Destiny Scorns

  ~~~~~~~~~~~

  `If you were to ask my opinion, I would tell you that you were in a bit of trouble,' Victor said shaking his head slowly. He suspiciously eyed Gorham wondering what he would do with all the information that he had. They hadn't even started talking about Wendy but the king looked exhausted. Then the door to the office where they were opened and Sidney put her head in then her body slid past the narrow passage way. She walked over to them.

  `I didn't know if you didn't want to be disturbed but I came to inform you that dinner is ready and if you two gentlemen didn't mind joining me...' She tilted her head and waited expectantly.

  `We wouldn't mind,' Victor said getting up.

  `You still had news to give me?' Gorham raised his eyebrow.

  `I'm sure the news can wait until tomorrow or at least after dinner,' He turned and looked at Sidney. `Besides, I wouldn't want to miss an opportunity to dine with a beautiful lady.'

  Sidney smiled at Gorham slightly embarrassed. `Well then, I think I will join you, but in a minute.'

  `Good!' She went round and kissed his cheek and then went back and walked out with Victor. He was still disguised as the messenger which made people wonder what message would have granted him the opportunity to dine with the king and talk in private with him. Sooner or later they would know that Alice didn't send anyone to Gorham but for now, he would enjoy whatever came to him. He was therefore surprised when Sidney started to whisper harshly to him. `What do you think you are doing?'

  `What?'

  `Talking like that about me in front of Gorham.'

  `If you aren't going to tell him that I'm your brother then the only explanation that could explain us knowing each other is that we have lovers before.'

  `He wouldn't believe you, would he?'

  `Probably why he can't let us have dinner alone. He wants to chaperone.'

  `Stop it either way. I have enough problems as it were.'

  They got to the dining room and after they were left alone, Victor asked, `What problems are those?'

  `Remember James?'

  `Young Petersen?'

  `That's the one. He's here.'

  `What do you mean by he's here?'

  `I saw him in town about a day ago.'

  Victor was thoughtful for a moment. `That's why you didn't want to be followed around by a guard?' Sidney eyed him as if he should have known. `I don't get why you have to hide things from him. He's the most understanding person around.'

  `It may seem so simple to somebody who is out of this relationship but it's very difficult without my powers. I don't know what he thinks!'

  `You have never been able to read minds!'

  `I know but having powers always made things seem easier.'

  `You didn't have your powers but James Petersen follows you around like a lovesick puppy.'

  `James was different. He was just a commoner while Gorham is the king.'

  `Oh! I see what's happening here.' He chuckled. `You are intimidated by him!'

  `I am not.' Her eyes were wide open in protest. Gorham chose that moment to walk in. He went to his seat and Victor, in respect, stood up before him. Victor mouthed something at Sidney.

  `I'm not.'

  `You're not what?' Gorham asked.

  `Mm nothing,' she looked down at her plate.

  `You know what Gorham,' Victor started. `I think I know what the problem you two are having.'

  `And what would that be?' Even Sidney looked at him. He was his younger brother but he was a wise younger brother who knew Gorham even better than probably her. She listened attentively.

  `Your relationship with Diane was what the rest of us called perfect!' everyone waited patiently for him to continue. `You didn't have a problem about getting to know each other because you had known her for so long and you knew her bad habits and her temperament.'

  `The point being?' Gorham asked getting a bit impatient and uncomfortable that Victor was telling Sidney all this. He knew for certain that their relationship was anything but perfect and he didn't want Sidney to set the goal at something that was impossible to achieve.

  `Hold on, he'll get there.' Sidney's voice sounded eager.

  They looked at each other in a moment of silence. Whatever went on between them Victor couldn't tell but it appeared as though Gorham was losing. He decided to continue. `You knew her and she knew you. Even when she set you up and almost got herself killed you understood and didn't hold it upon her head.' They were both looking at him like he should get right to the point and stop meandering all over. `The point comes along with this question. How many days have you spent together alone all day without any interruption? And I'm not talking about being in bed.'

  `Um...' they were both mumbling as they looked at each other questioningly. Gorham took the initiative, `We are both busy.'

  `Never stopped you with Diane.'

  `Really?' Sidney turned accusingly at Gorham.

  `And you,' Victor pointed at Sidney. `Stop being such a coward and tell him what you feel. He is just a man, believe me, I know.' Sidney was lost for words. Victor stood up without ever touching his food. `I think the bonding time should begin at this very minute.' He left. ~~~~~~~~~~~

 

  It took a long time for either to find the courage to break the awkward silence that had developed. They would glance up at one another and look back down in guilt. If Victor was meaning to break them up then he might have just succeeded.

  `Are you afraid of me?' Gorham asked his voice cutting through the silence that was hanging over them.

  `No,' again the silence then she mumbled, `maybe a little intimidated.'

  `Why would you be?'

  `You are a king who is valued by his people. For some reason I think that maybe I'm not good enough for you. For heaven’s sake you used to go out with a person who is on the same level as you.'

  `Again with Diane...'

  `Yes, again with Diane because you know what?' But didn't wait for Gorham to open his mouth. `Because it's not just Victor who thinks that the two of you had the perfect relationship. The whole city seems to think so and I am let to fill some very huge shoes.'

  `I'm sorry you feel like that.'

  `Well I'm not sorry I feel like that. I'm just sorry that I don't seem to make you happy.' `I'm happy.'

  `I don't see it.'

  Gorham wished that she could read his mind at that very moment and see for sure what was going on. `I am happy. But I am always filled with worry about what is happening in your life that you don't tell me. Every evening that I see you come back to the castle and you are fine, I rejoice. Every morning when you go to work, I ask myself if I will see you again, if I will hold you in my arm and I wonder if I have ever been so afraid to lose someone as I have been of losing you! I don't think I can find the right words to put my thoughts into and present to you.'

  He could see very well that he touched something in her but the way she was always stubborn wasn't going to allow herself to admit it. He therefore wasn't surprised when she asked him if he was ever afraid of losing Diane. `To be honest,' he thought about it, `No,' he said finally.

  `No? You were never afraid of losing her?'

  `Still the answer is no.'

  `Does that mean that you don't think that I love you enough?'

  `No,' she waited for him to elaborate. `I did lose Diane when she married Eric. Not that she didn't love me or that she fell in love with Eric but circumstances. When we started going out I couldn't have been sure what you felt but every time we would be meet up, something would flash before your eyes even you didn't even know it but I would know that you love me.' She didn't seem to believe it but he ignored that. At least he was getting it off his chest. `What I'm afraid of is circumstances. You see, every time you keep something from me and I find out from someone else, I

  keep wondering what the next thing that you will not tell me will
take you out of my life.' He paused as he searched for the right words. `I have lived twenty-three years in regret because of circumstance. Maybe I'm afraid because I have gone through it before or maybe I just don't think that I can go another twenty-three knowing that I let you slip away from me.'

  After sometime she looked up at him and had tears in her eyes. She smiled at him, `Yes.' `Yes I can go on living that long?'

  `No,' she chuckled, `Yes, I will marry you.'

  `You will?' She nodded excitedly. How Gorham got up from his chair to go and hug her, she didn't know. She was caught in a bear hug and was being twirled around. When the door opened, Gorham said to whoever it was, `She accepted my proposal.' He still had his eyes on her. `This calls for a celebration.'

  `What kind?' But she need not have asked. The lanterns in the room were suddenly ablaze and she could here water rushing into the room. She did not know where it came from but it was a lot. It went under their feet then she could feel themselves rising up. `Gorham?'

  `Don't worry, it's just like floating.' He took her hand and started to move her around. `Put your faith in me. I wouldn't let you fall.' More confidently she followed him. With every step that they took, a new clear surface formed apparently from water as the last one disengaged. They danced around as if in a trance and when they were done they came down slowly. Suddenly there was applauding in the room from several people. They looked around and it was like the whole castle had convened in the room. There were a lot of congratulations and as soon as he could get away, Gorham slipped out and went to his office. As happy as he was he couldn't bear to see from the way the others looked at him that they were thinking, `Finally he is getting married!'

  `Congratulations! News travels like wild fire in this place.'

  `Victor. I thought you were gone after almost wrecking everything.'

  `But I didn't wreck anything. I know you and I certainly know my sister whether she is being possessed or not. Both of you just needed a little nudge.' Gorham couldn't believe that he was having this conversation from someone who at one time he was jealous of. `I'm a genius, right?'

  Gorham shook his head and sighed deeply. `I guess you really are related to Sidney after all.' `Why?'

  `You use the same phrase when you are bragging.' Gorham went to his seat. `Why did you help me out anyway? I thought wizards were selfish and never do anything good unless it benefits them.'

  `That is overrated. Everybody who does something good can't help but think about how it might affect their life one way or the other. It's just that wizards have the nerve to admit it.'

  `What is it that you are going to benefit from this?'

  `I get to be a friend to the king and not to mention brother-in-law to you. Also someone else becomes responsible for my sister's happiness and another two reasons that you will help me with when I need it.'

  `Any warnings what those might be?'

  He could see Victor debating whether to tell him or not. `I think I may have fallen in love with Wendy.'

  `You think...' The former was taken by surprise.

  `I've never liked anyone as much as I like her and maybe I'm just infatuated with her and it will pass.'

  `But you don't think so.'

  `Pretty much.'

  `So why would you need my help when obviously you have the answers to all the problems?' `Other people's problems.'

  `Okay,' Gorham leaned in. `What would you like me do?'

  `I may need you to talk to Henry for me.'

  `Henry, Wendy's father?' Victor didn't agree to the question nor deny it. `He's a wizard.

  What makes you think he would listen to me even if I were to talk to him?'

  `Because Diane's heart had always belonged to you and he knows it.'

  Gorham didn't buy that. If he could remember correctly then Diane's answer to another similar question had been that it was complicated. `Why would Henry be opposed to you?' `He's not.' `But?'

  `But,' Victor was defeated and the answer now just came tumbling out of his mouth. `I made a deal with him a long time ago and because of that, I had even closed the line when I kissed Wendy.

  I know she like me back and I would never force her into anything.'

  `You are forgetting that I was there the first day she laid eyes on you, but I am not to encourage you go after something that is not right. At least the time is not right. Henry might be protecting his daughter and he may very well be protecting you too.'

  `I don't see how.'

  `You said that she was in training?'

  `Yes, she was taken to Madison's Island for training.' Gorham needed him to explain. `It is some sort of a school for wizards where she is being taught how to muster her powers.' `Well, Victor, have you ever asked yourself what future queens go through?'

  `Training, I suppose.'

  Gorham exhaled deeply. `They are to be trained from childhood how to muster their powers, as you call it. Note that Wendy started her training months ago and she is expected to be ready in a few more months. She is supposed to accomplish so much within so little time.

  Not to mention that she has to muster the Izanami spirits within her as well as the wizard

  spirits.'

  `What if she can handle everything? I've seen her and I know she can.'

  `Do you want her to bear such a burden? To juggle her wizard training, Izanami training, queen's training as well as a relationship not forgetting that she has to decide if this is her world or where you took her?'

  `When you put it like that...'

  `Exactly. Henry may be doing what he thinks is best to lighten the load on her. It wouldn't hurt if you did the same.'

  `How? I was supposed to train her but I messed that up when Diane told me I had to kiss her.'

  `Not necessarily. Diane was a wise woman, even though it hurts me to admit it. She probably knew Henry had a plan B on how to train Wendy and she needed something from you that only you could give with the right emotional attachment. She needed somebody to have faith in her.'

  `Henry thinks she will become powerful enough to kill Madison.'

  `I take it Madison is very powerful?'

  `Yes.'

  `And who cares about this training anyway? You will take care of her if any harm was to head her way?' The answer was in Victor's eyes though he didn't say it. `Diane wanted somebody like that around her daughter. Someone who won't push until she cracks just like the queens were there for their daughters. Do you understand?'

  `It is annoying when you are right.'

  `I am in this throne because I am the voice of reason.'

  Victor narrowed his eyes at him. `I think a lot of Sidney's traits are rubbing off on you.' `Bragging?'

  `How'd you guess?'

  `Because I see the same thing every time I meet with you!'