New Dawn

Evangeline

Per her usual, Barrow is early. It is relieving to be perfectly honest. Some sense of normalcy is back in our lives.

I walk onto the crushed gravel of the training facility sparring circle, my boots crushing it under foot. 

"Nice of you to show up" Mare calls across the ring. 

"Not my fault you're always early." I call back "psycho" I laugh as I twist the metal in my hands into a bar that I shoot at her, sweeping her legs. 

She lands squarely on her bottom and I let out another chuckle. The two of us trade menial blows back and forth. Neither of us gets close enough to really do any damage. Not that it would mean anything. A healer still stands to the side of the ring, were anyone to do any real damage. Finally, she takes a step closer to me.

And suddenly I sense something different. She's wearing metal. She never wears metal. I reach out with my mind for just a moment, feeling exactly what might be there. 

"You know better than to wear metal around me, Barrow!" I call, taking a step towards her, ducking the bolt of lightning she tosses my way. "It would be like if I came at you with a lightning rod."

I offer her a small smirk. It must be a bracelet, no, too small, too far down. Must be a ring. Left hand, second, third, fourth finger. My head snaps up and I spin towards her, dodging the web lightning she spits at me. 

"Mare Molly Barrow!" I say, grabbing her hand, and letting her shock me. "You didn't tell me?"

She tips her head back and laughs, holding out her hand.

"Took you long enough, Evie!" She says with a laugh. "I thought you'd have sensed the metal in a second. You've gone soft." She grins at me. 

I pull the ring up into my reaching hands, yanking her arm with it. 

"Ruby and Silver. Wow he wouldn't know subtlety if it came up and thunked him on the head." I let out a chuckle as Mare shocks my hand gently. 

"Shut up, it's sweet and I love it." She says, shocking me again as she takes her hand back. "So, what do you think?"

I raise my eyebrows slightly, "are you asking my permission to marry my ex-fiancè?" I ask, letting out a low chuckle. "Because let me assure you that will not be an issue. You have my full blessing to marry His Roya-" 

"Shut up Evangeline" She huffs, kicking my in the shins. "That's not what I mean. I want to know if you'll be my maid of honor?" 

I answer her by wrapping my arms around her. I pull her in so close to me until I have essentially absorbed her. I hold her there for at least thirty seconds.

"Is that a yes?" Her voice comes muffled as she speaks into my chest. 

"Yes, a hundred times yes." I say, holding her at arms length before pulling her back into a hug. 

"Good." 

The biggest smile I have ever seen splits her face. She burrows into my chest.

"You aren't gonna make me wear red, are you? I think I've worn enough of Calore red more times than any one person would ever want to." I say, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Didn't you only wear red like once? At your engagement luncheon?" She asks, meeting my eyes.  

"Not the point, Barrow." I say, trying my best to keep a stern expression.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I pick at the red dress that hugs my body as I watch the ruby jeweled silver bridal tiara weave before my eyes. I craft flowers, and waves before scrapping them. They don't feel right. Not for Mare. 

Finally I twist some points into flames, the flames of Tiberias' old crown melded into points of lightning that melt into the base. I weave the rubies into the flames, and small amethyst's into the points of the lightning. 

It's perfect. 

"Whatcha workin on?"

 A familiar voice calls before a boy collapses onto the sofa beside me, dropping his head into my lap and shooting me a crooked grin. He reaches for the bridal crown spinning in front of my eyes.

"Touch my masterpiece and I will gut you like a fish." I snap, flicking his outstretched fingers. "I'm serious Warren, I won't hesitate." 

He huffs as I push his head off my lap. 

"You're gonna wrinkle my dress, Kilorn." I say, "why are you even in here? Shouldn't you be with Cal, bro-ing it up?" I raise an eyebrow, a small smile creeping across my face. 

"puh-lease Evangeline." He says, flipping his sun-bleached hair dramatically out of his face, "You're glad for the company."

"Warren! Get out of here before I break your spine!" Farley calls from the dressing room.

"Don't be mean, Di!" Gisa's lilting voice comes from behind the other dressing room door. "Let him be." 

Kilorn chuckles, "still got a soft spot for me, G?" he asks. 

Gisa steps out of the dressing room, donning a dress identical in color to my own. 

"I take it back, Di." She says with a mischievous grin. "Let him have it."

Farley steps out of her room in a dress identical to Gisa's, cracking her knuckles and kicking off her stilettos. 

Kilorn jumps up from his seat, "ok, ok, I'm going." He says, backing towards the door. He opens it and leaves quickly. 

His head pops back in a second later, "you look good, G!" he says with a wink. 

A candlestick goes flying through the air. I stop it before it can hit the wall. Farley smoothes her dress and exhales deeply before turning to zip up Gisa's dress. There is a slight flush to Gisa's tan cheeks. 

I shoot them both a smile as I hold a mirror in front of my eyes, applying my red lipstick with a shaky hand. Elane always did my makeup before.

"You finished with the tiara, Eve?" Mare calls as she steps out from behind the divider. 

We all gasp slightly. I can see Gisa beginning to cry. "Mare you look so beautiful" She whispers, putting a hand to her leaking eyes. 

I find myself wiping my own eyes. Her dress reminds me so much of Laney's. 

"I am." I say with a smile, walking up to her.

I place the crown onto her head, as Diana lays the long vail over her eyes and over her hair. 

"You look perfect." I say, smiling at her. 

Two nearly identical squeals come from the door as Mrs. Barrow and Clara enter the room, Clara in a little red dress in Mrs Barrows arms. She hands Clara to me as she dashes over to embrace her daughter. 

I turn away as they hug and laugh and cry together. Neither my mother nor Elane's were present at our wedding. I feel my eyes beginning to water and I blink quickly. Clara moves her small hand over my cheek, wiping my eyes as best she can. 

"Don't cry Evie" she says, enamored with the soft metal clip in my hair. "red red red red red" she says, pouting the rubies as she begins to giggle.

I smile at her, wiping my eyes. 

"Do you want one too sweetie?" I ask the giggling flower girl in my arms. 

She nods, watching with delight as I weave the clip before her eyes.