The Lives of Velnin chapter 31
Betrothal and Battle Preparation
The moment had been right. I'd pulled out the ring and asked Aloree to marry me. Now she stared, a sad expression on her face, clutching at whatever lay hanging from her necklace, under her dress. She closed her eyes, lifted it in her hands, and gave it a kiss. I now saw what it was, and recognized it from an image accompanying my brother Velwin's dying words: the two rings he'd given her—the sapphire engagement ring and her wedding band. She loved him still. I knew my brother Veldin had eventually gotten over his jealousy of Velwin; I wondered if I ever would.
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30
A tear ran down her face as she began speaking. "I've fallen in love with you. I have. But the war isn't over yet. I know you must fight. I know you must lead from the front. I know you must lay down your life if need be. Do you know what it's like to fall in love with someone, have them die on you... then do it again the next time? Do you? You ask me to lose my betrothed again! Again! It's worse than someone eating your breakfast, lunch, and dinner before you've gotten to take a single bite. It's like having your head dunked in water just as you see the sun, over and over!
"If I say yes, I ask you one thing: copy your memories of tonight soon, then copy your memories when we marry. Don't let the man I said yes to tonight die forever, a new one to try again another day. Be my beloved and never let me lose my beloved forever, again."
"I will," I said solemnly.
"Then yes. I will marry you," she said, blinking the tears out of her eyes. I slipped the ring onto her finger and we kissed, wet tears falling on my face and all.
The ring on Aloree's hand was spotted as we left the alcove, and I heard the titterings of gossip start. We spent the rest of the ball talking, dancing, and kissing, Aloree's soul now touching mine with a warm glow of happiness. I noticed a smug look on the maître d'hôtel's face as I walked Aloree out to her carriage at the end of the night.
Fortunately, some of my stasised brothers had been brought to the Isthmus before the burning of Tarmel. These I now went to and copied over my memories. Brother, let me be the one to marry her, I thought, but if not... you're welcome. Have a good wedding.
I took care of my affairs, arranged the storage of my brothers, and returned to Tarmel. Messengers flew back and forth between the kingdoms of the region, and soon I was mustering our forces and marching to war. We marched north from Tarmel, spearmen, archers, cavaliers, and healers. The western kingdoms, too, mustered their forces, and marched east from the Isthmus, to join us in the hills near Mardus's main encampment, near the ancient ruins in the plains below. Day by day, more soldiers arrived as the further kingdoms sent forth their men. Soon, battle would be joined, and we would wipe the Dark Empire's remaining forces from this side of Mermaid's Strait forever.
Book 1 now out on Amazon! The Lives of Velnin: THE BLACK CITADEL collects Chapters 1-14 of the story so far.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DZPF7QN2 (paperback)
https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B0DZJ7R5VH (or if you want to give Royal Road some money and have them pick your region automatically. I did post the story there, after all.)
I would be extremely grateful for any Amazon reviews you could muster. Amazon review link: https://www.amazon.com/review/create-review?&asin=B0DZJ7R5VH
