literature

RS: Secret Union (Part 3)

Deviation Actions

Alicia-is-Purple's avatar
Published:
1.8K Views

Literature Text

She stood quietly before the altar, looking down at the bouquet of flowers in her hands. The fragrant smell of the flowers calmed her nerves a little bit, and she knew she shouldn’t feel quite so apprehensive, but she was still shaking slightly where she stood, her heart beating more rapidly than usual.

Dropping to one knee, Jaina placed the bouquet at the base of the altar and slowly rose to light the pair of small candles adorning it. She did her best not to look at the huge Guthix icon up above, and once she’d lit the second candle, her gaze immediately fell upon the portrait hanging prominently on the chapel wall.

The portrait had been with her for as far back as she could remember—it had been taken on the first of Rintra of 152, only a few weeks before she’d been born. Father was smiling broadly despite his jet-black hair and beard being a bit unkempt and the stains on his work clothes, a bright twinkle in his smoky gray eyes. Mother was cradling her swollen belly and looking fondly down at it, her smile softer and more subtle, her long strawberry-blonde braid blowing gently in the wind.

Jaina sighed and closed her eyes, wishing they could have been here for her on such a big, important day. If only Father could hand her off, if only Mother could see her in her dress… As she wondered what today might have been like if they were still around, she found herself remembering the last time she’d been to a wedding with her family…

~***~

4th of Bennath, 159 of the Fifth Age

Seven-year-old Jaina stood on the green near the large stone circle in Taverley, shifting restlessly in place as she looked around. She was dressed in a checkered green dress and shiny black shoes, her hair plaited into two braids, with ribbons in her hair that matched her dress.

The whole family had gotten all dressed up for the occasion—Father looked sharp in his dark blue jacket and gray trousers, and his usually messy beard was neat and trim. Mother’s dress was patterned with pink, red, and white flowers, and she’d woven a bright green ribbon into her long braid. Ape Face, on the other hand, had already gotten grass stains on his nice gray pants and mud stains on his good shoes, and was currently squirming in Father’s grasp.

Even though Ape Face kept trying to mess up his nice clothes, he still looked more dressed up than the druids. Most of them were wearing green robes the color of the swamp on a sunny day, though some of them wore pale yellow instead. A lot of the robes did have shiny gold trim, but that still didn’t make them look nice enough to wear for a wedding—and why weren’t they wearing nice shoes? They all seemed to be wearing thin sandals instead.

Jaina didn’t want to stand around listening to druids talking before the wedding started; she wanted to go explore, see what there was to see, maybe find an adventure for later. She didn’t know much about this place, what this wedding was going to be like, or why the druids looked and smelled funny, but she did know that Mother’s younger cousin was the one getting married—which was why they got to stand so close to the stone circle—and that this village was where Mother used to live before she quit being a druidess and married Father.

She looked impatiently up at the stone circle. There were a bunch of druids walking around near it; Mother had told her that the old one with the golden wreath and the green cape was Kaqemeex, one of the high druids, who was going to perform the ceremony. She couldn’t tell which of the other ones was supposed to be the husband, though.

It felt like a really long time of waiting around while the druids kept talking before Mother gently squeezed her hand. “Look, the ceremony is starting!”

Jaina only nodded, holding tightly onto Mother’s hand as she looked up at the stone circle again. She saw a druid in a snow-white robe walk around to the side of the circle where Kaqemeex was standing. He had graying dark hair and a full beard, and wore a yellow flower in his robe and a wreath on his head.

The sound of a lute filled the air, and some of the druids started singing. Mother motioned in the other direction, and Jaina looked over to see a tall, pretty druidess with a bouquet in her hands coming towards the circle—this must be Runestax, Mother’s cousin. She wore a crown of colorful flowers in her short brown hair, and her long white robe was trimmed with lace and had a silver butterfly on it.

As she reached the circle and Kaqemeex announced that everyone was gathered here under the eternal protection of Guthix to see these two united, Jaina wondered why Runestax would want to marry someone that much older. Sure, she was a grown-up, and only a few years younger than Mother, but her husband looked older than Father, close to old enough to be somebody’s grandfather. Wouldn’t marrying someone closer in age be more balanced? Wouldn’t Guthix prefer married couples to be more equal than someone really old and someone really young would be?

She listened as the two promised to stay together for all their days, no matter what might happen, and maintain balance in their lives—the husband was called Memstix, she now knew—and wrapped a long flower garland around their clasped hands. Kaqemeex recited a blessing over the garland, one Jaina often heard her parents use: “May you walk the path and never fall, for Guthix walks beside you on your journey; peace in balance.”

The old druid straightened up his golden wreath and cleared his throat. “Light and dark, day and night, balance arises from contrast. I now unify thee in the name of Guthix!”

The rest of the druids cheered for the newly married couple, some throwing flowers and flower petals. The lute started to play again, and singing filled the air as the two walked together through the crowd, their hands still linked by the flower garland.

As the crowd started to leave, Jaina looked up at Mother. “Can I go ‘sploring now?”

Mother shook her head. “You shouldn’t wander off on your own so far from home, Jaina. Besides, the festivities aren’t over yet—there’s still food, drink, and dancing to be had!”

She gave Jaina’s hand a gentle pull. “Come along, this way—we need to personally wish them well.”

Jaina started to follow, but then she felt something yank one of her braids, and she yelped and spun around. “Ow! Ape Face, what was that for?”

Ape Face put on that look of fake innocence he always did when he pulled her pigtails. “Who, me?”

“Korrilan, what did I tell you about pulling your sister’s hair?” Father demanded sternly.

Ape Face’s puppy-eyed look wavered, and when he managed it again, he looked even more fake. “I wasn’t pulling her hair!”

Father raised both eyebrows. “Korrilan, if you don’t apologize, there’ll be no cake for you…”

“Wait, there’s cake?” Ape Face shot bolt upright, quickly shaking his head sheepishly at Jaina. “Sorrysorrynotgonnadothatagain…”

He dashed off towards where the crowd was headed, and Father had to give chase. Jaina was tempted to roll her eyes as she followed Mother after them.

She looked around at the village of Taverley as they went. The houses and buildings seemed to have mostly been grown out of the ground, almost like trees—what kind of magic could do that? Could she someday learn, maybe?

They came to the shore of a large shimmering blue lake, where there were tents and tables set up for the food and drink, though it looked like they hadn’t started to serve it yet. A line of people wanting to congratulate the newly married couple had formed, and Mother led the way onto its tail end.

Jaina was getting twitchy and hungry by the time they got to Runestax and Memstix—in fact, she didn’t notice they were even there until Runestax suddenly squealed and pulled Mother into a big hug. “Yaketysax! It’s been so long since we’ve seen you!”

Mother sighed and shook her head. “I told you you don’t need to use my druid name anymore, Drusilla,” she muttered as she returned the hug.

Runestax just laughed and smiled. “Cousin Phrynna, then. I’m just so glad you made it for my big day… how has the family been?”

They chatted for a little bit about stuff in Lumbridge and some of the work Father did, and Jaina wondered if she was too short for the grown-ups to notice her—but she didn’t have to go to the bathroom, and it wouldn’t be polite to interrupt while they were talking. Tutor Mikasi had tried to teach that lesson at school, but half the class didn’t seem to understand it; whenever she was trying to explain a spell or what certain runes did, somebody would always interrupt or start talking over her…

Ape Face chose that moment to yell out, “I want CAKE!” Father quickly picked him up and started to quietly scold him, but he just kicked and squirmed, almost kicking Memstix square in the beard.

To Jaina’s surprise, Memstix laughed as he stood straight up again, and leaned over to pat Ape Face on the head. “Bit impatient, aren’t we, little man? To tell you the truth, I really want some cake too!”

Runestax’s gaze fell upon Jaina, and her bright blue-green eyes lit right up. “Oh, these must be your darling children! Might I ask your name, little one?”

Jaina smiled shakily up at the bride and did her best curtsy. “How-do-you-do-ma’am? I’m Jaina and I’m seven!”

“So you’re the little magical prodigy I’ve heard quite a bit about!” Runestax squealed again, sounding more like a schoolgirl than a grown-up. “There’s more to magic than spells and runes, you know. If you visit Taverley more often, you should go see Pikkupstix; he can teach you the art of summoning! Your mother knows a thing or two about it as well.”

“I have been meaning to teach them both,” Mother remarked, “but there isn’t an obelisk in Lumbridge… I’ve had to order pouches on the Grand Exchange...”

“Are we gonna learn when we’re older?” Jaina asked. “Like how Father promised to help me learn to craft runes when I turn ten?”

Mother nodded. “You’re still too small to travel away from home too often, and summoning pouch ingredients can get very expensive, but I will definitely find time to get you to the obelisk here when you’re a bit older!”

“You’re very energetic,” Runestax said, holding out her bouquet slightly. “Do you want to try and catch my bouquet when I toss it? If you manage to catch it, it means you’ll be the next one to marry!”

Jaina wrinkled her nose. “I’m not gonna get married,” she stated firmly. “I’m gonna be a ‘venturer!”

Memstix laughed again as he looked over at her, then at Father. “Seems you’ve rubbed off on her already, eh, Daelin? She does have your eyes, and every bit of your spirit too!”

“She has always had a dream of adventure,” mused Father fondly. “The stories of my exploits have certainly only made it stronger, too! We are trying to make sure she learns as much as she can.”

“Oh, don’t presume things too soon,” Runestax said, still bright and cheerful. “You’re too young to say never—and you never know who you might meet, especially if you’re an adventurer!”

“I wanna do things,” said Jaina, rambling excitedly. “I’m gonna see the whole world, and hunt for buried treasure, and find out things that nobody else has ever found, and slay terrible monsters, and help out anybody who needs it!”

Father chuckled softly, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. “Jaina, I know you’re excited, but the people behind us need to have their turns for congratulations too!”

Jaina felt stung, but she knew Father had a point. She gave the couple her best smile and waved to them. “Um… stay happy! May Guthix bring you balance!”

Memstix smiled fondly back at her. “And may Guthix bring you balance as well, and always walk beside you on your journey!”

After curtsying one more time, she followed Father towards the tent where people were lining up to have food served. Ape Face was already racing towards the cake, Mother chasing him this time.

~***~

So much had changed since then in such a short time, and in ways she could have never seen coming… that was the biggest reason she could never be certain about how Mother and Father might’ve felt about her decisions. Guthix, of course, wasn’t around to walk beside her on her journeys now, but Zaros was…

“I still wish you could be with me,” she said out loud to the portrait. “It’s probably for the better that you weren’t around to see what’s happening to the world, but I still miss you both… Even if you wouldn’t have understood… even if you would’ve been upset with me… I would’ve loved to have you here…”

A loud, insistent knocking from downstairs snapped Jaina out of her thoughts. Quickly she put out the candles, waved to the portrait one more time, and hurried down the hall to slide down the stair-rail.

When she got to the front door, the demon butler was already escorting Char inside; Zanik and Kori were still standing in the doorway. Zanik was wearing a slate-gray skirt, a light orange blouse, and a pale yellow scarf, her hair neatly done up in four braids. Kori had on a suit of black and purple armor, minus the helmet, with large spikes on the shoulders and a symbol of Zaros on the breastplate.

“Jaina!” Zanik hurried up to her, pulling her into a tight hug. Jaina had to duck down to return the hug, but she didn’t particularly mind. As she straightened up again, however, she felt something yank on one of her pigtails.

“Ow!” She winced and turned around indignantly. “Ape Face, what was that for?”

Kori wasn’t even trying to look innocent. “For old times’ sake, of course!”

He turned to close the door behind him, and Zanik eyed him oddly and blinked at Jaina a few times. “Your brother is certainly strange…”

“Little brothers are like that,” said Jaina, shrugging. “I guess there are some things one never grows out of…”

“Jaina,” Char called out, motioning to her. She looked resplendent in her elaborate, flame-patterned red and gold dancing costume, and the headdress she had on resembled a rising sun. “I trust you’ve made your final preparations so far?”

Jaina quickly nodded. “Yes—I just finished with the cake not long before you all arrived. I-I have a box for it, too…”

“Good—go and get dressed, and don’t waste any time.” The dancer handed her a large package; a quick peek inside revealed that it contained the dress and veil, as expected. Jaina felt her heart jump a little as she carefully clutched the package to her chest… was this really happening? Even though she knew from experience that it wasn’t a dream, it didn’t quite feel like it could be real…

Quickly she excused herself for the moment and headed upstairs to her room. Setting the veil aside for the moment, she untied her hair and changed into the dress, taking a few moments to gaze at her reflection in the mirror. The thought of her beloved seeing her like this made her shiver in anticipation, and she had to breathe deeply a few times before sitting down to brush her hair.

She had tried out several hairstyles the evening before, trying to settle on one that was elegant and striking, yet still simple and easy; she now knew precisely what she wanted. Looking closely in the mirror, she began work on a medium-sized thin braid on the left side of her head. It got very difficult when she got around to the back; she had to use both the large mirror and a hand mirror to check on her progress, but soon enough she managed it.

Once she had braided her hair on the right side as well, she carefully joined the two braids in the back with a smaller hair tie and looked proudly upon her handiwork. She would need help putting the veil on properly, but now she was otherwise dressed and ready.

She had to watch her step and lift her skirt slightly as she headed down the stairs; the softness of her red silk slippers felt strange compared to the sturdier, more solid shoes she was used to. It was almost like she might float off the ground with every step.

As she got back downstairs, Alathazdrar bowed deeply. “Your dress suits you well, Mistress. Shall I go and box the cake for you?”

Jaina smiled graciously and nodded. “Yes, please… be careful not to smear the icing…”

Zanik was gazing up at her with wide eyes. “Wow… I-I’ve never seen you look so… so…” She trailed off a moment, shifting awkwardly in place. “…So elegantly dressed…”

“You are missing something,” Char pointed out, and moved to take the veil from Jaina’s hands. Placing it on her head, she adjusted the tiara and secured it with some hairpins before nodding her approval. “Now you look like a proper bride… I dearly pray that you will also act like one, and conduct yourself appropriately in the presence of my lord.”

“Of course,” Jaina said quickly, careful not to nod too hard in case it would mess up the veil. “I wouldn’t dream of doing otherwise!”

Kori blinked and stared at her. “That’s what you’re wearing? Sure, you look like a princess—like a queen even—but wedding dresses are white…”

“That wasn’t always the case,” Jaina pointed out. “White wedding dresses were first worn by queens in the late Fourth Age, when the current monarchies were first being established; before, especially during the God Wars, you would simply have to wear the nicest dress you could! Even now, not everyone wears a white dress—if I remember right, it’s traditional for Zamorakians to wear red instead.”

“Well, even if you aren’t wearing a real wedding dress,” said Kori, “are you really sure about this? He’s still a Mahja-thing… are you sure he’s gonna treat you right? What if he tests out strange dark magic on you? What if his kiss turns you into a Mahja-thing? What if something really awful happens to you? For all we know, Mahja-things mate by eating their partners alive, like some spiders!”

“That only works if the female does the eating, Ape Face. And even if the Mahjarrat did eat, their birth rate is low enough that eating their lovers would be counterproductive…”

“Well then, what if he asks you to eat him? Would you do it? What if your god told you to do it?”

Jaina sighed, trying to squelch all the mental images that threatened to form. “Ape Face, were you even listening to me? I know what I’m doing, and yes, I’m sure of it!” She shook her head and muttered softly, “If the Mahjarrat had any kind of deadly aspect to how they mate, I would know about it by now…”

Thankfully Alathazdrar chose that moment to walk in with the cake box. “Shall I deliver the cake to the location of the ceremony, Mistress?”

“Oh, that won’t be necessary! You’ve done so much already.” Jaina smiled uneasily, taking the cake box. “Your payment is in a purse in the parlor—I made sure to leave a generous tip! I do hope everyone will be well-behaved under your watch!”

“I shall ensure it.” The butler nodded steadfastly. “Do you need any preparations made to your bedroom before you return?”

She shook her head, trying not to blush, and tucked the cake box under her arm. Alathazdrar bowed deeply once more and smiled politely. “I wish you the best, Mistress…”

As he headed into the parlor, Zanik moved to stand by Jaina’s side. “Are you nervous?” she asked, wringing her hands. “I-I know I am…”

“A little…” Jaina frowned and nodded slowly. “For different reasons than you, though…”

“I only saw Bandos himself at a distance, but that was even more frightening than I could’ve imagined… I want to be here for you today, but the thought of being so close to a god…” The cave goblin woman reached up to hug her, rising up on tiptoe as she did.

Jaina put the cake box on a chair and returned the hug, a little more tightly this time. Part of her wondered if she should’ve asked Zanik to come at all; she didn’t want her to be uncomfortable or for the experience to be more distressing than pleasant… No, she shouldn’t think like that; Zanik would have told her if she didn’t want to come…

“I know it must seem intimidating,” she finally said, “but I promise my lord will cause no harm. I do know everyone who’ll be there fairly well, and they don’t bite, either…”

Zanik blinked, smiling a little shakily. “Don’t be worried for me, Jaina. It’s your big day, and I want to see you happy! I’d face a roomful of gods for the sake of those I care about!”

The confidence in her voice seemed to be contagious, and Jaina felt a smile spread across her face. “I certainly would too…” And I’ll likely have to, for everyone, eventually…

“How are we gonna get there?” Kori suddenly asked. “We don’t have to walk all the way from Varrock, I hope?”

“There is a teleport spell that goes directly there,” Char pointed out. “Which we will be using.”

With that the dancer teleported, and Jaina stood up, picking up the cake box and the set of law and soul runes she’d brought downstairs. “Well, let’s not waste any more time…”

Kori and Zanik held onto her as she cast the teleport, not letting go until their feet were on the ground once more. As the familiar sight of the excavated ruins came into view, Jaina barely had time to react before three of the workmen ran up to her, waving. One of them, his apron particularly dustier and dirtier than the others’, was already speaking up.

“Evening, Jaina! Come to see Dr. Nabanik again? You seem a little overdressed to be here…”

The second workman nodded. “Why, you look fit to dance at a royal ball!”

“Or at a grand wedding,” the third added.

Jaina smiled awkwardly, shifting the cake box slightly under her arm. “You don’t need to flatter me so much…” she half mumbled, looking around. She didn’t see where Zanik or Kori had gone, or even realized that they weren’t with her anymore until just now—had they hurried past so as not to be questioned, perhaps?

“Your dress is magnificent, but also very interesting,” the second workman remarked, looking her over. “The ancient symbols are a unique touch! Does that design choice reflect your findings for the museum?”

“What’s the outfit for, anyway?” the first inquired. “Doubtless you’re here to see Dr. Nabanik, as usual… Did you wish to dress up for him?”

“We saw him earlier,” the third chimed in. “He was meeting up with two men from the desert—an old scholar and a merchant, I believe? Said they were friends of his…”

“Yes, I know them too,” Jaina said quickly, nodding nervously. She had to think quick, and hopefully they wouldn’t keep her long…

“You know how the restoration down there was meant to recreate a part of the ancient city?” she finally said, hoping her voice wouldn’t shake. “We’ve been looking more into its customs and traditions, and Aurelius—Dr. Nabanik—has made a few discoveries pertaining to religious rituals of old, as well as about the sorts of art and fashion they were into!”

The first workman laughed and smiled. “It’s been awhile since you two ran off together, hasn’t it? I can’t quite remember how long it’s been or exactly when it happened… still, I’m sure your company is doing him an awful lot of good. He must get lonely working down there all the time!”

“That does explain the ancient symbols,” the second added. “You look like you might be some kind of dancer… I wonder if the veil has any religious significance? Did women in the ancient city all wear them?”

The third looked at the cake box. “I see you brought him a little treat, too! I always appreciate the lunches my wife makes; I’m sure he must really enjoy your cooking!”

Jaina couldn’t help but remember when she’d first brought cake here, and her shaky smile was hurting her cheeks. “Yes, I-I did put a lot of effort into making this cake special… speaking of that, it’s good to see you all faring well, but I really mustn’t keep Aurelius waiting! He’s been expecting me, you know…”

The first workman smiled and nodded. “Then we won’t keep you any longer! Give Dr. Nabanik our regards—and his friends from the desert too, if you see them!”

“Has he found out anything about ancient dance customs?” the second put in. “I’m sure you two would have a wonderful time practicing that part of the research!”

“I wish we were allowed down there,” said the third, looking forlorn. “It gets so boring up here! We haven’t found anything new since you uncovered that pagan god’s talisman…”

Jaina hastily nodded at them and waved as she skirted around them. The temple entrance rope was just up ahead, and so were Kori and Zanik, with another workman blocking their way.

“Sir, ma’am, this is a private restoration and you need the proper permissions to enter—”

“They have them,” Jaina called out, hurrying over. “They’re with me—I can vouch for them!”

The workman frowned and scratched his beard. “These are friends of yours, Miss Jaina? Are you sure Dr. Nabanik agreed to allow them down there?”

“Yes, he did,” she said, hoping he wouldn’t ask for paperwork. “I asked him personally, in fact. They have permission to visit with me today!”

The workman glanced skeptically at Kori and Zanik, silent for a long and awkward moment. Then he slowly nodded to them. “Very well, you can go down there, but Miss Katarn must accompany you, and you must do as Dr. Nabanik tells you. We can’t afford for his hard work to be damaged, understand?”

Zanik was visibly trying to hide her indignance as she nodded stiffly; Kori, on the other hand, wasn’t even trying, what with his very obvious dark scowl. “Jerk,” he muttered, not very quietly either.

Before things could escalate further, Jaina quickly motioned them both towards the rope. Zanik could climb down easily, but Kori needed a bit of extra help even getting onto it thanks to the bulk and weight of his armor. Jaina had to be particularly careful herself this time; it was much harder to get down the rope in such a long, flowing skirt, and while carrying a cake, no less. She had to be mindful of her dress anyway, so as not to damage it.

Char was waiting for them just outside the temple entrance, along with two masked mages, one in dark red and one in pale blue, that Jaina recognized as Nex’s generals. She wondered if the other two were here as well, and if Nex herself had chosen to attend, but the thought faded quite suddenly as Char motioned to her.

“Wait here,” the dancer instructed. “When the music starts, you’ll walk in, proceed to the altar, and then your brother will come up to hand you off. You know what to do from there, yes?”

Jaina nodded slowly. “Yes… I think I’m ready…”

“Good—I don’t want you bumbling in the presence of our lord.” Taking the cake box from her, Char passed it to the mage in blue and turned to Zanik and Kori. “Cruor and Glacies will show you to your places, as well as where the drinks are to be placed. You did say you brought drink, yes?”

Kori nodded excitedly. “I brought more than enough booze to go around! And I’m probably gonna need a lot of it before we’re through…”

“Just follow Glacies,” Char said bluntly, pointing him towards the mage in question. Cruor was already leading Zanik inside, and Kori was eyeing Glacies oddly as he trailed after her.

Once the others had gone into the temple, Char gave Jaina one more severe look before heading in herself. Jaina felt her heart speed up once she was left alone to wait—whether the small knot in her stomach was for Zanik, because of what Kori might do, because Zaros himself would be there, or because multiple people would actually see her by Azzanadra’s side, she wasn’t sure. On the other hand, she could also barely stand still or stand the thought of waiting; she wanted to see the look on his face when he saw her… On the other other hand, this whole thing did still feel strange in some ways.

Tempted as she was to peek into the temple, she restrained herself. She wanted to be surprised by what she might see there, and it wouldn’t be long; she had only to await the music.

~***~

Zanik remembered feeling small the first time she’d met Jaina, and she’d felt even smaller beside the humans in Lumbridge as the two of them explored the surface together. Never in her life, though, had she ever felt as small as she did now! She had at least expected a god, but she hadn’t expected everyone else to be what she saw!

The four masked human mages going around making last-minute preparations, including the one who had led her in, weren’t so bad, and though the fire dancer was rather intimidating with her height and her mannerisms, at least she had seen her beforehand. But the others…

Two strange, fearsome-looking, tall men stood on the opposite side of the painted blue circle on the floor from where she stood. One was dressed in robes of burnt orange, the other in a dark green robe; Zanik surmised they were mages of some kind. They looked to be even taller than humans, with skin the same shade of gray as a sick child might turn, and their faces were lined with peculiar markings that Zanik hoped weren’t some kind of war paint. Their eyes were small, with dark red irises and blacks instead of whites. The green-clad man was completely bald and had odd spines and ridges lining the sides of his head, and a small green gem in his forehead. The orange-clad man also had a small teardrop-shaped gem in his forehead; his was blue.

A third man stood over by the altar, near a floating, faceless figure in thick purple robes that Zanik suspected could only be the god; she quickly averted her eyes from the terrifying sight and fixed her gaze squarely on the tall man. He seemed even taller than the other two, thanks to his large two-pronged hat that looked a bit similar to the mages’ masks, except for the white gem in the center. His robe was the most opulent of all, purple, red, and black with silver and gold trim, and he held a purple rose in one of his large, gloved hands.

Zanik found it hard to believe that this could be the man Jaina loved. Well, she must see something in him, as well as in the god; she had said he was a good friend. But what was it that she saw in him exactly? Why would she be drawn to him more than to any human man?

The man in orange waved at Zanik, a surprisingly welcoming smile crossing his face as he beckoned. The cave goblin woman had to breathe deeply as she made her way over to the pair—and then she felt even smaller standing beside them. They had to be as tall to a human as humans were to goblins!

“You must be Jaina’s friend!” the orange-clad man exclaimed, still smiling.

Zanik nodded, hoping she wouldn’t strain her neck too much looking up at them. “Yes, I’m Zanik of the Dorgeshuun! I’m an adventurer myself.”

“Pleased to make your acquaintance,” the green-clad man said politely. “You seem intimidated—have you simply never seen a Mahjarrat before?”

Zanik shook her head. “No, I haven’t… I don’t actually know what one is either…”

“You do now, because you’re looking at two of them,” the man in orange explained with a chuckle, and inclined his head in greeting. “I am Akthanakos, by the way, and this is Wahisietel, and our brother over there is Azzanadra.”

The man in green—Wahisietel—was giving her a curious look. “I take it that Jaina trusts you unusually greatly, if she would ask you to be here.”

Zanik nodded again, feeling a lump in her throat. She didn’t want to bring up the subject of gods or the Godless if it could be helped; she had to be very careful about what she was going to say. “Yes, it meant a lot to me… More than she might realize… She didn’t exactly tell me all the details, though…”

Wahisietel frowned, his brow furrowing. “She may have been trying to be cautious, but I do hope she at least mentioned our lord would be here!”

“She told me that part,” Zanik said quickly, “and she told me to keep this secret, but she didn’t say that the man she loved wasn’t human—not that I mind; I’m just very surprised!” She swallowed the lump in her throat. “Why does she want to keep this a secret? I already promised her I wouldn’t tell…”

“To say things aren’t easy for the faithful of Zaros is an understatement,” Akthanakos said quietly, glancing down at his hands. “We have to maintain human guises in public, keep our allegiance secret, deal with many enemies—even our lord’s much-awaited return was so secret that I wasn’t present! Humans fear the Mahjarrat greatly as well, but I promise you, at least some of us mean no harm!”

Wahisietel stiffened and gave Akthanakos an uncomfortably unreadable look before returning his dark gaze to Zanik. “I dearly pray that Jaina’s trust in you was not misplaced…”

“I’m sure it wasn’t—let’s not frighten her,” Akthanakos said, and then smiled warmly once more. “So, Zanik, have you known Jaina long? How did you two meet?”

Zanik recounted her excitement about seeing the surface, the first time she saw Jaina, and the subsequent tour of Lumbridge, careful not to say anything about the gods. She felt more at ease telling the story; whatever everyone’s religious allegiance, at least Jaina was something they had in common.

“You and Jaina are hardly the only ones who have wished to explore unfamiliar territory,” Akthanakos remarked. “There is much this world has that’s most interesting—I have a particular fascination with the various creatures all over, particularly desert species. Believe it or not, we didn’t have plant life or unintelligent beasts on our home plane!”

“You speak of her rather fondly,” Wahisietel noted. “If you don’t mind me asking, were you ever particularly close?”

Zanik shook her head. “No, I didn’t even… well, it’s a long story, but I didn’t want to lose her friendship or live in her shadow forever. I wanted to go my own way, be recognized for my own deeds and not just as her friend…” She trailed off, suddenly worried that she’d even brought that up at all.

Her eyes strayed to the four mages; the one in black was pulling a small harp seemingly out of nowhere, the one in red now had some kind of large woodwind pipe, and the one in blue was dusting off a lute. The fourth, dressed in gray, was talking to Jaina’s brother Korrilan about something, though Zanik couldn’t hear a word of it.

She looked back up at the two, not quite as nervous when she spoke up this time. “Um… how did you first meet Jaina? Did you all meet her at the same time?”

Akthanakos started to speak, but Wahisietel shook his head. “We will speak of that further after the ceremony—I believe it is about to begin.”

Zanik nodded and curtsied to them politely before hurrying over to her side of the blue circle. The mage in gray quickly ushered Korrilan over to stand next to her, bowing his head to them before rejoining his companions.

She looked over at the temple entrance a little impatiently. If she could stay focused on Jaina, she wouldn’t have to think too much about the god being there.

~***~

The first strains of the harp were soft and soothing, and at first Jaina relaxed at the sound, listening more closely. Then the clear, lively sounds of other instruments filled the air, and she straightened up suddenly, nearly tripping over her skirt. That was her cue!

She quickly smoothed out her skirt and took a deep breath, releasing the tension in her shoulders. Then she slowly made her way into the temple, her heart fluttering as it often had many times before.

She could feel all eyes on her as she walked in, and couldn’t help but glance around the chamber. It was surprising to see that Nex’s four mages were playing the wondrous tune that filled the room—she hadn’t suspected they did more than specialize in one element! The fearsome general herself didn’t seem to be there, though. It was probably better for her to stay with her forces anyway…

Jaina smiled softly at everyone as she looked their way, and then her breath hitched in her throat when she caught sight of Azzanadra.

She hadn’t much thought about what he might wear, and she wasn’t sure whether her surprise at the sight made sense. He looked even more regal and commanding than usual in his rich robes of deep purple, black, and dark red that matched his eyes, accented with prominent symbols of Zaros and thin silver and gold threads. Even his hat, the same hat as always, seemed taller and more elaborate. He was holding something in one hand, though she couldn’t see what, and his eyes never left her.

Her heart raced as she met his gaze, all of her worries, her apprehension, instantly fading, and she felt a smile spread across her face. Excitedly she ran to him, no longer caring what anyone present might think.

She quickly came to a stop when she reached the altar, seeing Zaros floating behind it. Inclining her head, she curtsied deeply before the Empty Lord, hoping her eagerness hadn’t been disrespectful, and curtsied again as she turned to face Azzanadra.

He nodded her way and handed her a purple rose—so that was what he’d been holding! She accepted it graciously and smiled, looking around expectantly for her brother—and saw that he hadn’t moved at all from where he stood near Zanik.

She scowled in Kori’s direction and motioned to him as discreetly as she could, but it took him a couple of seconds to see it. Fortunately, one of Nex’s mages—was it Fumus or Umbra? Wait, it was definitely Umbra—noticed him as well and quickly ushered him over before he could react. Kori gave an awkward grin and hung his head, and then reluctantly placed Jaina’s hand in Azzanadra’s before clanking back over to his place.

Zaros spoke, his voice echoing slightly off the temple walls. “All gathered here this evening, you are present to witness the union of two of my faithful. It is not usually that I perform these rites personally, but it is nonetheless fitting for my most loyal follower.”

Jaina listened quietly as he briefly discussed Azzanadra’s loyalty and how much he’d accomplished in spite of great adversity, and then moved on to say how important to his plans she was and how she had chosen to give her loyalty as well despite it not being needed. She suspected that what would have been said at weddings in the empire would have been far different—what might it have been exactly?

She was a bit startled when Zaros said something in Infernal that she didn’t quite catch. Oh, of course—she’d had to prepare extensively and practice for the ceremony proper, what with her Infernal being very rusty at best, but she’d still been taken off guard.

She listened more closely, doing her best to keep up as Zaros detailed, still in Infernal, what it was their vows would mean—that they must be faithful and loyal to one another, support one another in times of need, be prepared to bear and provide for children, control selfish impulses and always consider the other’s needs, and remember that a bond made before the Empty Lord could never be broken. When he was done, he looked to Azzanadra. “If you would promise all this to one another, do so now.”

Azzanadra nodded respectfully to Zaros and turned to Jaina once more, tilting her chin up so that her eyes met his. “The path of fate has led me to you, and I will guide you as we walk it together. I shall stay with you always—you, and no other.”

Jaina felt a small warmth in her chest at the sight of his smile, and then, almost immediately, she could feel Zaros’ gaze fall on her—now it was her turn. She had to think and swallow hard before she spoke, and pushed her worries about how atrociously she pronounced the Infernal into the back of her mind. When she did speak, her voice came out clear and confident.

“I am the light to your darkness, the day to your night, the sun to your moon. I will stay with you always—you, and no other...” Her smile broadened as she met his gaze, and she couldn’t resist whispering one small extra thing: “My treasure…”

Zaros nodded slowly and spoke once more. “My faithful and loyal, may you succeed together in your deeds, for I now join you by my power.”

Smiling broadly, Azzanadra pulled Jaina into a firm embrace and ducked down slightly to press his forehead softly to hers. She returned the hug and the smile a bit more softly and contentedly closed her eyes, suspecting that he was going for a gesture more subtle than a kiss thanks to Zaros’ presence. She didn’t mind at all; it had its own pleasant charm to it.

Pulling apart from the hug, Azzanadra bowed gracefully to Zaros, switching to the common tongue when he spoke. “I must thank you again for this, my lord.”

“Think nothing of it,” Zaros said, having reverted to the common tongue as well, and then turned to address Jaina in a hushed tone. “World Guardian, we must speak later regarding the goblin woman. I sense something is amiss with her.”

Jaina frowned and blinked. “What kind of something, my lord? Is it something she did?”

Zaros shook his head. “We will speak of it another time. I shall leave you to your revelry for now.”

With that he moved behind the portal, and Azzanadra led Jaina into the center of the temple as the first strains of music started up again. Immediately he led her into the first steps of a slow dance, deftly twirling her under his arm in time with the tune.

Jaina followed his lead, her skirt swirling around her with every step, and couldn’t help but think of the first time they had shared a dance. That had been just the two of them—well, Zaros might have noticed—but even though they now danced for all to see, she barely noticed anyone else at the moment. She was at her beloved’s side, and that was what mattered.

She was still smiling up at him as the last few bars faded and they came to a stop. The others were gathering around them now, save for Char, who had already begun to dance as the four mages started up on a faster-paced song.

“How does it feel, brother?” Akthanakos asked, his eyes twinkling. “Strange? Overwhelming? Do you have a better understanding of humans thanks to engaging in one of their traditions? Was it that much different from presiding over it?”

“You seem to know everyone here, Jaina,” Zanik piped up. “Oh, and I’m pleased to finally meet you, sir… Jaina spoke highly of you! How did you meet exactly?”

Kori looked perplexed. “So, um, what exactly is your full name going to be now? Do Mahja-things even have family names? Are you Mrs. Naba-ginger, or are you just going to put ‘of Lumbridge, Miscellania, and wherever-it-is-he-comes-from’ at the end of your name?”

“Slow down, slow down!” Jaina exclaimed quickly. “We’ll answer your questions one at a time; if you all ask at once, I won’t be able to keep up…”

Everyone quieted for the moment, and she decided to start with Kori’s question. “My name isn’t going to change—I’m still Jaina Katarn. Even ‘of Lumbridge and Senntisten’ would both be a mouthful and invite too many questions!”

“As for your other question,” Wahisietel added, “our kind has only ever had the need for a single name each.”

The rest of the conversing went fairly smoothly after that, with questions being asked and stories being told in between watching Char dance. Jaina glanced over behind the portal a few times, and saw that Zaros did indeed seem to appreciate Char’s performance—his eight eyes were fixed squarely on the dancer as she deftly twirled streams of flame around her.

“Correct me if I’m misremembering,” Akthanakos finally remarked, “but was it not part of the rite to share a cake afterwards? It would be a shame for that cake over there to go to waste.”

“Indeed it would,” Azzanadra said, “however, it is better that those who can make the most use of it be the ones to share it. Jaina, you would not mind if I had a few moments with my brothers, yes?”

Jaina merely nodded. She didn’t mind at all—it wouldn’t hurt to let him spend a short time with just his fellow Mahjarrat, and for her to talk a bit with Zanik and Kori over cake. They would likely have things to ask out of earshot of the others…

She made her way over to the wall where the cake was; as she got there, Glacies bowed and handed her a slice. Zanik was already heading over after her, looking back at the Mahjarrat with puzzled glances a few times.

Jaina was halfway through her cake when an alarmed yelp split the air suddenly, followed by frantic clanking. Her eyes widened as Kori rushed over to her and grabbed her arm forcefully.

“Don’t eat it, don’t eat it! The cake is poisoned!”

Jaina blinked a few times and gave Kori a blank stare. “Ape Face, what are you going on about?”

“It’s the cake!” Kori repeated. “Isn’t it suspicious that nobody else is eating it? It has to be poisoned! I don’t know which one of ‘em did it, but this was clearly a trap!”

Everyone was staring at him now, and Jaina resisted the urge to slap her forehead. “If they had wanted me dead, why would they wait so long to try to get rid of me, and after going to all the trouble to set up a secret wedding? Why wouldn’t they have used more efficient, discreet methods, and far sooner? Ape Face, I already told you that Mahjarrat don’t need to eat!”

“How do they not need to eat?” Kori raised an eyebrow. “That’s ridiculous! I bet they’re just making it up!”

The words were already on Jaina’s lips, but before she could reply, Glacies spoke up. “Sir, you are a guest in the Great Lord’s presence, and in his most holy temple. Your presence here is also a great privilege this evening. We therefore ask that you please conduct yourself appropriately.”

“Yes, exactly,” Jaina said bluntly, “and besides, I made the cake myself, so I would know if it was poisoned or not.”

“I’m only worried for your well-being,” Kori pointed out, his voice more quiet and even. “I haven’t been there for you when you needed it a lot of times… I came here because I wanted to fix that…”

“Kori, I know you mean well and all, but you jump to conclusions too easily,” said Jaina, her tone softer but still slightly exasperated. “You need to trust me on some things—I’ve been all over the world and learned many things the average person would never think of. I’m pretty sure I know what I’m talking about most of the time!”

“Well, someone has to worry for you…” Kori sighed and examined the cake more closely, and he stepped back and wrinkled his nose. “Awww, did it have to be chocolate? It might as well be poisoned! Good Guthix, I need a drink…”

He went over to one of the kegs of beer he’d brought and took a tankard from his bag to fill, and Zanik looked up worriedly from her slice of cake. “Will the g—the Great Lord be angry that your brother acted out like that?”

“My lord seems to be remarkably patient with a lot of things,” Jaina remarked, shifting nervously before returning to her cake. “He wasn’t even angry or offended at his betrayer… his followers, on the other hand… They are all good friends, but they will still be a different story…”

“A god who doesn’t get angry?” Zanik blinked and frowned. “It seems too good to be true… What do you mean by a different story exactly?”

“I mean I can tell you wouldn’t want to be on their bad side,” said Jaina quietly, accepting another slice of cake from Glacies. “Azzanadra often speaks of how he admires what I’ve done, and has never hurt me when he very well could have, and he has this natural warmth to him… but, say, whenever he speaks of Zamorak or his followers, there’s this look in his eyes that makes me very glad he isn’t my enemy…”

She gently placed a reassuring hand on the cave goblin woman’s head. “When we were about to face Bandos’ avatar, I saw the very same look in your eyes.”

Zanik slowly nodded. “So it’s righteous anger and determination, you mean?”

“Yes, that’s precisely it!” Jaina said brightly, beaming down at her friend. “I do appreciate your understanding, even just a little bit…”

It wasn’t much longer before the rest of the cake was finished, and Zanik suddenly frowned and looked down at the floor. “I-I’m sorry, Jaina, I’m starting to feel a bit sick again… is it alright if I leave early?”

“What? Oh… o-of course!” Jaina nodded worriedly, wondering if this was what Zaros had wanted to discuss with her later. “Don’t worry about me; if you’re sick, you need to get some rest!”

Zanik rose up on tiptoe to hug her once more. “Thank you for having me here… it’s good to see you happy, at least…” With that she broke one of Oldak’s spheres, teleporting off to Dorgesh-Kaan.

The rest of the evening was fairly uneventful, save for Kori passing out cold on the floor after one keg of beer too many; Fumus and Umbra had to drag him out of the temple. Zaros had vanished, presumably into the Shadow Realm, at some point; Jaina wasn’t sure when exactly.

She was feeling a bit restless when at last she felt a strong hand squeeze hers, and she turned around to see Azzanadra gazing at her intensely. “As good as it has been to have the company of our lord’s most faithful,” he whispered, uttering a low growl-hiss that was both harsh and oddly seductive, “I wish to have you to myself for some time…”

Jaina smiled up at him and squeezed his hand tighter, her heart already racing. “Y-yes… I would be happy to oblige…”

“Come closer, then.” His other arm slid slowly around her waist, and he quietly teleported them both to her bedroom. As the familiar sight came into view, she could see the moon rising outside her window—it seemed there was going to be a long night ahead of them. Not that she would mind, of course.
:iconreadplz::iconcommentplz:

Part 1
Part 2

Finally, finally got this blasted thing up! Took me long enough :dead: Why oh why did I not finish this thing sooner :O_o:

Today on "Alicia-x-Itachi does something with extremely minor NPCs who have all of two lines in the actual game..." :la: The flashback sequence was actually the most enjoyable scene of this part to write. Familial love is important too, after all, even in--arguably very much in--a romantic story. :cuddle:

Speaking of characters who don't have much canon to go off of, I figured that the camel thing might mean Akthanakos is an animal lover in general. I can imagine him or other Mahjarrat being fascinated by them, since nothing like the various fauna of Gielinor existed on Freneskae. :glomp:

I had considered having Nex be present, but I thought that would be a bit of a stretch. :hmm: I'd also wanted to include her mages explaining to Korrilan that it is more honorable to earn her warriors' armor by proving your worth in combat with her rather than buying it, but that didn't have time to make it onscreen into the final cut. Though I did intend a lot of stuff to be going on that Jaina doesn't necessarily notice--for instance, I don't think the Zarosians trust either Zanik or Korrilan being there all that much, even if they don't voice it. :grump:

I wanted the wedding rites, both flashback and otherwise, to be noticeably different somehow from the real-world, Western WASP rites that are commonly known. I did, of course, draw from the god books, but those only detail so much, so I had to fill in the gaps a lot. "I am the light to your darkness" was inspired both by the whole Zaros-Seren thing and the vow that Roman brides used ("Where you are Gaius, I am Gaia.") :hug: I also figured that using Google Translate for the rites would be really unnecessary and just annoy readers who would then have to look up the Latin, so I didn't.

Not sure if this should have a mature tag, since the stuff that's alluded to is very subtle in this part--but it never hurts to err on the side of caution just in case! :worry:

Aaaaaand now to get onto the stuff I really want to write :typerhappy:
© 2015 - 2024 Alicia-is-Purple
Comments20
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
As you took my dislike of fanfiction rather personally I thought I would take the time to read one of your stories and give you honest feedback. That way you would know I had given your efforts a fair shake and actually be talking about you personally. Here is what I liked:

1) Excellent Grammar. I can not say this about most fanfiction I have seen and lack of it can make even a good story completely unreadable.

2) Really nice side plot. The whole mysterious implanted object and contract and ect really interested me and took the story in a cool direction. If investigating and removing them had been the main plot the story would have been really awesome.

Dislikes:

1) Use of the 18+ warning. 18+ is actual graphic events, pg13 is mild nudity, and g rated shows like rugrats can have veiled sex jokes in them so I would say this is realistically a pg rating. Minor complaint but I was kinda hoping to see something a lot more graphic as a result of the 18+ rating.

2) Projecting. This (and the abundance of horrible grammar) is the main reason I don't like fanfiction. The story happens to be about a girl (with the author's identity) who didn't want to get married but grows up and gets hitched to an important character from one of her favorite games/books/shows/whatever. The majority of fanfiction is just the author writes what they want to happen to themselves and the fantasies of other people usually are not that interesting to people that don't share the same fantasy.

Overall:
Well written but not my cup of tea.