Chapter 26

Part 3

“Wow. That’s good thinking.” Mark nodded. “All this power and magic still strikes me as very spooky and strange, but you’re right about all of that.

“I just hope that you forgive me if I get really shy. I’ve never even seen more than fifty people in one place before.”

“I, of all people, understand shyness, my betrothed.” Talia smiled, ruffling his hair. “Though I think this ordeal has cured me of most of it. My former fears now seem so inconsequential.”

A moment later Nemia briskly broke the silence. “Well, there is much to do. Mark, you must be barbered and tailored, and the rest of us must prepare as well. There is a feast to be prepared, and the chapel must be made ready.”

“And I must pass on eight thousand invitations, and prepare my wedding present.” Alilia thoughtfully agreed. “Perhaps if Theramin will assist me, it can be a present from both of us, for I intend to build them a home. Mark cannot spend his wedding night in one of ours, for he could never stand up straight in one.”

“I would be delighted, Alilia.” Theramin beamed. “I take it you have something in mind?”

“I do, and it will take both our talents. And don’t worry, it will fall within the construction strictures of The Nine Valleys.

“Yazadril, Link with me please. I send you an image of the home we will make for your daughter and Mark. Tell us where we should locate it. And the front entrance must face south.”

“Ah! Beautiful, and so perfect for both of them!” Yazadril exclaimed at their private vision. “The land already set aside for Talia’s hometree will be perfect! See!” He hummed a note, and sent her and Theramin his image of the land with the home complete upon it. “And if you were to accept my help, and Nemia’s, we could do it thus!” he said, and modified his image.

“Ahh! Yazadril, you are a masterful artist!” Theramin breathed in admiration.

“Indeed.” Alilia had to admit. “Your grasp of complexity and detail astounds me yet again.”

“Pardon me for interrupting.” Mark said as he stood, effortlessly holding Talia in his arms. “I’m sure that most of what needs to be done can be better accomplished elsewhere. Why don’t we go to your house, Yazadril, so these ladies can prepare in comfort?”

“Why not indeed?” Yazadril nodded with a smile.

“An excellent idea.” Nemia agreed as she stood and began bustling about, collecting the cups. “Here Mark. I feel a need to do a bit of mothering, so I will pack your possessions, and you can continue cuddling with Talia.”

“Thank you. I appreciate that very much right now.” he quietly rumbled, and took a moment to close his eyes and concentrate on the wonderful sensations of the tiny elfess in his arms, seeming so trusting, so affectionate, so obviously and desperately hoping to find love and happiness with the completely unusual stranger who was now destined to be her eternal tormentor.

He opened his eyes at the same time as she did, so that he just saw her eyelids finish opening, and then their gazes seemed to fall into each other, and the eyes of the other seemed to take up all of reality. It seemed a fateful moment, and Mark felt a need to say something good and right, something as profound as this moment. And as he recognized the need, he said the first things that came to mind, before the fated moment was past. “Talia, I will never fail your trust. Ever. I swear it.”

He turned and carried her to the edge of the glade, under the shade of the trees, and spoke intimately. “And I would not have us start with any hidden truths of importance between us. I did not tell you my age because I was a bit embarrassed that you’re older than me. I’ve lost track of the date. My birthday is the second day of the ninth month. If that hasn’t passed yet, I’m still sixteen. If it has, I’ve turned seventeen.”

“It is the twenty-eighth day of the eighth month.” Talia told him with a smile, still holding the intense eye contact. “In four days you turn seventeen, and that seems just right to me. Are you still growing?”

“I think I am, but I think it’s almost finished. Your father asked the same thing.” he revealed with a smile as bright as hers. “And there’s something else you need to know. Something I ask you to keep between you, me, and Yazadril, who already knows because he discovered it. Yesterday he found a way to make magic affect me a little bit, though he had to use a lot of effort. He said that no one else would ever think of it. I don’t want anyone else to know because I’ve never encountered real magic before yesterday, except for the disaster at home. You elves have such amazing power, so much that you take it for granted, and… it frightens me. As long as they all think that I can’t be affected by magic, then we’re even, because I have no magic to affect them either, and I can be comfortable among them. But if they find out that there’s a way to affect me with magic, then I’m defenseless.”

“I understand, and I will keep your secret. You realize that you can still be affected by magic indirectly? That a rock thrown at you by magic is not in itself magic, and will hit you the same way as if it were thrown by hand?”

“I know. But I’m fully trained as a Ranger, and I have my own ways of being physically dangerous, so we’re still even.

“The most important thing is, Yazadril might be able to do it at our wedding, so that the magic of the vows affects me. Hopefully, without anyone else realizing it.”

Now she finally took her eyes from his so she could hug him tight in thankful joy.

“Take your father aside as soon as you can go someplace private to talk, and ask him about it.” Mark advised as he carried her back to the group.

“I will, right away. Don’t worry, no one will think it unusual or suspect anything. Set me down, please.”

He did so as he noticed that the rest were gathered around a huge padded brown leather reclining chair, more than big enough for him, mounted on a slightly ornate hardwood platform that was polished to a deep shine.

“Yazadril pointed out that you could be neither Translocated nor Levitated.” Alilia told him as Talia made her way to her father’s side and whispered in his ear. “And I do not wish to walk, and we are short of time.” Alilia continued. “Thus, I have made you a conveyance, to your measurements, which Yazadril provided. The chair is mundane, but the platform it is bound to has had a keyed permanent Flight spell cast upon it, which is Levitation combined with Movement. And to answer the question I can see on your face, it is easier to cancel the weight on a body by Levitation and then Move it, than to lift the weight with Movement while also using that spell to direct your motion. Since it cannot be keyed to you, I suggest that Talia be given control of it. The seat is big enough for you both, or she can sit in your lap.”

“Thank you, Alilia.” Mark said as he nervously inspected the flying chair. “I’m not sure if I can use it, though. I’m not afraid of heights, as long as whatever’s supporting me seems solid and safe. But if it doesn’t, I have a big fear of falling. When you’re my size, even a short fall can be dangerous.”

“Well, we can fly along just above the grass.” Talia assured him. “It will take slightly longer, but we’ll get there soon enough. You can trust Alilia’s work to function safely, and I’m an experienced flyer, with good control of my own Flight spell.”