door, facing one
another as Melanie made a sweeping gesture for Hannah to exit. Bending their
arms at the elbow, the young Guardsmen waited until Hannah placed her hands on
their arms for support. Together, the three of them took the steps off the
front porch, carefully following the round patio stones to a small vine-covered
gate at the corner of Melanie and Jace’s yard. Hannah was surprised to see it
led to a small wooded area.
About twenty paces into their journey through the woods,
Cole stopped beside a large stump covered with silk, holding the largest
bouquet of deep purple roses Hannah had ever seen. She started to count but
gave up at three and a half dozen. Leaning forward past her escort, she buried
her nose in them, inhaling their heavenly fragrance. Releasing her hand from
his arm, Cole picked up the bouquet and gently placed it in her arms. It was
then she saw the card attached, inscribed with a simple but poignant message. You
are my soul, my love, my everything. Forever yours, Liam. She took one from
the bunch as Cole graciously offered to carry them.
Placing her hand atop Cole’s arm once again, they continued
down the path, talking and taking in the wondrous scenery. The sound of water
reached her ears, piquing her interest almost as much as her excitement. A few
more steps and they cleared the trees. Hannah gasped as she found herself
beside a small grotto. Water flowed over large polished rocks into a reflective
pond naturally decorated with lily pads and cattails. The natural landscaping
was flawless, but the man-made, well, ‘dragon-made’, decorations that
surrounded the grotto were perfection. Maypoles decorated with hundreds of
amethyst, silver, and white ribbons flowing together with the flower garlands
winding around their lengths dotted the perimeter, making it seem dreamlike.
Her escorts led her to the far side of the water where a
gazebo, decorated to match the maypoles, sat. It contained four incredibly
ornate chairs resembling small thrones positioned in a semi-circle. The entire
scene was nestled within a group of blossoming Cherry trees. One moment the
chairs were empty, and then suddenly, the four Elders she’d met over the course
of her stay with the dragons appeared. Rian, Stefan, Niall, and Marcas moved
faster than her eyes could track. It somehow shocked her that even the old
dragons moved fast .
As one, the Elders nodded their greeting as Tomas and Cole
left her standing next to a small decorated chair holding her roses. A rustling
to her left alerted her to the arrival of the other Guardsmen. Since Liam and
Hannah were not with Liam’s home clan, the Golden Fire Dragons, Rian and the
other Blue Thunder Elders had conferred with Carrick and Rayne from Liam’s home
clan, and all agreed to allow the Blue Dragon Force to witness the young
couple’s union. The six Blue Dragon Guardsmen, along with Jace and Royce were
dressed in their finest, similar to her escorts but in colors matching their
specific dragons. Rory was at the head of the line, standing tall and proud in
a surcoat of royal blue accented with swirls of deep green. Hannah expected him
to look more like the Commander he was since it was a solemn ceremony, but true
to form, he wore a shit-eating grin and winked as she glanced at him. Then came
Kellan, the recluse of the group. As always, his long, dark blond hair covered
the scars on the left side of his face. She’d been told of his valiant service
as a Marine but had yet to thank him. His midnight blue surcoat was so dark
Hannah really had to focus to make sure it was blue and not black.
Next was Declan, who everyone referred to as their techie.
His surcoat was the brightest blue of them all and reminded Hannah of the
noonday sky. Lennox, the ‘mad bomber’ as they all called him, wore a surcoat of
an almost teal color, equal parts blue and green. Pearce, the one responsible
for everything no one else wanted to do, had a dress uniform almost as dark
another as Melanie made a sweeping gesture for Hannah to exit. Bending their
arms at the elbow, the young Guardsmen waited until Hannah placed her hands on
their arms for support. Together, the three of them took the steps off the
front porch, carefully following the round patio stones to a small vine-covered
gate at the corner of Melanie and Jace’s yard. Hannah was surprised to see it
led to a small wooded area.
About twenty paces into their journey through the woods,
Cole stopped beside a large stump covered with silk, holding the largest
bouquet of deep purple roses Hannah had ever seen. She started to count but
gave up at three and a half dozen. Leaning forward past her escort, she buried
her nose in them, inhaling their heavenly fragrance. Releasing her hand from
his arm, Cole picked up the bouquet and gently placed it in her arms. It was
then she saw the card attached, inscribed with a simple but poignant message. You
are my soul, my love, my everything. Forever yours, Liam. She took one from
the bunch as Cole graciously offered to carry them.
Placing her hand atop Cole’s arm once again, they continued
down the path, talking and taking in the wondrous scenery. The sound of water
reached her ears, piquing her interest almost as much as her excitement. A few
more steps and they cleared the trees. Hannah gasped as she found herself
beside a small grotto. Water flowed over large polished rocks into a reflective
pond naturally decorated with lily pads and cattails. The natural landscaping
was flawless, but the man-made, well, ‘dragon-made’, decorations that
surrounded the grotto were perfection. Maypoles decorated with hundreds of
amethyst, silver, and white ribbons flowing together with the flower garlands
winding around their lengths dotted the perimeter, making it seem dreamlike.
Her escorts led her to the far side of the water where a
gazebo, decorated to match the maypoles, sat. It contained four incredibly
ornate chairs resembling small thrones positioned in a semi-circle. The entire
scene was nestled within a group of blossoming Cherry trees. One moment the
chairs were empty, and then suddenly, the four Elders she’d met over the course
of her stay with the dragons appeared. Rian, Stefan, Niall, and Marcas moved
faster than her eyes could track. It somehow shocked her that even the old
dragons moved fast .
As one, the Elders nodded their greeting as Tomas and Cole
left her standing next to a small decorated chair holding her roses. A rustling
to her left alerted her to the arrival of the other Guardsmen. Since Liam and
Hannah were not with Liam’s home clan, the Golden Fire Dragons, Rian and the
other Blue Thunder Elders had conferred with Carrick and Rayne from Liam’s home
clan, and all agreed to allow the Blue Dragon Force to witness the young
couple’s union. The six Blue Dragon Guardsmen, along with Jace and Royce were
dressed in their finest, similar to her escorts but in colors matching their
specific dragons. Rory was at the head of the line, standing tall and proud in
a surcoat of royal blue accented with swirls of deep green. Hannah expected him
to look more like the Commander he was since it was a solemn ceremony, but true
to form, he wore a shit-eating grin and winked as she glanced at him. Then came
Kellan, the recluse of the group. As always, his long, dark blond hair covered
the scars on the left side of his face. She’d been told of his valiant service
as a Marine but had yet to thank him. His midnight blue surcoat was so dark
Hannah really had to focus to make sure it was blue and not black.
Next was Declan, who everyone referred to as their techie.
His surcoat was the brightest blue of them all and reminded Hannah of the
noonday sky. Lennox, the ‘mad bomber’ as they all called him, wore a surcoat of
an almost teal color, equal parts blue and green. Pearce, the one responsible
for everything no one else wanted to do, had a dress uniform almost as dark
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