The Eldars

63

Teondae looks at his bride and has to double check to make sure that it isn't Montani. When he sees the light of mischief in her eyes he knows that he has the right person. That Mariah looks like Montani's double is hard enough for him, but they are so much alike in other ways that it's sometimes hard for him to separate the two.

He rather suspects that mother has a lot to do with that. He's sure that she had everything to do with Mariah gaining Master of master before her legal majority. His people are far more happy with his marriage with that.

He suspects the animosity his people feel towards the Eldar still has some time to go before it's gone. 

He's glad his people don't know just how strong she is in their magic as well as that of the Eldar. He will let them find out the hard way. 

Teondae feels complete when he takes Mariah's hand in his and makes his vows. His heart clenches as she repeats hers to him. He never thought he'd find anyone to love.

The wedding is taking place in Malinor but many of the vacar people are there to witness their king marry. There is a great deal of cheering on both parts as the wedding finishes and the couple start the celebration.

"Teondae, do you know the story of how my parents met?" Mariah asks as the celebration winds itself down.

"Yes, I was told years ago when I first met them." Teondae replies and smiles as he remembers the night he met Montani and Mant.

"How did you meet my parents?" Mariah demands. She had wondered, but never asked and now she will be leaving in the morning and won't be able to ask her mother.

"I was hunting evil ones through controlling Leear and his men. Montani was less than happy about her friend being held captive by me. Through her help Leear and his men were freed from my control. But I made a mistake, two really. The first was controlling the elves and the second, I broke the bond between your mother and father. She started hunting me as if I was an evil one. Believe me, Mariah, you never want to be on the end of one of your mother's hunts.

"I think if Mant hadn't come after her when he did that she would have found me and killed me.

"The next night was the first time a Vacar was back home in millenia. I was allowed to go back and talk to your mother. It was the beginning of the alliance for the war. She didn't even know that she was carrying you at the time.

"She dragged me to the land of the humans and elves and then to the dwarves before we returned here for the winter and she had you and your brother."

"Oh, please, I didn't have to drag you anywhere. You willingly went. More than willingly actually, the elves and Mant had a hard time keeping up with your leading. " Montani snorts in disapprobation for his rendition of the story.

"Your father," Montani pauses to collect her thoughts. It still pains her thinking about that time. "Once I finished my lessons with your father he left. He had meant to only be gone a short time, but he was captured for five years before he was able to escape.

"I thought I would never see him again and did my best to move on, but not even reaching master of master status could get me out of my depression. I was at the celebration out of necessity not desire when I could feel Mant once more." Mant comes up to her and pulls her back to him.

"It was thoughts of your mother that kept me sane through my imprisonment. Any time I thought to give up I just remembered her and what she went through and I made it through.

"When I got back and there was a big celebration and I saw your mother all fancied up I was sure that I was too late.

"I went up to her and she slapped me and then pulled me close and held me so tight that I had a hard time breathing and I loved every second. When she told me that she was still available I couldn't believe my luck. I asked her then and there to marry me. When she told me yes instead of telling me to go back to my hell I could have died happy right then." Mant explains then Montani takes over the narrative.

"The wedding was ready in three days. I didn't care how fancy it was, Mauntie and Molani cared more than I did. Everyone helped to pull it together. That night I found out your father planned on leaving the next day." This still makes Montani glare at him.

Mant hurries with the story, "Montani was furious. She then informed me if I ever tried to leave her again that she'd follow. And she has several times, but that wasn't one of them. I had intended on her coming with me. Mauntie had requested me to do some scouting of the evil ones.

"When it comes to them there are none better to have with you. Montani could track them better and knew they were close before anyone else. 

"We were tracking a bunch of evil ones that had killed Leear's people when we came across Leear being controlled by the Vacar, we didn't know who or what at that time. The vacar were no more than scary stories to tell children to get them to behave. We had no idea that they were real."

"The Vacar couldn't return home until the other races asked them to. We needed them and Teondae was part of the alliance. And in the end the alliance continues, I guess you could say."

"How did mom sign a marriage contract between you and me?" Mariah decides that she wants the answer to this. She knows that her parents both dislike the age differences between them.

"I was dying. It was during the war and Teondae thought my life was more important than his. He had an item to help him heal me, but magical healing at that level always requires a heavy price. He was willing to die to save me, I woke up before he could make the sacrifice and stopped him. Mother stepped in and made the bargain with me. I believe she would have requested the same from Teondae in any mode. I agreed to the contract and I was fully healed. The only person to survive an attack by the arbita spider.

"Any way I was fully healed although both your father and I nearly died more than once in the war." Montani finishes abruptly and turns away. Mant pulls her back and holds her tight. Some things are still fresh in her mind and the pain hurts too much still.

"Come love, I think it's time we retire for the night." Teondae says watching Mant and Montani.

They are the last to leave the city square where the celebration was held. As they leave the bright lights turn themselves off and the noises of the night are all that is left.