OHHH! I love this chapter. I hope you guys do too! Don't forget to review! Oh, and before I forget, Torah's full titles are: Queen Toralina the Heartbreaker of Lightning, Conte, and Olau. Goddess of Winter. So, yes she still gets to keep her favorite title of Heartbreaker! Ha ha!

Okay, fine! I'm not mean enough to kill off Torah! You guys didn't actually think that I would, I mean come on! She can fly, remember??!! You'll see why I did that in a second. Thanks for reviewing SOPROL and C.McPherson. I love you guys!

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Last time - She climbed and stood on the railing of the balcony, ready to jump. A tear trickled down her face. She bent down…

This time –

…and jumped. Torah heard a scream from behind her. Zamar's head appeared over the balcony. Torah swore and got the winds to push her back up to him. He looked at her in surprise when she landed back on the balcony gracefully.

Zamar ran up to her and hugged her tightly. He kissed her and spun her around the balcony. Torah sighed and pushed him away. He laughed, obviously relieved.

"You jumped over the balcony. Ar-are you crazy? Are you okay?" Zamar asked.

Torah raised an eyebrow. "I do have magic, Zamar. Remember? I have the Gift. I can fly now. Watch." Torah walked to the balcony and jumped over it again. She flew around wherever the wind took her. "I'll be back in a bit." She called.

Torah flew to her rooms. She threw her gown on the floor and quickly dressed in a tunic and breeches. She pulled her hair up into a braid. She angrily brushed a hand over her watery eyes. She needed to talk to Zamar, but did she have the heart to turn him down?

Torah flew back to the balcony where Zamar stood waiting. He raised an eyebrow at her black outfit. He had never seen Torah in breeches before. Torah never wore them. Zamar took Torah's left hand and kissed it. She pulled away. Zamar stared at her hand before turning to look at Torah in confusion.

"Why aren't you wearing your wedding band, dear? We're going to be married. You shouldn't feel bad about bragging. It's okay to let everyone know."

Something in Torah snapped. She drew herself up to her full height and glared coldly at Zamar. He opened his mouth angrily. "What is it? What's with you?"

"I never told you yes, Zamar! Maybe I don't want to marry you!" Torah glared coldly.

Zamar laughed, thinking that Torah was just being difficult. "Torah, darling, I know that you love me as much as I love you. Why wouldn't we get married?"

"I'm fifteen! That's way too young!"

"Not in Carthak, it isn't. Besides, I need an heir to the throne. If something happened to me, I would need someone else to take my place."

"We're not in Carthak, and I'm not marrying someone who thinks that all I'm good for is baby-making and to order around! I'm not a puppet, Zamar! I'm a person with feelings and a life!"

"I'm sorry, Torah." Zamar said. He sounded strangled, like he was trying to hold back his laughter. Torah walked up to him and slapped his face hard. Thunder boomed in the background. Torah spun on her heel and went into the storm again.

"I will never marry you!" She yelled heatedly. She heard Zamar swear at her. She didn't care. A pink streak flew past her. Torah stopped to watch Toma go flying towards Zamar.

"She is no toy! She's the Lightning Queen." Toma said.

Torah giggled softly. "Toma, come on!" She yelled. The pink dragon flew back to her. Torah raised an eyebrow at her. "I thought that you hated coming to the palace. Usually when I come here, you stay behind."

Toma snorted. "Someone needed to remind that pig-head of who you are." She replied.

"He doesn't even know what it means, Toma." Torah said, raising an eyebrow.

Toma shrugged. "So? Sometimes the unknown is worse than knowing."

Torah gave a half-smile. "Sometimes." She sighed. "Where are we supposed to go, Toma? The university is probably closed because of Midwinter, I'm not going to the palace when he's there, and I can't go to Carthak! Those are the only places I'm welcome!"

Toma grinned wickedly. "You're welcome in the Realms of the Gods."

Torah gasped. "What?! I can't go up there; I'm not ready to die yet!"

Toma snorted. "Fine, fine. All in good time, then. Let's go back to the university. I'm sure I cam get us! If I weren't your protector, I would make a good spy."

"Whatever." Torah said, rolling her eyes.

The two of them flew down to the university. Torah glared at Toma when she saw that the university wasn't closed. There were no guards even out. "A really good spy." Torah snorted.

Toma said, "Now I'm hurt." She smirked.

Torah snorted loudly. "I'm sure."

Torah walked to Mel's room nd knocked. Her friends hated balls and were allowed to stay at the university for Midwinter. The only reason that Torah didn't do the same was because Jakkin and Ani would murder her if she passed up an opportunity to visit them.

Mel opened the door. She opened her mouth in shock. "Not only are you missing the Midwinter Balls, but you're wearing breeches and a tunic. And I thought I knew you." She said, shaking her head.

Torah smirked at her. "Don't get too used to it, cousin."

Mel rolled her eyes and stood aside. "Well, come on in. Why don't you tell us why you're here." Torah stepped inside and waved to Gavi and Rikash. They nodded back to her. Lila was still at the palace at the ball.

"Why are you in such a good mood?" Gavi wanted to know.

Torah snorted. "I got to yell at Zamar of Carthak."

Mel gasped and jumped to her feet. "He was there? What did he want?"

Torah shrugged. "For me to go back to Carthak with him. He wanted me to have his heir by next year."

Rikash raised his eyebrows. "What did you say?"

Torah grinned. "I told him to stuff it. I gave him the ring back, well, actually I threw it at him. It didn't quite reach him, but I'm not worried. He can buy another one. I just feel bad for Faziah. There is no way that I'll be welcome in Carthak again, and she's like a sister to me."

Gavi smiled. "Maybe he'll fall in love with someone else here."

Torah shrugged. "Maybe he will. I don't really care."

Torah missed the rest of the balls. She chose to stay at the university with Rikash and Mel. She gave Gavi her dresses to wear to the balls. Gavi went in her place.

The night of the last ball, Torah stayed up all night watching a storm. When someone burst into her rooms the next morning, she was still sleeping and was grumpy. She poened her weary eyes and saw Gavi shaking her. "Yes?" She moaned.

She could tell right away that Gavi was happy, but she looked a little nervous. Torah sat up and motioned for the older girl to sit next to her. Gavi ignored her and began to pace around the room.

"Torah, I have to tell you something. The night of the second ball, I met this really handsome man. I didn't know who he was. He never told me his name. We danced and flirted and fell in love with each other. Last night, he asked me to marry him. His name was Zamar."

Before Torah could speak, Gavi continued, as if she feared what Torah was going to do. "We really love each other a lot. I'll be very happy with him. But I still feel bad. I know that you wouldn't want me to marry him. You probably think that I'm stupid and not a good friend for agreeing to marry the man you love. Please know that if you don't want me to marry him, then...I won't." Gavi looked like she might cry.

"Gavi, I don't love Zamar. I never did. It was just a little crush. We were never much more than friends. We're too alike. If you marry him, I'll give you my blessings. I think that you two will be very happy together."

Gavi burst into tears. Torah hugged her friend tightly until she had stopped crying. Gavi wiped her eyes on her sleeve and said, "You don't know how much that means to me."

Torah smiled wryly. "I think I do." That got a watery chuckle from Gavi. Torah hugged her again. "When do you leave for Carthak?"

Gavi sighed and looked down at her feet. "Tomorrow at dawn. I am going to be the next empress so I need all the training I can get. I'm still allowed to get the rest of my mage training."

Torah sighed and smiled. "I'm going to miss you so much."

Gavi nodded. "I'll miss you too. I have to go say goodbye to the others. Zamar wants to talk to you. Promise that you'll come to the wedding in at Midsummer!"

Torah grinned. "But of course, Majesty."

"Don't call me that! We're friends!"

"You should have thought of that before you started calling me lightning queen." Gavi laughed. "Where's Zamar?"

"Just outside. See you later." Torah gave her one last hug. There was another knock on the door and Zamar entered.

Torah smiled at her shoes. Zamar sighed and sat down next to her. "Torah, I'm sorry. I acted like a fool. I don't mean to be mean, but I never really wanted to marry you. My mother and father pretty much forced me to write that letter. Don't get me wrong; I love you, but as a friend."

Torah hugged him. "Me too. I'll be at your wedding. You'll like Gavi. She's a good sorts. You'll be the perfect couple. I gave my blessing."

Zamar sighed in relief. "You have no idea how much that means to me, to us." He gestured to where Gavi had gone. "You'll visit?"

"If you'd like me to." Torah smirked at him.

"Of course, milady." He became serious. "Torah, promise me that we're still friends. Can we still be friends?"

Torah kissed his cheek. "Yes. Come on. Let's go find Gavi. I have a feeling that she's going to be reduced to a puddle of tears if you don't comfort her soon."

Zamar and Torah were right. Gavi had thrown herself into Mel and Lila's arms and was sobbing her head off. Zamar kindly plucked her off of them and held her. He raised her face to his own, and they kissed.

Torah smiled and went to stand by Rikash. She leaned her head into his shoulder. His arm wrapped around her waist. "Let's go get some rest." He said.

He carried Torah into her rooms. She fell asleep in his arms. Rikash laid her down gently nd laid down next to her. She snuggled into his arms.

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Aw, how sweet and fluffy! Yay Rikash! Here's my reasons for breaking Zamar and Torah up. They wouldn't be happy together. They are too alike. Torah is a headstrong girl who always needs an adventure, where Gavi is more quiet. Zamar would only be happy with the quiet girl. Torah wouldn't change for him and he wouldn't change for her. Rikash knows Torah and likes her for who she really is. If you want to write a fic about Zamar and Torah or Zamar and Gavi, or anyone for that matter, go ahead. Just make sure you send it to me so I can read it. My email is or you can just PM me. Thanks, oh, and review! Maybe if I get enough, I'll write a Gavi/Zamar starting at the ball or even a Zamar/Torah. REVIEW!