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“
Would you want
to change anything?” Ember asked.

“
No,” Cora said
as she hugged Tabitha and moved onto Ember.

Jack was also
hugging Tabitha. “I wouldn’t change a thing.”

“
Wait,” Tabitha
said, “you still have two more decisions to make.”

Tabitha took
Cora’s hand and led her into the house. Ember had thrown her arm
around Jack’s shoulder, whispering to him in an animated
fashion.

Ayden opened
the patio door for them. “Jack, welcome to hell,” Ayden barked and
looked at Tabitha and Ember with disgust.

Jack laughed.
“It can’t be that bad, surely?”

“
Right, Jack,”
Ember said, ignoring Ayden. “You need to go into Ayden’s room and
pick your suit and the men’s suits.”

“
How many are
there to choose from?” Jack asked, suddenly uncertain about the
whole thing.

“
Hmmm... I
think there are about fifty suits.”

Jack groaned
whilst Cora laughed. Jack was never good at making
decisions.

Ayden slapped
him on the back, “Hell, my boy, hell!”

“
Where is
Clay?” Jack asked.

“
Already in
there, we’ve lost him to the dark side.”

“
Okay, Cora,
you are with us.”

Tabitha pulled
her away from Jack. Jack’s face held the terror of a man falling
off a cliff. Cora laughed, feeling the excitement and nerves bubble
inside her. Tabitha closed the door behind her so that she stood
and faced every style and shade of dress imaginable.

“
To the bride,”
Ember said as she handed Cora a glass of champagne.

Cora sat back
and grinned. She could get used to this treatment, drinking
champagne and looking through bridesmaid dresses. She sipped her
wine and looked at Tabitha and Ember sorting through the dresses.
Her family was safe and happy. Just the way Cora liked it. It would
remain that way, she would make sure of it.

4
7

WEDDING REQUESTS

“
Cathella, are
you okay?” Cora asked as she stood up from the chair where she’d
been reading before the phone call.

Cathella had
asked if she could come to the cottage and talk to her. This made
her apprehensive. She would feel like this for some time to come
yet. She wasn’t too keen on being the person whose opinion presided
over everyone else’s.

“
Yes,” Cathella
answered quickly, perhaps too quickly.

“
Is it the
Scottish coven?”

“
No, all is
well. It is something else...something A wanted to discuss with
yer.”

“
Okay,” Cora
led Cathella to the drinks table and made her a coffee. “Please,
sit on the sofas, you will be more comfortable there.”

Cathella
sighed as she sat and sipped her coffee. “How are the plans for the
wedding? Are yer feeling nervous?”

Cora smiled.
“The plans are in Tabitha and Ember’s hands, so I’m more than sure
everything will be fine. You will see for yourself what they have
done... and yeah... when I think about it, the nerves are kicking
in.”

“
A’d be worried
about the weather.”

“
I’m not
worried about that. The weather forecast for tomorrow says it will
be nice. Plus I have Tabitha, and my element will push away any
unwanted rain clouds. The weather will be lovely.”

Cathella
laughed. “Yer have what every bride dreams of, the ability tae
create a beautiful wedding day. Yer could sell your
services.”

“
Hmmm...I think
Tabitha would make a great wedding planner. I just don’t think the
brides will be ready for her.”

Cathella
giggled and nodded. “That is very true. A understand Tabitha is
useful with her gift.”

Silence
descended on them. Cora picked up a biscuit. She cursed Ember for
putting them here. She was going to pile the pounds on. “So, how
can I help you?” Cora asked, breaking the silence.

“
A’ve come to
seek permission,” Cathella whispered.

“
Oh?” Cora was
thrown by the direction of the conversation. She hadn’t expected
this.

Cathella was
holding her coffee cup like she was nervous about it spilling
everywhere.

“
Yes, yer know
A love James...we’ve been through so much together. A have come tae
seek permission for us tae...marry...”

“
What?” Cora
asked in shock and nearly dropped her drink.

“
A understand
that A’m asking somethin’-”

“
No, sorry,
Cathella, I’m just confused. I wasn’t saying that you
couldn’t...”

“
Oh...well...
under the
other
rule, two separate coven members could not marry.”

Cora set her
cup down and faced Cathella. “Let me guess. This was something
Alastair put in place?”

Cathella
nodded.

“
Things have
changed since then. I also know he restricted Commoners and
witches, as did the Corenthio Coven. This will end now. You can
marry who you want, love who you wish. You don’t need my
permission.”

Cathella’s
beautiful amber eyes shimmered. “Thank you.”

“
No problem.
Does he know about us?”

“
Yes, he
knows.”

“
And what does
he think?”

Cathella
laughed. “He thinks it is amazing! He loves it all...”

“
I’m sure he
loves you, and thank you for asking me and seeing me in that way...
I know after your time with Alastair, it can’t be easy trusting
again.”

“
Yer make it
easy.”

Cora smiled.
“Thank you, Cathella. I wish you all the love and the luck in the
world. Please bring him as your guest tomorrow.”

Cathella
grinned, and stood up and kissed her cheeks before quickly leaving
the room. Cora giggled, she expected James to be on the other side
of that door, waiting for the verdict.

Cora picked up
the cups and took them to the dishwasher. She wanted it to be clean
for the guests staying for her wedding. She couldn’t believe she
was marrying Jack tomorrow. Her life was finally her own to enjoy
again.

Butterflies
fizzed in her chest, sending her heart into a crazy
rhythm.

A polite cough
interrupted her thoughts. She turned and smiled. “Hello, Tommy, how
are you?”

“
I’m well,
Cora, thank you. How are you?”

“
I’m good. How
is the new addition?”

“
Things are
good at the moment.”

Cora nodded.
“Would you like a drink?”

“
No, thank you.
I wondered if I could trouble you for a few minutes of your
time?”

“
No trouble;
here okay?”

“
Here is
great.”

Tommy sat on
the sofa so she sat opposite. There was something in his behaviour
that made her feel nervous.

“
Tommy?”

Tommy looked
at her. “I have a message.”

“
Oh.” Cora
didn’t know what to think. She should be used to these kinds of
messages by now. “From...”

“
Your
mother.”

“
My real or
adoptive?”

“
Both.”

“
Oh.”

“
I didn’t want
to upset you before the wedding; it is good news, but well... I
don’t know how people will react with things like this.”

“
Okay,” Cora
said, taking a deep breath.

“
Do you want
someone to be here with you?” Tommy asked.

“
I...”

“
I’m here,”
Ayden announced as he strolled in. “I wanted to speak with Cora
before the rush of tomorrow anyway. I heard you needed to come here
on an urgent matter. I knew Cora would want someone
here.”

Tommy nodded
as Ayden perched on the arm of her chair and slung his arm around
her shoulders. She felt more stable, more in control when she had
someone here who loved her.

“
Okay, first
message is from Alizon,” Tommy began. “She said she is so very
proud of you. That you look as beautiful today as you did in
1612.”

Cora felt the
knot thicken in her throat. Ayden’s hand squeezed her shoulder. It
was a happy knot. She no longer felt so sad, Tommy’s messages
helped with this.

“
Alizon also
told me that Tabitha has been magnificent, that she couldn’t ask
for a better best friend. She knew that Tabitha would look after
you and she has. You mean a lot to Tabitha. After all, it was you
who brought the change in her.”

Cora jolted
and felt the jolt run through Ayden’s body. “What?”

she
whispered.

Tommy coughed.
“I asked her to tell me all of this, as I knew you would ask
questions. Your change occurred because of your mother’s passing.
Alizon never left your side. In spirit, she was with you always.
She saw you standing in the crowd, on the day... Tabitha focused on
you, trying to get you to safety. When she gave you over to your
new family, the Hunt family, she walked away, and the grief and
loss of that put her through the change.”

Whilst Tommy
explained, Cora allowed the tears to fall. Tabitha was utterly
amazing. She was as close to a mother Cora had. Well, she wouldn’t
tell Tabitha that. Tabitha would always want to be an older sister.
Cora nodded at Tommy so he could continue.

“
Laura came
with your mother; they appear to be firm friends.”

Cora laughed.
“I thought they might be.”

“
Laura came
with some wedding day requests. I had to write them down because
she just kept talking and talking...I’m good at remembering things
but never that much.” Tommy rummaged in his pocket and pulled out a
piece of paper. “Okay, request number one, you must enjoy your day
because it goes so quickly. Sit back and watch everyone. Take a
breath before you walk down the aisle. It will help you enjoy it
more. Number two, you must dance with Ayden. He is your father and
would love to dance with you, even though he won’t tell
you.”

Ayden pulled a
face which made Cora laugh. He wasn’t too keen on dancing. That had
been her mother’s thing. He also looked a little
embarrassed.

“
Number three,
I know you are not a virgin.” Tommy coughed, clearly uncomfortable.
The blush in his cheeks would have been funny, if her own wasn’t
worse.

“
Laura hadn’t
expected me to be here,” Ayden said through gritted
teeth.

“
No,” Tommy
said. “But I can imagine she is laughing watching this.”

Cora was sure
her face was the colour of a tomato. “Please, go on.”

“
Laura said
that she wanted you to act as if you were, for Ayden’s
sake.”

“
Too late now,
my love,” Ayden chuckled, looking around the room.

“
Number four,
take photos of your day, lots of them.”

Cora smiled.
“I will.”

“
And finally,
number five is a special plea. Please leave two seats vacant on the
front row for your two mothers. They both said, ‘We can’t wait to
see you get married, sweetheart.’”

Cora sobbed
and laughed. “Okay.”

Tommy nodded.
“That was it.”

“
Thank you,
Tommy,” Ayden’s voice sounded raspy.

They watched
Tommy leave and looked to each other. Ayden sighed and hugged
her.

“
Well, that
ruined my virginity speech,” Ayden teased.

Cora laughed
and punched him on the leg.

“
I think what
they have said between them pretty much sums up what I was going to
say to you. I wanted to come and see you in the calm before all the
madness tomorrow and tell you how proud I am of you. I couldn’t ask
for a better daughter... I just wanted to say if you need anything,
anything at all, you will always have me. You can always depend on
me. You know that, don’t you?”

Cora could
only nod.

“
Tomorrow is
going to be a little crazy, so I will sit in the background,
soaking it up, enjoying it all.”

“
As long as you
have a pint in your hand,” Cora giggled.

“
Yeah, you know
me that well.” Ayden grinned at her. “I know it will be hard on the
two of us tomorrow. It is such a big day and we can’t hold those we
want to hold, but we have to remember they are here with us every
day. So on that note, I have something for you.”

Cora watched
Ayden rummage through his pockets. “Open your hand.”

Cora opened
her hand and Ayden dropped a small silver bracelet into it. On that
bracelet was four small hearts. She held them closer, inspecting
them, and saw ‘Cora. Laura. Ayden. Sage.’ Her whole family was on
this bracelet.

“
I thought it
would be nice for you to have all your family in one
place.”

“
It is perfect,
Ayden, could you help,” she asked, passing him the bracelet so he
could fix it to her wrist.