WHITE DARKNESS - BLACK MAGIC SAGA - BOOK 1

CARRIAGE RIDE

WEDDING BELLS AROUND THE CORNER!

Dearest readers, we must raise our glasses and cheer in this festive season a recent grand flow of news.

As the frosty winter winds swept through King’s Castle, the annual Winter Solstice Ball was aglow with more than just the usual merriment and celebration. Amidst the grandeur of the castle and the sparkle of the winter festivities, an announcement of royal proportions was made that left the guests in awe. And you may wonder, who are the protagonists? And it is, dear reader, that young love seems to be flourishing like a rose in a graveyard.

The esteemed parents of Eisdrache Vailant Kesha, son and heir of the Noltargenti state (see Vailant and Kesha families in page 3; see Noltargenti state in page 5), and Leevanna Vaughan Vikena, daughter and heir of the Vaminia state (see Vaughan and Vikena families in page 2; see Vaminia state in page 4) — two diamonds of the Seven Daughters of Royalty, as the King’s own words say — took centre stage to share the heartwarming news of their children's impending nuptials. The announcement came as a delightful surprise to the attendees, adding an extra layer of joy and anticipation to the festive atmosphere.

Following the announcement, the couple graced the dance floor, their elegant dance a mesmerizing sight for all present. The chemistry between them was palpable, their movements in sync with the rhythm of the music and the beating of many excited hearts around them.

Or perhaps this author is speaking yet very soon to be true? Could it be that we are to be mistaken?

This writer must say, there are rumours that this union is mostly beneficial, financially speaking. It is said Mr Nicholas Vaughan, father of the soon-to-be bride and proximate candidate to Head of Elements, is just marrying his daughter to accomplish his success in his political career, since we all know, a wedded daughter brings honour to the family. None of the families have given declarations about this certain topics, just limiting themselves to manifest how utterly happy they are, specially Mrs Skarlova Vailant, née Kesha, mother of the future groom, who says she already sees Miss Leevanna Vaughan as the daughter she never had. Luther Vailant seems also very pleased with this news, claiming his son wouldn’t find another woman as Miss Leevanna.

The young couple was last seen at the Blossom’s Action given by, in this opportunity, Mrs Rosia Stein. We must compliment Miss Leevanna Vaughan by her gown option, wearing a spectacular and beautifully beaded lace corset gown. Yet the golden end was young Mr Eisdrache Vailant bowing to kiss her hand after leaving the most expensive item on her middle finger next to her engagement ring. Yes, my dearest reader, if you were speculating who dared to snatch the Crown’s Blossom from you, young Mr Eisdrache is to be blamed. A ravishing golden spiral ring with emerald incrustation, which clearly represent Miss Leevanna’s eyes.

But will Mr Eisdrache Vailant be able to keep his most valuable possession?

Will Fire and Water be united for the first time?

Or perhaps all will burn into flames?

As the kingdom looks forward to their wedding, we can only imagine the wonderful things this power couple will achieve together.

Stay tuned for more updates on this royal wedding that promises to be the event of the year!

— 28th December, by Lenira Akeets, in Kiss Life Magazine.

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By Friday, 6th of January, Leevanna was packing her last bag to go back to Gleaxsiara. In silence, just like she had been all week. She hadn’t spoken at all, not a single word. It was for the best, she knew that. She was sure that if she was to say something, she would explode in tears.

When her mother entered her room, she was finishing with her cat’s things.

“Leevanna,” she called. The girl turned around to see her mum, who was holding a small velvet box between her hands. Neferet extended it to her. Leevanna frowned. “You can’t open it until you are at Gleaxsiara,” Neferet said, her voice trying to take an authoritative tone, though it just quivered. “The carriage is ready for you to go to Noltargenti… Your father is already downstairs and I…” she started at her daughter for a second. “I just wanted to give you that without your father knowing.”

Leevanna nodded, keeping the box inside the pocket of her coat.

She then followed her mother downstairs as the maids and elves carried her luggage to the carriage. Her father, when his eyes landed on his daughter, just turned around and left in the direction of his study. Neferet stayed with Leevanna, not saying much, yet with her eyes she told her everything.

The ride went without complication, though Leevanna was drying inside the whole time.

She would have to share carriage with Vailant for six hours.

How would she manage that?

She fidgeted with her hands, anxiousness colonising her body.

Not even two minutes later one of her father’s men announced their arrival at Noltargenti state. Leevanna took a deep breath as the door of her carriage was opened, and the hand of the man who had announced her arrival offered his hand for her to take. Outside Vailant manor were Luther and Skarlova waiting for her.

Skarlova soon opened her arms for Leevanna to hug her, and so she did, trying to stay there as much as possible, trying to hold it together as best as she could. Luther hugged her too and said the carriage was ready for them to depart. Leevanna nodded, still without saying a single word. She turned around when the whines of black horses were heard.

Vailant appeared too.

He didn’t say anything to her, not even looked at her.

Leevanna gave a last kiss on the cheek to her new in-laws and started walking towards the immense carriage that had been prepared for them. The body of it was twice the size it usually would be. Large enough for her and Vailant to be distant. When she was about to inside of it, a hand reached for hers, helping her up. Warm and soft, long, delicate.

Her head turned around; a gasp trapped in the middle of her throat. He was holding her.

She hurried to step inside, separating her hand from him.

When he entered, he gave her a glance from the other side of the carriage. Face to face with each other, Leevanna got lost in her sea of thoughts. Was she supposed to talk to him? She hoped not.

She wasn’t exactly looking at him, she was just… Well, glancing perhaps could be the word for it.

He seems to have grown even taller, as if he wasn’t already tall enough. His hair, a mixture of white and black strands, has grown too, reaching the end of his neck touching the collar of his shirt and falling down his forehead. She finds it quite funny, how the wavy and curled ends are messy yet so in place, as if it was no effort for him to have such hair. His brows, perfectly shaped. His eyes, dark grey, thunderstorms at their peak, are vague and not so sparkly, not the starry sky she had seen before. His lips are quite plump, a pale rosy.

His tongue glides across his lower lip, wetting it, and then across his upper teeth, revealing two overgrown canines.

And she remembers…

Remembers that last day at Gleaxsiara before the Winter Solstice when they had argued until they… Her eyes look away from him, who continues reading his book. She wishes she had brought one with her. In situations like this having her mind distracted from thinking such vulgarities would be very handy.

Shifting on her seat, she continues glancing him from time to time, as dissimulated as she can be, she hopes.

Her eyes had travelled to his hands holding the book. His fingers were long, aristocratically delicate, pale just like the rest of his skin. A few blue and green veins were visible through the paleness. They hold the book dearly yet without pressure on the pages, which he flips so slowly, like he has all the time in the world to do so. She watches him for a minute, flip the pages one by one. Her skin has memory of its own, because when he flips another page, the sixth she believes, the memory of his hand caressing her cheek, almost reaching her curls is so vivid she can feel it right there. Cupping her cheeks and kissing her so gently, without any rush, tasting her.

Hints of lemon balm and peppermint invading her mouth. Lashes fluttering, just like her own very heart.

He was so close…

I want you like nothing else and it is killing me…

Blink by blink, each getting slower, the last thing she remembers is smelling him before her dreams got her away.

Eisdrache hadn’t want to do this. Yes, being in the papers and magazines was one thing, but arriving at Gleaxsiara, together, after that kiss and all the things he had said and done to her?

Ah, what a wonderful idea.

Honestly.

Brilliant.

Who was the genius who proposed it so he can punch him square in the face?

Bloody hell.

His eyes landed on her again.

She had been sleeping for at least three hours now.

She looked so relaxed, so relieved. Her curls fell down her chest to her waist, the half-up probably one of her maids had done to her let a few strands of hair fall down her face. Her long lashes reaching the start of her cheeks. Her head was resting over the small curtain of the window, the already darkened night letting only the lanterns the carriage possessed illuminate her features. Her full lips were slightly parted and rosy. She had fallen asleep fidgeting with her hands, so they were now resting over her lap, one enclosing the other.

He had been reading the first half of the trip but couldn’t help and glance at her from time to time.

Sometimes her gaze will be fixed on his book, and he wanted to ask her if she had read it, but then others she shifted on her seat, clearly molested by something. She would be looking out the window many times, seeming to be drowning inside. Her jade eyes weren’t fierce anymore, they just looked… sorrowful.

And this makes his heart sink deeper inside of him. Even though he hates her, as best as he can — he really tries to do so, believe him —, he knows this is wrong, in all ways you could think about it, this arrangement between their families was wrong. Having feelings for her was one thing, yes, but marriage? Now? After everything? She would hate him for the rest of her life if she doesn’t try to kill him first.

The carriage started to go slower, stopping with a faint thud, what woke Vaughan up, making him look away from her as quickly as possible.

As the door of the carriage opened, Eisdrache stood and went out, she followed behind him, quietly, without uttering word. And he just wanted to scream as the eyes of everyone around started to land on them, curious and even surprised. Murmurs soon started to arise among them. He wondered if extending his arm for Vaughan to take would be too much.

He glanced at her by the corner of his eyes. Her head was high, face hard and unreadable, almost frozen. She’d had that same look when a week ago their families ate breakfast together. However, as much as she appeared to be in control of things, he felt the air leaving her mouth stutter and quiver, nervous. So, gathering all the courage he had within and trying to not s**t himself right there, he passed his arm around her waist, not pulling her closer, but in a way to guide her walking. She stilled, the movement had taken her by surprise, her glance met his for a second, and then she relaxed, starting to walk as three maids and five elves carried their things behind them.

When they arrived at the Vasilka common room, he finally let go of Vaughan’s waist, and centred his gaze in the three elves and two maids taking his things to his new dormitory. His father had said it was time for him to have a solo thing, which bothered him a little since Eisdrache liked staying up till late with Razel and Mason, and it bothered him even more when Luther said he would be sharing room with his future wife soon enough, they just needed to fill a bit of paperwork.

“Miss Vaughan,” said one of the maids. “Headmistress Armstrong sends regards and asks for I to deliver this,” and she handed her a piece of paper and a pen. He watched as Vaughan nodded and smiled to the maid to then place the paper over one of the desks. Eisdrache finally had a glance of the paper then.

He skipped the start of the paper, centring himself on the second paragraph of it.

I, Leevanna Vaughan Vikena of House Vasilka, am in disposition and full accord to revoke the petition signed by me which says Eisdrache Vailant Kesha of House Vasilka can’t be near my person unless I authorise it. Revoking this petition means his person can be in the same courses and classes as myself. I also authorise for my belongings to be taken to the new dormitory him and I will be sharing since the afternoon of Friday the 13th of January.

Eisdrache’s jaw tensed for a second.

That was the paperwork that was in need to be done?

She stared at it for a second, seemingly finishing to read the full thing. Then she signed it, without putting so much thought into it.

His whole body tensed.

Was she really agreeing on this?

Why wasn’t she putting up a fight?

Fisting his hands, he just turned around and started going up the stairs that were between the wing for the girls and the boys, going straight to his dorm so he could see where his things were being placed. The maids and elves quickly left the dormitory after he arrived, leaving his trunks and luggage near his bed and new desk. His nose flared.

Why was she complying? She was Leevanna Vaughan, she had literally broken the rules so she could be inside the Paragon Tournament, she always did what she wanted, when she wanted and how she wanted to. This wasn’t making any sense. Could it be her father had something to do with it?

Perhaps, it was a possibility.

He sat on his new bed, the black sheets and comforter already on, his head between his hands.

He didn’t know what to do.

He was lost.

Really lost.

Soon the door was knocked.

“Come in,” he said, running his hand up his hair.

The door was almost torn apart by the force Rhazel used to open it, what made Drache smirk as he looked at the ground. Mason followed behind him.

“Welp, I thought it would be bigger,” said Rhaz, both hands on his hips. “Though I like the drapes, a bit empty for my taste, but with time I suppose you will decorate it.”

“I don’t know how to decorate Rhaz,” Eisdrache answered getting up the bed. “You were the one doing our dorm.”

“It’s because I have an amazing taste for decoration,” and the pose made by his friend made Drache laugh. The first one in three weeks. He had missed his friends. The ball for the Winter Solstice hadn’t been enough for him to spend time with them. “Leev has also great taste, she can decorate.”

However, this comment hit him like a frenzied train.

Rhazel hadn’t made it with bad intentions, he knew, but he had also been hoping for them to just avoid the whole subject.

“Everyone knows right?” his voice small.

“Why didn’t you said no to this circus?” this time was Mason who spoke. “You know she doesn’t want to do it.”

“It’s not like I want to either.”

“Then why didn’t you stop it?”

Mason seemed a bit frustrated. His brows were furrowed, and his arms were crossed over his chest, clearly discontent with the whole thing. And it wasn’t that Eisdrache wasn’t, but he had already given up with it. It was too late to do something.

“Because I didn’t know of it until I was in front of the king receiving his blessings,” now it was Eisdrache’s turn to frown. “I don’t want to do this. She hates me enough already, and she will try to kill me in my sleep, I know it, but what can I do? Say no to the f*****g king in front of hundreds? She didn’t say anything either and I don’t see you getting all bitchy with her.”

“Because she is a woman, you blithering bastard!” Mason shook his head in annoyance, exclaiming. “She doesn’t have an option if you haven’t noticed. The only thing that would ever liberate her from this nonsense is death, literally. You and I are men, you can stop this, but you don’t want to because I know you have feelings for her, and even though you don’t admit it, deep inside you want to do this because it would mean you have a chance with her… But oh, bad news! She hates you!”

And Eisdrache’s world just crashed.

He knew he had his barriers down for a bit when he entered his new dorm, but he’d had them that low?

His eyes passed from Rhazel, who didn’t seem taken aback by the accusations, to Mason, who was expecting an answer. The thing was, Eisdrache didn’t know what to say. He was speechless. And the thing was, how on earth Rhaz knew about it? — oh, right, Freya was his third cousin.

Without having anything to say, he just ran his fingers through his hair. Frustrated.

He sat on the bed again, hands covering his face. “I can’t do anything about it…” he gulped. “There is a financial arrangement between all this.”

Rhazel sat by his side and placed and arm around his shoulders.

Eisdrache just didn’t know what to do. He is so confused.

Confusion is like the colour yellow, a bright ray of it and brown spots over it. Brown like fertilizer dirt, dark and with a disgusting smell. It doesn’t have sense, the combination of the two colours.

One is the rays of the sun. It drives you mad according to how it goes growing every hour. Confuses you when you spend many hours under it without water. Makes your head hurt and throb. Hallucinations start merging with your reality. Doesn’t let you think and kills your thoughts. The other colour — in spots like circles — is because of the feeling it gives you smell that kind of dirt. Your nose becomes sensible, and you cannot get out the sensation or smell of your brain. It glues at you for a long period of time.

Confusion is like number 56.

It has the shape of a riddle.

And the only thing Eisdrache wants to do is die.