Chapter One: Homo Fuge

Chapter Two: What Happened After Sunrise

Chapter Three: Arrangements

Chapter Four: Mother Returns

Chapter Five: The Next Day

Chapter Six: Hannah

Chapter Seven: A Subtle Yes

“Are you sure?” Tobias asked as soon as he shut the door behind us. “Because – because if this is just a reaction to what happened to Hannah, then don’t. She wouldn’t want that; I wouldn’t want – ”

I interrupted him with a kiss. “I am sure. Something joyous needs to occur to combat the destructive power of this witch. She may wound us, but she will not defeat us. We cannot allow it.” He nodded and fought the liquid threatening to spill from his eyes. “Love, you can cry,” I whispered.

He melted into me, but just for a moment. “No, I know that I can cry, but I shouldn’t. Of course I’ll miss Hannah, and if I ever get my hands on that witch - ” he trailed off, overcome by anger, but then came to himself again. “Hannah was so special. She knew Him better than I did, and always had this radiant hope about her – different from anyone else I’ve ever known. She and Anan were so similar.” He breathed a laugh. “But I’m going down a rabbit trail, as she would tell me.” He sighed into a small smile. “She would have liked what you said, I guess is what I’m trying to say.”

“So, we can marry tonight?” I grasped both his hands in mine.

“If we can find a counselor to do it.” He broke my hold and brought my face to his with new eagerness. “There is one on the second floor who would probably be willing – he, Anan, and I fought together.”

“The second floor?” I asked incredulously. “It would take nearly half a day, on horseback, to get to the staircase.” I looked down at my clothes, motioning to them. “I’m in mourning – I can’t ride any noble animal until after the funeral tomorrow, so no horses.”

Tobias shook his head and walked to his bed. Behind it drooped a tapestry that had always fascinated me – a geometric pattern of reds, blues, and yellows – but also made me a little dizzy if I looked at it for too long. He pulled the bed forward so that he could slide between it and the wall on which the tapestry hung. He gathered one side of the cloth in his hand and pulled it back, revealing a stone wall. Counting three blocks to the left of the tapestry’s right edge, he pushed in with his shoulder. It gave under the pressure, and the wall shuddered as a section turned outward. It didn’t move far, just wide enough to permit a grown person.

“There’s more than one staircase, my dear.” He looked back and chuckled at my dumbfounded face. He held out his hand. “Come on, we don’t have much time to lose.”

I went to him and grasped his hand. Then we plunged into almost immediate darkness together.

“This door opens to passages that lead to each of the royal chambers. I’ve spent many a night exploring.” He held his arm tight around my waist so I wouldn’t trip in the dark. “I’m assuming it has passages all over the castle; I know for sure that it goes down to each level.”

I wondered how long he had spent in these back passageways, but didn’t ask.

After a small span of silence, broken only by our feet on the stone steps, he spoke. “Nearly there. It leads to the counsellor’s – his name is Jacob – room directly. So we should be safe. All the same, I’ll go in first when the door is opened.”

I nodded in agreement, then realized that he couldn’t see me.

“This should be the last step,” he said. He was wrong, and we both had a shock when the floor dropped from our soles. Thankfully he was only wrong by one.

Tobias knocked three staccato taps followed by two that had more time between them. Two knocks sounded from the other side of the door. Tobias tapped twice. The door ground open.

At first, the room was barely lighter than the passageway. The waddling figure who had opened the door made his way to the dying fire and stirred it while adding a few smaller pieces of wood. He blew on the embers until they caught on the new fuel. The flames brightened the room considerably. It was small, barely a quarter the size of my chamber, but seemed so homely that I immediately liked it.

“It’s been a long time, Tobias!” The two shook hands heartily. “Now, tell me why you’ve brought such a stunning lady into my humble abode!” He was…something. My mind couldn’t come up with the right description, but there was an aura around him that made me feel comfortable.

“This is Princess Kynder, daughter of the late King, whose name we no longer speak.”

Jacob bowed low – impressively low, I thought, for his jolly size. Jolly! That was the description that failed my mind moments before. “It is an honor, such an honor. Especially that you have made the journey while still in mourning. The need must be urgent indeed.”

I lowered my head a bit to acknowledge his courteous greeting. “Tobias is a better explainer than I am, sir.”

Rising, Jacob looked earnestly at Tobias.

“We need to get married. Legally, but in secret. A grave danger has befallen the castle, and we hope to combat it in our little way by proving it does not have control over us.” He looked at me. “She may wound us, but she will not defeat us.”

Jacob looked between us, his head swiveling from one to the other. “Well, if ever there was a better pair to combat whatever evil this may be, I certainly haven’t heard of them.”

“So you’ll do it?” Tobias asked excitedly.

“Of course I’ll do it! What do you take me for? Just let me get my parchments and we’ll be set.” He sifted through the various drawers of his small desk, pulling three pre-marked pieces from the bottom one and making some other markings on designated lines. He joined us again. “Now, are you wearing the necklace?” He asked me.

In an answer, I pulled the silver from my neck and handed it to him.

“Face each other, and place your left palms against each other,” Jacob commanded with gladness.

We did so, and he wrapped our hands in the necklace, making sure the knot faced him.

“Now Tobias,” he began, “Do not take this vow lightly, for though it is not heavy, the love and adoration of another are forces no man has formed a weapon worthy to combat against. If this woman agrees to become your wife, you must care for her, comfort her, exalt her, and remain loving and gentle in your ways with her through all your days. Will you do this?”

“I will,” Tobias answered confidently.

“Now Princess Kynder,” Jacob continued, “You also must not take this vow lightly, for though it is not heavy, the love and adoration of another are forces no woman has formed a weapon worthy to combat against. This man has agreed to become your husband, and if you are willing to become his wife, you must care for him, comfort him, exalt him, and remain loving and gentle in your ways with him through all your days. Will you do this?”

“I will,” I breathed with a smile.

The fire shifted and a congregation of sparks spun heavenward. Tobias’ eyes glowed with a joy that bordered on pain. If my heart had the ability, it would have soared with sparks of the fire – I had found the one whom my soul loved, and we were each other’s.