The Assassin's Destiny (Isle of Dreams) (24 page)

‘Anything.’  Fabian vowed,
brushing her tears away with a gentle touch. 

‘Don’t get killed!’

Fabian paused, ‘Are you asking me
to stop taking Contracts and live off the estate?’

‘No!  Of course I’m
not!  I know you would never want to do either of those things!’

Fabian sighed, sadness glinting
in the dark depths of his eyes, ‘I’m not invincible Mistral.  Everyone
dies.’

‘Yes.  But you’re only
allowed to when we’ve had an extremely long life together and we’re both
incredibly ancient!’

‘Yes.’  Fabian smiled
wistfully, making her cry harder.  ‘I agree that would be perfect. 
However, it is not a promise that is within my power to make, or anyone’s for
that matter.’ 

‘Then it’s all down to me to
hurry up and get the Sight isn’t it?’  Mistral said dully.  ‘If
you’re going to die in blaze of glory on some crackpot mercenary Contract I
want to be sure we’ve had some sort of life together first.’ 

Wordlessly, Fabian took her face
in his hands and kissed her so tenderly that she would have promised him
anything and meant every word.  He released her slowly and she gazed
breathlessly at him, lost in the liquid black of his eyes.

‘Well, since I’m not dead yet,
may we have dinner together?  Despite the fact that I’ve upset you I would
still like to celebrate the fact that we are going to be married.’

‘Married!’  Mistral echoed
the word wonderingly.  It felt strange to say it in reference to her and
Fabian.  She frowned.  Did it make her sound old?  Boring
even? 

Catching the look on her face,
Fabian smiled, ‘Consider it more of a lifelong Contract.’  

‘Lifelong.  I like
that.’  Mistral nodded.  Taking the hand he offered, she followed him
into their house.

Fabian’s quiet jubilation at her
agreeing to marry him continued throughout their ride back to the Valley the
following morning.  He smiled and hummed a tune to himself as they rode
across the sunlit meadows, neither in any particular hurry to be back in the
Valley but content to walk slowly, watching Prospero chasing spring rabbits.

Mistral
 
listened to Fabian humming and smiled. 
She wasn’t that bothered about being married, but it seemed to please him … and
what could it entail?  A few mumbled words followed by several drinks in
The Cloak and Dagger and, hopefully, a traditional wedding night if she got on
with what she was supposed to be doing and managed to master Sight.  She
quickly decided to skip training and find Serenity to begin some serious
work. 

She glanced at Fabian again, he
was still smiling to himself and Mistral hid a grin.  She had never seen
him look so happy.  Dropping her gaze to study the leather reins bunched
loosely in her hands Mistral let her mind wander over the events of the
previous evening.  Thankfully Fabian had not mentioned his wish for her to
inherit the De Winter estate again and she fervently hoped he’d given up on the
idea all together.  She would rather die a destitute pauper than touch a
penny of the money that reminded Fabian of his miserable childhood – a
childhood she still knew next to nothing about.  She frowned to
herself.  Was she about to marry a stranger?  The thought went as
quickly as it came.  Fabian was no more a stranger to her than she was to
him.  Their pasts were something neither liked to discuss, and she was
quite happy to keep it that way. 

They rode through the North Gate
and began their unhurried descent down into the Valley, the horses swishing
their tails lazily in the warm sunshine.  Mistral was surprised to hear
the guard give the warning bell three sharp rings and glanced across at Fabian.

‘Someone wanted to know when we
arrived.’  Fabian responded unconcernedly

‘Oh great.  I can guess
who.’  

Mistral sighed prepared herself
for another lecture from Leo Sphinx.  She could almost hear his coldly
scathing tones.  No doubt he would mention her lack of application to her
second year, her continued failure to master Sight … definitely something about
swanning off on an unauthorised Contract to hunt a dangerous protected species
and not forgetting the final insult; the ruination of several months’ careful
negotiation with the Rochfortes thanks to her throwing knife ending up in
Antoine Rochforte’s neck. 

No, she decided with a heavy
sigh, it was not looking good. 

‘How do I always manage to get in
so much trouble?’  she asked Fabian with a  frown. 

He regarded her thoughtfully, ‘I
really have no idea.  I used to believe it was because you actively sought
trouble, and then I thought it was because you had no-one trying to steer you
in the right direction.  However, I have since been forced to revise my
opinion.  The twins have tried very hard to curb your wayward tendencies
and despite my best efforts to keep you out of problematic situations you
continue to find them with insistent regularity.’

‘A natural born
trouble-maker.’  Mistral sighed ruefully.  ‘Are you sure you still
want to marry someone like that?’

Fabian gazed at her steadily,
‘Without a shadow of doubt.’

They walked the final stretch of
path into the village square to be greeted, as Mistral had suspected, by Leo
Sphinx.  He was stood with hands on hips, feet spread and cold features
hard.

‘Why did you not return with your
brothers yesterday?’  he demanded in an aggressive tone.

Mistral was momentarily
thrown.  Her returning a day later than the others was the last thing she
was expecting him to be angry about.

‘Good morning Leo.’  Fabian
greeted his brother cordially.  ‘Would it be convenient for us to discuss
a matter of some importance?’

Leo switched his icy glare to
meet Fabian’s cool black gaze, ‘I had hoped you would provide a steadying
influence on Mistral!’

‘I am trying.’  Fabian replied
truthfully.  ‘Although I admit the results do not quite speak for
themselves.’

Leo narrowed his eyes angrily and
Mistral suddenly wondered if he knew about Golden’s new marital status. 
No doubt the twins would have been bursting with that particular piece of news.

Catching her slight smirk Leo
scowled, ‘You will not leave the Valley for the next two weeks!’ 

Mistral’s face fell.  Two
long boring weeks and even longer weekends stuck in the Valley away from
Fabian?  That wasn’t a punishment, it was torture. 

‘A bit harsh, and possibly a
touch impractical.’ Fabian countered mildly.

Leo’s eyes bulged at being openly
contradicted and Mistral steeled herself for the inevitable outburst. 

‘Mistral?’  Fabian calmly
turned to hand her Spirit’s reins.  ‘Would you mind stabling the
horses?  I really need to speak with Leo before he explodes.’

Mistral stifled a laugh and
quickly led the two horses away before she got into any more trouble.  By
the time she left the stables it was nearly lunchtime.  She wandered towards
The Cloak and Dagger with Prospero at her heels in the hope of finding the
twins or maybe some of her brothers.  She pushed open the heavy door and
stepped inside to be immediately greeted by a chorus of voices shouting her
name. 

‘At last!’

‘Mistral!  Finally!  We
thought you’d be back with the twins yesterday!  Come and tell us all
about this war you nearly started!’

Her brothers were grinning and
waving at her from a table near the back.  Mistral took in their flushed
faces and tankard-laden table and groaned inwardly.  They had obviously
been there a while.

‘Can I just get a drink
first?  I’ve just narrowly avoided being given the windswept treatment by
his lordship the Leo and I want to savour the moment.’

‘We’ll get these.’

The twins glided silently up
beside her, both wearing worryingly smug expressions. 

‘I think we have cause for
celebration, don’t you Mistral?’  Phantom added with a wink.

Mistral frowned. 
Celebration?  Not really.  The trip to the Council had been an
unmitigated disaster.  She had nearly been killed, Fabian had killed
someone and now Mage Grapple was going to announce to the Rochforte tribe that
she was, in fact, dead in order to try and avert some kind of retaliation.

‘Fine, make it two for me.
 I have a feeling this is going to be painful,’ she said heavily and
walked over to suffer a brutal cross-examination.

‘So Golden bagged a title! 
The scheming nymph!’  Xerxes roared.

‘Never mind that trollop! 
What did Columbine’s face look like when she saw you?’  Cain asked with a
grin. 

‘Ugly.’

Cain laughed, ‘So she didn’t
thank you for saving her life last year then?’

‘If you include trying to frame
me for murdering the head of the Rochforte tribe as a form of gratitude then
I’d say she was ecstatic.’  Mistral replied sarcastically.

‘Didn’t Prospero take a chunk out
of her?’  Brutus asked, looking surprised.  ‘He’s a bit protective of
you.  He nearly had my hand when we were bringing you back after the
cyclops got you.’

‘He was banned from the
meeting.  Anyway, he’s choosy about what he eats.’  Mistral dropped a
hand to rub Prospero’s head.  He groaned and stretched out at her feet
like a huge fur rug. 

The twins returned from the bar
and placed two tankards of ale in front of Mistral.

‘Thanks,’ she muttered gratefully
raising one and taking a long drink.

‘So.’  Saul began
hesitantly.  ‘Your Mage … has he got over the cyclops incident yet?’

‘I think you’re safe Saul, if
that’s what you mean.’  Phantasm replied quietly. 

‘Definitely safe.’  Phantom
said confidently.  ‘He’s got a lot more on his mind than that right now.’
 

Mistral sighed.  They were
going to talk about the wretched Council again.  She fiddled with the
handle of her tankard and wondered darkly if Fabian would persuade Leo to
change his mind about her ban on leaving the Valley.  After a moment she
realised that a silence had fallen and looked up to see the twins’ staring at
her expectantly.  She looked around slowly, seeing the same look on all
her brothers’ faces.

‘What?’ 

Xerxes grinned, ‘You know
what.’   

Mistral scowled, ‘Look, I know
the Council trip was a disaster, like it always is whenever I’m involved. 
What do you want me to say?  I attract trouble apparently!’

Phantom smirked, ‘I’d say you
attract more than that.’

‘Oh please don’t bring up the
damned French cousin!  All he did was tell me his name!’

Phantom looked at his twin, his
ivory brow creasing into a frown, ‘I don’t know brother, could we have been
mistaken?’

‘Definitely not.’  Phantasm
replied firmly.  ‘Mistral is just being unusually shy about the real
events of the last few days.’

Mistral gritted her teeth, ‘Look,
I really have no idea what you’re going on about so please just spit it out or
you’ll be wearing my second drink!’

‘No ring though.’  Saul
commented quietly.

Mistral froze, ‘What did you just
say?’ 

‘Come on Mistral!’  Xerxes
burst.  ‘The twins were adamant that your Mage was going to propose to you
after the Council Contract!  They reckoned Mage Grapple practically
ordered him to.’ 

Mistral switched her stunned gaze
to see Phantom grinning at her, his “I knew I was right” expression taking her
to a whole new level of irritation. 

‘Well?’  Xerxes demanded
impatiently.  ‘Still waiting for an answer here!’

Immediately Mistral felt colour
flood her cheeks and opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out.

‘We’ll take that as a yes
then!’  Phantom crowed.  ‘Which I do hope you managed to say?’ he
added, looking suddenly worried.

‘Of course she did.’
 Phantasm sighed.  ‘When does she ever say no to Mage De Winter?’

The warriors all laughed a bit
too suggestively for Mistral’s liking.

‘Do you all mind?’  she
snapped icily.  ‘This really is none of your business!’

Cain gave her a wounded look,
‘Why?  Don’t you want us at your wedding?’ 

Mistral frowned.  She hadn’t
considered the actual
wedding
.

‘You haven’t even thought about
it have you.’  Phantasm tutted, reading her face more easily than if she’d
spoken aloud. 

Mistral shrugged, ‘Well, there’s
not too much to think about is there?  It’s hardly a big deal.’

The twins stared at her with
frank disbelief.

‘She hasn’t got a clue has
she?’  Phantom murmured.

‘No.’ Phantasm agreed
quietly.  ‘I think we may have to be of assistance.’

Mistral gave him a blank look,
‘In what?’ 

‘Don’t worry about it.’
 Phantasm said smoothly.  ‘Allow me to be the first to congratulate
you.’  he pulled her into a hug which she was too surprised to repel and
bore with stiff ill-grace, not noticing Phantasm mouthing something to his
brother over her head.

‘Can we please not do
this?’  she begged the twins quietly when her brothers immediately began
teasing her with tales of wedding disasters they had known, runaway brides and
obscene wedding night stories.

‘I agree.  Your Mage might
actually have to drag you down the aisle if you hear anymore horror stories.’

‘Aisle?’  Mistral
spluttered, eliciting another bout of laughter from the others.

Phantom watched her beginning to
panic and turned to whisper into his brother’s ear, ‘This is going to take more
than I first thought.’

‘I wonder.’  Phantasm
murmured back.  ‘Just how unprepared do you think she really is?’

‘Let’s find out. 
Mistral?  What will you are wearing on your wedding day?’

Mistral stared back, looking
bewildered, ‘Er?  This?’

The twins shared a long look.

‘It’s far worse than we first
thought.’  Phantasm whispered when Mistral was drawn back into the
merciless teasing.

‘Definitely.  She hasn’t got
a clue.’  

‘So, did he go down on one
knee?’  Xerxes demanded with a leer.  ‘That one always works for me.’

‘Don’t you dare compare me to one
of those bits of exercise you call girlfriends!’  Mistral snapped. 

‘No, you’re not like them.’
 Xerxes agreed with a grin.  ‘There’s not many brides that can
honestly wear white on their wedding day.’

Mistral stared at the twins,
totally aghast.  Was there anyone they hadn’t told about her Sight
enforced celibacy?

‘Well none of the ones I’ve met
anyway.’  Xerxes continued with a frown.  ‘They act all innocent but
believe me when I say that they could teach Eudora a thing or two.’

Mistral gagged into her tankard,
‘Eudora?  Oh, brother.  Say you haven’t!’

‘’Fraid so.  In fact,’
Xerxes looked around table with a frown, ‘I think everyone has
actually.’  

Mistral noted the shifty
expressions on Cain and Brutus’ faces and shook her head in disgust, ‘I’m going
to the bar.’

The twins watched her until she
was safely at the bar talking to Floris.

‘Listen!’  Phantasm leaned
across the table, whispering urgently.  ‘Enough wedding talk or she’s
going to back out faster than a rat leaving a sinking ship and we’ll be facing
the wrath of Mage De Winter again.  Or have you forgotten how he looked
when he found out she was in the Infirmary after that wretched cyclops
disaster?’

They all grimaced and took long
drinks from their tankards.

‘I think it’s safer all round if
Mistral is an unsuspecting bride.’  Phantasm finished firmly.

‘It’ll be a nice surprise for her
to be shunted unknowingly into her wedding day.’  Phantom added brightly.

‘I’m not sure that’s going to be
the kind of surprise Mistral likes.’  Cain said with a frown. 
‘Unless it involves weapons, hunting or a scrap she’s probably not going to be
too amused.’