Zan's senses left him for a moment as he tried to comprehend her words. "Wedding? To who? Oh…oh!!" He understood the sight before him. The lovers entwined arms and looked fondly toward one another. "My congratulations and best wishes," Zan blessed them, forgetting his own feeling of gloom and doom.

Alvar's face also brightened. "You do not suppose Brinn would consider a double wedding?"

The Empress smiled awkwardly as her body tensed. "You can ask, but do not get your hopes up." She knew the she-elf had strong feelings about when and how she would wed.

Alvar nodding knowingly. "Perhaps I should wait so she can have her own special day."

"That is very thoughtful," Devrim agreed.

"You can can continue to discuss the wedding, sweet ones, but remember the others are waiting." Hanna reminded them.

"Oh yes," Aurora chirped. She yanked Devrim, "I need to tell Brinn!"

———————-

Entering the gathering of the Fates, the four on the platform, Justum, Ime, Eunomia and Salah, seemed as stoic as ever. Those gathered on the floor whispered amongst themselves, presumably about the newcomers. The feelings among Brinn, Nurlan and Junayd were mixed as they saw the new additions to their group, but the prevailing mood was one of confusion.

"What are you doing here?"

"How did you get here?"

"What is that criminal doing out of prison?" The last was uttered by Nurlan as he scowled at the gnome.

"All will be revealed in due course," Aurora quieted them.

"Must our solitude be interrupted by so many mortals?" Justum was clearly put out.

"My apologies, sir," Aurora bravely approached the thrones. "I beg you will suffer us one day longer."

"Why must we stay? Did you not get your answers." Brinn gave a worried look.

"I got my answer from the Maker himself…We have a different reason to stay." Aurora blushed and held out her hand. She had given her previous "marriage" trinket to Anna to wear on the Royal tour. It had been a gaudy piece full of gems that Cafer had dutifully selected. This ring was much simpler and far more beautiful. Although the elves gave necklaces instead of rings, the meaning was not lost on Brinn.

In an uncharacteristic display of affection, she hugged Aurora tightly. "I am so happy for you!"

"Where is my hug?" Alvar muttered with a pout. His hopes of a dramatic triumphant entry had been crushed.

"Will you be my attendant?" Aurora asked Brinn as they released.

Brinn, who was not fond of crowds or of being a spectacle, pushed her fears aside and nodded. "Of course I will. Just tell me what to do!"

"Oh," Devrim had not thought about attendants. The wedding needed at least five witnesses, and he was not sure that the Fates would count. "Will you stand with me?" He asked Nurlan and Junayd.

"It would be an honor," Junayd bowed his head both to show respect and to hide his emmense pleasure.

"But neither of us can be your first man," Nurlan said gravely. "He must be of noble blood."

Devrim's brow furrowed. This was a problem. All three of them landed their gaze on Alvar at the same moment. "What?" The elf tried to fix his hair.

"Excuse me, Lord Alvar. Would you please do me the honor of being my first ma…I mean elf at the wedding?"

"Me? What would I need to do?" Alvar was not terribly familiar with human wedding customs. He could recite every stance of human swordplay, but marriage rituals were beyond his grasp.

"You would need to be a witness to the ceremony and escort the Empress's attendant to the altar," there was a playful tone in the young man's voice.

Alvar's face was lit up like a freshly fueled fire. "I would be escorting Brinn? Count me in!"

"Excellent! As for you," Devrim took three decisive steps toward Gandr, who had been trying to make himself as inconspicuous as possible among the Fates. "I will not pretend to like you. You meant harm to the person I hold most dear. If I even get a hint that you may hurt Aurora, I will finish you myself."

Gandr gave a wry chuckle. "Get in line. If I try to act against Her Majesty, I will be dead by Zan's, those soldiers', or—I get the feeling—by that she-elf's hand long before you can even draw your sword."

Devrim was satisfied with his answer. "Then if my love allows you to stay, I will also."

"What are you taking about over there?" Aurora called to the males minus Zan, who was with her. Having overheard the conversation with their excellent hearing, the Guardian and the elf smiled innocently.

"Just getting some details ironed out," Devrim answered vaguely.

"You have forgotten one important detail," Justum broke in, startling the group. They had been so immersed in their own plans that they completely forgot the hundreds of silent Fates surrounding them. "You have no officiant."

The Empress motioned toward Hanna. "Oh, I just assumed that I would ask—"

"No need to look further. I have graciously decided that I will do it," Justum smiled for the first time all day. It was somehow more terrifying than his scowl.

"Glad to see you have had a change of heart," Hanna teased.

"Nonsense." Justum waved off any suggestion of ambivalence. "I just like to see things done right."

Hanna laughed, "and the right way is..?"

"The Maker's way of course, but that just happens to coincide with my own."

"Mhmm…"

—————-

Anna and Ezer entered Valiant under the cover of darkness. They had sent the Royal processional ahead of them to be welcomed at the palace, but the pair had chosen to spend just a little more time free of Royal responsibility. As soon as they returned, they knew that Anna would go back to serving Her Majesty and Ezer would return to the Council.

"Do you think they will be mad that we came late?" Anna asked as she walked her horse slowly through the streets. The closer they got, the slower the pair seemed to walk.

Ezer chuckled quietly. "We are more than a week later than the original itinerary; I doubt a few more hours will matter much."

"I hope the Empress had a successful journey." Anna said, thinking aloud. Neither she nor the councilman had any doubt that Aurora would return.

They turned a corner and Ezer cleared his throat. "How much do you plan to tell Her Majesty about…what happened on our trip?"

Anna looked uncomfortable, "I don't know. How much will you tell Chief Zan?"

"He's likely to find out eventually. I'll brief him when I get the chance." Ezer rubbed the back of his neck. That conversation was going to be touch and go at best.

Out of the darkness, a shadowy figure appeared and blocked their path. The pair stopped abruptly, and the horses they were leading bumped into their backs. Ezer reached for his sword, but Anna stopped him as she recognized the man in the darkness. "Birger?"

The red-haired councilman stepped into the moonlight. "Anna, Ezer! I am so glad I found you. We have a big problem." He turned to Anna. "You need to hide."