Full Circle (gxg)

Chapter 10

Even in the dungeon, Aven and her father Yarvin could hear the storm. The thunder was crashing, and the rain was pouring down, causing even more water to seep into their cells. Not that it was a pleasant experience to begin with, but now it was thoroughly miserable. The good thing was, today was supposed to be the wedding day, so maybe it would be called off.

Instead, a harried Lobbark and Martin along with a pair of guards came down to the cells, with Lobbark carrying a white dress. Aven had a sinking feeling about this.

The guards opened her father's cell and hoisted him onto his feet, then bound his hands. "Come on!" Martin said, taking him by the shoulder and pulling him out of the dungeon with the two guards.

"Dad!" Aven called out him.

"You'll see him soon enough; he has to witness the ceremony!" Lobbark sneered. He hung the dress on the bars. "Put this on and get upstairs. Otherwise, you'll be able to hear your father's screams over the storm." He unlocked the door and walked away, knowing she had nowhere to go.

Slowly, she changed into the dress, though she didn't wear the whole thing though, as she left off the hoops and extra fabric of the skirts. They would be useless in the rain. She hated that she even thought the dress might have been pretty under other circumstances. Now, it just seemed vile. When she was done, slowly walked up the stairs, using the railing to help with her ankle. She tried to remain calm, all she could do was hope.

Knallia sat in the tent drying off, wishing the rain would stop. The girls were so close to the castle they could see it in the distance. Every step, she could feel the ring getting closer as they rode onward. But the road was turned to mud now, and the horses had several close calls almost slipping which could have hurt both them and their riders badly. She opened the flap to the tent and looked out. She could see the other tent with Lowen and Oncya, still buttoned up tight, and then beyond them a few lights that were glowing even through the rainstorm in the castle itself. They didn't have the magic campfire lit, as they didn't want to be seen from the castle, and they weren't sure if the rain would put it out, so it was still dark.

"Oncya! Lowen!" she called out through the pounding storm. "I'm going to keep going on foot!" she yelled as they stuck their heads out. "Stay here and be ready when I get back!" The girls nodded their understanding and ducked back inside the tent.

She put her head down and trudged towards the castle, keeping her head down and pointing her finger out, letting it almost pull her towards Evan. Please be all right! The mud squelched around her feet, trying to keep her in place but she trudged on, keeping to the grass on the edge of the trails where the ground was firmer. Nothing was going to stop her.

It seemed like it took forever to make progress, but she kept moving. Knallia pulled herself up the bank of a small stream that she had to ford. The ring was taking her off the trails now and away from the town near the castle. The going was more difficult with no path to follow, but she was determined to make it. Pulling herself up the grass embankment she gulped for air, her hands on her knees. Before her lay the castle just over a few more small hills. It was getting easier to see in the grey light filtering through the rain, and from this distance she could see how dilapidated it was, they obviously hadn't been maintaining it well. The ring pointed right at the wall, and she started down the hill, trying not to slip.

She took two steps, and the ring popped off her finger, landing in the grass and bouncing down the incline.

She stared at it uncomprehending, then chased it as it rolled down the grassy slope, until her feet flew out from under her in a muddy patch and she almost landed on it. She picked up the ring, trying to slide it back onto her finger, but it just kept slipping off. "No, no, no. no!" She said to herself, over and over. This couldn't be happening! Knallia raised her head and screamed in anguish at the clouds.

There were two guards at the top of the stairs waiting for Aven in her wedding dress. They nodded towards a doorway behind her and she limped through it. She found herself in a seating area bordering a balcony overlooking the ocean. She had always known that the castle had been built on the bluffs, but she hadn't appreciated the height until now.

"Everyone outside!" the king commanded, "Let's get this started!"

She was shoved roughly by a guard out into the rain, she could see her father there already in Martin's grasp standing to the side of a little platform. A priest was there waiting with water dripping off him like a sluice. In seconds, the dress was a sodden mass, hanging off her like a bag. Very romantic. The balcony edge dropped straight down over 100 feet to the rocky shore, while the sides let out to the gardens. They were no match to those she had seen just a few short days ago with Knallia. Now, she most likely wouldn't see her again.

She was pulled over to the King, who was grinning wildly. She looked over his shoulder at her father, who she could tell was crying even in the rain. Martin still had a hand on his shoulder, just in case.

"Make this fast father!" Lobbark said do the priest. "Be a good girl and your father stays here with us. We'll all be dry again in a few minutes," the old man said, his gaze travelling over her soaked body.

She shivered in disgust.

She wasn't even listening as the priest started talking, she kept looking at the doors, hoping for King Rannick. When they opened, she gasped in surprise, but it was only a guard. The man ran up to Martin and whispered in his ear as the priest kept droning on.

"Father! Rannick is coming!" Martin called out and her heart soared.

"What? He's coming?" The king screamed, spittle flying from his mouth. "I do! I do!" he turned to yell at the priest.

They were already to the I do part? How had she missed so much?

"Say it or he goes over!" Lobbark yelled at her, making her jump in fear.

But the king! He is here! This couldn't happen!

"Say it!" the king yelled again. When she didn't move or speak, he turned around, "Throw him!"

Martin grabbed Yarvin and started to drag him to the edge of the railing.

"No! Wait!" Aven screamed. She couldn't let her father die. "I do." she said, her tears mixing with the rain coursing down her cheeks.

"Yes!" King Lobbark cried in triumph and planted a meaty kiss on her cheek.

As her hands hung limp at her side in defeat, the felt the silver ring on her thumb slip off, it clanked once on the stone, and then lay still.