'A Familiar Face'

frolickinraptors (58)in #fantasy • 7 years ago

Chapter 12.2 from the Irish Fiction Novel: We Come Back: Vol. 1
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A Familiar Face

An hour later, we found ourselves

grinning like fools, waiting in the throne room for Kasson. We spent our day at Swan Lake; a silver water lake in a valley in the forest of Raiden, surrounded by caves. The swans had come back out onto the water, when Jack had allowed winter to pass. Now, the natural climate of Raiden had returned, and the swans were bathing in the sunlight reflecting in the water. It was an absolutely beautiful lake, and it really would be a great place for our wedding to take place at.

The next few days, as Jack had predicted,

were quite full and went by in a blur. Leonie and Kasson spared no effort in all aspects of our wedding. They brought in tailors, and seamstresses, chefs and florists from other lands. Leonie included me in every decision, giving me quite a generous variety in the type of wedding I wanted to have. Kasson, his men and Jack labored away, building and moving gazebos and setting up at the lake. Jack’s only request of me was that I not return to the lake until the night of the wedding. They stayed as busy as Leonie and I did, so by the day before the wedding, I was missing him. I knew I wouldn’t see him until the next night, as Leonie believed dearly in traditions and superstitions of all types, and therefore enforced that the groom not see the bride before the wedding.

Finished with dinner for the evening,

I retired, greatly valuing some time alone. I had not a single complaint; for my dress had been made exactly the way I wanted it, with a dark sapphire lace corset tightly wrapped around my waist, and a large, sheer, opalescent petal skirt billowing after. The opalescent top cupped my chest with a scoop neckline and reached daringly across my shoulders, and down into 3/4 inch blue sleeves. Tiny crystal star buttons had been sewn like a belt across the front of my waist, and shimmering star glitter gleamed from my hemline.

The flowers had been brought in from LarkGlen,

personally delivered by LavenDar. I had requested pale blue magnolias and crimson roses of the smallest and largest size. Beautiful translucent butterflies, also of varying sizes, accompanied the arrangement. The smell of the flowers blew through Raiden like a hurricane, destroying every nostril with the deliciously subtle scent.

When asked, LavenDar confessed that Whip

had been too brokenhearted to accompany him, but that he would ensure Whip came to the wedding. I knew what it felt like to watch someone you love, love someone else more, so I validated Whip’s emotions, and took care not to pretend otherwise. I wanted him there; because I wanted him to know that his opinion was of consequence to me, that he was of value. So, I sent a note with LavenDar for him, explaining as much.

Food of the highest delicacy had been brought in

from realms across the universe, ready to be prepared and taken to Swan Lake. Irish fairy fiddlers, and Scottish ancestral bagpipers had been orchestrated, and creatures of every language had begun to fill the city. I knew most of them in passing, but some of them, I knew very well indeed, and found great comfort in their presence. My father, for instance, was one of them. We had only grown closer over the past few days, and now, as I sat feeling as if I should be completely happy, yet knowing I actually was in a bit of stress, I was greatly relieved to hear him knock on the door.

“Raea, it is your Papa, may I come in?”

“Yes, of course Papa.”

He could feel immediately upon entering the room that I was not a blushing bride, yet he couldn’t possibly understand why.

“What is it Raea? What is the matter?”

I thought about this for quite a while, while he sat and waited patiently for my answer. Why am I upset? Surely, having Jack back in my life, pledging an eternity with me, was all I ever could of asked for and it is, and yet, part of me was ready for it to be taken away. I expressed this aloud to my father, though I hadn’t really meant to.

“I feel as if I cannot possibly deserve to be this happy, and therefore it will be taken from me. I feel as if I am leaping into a pit of love, and yet right before I reach it, I will be scooped up and thrown back out. I’m terrified that this is the longest I’ll ever be happy, because the more I’m with him, the more I love him, the more I fear I will lose him, as I have before, the more I wonder if that time ever came, if I could survive it. I know that fear is the biggest enemy any creature can possibly have, and that courage is our greatest ally and yet I am afraid,” I cried.

“Wisely so, my dear, for love is its own entity, and therefore it will spread and grow stronger the longer you experience it, and yes with that comes the possibility of massive pain. You would be foolish not to fear it,” he watched as I lowered my head in sadness, “but… you are a warrior, Astraea. You fight, when others withdraw, and that means you can’t not marry Jack, for the sake of fear. It means you will toughen your armor, and prepare for battle, because you are strong enough. Has your past not proven that to you? That you are capable of much more strength and courage than you give yourself credit for? You always feel as if it is you, as if you are the one who is weak, you, who spends so much time out of reality, hoping and wishing for more than the average lifetime has to offer? You finally have the opportunity to prove that it is possible, that miraculous soul binding romance exists, do not run from it. Do not turn away and say no to this fight, of all fights.”

I stood up and hugged my father,

crying grateful tears. He saw something in me that I needed to be reminded that I was capable of living a life that others did not. That I had been blessed with a love so deep and so ever expanding, that to not bask in it, when it finally came, was to throw away a gift seldom given.

Upon my father's departure, with a renewed spirit, my appreciative, exhausted body climbed into bed with my face buried in Jack’s pillow.

“I will smell this intoxicating scent, forever. Thank you, God,” I kissed it, curled up and fell fast asleep. I dreamt a most vivid dream that night.