Chapter 19
You can't run away
"Come on, get uuuuup, we're getting married!" I tried to get Malachite up the next morning. Snarly had been weird last night as usual when we told the others but Hanz seemed happy for us. We assured Snarly we would be using his rings, and he would be part of the ceremony to present them to us. No, he didn't have to wear special clothes unless he wanted. Yes, I would be casting hygiene on him before we went into the church.
"I guess I'll have to," he groaned. "Is it even sunrise yet?"
"Sunrise? It's almost sunset! You've slept the whole day away!"
"What?" He managed to pry his eyes open and look around.
"Oh, you are alive. Come on, breakfast is ready."
"Trying to trick me? I see how it is!" He grabbed me and started tickling me.
"Stop, stop! You jerk! Don't make me phase myself!"
"Is that what we're calling it these days?"
With Malachite up and moving we went to go see how to get married, which required heading to the town hall and asking. There wasn't a tremendous amount of paperwork to do and it almost seemed like once we did the paperwork, we were married at least in the eyes of the kingdom. Having a ceremony or whatever was totally up to us. The fee included noting the date of the "wedding" in the city records, printing a notice in the town newspaper, fliers hung around town, and the town crier announcing it as part of the daily news. We thanked the receptionist and said we would be back once we had a date from a priest. It would have been quite odd to get married on paper, then have the ceremony saying we had been married. I wanted a date, then to have that date in the news, then a ceremony, then signing paperwork. Not the other way around. At least some part of this whole thing had to proceed in the correct way.
"And now we have to find a draig priest," Malachite complained. "Do you go to church or whatever? I don't think you do..."
I sighed. "Technically I am breaking the commandment of 'remember the sabbath day and keep it holy.' We're fighting a war here. The Gloom doesn't take Miday off, so neither can I. I don't really belong to a church, no. It would have been impossible on the road, and coming here it's been pretty non-stop. Maybe once everything calms down? We're just going to have to look into it." And honestly 'church' is about community, and giving your money to them. I can worship just as easily out in a grassy field as I can in a wooden pew. The Lord is in all things, including my own heart. Isn't the church rich enough by now? I think it is. They don't need my money.
"You naughty girl! And you complain about me killing everything in sight. You're just as bad as me!"
"You're really saying me fighting for the freedom of all people against the oppression of the Gloom one day of the week is the same as you whirling your sword around, chopping everything we meet in half with one blow?"
"Is it a whirling? I feel it's more of a whipping motion. Honestly this sword is too small, it feels too light for me now. I need to look into a bigger one, something with some real heft to it."
"That's what you're going to take issue with?"
"Okay, okay, I agree they're not equivalent. But what are we going to do? I was raised to worship dragons, and I'm terrible at that. To say nothing of angels and the Lord and Heaven and everything else that entails you were raised with. Is any priest going to marry us when our beliefs are so different? I mean fundamentally you believe in something, I believe in nothing. That may be a problem."
"That's what we're going to ask him, once we find him, silly." If we can't find a priest that will do it, we'll just exchange rings in the grassy field and call ourselves married. Will the town really go asking at every church if we had a ceremony there? No. We'll pay the fee to sign the paperwork and be married.
"I guess we'll know soon..."
"… So, I guess you don't even believe in me? Kind of sad when you put it that way."
"Okay, not nothing. There is one thing I believe in, at least."
"That's better."
"It's bacon."
"On second thought maybe we shouldn't rush into a wedding…"
"Kidding! I'm just kidding around!"
"I mean if you wanted to marry bacon instead, I would understand."
"How would I marry the concept of bacon? That doesn't even make sense."
"I mean if you think about it, you're marrying the concept of me, aren't you? Unless you magically become me, you can never truly know me, and so all you have is the idea of me in your head, which really is what you're marrying."
"It's too early in the morning for this."
We asked around at various churches and found a small church dedicated to Kafziel, patron angel of dragons. Heading inside we sat down, hoping to be noticed and helped in due time. Thankfully it wasn't long before a green draig stepped out and came over to us.
"Welcome to the church of Kafziel," he told us. "I am Father Isengorf. May I help you in some way?"
"Yes," I answered, as Malachite looked to me. "My name is Orchid, and this is Malachite. We would like to be married when it fits your schedule, hopefully soon. A small ceremony for now, as having a full wedding is simply not in the cards for us at this time. Can you accommodate us?"
"Perhaps. To be truly married in the eyes of the Lord the spell of matrimony must be performed. This will safeguard your souls, entrusting them to each other. Have you pledged your souls, either of you, to any demonic patron or otherwise?"
"I should say not!" I told him, offended.
"Not that I recall," Malachite told him dryly.
Huh, I can probably verify that with question magic later, just in case. He did get drunk a lot more before he met me.
"That's a good start. Now for the tricky question; This requires you to share a faith, and I must say I don't often see this sort of pairing even in my church. Is this going to be a problem?"
"On my end, yes, Father," Malachite replied. "She has far more faith in the Heavens than I do."
"I see. Why would you say that was?"
"I suppose it started early. I had a hard time growing up, and I really didn't feel the Lord had any special plan for me. Or that They even existed at all. Either They didn't really exist and the world has this mass delusion, or They are real and hate me, so why would I pray to Them? But then Orchid came into my life, and she's showing me a better way. I mean I've seen Heaven with my own two eyes, and she's always concerned with the state of my soul. But I don't think that's enough."
"No, it's not. Knowing is not having faith. How long have the two of you known each other?"
"About three years," I answered. "We've basically been together every day since we met."
"I figured I better make it official before some bigger, stronger, better looking draig scoops her up."
"I don't think such a person exists!"
"Be that as it may, let's return to the question of faith," Isengorf told us. "And perhaps I should not assume anything. Orchid, do you believe your faith in the Lord is strong enough to carry you forward into the future?"
I sighed. "I'll be honest with you Father, I'm not the most devout of the Lord's children. I spent much longer than I should have studying magic, not really worrying about my faith for a long time. Paid a high price for it, too, one I have only just recently managed to put behind me. I should probably pray more, and I know I'm too reliant on my own power or should I say I have more faith in magic than I do in a divine presence protecting me. I know my choices are my own, and if I fail no angel is going to step in and save me. But on the other hand it's like Malachite said. I worry about the condition of my soul, and his. I try to do the right thing, to help those that need help with no expectation of a reward- hey did we return all those jam jars to that lady? We must have, right?"
"I think we did?"
"We better check. Sorry, what was I saying? Right, helping people. I fight to protect those that can't protect themselves, using the magic I learned, in the best possible way I can. Could I use my magic to be a thief? To simply take the good things in life I want? Of course! But I choose not to go down that path. Temptation is everywhere and I do my best to avoid it. I hope one day to see Heaven, and the friends I have lost along the way. But I have a long way to go before that day, so I feel I must be extra careful not to fall too far. Because I would have a long way to fall if I did."
"You seem a bit young to be worried about some of that?"
I chuckled. "Father, I'm two hundred and forty years old. My parents are in their five hundreds. Those in my clan live a long time. And given how long this guy is going to live, I plan to research magic to turn back the clock when I get too old so I can stay with him. As I know the guild probably won't sell me such. But one day my time will be up. My soul will be judged. I only hope my long life of service to the world will be judged adequate for entry into Heaven. That's my faith."
"I see. There truly are strange powers in this world... but enough of that. It seems only you, Malachite, are questioning your faith at this time."
"Yeah, I'm always making problems for her, Father."
"But you don't go out of your way to make problems, right?"
"Listen Father. I agree that I haven't had faith for a long time, but I'm learning to have it, and she's showing me the way. If it weren't for her, I still wouldn't have any. I'd be in bar fights, and playing Gressh'dronnar, and the Gloom would be taking over the world and I would be clueless. She pulled me out of a jail cell because she saw something in me. What I don't know. But I've tried to become worthy of her."
No need to mention a jail perhaps?
"Still, it is my duty to caution you that the spell will only work if you truly believe."
"I believe in her, and if she tells me that there's something to believe in, well then I'll go through Hell and back to get there and believe it. And she has the most faith I've ever seen."
Oh dear. He needs to meet more people. Like I said I'm not that faithful, just worried about all this killing he does. Yes it's cultists, or elemental demons and such but I can't help but think about that cultist he caught in the bar. He had a choice there, and rather than turn that guy in to the guard, he killed him. I think he learned from that, and he is trying, but I am not some paragon of faith by a long shot.
"Unfortunately, Orchid is not the one providing the spell or linking your souls."
"But all of this is for her. I have to believe that there will be a place that I can spend the rest of my days with her, after we've both moved on from this realm. Because we risk those lives every day. And I couldn't keep facing down these dangers if I didn't think it was for a higher purpose than just ourselves. I was bitter for a long time, thinking the Heavens had abandoned me. But I believe they put her in my path to show me otherwise."
"Ah, yes, this is what Kafziel likes to see." He smiled. "Excellent. I believe if you keep this in mind, the spell will function perfectly on your wedding day."
He breathed out a sigh. "Thank you."
"It's your faith, I simply point it out. Now, you said you wanted a small ceremony? I can accommodate you in two days' time."
"Yes, just two others," I explained. "A beastfolk and a remnant. We'll have a proper ceremony with our parents after the war is over, and we're all safe. It just doesn't feel right getting our families here under the current circumstances." And trying to accommodate a full grown dragon around here… We'll probably have to have the ceremony at his hometown. And won't that be a slap in the face for all those draig that live there? Well, one thing at a time. I wonder what his parents would say? He has no love for them, but they seemed genuinely saddened by that. Perhaps he'll find forgiveness in his heart after all this. My parents, on the other hand… I shuddered.
"… I see," he managed, shaking his head a little. He seemed confused, perhaps about to ask what 'war' we were talking about, but changed tactics. "All are welcome, of course."
"Is there anything special we should bring?" Malachite asked.
"If you would like to take care of the donation for the ceremony now, which includes the matrimony spell, it would reduce the number of things you'll need to think about on the day."
"Very well," we both said, reaching for our money pouches.
"No, no, save your money for buying magic," Malachite told me. "I'll get this."
"We'll get this," I reminded him. "Soon your money will be my money…" I wiggled my eyebrows at him.
"…"
I hastened on. "And my money will be your money."
"I wondered if that was coming. I suppose you're right. Just give me some kind of stipend, okay? A few embers? Enough for a crust of bread now and again, that's all I ask." He grinned evilly. "Or cook Snarly up some bacon, just to let me smell it as it cooks. That will be enough for me. I'll just lick the pan clean, and be satisfied with that."
"I'll take good care of your purse- I mean you, my love!" I patted his cheek. "Don't you worry. Plenty of bacon if you behave yourself."
"I wasn't worried until just now." He counted out the coins. "What am I really getting into here, anyway?"
"Very good. Let's go over the various parts of the ceremony so you know what to expect."
After leaving the church we went back to the town hall, as we now had a firm date, and got that taken care of. More coins changed hands, and we headed back out.
"Should I buy a nice suit?" he asked.
"I was going to go with illusion magic. Tokens, so I wasn't concentrating on it the whole time. I'll just make you one. After all I'm marrying you, not your clothes. Naturally for the big wedding I'll have six months or more to work on the design of my dress."
"You're joking, right?"
"Am I, Malachite? Am I though? Let's be practical for now, as you say there's always more useful magic to buy and it's expensive. We have a war to win, and we won't do it in fancy clothes. Buy better armor or something if you're going to spend money."
"Oh dear…"
"What?"
"Uh, you'll see when we get home…"
When we got home a man in a leather apron was waiting out front. He was standing by a cart pulled by a single horse, and Malachite went over to him. "Sorry to keep you waiting!"
"No problem. That rat or whatever he was said you would probably be back soon. Hard to understand him, actually. Did he roll in something? How do you stand living with him? Anyway, let's get this set up."
"Get what set up, my darling?" I asked icily.
"Our new bed. Surprise! I know, you could have reshaped our stone one but I figured we would be sharing a room now and you're not completely practical. I thought you might like a real bed, a wooden one. Ours was a bit small…"
"You do have a rather large… tail, that gets in the way of things sometimes."
He snickered. "Besides I had to order this two weeks ago. But only practicality from now on!"
"I'm not some miser, love. A good night's sleep will keep us fresh for battle. It's practical in that way."
"Exactly what I was thinking!"
"Uh huh. Let me go break down the old bed. You get to carry the chunks of stone to the workshop. I'll repurpose them somehow."
The next two days passed swiftly. I memorized the new spell and tried it out. My hopes for it were somewhat dashed, while the description said that any elemental body could "move through its own element at will" that apparently didn't apply to light. Standing in the full sunlight I was unable to raise even a centimeter off the ground and I moved no faster than I could otherwise. What was the point of turning your body into light if you couldn't 'lightstep' to put a name to it, to anywhere the sun was shining? Or fly through the air as a beam of light? But I supposed it could be useful, as it was almost absolute protection but I worried about the elemental demons we faced. Were they "darkness" aligned or "shadow" aligned? It would make a big difference. I also entertained thoughts of casting the spell on them directly. Could an elemental demon of darkness survive being turned into light? It would be a sure but slow way to do it, Malachite could chop one up faster than I could get off a grade 9 spell after all.
I added some "fins" to my necklace, made of stone of course, and put some spell symbols on them for my new spell. Four of them, more than enough for any one time, but far easier to use than trying to cast such a difficult spell on the fly. I figured if and when I needed it, I would really need it. Best to have it at hand.
And speaking of having things on hand, I convinced Malachite to hand the knife over that he had found, the one that radiated darkness, and looked it over. I didn't seem to feel any particular pull to keep it once I had it in hand, but I increased my skill at synchronizing with magical objects and dove into it. Thankfully it didn't seem cursed at all, but I did learn anyone stuck with the knife would have their life force drained and added to the holder's. This didn't explain why it looked like that, there was no illusion magic on it and just having an energy draining spell woven into it didn't explain the effect I was seeing. Just one of those mysteries I guess. So could someone stab my summons and take their 'life force?' They get a new one every time I summon them, after all. Huh. Let them be "killed" and just make new ones. I doubt they would mind. We'll try it sometime. I turned it over to Snarly, not that he needed it with his Most Poison Blade. But he was the one most likely to use it, so he thanked me and that was that.
While I had the augment spell on I also looked over the glowing potion we found, but it was just a standard healing potion. My tokens were better- much less breakable.
When I handed Malachite his token of disguise for the wedding he asked if he could have some hygiene ones, and I said sure and went off to make them. Is he worried about more of those puking monster things? That was awful, I have to admit. Thank goodness my cleaning spell worked as it did.
Finally I cultivated my core and wiped out the version of Besom I had there. I quickly reengraved her, slotting in my elemental needle spell in place of the knockout beam. It had proven fairly worthless in our past battles given everything we faced really needed to be ended, not just knocked out. I decided if something needed to be knocked out, I would do it. Otherwise, Besom would be a more effective fighter from now on. She was the one to head into danger in place of me, while Boline stayed by my side and protected me should something get near. This would make that happen.
And suddenly it was the day of the wedding. Thankfully it wasn't too early so I could get Malachite up on time, we went over everything with Snarly so he knew what his part was, and we headed to the church.