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.Both of them had lost a father in the battle, but Valen would see to it that it had all been for a higher purpose.They would not have died in vain.Allyn nodded formally, expressing his support of the alliance between kingdoms.It seemed the entire board of advisors, the army, the citizens and the other nobles of the castle agreed with his decisions as the new ruler.If anything, Valen won their respect—more than what his father had achieved.As many differences as they had, Valen still wished his father were there on such a momentous day.Looking up above, he knew his father’s spirit shined down on the ceremony and that he soared with pride.A band of minstrels strummed a regal march, trumpets resounding to the upper rafters where the long-forgotten webs of spiders wafted on the breeze.The doors opened and Bellanina came out first, dropping roses at the onlookers’ feet.She paced solemnly, head up to the altar, as if she were already practicing for her own coronation.Vespa entered next, wearing a satin gown of snow white with rubies stitched into the hem.Handmaidens had twined her auburn hair in one hundred braids, every delicate strand strategically placed in interlocking circles forming an intricate bun.She gazed at Valen and the throne that lay beyond him and her eyes glittered, refracting the sun like multifaceted emeralds.She marched forward to claim the title of queen, handmaidens holding her dress so it spread behind her like wings.Each step brought her closer to her title.When she met Valen, she bowed once, ever so slightly, to acknowledge him, before her hungry eyes gleamed at the crown shining on an ivory pedestal by the priest.The music came to a lull, trumpets giving way to the silence of the impending ceremony.The priest lit the two smaller tapered candles beside the unity candle in the middle of the hall.Valen bent down and whispered in Vespa’s ear, “I’m glad you accepted my offer.”Vespa looked back with a challenge.“I could not refuse.”* * * *On the same day, a kingdom away, Leer stood on a hillside, overlooking the green land of his new horse ranch.A small group of bystanders surrounded him, including Star’s parents, some Interkingdom Carriers, and a few aunts and uncles.An elderly man plucked delicate chords on a lute, accompanied by the sweet whistle of a recorder.Sparrows flew overheard in the dome of a blue sky, void of clouds.The crowd looked to the bottom of the incline, beyond the wild lavender and daises to a single woman, hair white as snow and eyes gray as a storm cloud.She wore a simple dress of blue that matched the cloudless sky, her translucent hair trailing behind her on the light wind.Star blushed as she paced up the path of the hill, holding a bouquet of foxglove and evening primrose.This scene was not what she’d envisioned several months ago before she had met Leer.In fact, it was quite the opposite, but in all ways it was better.Here she was, out in the open plains, with no fear and no worries from above.The man standing on the top of the hill shared her love for horses.He was everything she trained to be, an excellent rider with a bold sense of honor and a kind heart.In many ways, they were two halves of the same fruit, growing up in the outskirts to rise above their setbacks and make a difference in the world.Besides the obvious things in common, there was so much love it threatened to overwhelm both of them every day.Her heart swelled as her emotions ran unbidden.Star would remember this day for the rest of her life.Behind her, Windracer snorted, bringing her thoughts back to the present.The crowd laughed and the solemn mood lightened.“Shush, Windracer,” she whispered under her breath.“You’ll still be my age-old friend.”She rounded the bend in the path and her gaze met Leer’s.He smiled his own crooked, half-twitching of the lips that could only mean he’d won in the end.She grinned warmly when she reached his side.Maybe he did win, but she won as well.“I’ve loved you since the first day I saw you,” Leer whispered with intensity burning in his eyes.“I never thought I’d be worthy of such a woman, such a wife.”“And I’d never thought I’d find another so like myself.I’ve loved you since you showed your true self, the shape of your heart,” Star responded as the minister lit the candles and the audience hushed, awaiting the ceremony.“I don’t show that to too many people.I can’t risk my reputation now.”Star took his arm, teasing.“It’s way too late for that.”Aubrie DionneAubrie Dionne writes fantasy and science fiction for young adults and adults.As a girl, she collected horse statues and looked forward to getting mail.Messenger in the Mist comes from her admiration of horses and expert riders, and her love of the written word.Her stories can be found at Lyrical Press, Gypsy Shadow Publishing and SynergEbooks.She’s also published short fiction in Niteblade, Silver Blade, Aurora Wolf and Emerald Tales.Please visit her blog to say hi: http://authoraubrie.blogspot.com.Aubrie’s Website:www.authoraubrie.comReader eMail:aubriedionne@yahoo.comAlso by Aubrie DionneNebula’s MusicMessenger In the MistMinstrel’s SerenadeLyrical Press books are published byKensington Publishing Corp.119 West 40th Street New York, NY 10018Copyright © 2010 Aubrie DionneAll rights reserved.No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.Lyrical Press and the L logo are trademarks of Kensington Publishing Corp.First Electronic Edition: July 2010ISBN-13: 978-1-61650-171-6
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