Hierarchy (Book Four of the Torrent Skies Saga)

Chapter Fifty-One: Your Problem Now

They stayed in Durandon's hold for three months. During their stay, they worked the fields with Durandon, and all the people of the village. Liz helped to plan the wedding, and Katerin could not deny she liked the girl. She was much more inclined towards the color pink than Katerin was, but she could do her hair up like a princess, and had promised to show Katerin how she managed it, without magic. She also shared a love of books and the pair of them spent more then one evening discussing many subjects. They filled their days with communitythan and peace. The only event that seemed to happen during their stay was the approach of an urgent hunter, one evening, who had killed a buck large enough to feed most of the village, if only he could get it back.

It seemed this place was peace incarnate. Katerin did not let that stop her, though. She sparred with Fykes, and several hold guards, most of whom were elven. She studied magic, and strengthened her connection with it, showing Liz a few harmless incantations—the ones she herself was remastering. She leaned to watch how plants grew, and whether they would be affected by weather and bugs, by the strength of their stalks and color of their leaves.

When the preparations were complete, she stood outside, welcoming the first of the wedding guests to arrive. In was only three days away, but they did not want to impose upon Durandon, more than they needed to. The list of invited guests was too long for Katerin to think of without feeling faint. As the flash of teleportation magic happened, she smiled. Telemir stood in the center of her manor's staff, and they looked about as if they might be ambushed by some enemy. They all greeted her and Fykes, introduced themselves to Durandon and Liz, and asked where they could be useful. Oliva never stopped smiling, and she punched Fykes on the arm as she helped carry everyone's things.

Brazen embraced them both, and looked close to tears, holding on for many moments, and talking excitedly about how he had missed them, and what trouble all his animals had been causing since they had been gone.

Katerin's day was brightened by their presence, but she did not miss the look in Zino's eyes. It meant he needed to talk to her. And she was sure it would concern the host of responsibilities she had joyously ignored for the past months.

Telemir smiled as she approached him.

"I hear you helped him pull off this whole vacation," Katerin said, her eyes narrowed.

Telemir's delicate complexion paled. "I meant not to trick you, lady Katerin... he asked, and explained, and I—"

Katerin's snort of laughter broke the stern appearance she had tried for, and she hugged him. "Thank you."

Telemir only shuffled, blushing as he patted her back with hesitant taps.

The hold grew ever busier in the next days. People arrived from all over the world. Most of Itrea had attended, including Elzis, the luxian smith, a host of dwarves from Aughk'tor, with Beymor among them. Harness, Mary, Jon and Halemeda, Spindle and Gracie, Imeiza—the list was too big for her to comprehend. She paced around her and Fykes room at night, as conversation boomed in the main hall. She had not realized how many people she knew. Kindra stood out as she always had, though, and that was a minor comfort.

The day of the wedding, she felt some sense of shock. Where she had been entertaining people for days from every culture, today, she was alone, with Liz, Imeiza, Kindra, and Arjiah.

They doted over her, doing her hair, hemming her dress, a thing of fine, silver fabric, with sleeves that did not cover her shoulders, and a skirt that gracefully dusted the floor. By the time they showed her a mirror, it was late afternoon. Katerin stared at herself, for a long moment. The silver gown had lace patterns of lilac blooms and branches on it, and they shimmered like stars as she moved. Her hair was gathered elegantly back and cascaded around her shoulders in luxurious curls. Somehow, Liz had made the Mark of the Storm Barer stand out on her cheeks in such a way that it only added to the glowing appearance of the gown and her hair.