I studied my reflection in the mirror, and nervously smoothed out my skirts.

The fabric was fine and soft, a sage green that complimented my skin tone and hair perfectly. Pava had outdone himself, really. The dress was excellently cut and sewn, and he’d even let me embroider little pink flowers all over his handiwork. Altogether, the effect was very nice.

“You’re a vision, Winna! Like a flower fairy, and there may be some of those in attendance, so we’ll have to ask what they think!” Ena smiled at me. She’d done my hair, taking her time to lovingly weave some of it into a gorgeous coronet, leaving the rest to spill over my shoulder. She’d used some special hair product she had to make my typically wild curls complacent, and they looked a little like a golden waterfall.

“I don’t know about that, but I do feel very beautiful!” I smiled at her.

“That’s because you are, darling!” Pava laughed.

“Oh, let me fix this really quick.” Bekka bent and straightened my skirt in the back. “There!” As Ena had dealt with my hair, Bekka had done my makeup. I wasn’t wearing a lot, but the look she’d gone with was very fresh and delicate and spring-y, which was appropriate for the dress, and the weather, which had turned fine and warm with the onset of spring.

Flowers lifted their heads from the ground as sleepy animals made their way out of hibernation. Soon I would be planting my garden, and spend my days alternating between working the ground, and making regular trips to town to sell my balms in person. Only this time, I'd have Lear's help for as long as he could stay.

Lear would have to return to the feylands before too long of course, but we were to be married first, so our claims on one another would be official. Once he was there, he planned to ask for permission to set up a mushroom ring, which would let him travel to and from the feylands to our home here. I desperately hoped his superiors, and the king, would allow it.

But today wasn't a day for worrying about stuff like that. Today was a day to be happy, and to look forward to the rest of my long life with the fey man I loved.

There was a knock at the door. “Are you ready?” Vim asked. “Remember, the music is your cue!”

“Yes, of course!” I smiled at him through the mirror.

“You look lovely!” He beamed at me.

I turned slowly and smiled, “Thank you! And thank you all for helping me!”

“Of course!” Bekka smiled.

“Now go to your seats, you’ll see me again soon!” I laughed, ushering them from the room.

They all filed out, the door swinging lightly shut behind them, leaving me alone for a few moments in the empty side chamber.

I took a deep breath, and spoke aloud to the room. “Well, mama, I…don’t think this is what you imagined for me, but…I’m okay. We’re all okay.” I knew she wouldn't, couldn't reply, but I continued anyway. “I wish you were here.” Tears came to my eyes, but I breathed deeply and blinked rapidly, needing to finish saying what I wanted to say. “You and daddy would like Lear. He’s a good man. He built this temple all by himself. Of course, it didn’t take him that long, thanks to his magic and ridiculous strength, but still.” I snorted, then sighed. “I know I’ve been through a lot, especially lately, but Lear, Diana, and the goddess have taken good care of me.” Suddenly, lovely harp music began to play from the main part of the temple. “I have to go. I love you.” I didn’t need my parents to be there for me to know they loved me and were proud of me.

As I left the side chamber, I went to the entrance to the temple proper, and stood for a brief moment at the end.

The temple was packed, so much so that people were lined up around the walls, standing in the antechamber, and even out on the lawn.

Diana padded up, sitting down beside me as I paused. Looking over at her, I took a deep breath, then asked, “Are you ready?”

My oldest and dearest friend blinked her gorgeous blue-green slowly eyes in reassurance at me. We began to walk down the aisle together, keeping our steps to the sedate pace of the harp's lovely melody.

Friends, both old and new, beamed as Diana and I made our way down the aisle. Dern and Silver were there, but Windscale was too big to fit into the temple. Instead, the large dragon waited outside for the reception, which was to be held on the lawn of the temple. Rina and Wulf and Wulf’s father, but not his mother, were there. Several pixies flickered around above everyone's heads, and I caught sight of Willowdown, who waved cheerfully at me. Bekka and her family were there, as were Mira, Pima, and Tip. Bin was there too, seated with a brownie named Trika, who the seamstress had hired to run the shop so she could focus on sewing. The tea shop owner and her sister, the woman who owned the candyshop, were both there. Indeed, they were the ones who'd made the wedding cake that everyone would soon get to enjoy.

My family, of course, was sitting at the front of the temple. With them sat Sagebark, able to attend because, with permission from the land owner, we’d built the temple quite near to her tree and the stream. It was only fitting that she should be there at the ceremony, given she’d known our ancestors for hundreds and hundreds of years.

Most of Jedda’s family was sitting with my own, except for Jedda, who was standing at the front of the temple, by the altar, beaming down at me as he waited for me to approach so he could perform the wedding ceremony.

With him stood Lear.

My soon-to-be-husband was devastatingly attractive in the simple black fitted suit that he wore. He had on a crisp white shirt, but no tie, and if any other person had tried to pull off such a casual outfit, they’d have come off as under-dressed as they really were. But thanks to Lear’s fey good looks, what he wore was irrelevant because he made it all look impossibly good.

My face heated as his green eyes stayed riveted on me with a burning intensity.

As I stopped and turned to face him, he groaned, “Gods, you look divine.” But it was said so quietly that only I could hear him.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

Diana walked away, but instead of going over to my family, my familiar decided to hop up onto the altar, where she settled into a magnificent loaf, purring loudly and blinking slowly at me. Powerful familiar though she was, she was also still just a cat...and I loved her for it!

“Lear!” I whispered, “Not now!...You look wonderful. Please never take that suit off.”

“My love, that’s the idea behind getting married, taking this suit off.” he smiled wickedly at me.

I could only roll my eyes and hope he didn’t notice the shiver he’d made dance up my spine.

“Are you ready?” Jedda asked, turning to us with a set of ornate, ceremonial shears, as well as a similarly decorated ceremonial bowl.

“Yes.” I nodded.

Lear had walked Jedda through the steps of a fey marriage ceremony. It was fairly quick, but that meant there would be more time for partying, which made sense, all things considered. So Jedda would perform the ceremony, but Lear would do some of the magic required, though we wouldn't actually be magically bound, as we’d previously discussed. That could always come later, if we decided it was what we wanted.

“Welcome all! We’re here today to join these two, very much beloved, people in matrimony!” Jedda began.

The crowd gave a cheer that brought a smile to my face. They were all quieted by a vaguely annoyed maow from Diana.

Lou, who I couldn't stand to leave home while Diana got to attend, maowed in response to Diana. She was prowling irritatedly around the large, spacious cage we had her in, over in a corner of the temple. One of my nieces was keeping her company, and murmured, “Shh, silly Lou!" I had to repress my giggle at my mess of a cat.

“Now, if there aren’t any protests or reasons why these two should be married, we’ll begin!”

Lear stared daggers out at the room, as if daring anyone to speak up and protest.

“Lear, no one is going to protest.” I snorted.

“I’d like to see them try.” he muttered.

Unfortunately, Lou decided to maow again right at that moment, and the entire room burst into raucous laughter.

It took several minutes before we could all calm down, and only really subsided when Diana arched her back and hissed at everyone.

"Sorry, miss!" I giggled, having been just as guilty of mirthful laughter as everyone else.

Jedda finally handed my soon-to-be husband the shears. Lear reached out to take one of my loose curls. “Ready?”

“Of course.”

He snipped about an inch of hair off, and placed the lock into the bowl as Jedda held it forward. Handing the shears to me, he bent down so I could reach easily, tilting his head to the side so I could cut off a piece of hair from the back of his head, on the bottom layer, so it wouldn't be as noticeable.

I carefully selected a lock from the bottom part of the back, and snipped about an inch off as well, then placed it into the bowl as well.

Lear then took the bowl in his hands, and held it out for me to put my hands on as well. There was a surge of magic, and the bowl glowed briefly, and sent up a brief puff of white steam, drawing a gasp of awe from the audience, and me, if I'm being honest.

When the light cleared, there were two golden bands lying in the bottom of the bowl.

Reaching in, Lear pulled the rings out, and handed me one, and let me slide it onto his left ring finger. He took my hand to do the same, and as he did, murmured, “With this ring, I thee wed.”

“I now pronounce you man and wife! Or, fey and wife, in this case!” Jedda announced, then added, “You may now kiss the bride!”

“Not too hard though because fangs.” I sighed in mock-dejection.

There was another surge of magic as Lear reached for me, slipping his arms around my waist and flashing his smile. “The jokes on you! I had Dern add a rune to my necklace so I can hide my fangs at will too!” And indeed, as he leaned down, I noticed gaps in his teeth where the venomous fangs usually were.

His lips connected with mine.

Oh what a kiss it was.

-

Lear watched the party-goers, smiling in amusement at their antics as the sun began to set. Bonfires flared to life, more barrels of booze were brought forth, and folks hustled to laden the banquet tables with more food.

The preparation for the wedding had taken weeks, between building the temple, sewing their clothing for the ceremony, and preparing all the food. But everyone had been glad to take part, and no one had complained. He and Winna had worked just as hard as everyone else to prepare as well, which helped.

After the terrible destruction and grief caused by the landslide, people were happy to finally have something to to celebrate.

The fey man looked around to where he’d last seen Winna. She'd been enjoying another piece of the delicious wedding cake with Bekka. He found her old school friend, but didn’t see his new wife.

Frowning slightly, he stood, and flicked his second set of eyes open, knowing he'd be able to spot her more quickly that way.

When he finally found the mage, he was a little surprised at where she was. Though really, he shouldn't have been.

Lear went to join his wife in the temple he’d built for her.

In the fading light of sunset, he could see Winna sitting on the stairs at the front of the temple, leaning against the altar with her cats on either side of her. Both were purring loudly as she petted them in unison. Once the ceremony was over, she'd immediately freed Lou from her cage, whereupon the silly cat had been watched by her nieces and nephews, providing them with endless amusement, as well as getting lots of pets, scratches, and kisses. But she must have gone and retrieved her silly cat so she could sneak away and have time with them both.

“Are you alright?” he asked quietly.

Winna looked up, startled, then smiled, “Yes. I needed a break from all the people. Kitty time sounded like a good idea.

“Doesn't surprise me.” Lear went and joined her, reaching out and picking up Diana to place on his lap so Winna could scoop up Lou and smother her with kisses.

Both cats continued to purr loudly.

“You should be out there, partying! I assume you really like a good party!” Winna told him, rubbing her face against Lou’s tummy.

The cat promptly bear-trapped, forcing Lear to help his new wife extract herself from the kitty claws. Despite the fact that she’d been scratched, they both giggled the entire time, since it was too happy a day to be frustrated or annoyed.

Lear sighed, “I do like to party, you’re right, but I’d rather be here with you, at peace with the cats.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

They were quiet for a few moments.

“I love you, Lear.” Winna murmured.

“I love you too, Winna.”

She reached out and caught his sleeve, her face flushed slightly. “Would you kiss me again? With your fangs put away?”

Lear immediately used his magic to hide the fangs, and told her, “I’m going to kiss every single freckle you have.”

“That’s gonna take a while.” she smiled a little.

“I hope it does. I presume you have them on more than just your face.”

“You’re…not wrong.” His wife mumbled, her face now bright red.

“Well, we’ll go back to the cottage and then have all night.” Lear murmured in her ear, which made her shiver.

Giving a low chuckle, he pulled her mouth to his.

The end (of book 1!)