Read Online Ruins of Camelot by G. Norman Lippert - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: G. Norman Lippert
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emphasis."
"What?" Gabriella asked impatiently. Darrick shushed her.
"That it had been a male wizard," the King answered gravely, "and that if he had not come, both you and my mother would not have lived to see another day. For reasons completely unknown to us, and by means we cannot guess, this mysterious magical visitor somehow saved your lives."
The group considered this revelation in silence for a long moment. Finally, Professor Toph cleared his throat and touched the small box again.
"For this reason, the mysterious snake sigil was kept and treasured, as much for its providential significance as its magical origin. We knew not what to do with it but could not justify its disposal. Finally, however, your father had an idea."
The King smiled and nodded for Toph to open the box. Gabriella watched intently, curious to see what the object actually looked like. Carefully, Toph dipped his hand into the box's velvet-lined interior. What he withdrew, however, was two small, black sigils, each dangling from a length of fine silver chain. Carrying them, he came around the desk, approaching Gabriella and Darrick.
"I determined," the King explained, "that if the mysterious talisman had been there to save your life as a child, then perhaps it should go with you as you begin your life as a woman."
"I broke its power," Toph said, holding the pendants out, one each, towards Darrick and Gabriella. "Divided, it is still magical, but only as a shadow of its former self. Now, reforged into matching halves, it is become anew. It represents you both, for like you, it is separate but of one heart."
Gabriella was slightly afraid to touch the dangling pendant, but when Darrick reached for his, easily and with obvious interest, she gingerly accepted her own. It was black, heavy in her hand, and still slightly warm to the touch. Hers was fashioned into the shape of a falcon in profile, its wings half-furled. Darrick's was in the form of a dragon, its tail curled around its flank. It was evident that both pendants, if placed together, would fit like puzzle pieces. One green emerald eye glittered from each half.
"Wear them from this day forth," Toph said solemnly. "Let them be a symbol of the love you bear for one another. They will be a bond between you: a beacon of help in time of need, a talisman of fortune as long as you both shall live, filling in the space between them with your living love."
Gabriella looked at the black pendant in her hand and then up at the eyes of Professor Toph where he stood before her. Despite his confident words, she thought she detected a note of nervousness in his smile. This was my father's idea, she thought to herself. Professor Toph is not comfortable with it. Only he knows the powers such a sigil might bear even in its broken state.
Next to her, Darrick bowed his head and slipped the silver chain around his neck. Gabriella looked aside at him, saw the black dragon shape where it lay on his chest. She blinked at it and then smiled. It looked very handsome there. In fact, it looked exactly right. He saw her looking and met her gaze, giving her that crooked, irreverent grin that had once so infuriated her and since commanded her deepest affection.
"Put it on, daughter," the King said gently, proudly. "It is my gift to you. Wear it all the days of your life, both of you. And may those days be very long and filled with happiness."
Gabriella turned to her father. Slowly, she lowered her chin and raised the pendant's chain over her head. She felt the warm weight of the sigil settle beneath her throat.
Darrick took her hand and squeezed it.
The story of Darrick and Gabriella—the blacksmith's son and the Princess—had spread amongst the people of Camelot, becoming necessarily embellished and romanticised, so that by the evening of the wedding, the castle courtyard had become a scene of spontaneous celebration. Those returning
"What?" Gabriella asked impatiently. Darrick shushed her.
"That it had been a male wizard," the King answered gravely, "and that if he had not come, both you and my mother would not have lived to see another day. For reasons completely unknown to us, and by means we cannot guess, this mysterious magical visitor somehow saved your lives."
The group considered this revelation in silence for a long moment. Finally, Professor Toph cleared his throat and touched the small box again.
"For this reason, the mysterious snake sigil was kept and treasured, as much for its providential significance as its magical origin. We knew not what to do with it but could not justify its disposal. Finally, however, your father had an idea."
The King smiled and nodded for Toph to open the box. Gabriella watched intently, curious to see what the object actually looked like. Carefully, Toph dipped his hand into the box's velvet-lined interior. What he withdrew, however, was two small, black sigils, each dangling from a length of fine silver chain. Carrying them, he came around the desk, approaching Gabriella and Darrick.
"I determined," the King explained, "that if the mysterious talisman had been there to save your life as a child, then perhaps it should go with you as you begin your life as a woman."
"I broke its power," Toph said, holding the pendants out, one each, towards Darrick and Gabriella. "Divided, it is still magical, but only as a shadow of its former self. Now, reforged into matching halves, it is become anew. It represents you both, for like you, it is separate but of one heart."
Gabriella was slightly afraid to touch the dangling pendant, but when Darrick reached for his, easily and with obvious interest, she gingerly accepted her own. It was black, heavy in her hand, and still slightly warm to the touch. Hers was fashioned into the shape of a falcon in profile, its wings half-furled. Darrick's was in the form of a dragon, its tail curled around its flank. It was evident that both pendants, if placed together, would fit like puzzle pieces. One green emerald eye glittered from each half.
"Wear them from this day forth," Toph said solemnly. "Let them be a symbol of the love you bear for one another. They will be a bond between you: a beacon of help in time of need, a talisman of fortune as long as you both shall live, filling in the space between them with your living love."
Gabriella looked at the black pendant in her hand and then up at the eyes of Professor Toph where he stood before her. Despite his confident words, she thought she detected a note of nervousness in his smile. This was my father's idea, she thought to herself. Professor Toph is not comfortable with it. Only he knows the powers such a sigil might bear even in its broken state.
Next to her, Darrick bowed his head and slipped the silver chain around his neck. Gabriella looked aside at him, saw the black dragon shape where it lay on his chest. She blinked at it and then smiled. It looked very handsome there. In fact, it looked exactly right. He saw her looking and met her gaze, giving her that crooked, irreverent grin that had once so infuriated her and since commanded her deepest affection.
"Put it on, daughter," the King said gently, proudly. "It is my gift to you. Wear it all the days of your life, both of you. And may those days be very long and filled with happiness."
Gabriella turned to her father. Slowly, she lowered her chin and raised the pendant's chain over her head. She felt the warm weight of the sigil settle beneath her throat.
Darrick took her hand and squeezed it.
The story of Darrick and Gabriella—the blacksmith's son and the Princess—had spread amongst the people of Camelot, becoming necessarily embellished and romanticised, so that by the evening of the wedding, the castle courtyard had become a scene of spontaneous celebration. Those returning
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