Quinn

Twenty minutes later and standing on the altar while the priest went on in his monotonous voice reading some boring verse about the gods and goddesses, I was still very dazed, as I stared fixedly on Aldric's hands—large, hard, rough, and warm—gently holding mine. I drifted my gaze across his broad chest up to his strong jawline to his sensual lips and then his eyes.

Our gazes locked, and I felt heat rushing through me. Gosh, I didn't know he had his eyes fixed on my face the whole time.

"Welcome, loved ones," the priest said. "We are gathered here today to join Lord Aldric and Lady Quinn in holy matrimony." He turned to Aldric and said, "Lord Aldric, please repeat after me." He read out the vow, and then Aldric repeated, his eyes on me.

"Quinn, I promise to cherish you always, to honor and sustain you, in sickness and in health, in poverty and in wealth, and to be true to you all things until death alone shall part us."

The priest turned to me and said, "Lady Quinn, please repeat after me." He read out the vow again, and then I repeated after him.

I said, "Aldric, I promise to cherish you always, to honor and sustain you, in sickness and in health, in poverty and in wealth, and to be true to you all things until death alone shall part us."

Phew! I remembered the script and didn't muck up.

"Now, it's time to exchange the rings," the priest said.

Rings? Holy shit! I had forgotten about the rings. I had been so busy with every other thing under the sun that I had never given a thought about the rings. I was about to summon a creation magic circle secretly and make a pair of gold bands when Vincent said, "The rings," and pulled out a lovely velvet box from the breast pocket of his jacket.

He opened the lid, and I saw a pair of elegant wedding bands. Aldric took one and gently slid it onto my finger. It was, obviously, too big, and I thought it was going to fall off when the band shrunk to fit my finger. Oh, a magic-type ring!

Aldric said, "With this ring, I, Aldric Templeton, take you, Quinn Fairchild, to be no one other than yourself. Loving is what I know of you, and trusting what I do not yet know, I will respect your integrity and have faith in your abiding love for me, through all our years, and in all that life may bring us."

Now it was my turn. I picked up the ring from the box and slid it on Aldric's finger. It fit him perfectly without changing size.

Holding his hand again, I said, my gaze locked with his, "With this ring I, Quinn Fairchild, take you, Aldric Templeton, to be no one other than yourself. Loving is what I know of you, and trusting what I do not yet know, I will respect your integrity and have faith in your abiding love for me, through all our years, and in all that life may bring us." I licked my lips once I was done, and I thought that that wasn't so bad.

The priest said, "In so much as Lord Aldric and Lady Quinn have consented together in holy wedlock and have witnessed the same before the gods and goddesses and this company, having given and pledged their faith, each to the other, and having declared same by the giving and receiving of rings, by the power vested to me by the Court of the Kingdom of Athol, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

This was it, I thought, and instead of closing my eyes, I refused to blink as Aldric leaned toward me. Our noses touching, he planted his lips against mine, and I sighed in pleasure.

His lips felt warm, and indeed soft—contrary to the look of hardness of him everywhere else, and though brief the kiss may be, I cherished it.

When he moved back, I licked my lips, wanting another. But, of course, not now since every pair of eyes were on us, and I didn't want to be seen so eager. I took a step back and then the signing of the marriage certificate began.

I vaguely remembered signing my name as Quinn Fairchild in the common written language, the one used by the majority of the countries in this world, before finding myself being congratulated by Vincent and Mr. Wakefield, not to mention the servants, too. Of course, not the Bedfords, which I had expected.

Not long after, I, along with Elizabeth and Maria, excused ourselves, and we dashed off to get changed into something more suitable for traveling. Aldric did want to leave for Norsewood as soon as the ceremony was done, after all.

Back in the bedroom, I sighed, feeling the tension and the excitement leaving me.

"That was intense, wasn't it?" Maria said.

"Mm-hmm." I nodded as I buttoned up my cute, elegant vest. Now wearing a pair of formfitting dark trousers, calf-length boots, a white blouse with frills about the sleeves, a vest, and a cravat, I thought I looked absolutely stylish. Maria, too, with her riding habit.

"Leave, you can't be here!" The sound of Elizabeth's shrill voice echoed across the rooms, and I looked at Maria. I knew something was wrong, and we rushed out the door and went into the sitting room to see Austin and Charles going off on Elizabeth.

"Please, my lords, leave," Mrs. Ross begged. "This isn't the place or time."

"Shut it!" Charles snapped, which caused Mrs. Ross to shrink back in terror.

Austin shouted, pointing a finger at Elizabeth, "You lied to us, to the whole family."

These two bastards! I couldn't believe they actually barged in here just to admonish Elizabeth, and I bet it was about Quinn's true gender. Ugh! What immature men they were.

"I never lied," Elizabeth said. "I merely dressed Quinn in boys' garments, but you lot jumped to the conclusion yourselves."

"You bitch!" Austin sneered.

Having spotted me, Charles said, leering, "I need to see for myself that she truly is a woman." He marched toward me, and I knew shit was about to hit the fan.

Come at me, you bastard, I thought. I'm ready to teach you a lesson with my elemental magic. It was about time I take my revenge on Quinn's behalf, after all.

Elizabeth intercepted by stepping in front of me before Charles got close. Her arms spread out, she said, "Don't you dare touch Quinn."

"Out of the way, bitch!" he snapped as he swung his arm wide.

His palm smacked Elizabeth's cheek, hard, throwing her to the side. I watched, enraged as Elizabeth landed on the floor, her cheek bruised red from the assault.

Behind me, Maria gasped and rushed over to Elizabeth while Mrs. Ross begged, "My lords, please stop."

"You've really done it now, you wretched man," I said through gritted teeth. I raised my hand and summoned a magic circle. I said, anger in my voice, "Windblast!"

A gust of powerful wind swirled from my magic circle and headed straight at Charles. He widened his eyes in shock as the wind struck him on the chest, propelling him back and smashing him against the wall with a thud.

He collapsed onto the floor, heaving. On the other side, Austin widened his eyes in shock at the sight. Trembling from head to toe, he turned on his heel and madly sprinted toward the door.

"Oh, no, you don't," I said and released another wind magic, slamming the door shut at the same time blasting another swirl, throwing him back until he landed smack against the wall where he fell to the floor.

I marched to Charles and then lowered myself, one knee pressing hard on his chest so he wouldn't escape. I leaned in close and said, "Listen here, you little shit. I have had enough of your pompous attitude. I will give you one warning. Don't you or your family ever lay your hands on us Fairchilds or even come near us again. If you do, I will make you and your family live a life of hell. Trust me, I have the power to do that."

Charles stared at me, petrified. He asked, his voice shaking severely, "You're... you're blessed. Since when?"

I smiled darkly at him. "Since that day you beat me. Thanks to you and your shitty brother, I met death and it is now awakened." I intimidated him by showing him one of my magic circles with a fireball lingering over him, threatening to destroy his face with a blast.

"Also," I added, "don't you ever mention my blessing to anyone, and I mean anyone at all. If you do, I'll know. If you do, I'll come back here and destroy everything that belongs to the Bedfords and will kill all of you. Do you understand me?"

He nodded furiously, swallowing hard.

I canceled the magic and the fireball. I tilted my head to one side, in serious thought. I said, "You know what, I don't think you'll ever change. I mean people don't usually change, even when faced with threats. I've learned that in my past life." I nodded my head, as if to reaffirm to myself what I was saying.

"Yes, I know for certain you and your brother will never stop being a bully and a dick and forcing yourself on unwilling girls." I chuckled, a smirk on my face. "I guess it runs in the family, huh? Like father, like sons." I snapped my finger and thumb as an idea popped into my head.

"I know," I said brightly. "Why don't we make it so that..." I trailed my hand downward until it lingered high above his crotch. "You'll never be able to get it up again? What do you think?"

If he looked petrified before, he was even more so now, and I swore his face had turned ghostly pale. "What... what do you mean?"

I said, "Oh, you know, so that you'll never, ever be able to perform the process of procreation again." I leaned in, and with a bright smile on my face, I said, as I summoned a magic circle, "Erectile dysfunction!"

The circle glowed, and Charles screamed, as if in severe pain, and then he fainted, plopping his head to the floor just like that.

"Oh my," I said, slapping his face to wake him up. "Charles. My dear Charles?"

No answer. I chuckled, amused. Now, I thought, and turned my attention to Austin. I strolled toward him as he furiously shook his head.

"No... Please, no..." he muttered.

I knelt beside him and said, "It's okay, Austin. I'm not going to hurt you like you did Quinn and Maria and Liam and Elizabeth so many times over the years. I'll just make you..." I shrugged. "Suffer every day and night with your inability to get your pride and joy up. I think you'll thank me for it later, since I'm so caring. It's for the good of this world, you know, that trash like you is being cleansed away. Besides, maybe after a few years, you'll realize you're suitable to be a monk?"

I lowered my hand and hovered it high over his crotch and was about to summon my magic when Maria's voice came from behind me.

"Quinn, before that..."

I turned to see her marching up to me. Her face a hard mask, she said, "Before that, before he faints like Charles, can I punch him in the face?"

I widened my eyes and then smiled. I said, "Go for it."

Her hands fisted tight, Maria came down as Austin stared at her, his eyes wide with fright. Maria raised her fist and then, as she sent it down, Austin shut his eyes.

Smack! Smack! Smack!

When she was done, she was smiling, and said, "That feels so good."

As she headed toward Charles, who was now conscious again and whimpering and wailing like a spoiled toddler, I watched Austin open his eyes, his face now bruised red. I asked, "How does it feel to be beaten by the girl you enjoyed bullying?" He didn't reply, and I continued. "So, anyway, where were we?"

He shook his head furiously. "No, wait, please. I'll do anything, but please not—"

"Erectile dysfunction!" I said and the magic did its work as Austin screamed mid-sentence. Then he fainted. Meanwhile, Maria was busy taking her revenge on Charles by smacking the crap out of him.

Goodness, but it was damn annoying to hear him crying and begging for mercy as if his life was about to end.

Mercy! Ha! Had he, his brother, or the other member of his family ever shown any sort of mercy, even just a little bit, toward Quinn, Maria, Elizabeth, or Liam when they had begged for mercy?

Leaving Austin there, I stood and went to see how Elizabeth was faring. She was sitting on the sofa now, with Mrs. Ross beside her, working on cooling down the hot, bruised cheek. I leaned forward, and with my hand closer to her skin, I said, "Heal."

The glow of mana flowed from my hand to her skin, and within seconds, her face was cleared of the pain and the bruise.

"Oh, my," Mrs. Ross said.

I said, "Please keep it a secret, Mrs. Ross."

She nodded. "Of course."

I straightened and then said, "Now, why don't you bring around Mr. Gray, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Wilson?"

"Mr. Gray, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Wilson?" Mrs. Ross asked.

I nodded. "Since you've been nothing but kind to us Fairchilds and have looked out for us for so long, I simply can't leave without giving something back. It's a thank you sort of thing."

Mrs. Ross shook her head. "There's no need to thank us, Quinn. We need to look after each other, servants like us."

While Mrs. Ross left to retrieve Mr. Gray, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Wilson, I checked out Maria's handiwork on Charles's face. There was bruising and swelling everywhere, and I chuckled in amusement. I turned to Maria and did a thumbs-up. "Good job," I said, and she giggled in response.

When Mrs. Ross returned with Mr. Gray, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Wilson, I did the only thing I could do as an appreciation of their kindness. I examined their blood, noting how severely lacking in some of the vitamins and minerals needed, and gave them pills, informing them they'd need to finish the course and that they cannot share them with anyone else as the pills were personalized for them.

As expected, Mr. Gray, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Wilson were stunned that I had been blessed and stated that I've been loved by the deities. Before parting, I also gave them ten gold coins each, hoping that'd aid in keeping their family well fed for a while or they could add to their retirement fund. Then we headed out, after Elizabeth had had a few farewell words with Mrs. Ross, promising to write letters as often as she could.

We went into the drawing room, since Aldric, Vincent, and Mr. Wakefield were there waiting. As I walked across the threshold, I did not miss both Calla and Iris sitting so very close to Aldric and Vincent, fluttering their lashes and smiling at the men as they chatted. It seemed their fear of Aldric had disappeared completely, and they were now unashamedly flirting.

I marched forward and called out softly, "Aldric."

Everyone in the room turned to look at me, and with a lovely smile on my face, I walked close to Aldric as the man stood. There, after giving both Calla and Iris a meaningful glare telling them to piss off and don't even attempt to steal my husband from me, I turned to Aldric and stood on tiptoe. With one hand gently cupping his gorgeous face, I planted my lips on his, kissing him softly and gently and sweetly. Once I was done showing my affection, I said, "Shall we get going?"

Aldric, his eyes on me, nodded. "Mm-hmm."

As Aldric, Vincent, and Mr. Wakefield headed to the door, I strolled toward Lord Bedford. Leaning close, I said, "Goodbye, Papa Pig. I hope to never see you again. Oh, and here's a parting gift." I summoned my magic circle and said, "Erectile dysfunction."

Instantly, Lord Bedford screamed in pain, and he collapsed to the floor.

"Dear!" Lady Bedford shouted.

"Papa!" Iris cried.

"What's wrong with him? Why did he just faint?" Calla asked.

I drew back and said, "Oh dear, he must be heartbroken that his beloved daughter is leaving." I snickered and then turned on my heel and headed toward Aldric.