《The Lightning Witch》 Static Charge Jason cursed as he burned himself on the hot iron he was supposed to be turning into nails. In his defense, Daramethe just walked past, he was seventeen, and she was beautiful. Not that a journeyman mage had any use for an apprentice blacksmith, but he could dream, and dream he did. It wasn¡¯t like she would ever notice him anyway. She deserved a lord, or a mastermage. Someone special. He rescued his iron bar from the floor and shoved it back into the forge with a sigh, and waited for it to heat up again. Nails. The endless task of any apprentice. Even horseshoes would be better, but their town was too small to need that many, let alone the more complicated work that the By the time the iron was hot, his focus was back where it belonged, and he resumed his work with only a little resentment. ¡°Excuse me? Your name is Jason, yes?¡± Jason burned his fingers on his iron again and cursed even as it hit the floor with a clang. When he turned, it was to see Daramethe watching him with a concerned expression on her pretty face. He felt his cheeks heat. Bad enough to burn himself, but in front of the pretty mage? He wished the ground would open up and swallow him. But she knew his name. He didn¡¯t know she knew his name. ¡°Are you alright?¡± she asked and immediately set her basket aside so she could take his hand in both of hers. Blisters were raising on his reddened skin, and she hummed softly. ¡°This is a nasty burn.¡± She was holding his hand! Maybe getting burned wasn¡¯t so bad! ¡°It¡¯s just part of the job,¡± Jason hurried to reassure her and tried to get his teenaged brain to work when faced by the young women he admired so much. ¡°I¡¯m a smith. Burns are expected. I mean, I don¡¯t like them, but it¡¯s alright.¡± She smiled and looked up at him, face shrouded by her cascade of black hair. Her hands were very small compared to his and Jason was careful to keep his strength under control. He forgot himself sometimes, and the last thing he wanted was to hurt her. ¡°I could heal it,¡± she offered shyly, like she wasn¡¯t sure how he would take it. ¡°I know most people are afraid of magic, but it¡¯s really a very small magic and you need your hands to do your work-¡° ¡°If you¡¯re sure you don¡¯t mind,¡± Jason cut her off gently, willing to do just about anything to keep her talking to him. ¡°I mean, I might be used to it, but they still hurt.¡± ¡°Just so,¡± Daramethe murmured, and closed her eyes. Soft green light glowed around her fingertips and coolness soothed over Jason¡¯s skin as she eased away the sting of his burns- both the new one, and, to his surprise, every other bump and bruise he had collected in the last week. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do all that,¡± he told her, taken aback, although pleased. ¡°It was just bruises and bumps.¡± ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to,¡± Dara looked up at him, suddenly nervous of his reaction. No need to wonder why. Magic was viewed with a great deal of suspicion, and the unexpected healing could get a very poor reaction from the wrong person. ¡°You- your body takes magic very well. I mean- you¡¯re easy to heal-¡° Jason couldn¡¯t help but laugh as she stumbled over herself and curled his fingers around hers. ¡°Thank you.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. The quiet thanks stopped Daramethe¡¯s stammering and brought that sweet, shy smile back to her lips. She had dimples when she smiled for real, and Jason was completely charmed by her. She was still holding his hand and he didn¡¯t want her to let go. ¡°Could I- would you maybe-¡° now he was stammering, but she was still smiling so it was alright. ¡°Can I take you for a drink this evening? It would just be at the tavern, but I mean-¡° ¡°Yes,¡± it was her turn to cut off his stammering with a simple answer he never expected. Her eyes seemed very, very blue and cheeks were pink. ¡°I would like that very much.¡± She said yes. She said yes! Jason managed not to jump for joy, but he did smile brightly and ignored the way his fellow apprentices were laughing at them behind his back. It wasn¡¯t like they were blind to the pretty apprentice mage, but they hadn¡¯t gotten the nerve to talk to her, and he had. Daramethe could see them too, and her smile dimmed when she heard the laughter. ¡°This¡­ isn¡¯t a joke, is it?¡± she asked hesitantly and Jason¡¯s heart sank. ¡°If it is, please just tell me.¡± ¡°it¡¯s not a joke,¡± he told her quickly and stepped to block her view of the other apprentices. ¡°It¡¯s not a joke. I¡¯ve been trying to get the courage to talk to you since you arrived and they¡¯re assholes and you¡¯re so beautiful-¡° ¡°Do you promise?¡± she asked carefully, intelligence bright in her eyes as she watched him, but her cheeks were pink again when she realized he had called her beautiful. ¡°Jason¡­¡± Jason wanted to take his hammer to whoever played such a cruel joke on her, but he didn¡¯t think telling her that was the very best plan. Maybe it was. She might like the thought, even if he wasn¡¯t able to actually do it. ¡°I will never lie to you,¡± he promised instead. ¡°I understand if you don¡¯t believe me, but I promise I really do want to take you for a drink tonight, and maybe every night after that if you¡¯ll let me.¡± Finally, finally her little smile came back, and she squeezed his hand gently. There was a faint buzz to her skin and Jason realized it must be her magic. ¡°Let¡¯s start with tonight,¡± she murmured shyly, taken aback by his honesty. ¡°But if we still like each other after tonight, maybe.¡± ¡°Maybe is all I ask,¡± he told her, and reluctantly let go of her hand. ¡°Now, you came over for a reason, and I don¡¯t think it was to see me burn myself.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t,¡± Daramethe straightened, more confident now that they were on safer ground. ¡°I need iron shavings, and a dozen nails.¡± ¡°Does it matter how big they are?¡± he questioned, and went for the nails he made only minutes before. Iron shavings were easy, the forge always had a wealth of shavings waiting to be melted down into bar-stock. ¡°No, as long as the head is large enough to scribe a rune.¡± He handed her one of the nails for her to look over, and collected eleven more when she nodded her approval. ¡°How much of the shavings do you need?¡± She produced a small glass jar and proffered it even as she tucked the nails into her basket. Jason filled it quickly and handed it back to her. ¡°Perfect, thank you!¡± ¡°Of course,¡± he said cheerfully and leaned against his anvil. ¡°Coin or trade?¡± ¡°Trade,¡± Daramethe replied, and pulled several smaller jars out of her basket. ¡°This is burn ointment. I thought it might be helpful before, but now I know for sure.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he agreed, and accepted the trade willingly. If it was a bigger transaction, he might have called his mastersmith to oversee, but any apprentice could sell nails. ¡°Let me know if you need more; we¡¯re always making nails.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like burn ointment for mages,¡± Daramethe giggled as she settled her basket over her arm. ¡°Apprentice-work is always in demand, even after you¡¯re done being an apprentice.¡± ¡°Always,¡± Jason agreed wryly. ¡°Let me know if you need nails with bigger heads. It¡¯s easy.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do just that,¡± she said and hesitated before standing on her toes to kiss his cheek, blushing furiously. ¡°I will see you tonight?¡± ¡°Tonight,¡± he promised, one hand going to where she kissed him even as a stupid smile spread across his lips. ¡°I¡¯ll be there at sundown.¡± ¡°Sundown it is,¡± she beamed, and then she was gone, off on her other errands. Jason watched her go for a long minute, and turned back to his work, far to smug to be angry when the other apprentices immediately began teasing him. Jason ignored them even as he shoved his iron back in the forge and started to whistle. She kissed him. Maybe he had a shot after all. First Strike ¡°Jason!¡± Jason jerked, burned himself, and cursed as he looked up to see who had burst into his forge. It was Irra, the healer¡¯s apprentice. The young woman was frazzled, and frightened. Her eyes were wild when they fixed on him. ¡°It¡¯s Daramethe,¡± she said hurriedly before he could ask. Immediately he dropped his hammer and followed when she beckoned him. ¡°She¡¯s been struck by lightning- no one can get near enough to help her!¡± ¡°Where?¡± Jason demanded as adrenaline flooded him. Not his wife. Not Dara. ¡°Where is she?!¡± ¡°On the cliffs. Jason-¡° He took off at a run and whatever she might have said was lost behind him. Thunder rolled overhead, as it did every summer, but this was different. The clouds flashed and roared, a sickly color of purple-green that Jason couldn¡¯t see from inside, and which were a sure sign of something gone terribly wrong. The cliffs were a far run, but Jason knew the way. It was Dara¡¯s favorite place to meditate and practice her magic. The trail twisted and turned, and once he fell badly as his heavy boots caught a root. Undeterred, he scrambled to his feet and kept running, with no time to let the burn in his lungs slow him down. When he cleared the trees, it was to a scene of panic. Kellen, the healer, and their village hedge-witch Tier, spoke together in hushed tones. Not that the tone mattered, as black lightning crashed down again and again and the ground quaked with the thunder that followed. His wife knelt on the burned ground, screaming, hands buried in her black hair as lighting struck her over and over. Her dress glittered with sparks, and the ground burned into black glass around her. Whatever sense of self-preservation Jason might have had evaporated at the sight of his beloved wife, screaming silently in the blaze of magic she couldn¡¯t control. He ran forward, and didn¡¯t even feel when Kellen tried to stop him. Dara would never hurt him. Even during their occasional fights, the worst that ever came was a shattered bowl. Between bolts, he lunged forward and dragged Dara into his arms in a vain attempt to protect her. When the lightning cane again, it burned. Blisters raised on his shoulders where he took the brunt of the force, but he didn¡¯t relent. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Let me go!¡± Dara screamed, and tried to shove him away. Tiny silver bolts crackled away from her eyes like tears and Jason kissed them even as another bolt blasted through them both. ¡°Let me go, let me go!¡± ¡°Never!¡± He yelled into her ear over the thunder. ¡°I won¡¯t let it take you!¡± ¡°Let me die!¡± she wailed brokenly, but her fingers tangled in his shirt. ¡°I¡¯m Cursed- you have to let it take me!¡± ¡°Never!¡± Jason yelled again, and buried a hand in her hair. ¡°You¡¯re not cursed! You¡¯re my wife!¡± ¡°I¡¯m the Twice-Struck,¡± she sobbed, and tried again to shove him away. With strength born from desperation and years as a smith, he held on. ¡°I¡¯m going to destroy everything- you have to kill me!¡± ¡°You¡¯re my Dara,¡± Jason insisted, and cursed blackly when the lightning came again. He didn¡¯t know if she was bringing it down on them, or if t was completely out of control. Maybe it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°I don¡¯t care about anything but that. If you¡¯re cursed, we¡¯ll find a way to deal with it, but I will never kill you. Never.¡± There seemed to be longer between lightning strikes now as his wife cried her pain into his shoulder and he held her close. ¡°When Lightning strikes Twice, so shall the Thunder come and blacken the Skies. Only the Sun will come, to hold back the Lightning Witch and her Evil.¡± It was Tier, who had ventured near. He was afraid. His voice shook. Jason waved him away from he as the words brought a fresh flood of tears from Dara. ¡°You¡¯re the Sun,¡± she choked out as he stroked her hair and lifted her into his lap. She was smaller than people thought, and he was stronger. ¡°I¡¯ve always known. I can see it burning in you. Your goodness and strength. The prophesy is about us- and I¡¯m the Witch.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about a stupid prophesy,¡± Jason told her firmly. The edges of their clothing was burned, and the air crackled with static, and he ignored it all to pull out his handkerchief. Her lightning-tears we¡¯re slowly turning back to normal ones, and he dried them tenderly. ¡°I swore to live and protect you when we married. Nothing will change that.¡± ¡°But you have to,¡± Dara trembled. Her throat was raw from screaming and her eyes were red. Jason had never lived her more. ¡°Before I hurt anyone.¡± ¡°Nothing in that prophesy says you¡¯ll hurt anyone,¡± he told her firmly and gathered her up in his arms. ¡°Thunderstorms are always dark, and I ¡°I will be,¡± she insisted sadly. ¡°I feel it, waiting.¡± ¡°It can wait longer,¡± Jason said, and stood. ¡°If the Sun is supposed to hold it back, and I¡¯m the Sun, it can wait forever. Can¡¯t be more stubborn than my damn fool apprentice.¡± Dara laughed wetly and sniffled into his handkerchief. ¡°I love you.¡± ¡°I love you too,¡± Jason murmured, and kissed her forehead as he started back down the trail with Kellen and Tier drifting nervously behind him. ¡°Lightning all done?¡± ¡°For now,¡± she hedged sadly. ¡°I can still feel it.¡± ¡°Tell it to piss off until you¡¯ve had some food and some sleep.¡± ¡°Will you stay with me? Even now?¡± She sounded so sad, and so scared. It broke Jason¡¯s heart and he held her closer. ¡°Forever,¡± he swore without hesitation. ¡°If you turn evil and burn down the kingdom. If you ARE the Lightning Witch, or just the Green Lady in our little cottage. I will always stay, as long as you want me.¡± ¡°I will always want you beside me,¡± she whispered, and pressed her nose into the forge-burned cloth of his shirt. ¡°Forever.¡± He kissed her forehead, and then the tip of her nose. ¡°Now, we are going home, and I am making you some of that tea you gave me when I was sick, and then we¡¯ll talk about this prophesy Garden Storm The scream sounded more alarmed than pained. Jason looked up from the silver he was carefully twisting into shape. His little forge at home was better for the delicate work. It was just easier without the apprentices banging about. He didn¡¯t resent them for it of course, being a blacksmith was, by necessity, somewhat loud, but it was difficult to braid a dozen strands of hair-fine silver together with that much noise around him. Of course, it would seem that practicing magic wasn¡¯t always as quiet as he thought. Daramethe was having some difficulties. When Jason poked his head around the half-wall that separated his forge from their little garden, he had to stifle a laugh. His wife, supposedly a terrible and feared sorceress who would destroy the world, had a little thunderstorm, directly over her head. ¡°Go away,¡± she hissed, and batted at it fruitlessly. As if offended by her attempts to get rid of it, the dark little cloud began to drip mournfully. ¡°No! No nonono¡­ don¡¯t you dare-¡° There was a miniature crack of lightning that vaporized a handful of Dara¡¯s wildly out-of-control mint patch, and the downpour started in earnest. Dara shrieked and tried to run for cover, but the determined little cloud followed her everywhere she went. Jason burst out laughing at the sight of his dripping wife, head surmounted by a tiny thunderhead, with little lightning strikes bouncing down around her. She heard him, and turned, the picture of cold, wet unhappiness. ¡°My spell is not working,¡± she said miserably, and wrapped her arms around herself despite the warmth of the summer sun that warmed the garden and filled the air with the scent of herbs. ¡°At all.¡±This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°You mean you didn¡¯t mean to summon rain?¡± Jason set his work aside, still choking on his laughter as he went to his wife. ¡°But just think how much trouble this will save on the watering. Just walk around the garden a bit and it will save so much time.¡± A particularly impressive bolt of lightning blasted out of her thunderstorm and burned a trailing pattern into the wood of Jason¡¯s woodworking table. He was glad there was nothing on the table, and took the warning for what it was. Dara always did have a temper, especially when she was cold. He stepped into her rainshower and stroked her wet hair out of her eyes, and kissed her forehead. ¡°Not even a smile for me?¡± he teased his frustrated wife gently, and kissed both her eyelids. ¡°I thought it was funny.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t get it to go away,¡± Dara hissed spitefully up at the cloud that, obligingly, had moved off her head and high enough for Jason to fit under it with her. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to be the lightning witch, not the ¡®personal-rainshower¡¯ witch!¡± ¡°This is more useful. Look how happy your mint is.¡± ¡°Lightning, Jason.¡± ¡°You seem to be doing that pretty well,¡± he observed, and wrapped her in his arms, ignoring her muttered threats, and the cold rain that was soaking through his shirt. No wonder she was grumpy. It was practically sleet. ¡°Well, I suppose there¡¯s nothing for it.¡± ¡°What-¡° Before she could ask what he was up to, Jason swept her into his arms and whirled around the garden until his wife shrieked with laughter and held on. Not for the first time, he was glad that she was so tiny. He loved carrying her around. It was a surefire way to make her laugh. The raincloud followed them gamely, rumbling furiously as Jason carried his wife around the garden until everything was watered and they were both breathless. Jason set Daramethe down, and smiled as she giggled into his shirt, hiding little snorts as she tried to catch her breath. When she looked up, he kissed her, slow and sweet. When he looked again, her raincloud was gone. ¡°Just had to think of something else,¡± he whispered when she realized that they weren¡¯t getting any wetter and burst into a delighted smile. ¡°We needed to wash up anyway. A little more water won¡¯t hurt anything.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you something to think about,¡± she threatened playfully, and lightning crawled down her long hair, over his hands as she backed him inside and towards their bedroom. ¡°Get inside, Mastersmith. If I¡¯m to do the washing, I will need all your clothes!¡± Black Lightning on the Horizon Jason tucked his wife closer to his side and did his best to shelter her from the pelting rain that was half a winter¡¯s breath from being sleet. It didn¡¯t work much, but Dara shuffled until she could fit inside his coat with him, and that was warmer, even if they were both soaked. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± He asked into her ear. The whole town had been ushered into the square by armored soldiers. A LOT of armored soldiers- who seemed to be looking for something. Or someone. Jason had a bad feeling about all this. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Dara whispered back. She was afraid, and her fingers tangled in his forge-singed shirt. ¡°They rounded up everyone. I was at home making a potion for Yenna.¡± Their cottage was out on the very edge of the forest. Not a long trek, but not one that was easily found if you didn¡¯t already know where it was. A man, taller than the rest and clad in golden armor, stepped up on the stage they usually used for musicians during feast days. His hair was as pale as his skin and had a strange way of making him look like a ghost-made-man. ¡°I am the Hammer of the Sun,¡± he announced regally, and Jason¡¯s bad feeling turned into full-on alarm. ¡°My name is Aur. I am the king of these lands and was chosen by divine right!¡± His words got a mixed reaction from the townsfolk, as the few who knew the Prophesy shifted nervously, and everyone else tried to figure out why their mages suddenly looked so shifty. Jason pulled his wife closer and started looking around for a quick way out of the square. The Hammer of the Sun was supposed to be the enemy of the Lightning Witch. The same Lightning Witch who trembled like a leaf against his chest, and who put off little bolts when she laughed so hard she cried. They could have his wife over his dead body. ¡°I have come to deliver you from her tyranny,¡± the king continued like he was just warming up. ¡°Even in Sunhold, I have heard that the Witch is here.¡± They were almost to the edge of the square, when the tomato flew out of the cloud and splattered against the golden breastplate with unnerving aim. ¡°You leave our witch alone!¡± It was Yenna. Heavily-pregnant Yenna, who was a fair hand with a mace, and had biceps like corded steel from a lifetime as a baker. Yenna, who¡¯s morning sickness was only eased by Dara¡¯s potions. Dead silence filled the square, and then soldiers began pushing through the crowd towards the pregnant baker. Jason froze, torn between protecting his friend, and protecting his wife. Daramethe had no such compunctions. As the first soldier went to grab the pregnant woman, a flash of lightning split down out of the sky and left ozone and blackened stone in its wake even as thunder roared so loud it nearly flattened the crowd. ¡°Leave her alone!¡± Dara cried fiercely. The townsfolk scattered back from her as little blue bolts began crawling over her skin and down her hair. ¡°I¡¯m here!¡± Aur wasted no time. He drew his sword and lept off the platform. The crowd swirled, and angry shouts filled the air, but no one wanted to charge the well-armed soldiers with nothing but what they carried. ¡°Kill her!¡± Aur roared, and Jason only had enough time to grab up a long board to stop that heavy sword from coming down on his wife. ¡°You¡¯re not the Hammer of the Sun,¡± he grunted, and got his footing. Aur stares at him, and tried to free his sword from the hardwood plank. With his feet planted, Jadon wasn¡¯t going anywhere, and when he brought his own forge-born strength to bear, the golden-armored man slid back step by step no matter how much he scrambled. ¡°And if you lay a single damn hand on my wife, I¡¯ll melt down your armor with you inside it.¡± ¡°Jason, no!¡± Dara cried, but then she was bring her magic up to fend off the soldiers who converged on her. ¡°Stay away!¡± ¡°Like hell!¡± Jason hollered back, and discovered that this gold-plated buffoon couldn¡¯t match his strength. Righteous anger, maybe. ¡°Get out of here!¡± ¡°Not without you!¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Aur stared between them, stunned, and then a cruel light came to his eyes. ¡°Kill the blacksmith!¡± ¡°No!¡± Dara screamed, and black clouds tumbled into being above her even as the wind picked up. The mud under foot turned thin and slick as the rain turned to a thunderous downpour. Jason tossed his head to get the water out of his eyes, and shoved Aur to the ground. When he turned, it was to a dozen soldiers, clad in good armor, and armed. ¡°Stay away from my wife,¡± he spat, and braced himself. If he died here, he died here. Dara would have a chance to run. ¡°She wasn¡¯t hurting anyone!¡± The soldiers didn¡¯t listen. Jason raised his board, but he already knew it wouldn¡¯t be enough, as a heavy battle axe cleaved down towards him. Black lightning cut a blinding path through the air, and suddenly the soldier was gone, and a melted puddle of armor and ashes remained. ¡°Get away from him.¡± Dara stepped forward, her frantic fear replaced by something dark and raging. The rain seemed to cling to her slim form, and then Jason realized that her simple dress had turned to slick black silk. Lightning crackled around her like a pet and glittered like diamonds. Her expression was one of pure murder. The soldiers hesitated. One was foolish enough to raise his spear, and was gone in a blaze of lightning between one blink and the next. The rest decided that retreat was less likely to get them killed. Aur struggled out of the mud in time to see the last of his soldiers take off at a run, presumably to where their horses waited. ¡°I am the Hammer of the Sun!¡± He bellowed after them, and whirled on Jason with madness in his eyes. ¡°You! We would have had her if not for you!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not the Hammer of the Sun,¡± Jason wasn¡¯t sure how he knew. Maybe it was Dara¡¯s certainty that Jason WAS. ¡°If you were, you could see that there¡¯s no tyranny here. Just a wood-witch with a knack for charms. You would see that the only darkness is the kind you brought with you.¡± ¡°She is a demon!¡± Jason might have punched him for that, but Dara¡¯s hand landed on his arm and drew him back. Instead, she looked the golden man up and down. ¡°Perhaps you are wrong about both of us,¡± she said, barely loud enough to be heard above the pouring rain and the thunder that rolled overhead. ¡°I am not a demon, and you are not the Hammer of the Sun. And you should not have tried to kill my husband.¡± Every hair on Jason¡¯s arms stood upright when the black lightning came again, this time so close he felt the heat of it on his face. When he looked again, the golden king was gone, cooked in his own armor. Dara stared at the remains, and Jason saw something deadly in her eyes. Something that challenged her shaken control. The ghost of what she was, rising to fulfill a prophecy that would mean her death at his hands. Instead, he cupped her face as if she was made of spiderweb and glass, and kissed her tenderly. The thunder boomed once more, but it was half-hearted compared to moments before. The sky lightened, and so did the rain. When Jason opened his eyes, it was to his wife¡¯s fragile smile, and her fingers against his pulse-point. ¡°Down with the lightning for now?¡± He asked, and her fragile smile turned into fragile giggles, and he felt accomplished. Maybe later he would be afraid. He might be angry that these people came to kill them on nothing but rumor. Maybe not. You had to beat steel into shape before it became something useful, and a hammer was good for beating things. ¡°Miss Dara?¡± It was Yenna. Pregnant Yenna, who liked Dara and her potions and didn¡¯t have enough sense to stay back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry they tried to hurt you,¡± Dara said in reply, and let Jason tuck her into his arms, possessively. If the townsfolk decided they were a problem, he would be between them and her when they did. ¡°But that was a good shot, with the tomato.¡± Yenna cracked a grin and held out a hand to them. ¡°I thought so too,¡± she said cheerfully when Dara took it, and let Yenna tug her forward for a loose hug. ¡°So, Lightning Witch?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m the twice-struck witch from the prophesy.¡± ¡°Everyone into the inn. We have talking to do! You don¡¯t seem like the tyranny sort,¡± Yenna announced, and herded then towards the inn. A force to be reckoned with, the town mostly decided to follow her lead. ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Dara promised. She trampled in the cold, and from the exertion of her magic, and Jason was glad when they got inside. ¡°Well, that¡¯s good. Because it seems to me we need a new king. What with this one getting melted and all.¡± Jason tripped over a bench and barely caught himself before taking a fall. Dara gave him a very concerned stare, and let Yenna press a mug of hot wine into her hands. Around them, the room buzzed as everyone got settled. ¡°Are you... are you suggesting I take the throne?¡± Dara asked tentatively, and huddled into Jason¡¯s side when he sat beside her. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to rule.¡± ¡°So get some decent counselers,¡± Yenna waves her concern away like smoke. ¡°You have the power, clear enough. And you can¡¯t be worse than that guy, or the one before him. Remember how he trampled Turrin¡¯s fields during that big hunting party, and never gave him so much as a bent penny for ruining a whole winter¡¯s store?¡± ¡°Ye-es,¡± Jason said. That had been a bad winter, but they all banded together, and while it was lean, no one starved. ¡°But ruling?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t be harder than learning magic.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be so sure,¡± Dara was still hesitant, but Jason heard a note of curiosity there too. ¡°The prophesy...¡± ¡°Says that the Sun will hold back your darkness.¡± Kellen, the village healer stepped forward out of the eavesdropping crowd and took a seat. He was old, and tired, and very wet. Jason trusted his counsel more than almost anyone else¡¯s. ¡°Anyone there today knows full well, you acted only to protect. You do that for the kingdom, and we¡¯ll be well off.¡± ¡°Who were you before you were a healer?¡± Jason cocked a wry smile at him, and didn¡¯t expect an answer. ¡°That you know about ruling.¡± ¡°I was, and am, nobility,¡± Kellen said cheerful now that he had a mug of wine and a fire to warm up at. ¡°A duke, in fact. And I think our Dara would do just fine. With some good hands to help.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a queen!¡± Dara protested weakly. ¡°I don¡¯t know how I would even go about it! I¡¯m common-born!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help,¡± Kellen promised. ¡°I still have friends at court. And this young bastard was the latest rotten branch of a rotten tree. You did us all good by looping him off!¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Jason added his voice to their group, but mostly his words were for his wife. ¡°You think we can do this? Let¡¯s plan it out and see where the weak welds are. Yenna, do you have a private room left for us? This will take time, and wine.¡± Storm Breaking The gates of the castle rose up huge in front of them, and Jason tried to wrap his mind around the path that brought them to this moment. The moment that turned his sweet witch of a wife into the terrible Lightning Witch that was so dreaded. ¡°we don¡¯t have the resources for a siege.¡± Kellen was at his side as always, ready to advise him and, more importantly, Daramethe. After all, she was the reason they stood before the gates of the Golden City, capitol of their kingdom and home to the king who, only weeks earlier, tried to have them killed for the crime of existing. ¡°we don¡¯t need to hold a siege,¡± Dara said in the terrible, cold voice that sent a shiver down Jason¡¯s spine. Lightning crackled over her hands and down her cascade of hair. ¡°Stand back.¡± Kellen¡¯s men, called up from his duchy and those of his allies, scattered away as the hair rose on their arms and the blue sky clouded over. Jason, didn¡¯t move, even when Kellen tugged at him. He was the Hammer of the Sun, and more importantly, he refused to believe that his Dara would ever allow her magic to harm him. Thunder roared overhead as Dara lifted her hands to the sky, and a bold blasted down into her. The hard dirt under her feet fused into glass, and she turned the force of nature against the barred gates. Metal liquified as lightning blasted along it, and the wood exploded to fall in burning chunks around them. The wall of men behind the gate caught the next blast, and purple sparks leapt from metal breastplate to metal breastplate and left glowing almost-trails behind them. No one ever thought about how much metal there really was on an average soldier.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Well, Jason did, but he was a blacksmith. It was his job to think about metal. Dara was the wife of a blacksmith, and she thought about it too. Lightning crashed down from the sky over and over as their small, determined army pressed forward with their Witch at the head. They were good fighters to a man, and there was no motivation like seeing their leader blast through gates that had held against countless armies before theirs. Jason stood beside her through every bolt, used to the heat and armored in absolute trust for his beloved wife. When one enemy soldier got brave enough to shoot at them, he lifted his shield and felt the bolt bury itself deep in the wood. Daramethe saw it too, and her scram of rage was almost lost in the thunder of a nearly-black bolt that vaporized the unlucky archer. Jason bent to kiss her because battle or no, he would be at her side until they died. She managed a tremulous smile that told him there would be nightmares to weather tonight. That was alright. They weren¡¯t the first. ¡°Move forward!¡± Kellen bellowed, a capable commander and one of the few Jason really trusted. ¡°To the castle!¡± Troops cheered around them and Jason just fought to stay close to his wife. Dara was starting to get tired, and it would be easy to lose her in the crowd. Battle mages trained for war, but Dara hadn¡¯t been anything but a green-witch until that fateful Second Strike that woke her real power. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Jason yelled over the cheer, and got an arm around Dara¡¯s shoulders. She leaned into him gratefully and twined their fingers together like she never wanted to let go. ¡°Dara?¡± ¡°Ready to be done,¡± she admitted when he pulled her into a protected doorway. The fighting could go on without them for a minute. Kellen saw them pull aside and got their small command group to form a protective circle. After all, if Daramethe went down, so did their best chances at victory. ¡°Jason, I¡¯m so tired.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Jason murmured and kissed her tenderly. ¡°Just a little longer. When we take the castle, I¡¯ll find you a hot bath and feed you berries until sundown.¡± ¡°You say the sweetest things,¡± she teased back, smiling for real despite herself. The lightning took a lot out of her, and he was doing his best to keep her spirits up. ¡°I¡¯ve never had a bath in a real copper tub before.¡± ¡°Maybe they¡¯ll even have a stone one big enough for us both,¡± Jason suggested, and peppered her face with kisses. ¡°Ready to go find that bath?¡± ¡°Show me the way,¡± she replied and straightened. Jason felt a welling of pride fill his chest at her determined face. ¡°The time has come to make this kingdom a good place to live." Copper Pipes ¡°There is something to be said for knowing you cannot possibly be worse than your predecessor.¡± Jason looked up from his small workstation as his wife walked in. Dara was gowned in white today, which set off her milky skin and raven-black hair strikingly. A small, glittering tiara was pinned into her hair, and she looked both frustrated, and exhausted. ¡°You¡¯re doing a good job,¡± he offered, dropping a cloth over his current project before she could see it, and came cover to wrap her in his arms. She sighed and pressed her face into his shoulder as the tension slowly faded out of her small body. ¡°I hear it down in the forges, and at the market. The people don¡¯t know what to make of you yet, but they¡¯re tentatively hopeful.¡± ¡°The nobles are not,¡± Dara mumbled as she tried to burrow her way under his shirt. ¡°I may have ot kill some of them. I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°Why will you have to kill them?¡± Jason asked as he ushered his wife towards their bathing chambers. After a month in the castle, they were starting to get used to the luxuries that surrounded them, but the bathes were something special. ¡°Turn around. I¡¯ll undo your gown.¡± She turned and lifted her hair out of the way so he could unlace her gown and ease it off before going for the tight-laced corset under it. ¡°I think they are planning a coup.¡± ¡°That might be trouble.¡± ¡°Not if I cook one or two of them in their own armor in the middle of court.¡± Dara had gotten significantly more bloodthirsty since they took the castle. Jason would worry, but to be fair, he sort of wanted to cook them in their own armor too. Most of the nobles were accustomed to doing whatever they wanted, and generally that wasn¡¯t good for the common folk. ¡°Let¡¯s try talking to them first,¡± he offered instead, and Dara sighed in relief when the corset finally came off. ¡°You think they¡¯re bad, or just misguided?¡± ¡°One of them told me to kill you, because I needed a noble husband for the people to accept me as queen.¡±If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. No wonder she was so angry. The quickest way to get Dara¡¯s temper going was to threaten her husband. Jason was both amused, and somewhat annoyed. ¡°They know we¡¯ve been married for nearly ten years, right?¡± ¡°Apparently marriage means something different to the nobility,¡± she said dryly, and he nudged her forward again. The bathes were a dream that almost made up for the nobles and their stupidity, and the one in the royal suite was spectacular. As it turned out, the castle was built on natural hotsprings, and some clever engineer had designed the castle with water flowing through copper pipes in the walls. That water formed an ever-warm, clean pool in a polished-stone tub, and drained slowly through another series of pipes. ¡°Go on,¡± Jason told his wife, only a little distracted by her nakedness. Her relieved smile was enough to keep him on task, and he stepped back through the door as she sank to her neck in hot water with a blissful sigh. He had planned for tonight. Corryn tipped him off that the council was being difficult, and after all, he had a promise to keep. When he returned to the bathing room, it was with a bowl of fresh strawberries in one hand, and a bowl of beaten cream in the other. ¡°What-¡° Dara sat up to look at him, puzzled but smiling. ¡°Jason, what is that?¡± ¡°I promised,¡± he said, and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. ¡°That when we took this castle, I would find you a bath, and feed you berries.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that,¡± she protested incredulously, and he just proffered a berry towards her with absolute seriousness. ¡°Husband-¡° ¡°Wife,¡± he told her seriously, laughter barely under control. ¡°You don¡¯t think I would break a promise to you, do you?¡± ¡°No, never,¡± she said, and let him feed her the berry. ¡°You make it hard to replace you with a noble windbag.¡± ¡°Part of my devious plan.¡± Jason grinned and offered her another berry. ¡°My wife is the Lightning Witch, and if I want to feet her berries while she washes off a bad day, I¡¯m gonna do that. Those nobles really don¡¯t know what they¡¯re about, do they?¡± ¡°They don¡¯t,¡± Dara said, and leaned up to kiss him, tasting of strawberries and cream. ¡°I love you.¡± ¡°I love you too,¡± Jason said, and kissed her, and then the tip of her nose. She scrunched up her face and giggled, but let him feed her another berry. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m supposed to be holding back the darkness, and all that stupidness. If you throw me over for some nobleman, how can I do that?¡± ¡°It is prophesy,¡± Dara agreed, still giggling. ¡°Are you getting in with me? You also promised that, if it was big enough, and it is.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Jason said, and set the bowls where she could reach them herself before standing to undress. ¡°If the Lightning Witch commands.¡± Dara smiled and lightning crackled across her fingertips when she beckoned him. ¡°She does.¡± Crash Down ¡°I think you should kneel before your king.¡± ¡°With all due respect,¡± Jason flashed a knife-edge smile, ¡°which is none, you¡¯re not my king.¡± Jason stared up at the man on the throne. The so-called king looked down at him with a fake-looking smile. ¡°Of course I am. Your prophesy is very clear,¡± the crowned man said in a superior sort of way. ¡°The Hammer Of the Sun shall drive back the darkness of the Twice-Struck Witch.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t occur to you that I did that when I married her?¡± Jason asked sardonically, and strained against the rope around his wrists. It gave, the slightest bit, and would give more if he put all his strength to it. ¡°Dara is sweet. Her people love her.¡± He was really tired of all these people who thought he was going to kill his wife. Apparently the concept of marital loyalty was new to them. ¡°Bring him,¡± the king (who looked a lot like one of those stupid prophets, now that Jason got a good look at him) said, and waved grandly. Two burly guards dragged Jason to his feet. ¡°I must show you. Perhaps you will understand when you see.¡± ¡°Doubt it,¡± Jason sighed, but went willingly. The followed a beautifully carved marble hallway to a much larger room filled with stained glass and wide windows. A temple, if he was any judge. When he looked closer, one of the mosaics started to move. ¡°That¡¯s Interesting,¡± he commented, and stopped to get a better look. The guards hauled on him to no avail- but then, he was stronger than he looked and not small to begin with. ¡°Animation spell or mechanics? I bet Dara would like something like this in her throne room.¡± ¡°It was laid by the Gods!¡± The king-priest said, scandalized and offended. ¡°Stop-¡° Jason yanked on his bindings and they snapped like yarn. Loose, he knelt, and prodded at the tiny, moving tiles. ¡°Feels like magic,¡± he commented of the tingle on his fingertips. In a mood to annoy these people, he stole a dagger off one of the guards- who shouted and tried to take it away with no luck- and very carefully lifted one tile. ¡°Yup,¡± he said when his curiosity was satisfied. ¡°I see the power-crystal. Here you can have this back.¡± The sputtering guard took his dagger and Jason stood. The king-priest was mute with shock. Jason sighed. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Look, if I¡¯m the chosen hero, the gods won¡¯t mind me talking a look at their picture wall. If I¡¯m not, they¡¯ll strike me down and you¡¯ll know it wasn¡¯t me. Anyway, you were going on?¡± ¡°You are to defeat the darkness!¡± The king-priest yelped. ¡°The Lightning Witch will end us all!¡± ¡°Well what did you think she would do? You did kidnap me. She really hates that.¡± ¡°She is a demon!¡± ¡°Only before tea. I mostly leave her alone in the mornings.¡± ¡°She is an abomination!¡± Jason was getting tired of the insults, and elbowed the guards away so he could lift their king up by his collar. Swords rattled behind him and Jason ignored them. ¡°You are being very rude about my wife,¡± he said a calm tone he usually reserved for his apprentices when they were being particularly stupid. ¡°Now, I don¡¯t know what you though would happen here, but me betraying Dara isn¡¯t on the menu.¡± ¡°The Hammer will show you the way!¡± The king-priest pointed wildly at a beautiful layered-steel War Hammer inlayed deeply with gold and rubies. ¡°You need only lift it to realize your destiny!¡± ¡°Fine, fine,¡± Jason sighed and dropped him. ¡°I just have to pick it up?¡± ¡°Only that!¡± When he lifted it, the Hammer fit nicely in his hands and warmed quickly. The rubies lit from within, and the gold gleamed. Sun poured down from the windows and reflected off the moving mosaics. When he looked at the king-priest, he and his soldiers were kneeling. ¡°Well, shit,¡± Jason said with feeling. He might have said more, but for a shiver of lightning across his spine. And then the ceiling blasted inwards. Soldiers shouted and ran in every direction. Huge chunks of stone rained down as black lightning struck the dome over and over, followed by one, massive roar of thunder. Jason rested the Hammer over his shoulder. He was keeping it, he decided, and shielded his eyes from the dust. When he looked again, A woman stood in the exact center of the temple. Lightning crawled across her rich blue gown and sparked in her hair like a crown. Her jewelry shone white with tiny bolts. ¡°Hello, Wife,¡± Jason said cheerfully and went to greet her. ¡°I got a new Hammer.¡± She glared up at him, but softened enough for him to kiss her sweet and slow. ¡°I go away for two days,¡± She snarled when they parted. He curled a hand through her black hair reassuringly. It did nothing to cool her anger. ¡°I come back, and they tell me Red robed priests have carted you off like a sack of coal!¡± ¡°He is the chosen one!¡± The king-priest found his feet and his courage. He stared down Daramethe, who took him in with bemusement. ¡°He will bind the darkness and subdue you!¡± Dara blinked once, looked up at Jason, and started to giggle. Jason muffled his own laughter in his wife¡¯s black hair. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s really any of your business,¡± Dara said through her giggles. ¡°But if it will make you happy, he already does that- to the satisfaction of both parties!¡± The man choked on his own spit and turned bright red when he realized what she was saying. He might have replied, but Dara was All Done, humor or no humor. She only had one solution to people assaulting her husband. Lightning cracked out of the sky in a single, blinding bolt. The king-priest abruptly became a greasy smear of spot on the blackened stone. Accustomed to her, Jason stayed where he was, safe in the knowledge that she loved him, and he was thus immune. Dara nodded once, satisfied, and turned to him. ¡°Ready to go home?¡± Jason wrapped an arm around his tiny wife and held her close. She tucked her head against his chest and sighed contentedly. ¡°More than,¡± he told her fondly, and glanced at the men nearby. ¡°And boys, the next time someone decides to come for me, tell them what happened here.¡± Husband to the Queen The man was tall and strongly built, but old. He carried a heavy, beautifully carved staff and wore a jaunty cap. Charms jingled at his belt. ¡°No,¡± Jason said, pointing a finger at him warningly before the man could open his mouth. ¡°I am not The Chosen One, the Holy Warrior, the Bringer of Light, or whatever else you¡¯re trying to sell.¡± The man paused, staring. He seemed taken aback. ¡°I- ah,¡± he hummed, eyeing the heavy blacksmith¡¯s hammer in Jason¡¯s hand with new caution. Jason stared at him for another minute and went back to his task- making nails for the Gora¡¯s new barn. ¡°It was to be the Hammer of the Sun, actually.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that either,¡± Jason said pointedly and threw his next nail into the bucket of water a little harder than he really had to. The hiss startled the old man. He was probably a wizard. Jason didn''t care. The last one was a prophet. ¡°But it¡¯s your-¡°Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°If you say destiny, you¡¯re going in the forge,¡± Jason pointed at the huge, blazing forge that served him and five other smiths. ¡°I like my life. I love my wife, who will definitely kill you if she catches you here- she crucified the last one- and I am not going to help you ¡¯restore justice¡¯ or whatever you think I ought to do.¡± ¡°You are the Chosen One!¡± The wizard protested. He was beginning to sound whiny and Jason pondered the difficulty of actually pushing him into the forge. ¡°You can''t refuse!¡± ¡°Sure I can,¡± Jason told him bluntly. ¡°Wife. Home. Not betraying them.¡± The wizard raised his staff- now glowing, Jason noted absently. That was a bad idea, and the pendant around his own neck shimmered brightly with black fire as a shield erupted around him. ¡°Don''t say I didn''t warn you,¡± he sighed, and snapped off another nail with a sharp tap of his hammer. The other smiths- all too used to this sort of thing- ignored the drama. ¡°You¡¯re the fifth one in as many years, and she¡¯s starting to get annoyed about it.¡± The wizard stared at him as the air around them suddenly became charged with magic. Black lightning cracked down out of the cloudless sky, leaving a purple-gowned woman in its place. Her black hair was so long it trailed behind her when she walked, and her lovely face was twisted with rage. Jason smiled at her, and then at the wizard, who was growing pale very quickly as the furious sorceress advanced on him. ¡°Wizard- I never did catch your name did I?- be known to Darameithe, The Lightning Witch. My wife.¡± When the Wolf-Star rises "Happy birthday, beloved." Jason opened his eyes to see his wife, beautiful and sleep-rumpled with her cascade of black hair fluffing wildly out of its'' braid. She didn''t look much like Daramethe the Lightning Witch, feared far and wide for her incredible power and ruler of the land. Admittedly, Jason didn''t see much of The Lightning Witch. He married Dara, the pretty apprentice mage, new to town and shy, who accepted clumsy courting gifts from an apprentice blacksmith when they were both too young to know better. She smiled down at him and he returned it, and reached up to cup her cheek tenderly. "You know, I forget every year," he replied softly, and leaned up to kiss her. "I never know how you keep track." "At the start of Summer, when the moon and the wolf-star rise at the same time," she told him fondly. As a sorceress, she kept careful track of the stars. "Rise, darling. The people are eager for the festival." "If it''s my birthday, I don''t have to go anywhere," Jason laughed back and pulled her back into their pile of blankets. She shrieked and struggled playfully, but without magic, he was far stronger than she, and determined to linger in bed. "The party can''t start until we say, right?" "I believe the party started last night when I declared today a feast-day," Dara giggled back when they were buried in blankets again. "If the drunken singing I heard last night is any indication."Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. "So much for getting anything out of my apprentices today," Jason snickered, and got to work undoing her braid (so long it bushed the floor, even braided tight) despite her noise of amused protest. "What do you have planned?" "A tournament of sword and lance and bow, with games of skill and craft before and after," she replied cheerfully. Her silk nightgown slipped down her shoulder when she sat up, and he was momentarily distracted. "The usual festival games, and dancing, and a grand feast tonight out in the gardens." Jason pressed a kiss to her bared shoulder and got up himself, hiding a smile. It was far too grand for a simple blacksmith, but he was husband to the Lightning Witch, and she liked to spoil him when she got the rare chance. "I don''t suppose I could convince my wife to save me a dance?" he said hopefully, and dug in his clothing chest for whatever was clean. "I will ask her," Dara told him slyly, a wave of her hand producing a gown for the day- in his favorite shade of deep, shimmering forge-red- that fit her slender form to a stitch. "But considering the occasion, I believe your chances are quite good." Dressed in the plain linen he preferred (despite her repeated attempts to get him into something fancier) Jason sat at his desk to watch his sorceress finish getting ready. Slippers matching the dress appeared by magic, and she added twisting gold and ruby jewelry he made for her. "You look beautiful," he told her when she was finished, although he preferred that soft, sleepy-eyed woman he woke up with to the Feared Sorceress Queen. "Shall we go kick off the festivities?" "We shall, my husband," she replied regally, but with a twinkle in her eye. "And if any more silly prophets try to carry you off, I may even wait until tomorrow to deal with them!" Jason laughed and kissed her. "They will never tear me from your side," he promised. "And who knows, maybe the next one will look around and see that the people are already happy!" Lightning Strike In close to five years as queen, no one had dared to challenge Daramethe openly. Well, besides the occasional prophet or wizard who believed that Dara was True Evil and that Jason was the Prophesized One who was going to end her for good. Jason thought that they were pretty stupid for Wise Men and mostly ignored them. Dara killed them when they annoyed her enough, but generally didn¡¯t care enough to do much about them besides that. He was starting to think that might have been a mistake. Daramethe was in her favorite rich purple today, with a crown of live lightning bolts on her hair and more creeping slowly over her dress and leaving black figures burnt into the silk. Everyone besides Jason kept their distance. That was probably a good idea. No one else could really hope for the same immunity to his beloved wife that he enjoyed, and she was definitely in the mood for a fight. ¡°Well, there¡¯s plenty of them,¡± he noted, and leaned over the wall for a better look. Dara made a noise of protest and broke her statuesque pose to pull him back to her side. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°I think we¡¯re in range of their better archers and you should stay inside of my shields,¡± she told him flatly with a glare she only half-meant. He kissed her and let her pull him wherever she liked. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to deal with them in a moment. You may not wish to stay.¡± She always tried to keep the worst of her violence away from him, which Jadon appreciated but generally didn¡¯t allow. He knew his Dara, and she had yet to kill anyone who hadn¡¯t tried to harm her, or kidnap him. ¡°Not sure what they¡¯re all mad about,¡± Jason considered out loud. It really was an impressive army. Thousands of men, and plenty of banners. Some he recognized as their own nobles, which explained all the grumbling at court lately, and some were foreign. Nobles come to claim their little kingdom, he supposed. ¡°The common folk have never been happier, even with the tax to rebuild the roads last winter.¡± ¡°I imagine it is because I made the nobles pay their share of their own pocket, and sent spies among the people to make sure they were not being taxed into starvation,¡± Dara said dryly and not without irritation. ¡°They have castles and silks and spices. They could afford it perfectly well, but we¡¯re terribly offended nonetheless.¡± ¡°That would do it,¡± Jadon agreed, and shifted the heavy, ruby-studded hammer over his shoulder. It was warm to the touch and glowed with sunlight even when the worst of Dara¡¯s storms darkened the skies. ¡°Going to talk with them first?¡± ¡°I sent Kellen. He should be back by now.¡± As if summoned by her words, the old duke stumped up the stairs to their own arch of wall. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°They¡¯re being unreasonable,¡± he reported grimly without ceremony. He had known them both far too long to have much reverence left for Dara. Probably because he remembered her as an apprentice who once turned her own hair vivid blue for a whole month. ¡°Nothing but the Lightning Witch¡¯s head on a spike will do them.¡± ¡°I like it where it is,¡± Dara said mildly, and sighed. ¡°Point put the leaders to me please.¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t how war usually works, Dara,¡± Kellen said uncomfortably, and moved to her side nonetheless. ¡°There are rules to warfare.¡± ¡°I am an uncultured peasant, and they are frightening my people.¡± Jason tended to agree with her, and shrugged when Kellen looked to him. It was his job to hold back Dara¡¯s darkness after all, but that was best done with her head on her shoulders where it belonged. The world wouldn¡¯t miss a few overstuffed nobles who didn¡¯t like that their queen was making them pay their fair share. Dara wasn¡¯t looking at either of them. She raised her hands to the sky, Lightning crackling up her arms and over her hair like webs of silk in the wind. Black clouds began over their citadel and grew quickly, ballooning out, slow at first and then faster. Shouts from below told Jason that the magic had been noticed by the army, and that they knew something bad was coming. ¡°Aim for the banners,¡± Kellen yelled from a safe distance a few steps away. ¡°The ones in the showy armor!¡± Dara¡¯s eyes flowed when she looked down, and she nodded. ¡°I see them.¡± Thunder boomed overhead as lightning crept across the clouds in long snakes of purple-white. Horses shrieked and panicked, and the army scrambled to stay together despite the show of power. With pinpoint accuracy, bolts streaked down out of the sky, inevitably drawn to the leaders of each faction. From his place up on the wall, Jason could just barely see as first there was a man, and then there was a smoking smudge of melted armor. After a dozen bolts, each with a devestating effect on the men around them, the army began to retreat, horns and shouts drifting through the air. Daramethe summoned one last chain of strikes and laid them down in a straight line between the castle walls, and the retreating army. The message was clear. The Lightning Witch was perfectly able to hold her castle, and would rain death on anyone who thought to take it from her. Jason almost didn¡¯t see the fireball as it plummeted out of the blackened sky, red-glowing and terrible. ¡°Dara!¡± He roared and dove for his wife, who looked up to see their incoming doom too late to do anything about it. In a vain attempt to take the blow surely meant to end her, Jason shielded her with his body and raised his hammer upwards, hoping that the magical steel would somehow absorb the blow before it could kill them both. Fire engulfed them and Jason felt his hammer began to heat like he left it too long next to the forge. Strangely though, it never got hotter than that, for all that the spell should have incinerated them both on the spot. When the fire faded away, Jason opened his eyes and looked around, both baffled and surprised. ¡°Well, alright,¡± He said, and looked down at his hammer. It glowed red-hot, but the leather wrappings never so much as smoked. Far below them, a small, robed body took off after the army at a run. ¡°That was rude. Think you can get him from here?¡± ¡°Let them try and stop me,¡± Dara hissed, always at her most murderous after someone took a shot at her beloved husband. Lightning crackled over her hands as she laced her fingers together. The fleeing mage vanished in a thundering bolt of black. Thunder flattened everyone brave enough to stand the wall with their furious witch-queen. Daramethe glared down at the army like she might want to fire off a few more devastating bolts just to vent her spleen. Jason wrapped his arm around her shoulders and considered his hammer and his wife. ¡°Well, they probably won¡¯t be back any time soon.¡± Hammer Bright ¡°Where is my wife?¡± Jason, to the casual observer, was absolutely calm. His shoulders were relaxed, and his grip on his massive, ruby-studded hammer was deceptively light, considering how heavy it was. But his eyes, his eyes blazed with the kind of fury that was only found in the sun, when the unwise looked at it too long. ¡°The heretic Witch will burn!¡± The cleric, a disciple of some Sun cult or another, did not know what death stood before him, dressed as a simple blacksmith. ¡°I said,¡± Jason murmured, and twisted his hand in the man¡¯s tunic, before lifting him off his feet, and then into the open air on the other side of the high walls. ¡°Where is my wife?¡± The cleric twist and fought, but Jason was far, far stronger than he looked, and he looked strong already. His grip never faltered as he held the struggling man out over the edge without the slightest strain. ¡°The Witch is a plague!¡± the cleric said, and yanked fruitlessly at Jason¡¯s iron grip. ¡°The plague must be eradicated! We will wipe clean the taint and the evil! It is the truest calling!¡± ¡°My wife,¡± Jason said, without the slightest blink, ¡°Is not a plague.¡± Before anyone could stop him, Jason opened his hand, and the cleric fell. It was a long way to the ground. Jason turned back to Kellen before the screams behind him cut off abruptly. ¡°She¡¯s here,¡± he said, and walked past the old duke without looking back. The cleric¡¯s screams cut off abruptly, and Jason kept going. ¡°My heart will always know the way to her.¡± Despite his outward serenity, rage rolled off the big man, just the way it had ever since the news came that Daramethe was missing. The gates loomed high above them as they stormed the city, surrounded by a fast-moving wedge of soldiers. The cultists and clerics and prophets could think whatever they wanted. At the end of the day, the people of their country loved Daramethe and the way she cared for all of them, no matter how low-born. They would rise up in the defense of their beloved sorceress queen. But Jason had loved her longer than anyone else, and nothing would keep him from rescuing his wife from the evil men who dared to kidnap her away. ¡°Move,¡± he said, when the men scattered to find something to make a ram. ¡°Now.¡± Warmth pooled in his chest, where he kept the memories of his wife on their wedding day, in her soft green dress, with flowers in her long black hair. From there, it flowed into his hands, until his hammer shone with radianceThis story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. From there, it was simple. If there was one thing a blacksmith knew how to do, it was swing a hammer. Jason pulled it off his shoulder and braced himself, before he swung the huge war hammer in a mighty, two-handed blow to steel-strapped wood. The gates exploded as metal heated until it glowed red-hot, and the wood burst into a shower of splinters, each leaving a comet trail of sparks when they hit the cobblestones. Jason never even broke step. Under his boots, the stones smoked and hissed, and cracked. In his hand, the Hammer of the Sun blazed like a warning. Men scattered out of his way, unwilling to challenge the one who was Promised by their god, and who now appeared as the embodiment of retribution. Fires trailed behind him as Jason pressed his way into the grand temple, followed by Kellen, and his men. Everywhere around them, clerics fell to their knees. Their High Priest did his work too well when he convinced them all that the Hammer of the Sun was divine, and would take the side of Good and Truth. They never counted on their warrior being a simple blacksmith, who lost his heart long ago to the sweet young hedge-witch. Who married her in the spring, with their bare feet in the grass and kind, low-born folk around them, cheering and drunk on honey-wine. If there was one truth in his world, it was that Jason would love his wife until the day he died. The next door never got the chance to bear a blow from the Hammer. It burst into white flames as soon as Jason drew near. The men around him were forced back one step, and then another as heat rolled off Jason¡¯s body, and sunlight glowed softly in his hair despite the grey, cloud-covered sky. The door after that was burned to white, powdery ash long before it even came into sight. ¡°Jason?¡± For the first time, Jason¡¯s mask of calm shattered completely, and he ran forward into the darkness of the deep prison, and the hopeful voice that echoed up from the deep cells. ¡°Dara!¡± The bars that separated them were heavy steel, but they melted away like water when Jason lunged for his wife. Like the bars, her shackles melted away, although the Lightning Witch gave no sign of discomfort at the liquid metal dripping off her skin until she could fling her arms around her husband. ¡°They told me you were taken,¡± Jason murmured, and cradled her as tightly as he dared. She smelled like pain and sweat, but also like his beloved. ¡°They told me raiders came, looking for a mage to help, and that they drugged you.¡± ¡°It was my own fault,¡± Daramethe whispered into his shoulder, her fingers tight in his shirt. She was filthy and tattered, but mercifully unharmed. Jason knew better than most of the magic that crackled under her skin, for all that it loved him too well to bring him harm. ¡°I should have been more careful. How did you find me?¡± ¡°My heart could find yours even if they took us to opposite ends of the world,¡± Jason promised, and led her out into the daylight. ¡°If they thought they could hide you anywhere I could not find you, they were more the fools than I imagined before.¡± Outside, the clerics, those who hadn¡¯t fled, anyway, were chanting. Something about the sun coming out of the shadows and the blessings falling upon them. Jason ignored them completely as he wrapped his coat around his wife¡¯s shoulders. It covered her from neck to knee, and was far more protection from the chilly air than her tattered silken dress. Daramethe tugged the coat around her and tucked herself into the curve of his side with a tired smile, and stood on her toes to kiss Jason¡¯s cheek. He bent to let her reach, and pressed little kisses to the top of her head. The clerics went from chanting to cowering. That was probably wise. Dara had spent the last week in a cell, and had to patience worth mentioning. At the sight of the robed men, Daramethe muttered dire threats under her breath, and glared all around her. Lightning cracked down out of the sky and sent the clerics running for the hills. Jason just laughed, cheerful now that his beloved was safe and in his arms. Sunlight Flowers Daramethe would never admit it to anyone except her beloved husband, but the spring festival was her favorite. All the new flowers, and warm air after the dark cold of winter. She could Red the days after winter solstice with a greedy eye on the pot of crocus bulbs that sat in her workshop window. As soon as they bloomed, and the weather was warm enough, the festival was on. Officially it lasted three days three days of fun, and leisure. Three days where the crown, Daramethe herself, provided bread and meat for anyone willing to wait a bit as it cooked. Of course, everyone knew that as soon as the flowers started to open, the festival was near at hand. Presently, Daramethe was flat on her back in the grass as a trio of girls, the oldest barely ten and the youngest almost five, braided dozens of daisies into her hair. It would be a terrible mess later, and she loved every minute of it. It also helped to ease some of her Lightning Witch reputation. It was hard to be afraid of a woman who let children make a mess of her hair and danced barefoot in the grass. She was a wood-witch first, and Dara would be hanged before she gave up the little joys of life. Joys such as her husband, who was in the process of talking up his youngest apprentice¡¯s courage. The lad was getting ready to propose to his sweet beloved, but was badly hampered by his own shy nature. She was going to accept. Dara heard the girl and her sister talking only a few days earlier. If the young apprentice did t manage the feat soon, his lady was going to throw him over the back of her horse and ride off with him. Dara may have offered to help. Jason roared with laughter when she told him about the brash young lady¡¯s plan. Her parents would certainly have a difficult time disapproving if Daramethe was involved.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. ¡°We¡¯re done, Lady,¡± the oldest of her three girls told Dara shyly. Dara day up and gave her head a careful shake. The flowers stayed put, and so she planted kisses on the cheeks of each of the three girls. If she slipped gold coins into each little pocket, well, that would be her secret. ¡°I will wear them all evening,¡± she promised them as they laughed with her. ¡°My nobles will be jealous. Flowers are much nicer than jewels.¡± ¡°But only mothers wear flowers to the evening dance,¡± the second girl said with wide eyes. ¡°Mama said it¡¯s tradition!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t say that to the queen!¡± The youngest girl chided fearlessly. ¡°She¡¯s the Queen!¡± Dara laughed. ¡°Can you keep a secret?¡± She asked conspiratorially. ¡°It¡¯s a very special secret.¡± ¡°We can keep a secret!¡± The middle girl promised fiercely. Dara couldn¡¯t wait to see what the little warrior grew up to be in a few years. ¡°Especially for you!¡± ¡°We¡¯re the bestest secret keepers,¡± the youngest agreed, cute as a button and just as determined as her oldest sister. ¡°The bestest.¡± ¡°Well, if you¡¯re the bestest,¡± Dara said with a smile and leaned in close. ¡°I¡¯ll be a mother very soon, so I¡¯m allowed to wear flowers too.¡± The thought of the tiny life-spark growing beneath her navel was still a wonder, terrifying and exciting in one. Her hand strayed to her belly, and a smile grew across her lips even as her eyes found her husband again. His apprentice was in knots once more, and Jason¡¯s gentle steadiness was helping to calm the boy. He would be a wonderful father. She always knew he wanted children, for all that it had never been the right time. Fourteen years a good man¡¯s wife, and now, at last, they were ready for a child of their own. Of course, it hadn¡¯t taken much trying once her anti-pregnancy charm came off. Only a moon later she discovered the little life-spark, cradled inside her belly, small, but strong. Their baby would have her magic, but she selfishly hoped the child took after her husband in heart. No heart beat truer in any man. Feeling her gaze, he looked over and smiled at her, soft and happy in the warm spring sun. And then his eyes dropped to her hand, where it rested over her navel, and went wide. Tentative hope filled his gaze, wary because it was early yet, and they had only just began trying for a child. When she nodded slightly, light beamed off his skin, golden and brilliant as he ran for her. Dara barely had time to get to her feet before he had swept her into his arms, wordless with excitement. Her court saw the mother-flowers in her hair, her husband¡¯s sunlight joy. With a roar that echoed off the walls, they began to cheer for their pregnant queen, and her happy husband.