that trial...

'mia fey'
'you once worked alongside her...when you were a defense attorney... your real name is diego armando...'

as those words were let out, my smokescreen began to fade... and the harsh bitterness of the truth embraced me... i had at least one sin i could put right... i could tell him the truth... everthing. yet he continued...

' Mia Feys first time in court.The tragic outcome left a deep wound in her heart... she couldnt tear the disguise away from the demoness... but one man reached out to help her... Diego Armando...'
'i was moved by her... that pure sweet heart of hers...thats why i could never forgive dahlia hawthorne... then one fateful day, 6 months after the trial, dahlia wanted to meet with me.'

and i was poisoned... alive but sleeping... the nightmare is what awaited me when i woke up...5 years later i awoke to the smell of a doctors coffee...much to late i awoke... much to late i heard the news...

'mia fey was dead... from the moment i opened my eyes, i had already lost everything i thought i had. the woman i loved had been murdered... and the woman i loathed had been sentenced to death.... in the end, there wasnt anyone waiting for me when i woke up...'

that wasnt entirely true.. there was someone waiting.. in the courtroom...

'isnt that right, trite?'
another memory thrown at me.*sigh* soon this shall all be at an end... in a sense...The date of my execution looms closer... along with the person who waits for me on the other side...
'mia......'


with another sigh.. diego armando moved towards the bar covered window searching the stars, looking for his angel.

'Mia!'
A tight hug was thrown at me. with a laugh i hugged maya back. It had been so long since i last saw her.
' Hey! How are you guys doing then maya??'
'Need your help with the wedding plans! We've just sorted out the flowers- its important! They set the whole color scheme!'
'Have you sorted out the venue?'
'not quite...we need to fix...its kinda hard to organize and everyhing.. hey mia! you can sort that out for me!!! After all you are invisable maid of honor!!!'
'I'll get right on it! I guess pearl is organizing a lot of it, being the visable maid of honor and all?'
' Yep! And Phoenix is the one who actually picked out the flowers- the ones that dont set off his allergies as much!'
'What have you done so far maya?'
'Organized everyone!' I smiled.Well, thats Maya for you!
'Well since Pearl's powers have got even stronger, i can stay for a while... so would you like to go and get your dress Maya?'
' Yeah! Shall we go to Belle's Bridalwear? Im sure we'll be able to find someting there!'
'Actually, try looking a little closer to home!'
'What do you mean???'
'You'll see! It'll be perfect! and we can take it to Belle's if it doesnt fit right - they do editing as well there. After all, you need the perfect dress for the perfect day!!'
As i said the words i almost instantly regreted them as i saw a shadow fall over mayas eyes and her glittering smile fade slightly.
' Oh Maya, im so sorry' i put an arm round her not sure whether she wanted to just brush it all off or be comforted. There was a slightly awkward pause as we both thought of something to say.
'Maya...-'
'-Its nothing really honestly... its just...when... the day our wedding is scheduled for... it...its the day that diego has been sentenced to die.'

As the car drew up to fey manor, Maya regained some more of her enthusiasm, eyes re-lighting up and impatience replacing some of the uncertaincy and sorrow. i caught on to her mood and checked the speed. 80.
'Maya, i think you need to slow down a bit...'
'nah. im good'
'Maya, slow down.Your going too fast.' Maya finally checked the speed.
'Oh, oops!' By now though there was nothing to do about it. We were right outside of fey manor.It was silent as we entered the hallway and the familiar comforting scent of home hit us. Maya's eyes began to fill with tears as she looked around her home.
'Mother...'
'Maya, follow me. I need to show you something.' Maya followed without question as i led her to the room that had been mother's before her disappearance. There was a slight coating of dust over everything, and i strongly susspected that Maya hadnt entered the room since mother's death. I walked over to the closet and brought out a wooden box that had been hidden at the back. i handed it to Maya.
'Here you go.' Maya's eyes grew round as she studied the box carefully before blowing off the dust and carefully lifting off the lid...
'Mia?'
'Thats the dress that mom wanted us to wear if either of us ever got married. i remember so clearly... it was just before she left... she brought me in here and took out the box and said to me:'
' Mia, i want you and maya to have this. this is the dress that has been passed down for generations. its supposed to bring good luck to the bride who wears it, bringing the spirits of all their ancestors with it... you see the sleeve? It has little charms embroidered on it.every bride that has ever worn thiss has added a charm...'
i could feel my eyes start to fill up and i tried to swallow the lump in my throat.
' You now need to add one...'
'Mia... are you ok..'
' Yes, im fine.' Maya's expression said it was obvious that i was not.' its just... diego was taken away from me so suddenly... we were so happy...'

As they hugged letting out everything, misty fey smiled at them.' good luck Maya... its ok to cry Mia... you are taking a step forwards...' she herself let out a tear as she watched the scene that she should have been there for...

'Im sorry miss. It is absolutely impossible to change the date. We are fully booked from now until 6 weeks after the wedding. Unless you would be content with a date after then. I apologize on behalf of all the staff here for the mix up.'
'Thank you.'
'Is the time ok?'
'I dont beleive that i have discussed the time with anyone yet...'
'Its been set as 9.15.'
'Ok. Thank you.'
'I'll call again to confirm all the details at a later date.'
Ok. Thank you.Bye.'
'Good bye'
Oh god. I must have sounded like a total robot. Or the steel samurai with his 'i am made of steel!'s i cracked a smile- Will had been really good at that part! my smile faltered somewhat. The time for our wedding was 9.15. Diego was supposed to die at 9. Wonderful.maybe we should bring him some wedding food beforehand. At least then he wont be hungry...
'Eveything okay there sweatheart?' Nick had come in here at some point. Hmmm. I hadnt noiced. Maybe he had hidden behind the door.
'I couldnt change the date.'
'Oh.What do you want to do?' Nick just stared at me and in that second, i knew he would do anything i wanted. If I wanted to postphone the wedding, we would.If i wanted to get married at that time, then we would. A huge amount of love for Nick built up inside me and happiness that i knew he felt the same. And i felt better.I smiled at him.
'We might as well make a sad day happier!' Phoenix also smiled at that and walked over to me.
'Too right!' he put his arms around me in a soft but unescapable hug. I took advantage of this and buried my nose in him shirt, letting his scent comfort me, wondering why this mess had hapened in the first place.

'Mystic Maya! Nick! Lunch is ready!!!'
'Coming, Pearl!' With a sigh, i loosened my grip on Maya.'You hungry?'
'You bet i am!! Talking on the phone sure works up an appetite!!!' i laughed gently as Maya pulled me in the direction of the dining room. Pearl had made us entrust the cooking to her recently after deciding that we were to unhealthy. Well, i suppose it is true... i have never brought a lettuce in my life...' As we ate we chattered, or Pearl and Maya did while i tried to work out something...
'Pearl what is this?' I held up something suspicious looking from my salad.
'Thats a beetroot, Mr Nick.' Well, it did look like it had been beeten by something... i dropped the beetroot back onto my plate and instead picked up a tomato. At least i knew what this was...
'...have you found your dress yet Maya?'
'Yes i have Pearly! It is absolutely perfect!-'
'- Dont tell me any more now!! Nicks not allowed to know anything about it!'
'Yeah Nick! Dont you dare look at it!!!'
'We'll have to put it somewhere he will never find it...' i smiled as they plotted ways to keep it from me. I would pretend to look an play along so they could have their fun hiding it.After all, it was nice to see that Maya had perked up.
'Just put it in the salad bowl! Trust me, if i see another beetroot..'
'Nick!You only learnt what a beetroot was a couple of minutes ago!'
'And in that time i've decided that they are disgusting!'
Pearl and Maya got up from the table, both glaring at me.
'Dont even think of following us,Nick!'Maya stuck her tongue out at me before racing out of the room,Pearls right behind her.

I watched Maya's face as she opened the closet in her mother's room. Her eys had been only excitement a few minutes ago. Now there was hint of sadness and wariness in them.She very carefully removed a wooden box, wich i presumed contained her wedding dress.Even more carefully thana before, she took the folds of material out of the box.
'What do you think?' It was absolutely beautiful.The style said that is wasnt anything modern, yet the silk sparkled in the light as if it were brand new.
'You're right!Its absolutely perfect!Miles had better make sure that Nick looks presentable!!' Maya smiled and looked again in the closet, this time taking out a small embroidery kit.
'Every Fey who has worn this has added a charm to the sleeve, see?' i could see that the sleeves were covered in beautiful patterns, that said something about every bride who had worn it. Something special, that told us who had put it there.A red magatama. My mother.It made sense i suppose, the only thing she had ever cared about was the kurain channeling school. And the red could be blood. Because she didnt care ow many people had to die forr her to get to it.I swallowed hard before turning my eyes back to Maya.
'What are you going to add?'
'Im not sure, but i thinkn i am oing to add a rose and a dagger. Life and love and death. Because the day Diego dies will be the begining of my married life with Nick. And him and Mia will be together again.' I smiled
'Its perfect.' And it was. It said a lot about Maya- shes deeper than she appears. It also reminded me of something else.
'It could also be because your mothers death marked the begining of your days as kurain master.' I talked softly, my voice not capable of being much louder than a mouse.
'Yes, i suppose it is!' Maya smiled at me and i could see that she wsas dealing with it. Accepting it.
***