by Veronica Medina
Lady Kal peers into the crystal that is embedded in the solid white gold band around her left wrist. She watches her sister laughing happily as she flies about in her garden. If dragons can dance while they fly then Kal is watching that happen right now with Artesia. “Oh sister, isn’t love just wonderful!!?” Artesia yells out as she loops and twists around in the air. Her great wings flap gracefully as she flies from the flower beds to the clouds. Kal smiles at the images being sent to her through the use of this very special crystal. “Aye, sister, love is. But now I must go. I have things to do as yet to prepare for our voyage to the new world. Fare thee well and ... and do take care! Silly girl!! Flying like that can be dangerous! Thou art going to hurt someone!” Kal chides. Her warnings are met with more laughter from her adopted sibling. Artesia roars in jubilation then playfully chases after some of her servants. Kal sighs and shakes her head. How strange it is to see a dragon laugh. Artesia waves farewell with her tail as she takes off into the sky once more in her revery. As the images begin to fade to darkness, Kal lifts up her dark elven eyes to her wardrobe and tries to determine what would be suitable to wear for a widow remarrying. She wants to look elegant but maybe white is now too inappropriate. She also thinks about where the wedding should take place before she and her new husband, Solus Nyte, set sail for Norrath.
Kal walks over to the wardrobe and reaches deep inside. From the back she pulls out a badly crumpled wedding dress. It was the dress she wore for her sudden wedding with Truice. She remembers how it took place without any preparation and how it ended suddenly that same night when Truice left to fight in a war that was on another astral plane. She couldn’t go with him and he wouldn’t stay. Kal’s heart grows cold as she recalls how angry and bitter she was to lose Truice so quickly and how she spent months and months hoping, praying and searching for her husband without ever hearing from him again. Taking the gown over towards the fireplace for better light, Kal runs her long delicate fingers across the silky white dress that is now torn and wrinkled. She notices the tear stains on the sleeves from all the crying she did that night. It was a terrible fight. She couldn’t believe he did doing this to her, leaving her on their wedding night. She cried herself to sleep, still dressed in her bridal gown. When morning came she tore it off, piece by piece as if to tear away herself from her vows, her marriage, and her Truice.
Kal takes a deep breath and discovers she is gripping the gown tightly. She forces back impending tears and clenches her teeth to fight back pain she thought was gone. “The gown. The gown is doing this,” Kal whispers to herself. Filled with renewed anger and determination, she tosses the damaged reminder of a love that was NOT wonderful into the lit hearth. The flames engulf it slowly. Kal watches her wedding dress burn, feeling her body relaxing with every minute that passes. “This time twill be different,” she promises herself, “Solus will be different.”
“What a shame, Kal. Such a fine dress.” Kal turns suddenly and sees a group of faeries sitting on the window sill. One of them flies over to Kal’s shoulder with her little arms crossed and a look of disappointment.
“It had beads too, didn’t it?” Faydra adds, pouting sadly at Kal.
“Faydra, leave me be, please. I want to be alone right now.” Kal says with cautious determination. One was always cautious with these faeries as they were quite unpredictable. Fortunately, Faydra knew some English and that helped a lot when dealing with them. Quickly, Kal pulled out her jewelry box and sifted through it to pull out some brightly colored buttons she stored there just for such a situation. Knowing how much the faeries loved trinkets and shiny objects, Kal has started collecting them in order to bribe them for their cooperation. Handing a button to each of them, she asked to be left alone again. Satisfied with their new “treasures” the faeries gathered and chattered excitedly over their gifts like a small swarm of butterflies. A few began trading their buttons completely forgetting about Kal.
“Come now! Thee agreed, Faydra. Take thy trinkets and go. And say naught about where ye got these gifts,” Kal warns, “or I’ll have every single faery in the Dark Forest in here.” Faydra giggles then interprets to the others. Little heads shake happily in agreement. With much commotion they gather together like a swarm of butterflies to leave Kal in peace, for now.
Still holding the jewelry box her hands, Kal opens it again and finds a pendant with a tiny miniature painting of Prince James of Arundel, her first husband. As she looks upon his soft blue eyes and long brown hair she begins to recall how they met and fell in love. She remembers their days together. She was his mother’s lady-in-waiting. It didn’t matter that Kal was not human. The King and Queen of Arundel had a great respect for high elves. Kal was assured a prominent place at court. When James proposed marriage, his parents were delighted. The betrothal took place right away. Lady Kal was going to be a princess. The queen saw to her training right away. She did, at least, until she was murdered. The king suddenly ordered Kal’s arrest. Kal had to go into hiding. James and Kal suspected the murderer was the king himself but there was no apparent proof and even less time to do something about it. Once found, Kal would be thown into the dungeon. James would not allowed this to happen. Quickly, the two young lovers fled their homeland on a large white dragon named Nytestar. They traveled for days seeking shelter wherever they could.
Once news of the couple fleeing reached the king’s ears he ordered a bounty put on both their heads. Being who he was, no one in his right mind dared to challenge the his judgment. Kal then recalls how James gave up his life trying to save her. They were hunted like criminals as they headed westbound to new realms. Kal remembers the simple wedding ceremony at a church where they took refuge before continuing with their journey. They loved each other passionately and lived each day in the hopes of starting a new life together far away, safe from the king’s bounty headers.
“It was not to be, Dearest ....” Kal looks longingly at the miniature “They did find us and ye died trying to stop them.” Kal finally gives in to the tears she could not hold back this time. She clutches the pendant to her breast and sobs uncontrollably. If only she had known there was magic that made it possible to resurrect the dead then. It is too late now. Too late. Kal looks up at the ceiling and pictures in her mind the image of James in heaven smiling down at her. A lump grows in her throat. She closes her eyes in prayer.
“I do hope ye approve, Beloved. Solus is a good man who has the same love, valor and tenderness as I remember thee having. He will love and protect me with his own life just like thee did. Only now, I am not the helpless young girl thee married. I am a master mage now. A Shal’ille KnightMage. My magic is powerful. I will protect him too. I love him.” Kal swallows hard as she sighs deeply, regaining control of herself, then opens her eyes to gaze upon the tiny painting once more. Gently, as if it were a flower, Kal closes the pendant, cupping her hands around it for a few moments. Slowly, she returns it to her jewelry box. In a ceremonial manner she dutifully places it back inside a heavy chest for safekeeping.
Looking out the window to a beautiful sunset, Kal surveys what has become her new home at last. Ever faithful Nytestar is still with her and lives close by in his own cave. The forest land known as The Dark Forest and all the countryside around it was now hers and the creatures that live there under her protection. And very soon, she will be sharing Dark Forest Manor with her new husband. Kal smiles as she ponders on her sister’s words earlier. Yes, love can be wonderful. Love IS wonderful.
With the burned gown in the fireplace and the pendant resting in its box, Kal turns to leave the room as if leaving behind her past once and for all. A new life awaits her. Closing the door behind her, Kal promises herself once more. “This time.... twill be different.”