seat was occupied and the nobles of the leprechauns were making sure that their houses were represented.
The High Lord and his bride walked into the hall and silence dropped the moment that they appeared.
They walked hand in hand to the council table and in a move that sent a ripple of shock through them, he set her down in his chair, the seat of the High Lord. He stood at her side, one hand on her shoulder.
"I have called this assembly together to announce my choice of bride. Asha Warder is my soul mate and despite attempts on her life, she has remained at my side."
The wave of disbelief and confusion ran through those in the seats.
"Twelve years ago, I met a Warder and she offered protection for our people without asking for anything in exchange."
In the gallery, a man stood. "Are you telling us that she is the same Warder?"
Asha kept quiet, this was Tuartha's show and she would take her cues from him.
Tuartha nodded. "She was young and she made a wish. She came to me and we began a courtship as soon as it was suitable. The day that I gave her my ring, she returned to her past but took my heart with her.
"She was the woman who crafted the sun shield, to protect me in the only way she knew how. Should any member of this assembly or any of the leprechauns take action against her or hire someone to do so, the shielding will come down and the children who have grown up in safety will learn to retreat to the shadows."
Another male stood and scowled. "You are our High Lord. You must put our needs above your own."
Asha could see enough petulant faces that she knew she had to act. With the most delicate of touches, she pulled power from the wards. Not enough to hurt them but enough to make the light coming through the skylight uncomfortable.
"You are right, it is my duty to put your needs above my own and you need those wards to keep your lifestyle in the manner that you have grown used to. If she dies, the wards go with her. It isn't a threat but rather a fact.
"To be able to keep my mind clear and objective, I need to have security in my personal life. Marriage to Asha has given me that and we have balanced our power. She is loyal to me and I am loyal to you, so you need to be loyal to her."
The heat of the sun was coming through the skylight. The folk were fidgeting as they felt the burn for the first time in more than a decade.
When they started to mill in an effort to escape the light, she quickly snapped the ward back into place. The heat and discomfort passed as quickly as it had begun.
Asha spoke from the seated position. "The wards are dependent on my survival. Being attacked on a street by three citizens in the dark of night was not very sportsmanlike, neither was being on the pointy end of a dagger while I was babysitting a child for parents who were talking to your High Lord. With my arms around the baby, only my innate talent was able to stop the attack."
That last comment got an angry response from the crowd and Tuartha squeezed her shoulder. They were finally on her side and it had simply taken one of their own to be threatened.
She smiled. "In my own defence, Warders are useful folk. We can block more than just the effects of sunlight. We can protect walkways, gardens and homes. For anyone thinking of coming at me, know that the mix of Warder and leprechaun magic has been a little unpredictable but highly effective. Your High Lord and I have fully bonded and while he can use my magic, I can also use his. Keep that in mind and together we will be able to see a very bright future."
She kept her seat, lifting her hand to Tuartha's, their fingers linking tightly.
The four would-be assassins were escorted in by the forest guard. It was smart of Tuartha to use forest guards. They were far more serious about safety than the city guards.
Tuartha addressed them, "You are each charged with an attack on a Warder, an unarmed woman and my wife. How do you plead?"
The lady was standing between two men who
The High Lord and his bride walked into the hall and silence dropped the moment that they appeared.
They walked hand in hand to the council table and in a move that sent a ripple of shock through them, he set her down in his chair, the seat of the High Lord. He stood at her side, one hand on her shoulder.
"I have called this assembly together to announce my choice of bride. Asha Warder is my soul mate and despite attempts on her life, she has remained at my side."
The wave of disbelief and confusion ran through those in the seats.
"Twelve years ago, I met a Warder and she offered protection for our people without asking for anything in exchange."
In the gallery, a man stood. "Are you telling us that she is the same Warder?"
Asha kept quiet, this was Tuartha's show and she would take her cues from him.
Tuartha nodded. "She was young and she made a wish. She came to me and we began a courtship as soon as it was suitable. The day that I gave her my ring, she returned to her past but took my heart with her.
"She was the woman who crafted the sun shield, to protect me in the only way she knew how. Should any member of this assembly or any of the leprechauns take action against her or hire someone to do so, the shielding will come down and the children who have grown up in safety will learn to retreat to the shadows."
Another male stood and scowled. "You are our High Lord. You must put our needs above your own."
Asha could see enough petulant faces that she knew she had to act. With the most delicate of touches, she pulled power from the wards. Not enough to hurt them but enough to make the light coming through the skylight uncomfortable.
"You are right, it is my duty to put your needs above my own and you need those wards to keep your lifestyle in the manner that you have grown used to. If she dies, the wards go with her. It isn't a threat but rather a fact.
"To be able to keep my mind clear and objective, I need to have security in my personal life. Marriage to Asha has given me that and we have balanced our power. She is loyal to me and I am loyal to you, so you need to be loyal to her."
The heat of the sun was coming through the skylight. The folk were fidgeting as they felt the burn for the first time in more than a decade.
When they started to mill in an effort to escape the light, she quickly snapped the ward back into place. The heat and discomfort passed as quickly as it had begun.
Asha spoke from the seated position. "The wards are dependent on my survival. Being attacked on a street by three citizens in the dark of night was not very sportsmanlike, neither was being on the pointy end of a dagger while I was babysitting a child for parents who were talking to your High Lord. With my arms around the baby, only my innate talent was able to stop the attack."
That last comment got an angry response from the crowd and Tuartha squeezed her shoulder. They were finally on her side and it had simply taken one of their own to be threatened.
She smiled. "In my own defence, Warders are useful folk. We can block more than just the effects of sunlight. We can protect walkways, gardens and homes. For anyone thinking of coming at me, know that the mix of Warder and leprechaun magic has been a little unpredictable but highly effective. Your High Lord and I have fully bonded and while he can use my magic, I can also use his. Keep that in mind and together we will be able to see a very bright future."
She kept her seat, lifting her hand to Tuartha's, their fingers linking tightly.
The four would-be assassins were escorted in by the forest guard. It was smart of Tuartha to use forest guards. They were far more serious about safety than the city guards.
Tuartha addressed them, "You are each charged with an attack on a Warder, an unarmed woman and my wife. How do you plead?"
The lady was standing between two men who
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