The Autumn air carried the scent of late blooming flowers, summer-dried grass, and fallen leaves. Baskets of fruit and bails of wheat were stacked in the market places of towns and at farms. As night fell, the Other could be seen walking in the trees of the Ethereal forest through brief flashes of light. Sunset cast a heavenly glow over the plain. The Yari mountains were silhouetted in the distance, and lights gradually came on in shopkeeper windows in Tumblend.

I had to keep reminding myself that I lived on this land now. I was out of the McAlister estate. Forever. The walls I stood in were now mine. And tonight, Fayra and I we were going to formalize what we already knew.

That we would be together until time had no meaning.

Until the world was dust.

We would live life in this harsh world until the Far Shore called, where we would board our ship on the Eversea and sail to that promised harbor.

But for tonight, everything was perfect. Fayra and Sherriff Stone would arrive soon. Zachariah's brother, Oji Rengey, was helping to finish the setup outside along with Dash Eastmark. Oji's Elemancer eyes easily saw to every last detail in the fading light, and the big man from Burland would keep everyone entertained as we waited to begin.

Oji was here in secret tonight. Nobody would ever know that Zachariah had Elemancer blood in him, much less royal blood. Being a bastard and an outcast will do that. Yet Oji had still come, defying the order to shun Zachariah as they shunned all half-breeds.

My father, however, was still not here.

"I was hoping to be wrong," I murmured, tugging at the sleeve of my dress awkwardly. It fit perfectly, and there was nothing itchy or irritating about the fabric, but I simply couldn't get comfortable. It was like I had put my skin on wrong this morning. Every part of me felt flushed, as if the heat of a thousand campfires coursed through my veins. Was the neckline supposed to be this low? Were the sleeves too tight on my arms? Was my hair normally this fluffy?

Zachariah stood up from the wall he was leaning against as Levi chuckled.

"Mark the occasion, Zachariah. Rowena just used the words "I" and "wrong" in the same sentence," he said, using my mirror to check his reflection. He adjusted his charcoal-colored tie, his blue eyes standing out against the dark colors he wore.

He hissed as my elbow met his gut, and took a few steps out of my range. A smart decision.

I finished pinning my hair, checking the mirror one last time. My simple white dress hung closely to my waist and chest. The laced sleeves came to my forearms and the skirt hung just short of the floor. The light color made my skin seem to glow, and the darker makeup around my violet eyes made them glimmer in the last rays of the sun. Levi's face appeared next to my reflection.

"Well? What do you think?" he asked, "I've heard most brides are bubbling over with happiness on their wedding day, but your face indicates otherwise."

I sighed through my nose, crossing my arms across my chest. My heart was trying to leap out of my throat, and something was crawling in my stomach.

"I think I'm going to be sick and ruin my dress," I said, groaning. Levi quirked a brow at me, his blue eyes smiling.

"Well that would be a real pity. We both know that you rarely look this good--"

He dodged my second elbow, but he didn't escape my slitted eyes. He held his hands up defensively, still laughing.

"Come on, Rowena. You managed to snag Fayra, who sets a new standard of beauty on every level. She stood by you through all your trouble so far. Do you really think she'll leave you now?" he asked. I considered him and relaxed.

No. Fayra would never abandon me. She might cuff me me on the back of my head and call me a herb-headed moron, but she would never abandon me.

I nodded, but my I couldn't help casting an anxious glance out the window again. Levi tracked my glance, his jaw tightening.

"Don't worry, Rowena. He'll come. Strained as things are, he wouldn't miss your wedding day," Levi said, though I didn't miss the note of misleading optimism in his voice. I looked at him again, seeing so much of our mother in his face. After a moment, I shook my head, my hand caressing the window sill. A gentle breeze wafted through it, carrying the scent of the harvest and cool night air. The worst of the summer heat had passed, and now nights were the perfect balance between hot and cold. The smell settled my nerves even as a shard of sadness pierced my stomach.

"I don't get it. I never expected him to come, so why am I still disappointed?" I murmured, already feeling the numb anger replacing my melancholy. I wasn't angry at my father though. I was angry at myself for feeling this way. I knew what he was. He hadn't changed a bit since I was child waiting at her sick mother's bedside.

A mother that would never awaken. A mother that would quake with fever, fear, fatigue, and pain. So much pain, and so little my untrained hands could do about it. My mother had laid in a coma, drenched in sweat and horrid nightmares, until the darkness claimed her.

Levi's hands settled gently on my arms and he turned me around to face him.

"Don't be disappointed yet. Say what you want about Father, but he always keeps his word. He said he would come."

I shook my head again, a bitter laugh escaping my lips.

"He said he would think about coming," I said flatly, "We both know what that means."

The corner of his lip quirked in challenge as he held a hand out for me to shake.

"I'll bet you a silver Brill that he comes," he said in a crisp business tone. Despite everything, I felt myself smile, enjoying Levi's indominable stubbornness to see the best in people. Even when they didn't deserve it. Many people thought Levi was soft in the mind when it came to business because of it, but nothing could be further from the truth.

The company would be in good hands with him.

"Make it three," I said, reaching to clasp his forearm. He squeezed gently before he let go.

"I'll hold you to it," he replied, straightening again, "But Gods know you both deserve something more extravagant. You didn't even spring for a Soul Mark."

I scoffed, looking at him through tired eyes.

"Soul Marks require money, Levi. Something Fay and I don't a lot of. You forget that the McAlisters have a fortune, but I don't. Every Brill we have has been put into this land. Besides, they're not necessary to make the marriage legal."

But they are nice, I finished in my head. Yes, Soul Marks had become very popular since the Deified appeared. They were seeds of the Ghost Flower, which glowed a bright white during the new moon each month. Legend says that they absorbed the energy of the dead plants and animals around them, and their souls followed the trail of glowing flowers to the afterlife.

The Far Shore.

Their seeds, when held at the same time by two people, bestowed a Mark which embodied the other's soul onto their partner. It was said that each Mark was unique to the person, and newlyweds used them to lay claim to one another. That Mark only became visible when it's mate was nearby.

They also happened to be extremely expensive. Even if it was complete romanticized bullshit, I still wanted to try it. However, that wasn't in the cards for us.

Suddenly, I felt a calloused hand on my shoulder. I turned, and saw Zachariah motioning back toward the window. I turned, and saw several horses now coming onto the property. In the lead was Stone on Buck, and right behind him was Fayra, a matching white dress billowing behind her as she rode. I watched as she dismounted her mare named Dawn. She was a beautiful animal with a coat the color of the sky at daybreak, and a white mane.

Zachariah nodded, a wry smiling teasing at his normally impassive features.

"I'll check to make sure everything is ready," he said, and left the room.

A awkward beat of silence went by before Levi cleared his throat. He fishied in a pocket for a moment before removing it, his fist now clenched around something.

"I'm told that you're supposed to have something old, yet made anew. Keep it secret though. Father would eviscerate me. I'm not joking," he said before he opened his palm.

I gasped as I saw what he held. I began to stutter, a prickling heat building behind my eyes.

"L-Levi, how d-did you get it?" I asked but he waved the question away, his face a bit pale.

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"Don't ask. You don't want to know the scheming that was involved. All I'll say is that I had to buy several roosters, a lot of glue, and an entire cart of cabbages. Oh! And it involved angering Levira Casanaddi beyond redemption," he said, avoiding my eyes. I snorted, my throat tight as I reached into his palm.

I picked up a small pocket dagger with a chain lacing through the pommel to make it a necklace. The blade was currently an inch long, but I knew a few whispered words would have it lengthen into a full short sword. My mother had often worn this around her neck. In fact, this is what she had used to defend us that fateful night. I had nearly lost my mind when this was stolen in later days by the same gang as the thief who had claimed her life.

The Pumas. Gods, I wished them to rot in the foulest pits for all of time. Every last one of them. They had stolen a lot of our family's things, but this time my father had taken us to Gear's end with him to establish his business. We had returned to a house that had been raided for anything valuable. The magic dagger of my mother's had been amongst the stolen.

But here it was. Levi must have paid a fortune for it on the black market.

The tiny pommel held a glowing ruby which radiated power. At the cross guard were my mother's initials.

E. T. D.

Elizabeth Tierney Dubran. I carried her middle name as the first-born. I frowned as I saw that there were more initials added to the tiny handle.

R.E.M.

My initials. They had been added to the sword in burnished silver. I turned to Levi, who seemed to be thinking.

"Let's see," he said, counting off on his fingers as he spoke Luradia's wedding tradition rhyme.

"A trinket of olde made anew,

A treasure of luck truest of true,

A symbol of love in darkest night to get you through,

And a stone gilded in red-flamed hue."

He finished the poem, and gave the diminutive magic sword a self-satisfied smile.

"Well?" he asked, a touch of anxiety in his eyes. I clasped the chain around my neck and took a moment to tuck the magic dagger under my neckline. Then, I flung myself unceremoniously at Levi and hugged him with all my strength.

"You nailed it, little brother," I murmured into his shirt. He returned the hug for a moment before pushing me to arm's length.

"All right. That's enough. You'll ruin the paint on your face," he said dismissively, but he was still grinning.

Levi and I stood in silence for a moment longer before a knock came at the door. I opened it and was immediately on eye level with a man's abdomen dressed in a button-down shirt. I didn't need to see the face to know it was Dash.

He ducked into the room, and bowed slightly to Levi and I in greeting.

"Good evening. I wanted to--" Dash cut himself off as he looked at me more fully. His teeth flashed in a grin.

"Good Gods. You look lovely, my lady," he said politely, bowing his head again. I stared at him flatly in return.

"You mean I don't look like I'm about to vomit all over this dress?" I asked sardonically. Dash shook his head, his eyes amused.

"Not in the slightest. If Miss Fayra were wearing socks, they would be knocked off entirely," he said and cleared his throat before continuing his original thought, "But I wanted to inform you both that I believe we will be ready to begin soon. And I must warn you that Zachariah and his brother are planning something. Be prepared for a surprise."

"But--"

"Just be prepared, and have fun," he said before turning to leave.

*******

The back field was alight with thousands of stars, more visible without the light of the moon. Several lanterns were set up to cast a pleasant glow without impeding the view of the stars. Someone had flattened the grass to make an aisle leading to a large arc wreathed in stone at the end of it.

Dash, Prince Oji, and Zachariah sat in wait for everyone. I stood on one side of the the back of the house, knowing Fayra was on the other side with her father, Sheriff Stone. Levi stood next to me, looking around as a scowl spread over his face. We had planned it so the ceremony would begin when I walked down the aisle. Everyone was in position, except for one man.

Ignoring the pit in my stomach, I held my hand out to Levi, palm up. Making an effort to keep my voice steady, I smiled and elbowed him a bit.

"Pay up. He's not here."

Levi's scowl deepened as he glanced around again, but there was nobody else to be seen on the entire property. He waited a moment, as if there would be some dramatic entrance by my father, but only a rustle of the wind greeted him. There was no steam engine roaring, or clacking of hooves to hint of someone approaching.

Only silence.

He sighed, a muscle feathering in his jaw, and dug into his pocket. Three silver Brill glimmered as they were pressed into my palm. I tucked them into the bodice of my dress, the metal cool on my skin. I gestured to the remaining chairs and squared my shoulders.

"Go ahead and sit down. I don't want to wait any--"

Levi was suddenly at my side, his arm lacing through mine.

"I'll walk you down," he said, winking at me, "Someone has to give the bride away if we are adhering to tradition."

I looked at him through the tops of my eyes.

"I think this wedding is anything but traditional," I said, but I didn't pull away. He surprised me by stooping to pick up a small bouquet of lilies, lavender, and daisies, and then pressed it into my other hand.

"Humor me," he said, his voice gentle. Then he looked straight at Zachariah.

"Are we ready?" he called. Zachariah straightened and nodded at Oji.

The two of them stood and walked to the head of the aisle. Oji reached onto his arm and pulled on one of his Elemancer tattoos. Zachariah produced a polished, yet beaten-to-hell, cello. He sat down to play. As he did, Oji whispered in Kaze as the wind responded to his magic. Even though the language was still new to me, I did recognize one word.

"Utei," he said.

Sing.

The wind directed itself into the heart of the cello, the strings seeming to glow in time with Zachariah's bow.

As the first notes hit the open air, a stronger living wind came from Oji's palm and danced along the strings. Zachariah, unsurprised by the breeze, played with the grace of a world-class musician. As if he had been born to do nothing else. However, as those sweet sounds mixed with Oji's magic I couldn't help but gasp.

Oji's wind turned Zachariah's one cello into an entire orchestra. The sound was sweet and calming. It sang of fair seas, laughter, and good weather. Of good fortune, family, and love. It was nothing less than the most beautiful sound I had heard in my entire life. I understood then that this was Zachariah's gift. He had asked his brother come to help him for this one moment as a testament to our friendship.

Let me explain. Elemancers considered their magic to be holy. Everything they did was supposed to reflect the only Goddess they served. She was called the Lady of Life in the common tongue. For Oji to use his magic like this could technically be considered blasphemy.

But he and Zachariah were doing it anyway. That favor meant more than any monetary value.

Levi gave a gentle tug on my arm, snapping his fingers in front of my face.

"I think that's our cue, Wen," he said, using his old nickname for me. I stood there for a moment longer, mouth agape, before I tightened my grip on his arm.

"Levi, you're the best Gods-damned brother I could--"

"Don't curse. It's your wedding day. It's a sacred ceremony," he said, looking at me like a nagging nanny. We were silent for a moment before we both burst out laughing.

"Just get me down that aisle, and don't let me fall on my ass," I said through chuckles as Levi started to steer us forward. He looked thoughtful for a moment.

"But seeing you fall on your ass seems far more entertaining," he said, his tone thoughtful before a look of sheer horror came over him.

"No. On second thought, Fayra would kill me. Nevermind."

The music swelled as we came to the end of the aisle. Levi gave me a one-armed hug before standing to the side. I didn't miss Dash's "Well done, mate," toward him as he leaned forward in his chair. I rolled my eyes and turned to make a quip, the music swelling yet again as I did.

And that was when I saw her.

She was wearing her hair exactly the way I loved it most, the long curls cascading down her back in glimmering waves. The auburn color was like a beacon in the otherwise dark night. Her dress hung tightly to her generous frame, the sleeves and style similar to mine. Her eyes were like a lioness's, a golden color that changed to green in the right light. Her skin was tanned from countless bounty-hunter missions. Her lips were a deep natural red, and they smiled wryly at me as they approached. She walked down the aisle with Stone, who was beaming.

Gods, I had never seen the man smile this much. If he didn't stop soon, I was certain he would pull a muscle.

The music faded to a whisper as Stone took my hand and guided it to Fayra's. Our fingers laced together as he did, the motion as natural as two halves becoming a whole. Stone then stood under the arch as he motioned for everyone to listen, his deep voice easily heard in time with the music. He began to speak. He said the formal words of love, unity and loyalty. He spoke of how beautiful a union could be. He did not go overly long, but I didn't really hear the words as I looked at Fayra.

She was now, and would always be, the most important thing to me. After all, I saw the same reflected in her eyes.

We were distracted as Stone cleared his throat and eyed us in a way that told me he knew we hadn't really been listening.

"Alright you two. Here, in front of these witnesses, state your vows," he said as he took a step backward. Fayra and I locked both hands now, our eyes only for one another. We spoke in unison.

"Light and Dark,

Life and Death,

New and Olde,

These things are not separate,

But two halves of a whole.

As rain is to sun,

And rock is to air,

So we shall be,

A true balance pair.

Servant to the all the God's will

We are now one

Until time stands still."

Stone placed a hand on Fay's shoulder followed by mine.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Kiss your bride."

Laughing, I turned back toward Fay and leaned in to give the promised kiss.

Only she wasn't there. None of them were anymore.

The beautiful back field was now replaced by a deserted dirt-covered street. A man sat in the shadows of a store, his feet kicked up on a table when Fayra's hat sat. Slowly, the man put his cigar out on the brim of her hat, burning a hole through it. A whisp of smoke curled in the air, framing his crooked smile. He gestured to the street with a knarled hand, spitting on the ground.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Go on and take a look at whats left of her."

A voice told me not to listen, but I looked down anyway, bile rising in my throat.

A broken body laid in the street.

Fayra's shirt was open to reveal long and ragged cuts across her skin. Matching wounds could be seen up and down her legs, along with fresh bruises.

She didn't have any pants on.

Blood was matted in her auburn hair and leaked onto her swollen face. Unseeing eyes stared at the heartless sky, tear tracks cutting through the dried blood.

I had just enough time to process the image before I heard the laughing.

The man, along with several more of the Pumas, were chorteling with reckless abandon.

I just stood there as the leader stood, placing her burned hat on one of his gang member's head.

He approached me in lazy strides, drawing a gleaming sword with runic marks glowing along the blade. In the other hand he held a pistol which he leveled at my abdomen.

"Im going to enjoy the fuck out of this," he said.

And then he pulled the trigger.

*******

I startled awake as always, the nightmare ending the same.

But the worst part was waking up alone.