.

"Excuse me! But I'm her brother not you! Our parents trusted me with her well being and I did a pretty damn good job at it for years before all this mess happened. She has been through an ordeal; all I want is to take her home." Erik said none too quietly.

I got out of bed slowly and strode towards the door, opening it quietly,

"Home to the people who turned their backs on her when you vanished into thin air? I don't think so, I won't allow it."

"You're in no position to allow or disallow anything regarding my sister. I just want to take Amy to where she felt same. Home."

"I- I don't want to go back." I said, they both turned to me sharply.

"You don't know what you're saying." Erik said.

"I do, too." I said strangely sounding like a petulant six-year old. "Erik, really, I don't want to go back."

Erik was silent for a long moment. "I thought you liked the village."

"I did, but I was also very lonely." I answered truthfully. "I never knew 'cause all my life it was just the two of us, but then you were gone and I realized how alone I really was… but," I forgot what I as about to say as a weird fuzziness clawed at my brain.

"Argh! Get out of my way you two," Cherith said and deftly pushed both her brother and mine out of the way. "You're upsetting her, now go. You're both banned from this section of the house. GO!"

"Do you forget I have the same rank as you, Cherry-pie?" Alec asked insolently and Cherith guided me back to my room.

"Do you forget that I don't particularly care?" Cherith said smugly and I could see she enjoyed closing the bedroom door on Alec's and Erik's faces. I kind of enjoyed their stunned expressions to be honest.

I was promptly put to bed and Cherith gave strict orders that I wasn't to be disturbed in any way bye anyone ("And yes, by that I mean you two, Alec and Erik"). Meanwhile, King Christopher and Lady Kaze made known what had happened the night of the ball. Who was Dionne, and what had been my participation on the ordeal. Each time Cherith or I tried to ask what had been Dionne's punishment; Lady Kaze changed the subject, saying it was of no consequence for us to know such things.

We were too young, she said. I figured that Alec, Callie and Gerry knew, but they weren't talking either.

In the fortnight after Dionne's spell was lifted, Alec and Erik fought a lot, and after the doctor said I was completely recovered, the fights just became more frequent. Erik was eager to leave, go back to our village and live as if Dionne had never happened. I wanted to stay, to be near Alec, to be near Cherith and all the others who had accepted me so unconditionally when I first arrived that the Windam Palace, but I couldn't quite find a way to make my brother understand.

He had been happy, of course, back in the village, our land was prosperous, he was young and handsome and would have his choice of the pretty girls of the village when he decided –if ever – to marry. But where did that left me? Once he married he wouldn't need me and I had little chance of marrying myself, now.

I loved Alec, I wouldn't settle for anyone else, and though I knew he cared for me as a friend, I wouldn't dare to guess if he ever saw me as a woman –except for that time when we kissed... but he had been under a spell, so nothing might have been quite as it seemed. And I was too much of a spineless jellyfish to ask him… or remind him, or ever bringing it up.

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Alec

It was the same old fight we all had had with Erik in the last couple of weeks, he insisted on taking Amy away.

"Amy, it's time we go back. We can't keep pestering their majesties with our presence. We must go back and do the best we can out of what we got."

"Amy is quite welcome here." Cherith said.

"You're kind, my lady, but…"

"My kindness it's not being discussed but the fact that Amy wishes to remain here and I would be very glad if she did so, and you have no right to stir her away from us if she wishes to stay."

Before Erik could answer mother cut in. "You all are forgetting the most important thing here. Amy's wishes." Mom went to Amy and slid a supportive arm behind her. "Amy, please tell us what you want to do."

Amy shivered, she was nervous, I guessed. "I-I would very much like to stay, if I'm not trouble. I-I can't go back to my job in the kitchen if-"

"Out of the question," I said. "If you're to remain here you will do it as if you were part of this family." It was impulsive and I probably shouldn't have said it given the fact that my father, and not me, is the head of the family.

But Dad just smiled benevolently. "Of course. Erik, we all care for Amy, we want what's best for here and for now I shall agree with her decision to stay. You are, naturally, welcome any time you chose to visit."

Though dad hadn't actually uttered an order, I guess Erik understood that he could not contradict my parents –King and Queen of the Windam Valley that they were and all that.

Erik said something about wanting to depart as soon as possible and three days later he had packed and set on his way to the north corner of the valley. He left at dawn; Amy was the only one – besides myself – who had risen to see Erik leave.

"I still wish you came." He said as they stood in the stables.

"I'm sorry; Erik but I do believe its better this way." Amy answered, by her voice I could tell she was –or had been – crying.

Erik planted a brotherly kiss on Amy's cheek, mounted his horse and left.

"Write soon!" She called after him. Erik nodded but didn't turn back.

I had been watching the whole thing from the stable's door. As soon as her brother was out of earshot, Amy began to cry. I approached her silently and drew her to my arms, hugging her close and making soothing noises as I stroked her hair.

Amy didn't resist, she held onto me trustingly.

"Do you want me to stop him? Do you want to go?" I asked softly.

"No," Amy answered in a whisper.

I nodded, even when she couldn't see me, and rested my head over hers protectively. Basking in the peace I felt by holding Amy, without wondering why.

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End of Chapter Twelve

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So sorry for the delay! I was on finals and then I got issues, never mind, Sorry it took so long, sorry it's so short.

Of next chapter all I can say it's that Alec's quest for a wife begins! And also, one of my favorite parts of the story, a conversation between Kaze and Alec.