Preparations

Aedric and Snoe make hurried preparations for their wedding.

24.

Preparations

 

“Duke Eleazar, I don’t know what to say to you sir!”  Aedric spoke nervously to the half-Drow, after he and Snoe had been separated so both could be quickly made ready for the impromptu wedding.   He stood in a room in the Sylvan palace with the Duke, Gamel, Aeric, Aaron and Mattleos.

 

Eleazar smiled a somewhat strained, but still sincere smile, patting Aedric on the shoulder, “It has been a most numbing day, King Aedric.”

Aedric flinched at the title, “It’s a nightmare, sir.   Everything is happening so quickly.   Sir, I would never have presumed to be worthy to marry your daughter.   Snoe is a wonderful, beautiful girl that I am extremely fond of, but neither one of us were even remotely ready for something like this.   I can assure you, sir, that I have always treated her as a perfect gentleman.”

 

Eleazar now tilted his head back and laughed, “Aedric, I am not at all upset at you, nor blame you.   Neither does Aurei.   We both felt the spirit of Yesh at the ceremony.   It is absolutely Yesh’s will that the two of you be married, and we are as surprised as both of you.   But certainly not unhappy or upset, just surprised and trying to come to terms with Snoe leaving home, suddenly a woman.”

 

“Duke Eleazar, I swear to you, I will treat Snoe as if she were-“

“Your wife?”  Eleazar smiled, “Aedric, I know you will be perfectly kind to her.   The question is, will you love her?”

“Yes.”  He answered immediately, which surprised himself, “I can assure you of that as well.   She is a wonderful woman, sir.   I… I think I… already love her.”

“You don’t sound completely sure.”

“I’ve never told her this, sir.   I think I just realized it myself.   I’ve not known her for very long, really, but I do love her.    Still, I don’t want her to go through this if she is unsure, not even for Yesh.”

“That surprises me, Aedric: a Paladin is to submit to the will of Yesh in all things.”

“You are right, sir, but I am worried that Snoe is putting her duty to God over her own happiness.”

“If she is, Aedric, that is her own decision.   That should not trouble you so much.   What really concerns you, King Aedric?”

 

Aedric paused for a moment, but he knew he had to be frank as he did not have much time to waste, “Duke Eleazar, to be honest with you sir, I was thinking of my mother.   She was forced to marry my father and did so to save her people from being enslaved by the Faesidhe. “

“Her life was lonely and miserable.   My father did not really love her, though she had everything she could want… except her freedom to rejoin her people.   I remember my mother’s sad eyes, sir, and I do not want Snoe to think of her parents and family and pine away for Westmark.   It would break my heart to cause her pain such as that.”

 

Eleazar put his arm around Aedric’s shoulder in a fatherly manner, “Son, I have always respected your honesty with me, since you have exorcised your unwarranted hatred of me as well as the illusions of your father’s righteousness.  You took a difficult path to trust me and then to serve me.   You befriended my shy daughter and got her to speak again, then brought out of her a beautiful spirit.”

 

“Duke, she has done as much for me - she is the only girl who I’ve ever felt close to, other than my mother.   I feel… bonded to her, and honestly sir, I am thunderstruck that she would even agree to marry me even to serve Yesh’s plans.   I am unworthy.   She’s wonderful, sir, and deserves far better than me.”

 

“Aedric, you have nothing to fear.   Aurei and I have watched her around you.   She loves you and though it mystifies and scares her, she feels it very strongly.    I am quite sure you and her are soul-bonded as well.   If you both were a few years older, you both would feel that more strongly, as her mother and I did when we first met.   But I think she will be quite happy as your wife and Queen.”

 

“I hope so, Duke.   If she ever changes her mind, I will certainly understand and honor her decision.”

“I would not worry about that either.   Now come!   We should help you to attire yourself in something befitting a new King on his wedding day!”

 

They led him to a group of royal groomsmen who awaited them and soon he was being shown various options of clothing to wear.   He prayed quietly that Snoe would find the confirmation she needed to do what was best.

 

***

 

In another room not too far away, a large group of women were frantically trying to assemble something beautiful that befit a young, lovely bride who would leave the ceremony a queen.

 

Snoe sat calmly in the middle of the chaos around her as bewildering assortments of wedding gowns (from what source she had no clue) were presented for her selection.

Her sister Amala hovered protectively over her repeatedly telling her every few minutes, “Snoe, you don’t have to do this.   You can refuse.”

 

Finally the words began to annoy her and she at last glanced up at her sister, “I realize that, Amala.   I’ve made a choice to do it.   Why does that bother you?”

“Because you are much too young and naïve.    This is preposterous!   Everyone is just getting too caught up in the drama and emotion of the funeral.   None of this should have been forced upon you!   Everyone needs to simply let their emotions cool off for a few days and think things out.   We’ve got huge tasks ahead of us; this is no time for a silly wedding!”

 

Snoe and most of the other women in the room glared at Amala, but the tom-boyish girl did not care and glared back at them.

 

“Amala, why can’t you accept that this is from Yesh?   I’ve told you that your father and I - as well as your aunt Zeatt--- felt the spirit of Yesh upon the words of the priest.”   Aurei said as she bounced baby Aidan on her knee.

“I know, Mom, but I just can’t see it coming from Yesh right now.   It isn’t like this marriage can’t wait.   All these crazy titles too - ‘King’ this and ‘Princess’ that.   Why would Yesh want us to focus on these trivial things right now, when we face important quests that have to be done very soon?”

 

Aurei looked quickly at Queen Mathlyn who was trying to appear to ignore the conversation as she helped some ladies in waiting to examine potential wedding dresses, then back to her daughter, “Amala, you are being rude!”

 

The girl shrugged, “Isn’t it rude to force a child into a marriage?   Mother, Snoe is younger than you were when you married dad!   Look who she is forced to marry, the very son of the man who is responsible for Leah’s brutal murder - which she witnessed, I might add!”

 

Aurei leapt to her feet, her red eyes glowing, “Amala!   That is enough!   It is you who are acting ignorant now!”

Amala stood her ground, glaring back at her mother, “He’s his son, mother!   Apples don’t fall far from the tree!”

 

Aurei reared back to slap her errant daughter, but before she could, Mathlyn was standing between the two of them, smiling gently.

“Ladies, please! Peace!”

“But-“ Amala began to say, but the great lady’s eyes stopped her.

“Young lady, I am by many centuries older than you, your mother or anyone alive in Synomenia today.   I witnessed the Great Gathering and I have seen horrors that you cannot even imagine.   But through it all I have never known my God to do anything that would harm or hurt any of those committed to doing his will.”

“But-“ Amala started to speak again.

“Shh!  Child, close your mouth and open your ears!   All that Yesh does has a purpose, and that purpose includes you and your family.   Do not be surprised that he asks something like this from your sister.   Snoe does know the will of God, it is you who are in error for you trust yourself over anything else, and your youthfulness and arrogance makes your wisdom very faulty.”

 

Amala was rebuked by Mathlyn’s words and diverted her eyes with a sullen pout.

 

“Amala, let me tell you about my grandson.   He willingly sacrificed himself to destroy a bridge so that Westmark would have time to prepare.   Your sister, out of love for him, also made that choice.   No selfish, arrogant person would do that!   Had I not been sent by Yesh to save him, he would have died.    Yet it was Snoe who breathed life back into him.”

“I am a user of magic for many centuries, child, and none of the spells that I have cast upon him have shown to me any evil or corruption about him.”

 

“I hope so.” Amala mumbled, “It is my sister who will suffer if he is false.”

“You find it quite hard to trust him due to who you perceive him to be, or who his father was and what he did.   It is hardly fair, child.”

 

Amala shrugged sullenly, “Perhaps you are right, Queen Mathlyn, but considering that three of my sisters are dead due to deception from two self-serving, power-hungry men - who could blame me?   Now if you’ll excuse me, I need some fresh air.”   The Drow girl quickly bolted out the door, leaving her mother and sister to apologize to their Elven hostess.

 

***

To Amala’s dismay, Lord Mattleos was leaning against a railing just past the outside door.   He glanced up as she came through the doorway and nodded politely, “Princess Amala.”

Amala snorted at the title, “That’s a joke, Lord Mattleos.”

“Your title?   Why do you say that?”

“I’m no princess, nor are my parents royalty.   I’m not sure why everyone is so insane about a creepy white crow that speaks the divine tongue.”

 

Mattleos smiled, “Well, it is a bit unusual, you have to admit.”

“Yes, but do your people usually go off like this every time he appears?”

“Amala, you have to understand, he doesn’t appear that much.   Even when royal children are born, he doesn’t always fly up with a cryptic message.   I’m told he didn’t show up at my birth.”

“So do you feel cheated?”  She chided.

“No - I don’t really need to receive his blessing to realize my worth or potential.”

“I’m glad you have some common sense.   It is rare anymore, especially among the young.”

 

Mattleos grinned at her, “I’m not that young!  I’m older than Aedric by a few years.”

Amala blinked in surprise, “You’re older than Aedric?   Then why aren’t you King?”

“His mother was the eldest daughter of Travin and Mathlyn and so her firstborn child is heir, even if her next younger sister bore a son before she did.”

“How insane!   You should be King.   I’ll tell you what; I’ll help you kill Aedric, then both of our problems will be solved.”

 

Mattleos laughed, but at the same time studied the beautiful Drow tomboy, “I don’t think killing Aedric would endear us to anyone around here.”

Amala nodded, “Oh, I don’t really want him harmed, Matt.   I guess he has proven himself, if I honestly think about it.   He’s brave and extremely good to Snoe - after a rocky start.   I just have trouble trusting Faesidhe Elves.   Even half-breeds.”

 

Mattleos grinned, but said nothing.

“Why are you grinning?”  Amala asked, suspiciously.

“Well, I recall that your father was half-Faesidhe: a half-breed as it was.   You do trust him, don’t you?”

“Checkmate, Lord Matt.   You have me there.   I guess you are right - race should have no part of prejudice.   But tell me:   do you honestly think your cousin can lead the Sylvan people as a King?”

“Yes, I honestly do.   His uncertainty and feelings of unworthiness shows that he takes the title extremely seriously and reverently.   I suspect he will be one of our great Kings.”

“What about Snoe?   She is very young, Matt.   Too young to be a wife and a Queen.”

“Your mother was a Duchess at a younger age.   How did she do?   Snoe is a very intelligent girl and very determined, like both of your parents.   She may be young, but she will easily fulfill her role.   If for no other reason than that she loves Aedric.”

 

Amala just glanced at Mattleos, frowning slightly.

 

“You doubt it, Amala?   Believe me; she is quite deeply in love with him.   There was a very quick and deep bond that developed.   It is certainly Aleiryid in its earliest stages.”

“She is my little sister, Matt.   I’ve always protected her… now she’ll be married and the queen of your people.   It has all happened so quickly and crazily that I am completely unsure just how to feel.”

“Don’t think of it as something bad, Amala.   It is a joyous thing that will bring happiness to both Kingdoms.    Besides, this will mean that we will soon be family to each other.”

 

“Great” Amala snorted, “That just means more people that I have to worry about.”

“I assure you, Amala, I don’t need your protection over me.”

“All my family says that”, she said with a dismissing wave of her hand, “But they are usually wrong.”

 

Mattleos laughed; glad to see the young woman’s mood had lightened.   He changed the topic of conversation to lighter things and was glad to see her stay and chat with him.

 

 

Reviews

[Elina]

"...that befit a young lovely bride that would leave..." There should be a comma after "young" and I believe the second "that" could be changed to "who."
"Your mother was a Duchess at not much older of an age." This sentence sounds a bit odd to me.
"If for no other reason because she loves Aedric." It may sound better "...no other reason than that she loves Aedric." ?

Marvelous, as always!

[Eddie Davis]

Thank you, Elina.