Page 73 of Charmed

Seventeen

Stone and Persimmon were married a week later in Glint, the home of the elves. The Blackseed brothers and their families were there as well as Alaina the Queen of the Fae, and Lira’s Aunt Sasha who was the Elven Queen since Lira now ruled with her husband at Evandorm Castle.

“I knew you two would marry all along,” said Lira as they sat down at a long table in the courtyard for a feast. Lira had served as Persimmon’s maid of honor and Aithrod was Stone’s best man. Fang had walked down the aisle carrying a small box that had the ring in it that Elric had once given to Luna. Elric said he wanted Persimmon to have it as a remembrance of her mother, even if he and Luna had never been married. It still was a symbol of their love for each other.

“So, are the two of you ever going to want to go back to Taelgonoth?” asked Darium, smiling because he already knew the answer.

“Never,” Stone answered. “Aithrod and I decided that Mura is our home now.” Stone helped Persimmon to get seated and then reached down and petted Fang on the head. “Fang likes it better here, too.

“I was talking about you and Persimmon,” said Darium.

“Yes, Persimmon, you never told us how you felt when King Kapion told you he was your father,” said Talia, holding on to Darium’s arm. “Don’t you want to go back to get to know him?”

Persimmon looked over to Elric who sadly sat by himself, not even looking up. Ever since she had come through the portal and told everyone that King Kapion was really her father, Elric had become distant and sad. She didn’t like seeing him this way. She had always wished for the presence of a father in her life, and now that she finally got what she wanted she realized it wasn’t important anymore.

“King Helix Kapion is an evil man, just like my husband has said.” Persimmon reached over and kissed Stone. “So, nay, I don’t ever want to go back to Taelgonoth. Here is where I belong.”

“It’s a shame, sister, that you finally discovered you are a princess and now can’t do anything about it.” Lira sat down and her daughter Valindra climbed up on her lap.

“The only princess I want to be is the one I’ll be in Stone’s eyes.” Persimmon smiled and they kissed again. She looked up to see Elric slipping away. He seemed so sad that her heart was breaking.

“Elric, please come join us,” she called out. “I have something for you.”

“What?” The elf looked up in confusion.

Persimmon reached down and unclasped the bag of gemstones at her side and held it out. “I’d like to give the gemstones to you.”

“Why?” asked the elf. “Only the Chosen One, which is you, can use them. I’m sure you don’t want to give up all those powers.” He shuffled over. It was so odd to see the elf moving so slowly since he always zipped around at a high speed. The man seemed to be giving up all hope. He no longer had a spark of life within him.

“I don’t need them,” said Persimmon. “I want you to take them and give them back to the gods of Mura instead.”

“You do?” He approached the table, looking at her in question. “Why would you do such a thing?”

“So they can forgive you and so they will never take away your powers. Plus, we need you as sage of Mura. You are the wisest man we know.” She reached out and took his hands, tucking the bag between them.

“All right,” he said, and sighed. “Thank you.”

“Did Elric just say thank you?” she heard Rhys ask.

“He never says that. He must be sick,” Zann answered.

“Sister, where will you and Stone be staying now that you are married?” asked Lira.

“Well, I had hoped we’d be welcome here in Glint.”

“In the home of the elves?” asked Elric, looking up in surprise. “Why in the world would you want to stay here since you found out you are not even part elf?”

“I want to stay here to be close to my father,” she said with a big smile.

“What?” Elric wrinkled his nose as if he’d smelled something fowl. “Your father is in Taelgonoth, not Mura.

“Nay, that’s not true,” she told him.

“Persimmon? What are you saying?” asked Stone, obviously wondering where she was going with this.

“Since Stone and I professed our love for each other I’ve been able to scry using the gazing crystal. I am getting good at it and have seen a lot of things.”

“So what?” asked Elric.