Immortal (23 page)

“Good morning!” Staysia got tears in her eyes when she said it.

“What are the tears for? It’s your wedding day!” her father asked her.

“It’s just that, I n-never thought I would be able to say good morning to you again. I didn’t think I would ever be able to say anything at all to you ever again.”

Her father studied her face and smiled. “I know, we are very proud of you for getting through all of this on your own. It was a big thing, what you did.”

“Oh Staysia!” her mother stopped what she was doing and hurried over to her to kiss her face and hugged her neck. “I’m so sorry!”

“I’m just glad you
are both okay. I couldn’t have made it without either of you.”

“That is why we are here! That is why we will never leave you! We weren’t meant to face death. None of us! That’s how we were made. We were born to reign forever.”

“I was lost without you.”

“Well, today is your big day, honey! Cassandra and that little troll, Emerald, is it?”

“Yes, Jasper’s true love! Aren’t they cute?”

“Yes they certainly are! Anyhow, they are on their way over. You know, to help you with your hair and such.”

“And Jasper?”

“Well, Jasper will be on the other end of the house with Gabriel. You know, doing groom things.”

 “Oh yes, of course, groom things, I knew that.”

“Would you like to see your gown, dear?”

“My gown? Of course! I would love to see it!”

Staysia’s mother wiped her hands. Come with me then! Come, come!” She smiled and put her hands on her hips.

Staysia got up from where she sat and followed her mother up the stairs. Half-way through the hallway, her mother turned and waved her to a large room with a large mirror, a vanity, and a huge bed and dresser. Her gown was laid out on the bed, along with a pair of hills and a veil.

Staysia couldn’t believe her eyes. “It is beautiful, I love it! Where did it come from?”

 “It is the same dress I wore when I married your father. Do you really like it?”

“Like it? I absolutely love it!” She picked up the dress and held it against her skin. She twirled around in a circle and sat on the bed. She felt of the fabric and snuggled it in her arms.

The gown was quite beautiful. It had a floral sash and tulle skirt. The shoes were the same peach color of the roses on the sash. Staysia couldn’t wait to put it on.

So, when her mother said, “Try it on!” she didn’t hesitate in the least bit.

When she walked back into the room adorned with the beautiful gown, veil and dress, her mother was waiting for her. She put her hands over her mouth. She remained speechless until she got out the words, “Turn around, Staysia. Turn around.” Staysia turned around for her. “It brings back so many memories. You look perfect, just perfect!”

Staysia stood in front of the mirror. She turned and took a look at the back of the gown. Her mother threw up her hands and said, “I’ve forgotten! I forgot your flowers! I will be right back.”

While her mother was gone, Staysia stared at herself in the mirror. Dara returned with a bouquet of peach colored roses.

“Here they are!” she said
, as she handed the roses to Staysia.

She sniffed them and held them tightly in both of her hands. “What do you think of Gabriel?” she asked her mother.

“I adore him. Your father and I both approve of your marriage. We wish you the best. I think you two will be very happy.” Dara put her hand on Staysia’s cheek. “It isn’t easy seeing my little girl all grown up, but at the same time, it is a wonderful thing to watch you fall in love and become such a beautiful and strong woman.”

“I learned so much on my journey. I became so strong in just a few days. I learned to love in ways I never thought I could. Tristen and Jasper are the most amazing friends. Gabriel is—oh mother, he just makes me so happy.”

“I know the feeling, Staysia, your father makes me feel the same way. I couldn’t live a day without him, I wouldn’t want to. He didn’t want to let go of you yet, but I reminded him of  when we were young and in love. He’s very happy for you.”

Just then, Cassandra knocked on the door and slightly opened it. “Hello. We’ve come to make you pretty for your wedding,” she said. She walked into the room followed by Emerald. “Y
our dress, it’s gorgeous!” Emerald exclaimed.

“Thank you, it was my mother
’s.”

“It is entirely gorgeous. If you sit down, I will fix your hair,” said Cassandra. “This is going to be the beginning of a great friendship. Tristen has told me all about you.”

“I will leave you three to yourselves. You all will meet us at the island when you are finished?” her mother asked them.

“Yes, we will be there!” Staysia replied.

Staysia was getting to know Cassandra and Emerald better, when there was a knock at the door. The door slowly opened and Jasper peeked inside. “Jasper!” Staysia hopped out of her chair and sprinted towards him. She kissed his forehead and hugged his neck.

“Staysia, you look lovely. I’ve come to give you something. Well, I’ve come to give you something back.” He reached his hand in his pocket and pulled out the yellow stone that Staysia had given him as payment for crossing underneath his bridge. He put it in her hand and closed it. “I won’t be needing this anymore. I have already found everything I have ever wanted. I have found great friendships and I have been reunited with my Emerald.”

“Oh Jasper, you keep it.” She tried to give it back to him.

“No, no, no,” he said as he waved his hand at her. “It won’t do me any good anymore.”

Staysia smiled and held the stone tight in her hand. “Is Gabriel ready yet?”

“He is in the other room writing his vows for you. We will be leaving soon.”

“Alright Jasper, I will see you soon!”

Jasper told Staysia
goodbye, blew a kiss to Emerald, and closed the door behind him. Cassandra perfected Staysia’s hair and put her veil on her. It was time for Staysia to write her vows to Gabriel, and then they would be on their way to the island, which wasn’t far at all from where they were.

“I think I will go outside to write my vows. Meet me out there in a while and I will be ready to go to the island.”

“You got it, Staysia! We won’t be far behind you.”

Staysia sat beneath a tree and took the time to write a perfect page of vows in no time. It was all in her mind, she just had to write it down. Cassandra and Emerald joined her soon and the three of them left together.

They arrived at the island with the sounds of bells and nature in their ears.

Staysia rode upon Isis until she met up with her father. The beaming faces of the onlookers made her smile. They started down the aisle when the violinists and harpists began to play. With faces aglow, her mother and Layenaya watched her as she carried herself with the utmost grace, arm and arm with her father.

Gabriel awaited her with his hands clasped together and his broad shoulders back. The smile upon his face was not the ear to ear grin that was usually smeared across his face. He had the smile of a man in love; a man who looked upon the most beautiful face upon Earth, a woman who melted his heart, and floated toward him like in a dream; the sweetest dream. And that is what Staysia was to him. She was a dream; a dream that had come true.

They stood side by side before t
he throne of the Sea Child. The ceremony began. Before allowing Gabriel to kiss his bride, he called for the vows. Gabriel would be first. With a glimmer in his eyes and a fidget caused by nerves, he began:

“Staysia, when your name rolls across my tongue
, it always feels like the first time. I will never grow tired of saying your name. When I hear your name in my ears, it is like a new song that I have never heard, and that no one else ever
could
hear, not like me. It is a secret song that only belongs to me. When you say my name it is like the sound of a fairy’s wings dancing in the wind. Your beauty is like sunshine and silk, like rain and snow. It is like looking into all the seasons of the year at one moment, and indulging in them with one glance of your face. I promise to always make you smile and laugh. I promise to make every day a new day of adventure, as I know you love adventure. I will take you to see things you have never seen. We will discover things never known to either of us. Hand in hand, we will make every day more perfect than the one before. I will love you with everything I have. I will teach the beasts of the forest to bow at your very feet and they will be our pets. I will give you a different flower each day of our lives and if I run out, I will plant a brand new species and name them after you.”

Staysia couldn’t speak with a parting of her lips and a deep breath in. Her eyes stung and she was choked up from the words Gabriel had spoken. She closed her eyes and opened them again. She looked into his eyes and smiled
, before running a finger underneath each of her eyes. With another long inhale, she began to speak.

“The day I met you, Gabriel, I was amid a battle with our little friend, Barthesus. Though he was very intimidating back then, I couldn’t keep my eyes off of you. You later brought it to my attention that I had completely forgotten about him when my eyes met yours. It is true, I did forget about him. I forgot because I knew from that moment that you weren’t just another man with a handsome face and a pleasant smile. You were the man my mother had told me about before either of us had ever met you. I learned that you were from Gnome Hills and I did not know what to think of you. I did not know if I could trust you. It wasn’t until you were gone that I realized I already knew you. It had been such a short time that we had spent together, but I
did
know you. You weren’t just Gabriel from Gnome Hills anymore. You were Gabriel from a special place in my heart. The place that told me everything would be alright, despite my troubles. You kept me going and made me smile, even when I had to hide that smile for the sake of keeping up my guard. I will never put up that guard again. I will trust you and love you forever.”

“You may kiss your bride.” The Sea Child pronounced.

Gabriel did not hesitate at all to whip his arm over her shoulder and grab the back of her neck. This kiss was much longer than the others. So long it made the guests wonder when it was going to end. And when it did, they gazed into one another’s eyes and stayed that way for a moment longer. After that, the guests cheered.

The reception would follow. Staysia met people she had never met before, and highly esteemed immortals, gods, and the families of gods. She met the guardians of the fo
rest, who were known as Forest gods. Without them, the trees would not grow as they did. Things would die, like plants, flowers, and animals.

The warmth and quiet of the forest had always calmed
her and nurtured her spirit. So naturally, she was taken by the Forest gods and knew her new acquaintances would become her friends as time went on.

She met plenty of fish women and men who worked for the Sea Child, and she even met Willow herself. She was a beautiful woman, a beautiful woman with a fin as feet when in water
, and feet when out of the water, and gills on her neck. She wore various shells around her neck and pearls on her wrist.

The reception was filled with soft music and couples arm in arm. Heads on one another’s shoulders while on the dance floor. Eyes gazing into one another’s while laughing and talking. The wedding reminded the couples of their own weddings, or for some, weddings that were to come. That is how it should be, and that is how it was for the good people who attended the wedding.

Of course, Jasper and Emerald did not go so easily un-noticed. They made quite an appearance, with their troll love and appeasing, yet boisterous personalities. Yes, eyes were upon them as they danced with one another and met new people. As they walked hand in hand and stared daringly into one another’s eyes.

It was time for Gabriel and Staysia to have their dance. The song they chose was called
The Color of Love
. It had a peaceful low tone. A fish woman sang the song. She had the most soothing voice. The bells that cheered in the background sounded of peace and the newness of life that Staysia and Gabriel had ahead of them.

Gabriel looked into her eyes and said, “I love you, Staysia.”

“And I love you.”

“Words cannot describe the way you make me feel.”

“Oh, I think you did a wonderful job of it when you said your vows. They were amazing,” Staysia said.

“I hope so. I tried to put my feelings into words, but there is still so much unsaid. I am glad I have forever to try to tell you more thoroughly. I am going to need it.” He twirled her around and threw her body down in a dip, where he kissed her. The people around them ooh’d and ahh’d when he did. When the song was finished
, Gabriel announced that he had something to say aloud.

He looked around the room at the people who tried to look over one another’s shoulders and stood on their tiptoes to see him. Gabriel laughed and stood on a chair. He put his arms out and the people laughed. He went from the chair to the table and the people laughed again. He looked around the room and smiled that wide smile of his.