Page 141 of Dreams and Dragon Wings
I breathe in through my mouth and out through my nose. Finally, my glow dims just enough that the frothy confection of alabaster silk, lace, and delicate floral embroidery draped on my form can once again be seen against my luminous skin.
“You can be whatever you want to be,”comes Bene's voice across our bond, a hint of amusement threading through the words.“You are the Queen of the Flora Vale and soon to be the Queen of all Drakara. It is your wedding day. Who can deny you anything?”
“Oh, hush,”I chide him, fighting against a laugh.“Stay out of my thoughts,Na’theryn. It is bad luck to see a bride before the wedding.”
“I cannot see you,”he answers me at once, warmth and love radiating through the link binding us.“But I count the moments until I can.”
“It is time,” Papa announces as he steps in close. Groaning, he lowers himself to his knees to fuss with my gown's train again. The late afternoon light streaming in through the window illuminates his still somewhat gaunt form. A year of his strange illness has left Giles Weaver looking weak.
But time spent soaking in the Living Waters has made him whole.
The silver hair atop his head has a bit of shine to it now. His warm brown eyes are once again bright with life as he stares at the gown he designed, but that my birth father helped craft with weaves of Earth.
I swallow hard against the rising lump in my throat and try not to cry at the sight.
Thank you, Na’Eruv, for helping him.
“Lord Rowan!” Papa worriedly calls.
My birth father appears at once and joins Papa in his crouch.
No longer a twisted husk of his former self, Rowan val’Anasi looks every inch the elf the Great Weaver showed me in the poolwithin Castle Illume’s chapel. Tall. Strong. With chestnut skin, eyes like spring, and umber hair streaked with hints of gray.
“Vaei, Master Giles?”
“I thought we finally agreed these should be purple?” Papa frets, rubbing his thumb against the pink roses embroidered along the edge of my wedding gown’s train.
Father frowns at him. “But our daughter’s favorite color is pink.”
“Yes, yes, but the royal colorispurple. Surely the dragons will take offense if their future queen is not wearing their color.” Despite his words, he sounds uncertain. “Will they not?”
And thank you, I add to my prayer, smiling down at both of them,for blessing me with these two wonderful fathers.
Rowan tilts his head from side to side in a so-so gesture before sending out a delicate thread of Earth that changes the embroidered roses, the pink diamonds about my throat, and the crystal flowers pinned in my hair from their dusty pink hue to a rich purple instead.
The moment he does, Velda, Brisa, and Glorana flit into the room through the open window, nervous energy crackling off the three of them.
Delicately, Velda explains, “We came to make sure all was well. The people are growing anxious for their first glimpse of theTherya’kai.”
But it is Brisa who gasps at the sight of me. “The roses!” she points at the train of my gown. “They’re supposed to be pink!”
My fathers share a glance.
Clearing his throat, Rowan begins to say, “Yes, but Master Giles thought—”
Brisa doesn’t listen. “Change them, Glorana!” she demands, grabbing her sister’s hand and waving it at me. Scowling, the plump pixie explains, “Bene is wearing a pink rose. The gardenis filled with pink roses. Therefore, the roses on the gown must bepink.”
With a sigh, Glorana sends out a thread of Earth to change the embroidery and my accessories all back to their original hue. “For once, my sister’s logic is sound.”
Papa rises from his crouch and draws himself up to his full height. “Now, see here, ladies. While I appreciate your concern, Lord Rowan and I are the designers of theTherya’fey’s gown, and we think, as the future Queen of Drakara, she should be wearing the royal color. Which is purple.”
My father nods once, clearly in agreement, and sends out a weave of Earth to change it all back from pink to purple.
Brisa scowls at both of them.
But Glorana is quick to point out, “Their logic is also sound.”
Velda looks at me and shakes her head, as if exasperated by her sisters’ antics already. Even so, it is easy enough for me to see the smile dancing in her eyes.
