The Third Wedding

Chapter 12: Immunity

Dearest Ashton,

The dance was romantic. Thank you for your letter. I send care to your family and sisters.
I must inquire however, are there any other legends Oida has of magic?
I have learned that we here in Emra have a magic woman in the forest. I will proceed with caution but I do have concerns. I'll write you when I find more,

Always Yours, Sondra.

Sondra rushed down the stairs and got the letter to Maisey.

"I'll see to it that it's delivered." Her friend smiled and then rushed off with the letter.

Sondra could breathe easy now. Although it still made her heart ache that she couldn't give it to him in person. To hold him, see his soft blue eyes.

Shuffling, Sondra heard shuffling. She peaked around a hallway to see. That must have been Victoria? She wore a lovely purple dress, with long sleeves. She was pacing back and forth.

"I'm sorry to pry, Victoria? Is it?" Sondra smiled and went to offer her hand.

The shorter girl looked up, and she was a shorter build and thin, her eyes were dark but sharp like they had overcome much.

"I am, and you?"

"Sondra,"

"Of course! Leonardo's sister since this is your house and all." Victoria said looking uncomfortable.

Sondra smiled and looked around, "what are you doing out here...in the hall...pacing?"

Victorias eyes flickered to a door at the end of the hall, one that Sondra recognized was her dad's study.

"Well then I shall sit with you." Sondra smiled.

"You don't have to do that." Victoria said shifting nervously.

"Please, my brother has a soft spot for you, I'd be honored to get to know you, and maybe call you sister someday, common sit." Sondra said sitting in a window seat along the hall.

Victoria seemed to relax and sit next to her, "that is so nice."

"Tell me how did you and my brother meet?" Sondra tried to spur on the conversation.

"We were serving together, building homes for the less fortunate, we often did charity work together, we would feed the homeless..."

Sondra smiled, "he has been doing a lot of charity work. He believes in helping people, always has. I just hope he does it the right way."

Victoria looked confused, "what is that supposed to mean?"

"There are some who don't want to be better, some who just want to use you. It's okay to give, but don't let anyone take advantage of you, alright." Sondra smiled.

Victoria looked down and nodded, "yeah...I get that."

"Are you okay?" This caught Sonny off guard. Victoria looked like she was recoiling.

"Sorry, just...I don't have the best relationship with my dad."

Sonny was confused, "if you ever need to talk, I'm here, even if you just need someone to vent to."

"Well I disagree!" Leonardo snapped as he exited kings study.

King Timothy was right behind him, "that is your prerogative, but my decision still stands."

Leonardo stormed down the hall silently, "shall we go?" he asked Victoria softly.

Victoria took his hand and hurriedly rushed off with him.

There was a silent friction in the air that made Sondra feel tense. She tried to wave to Victoria as they left. Before she turned back to see her dad standing in the door way, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"What was that about?" Sondra asked stepping forward. She knew she shouldn't be nosey, but part of her had concerns, did this have anything to do with magic?

"Your brother wished me to give him a loan," Timothy sighed. As he closed the door of his study and walked down the hall.

"Okay, and what's wrong with that?" She asked following her father.

"He wants to use it to build a safe haven for magic users." The king said in a soft voice.

"And that's a bad thing?" Sondra asked.

"The woman leading it is..." he sighed heavily, "dangerous, guilty of threats, attempted kidnapping...I-I can't trust her."

Those definitely sounded bad, but if she was that dangerous why wasn't she locked up? "I don't understand how she's free," she told her father.

He stopped and finally looked back to tell her, "I made the mistake of granting immunity..."