“I don’t know…” Nimue began.
“But it was so much fun the last time. Don’t you want to go again?” Sophia pushed.
“But we had permission to go last time…” Nimue fretted, “besides, aren’t we supposed to have lessons with Remus again this afternoon?”
Sophia rolled her eyes, “do you really want to sit through that again? We’ve been going for weeks now,” she said, exaggerating a bit, “have you learned anything really useful?”
“Well…”
“Come on, don’t you want to have some fun?”
“But I…”
Sophia threw her hands up, “don’t you ever just want to do something because it will be fun, not because it’s what you’ve been told to do?!”
Nimue wrung her hands uncertainly. She knew she always did as she was told, her siblings constantly heckled her about it… “I guess, this once…”
“Great!” Sophia grabbed her hand and raced with the slightly younger girl down to the temple stables, “just be quiet and keep low, we don’t want to get caught,” she warned, as she slipped bridles on two of the horses.
“Can’t I ride with you again?” Nimue asked desperately.
“Nope, you’re going to learn how to ride solo today, come on.” Sophia led both of the horses around the side of the stable and down a gentle slope to the beach. “Here, I’ll give you a hand up,” Sophia laced her fingers to form an impromptu step, “give me your foot.” She gave Nimue a boost and once she was sure the timid girl was safely astride the horse, clinging to it’s mane as though her life depended on it, she easily swung herself up on her mount.
“Do you really think I can do this by myself?” Nimue asked nervously.
“Of course,” Sophia said, “just hang on and give her a little kick.”
“What if I fall off?”
“You won’t if you hang on.”
Nimue braced herself and gave her horse a gentle nudge with her heels.
“You have to do it harder than that,” Sophia said, getting impatient. “Like this!” She gave her own mount a kick and was soon racing down the beach.
“Don’t fail me now Gryffindor bravery…” Nimue whispered as she nudged her horse much harder this time. She let out a shriek as the horse took off much faster than she had been expecting.
~~~~~~~~~~~
“Do they really think they’re going to get away with this?” Remus asked as he watched from the window in Kalliope’s chambers high up on the hill. He slowly shook his head, wondering what the girls were thinking, while he watched them take off down the beach.
Kalliope joined him at the window, looking anything but pleased, “when those two get back…” she sighed, “I sent a messenger down to Cadmus, he’ll have two of his warriors follow them to make sure nothing happens.”
“Is this one of those instances where if they come back safe and sound you’re going to make sure they don’t stay that way for long?” Remus asked as he shot his wife a sideways glance.
“Most definitely.”
“Mind if I have a go at them first?”
Kalliope gave him a small smile, “miss that part of teaching that much, do you?”
Remus laughed, “no, I just think it might be good for Sophia to learn that there will be consequences at Hogwarts if she tries this sort of thing there.”
“So… it looks like you’re going to have a free afternoon since your students have flown the coop. What are you going to do with yourself?”
“That depends completely on what your plans are for the afternoon oh venerable priestess…”
“Well… there are always tasks and responsibilities for me at the temple. I should see to them.”
“I think they can manage by themselves for one afternoon…”
Kalliope rolled her eyes at him, “so… you think just because you know have time on your hands I’m supposed to rearrange my schedule to accommodate you?”
“No… I was just thinking that we don’t have too much longer before this one,” he splayed his hand across Kalliope’s slightly rounded stomach, “will be with us. I’d like to make the most of what little time I still have to be alone with you. Besides… I happen to know the high priestess personally… I’m sure she wouldn’t mind… considering the circumstances…”
Kalliope smiled up at him, “abusing your personal connections now, are you?”
“Of course.”
“Well… if you don’t think the high priestess will mind…”
“I think she’ll find it rather enjoyable…”
~~~~~~~~~~~
Eva was glad when she could slip her hands into Zach’s for the ceremony, they had been shaking so badly the entire day, but now she felt a strange sense of calm. And she was amazed at how steady her voice had been while she repeated her vows. Now she was content to gaze into Zach’s eyes as he repeated his.
“I Zach, take thee to my wedded wife, With this ring, I thee wed, This gold and silver, I thee give, With my body, I thee worship, With all my earthly goods, I thee endow.”
Zach gave his bride an encouraging smile as he slid the gold band over her finger, feeling the way her hand trembled within is. “Almost there now,” he whispered just loud enough for her to hear.
Eva returned his smile, completely oblivious to what the officiating wizard was now saying, and thankful that Zach apparently was paying attention. Especially when he leaned forward to brush a chaste kiss across her lips.
“And we made it,” he whispered before he straightened back up.
The next hour was a complete blur for both of the newlyweds. It was a very small group that had gathered to wish them well, but that was the way they had wanted it.
“My dear Eva, or should I now address you as my dear Mrs. O’Hara?” Alberto flashed a gold-toothed smile as he captured Eva’s hand and drew her away from Minerva McGonagall, “I was wondering if I could borrow you for a moment.”
“Borrow me?” Eva asked, looking not at all certain as to what Alberto was up to.
“Of course, it’s tradition. It wouldn’t be a proper wedding if I didn’t do my duty as best man and play a little game called ‘hide the bride’.”
“Alberto, ich denke…”
“Now don’t you worry,” Alberto said smoothly as he drew Eva out into the hallway, “I promise, you have nothing to worry about.”
“But Zach…”
“I’ll make sure he finds you eventually.”
Eva tried to protest, but Alberto didn’t give her a chance as he led her down the hall and to a small room.
“Sorry, can’t risk letting you get away,” he said with a grin as he confiscated her wand. And with that he turned and left the room, making sure that the door was locked behind him.
Eva tossed about the idea of banging on the door until someone came to find her. But knowing Alberto he had probably made sure to use a silencing charm. At least he had left her a chair, she thought ruefully, as she sank down in it to wait. However she couldn’t help but wish that he had at least left her with her wand. She felt very vulnerable without it.
~~~~~~~~~~~
“We should have left earlier,” Sophia said as she eyed the setting sun warily, she didn’t relish being out of the temple complex after dark.
Nimue didn’t bother to point out that she had suggested that they leave several hours ago and that it had been Sophia who insisted on staying longer, “well… we won’t get back too late.”
Sophia shifted uneasily as she watched her horse’s ears flick back and forth. She knew it wasn’t safe out here after the sun set, and apparently the horses knew it too, “stick close to me Nimue,” she ordered softly.
“What is it?” Nimue asked, instantly picking up on the older girl’s worried tone of voice.
Sophia shook her head, “I’m not sure… it could be a wild animal…” she shuddered and dropped her voice, “Theodora told me that the shades sometimes gain enough strength to walk the earth…”
Nimue, now feeling much more confidant on horseback, guided her mount so that she was only a couple of feet away from Sophia, “what is that light up ahead?” she asked in a soft voice.
Sophia narrowed her eyes as she watched the flickering light ahead of them, “it’s alright,” she breathed a sigh of relief, “there are a band of devotees who set up a camp on the far side of the acropolis, they’re a bit rough, but relatively harmless.”
“Are you sure?” Nimue asked in a small voice.
“Yep, they’re not human though.”
“What are they?”
“A band of satyrs,” a deep voice said from behind them, causing both girls to quickly turn around in terror.
“Cadmus! Don’t do that!” Sophia yelled at the warrior as Nimue released the hold on her wand.
“You two know better than to be off of temple grounds once the sun sets.”
“No one would dare hurt a priestess,” Sophia said as she shook her hair back, still upset at being taken by surprise.
“And neither of you are priestesses. I doubt the satyrs would harm you,” Cadmus said as he gestured to the flickering firelight in the distance, “but there are other creatures out here that would.”
“Well we’re fine,” Sophia insisted.
Cadmus smiled at her and started to chuckle, “well little novice, I’m not sure how good that is for you. You probably would have been better off if you’d come back with a few scratches or a broken limb. You might have been in line for some pity if you’d come back injured.”
~~~~~~~~~~~
“Alberto, I swear, if you don’t produce my wife this instant…” Zach brandished his wand threateningly.
“Alright, alright, calm down,” Alberto held his hands out in front of him, “she’s right in here,” he said as he turned the key and flung the door open.
Zach peered into the room, “this really isn’t funny, where is she?”
“What?!” Alberto quickly looked into the empty room, and started to panic “I swear Zach, I left her right here, there’s no way anything could have happened to her!”
“If anything happened to her…” Zach grabbed Alberto by the collar.
“Oh dear lord…” Alberto turned very pale.
“WHAT?!” Zach demanded.
“I took her wand,” Alberto said softly.
“So, you left her, locked in a room, completely defenseless?!” Zach pulled his own wand, not quite sure what he intended on doing with Alberto.
“I wouldn’t say I’m completely defenseless, I got out of the room, ja?”
“Are you alright?” Zach dropped his hold on Alberto and rushed over to his wife.
“Ja, I’m fine,” she assured him with a smile.
“Are you sure?” Zach pressed. He swore his heart had stopped when he realized Alberto had really lost her. Anything could have happened…
Eva gave him a small smile, “I’m sure, really,” she laid a reassuring hand on his arm. “Alberto…” she peered around her husband to smile at the still pale South American, “never lock a woman in a room the muggle way while she has a head full of hair pins, you’ll never keep her there.”
“Hair pins?” Zach asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Just a useful bit of knowledge,” she told him with a smile, “now… if I could have my wand back Alberto, bitte?”
“I can’t believe you did that,” Alberto said as he handed her wand back, “you scared me half to death.”
“Serves you right for trying to hide me from Zach,” she replied.
“Are you sure you want to trust him with Clara while we’re gone?” Zach leaned down to whisper.
“Hey! I heard that!” Alberto said as he crossed his arms over his chest.
“I’m not worried. I’m sure Meg will keep a close eye on him,” Eva smiled sweetly at the two men, still glowing from the fact that she was now married.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
