FicWad

Chapter 1

Craggon was lonely as a young lad in his small Hibernian town; he was the only Lurikeen in the area; standing about four feet tall, he had short brown hair, a small brown goatee, hazel eyes, and a tan complexion. Persisting to try and fit in, he found only less acceptance because of his height.


One day, in a trade shop at the edge of town, he was in the process of stealing some fruit to postpone his end yet another day; he had no family to provide food, so he found himself working the life of thievery to stay alive.

While in the store on this day, a stranger was lurking in the shadows; having not known this, he continued on his path out of the store with the fruit; just then, the man leapt from the shadows like a cheetah on its prey, knocking the wind out of Craggon and squashing the fruit.

*

As a young woman, and being of a short race, Phoebe was used to being looked down upon. She was frequently sent into town to pick up supplies the guild needed, where she was unnoticed by the majority of the townsfolk; this made her job harder because she did not yet know the layout of the town well enough. She needed help and no one would help her, with the exception an old man she found after much searching. He told her of a Lurikeen not much younger than her that he had seen taken by two older Lurikeens bearing the same emblem she was.

With that comment, she ran for the guild house, forgetting all about the supplies. When she arrived at the house she was greeted upon entrance, she asked about any new guests, and they nodded, pointing out where he was. She rushed down to the hall that held all the guest rooms, confronted aguard at the entrance to the hall, and continued to the room he was being held in.

*

He awoke and found himself in a dark room, with no noticeable ways out; he was uncomfortable being in a new place, but unable to move because of the blinding dark, he stayed put for the time being. Not but moments later he found himself listening intently to sound approaching from what seemed to be a corridor to his left. The sounds, which he now recognized as footsteps, quickened and drew closer. Though quickened, they were still quite slow, prolonging the agony of finding his appending doom, or so he thought.

The door flung open and he braced himself for what he thought would be a hideous war beaten male Guardian, here to torture him or move him to a less adequate holding cell. To his utmost surprise, the figure was short, not war beaten, had an elegant frame that could tame the most savage of beasts, and was hardly human, or for that mater, a man. She was beautiful, never in his life had he seen or heard of such beauty but in fairy tales, and this outmatched that of ancient lore, she was stunning to the point of making even the most efficient poet speechless, yet she also put off an aura of superiority and knowledge; but the most astonishing was, she was a Lurikeen. The first of his kind he had ever seen.

Surveying his surroundings he found not to be in a cell, but a normal room, a guest room, to say the least. Quickly returning his gaze to her she started toward him with movement of such high grace, even the goddesses of ancient lore would be hard pressed to match it. As she remained on her path toward Craggon, she couldn't help but notice his gaze locked on her like achild eyeing candy, the admiration and intrigue was not hidden in his transfixed gaze upon her.

She broke the silence with a polite but reinforced, "Hail, Iam called Phoebe."

Stunned by her sweet voice that fit her beauty like a dream, he struggled to answer, "I...I...uh, I am Craggon" he said with an unsure look in his eye.

"Well, Craggon, I hope you're hungry."

"Aye, very much indeed, m' lady."

"Good, the feast will begin momentarily."

"Feast?" He asked with a crazed look in his eyes.

"Yes, a feast, in honor of your arrival."

"In honor of me? I hardly believe I could be of such importance."

"You shall find out why you are here and of what importance you are soon enough."

"Ah, where, may I ask, am I, and what is this place?"

"You ask a lot of questions."

"And you seem to avoid the point a lot."

"'t would do you well to mind your tongue, young one, especially around the others, they are more strict then myself."

"Others, there are more of our kind here?"

"Yes, now stop delaying our arrival at the feast, tardiness is not as tolerated here as it is where you come from," they started for the door when suddenly she looked back and said, "You're not wearing that, are you?"

"'tis all I have m' lady."

"We shall stop by the crafting hall on the way to the feast, I've crafted some new cloth suits for you, and I think you'll like them. And by the way, 'tis nice and all, the formalities, but you have no need of them for me, I want to be your equal, not your better, at least not at this time. Until further notice you may call me Phoebe."

"Yes, Lady Phoebe."

She glared at him but made no note of his still formality, she thought it rather cute that he defy her wishes, and stay formal, but at the same time found it unruly. They walked on for a while longer and reached the crafting hall, lit by torches on the walls and chandeliers on the ceiling above, they found it empty of inhabitants, having been called to the feast. They picked up his clothes, he put them on, and they were off to the feast down a corridor to the left of the crafting hall entrance.

Craggon liked his new clothes, they fit him perfectly and were made of a material he had never seen before, Phoebe told him they were made of a cloth that was indigenous to the region and it was expensive to buy, but they had some growing on their property so they could get a limited amount free of charge. The material was remarkably soft, yet tough, and at the same time very flexible, he tried many dexterous movements in it and they went off flawlessly.

*

Entering the dining room, he found nearly twenty Lurikeens sitting at a large table; a table filled with food of all sorts, some he had never seen before or could ever imagine existing. At the head of the table the tallest of the Lurikeens sat, with the rank marks of a guild master and the uniform of nightshades of ancient lore. The others, male and female, young and old, sat around the table exchanging jokes and stories, and laughing together over the appetizers and some ale.

Rising from the table, the elder Lurikeen quieted the crowd and turned his gaze to Craggon, "Hail, 'tis our guest of honor, young..."

"...Craggon" Phoebe said, ending the man's sentence for him.

"Ah yes, Craggon, 'tis an honor to meet you, eh... what's amatter?" he asked

"Terribly sorry but, all this food and drink lying here, and I'm just so hungry..."

"...Say no more, to the feast, it's what we've gathered in this room for is it not...a toast to Craggon, may he fill his belly, quench his thirst, and laugh his heart out...dig in!"

"Thank you, Sir"

"Phoenix, call me Phoenix." The old Lurikeen said.

After a long feast, many jokes, a very large amount of ale, and time gone by, the room had thinned out until there was only Phoenix, Phoebe, and Craggon remaining. "Now, to business," Phoenix said, "have you any family, friends, or a guild, Craggon?"

"No, sir, there are no Lurikeens but myself where I live."

"I see, then we have much to talk about, come, let us retire to my study," Phoenix said as he lead them down a series of corridors.

*

"'tis a nice study you've got here, sir, all the books and decoration."

"Aye, 'tis a nice room, quite comfortable, but that's not why we are here, do you seek a home, family, and friends you can rely on?"

"Aye, sir, I do."

"If you would like, we would like to recruit you to our guild, the Lurikeen Resistance."

"That sounds wonderful, when can I join?"

"You can join as soon as tomorrow, around noon, 'twill be an initiation celebration."

"Awesome!"

"Where stands your disposition to select a profession and follow it to achieve high ranks the trade?"

"I'm not quite sure I understand what you're asking, sir."

"I am a Nightshade, and by the information I received from the bards I sent to get you, you are accustom to the life of thievery, is this true?"

"Yes, sir."

"Great, you will make a good Nightshade if you want to be one."

"That would be great, when can I begin my training?"

"After lunch tomorrow."

"Perfect, thank you, sir."

"No problem, now, if you will excuse me, I would like to retire to my bed to rest up for tomorrow."

"Aye, g'night sir." Craggon said as Phoenix left the room to the right and Phoebe beckoned him to follow her to the left. They followed several corridors, in an awkward silence that was going to Craggon's head, he was starting to think that sooner or later if they didn't reach their destination soon he would blurt out his feelings for her, she finally stopped outside a door and turned to him.

"Here it is," she paused, looked at him for a second, and then continued, "is there something you want to say? It looks as if you carry the burden of a thousand men."

"N...N...No, I'm...I'm fine, thank you much though."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Well, okay, you'll find several sets of clothing lying on the bed for you. G'night, see you tomorrow morning."

"G'night." Craggon said as he closed the door behind him and changed into the pajamas on the bed, took the other sets of clothes and lye them down on the dresser. He yawned for all it was worth and fell into the bed, fast asleep.

Chapter 2

He awoke at dawn, light entering his room through the one and only window. The room was nicely decorated with the brilliance of all Hibernia could offer. Never had he had a bed as comfortable, clothes so nice, or three square meals a day, never at any time, especially not at once, but here he did, he was accepted, and he loved it. Everything was going perfect, nothing could foul up this day, no dark essence could steal away his happiness, not on this day.

Sudden as the joy had come, it was gone, he heard a faint noise in the room, he looked from wall to wall and noticed, in the corner, aperson he had not seen before. She stepped forward and he noticed it was Phoebe, the nice Lurikeen woman he had met the day before. The relief hit him fast and hard, along with all the feelings he had for her, suddenly flooding into him, he quickly reached down and tucked the sheets in closer, "What are you doing here?" he asked in a surprised manner.

"Do not worry, sheets or no sheets I am no threat, nor am Ione to look on thee with such cause for you to pull up your sheets, how do you like the pajamas?"

"They are wonderful, more of your handiwork?" she nodded,"thank you again, and I am sorry if I came off as a fool accusing you of something as such, it was merely instinct that I pull them closer."

"Instinct you say, I thought you had no sheets you could develop the instinct with."

"True, I don't know how I acted as I did, but somehow Iinstinctively did it without second thought."

"There is your first lesson, compliments of Phoenix."

"What? How is it, that that could be a lesson?"

"You acted on an instinct that you had no way of developing, natural instinct is strong in you, you shall do well as a Nightshade."

"Oh, thank you, now if you don't mind..."

"...of course." She said, taking the hint and exiting the room.

He rejoined her outside his room once he had changed clothes into one of the new sets she had laid on the bed for him the night before. They walked in silence until they reached dining room, their pace slowed to a stop outside the door and she took him aside. "I can see in your eyes, you have aquestion, don't you? If it is a question 'bout the others, you might as well ask it now before confronting them."

"I do have something, but I...'tis too soon to ask, give me time, may I keep open the invitation of information from you?"

"Yes, any time I am not busy you may ask me anything...it would be best if we joined them now, they can be impatient when it comes to food." She said with a smirk on her face as they turned to the door.

*

They arrived in the dining room to see the others joking and drinking, awaiting their arrival to begin eating, as usual Phoenix said aspeech and the breakfast commenced. They talked, laughed, ate, drank, sand, and danced, until it was time for the initiation to begin. At that time everyone moved to the hall and followed Phoenix to what was obviously the guild's war room, it was decorated with many trophies and awards, medallions and spoils from raids into other realms. Behind the podium was a door that led to asmaller room filled with objects used in the initiation. Phoenix, along with aselected few others of the guild, went inside and came back out with many things in hand that they then handed out to the crowd.

When the crowd was ready, and Phoenix reached the podium, he signaled two Lurikeen males to escort Craggon to the podium, he then chanted afew lines, presented Craggon with some items, and permitted him into the ranks of the Lurikeen Resistance. He was so happy to finally have a guild, a family, and friends he could count on to be there and help him. He was so happy time flew by until lunch was ready, he ate fast so as to be open for training sooner.

*

After lunch Phoenix took Craggon to his private training room. The room was secluded but pleasant, he asked Phoenix why he needed aprivate training room and he said that he found it helps to teach one student at a time, with minimal interruptions. Craggon thought this to make sense and he listened intently as Phoenix started his teachings.

"Can I ask you something?" Craggon asked.

"Yes."

"What is Phoebe's profession?"

"Ah yes, I thought you might ask, she is a mentalist, they can read minds,"

"Heh, I've seen that first hand..."

"...no I don't believe you have, she can, but wont read our minds, its part of the rules to being in the guild, but she cant help but feel people's pain, or their pleasure, it comes naturally to her, she cant turn it off, but it isn't all that bothersome to us having her tell if we are in pain, she is a good counselor."

"Ah, well that's good."

"What's good?"

"That she isn't allowed to read our minds."

"Why is it good?"

"Because I uh...well I..."

"Ah, 'tis all clear now, you like her, don't you?"

"Like is mere childish, I more than like her, I may even love her."

"Heh, well, I wouldn't go that far yet, you barely know her."

"Yes, that's why you must keep it a secret."

"Don't worry, I will. Now, let us train, and worry about that later."

"Yes, Master."

"Good, Master is fitting now, but when I can no longer teach you anything, call me Phoenix again, okay?"

"Okay Master." He said with a smile on his face.

"Good, now follow my lead." He said as they commenced their training.

The training lasted long into the night, they hadn't even notice the time until a knock came on the door, Phoenix opened it to find Phoebe panting, she whispered something to him, then ran away. Phoenix turned back to Craggon with a look of pure horrification that made Craggon leap over to him and scream, "What's happening?"

"It's...It's..."

"What?!"

"It's...Dinner time!"

"Huh?" Craggon asked with a puzzled look.

"Gotcha...you have to be able to trick your opponent, and not be tricked yourself," he said with a smirk on his face, "Another lesson best learnt first hand, now, time to eat." They left the training room to go eat dinner and mingle with the others as soon as they removed their training gear.

*

They arrived at the table, ready to eat as much as they could, hungry from the training. "So, what did Phoenix teach you, Craggon?"Phoebe asked.

"Tricking opponents but not being tricked by them, and some base melee skills."

"Do you like being a stealthy dual-wield killer?"

"I don't see it as that."

"Well see it as you like, just when it comes down to it, remember that's all they are, and people will prejudge you, so it would be best if you kept up the formal attitude about everything you seem to hold true to even when given a request not to, you keep your morals, I like that."

He blushed but didn't notice 'til it was too late, he tried to change the topic, "I uh...do you uh..."

She laughed, "I see what's going on here, it's quite alright."

"Yeah, you don't have to be a psychic to read your mind at the moment Craggon." Said one of the other Lurikeens.

Craggon put his head in his folded arms shamefully, "Oh shut up, Krenchal," she said to the Lurikeen. Then, turning to Craggon she whispered, "Its okay, really, it makes sense. You a young man, meeting others of your kind for the first time and the first one you see is a young woman. Don't feel ashamed." She finished with a sight pat on his back, "You okay?" he nodded and lifted his head back up and faced Phoenix, who had just recently stood up.

He gave another short inspiring speech, followed by a solid,"Dig In!" With that the entire room filled with motion, Lurikeens filling their plates and grails, telling jokes and stories, and laughing all the while as they always did.

They returned to the hallways after dinner and they all made their ways to their rooms for the night. This time Craggon followed Phoebe not to find his room, but to gather supplies he needed, parchment, quills, ink, books, the basic stuff he needed.

When they finished collecting the materials he needed, they said their good nights and parted to their rooms, which, evidently, were right next door, so they parted right outside her door, and he walked the extra few feet to his door alone. In his room he commenced reading a book on Nightshade history and myth, he read and read until he couldn't lift his eyelids anymore, at which point he fell asleep, book still in hands.

Chapter 3

He awoke with a feeling of puzzlement, his head and eyes hurt, from reading the night before in such dark conditions. He heard a knock on the door that almost came as if triggered by his waking, he dressed in clothes that were made for him and walked to the door. He opened it and saw Phoebe standing there, "Thought you might need help with that headache," she said with a smile.

"How did you...oh, yes, please."

Smiling she said, "luckily I can heal wounds, whether mentally or physically, sadly I can only help with emotional on a verbal level, no magic can heal it that I have a mastery of."

"Wow, healing and mind reading, amazing combination for one person."

"Aye, all mentalists can."

"Ah, sounds great."

"Aye, life is good as a mentalist."

"Heh, sounds as such, now, 'bout that healing..."

"Okay, stand still," she said as she raised her hands, palms out, a light illumination was emitted from her outstretched hands, a funny feeling filled his head as the pain left in one swift movement, and suddenly, he felt perfect, if not even in a state of euphoria.

"Thank you, that was awesome, I've never been healed before."

She smiled and he motioned for her to enter the room. After she was in he closed the door and turned to her, she was sitting in the center of the room, cross-legged on the floor, and he joined her. "May I ask you your age?" she said.

"Sure, I am eighteen, and if you don't mind, may I ask you yours?"

"Ah, quite mature for your age, and of course, I am twenty one."

"Thank you, and you are, uh...what's the word..."

"Very beautiful?"

"Yes...I mean..."

She laughed and added, "I know, it was unfair of me to set you up for that, and I know what you mean, most people I meet also are stunned, trying to find a word to describe me best."

"Well, while it's in the open, to me you are more beautiful than any goddess of ancient lore, more beautiful than the goddess of beauty herself, anyone who would match you with her would be a fool, she is no match to your caliber of beauty."

"You're quite the poet."

"Thank you, and you are quite the sight for sore eyes, you are beautiful, charming, fun to talk to, you're intelligence overwhelms me, I..."she leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek, he stopped and was speechless, blushing he sat there and tried to comprehend what had happened.

Before he could react she leaned forward and kissed him on the opposite cheek, with a giggle she notice he was going to say something but that threw him back again. He sat once again in sheer puzzlement, he had received two kisses from the one that he loved and had not given anything in return but silence, he was even confused about his feelings from the actions. The silence was awkward to Phoebe too, she was unsure of what Craggon was thinking because of the rules she had to obey, but she could sense his love for her, and his clouded thinking from the confusion she brought forth on him.

They sat for a while, in complete silence, Craggon trying to rediscover the love for her in the midst of the confusion. He found it. The confusion didn't stand a chance from that point on, it was clear to him what had to be done, and without even thinking he leaned forward and kissed her cheek. This made Phoebe feel relief that he hadn't taken her actions as bad, she didn't take nearly as long as Craggon had to decide what to do. She leapt forward and kissed him, he openly accepted it and kissed her, back and forth they went, enjoying the moment of love that filled the air around them.

Suddenly they stopped, puzzled at something, they seemed to share the same look of confusion as they returned their gazes at each other. Phoebe was the first to speak, "What was that?" she asked.

"You felt it too?"

"Yes, but what was it?"

"I felt like, for a brief moment, that I could read your thoughts, or at least your emotions, and I don't have that power."

"I felt something, much different from any feeling I get from using powers I have, it was a feeling of...complete freedom. Do you have the power to free yourself of the world and all its troubles?"

"I can stealth, while I'm in stealth I feel free, that must have been it."

"We must be able to tap into each others powers somehow."

"Amazing!"

"Yes," she said as a knock came to the door, "I have an idea, follow my lead." She said as she lunged forward and locked lips with him. He saw what she meant, they both entered a state of stealth as they kissed, having heard sound from the room, but no response, the man at the door opened it. He was dumbfounded to not see anyone or anything happening, he surveyed the area completely before retreating out the door and walking back down the hall.

"Wow," Craggon said as they stopped and stood up, looking at the door.

"Yeah..."

"You're a great kisser..."

"Oh, I meant wow he didn't notice us."

"Oh, yeah that too." He said with a little lower, less enthusiastic, voice.

"Don't take it the wrong way, that was amazing, I just thought you meant the stealthing part where he didn't see us."

"Well, yes, it was pretty cool, and I did act a bit premature to react to your statement..."

"I'm so glad we can understand each other and not fight over things." She said with a smile and kissed his cheek.

He blushed and nodded, then added, "As much as this is fun, I am quite hungry and I think he was coming to inform us of breakfast being almost ready."

"Yeah, let's go to breakfast, I'm hungry too, and best to not raise suspicion amongst the rest of the guild yet."

"Suspicion of what?"

"Of our relationship, of course, you do want me as more than a friend, I can sense it."

"Hey, get out of my head!" He said with a laugh and ran down the hall with her chasing him, giggling all the way.

*

After breakfast they walked to Phoenix's study, on the way Phoebe said, "We can tell Phoenix, just don't want to tell anyone else yet, don't know how they'll take it, it's only been a couple days since we met, and some of the other girls like you too, I can sense it..."she said with a hint of happiness, "but I got you first."

"It's not a contest, but if it was, I have no doubt you would win, and I'm glad you got me first, if someone else wanted me and opened up about it I would feel bad to have to break off the ties they try to make with me to join you, the one I truly love."

She smiled and they reached the door to the study. He reached out and knocked on the door, Phoenix answered with a polite, "C'mon in." and Craggon opened the door for Phoebe, who graciously thanked him and walked in. "Ah, what brings you two here?"

"We have come to talk to you of...recent findings," said Phoebe.

"Ah, and what might these findings be?"

"Well, you know of Craggon's feelings for me, and I share those feelings for him, we expressed those feelings earlier and something...strange, happened."

"Strange, strange how?"

"We were kissing and he seemed to be able to read my emotions as I can with others subconsciously, and I seemed to be able to stealth, and, put to the test, we both stealthed in the company of a servant that arrived to tell us of it being breakfast time."

"Hmm, interesting, I don't know what this is yet, but in time I will find out, until then tell me of more as your relationship excels."

"We'll do that, thanks Phoenix."

"No problem."

Chapter 4
3 years later...

Craggon had excelled to the level of 34, where Phoebe had stopped training and waited for him to catch up. They were now free to roam Wilton with very little doubt of their own protection, they were high enough level to fend for themselves if need be. Craggon waited for the right moment, and as of late, his sensing had proven that she was ready for his proposal.

They were on their way back to the Hibernian Portal Keep to talk to Phoenix at the guild house, when several Midgardians attacked. They cam from 3 different angles, the leader, a shadowblade, came with stealth, Craggon took him down first, and easily before he could inflict any harm on them. The second, a warrior, came at Phoebe with brute strength, and luckily Craggon was able to take most of the blows for her, as he himself attacked the warrior. He was nearly out of breath, having been throwing his two-handed sword about, he was taken out by the Lurikeen's dexterous movements and precise attacks.

After having taken out the warrior, Craggon turned his attention to the hunter that had recently started shooting at Phoebe, he had intercepted a few of the shots, but the rest shot by him, narrowly missing his female companion. He lunged toward the hunter in a blood-lust like frenzy, hacking at him with his rapier and stiletto, rapidly performing deadly blows to his ribs, head, and heart, if he had one, hoping for a quick kill. The hunter was outmatched, the Lurikeen alone, with his rapid yet precise dual-wield attacks, and a mentalist showering damaging spells on him, against his low stamina and slow attacking two-handed spear. His death was inevitably going to happen within seconds, so in a weak effort he grabbed his horn and blew several short notes, a war cry for help widely used by the enemy in their time of need.

Realizing his intentions, Craggon quickly made the killing blow, finally getting the stiletto in just the right place to pierce the heart, in seconds the hunter was dead. But that wasn't all, the Lurikeens knew they were going to be targeted by a large number of Mids and they would be very much outnumbered. They ran as fast as their little legs could, luckily the closest Mids were far enough away for them to make it to the guards at the portal keep, and beyond its walls. They then paused to catch their breath, and continued on to the porter, where they requested to be sent to their Guild House, and they were immediately met with a light that sent them to their desired destination.

*

When they got there, they joined Phoenix in his study and he told them of his findings, "Thank you for coming on such short notice, I have news for you both. As you know, you can seem to share powers while engaging in, contact with each other. So far on only a scale of which you must be doing some activity, such as kissing, but if you harness this ability, if you are close enough to each other, you can use each others powers without physical contact, call it, spiritual contact. I believe this is because you two are the two most powerful beings in all the land, as are spoken of by legend in these tomes Ihave here. The birth of you both fits the legends, and the fate you find yourselves facing during childhood is also in here."

"But how do you know if my birth fits the legends, I don't even remember it," said Craggon.

"Well, that's the other thing I wanted to tell you. Until recently, I haven't been able to reunite with my child, but alas I have found him. Craggon, I am your father."

"What?" They asked together.

"It's true, I couldn't believe it at first but it all fits perfectly. Now, I haven't told either of you about your family so far yet, so let me tell you now..." he sits down and motions them to do so also, "Alright, your mother and father, god rest their souls, were very good people, along with my wife, we founded this guild together on principles we all agreed on. Your father and I were in command of the guild's battalion in the Hibernian Army, it was atime of war, and I didn't want our new baby child to go through this, so Iasked my wife to give him up for adoption, she refused. I was saddened but Iaccepted it and respected her decision, so I went back to fighting. It wasn't until a week or so later that she lay on her deathbed, she was poisoned by aMid, her last words were, to put the baby up for adoption, she hoped you would be put in a better environment than the current one here. I did as she wished, and when I returned all was in chaos, I rushed to your father's side, he was fighting 4 Mids, alone against them, I leapt in and helped him kill them, then we ran to the gates and fended off those who had broken through and who were spilling into the keep. When we were in the midst of the battle, a militiaman ran to us and called out that your mother had died, your father was so heartbroken that he was nearly killed right there if I hadn't been enraged by the death of my own wife and my best friend's wife, I lunged forward and sliced open those that sought him out. I helped him limp to the inside of the castle and helped the others close the inner gates, to prepare for the falling of the outside gates. When I returned to your father's side he told me...he told me that you had to be sent away with Craggon, it was the best thing to do, I promised him that I would get you to safety. At that moment he managed to smile and whisper, 'thank you, my good friend, may you stay alive...and keep our, ideals alive, you're...our last hope...' then he fell limp and I swore I would revenge him, but first I had to get you to safety. It turned out that there were no ways to get you off that isle, so I sent you back to the far bottom of the castle to hide safely with the women and children that remained there. I then returned to my place in battle, but to honor my friend's request I took up aless fatal position, I used the one of the trebuchets on the top of the castle. We barely made it out, but the tides turned in our favor as the smoke from acamp I hit of theirs brought in reinforcements from the west."

Their features were struck with sadness when he looked up, and Phoebe asked, "Why weren't we told sooner?"

"I wasn't sure at that time if you were ready to know, and Ididn't know where Craggon was, but now you are both here, and of the age, Idecided it was time to tell you, and your love for each other will hopefully help you each cope with this."

"This is all just, so sad, why did that have to happen? I swear I will have my revenge for my mom and for your parents' deaths Phoebe, as soon as I can, I'll hunt them down and slaughter them all, all the bloody Mids, they'll pay!" Craggon cried out with fury in his eyes fit to set anything in his path ablaze.

"No, if you do that it'll be suicide, we must not lose each other, it would be far too much to bare, all the loss." Phoebe replied with acalm tone of voice.

"Yes, you're right, you're always right, thank you, and thank you father for telling me, for telling us, it's nice to know you are my father, and an honorable man."

"Think nothing of it, now, didn't you have something to ask Phoebe?"

"Ask me what?"

"Uh..."

"This is as good a time than any." Phoenix said.

"Okay..." he got on one knee and reached into his pocket, pulling out a small box that he opened and presented to Phoebe, "Will you, Phoebe, take me to be your husband?"

"Yes." She replied happily.

"Great, the wedding will be tomorrow, I'll make all the arrangements and have your suit and dress made, all you have to do is attend and everything will go great."

"Thank you." They said together.

"Don't think anything of it, it's my pleasure."

Chapter 5

They met in the morning, this time in Phoebe's room; they talked of all the fun times in the past three years and prepared for the wedding. After lunch they went to the chapel for the wedding, all the guild was there, along with the Druid that would conduct the ceremony.

Craggon stood with two of his guildy friends, waiting for Phoebe, opposite him stood two bride's maid and the maid of honor, also guildies of his and Phoebe's. The music was cued and Phoebe was escorted down the aisle by her soon to be father in law, they approached the Druid, walking down the flower filled aisle, where, at the end, stood the flower girl and ring bearer, smiling happily as the two approached. At the end of the aisle Phoenix sat and Phoebe kept going until she climbed the steps and stopped at her bride's maids and turned around to look at Craggon.

"We are gathered here today in holy matrimony, to see these two youngsters united in the bonds of marriage. They will have to pass the test of truce to keep the bond secure, and time, to see if they have what it takes to work together as a one and function to the best of both parties," said the Druid. He turned to Craggon, "Do you, Craggon, take Phoebe, to be your partner in this holy union, this sacred bond, this heavenly marriage, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, 'til death do you part?"

"Yes and no."

"What in heavens name does that mean?" asked the Druid.

"Does it have to end with death? I don't want it to, I will hold together this union into the next life if Phoebe also, so chooses. I want our union to last all eternity."

"As do I," Phoebe said.

"In that case, do you both agree to these new terms of the union?"

"Yes," they chimed together.

"Good, you may kiss the..." they kiss, "bride...kids these days." And on that note the crowd laughed and applauded.

After the kiss they ran down the aisle to their 'Just Married' wagon and rode away to sit and enjoy life and all its pleasures at the guild pond behind the house. They picnicked, fishing and hunting for their food. Life was good at the moment; they loved every minute of it and never wanted it to end.