Beasts and Maidens Read online

  Chapter 8

 

  Dahlia was awake when Selene woke up. She was just lying in bed, with her eyes wide and pointed toward the ceiling, though she clearly wasn’t seeing anything. She was too lost in her own thoughts, so she didn’t even notice that Selene was awake.

  Selene sat up, and in the process threw back the blankets. She peered out the window and saw that the sun was just starting to rise over the distant mountain, and the air wasn’t quite as cool as it had been. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, and the air coming through the window carried the fresh scents of wildflowers and grass. It was the perfect day for a wedding.

  “Are you getting up?” Selene asked, looking back at her sister.

  Dahlia blinked and looked over at Selene as if just realizing that she was there. “Is it time to get up? I think I’ve been awake all night.”

  “You aren’t having second thoughts, are you?”

  Dahlia laughed. “Of course not. I love Henry, and I couldn’t imagine spending the rest of my life with anyone else. I’m just so excited. Oh, I hope I don’t look tired all day. I don’t want to have bags under my eyes while everyone’s looking at me.”

  Selene got up and started changing into a simple yellow dress. She had a different dress to wear to the wedding, but she didn’t want to wear it until the time came, since she had a bad habit of getting dirt on her clothes. “I’m sure you’ll look beautiful, as you always do,” she said.

  Dahlia got up and walked around the bed to give her sister a hug. She held on for almost a minute, resting her head on Selene’s shoulder. “Oh, Selene, if only you could be as happy as I am now. I do hope you find someone next year during the ceremony. It is the most wonderful feeling in the world to be in love, and to know you get to be with the one you love for the rest of your life.”

  Selene knew exactly what it felt like to be in love, but she couldn’t say that to her sister. She just smiled and nodded, thinking of Jenson. She wished that their relationship could have been normal so that they wouldn’t have to be separated. She missed him, and she hadn’t seen him since two days before when he was in the clearing. She couldn’t help but imagine what her life would have been like if she were the one getting married, but the thought just made her sad. The chances of her being able to marry Jenson were almost nonexistent.

  After Selene got dressed she left her sister upstairs and went down to the kitchen. Her mother was already busy cooking, so the air was rich with the scents of spices, gingerbread, and roasting meat. Selene grabbed some bread to eat and then headed out, since she had to go to the meadow to help set up for the wedding. Dahlia had wanted to help, but her mother insisted that she just relax and let everyone else do the work so she could enjoy her day.

  Henry wasn’t quite as lucky. He was out with her father in the meadow, where they were setting up the wedding arch, and he waved to Selene as she approached. It was her job to cover the arch with flowers, and to prepare the flowers for everything else, like the bouquets and the flower girl. There was also a tent to be set up, and tables and chairs to be brought out. They were renting everything from one of the shops that specialized in such things, and they also brought a crew to help with the setup, though they were just getting started.

  Selene spent the entire morning picking flowers and decorating the arch, and she also created the bouquets. It took a lot of time, but the end result was beautiful, so she was happy. She used a lot of lilies and daisies and buttercups, which were Dahlia’s favourite flowers, and she gathered some white rose petals for the flower girl.

  The wedding was to take place in the middle of the afternoon. Everything was set up by lunch time, and everyone was happy that the weather was still clear and warm. Henry and Velkan went back to the house to eat lunch and get ready for the wedding, and Selene went over to the Juniper household, which was nearby. The girls were getting ready there so that the men wouldn’t see them until the wedding. Norell Juniper had offered to let them use her family’s house, and in return the Brookbanks would let her use theirs for her wedding, which was in a couple of days.

  Frieda wasn’t around when Selene went into the house, which was little bit bigger and nicer than theirs, since Brunham Juniper made a fair bit of money with his carpentry skills. Selene found Dahlia in the living room, where Norell was pinning her hair up in an elaborate twist.

  “Did you bring the flowers?” she asked.

  Selene was carrying a woven straw basket that held the bouquets, as well as a few loose flowers for the girls’ hair. She handed a few white lilies to Norell. “Yes, I’ve got them all here,” she said. “Did you two eat lunch yet?”

  “Yes, we did. There’s some cold meat and fresh fruit left in the kitchen. Help yourself,” Norell said.

  Norell was a plain-looking young woman, and at twenty three she was older than Selene and Dahlia, and she had been through the ceremony six times before she met Viron, her fiancé. She was shy, and she had a reputation for being very good with children. She was short and a little round, and she had straight brown hair and brown eyes, and her nose was just a little bit too big for her face. She tended to spend most of her time babysitting, or else she was at home knitting, which she was also good at. After fearing that she would never get married, she was thrilled to have finally found the right guy.

  After Selene ate she helped Dahlia into her dress, which she had just finished the night before. It was made of the white satin she had bought, and it was tight at the top and flowed out from her hips, and had a short train at the back. Dahlia’s arms and shoulders were covered by the filmy white material, which also made up a sash at her waste with a bow in the back. Selene had also stitched a few flowers into the bodice with a silvery thread. It was a fairly simple dress, but it was still beautiful, and it complimented Dahlia’s figure well.

  “Thank you so much for making this for me,” Dahlia said to Selene once she was in the dress. “I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect dress. I’m sure everyone will be jealous of me, and they will be asking me who designed it. You may end up with a few customers for more than just your magic.”

  “It is a lovely dress,” Norell added. “I doubt that mine will be quite as nice. If it wasn’t already being made I would certainly ask Selene to make it instead.”

  Selene blushed, since she wasn’t used to receiving praise. She adjusted the sash slightly to make sure it was straight.

  Norell got started on Dahlia’s makeup, which was just a bit of powder and a little bit of rouge for her lips and cheeks. While they were doing that, Selene got into her own dress, which was the nicest one she owned. It was made of deep blue satin that went well with her red hair, and it showed off her slim figure. She also pinned up her curls so they wouldn’t be in her face.

  Frieda came in then, and she got ready in a hurry. Finally, they were all ready to go and it was time for the wedding. Selene could tell that Dahlia was excited by the way she couldn’t stand still, and her face was often flushed and her eyes held a certain twinkle. They all left the house together, and they walked up the hill. There was no point in taking a carriage since they were so close.

  There were no chairs out in front of the wedding arch, so everyone was standing up instead. There was a lovely white carpet going through the middle of the crowd to serve as an aisle. Velkan walked down the aisle when he saw his daughter standing at the back. Henry was under the arch and facing the forest, waiting for the music that signalled for him to turn around.

  Norell went to stand somewhere at the back, and Frieda walked up to the front so she would have a good view. The sound of a flute pierced the air with its heavy melody, and signalled the start of the ceremony.

  Selene went down the aisle after the flower girl, and then she turned to look at her sister, who was just starting her walk to the arch. She was holding onto her father’s arm, and she was smiling brightly. Her eyes were shining from unshed tears of happiness. Selene t
hen looked at Henry, who finally turned around. As soon as he laid eyes on Dahlia his face broke into a wide grin, and he looked like he was getting a little teary himself.

  Velkan gave Dahlia away, and she stood with Henry in front of the judge, who welcomed everyone to the ceremony. She made a little speech about love and marriage, and then she asked the couple to exchange the vows that they had written for each other. Dahlia couldn’t get through hers without crying, and it made her voice shaky. Still, she got through it, and her words were lovely.

  Henry said his vows next. His were more eloquent than Dahlia’s, and it was clear by the way she couldn’t stop smiling at him that she was enjoying every word.

  After that they exchanged tokens, as was the custom in the kingdom, since rings were hard to come across. Dahlia gave Henry a pen that she had made with her father’s help, and he gave her a small wood carving of a rose that he had made. Then they kissed for the first time in front of everyone, which brought a few cheers from the crowd. Selene found herself wiping away tears, though her mother’s face was far more wet than hers.

  After the judge got them to sign their papers, the newlyweds walked back down the aisle under a shower of petals thrown by the guests, and they headed over to the tent, where they stood at the entrance to greet their guests and accept their congratulations. They both looked very happy.

  Selene sat next to Dahlia for supper, which was held under the tent. Their mother had made quite a feast, much to everyone’s delight. There was roast turkey and ham, fresh bread, cheese, and several types of vegetables, including potatoes that had been baked with butter and spices. There were sweetened boiled pears and strawberries with almonds for dessert, along with the wedding cake, which had three tiers and was decorated with real lilies.

  “Is it everything you dreamed of so far?” Selene asked her sister as they started on dessert. Selene was already full, but the cake just looked so delicious, and it was a rare treat, so she had some anyway.

  “Oh, I don’t know. It is one thing to dream, and another thing entirely for something to actually happen. I can’t say that my expectations were anywhere near as grand as my dreams, and I can say that they have been met at the very least. Of course, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine having a husband as handsome and friendly as Henry.” She looked at him dreamily, and he patted her hand on the table. He probably would have spoken if his mouth wasn’t full of cake. “It was a beautiful wedding, though. Did you hear what Henry said in his vows? It was most romantic.”

  “And well deserved,” Henry added, winking at Selene.

  Selene laughed. “I think you two are perfect for each other,” she said. “Welcome to the family, Henry. Now you’ll have to put up with us for the rest of your life.”

  “Hey now,” Velkan said with a twinkle in his eye. He was sitting across from Selene. “Don’t scare the boy off already.”

  “We’re a very normal family, I can assure you,” Frieda added. “Except for the fact that we’re witches.”

  Henry laughed. “I couldn’t have asked for a better family,” he said. “Or a better wife.”

  “Well, if you do get tired of us, you could always start a family of your own,” Frieda hinted, which caused Dahlia to blush deeply.

  Once supper was finished there were a few toasts, and then it was time for dancing. The tables and chairs were moved around to make room for a dance area, and some local musicians started playing a slow song for the first dance. Dahlia and Henry got up to start the dancing, and after a minute of having the floor to themselves a few people joined them.

  Selene sat and watched the dancers. Dahlia was resting her head on Henry’s shoulder, and he was whispering something in her ear that was making her smile. The girls’ parents were dancing, and they were smiling at each other in a way that made Selene think they were remembering their own wedding.

  Then Selene noticed Amber, who was also on the dance floor, and not by herself. In fact, she was in the arms of a man Selene hardly recognized, though she knew who he was. It was Lloyd Greenwood, and he was holding Amber far closer than he should have, and she was giggling. Selene started getting angry, though she didn’t know which of the two she was angrier at. She spotted Susan, Lloyd’s wife, over in a corner talking to the mayor, and she looked oblivious to what was happening.

  Selene cursed out loud to herself, and then she stood up, prepared to separate the two. She only got about two steps closer when a hand rested on her shoulder; a hand that sent a pleasant, electrifying shock to her core. She didn’t have to look to see who it was, and she was shocked that he was there.

  When she turned around she saw that he had managed to somehow find some dress pants and a clean white shirt, and he was actually wearing shoes for a change. He smiled at her.

  “What are you doing here, Jenson?” she hissed. “It isn’t safe.”

  “Shhh,” he said, bringing a finger to his lips. “Don’t say my name. Just call me Robert.”

  “And why should I do that?” Selene asked. She looked around and saw that a few people were already looking over at Jenson; curiosity unmistakable on their faces.

  “I was born in Spring Meadow,” he explained, whispering. “My parents could be here right now for all I know, and I don’t want to be recognized.”

  “Ah,” Selene said. She knew the Redwing family, and she knew they had a son, but she hadn’t been sure that Jenson was theirs, since there could have been Redwings in the other villages. Selene had done a few spells for Mrs. Redwing in the past.

  “I know I shouldn’t be here, but I wanted to see you. I have to admit that it’s a little weird seeing so many normal people. You all look so similar.”

  “People are looking at you,” Selene pointed out. “There aren’t a lot of men in our village, so new faces are hard to miss. They’re all going to want to know who you are.”

  “Tell them I’m a distant relative of Henry’s, and I’m visiting from Blue Falls, though only for the night. I don’t want to be around for too long in case people get suspicious.”

  “If you’re from Blue Falls, then you have to be married,” Selene reminded him.

  “Can I be a widower?”

  “Fine.”

  When a man’s wife died he stayed normal unless he killed her himself, in which case he became a beast again. Widowed men were rare, but they were also highly sought after by women, since they were free to love again.

  Dahlia and Henry came up to them then. Selene hadn’t noticed the song end, but the musicians were playing a faster one that had brought a few more people to the dance floor. Dahlia looked at Jenson as suspiciously as everyone else did. “Who is that?” she asked Selene, even though Jenson was standing right there.

  “Well, apparently he’s a distant relative of Henry’s from Blue Falls,” Selene told them, pretending she didn’t know him.

  “Yeah, I’m Robert,” Jenson said extending a hand.

  Henry shook it, though he continued to look suspicious. “I don’t remember knowing any Robert in the forest. How long have you been out? How did you hear about the wedding?”

  “I didn’t live near the main camp,” Jenson explained. “I’ve been out for three years, though my wife died a year ago. I heard about the wedding from Oaklen.” Oaklen was an old guy from Blue Falls who was in charge of the ceremony there and he also brought stuff into the forest for the beasts, kind of like Martin. The villagers could exchange news through the beasts when it was passed between Martin, the beasts, and then Oaklen, or the other way around. “We’re second cousins or something like that. I was the only one who could come, since everyone else was busy. I’ll only be here for the night.”

  “Well, welcome to Spring Meadow, Robert,” Dahlia said. “I hope you enjoy your time here.” She was excited about having a widower in town, which was generally considered to be a big deal. There would be plenty of gossip going around.

  Dahlia and Henry went off to
dance some more, leaving Selene and Jenson by themselves again. They grinned at each other, both pleased to be getting away with what they were doing.

  “May I have this dance, Ms. Brookbank?” Jenson asked, bowing slightly and extending a hand.

  Selene laughed. “You may,” she said, placing her hand in his. “I don’t suppose you actually know how to dance?”

  “Not in the slightest, but it looks like fun.”