LEGEND OF ZANAR: CHRONICLES IF JARREN

CHAPTER 12 Wedding

Thomas had grown into a handsome man. He was now a young man, and Helena couldn't be more proud of him. The stag can't believe his eyes. His son was a man. They no longer lived in swallows. The stag was able to earn respect amongst the villagers, becoming the second most powerful family in Trover. He did it all to earn the love of Helena. He was still not sure she loved him. She seemed to tolerate him more than anything else. The stag wanted nothing more than to bring her happiness. Helena never thought about how she became the way she was. Her son was all she cared about in the world. Even though he was not hers. She remembered everything that happened in the barn. She knew he was Prince Shawn. Her son was in the palace, growing up without her. She loved her sons both, the one she gave birth to and the one she'd been a mother to all this time. When the time was right, she'd reveal what she knew to her son. Until then, she'd love him as her own. He learned the ways of the forest well. Memorizing every herb and creature living in the forest. Helena had ensured his knowledge would carry him. Her father taught her everything she knew about the forest. If only he was here to see her son. He would be so proud of her and how her son had turned out. She took human form to get over losing her father. Helena knew there would be no way back. The life she knew as a roe was over, and grieving for her father wouldn't change it. News had spread throughout Trover that Princess Kelva was seeking suitors. The stag was elated to hear the news. He burst into the house. Something he did often. Helena was in the middle of meditation, trying to relieve her pain. "Helena, I have wonderful news!" he shouted as he burst in. She was not in the mood to hear any of his news. "What could be so important?" she shouted at him. He was not shocked by her reaction. She was cross with him more than he liked. "The King and Queen of Trover have sent out invitations to the castle. They are having an engagement banquet for their daughter. She's now sixteen. They sent out formal invitations to all her suitors," he declared. Helena didn't really care what he was saying. She didn't even hear half of what he said. "What does that have to do with us?" she asked. The stag couldn't believe her reaction. He thought she would be excited. They would be able to have Thomas meet Princess Kelva. "Helena, we can take Thomas to the banquet. He has an opportunity to meet the princess. He may even become her fiancé and can have everything. It's that what you've worked for!" he yelled. Helena couldn't believe he was yelling at her. She hadn't worked on teaching him the ways of the forest so he could live in a castle. "Stag, I can't believe you," she replied. She hasn't called him Stag since the night he gave her son. "I know who you are, Helena!" he shouted. She turned and looked at him. She wasn't sure what he meant. "You are a roe. I've known for years. I've known since Thomas was a toddler. I watched you and him in the forest. It came over me suddenly. I was watching you chase him when I saw it. Your true self shone through. It was then I knew why my charms didn't work," he stated. Helena was shocked. She had no idea he knew. "If you've known, why didn't you say anything?" she asked. The stag couldn't tell her what Kentar told him. He would have to explain too much. He needed a reason, and he didn't have one. The only reason he did have she would never believe. "I don't know why. I mean, I know why, but you won't believe me. You know what I was before I took your husband's form. I wanted to tell you I know who you were for years and just never had a way to tell you. The few times I did try to tell you, but you were too busy or something would come up," he rambled. He was very nervous, and she could see right through him. She could see something else was there. "What's the reason?" she asked again. He didn't want to tell her. His reason might change everything. "I love you! I fell in love with you!" he said. It was out there, and he couldn't take it back. He felt like a newborn fawn in a den of wolves. He'd never felt so vulnerable. Helena just looked at him. She wasn't expecting him to say he loved her. All this time had passed between them. She often wondered why he started treating her so nicely. She never imagined that this was the reason. She walked away from him for a moment. She needed to gather her thoughts. "If you are in love with me, why didn't you want to tell me?" "I wanted to. Love is a new experience for me. I have known lust but never love. I was cursed to only know lust for the female form. When you were pregnant, I thought the hormones kept me from charming you. I didn't know you were a roe. I didn't know I couldn't charm you because I was in love with you," he proclaimed. Helena was speechless for a moment. "So why do you think sending our son to meet Princess Kelva will be a good idea?" She said nothing about his proclamation of love for her. "I just think it would be a good idea for him. There's a lot of opportunities for him. He's got to meet other people his own age," he pleaded. Helena did see the logic in attending the banquet. Besides the king and queen, they were the second most powerful family in the kingdom. If they didn't attend, it might seem like they didn't respect them. "You do make a valid point. If we don't go, we might offend the king and queen," she said. With that, the conversation was over. She still hadn't acknowledged what he said to her. This was exactly why he didn't say anything to her before. Helena left the room to inform Thomas about the banquet. The stag heard him scream in excitement. He came running in and hugged the stag. "Mom just told me you love her. You've never told her before. You've made her so happy!" he said as he ran through to his room. The stag was at a loss for words yet again. He thought she didn't care that he was in love with her. As she came back into the room, he couldn't take his eyes off her. "You should have told me years ago!" That was all she said as she kissed him. His eyes got bigger when she said that. It was all done. She was in love with him as well. The stag picked Helena up and carried her off to the bedroom. Tavara had been decorating the castle with the queen, preparing for the wedding. The day Queen Derna received the demand to uphold the engagement, everything changed her forever. It was as if she died that day. The demands of the gods didn't stop there. Zanar sent her advisors back to the Vanesly to oversee every detail. For Tavara it was even more difficult. As Davina, she knew the advisors. She once worked side by side with them. Davina couldn't tell if they knew it was her. They showed no signs of knowing it was her. Each encounter left dread in her. With each room redecorating meant a new trip to the dragon's lair. At least there, she could voice her frustration with the gods. Davina and the dragon made strange bedfellows. Once enemies, their newfound friendship felt strange. The brief meetings brought some peace to the chaos. "Here's the list of the things I need this trip," Tavara said. The dragon looked over the list. "You know, they may figure out where you are getting all these things so quickly." "I'm not going to reveal them all at once. I haven't been doing this for the last fourteen years just for them to figure it out now," she replied. The dragon laughed. "I shouldn't give up on you so fast. I'm sure by now your revenge has grown each day. Soon you will be able to enact it." She left without the list filled. The guards would wait for it and bring it back later. She wouldn't be gone long from the queen's side. She seemed to be her only friend these last few years. Lady Jacqueline hadn't spoken to her in years. Where they used to lunch two or three times a week. Prince Shawn, on the other hand, had been to the Kingdom of Trover as often as he could. He fell in love with Princess Kelva the first day he saw her. As soon as he was old enough, he went to visit her. He had a page keep tabs on her routine so he knew where she would be. He wanted to see her when she was by herself. If she didn't remember him, he didn't want anyone to know he went to see her. On their first encounter, his heart leaped into his throat. At first, she didn't recognize him. It only took a few moments and she knew. "Shawn, how did you find me? I haven't seen you since we were small," she asked. "Kelva, there hasn't been a day where I haven't thought about you. I know I'm engaged to Goddess Lisa, but I want to marry you. I don't know how, but I will marry you," he declared. Princess Kelva was so happy to see him. "Since that day I have wondered what happened to you. My mother told me we were there to meet my husband. When I met you, I was happy. Then we left so fast. I never got to say goodbye. My mother was so angry. She kept saying damn Zanar. Who is Zanar? Why did she make my mother so angry?" "Zanar is my fiancée's mother. Better known as the queen of the gods. She's very powerful. Your mother and mine were angry because of my engagement to Goddess Lisa. Months before we met, Zanar had withdrawn the engagement. Since there wasn't a formal dissolution of the engagement, it was as if the engagement was never called off," Shawn rambled. As Kelva let it all soak in, Shawn pulled her close. They were meant to be from the moment they met. "Kelva, I need to go. I don't want anyone to see us together till I can work things out. I will send a page to your page with my words of love. This won't be the last time we see each other," he said as he kissed her goodbye. The longing look Kelva gave him spoke volumes to him. "Soon, my love, soon," she said. With that, he left her in the garden and headed back. He would make good on his promise. As Prince Shawn made his way home, he came across a man on the road. He was traveling in the same direction. "Hello, traveler," the prince said. "Why, hello. Where are you headed?" he asked. "I'm on my way to Vanesly. Your name, sir?" "I'm Thomas. I'm also heading to Vanesly," Thomas replied. "How pleasant. Shall we travel together? It's not a long trip, but some company would be nice," the prince asked. "I don't see why not," Thomas replied. "What are you going to Vanesly for?" he asked. Thomas didn't mind the banter. His parents didn't really talk to him. When they did talk to him, it was about his future or studies. "I'm on my way to buy a new tunic. I looked in the shops in Trover, but I didn't really like them. So I'm on my way to see what's available in the shops in Vanesly," he replied. "So what is the tunic for, are you getting married?" the prince asked. "Well, my parents got an invitation to the castle for a banquet. They expect me to go with them. My mother offered to make me one. But considering the reason we're going, I really felt it was best that I buy one," Thomas replied. Shawn didn't hear anything about a banquet. He was curious. "What's the banquet for?" Thomas was sure everyone had been invited to the banquet. "You must be married, otherwise you would have received an invitation. It's an engagement banquet for Princess Kelva. She's to be married this month. The banquet is being held to pick her prince. So you see why I would need a new tunic rather than one my mom throws together. I don't even know why I'm going. I have no desire to marry her and fell for a girl years ago. Her name is Lisa," Thomas rambled. Shawn knew what to do at that moment. He was engaged to Lisa. He had his solution riding right next to him. He could send word to Kelva to pick Thomas. Then he could have Thomas switch places with him. They would be able to marry the woman they both loved. "I'm glad I met you today, Thomas. I may have a solution for both of us," he said. "What are you talking about? Lisa is promised to the Prince of Vanesly. There's no way you can fix that," Thomas replied. "Well, you're in luck. I just happen to be the Prince of Vanesly." Thomas was shocked. He would most certainly be put to death for saying such things. "Your Majesty, I'm sorry. I mean no disrespect, sire." "None taken. I'm to marry the woman you love. I love Princess Kelva and can arrange to have Kelva select you at the banquet," he stated. Thomas got really excited. "Go on." "The wedding day is the only problem. You would need to pick the same day as mine. Then we could switch the brides and marry the woman of our dreams. What do you think?" the prince declared. It would be risky, but at the end of the weddings, it would be too late. "What about the goddess Lisa. How would you get her to agree?" Thomas asked. "I know just the person to help me with that. All I need to know is if you are willing to help me. I would be in your debt," the prince asked. Thomas looked at Shawn and shook his hand. Their bargain had been made. They made plans all the way to Vanesly. Thomas gave Shawn directions to his home so they would be able to talk in private. If they needed to meet again, it would be easier to make plans there. The castle had ears. When the prince returned he'd need to seek help from Tavara. She'd have a sympathetic ear to his plight. She seemed to dislike the gods from what he'd seen. She may even have a grudge against them. She'd been a great help to his mother throughout the preparations for the wedding. He'd gotten to know her well over the last twelve years. Shawn met Tavara the same day he met Princess Kelva. Since that day, Tavara had been a part of his days. He would often sit with Tavara and his mother. He helped while they planned every detail of the wedding. Shawn spent many days with her so he felt very comfortable asking for her help. As they neared the edge of Vanesly, Thomas and Shawn parted. Shawn needed to sink in. He was late for his sparring match with Christian. He'd been training him since the day he almost drowned. Christian would be angry with him for being late. He'd only been late once, but his training that day was intense, and Christian never let him forget it. "Prince Shawn, Christian is looking for you," a guard announced. "Tell him I've been waiting for him by the lake. He'll know why. Tell him I'm disappointed he forgot what day it is!" Shawn yelled. He was annoyed. Even though he was late, he expected Christian would be waiting for him at the lake. Today was the anniversary of the day Christian saved him. It was a special day between them. Shawn headed for the lake. He had a guard start a fire upon his arrival. When he got to the lake, Christian was there. "I could never forget this day," Christian said. Shawn felt very small. "I thought you did." Shawn approached him. "I would never miss this day. I need your advice on something that'll change my life forever," Shawn declared. Christian had known Shawn well enough to know when he was serious. "What can be so serious it will change your life?" he asked. The answer he was about to get would shock him. "I'm in love, and it's not with Lisa," he said. Christian could tell something was different about him. "Who is she? Wait! Is there something else I should know first? Why were you late?" "I was with her," he said. "What! Your wedding is scheduled for the end of the month. Your mother has been planning it since you were five. Let alone Lisa's mother is the queen of the gods. What are you doing, Shawn? There's a lot of lives at stake here!" he yelled at him. "I have found a way that will work for all involved. I met a man on the way back from seeing her. He's in love with Lisa. They met when he was a boy about the same time I met Kelva. He's kept in touch with Lisa all this time. She doesn't want to marry me, and I don't want to marry her. I have a plan and worked it out with Thomas on the way here. All that's left is including the brides," Shawn ranted. Christian looked at him like a madman. "Shawn, I know you think this is for the best, but you have no idea what can happen. Love's not all that's at stake here. You can't just do what you want. You are going to be the King of Vanesly someday, and with that comes a lot of responsibility. You need to learn what it means to be king. I thought all this time you were ready," he declared. Shawn wasn't expecting his response. "You once told me to be in love is all that matters. Now I am, and now you're telling me it's not. What have you been teaching me all this time? I've made a decision, and I won't retreat from it." Christian realized there was no way to change his mind. He was in love and not thinking clearly. "Shawn, I will stand by you no matter what you do. I'm you're first guard, and with that also came responsibility. I'm your servant, and though I may question what you're doing, I must obey your command. I am at your service, Prince Shawn." At that moment he realized what it meant to be king. Never before had Christian declared his service to him. He'd been his teacher and advisor since he was ripped from the lake. He'd never known him in any other capacity. Now he could even call him friend. He was a loyal companion. He'd come to rely on him in the near future. They continued to chat about the past. They shared many good and bad times. He'd need to speak to Tavara in private as soon as possible.