The sun rose too fast. Nymia didn’t notice the hours passing by, even though she didn’t sleep all night. She tried, during the first two hours, but she couldn’t rest knowing what would happen the next day. She had thought this day could never come, that maybe something would happen, but nothing happened. The days passed, one after the other, and before Nymia realized it, she was getting married in a few hours. She always dreamt about her wedding, but not like this. Even though she knew she had to fulfill the prophecy, she always thought she would fall in love for Felena Guthrie’s heir. And that would’ve happened; Daniel was perfect. He was graceful, gentle, cheerful, and, most important, dedicated. But the prophecy didn’t predict that Leonard would come too. Leonard was… Leonard. Nymia knew it, from the first moment she laid eyes on him that she would never look to another man, but him. From his abnormally blond wild hair, that shined through the whole throne room, just like a full moon during dark nights, to his deep blue eyes, that seemed to hold the sky and the sea, and everything else in between. Nymia knew in that precise moment that she had found him. She fell completely and totally in love with him.

Nymia walked through her room, making her long dress float according to her steps. She stopped in front of the mirror and observed herself, from head to toes. She looked at her oval face, framed by her long brown rebel hair. Her eyes were like shiny emeralds. She placed her fingers upon her lips, feeling them, closing her eyes for a moment, remembering the kiss Leonard had given her a couple of nights before. She let her arms fall besides and stretched her dress, feeling the softness of the fabric. Even though she was getting married against her will, she loved the dress; it was everything she had imagined in her childhood. The bodice had a tone of light green, very soft, a magnificent 5 centimeters silver band that went around her entire body, just below her breasts. The band was nothing less than a genius entanglement of thousands of silver threads that looked like spider webs. From her waist down the dress was all white. It wasn’t exaggeratedly wide, just enough to flow freely near her legs, giving her a very royal figure. Near the hem of the dress there was a detailed drawing that went around her body like a vine, made in a green tone that matched the bodice.

Nymia was pretty satisfied with her dress. Her hair, unlike her dress, was very simple. She decided to use it loose, with its the natural waves, wearing a silver tiara with drawings similar to the ones the dress had matching the band.

She approached the window and stood there, observing the wood. There weren’t any reasons to be sad. She was going to fulfill the prophecy and save her people. With the heir of Felena by her side, no one would stop them. A tear ran down her face, splashing on the ground. Sometimes it was difficult to be Princess of Gaenya and Nymia Talyin-Aye simultaneously. She wished she could be one or another, separately. It would spare her to all this ridiculous suffering. Even though she was just Nymia, she could never be with Leonard. After Sarah’s death, the court had decided that Leonard would return to his world with the following eclipse. And that eclipse would take place in a couple of hours.

“Princess Nymia” called her cousin. “We’re ready.”

“I’ll be there soon.”

Alana left the room with a bow. The time had come. She would cry no more. She was fulfilling her destiny, she would marry Daniel. In years to come everyone in Gaenya would say how Princess Nymia Talyin-Aye saved her people, finding the prophesied man and marrying him. Every woman would wish they could be in her shoes, for Daniel was absolutely perfect. All of them would envy her luck, her destiny, her life. However, she would give it to any of them, without thinking twice. No. She would have done it some minutes ago, but not now. Now, the time for second thoughts and prohibited dreams was over. Now, Nymia would leave that room and face (the) reality, the reality that had followed her her entire life.

She looked one last time to her reflex in the mirror. She smiled, encouraging herself to jump over the cliff. “Everything will be alright” said the girl on the other side of the mirror. “You’ll see. Everyone will be happy. Everyone” Except yourself.

The truth in her eyes was something beyond imagination. Nymia fixed those eyes for some minutes. How could a mirror image know so much? Yet, how was it possible that for it not to know? How was it possible that for the girl in the mirror not to realize how much Nymia was suffering, when she, for so many nights she had locked herself in there, with the mirror reflex observing everything while she cried? How many times had she looked it in the eyes, filled with tears, knowing that the girl on the other side of the mirror wished she could be there, at her side, to hug and comfort her, to wipe her tears, to kiss her face and to rock her until she would, finally, fall asleep?

“You can do it, Nymia” said the girl from the other side of the mirror. “You always did what had to be done. This is what you were prepared for all your life. It won’t be today that we’re going to disappoint Nymia Aye. No. We won’t be like Felena Guthrie. We won’t leave our people to their fate, just to run after a man. That’s not how a Princess of Gaenya should behave.”

Nymia nodded to the mirror, asking herself if the reflex had really talked, or if she had just talked to herself. One way or another that were the words she needed to hear. Yes, she wouldn’t abandon her people like Felena had done. Despite her almost perfect reign, she had ruined everything when she had fled to the other world. And Nymia refused herself to follow her path.

She walked towards the window, so she could see the back gardens. She observed the scene, before leaving the room. A member of the court, her uncle, was at the end of an aisle covered with petals, with a length of 50 meters where the woods started. Gaenya had only one natural clearing; all others had been created through magic, placing trees in other places. That was what the court had done for the wedding. They made enough room to hold several thick roots, arranged in lines, on both sides of the floral aisle.

Daniel expected her, with a calm expression, next to her uncle. The man was wearing a black shirt with half sleeves, embroidered with silver that shined with the reflection of the sun light. The fabric was elastic and adjusted perfectly to his invigorated body. On his chest rested a medallion, also made of silver, with the family’s crest. His hair was short, brown like everyone else in Gaenya. But it wasn’t him that Nymia was looking for in the crowd that was there to assist to this historical moment. It was someone different from everybody, someone unique. Someone that made her heart beat go crazy, like no other man could. Someone that made her lose her mind, with the glow of his eyes and his gallant smile.

“Nymia?”

Nymia turned around so fast that the tiara she had on her head flew across her room falling at a corner with a noisy tinkle. “Leonard?” The air she had in her lunges wasn’t enough when she looked him in the eyes, just centimeters from her. “Shouldn’t you be outside?”

“You took so long” he started, scratching the back of his neck, a characteristic gesture he had every time he was nervous, “that I started to worry.”

She couldn’t not smile. How was it possible that the Leonard she first met, so distant and reserved, so hostile and defensive, so little interested in the affairs of Gaenya, including herself, could now be worried and gentile? Leonard was, (with) no doubt, a book that would be wrongly judged, if we judged only for the cover.

“I had some difficulties… With the hair.”

Leonard looked to her hair, making a expression of confusion. “Isn’t that how you always wear it?”

“And who said I didn’t have difficulties with it everyday?” Nymia replied, upset. “Not all of us do our hair with a simple shake after the bath” she turned, struggling to catch her tiara.

“Nymia…” Leonard called, behind her.

“Yes?” She said, still grumpy.

She felt his warm hands on her nude shoulders; realizing how tense she was she tried to relax, slowly. Leonard turned her to him, looking her in the eyes. So much was said with no words. Nymia was muzzy, lost in the infinite of his eyes. He took the tiara from her hands and placed it delicately on her head. Then his fingers went through her wavy hair, pulling some hanks to him so he could smell its perfume. Leonard closed his eyes and made a satisfied smile, remembering, perhaps, a moment when they had been together. Distracted by his expression, she shivered when she felt his fingers on her face, drawing the lines of her jaw, from ear to ear.

“Have I told you how beautiful you look?” He whispered.

She couldn’t find the strength to answer him, making a strange sound. Leonard smiled, pleased. He got even closer to her, pulling her to him. Nymia wanted to stop, tell him they couldn’t do it, that she was about to get married… She had so many reasons... But she did nothing, letting Leonard guide her. That was everything she wanted. Leonard. By her side. Forever. Nymia leaned towards him, closing her eyes and parting her lips, waiting. If she was going to go on with the marriage, one last kiss wouldn’t do any harm, would it? She could feel his wheezing breath in her face. And then… Nothing more.

She opened her eyes and saw Leonard looking at her. On his face there wasn’t any trace of the smile he had on his lips seconds before, and his eyes weren’t definitely glowing.

“We can’t, Nymia…”

And that was it. Back to reality. “I know…” She agreed, sadly smiling.

Leonard took her in his arms, holding her close, trying to show her, with that embrace, what he couldn’t with a kiss. Nymia moved her arms from her sides to hug him back, wishing with all her strength they could become one. She started to feel him shivering. Leonard buried his face in her hair and started to cry. That took her by surprise, forcing her to contain her own tears. Nymia put her face next to his, running her long thin fingers through his blond hair.

“Everything will be alright.” Who was she trying to fool? Not even a child would’ve believed that. “I… I will always love you, Leonard.”

He seemed to calm down, sniffing. “And I’ll love you. Forever.”

Nymia and Leonard looked at each other, one last time, smiling. They both knew that no matter where they were, they belonged to each other forever. And that was enough for them. It had to be.

“Now go, my princess” Leonard said, touching her face. “Your fiancé is waiting.”

Nymia nodded, kissing his cheek. Then she made sure her tiara was in place and walked away, no looking back. Now she was in peace with her decision. She could never be happy, but that wouldn’t matter. All that mattered, at that moment, was that Leonard accepted the path she had chosen.

She opened the door and smiled to Daniel that smiled back at her. She couldn’t ever reach the happiness she had always dreamed of, but she was sure that man would make her happy, somehow. With a nod, the birds that were there start to sing the most beautiful melody Gaenya had ever heard. The melody of love. Nymia smiled, looking at the blue sky. After all, that was the marriage she always dreamed of. Everyone from court was there, everyone who mattered to her: Axxin, Alana and Nessel. Gaenya was there too, through the birds, the flowers, the wind and the sun. And in the end of the aisle her prince charming was waiting. It was, no doubt, her dream wedding. She just had never imagined she wouldn’t want to be part of it.

“Nymia Talyin-Aye, step forward” her uncle ordered, beginning the ceremony.

Nymia nodded at him and started to slowly walk, in synchrony with the melody sang by the birds. The sun shined in her silver band and her tiara, amazing all the people there. Her steps were controlled and meditated, afraid of failing the ceremony and ruining the hopes of her people. Yet, a last proof would still take place, before the final kiss.

Axxin, her uncle, raised a hand, ordering the drummers standing in a semi-circle behind him to start their own rhythm. “Daniel Austin Guthrie” he called, looking at the groom. “Do you wish to become husband of Nymia Talyin-Aye?” Everyone was silent, the drums paused, and everyone’s eyes were fixed on the groom

“Yes” Daniel answered, looking at the man with a serene expression. The drums started again, in synchrony with Daniel’s voice, in a crescendo.

“Do you swear her your fidelity and loyalty?” The drums kept beating gaining more intensity.

“I do.”

“Do you swear her all your love and care?” Axxin’s voice raised as well, overlapping the drums.

“I do.”

“Do you swear to protect her and abet her in any situation?” The sound of the drums was already in a frenetic rhythm.

“I DO” Daniel shouted.

“Daniel Austin Guthrie” Axxin said, letting the name hang on the sound of the beating drums.

With a snap of his fingers, several thorny ivies spouted out from the ground, imprisoning Nymia inside. Everybody screamed. Daniel just turned back and looked Nymia in the eyes. His face was strangely serene, with no sign of alarm. Was he expecting that? That was impossible. Just her, Axxin and Leonard knew what was going to happen. Looking to Nessel, she observed the shock in the elder’s face, staring at Axxin.

“What are you doing, Axxin?” Nessel shouted, getting up with a jump. “Are you mad!? I won’t allow this!”

Before Nessel could do anything, thick roots spouted out from the ground, holding his arms next to his body, preventing him to use magic. Nymia was surprised by how easily Nessel was caught. She knew, with no doubt, that her uncle couldn’t match the powers of her old teacher. For sure someone was helping him. Nymia looked around, but all the court remained in their place, too terrified to move.

“Won’t you do anything?” Nessel shouted at them, desperate, being smothered by the drums, which intensified the desperate in his shout.

“Of course not, Nessel” Axxin answered, a cruel smile in his lips. “It was Daniel who swore to protect her. It is his choice who to save.” Axxin point to the right, showing another person locked inside the ivy cage. That person was Leonard. “The ivies will start to bind, Daniel. You will only have time to save one. Your future wife or your friend.”

Nymia was looking at Daniel that observed the scene calmly. His head was turning slowly from one to another, like if he were deciding who he would save. She hoped he wouldn’t take too long or all the preparation that she had had through her life would mean nothing. She just couldn’t get what was going on with Daniel. He was acting so weird. Where was his joy, his vivacity, his love? Could Daniel be too nervous to the point of it inhibiting all feelings?

“How will it be, Daniel? You’re running out of time, the thorny ivies are starting to perforate their skin” Axxin informed casually, as if he was commenting on the weather.

A cry from her right side made Nymia turn her head. Leonard started to retract himself, when a thorn carved itself in one of his arms. The blood was running down his arm, flowing off at his leg. The drums were now making a different melody, as if they were intensifying the urgency of the situation. Nymia closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Even though Leonard had agreed with what was happening, Nymia couldn’t stop herself from shiver with his yell of pain. He didn’t spend his entire life preparing to this wedding, so it was natural that he reacted this way. However, even she wasn’t feeling prepared. But she wouldn’t yell. No matter what happened, she wouldn’t yell.

Daniel looked at Leonard for some seconds. Then, he turned his back to him and started to walk towards Nymia. He looked behind, facing Axxin who smiled at him. He faced the crowd and searched for Alana. She was behind everybody, standing, smiling at him, too. Everyone else was hesitating. Yet, Nessel was angrily looking at him, roaring when Daniel passed by him. Leonard shouted again, making Daniel look at him. One of his legs had been jabbed. He was no longer standing; he let himself fall on the ground, trying to stop his blood from getting out through the recent holes. Once again, Daniel turned his back at Leonard, disinterested. He observed Nymia, who was 30 meters from him. Nymia had been injured as well. However, contrarily to his cousin, she could suffer in silence. Nymia was starting to regret not warning Daniel for what was happening. If she had predicted that Daniel would be in such an apathetic state, she would have explained to him exactly what was expected for him to do.

A thorn was starting to dangerously approach her left eye. This was the kind of pain she couldn’t take silently. She took a deep breath, calming her tense body that was shacking, due to the injures, and waited. When the thorn carved itself in her eye, her cry made everybody look at her. Nessel was trying hard to release himself from the roots, but with no success. Nymia was on her knees, covering the eye that was bleeding abundantly. That seemed to wake Daniel up, who started to run in her direction, looking as if he was bored with the course of the events.

“Daniel! Help me!” Leonard shouted.

Daniel ignored him, keeping running in Nymia’s direction. However, the girl looked, with the only eye she had, to the ivies that were surrounding Leonard. She couldn’t see him, just the tangled thorny ivies. Nymia blocked every noise, her uncle’s cruel laugh, the whispering of the court, the insults Nessel was vociferating with all his breath, and the desperate shouts from Leonard. Everything that mattered now was that Daniel reached her in time. Before she was dead.

Jumping through the roots occupied by the court, Daniel threw himself forwards, in the direction of the thorny ivies that imprisoning Nymia. For moments, it seemed that he was flying. Nymia felt him falling in top of her, pressing her against the floral ground, at the same time that the drums stopped. When Daniel’s moan reached her ears, seeming to come from the other side of Gaenya, Nymia opened her eyes and smiled. Daniel had done just fine.

“Nymia!” Nessel shouted, running in her direction.

“Daniel...?” Nymia whispered.

“Oh. Sure” Daniel replied, rolling to the side.

Nymia stood up, clearing the dust off her dress. “Everything’s alright, Nessel” she said, pointing to her eyes. “See? Not a scratch.”

“Oh… It was an illusion…” The elder murmured to himself.

“Yes, Nessel. Do you really think they would hurt me?” Nymia smiled, hesitantly.

“Of course. I don’t know what I was thinking…”

Nessel went away, returning to his place, lost in thoughts. Lately, Nessel seemed very troubled with something. Nymia would make sure to talk to him, as soon as the wedding was over. If the elder was preoccupied, then the issue should be serious.

“Thanks a lot. If I depended on you, I would be dead by now” Leonard said ironically, with his usual grumpy look, standing behind Daniel.

Daniel stood up, looking at his cousin. “You should start to take care of yourself” he said, with a distant look.

“Yeah, right. Never mind that” Leonard grumbled.

Nymia took Daniel’s hand and smiled at him. “Shall we continue?”

“I can’t wait” he answered, inexpressively.

Leonard went away, looking down, walking towards Nessel. Nymia and Daniel walked through the aisle, holding hands, towards Axxin. The moment finally arrived. There was no turning back. Nymia would be united to Daniel forever. She looked at Leonard, who was sitting next to Nessel. He gave her an encouraging smile and bowed his head, approvingly. Nymia turned to Daniel who was looking across her, seeing something that only he could.

“Nymia Talyin-Aye” her uncle started. “After Daniel Austin Guthrie’s demonstration of loyalty and love, do you accept him as your husband?”

“I do” she answered right away. The calm that filled her entire body was indescribable. It was done.

“In that case, in the name of the court of Gaenya, and by the laws that we follow, I pronounce that you’re one. Now and forever.”

Axxin placed a hand in both their heads and started to sing an ancient ceremonial song that would officially bound them together. A green light emanated from his hands. The power of Gaenya was uniting them through him. The canticles were appealing to the heart of the wood, which was transmitting its power through Axxin’s naked feet, flowing through their bodies and penetrating into their souls. Inside Nymia a strange force started to flow, transmitting her a completely new sensation. She felt powerful, more powerful than she had ever felt. That was Gaenya’s power. The same power that united two persons and instigated a war between nations. Nymia wished she could use all that power to establish peace in the reign, permanently. But she knew she wouldn’t have that power eternally. It would just flow through their bodies until the kiss, the final step of the union. After that, it would start to emanate from their bodies, returning to the wood.

Axxin took a step backwards, taking a deep breath. “Nymia, you may kiss him.”

Nymia turned to Daniel, placing her arms delicately around his neck. She approached his face, closed her eyes and parted her lips. She was felling Daniel’s breath in her face, waiting. She took a deep breath, binding his neck. Kissing him wouldn’t be, at all, like kissing Leonard. Maybe, if she closed her eyes hard and imagined Leonard in the place of Daniel, she could fool her senses. She leaned towards him and felt Daniel’s lips in hers. His lips were thin and soft, his tongue was harsh and sweet, and his kiss was… gentle. Daniel was, above all, gentle. The way his arms were holding her, the way he kissed her. He transmitted her security, comprehension, love. Nymia was starting to finally recognize the Daniel she knew. The one that all the girls would kill to be married to, the one that loved Nymia with all his heart. Daniel put himself on that kiss as if he was giving her his own soul. A tear rolled through Nymia’s face, interrupting the kiss.

Daniel pulled back from her, seeming a little dizzy, to then face her with a strange smile. Alana, who had been gone during the entire wedding, came to his side, smiling at her, too. Axxin came from behind them both, placing his hands on their shoulders. Nymia, confused, took a step backwards. Because of their new union, their marriage, she could feel Daniel’s feelings. And what she was feeling was… Anger? She looked at Leonard that seemed alarmed with the expression in Nymia’s face, getting up immediately.

Nymia felt a pain go through her body. It was an awful feeling. It seemed like poison, burning her from the inside. For some seconds, she was unable to breath. The vision of Leonard running in her direction became indistinct, reeling to the front. When she came back to her senses, she was in Leonard’s arms and he was holding her tight, preventing her from falling on the ground. She shacked her head a little bit, as if that simples gesture would pull away that pain. She raised her gaze and saw Nessel stumbling in their direction. Nymia gesticulated with her fingers, trying to create something that would sustain Nessel. But nothing happened.

“Leonard…” She whispered, gesticulating towards the elder.

Leonard carried her and walked in his direction, holding him with an arm, after placing Nymia on the ground and holding her with the other. Nymia couldn’t believe in what her eyes were seeing. The prophecy hadn’t worked. She wasn’t able to fulfill her destiny. She failed with her people. And now… The entire court was on the ground, twisting in pain. It was too late. There was nothing she could do for them. She failed. She disappointed everyone. Now, Gaenya would take away all of their powers. She turned her head to her uncle. He and Alana remained calm and smiling. But that wasn’t possible. They were descendents of Faedia, as well. They had Gaenya’s power running through their veins. How could they escape the pain?

“Leonard” she called, in a whisper. “Take us to Axxin, please.”

Holding Nymia with an arm and Nessel with the other, Leonard started to walk towards Axxin, who remained in the same place, smiling. His malicious green eyes glowed with satisfaction.

“What’s going on, Axxin?” Nessel asked, as soon as they got there.

“Maybe you should ask that to your beloved student” Axxin replied, staring at Nymia with disdain.

“What do you mean Axxin?” Leonard roused himself, holding Nymia next to him.

“Oh, I think you know what he means, dearest cousin” Daniel replicated, smiling at him threateningly.

“Cousin!?” Nymia exclaimed, staring at Leonard.

“After so many nights together – yes, I know” Daniel clarified to the surprised looks of Nymia and Leonard, “he forgot to mention that tiny little detail?” Daniel said, ironically.

“A very important detail” Alana commented, rounding Daniel’s waist with her arm. “Maybe, if you knew that, you could’ve saved your people, Nymia.” Alana smiled, triumphantly, streaching her arm, in a gesture that meant the entire people of Gaenya.

“What did you do, Axxin? Why don’t you and Alana…”

“Me? Nothing, my dear. It was you who caused this”

With a snap of Axxin’s fingers, the group of musicians that formed the semi-circle behind him threw the drums to the side and took off the dark cloaks they were wearing. Nymia’s face dropped in shock when she realized what was going on. She felt Leonard’s arm tighten around her, in a protective gesture.

“I believe, my beloved nephew, that this means the end of your reign.”