Airron shoved the man into the marble foyer. Ignoring the butler’s protests, Airron strode to the sitting room where he heard the music and pushed open the doors with a bang. The music broke off abruptly and every female violet eye in the room turned his way.
Melania sat before her harp and several Elven ladies dressed in fine attire sipped tea while they watched her play.
Airron only had eyes for the girl at the front of the room. He had never seen a lovelier sight in his life. She was dressed in a blue silk gown, and her silver hair hung loose in soft ringlets around her face. Her hands were still poised on the strings as she stared at him.
Quincy was still mumbling discontentedly behind him, but one of the women—it sounded like Melania’s mother—told the butler to quiet down.
Airron started forward up the through the aisle of chairs.
“What are you doing here, Airron Falewir?” Melania finally demanded.
“I choose you.”
A gasp rippled through the room.
“You asked me to choose you above all else, and I am doing that now.”
“You could not do so before,” she pointed out.
“I was a damn bloody fool.”
Melania’s proud eyes narrowed. “It is too late.”
“I don’t think so.” Without waiting for another rebuttal, he strode to her side, reached down and lifted her into his arms.
“Put me down!” She struggled against him with her fists, but he held her too tight. He was never letting go of her again.
The women tittered behind their gloved hands, and Melania’s mother spoke up. “Oh, darling, stop fussing so! You know you love him!”
The struggles stopped, and she peered up at him from underneath her eyelashes. “I do love him,” she confessed, “but the question is, does he really love me?”
“Yes! I was miserable after you left. I nearly got myself killed because thoughts of you filled my head. I do love you, Melania, and I realized the truth of it the moment you walked out of my life.”
“Are you sure?”
“I have never been more sure of anything.”
She laughed and threw her arms around his neck. “You have much to learn about women, my husband.”
“That is not what Rogan says.”
“Dwarves lie.”
Amid the snickers of the ladies and the grumbling of the butler, Airron carried his wife from the sitting room and out into the evening air.
“Welcome home, Airron Falewir.”
He smiled. “I am home.”
The End
RULING NOBILITY OF MASSA
ISERLOHN
King Maximus Everard
House Colors - Black & Scarlet, Sigil - Golden Lions
Princess Kiernan Everard Atlan
Prince Beck Atlan
Princess Kenley Grace Atlan
MEN AT ARMS
Darin Morel - Captain, Royal Guard, Personal Guard to King Maximus
Kirby Nash - Captain, Royal Guard, Personal Guard to Kiernan Atlan
Roman Traynor - Captain, Royal Guard, Personal Guard to Beck Atlan
Bo Franck - Captain, Iserlohn Army
Hugo Bassus - Commander, Second, Iserlohn Army
Lord Davad Etin
House Colors - Red & Blue; Sigil - Flying Eagles
Lord Abram Winslow
House Colors - White & Gray; Sigil - Crouching Wolves
Lady Ava Conry
House Colors - Brown & Black; Sigil - Savage Badgers
Lady Lillian Knapp
House Colors - Gray & Purple; Sigil - Shadow Panthers
Lord Gage Gregaros
House Colors - Black & White; Sigil - White Tigers
Lord Johan Hamilton
House Colors - Red & Yellow; Sigil - Red Dragons
RULING NOBILITY OF MASSA
DEEPSTONE
King Erik Rojin
House Colors - Blue & Maroon; No Sigil
Kal Rogan Radek
Kali Janin Radek
Reilly Radek
MEN AT ARMS
Klay Arsten - General, Iron Fists, Personal Guard to King Erik
HAVENTHAL
King Jerund J’El
House Colors - Brown & Green; Sigil - Ficus Tree
Thorn J’El
Airron Falewir
MEN AT ARMS
Raine Aubry - First Gardien, Gladewatchers, Personal Guard to King Jerund
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Valerie Zambito lives in upstate New York with her husband and three children. A great love of world building, character creation and all things magic, have led to the creation of her first fantasy series. Her website is www.valeriezambito.com.
Book One: Island Shifters - An Oath of the Blood
Book Two: Island Shifters - An Oath of the Mage
Book Three: Island Shifters - An Oath of the Children (Coming Soon)