Conspiracy (18 page)

Another day was spent honoring the groom’s parents and the next for the bride’s. It had been a non-stop party and I was getting exhausted. We stayed up all hours of the night and slept in as late as possible before the festivities started again. Finally, we arrived at the main event. Today was the wedding day of Haslane and Camille.

Ian turned to look at me. “How do I look, my love?” He winked and made a small bow.

“Good enough to eat,” I replied. “Is there anything under that kilt? I’ve heard rumors.”

“A man who is honored to wear the colors of his family kilt would never tell.” He smiled and held out his hand. “But don’t worry—there’s a way for you to find out later.”

I carried my long, flowing dress and crossed the room. I had been given clothing to wear for the wedding, and my ankle-length gown was simple, but beautiful. I was surprised to see that it was white. Ian explained that the bride and groom were the only ones to wear colors on their wedding day, and that everyone else—except the royal family members, who wore their traditional uniforms or celebration robes—wore white.

I took Ian’s hand and he gave me a sweet kiss. I had been so relieved when he came back from the Northern Realm safely. We descended the staircase and saw Heather waiting in the foyer. Gregor had a part in the wedding, so he joined us as we walked outside where the wedding would be held.

Ian put an arm out for Heather. “I feel like a lucky man, with two such gorgeous women on my arm today.”

“You are a lucky man,” Heather fired back with a smile. She, too, wore a white dress, but in a completely different style from mine. Hers was more formal, almost like a prom dress she’d had in high school but with a more modern twist. She looked beautiful.

We went down arm in arm to the gardens in the back of the residence. The view of the snowcapped mountains took my breath away every time I saw them and I thought how lucky Camille and Haslane were to be married in such a dramatic and beautiful natural setting.

People were already in their seats, which were arranged in multiple rows around a large circle. A raised gazebo had been erected in the center. The elevated structure gave everyone a clear view. It was a sight I would not soon forget—a circle of people all dressed in white amid the bountiful profusion of flowers, many which I had never seen in the human world. I could see the different royal families sitting in the front row, with a perfect view of the wedding that would be starting in a few minutes. Gregor stood near Mallorie and Eimilee, and when he saw us approaching, he waved us over. Alisa was seated between her mother and grandmother. It had been doubtful whether Mallorie would attend, but the day before the actual ceremony, she had arrived with her daughter.

We made our way through the chairs and saw that Ian had also been given a front-row seat with another next to him for his guest. I had a quick flash that it might be intended for someone else, so I sat down in it quickly. No one was getting between me and this ceremony. I could see that Heather was intensely interested as well, presumably because this would be similar to her wedding if Gregor’s vision came to pass.  Heather was seated to my left, with Gregor one seat further on.

“My brother is so nervous right now, I had to get out of there and give him some breathing room,” Gregor said with a laugh. He put his arm around Heather and gave her a light kiss.

I laughed. “You two look like you could be getting married, with the white clothes and the beautiful backdrop.”

Heather gave a little gasp and pulled back from Gregor. “She’s right. Look at us!” Her face had gone pale, and Gregor didn’t look much better.

“Isn’t this what you saw in the vision?” she asked him. “I didn’t even think about it, but I’m wearing a dress that looks almost exactly the same!”

Gregor stammered, “I’m not sure. I guess this could have been the vision I saw.”

Heather looked stunned, and I could see why. She had thought Gregor’s vision of their marriage meant it was sure to happen. Now her future didn’t look so set in stone.

Ian grabbed my hand and murmured in my ear, “I wouldn’t make too much of the clothing issue. Gregor is confident about his visions.”

I leaned over and gave Heather a hug. “Just believe. Your wedding will be even more beautiful.”

As we sat, I could hear Gregor and Heather whispering, both looking confused. I knew my sister well, and this was not going to be easy for her.

In a few moments, Gregor rose to take his place on the gazebo and I could see the guests getting settled. Almost directly across from us, but also on the front row, I saw Tony sitting next to Viv. If my senses were correct, there was another wedding on the horizon, but it was early days yet. Seated next to Tony were King Orleon and Queen Cassandra. The king had been helped to his seat by his aides and appeared quite weak, but seemed determined to remain standing as the guests filed in. The crowd rose and hushed and small lights darted in and out of the skies as dusk began to overtake the evening. I couldn’t be sure, but the lights looked distinctly human in form, and I thought I would have to ask Ian about that later.

Haslane and Camille walked down the path toward the circle of guests. As they reached the outer edge of the chairs, the bride and groom parted and walked in opposite directions, still circling the guests. Ian leaned in and whispered, “This symbolizes their lives before they met.”

As they approached each other at the opposite side of the circle, they were within a few feet of each other when Camille suddenly turned and walked back the way she had come. I gave a little gasp, and Ian chuckled next to me and squeezed my hand. “Just watch,” he whispered.

Sure enough, after a few steps, Camille stopped, paused, and slowly turned, facing Haslane, who had followed her. She returned, taking slow steps and getting closer and closer. She was almost in front of him when she stopped, looking confused. Ian again whispered, “Haslane is supposed to walk away from her as well. This symbolizes the trials they will go through in their marriage, but they will always come back to each other. He’s not playing his part.”

Camille looked at Haslane questioningly, and he smiled and shook his head. I could barely hear him as he said to her, “I will never willingly walk away from you.”

She smiled and took his hand as they entered the circle together and walked to the podium. They hugged everyone in the front row of the circle, and then everyone but Camille and Haslane sat down.

Camille looked stunning, and I could see why the bride was the only one to wear a color. She had chosen a gown made from the most splendid shade of violet. She was simply magnificent. Haslane wore a dark burgundy suit that contrastly beautifully with her dress, and he looked handsome and very happy. I couldn’t see any residue of the nerves Gregor had been talking about.

Instead of the customary joining by the local elder, which was traditional, but not necessary, the bride and groom had chosen to recite their vows to each other.

First, Haslane talked to the guests and told them how he and Camille had fallen in love despite her betrothal to his big brother. He had a great sense of humor and had the audience laughing along. Then he turned to his bride. “Camille, will you live with me forever as my wife and the other half of my heart?”

Camille never took her eyes off him as she said in a loud, firm voice, “Yes, Haslane. I will be your heart.”

It was then Camille’s turn. She thanked the guests for coming and told a funny story about Haslane, and then turned to him. “Haslane, will you live with me forever as my husband and the other half of my heart?”

Haslane gave a loud whoop, which made everyone laugh again, and then he swept Camille up in his arms and said, “Yes! I will be your heart!”

Everyone stood, bowed their heads, and covered their eyes with their hands as the new couple stepped off the dais. Ian explained to me. “We are now symbolizing that we will never see anything but the happiness we have witnessed here today.”

“That’s so beautiful,” I murmured, closing my eyes and allowing my thoughts to drift toward a life with Ian and the prospect of our wedding.

The only sound for the following moments was the rustling of clothing as Haslane and Camille began their slow walk, retracing their steps away from the gazebo. I was peeking at the departing couple as Ian held my hand. I could feel him gently squeeze my fingers as he stepped slightly closer to me. That moment of solitude, of reverence for the newly married couple, would remain in my memory forever.

The several hundred assembled guests were completely silent, their heads bowed and their eyes closed when a woman's screams shattered the still night air. My eyes popped open and I instinctively took one step toward the sound, unaware of its origin. As first I didn't notice anything unusual, but then I saw King Orleon collapse back into his seat with his wife trying her best to steady him. The continuing scream came from Queen Cassandra. I still didn't notice anything out of the ordinary, considering how ill the elderly gentleman was, but Ian did and instantly moved toward the king, followed closely by Gregor.

As my Secret Service training kicked in, I scanned the crowd, especially those in the front row. Scattered around the gazebo, I saw a half dozen or more men dressed in white. I had not noticed them before. Prior to the guests closing their eyes in the completion ceremony, there had been no one standing between the guests and the gazebo. These new guests, if that's what they were, stood in a semicircle around the gazebo, primarily in front of where the royal family sat. As I looked closer toward our side of the circle, I saw four or five additional men, also dressed in white, moving toward the royal families from the Eastern and Western Realms.

With the flash of realization, I understood that we were under attack by the
Olc
. King Orleon was down. Gregor had moved as quickly as Ian, both men rushing to the aid of Gregor's father, but it was too late. In the instant it had taken me to analyze the situation, the old man had slipped from his chair and was now lying prostrate on the ground. I could see the handle of a dagger thrusting out of his chest. I raced across the opening, circling the gazebo, and tried to place myself between Tony and the attacking
Olc
. Given our location and what I presumed to be the relative safety of the Southern Realm, I had not included “Cal” in my clothing. I reached Tony’s position, but Viv had already taken a defensive precaution. She stood directly in front of him  and held a four-inch dagger in her hand.

In the time it took me to reach her position, two attacking
Olc
were on the ground, the victim of her swift, deadly defense. I glanced over my shoulder back toward where I had been sitting. Michael had moved to stand directly in front of Queen Eimile. One of the
Olc
was just in the act of driving a dagger into his chest. Without a weapon of his own, he tried to ward off the blow with his hands, but the
Olc
was quicker. Two members of the royal family were down. I had come to love them both and as a Secret Service agent dedicated to protecting people, my senses were overwhelmed.

In the next several seconds, a half dozen Southern Realm security officers arrived on the scene and Viv began shouting directions at them. The remaining
Olc
were outmatched and several were quickly dispatched by the superior forces. With the situation apparently under control, Viv took Tony by the arm and they sifted.

Gregor knelt next to his father, his mother sobbing on her son’s shoulder. Heather crossed the open area and knelt next to Gregor. I saw the lone male approach them from the line of guests behind the front row but it appeared that no one else recognized him as a threat. Gregor turned slightly to look in our direction and was able to ward off the killing blow intended to drive the dagger into the back of his neck. The blade bit deep into his shoulder before two Southern Realm security guards dispatched the attacker. Heather screamed and leaned over Gregor, calling for help. They were both in white, with Gregor wounded and lying on the ground next to his father, just like Heather had described it to me in the vision she had shared with Gregor.

With everything happening at once, I had not noticed that Ian had returned to the other side of the gazebo to protect Eimile. He knelt on the ground next to Michael. As I ran in their direction, I could not believe my eyes when I saw Mallorie step forward with yet another knife and thrust it at her mother, striking her in the upper arm. Ian leaped to his feet and withdrew a ceremonial dagger from his formal dress kilt. Without hesitation, he parried Mallorie’s next blow and drove his blade deeply into her chest.

I arrived on the scene as Queen Mallorie's eyes widened. Alicia screamed as her mother dropped to the ground. Over Ian's shoulder, I saw the blood spreading on the white dress Eimile wore. I knew from my training that she was not badly wounded, at least physically, but the shock of having been attacked by her daughter and seeing Mallorie killed by Ian right in front of her eyes, would no doubt haunt her for the rest of her life.

Ian had been right mere seconds ago when he had said that it would be a day we would never forget. Despite my professional training, I had played no role in either preventing or repelling the attack. Even Tony, my primary responsibility, had relied on Viv to sift him out of harm’s way. I would in fact remember this day for a long time, but perhaps not in the same way as others.

The
Olc
attack on the royal families was unprecedented in Elven history. The Book of Kings was the most complete chronicle of the Long Wars, but no report of a similar attack was contained within those annals. All three of the royal families had suffered a death.

My training had taught me to deal with emergency situations and with the trauma that often follows. In this instance, and in every case, I had personal feelings for the individuals who had been traumatized by the death of their loved ones. Ian had become an extension of my being. As the wedding ceremony had stated, he was the other half of my heart. Throughout the evening, I watched him agonize over the necessity of killing his cousin, Mallorie, and I saw firsthand the emotional toll it had taken on Eimile.