Bonds of Matrimony

Bonds of Matrimony

A Chapter by Eddie Davis
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Carn and Amala are married

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70.

Bonds of Matrimony

 

All around him people were frantically trying to get everything perfect for the wedding.   But Carn, though dazed by the suddenness of it all, was quite relaxed and even reflective as he waited for the appointed hour.

They had found him appropriate attire - a suit of gold and purple that a King would have lusted for, yet he wore it to honor his bride’s family’s colors.

Mutt was to stand with him at the ceremony, and Snoe would stand by her sister.   There would be no other attendants.    An hour before the ceremony, Reverend Mother Zeatt visited him and outlined the ceremony (after having visited Amala, who was a bundle of nerves).    She asked him if he had some token to exchange with Amala as a sign of their nuptials and he told her that he did.   

In fact, the ring he had was his most valuable possession.   It had been with him since shortly after he had gone into the Faesidhe forest, many centuries ago.   It had survived several times that he had been killed - and slowly regenerated while under the demon’s curse.  

Once it had partially melted after a fireball spell had been cast upon him, but he had paid a great sum of money to have it reforged and then enchanted so it would change size appropriately for the wearer, but only if the ring was given to someone.

This was to prevent someone from taking it off his finger.    It wasn’t a valuable ring - merely one of fine silver, but it had been given to him by Sialia as a token of her friendship.    To Carn, it was the most precious ring in the world.

Now he joyously planned to slip it on the finger of Sialia’s beautiful granddaughter.  

Carn sat quietly in a small chamber in the church, working on a ballad about Aeric and Alis on his lute.  He feared that it would not be finished in time for their funeral, but he planned to honor their memory with the first song he had written in hundreds of years.

“Why aren’t you nervous?”   Mutt asked him after watching him calmly sitting for a quarter of an hour.

“Why should I be nervous, Mutt?”

“You’re getting married, Carn!   Have you ever been married before?”

“No, but I’m not nervous.    I know this is for Amala’s best interests and I know she loves me.   I love her and I am thrilled to tell everyone in the house of Yesh.    So why be nervous?”

“Well then, what about… afterwards… if you know what I mean?”

He knew exactly what the Goblin meant, but though he had never been with anyone, he still did not feel anxious or worried.

“I suspect we’ll quickly catch on to what to do.”   He told his friend, “She is no wiser in that area than I am, so we’ll learn together.”

“I would be terrified, Carn.”

“Maybe you wouldn’t be, if you knew her with your soul.    That is the secret.”

“Goblins don’t have that sort of thing.”

“Still, when the right person comes along, you won’t be fearful.”

“If I ever find the right person, that is!”

Carn looked at Mutt in surprise.   He seemed to be seriously thinking about such things.

“Have you looked around for someone?”    Carn asked.

“No… not yet.   With the refugees here, there are a number of Goblins.    Perhaps after we get all these ceremonies settled, I’ll snoop around and find someone.    I know I need to be thinking of things like that before I grow too old.   Everyone else is settling down, so I need to as well.”

“So how did you like working with the Practical Magician?”

“You know, it was really interesting!   He’s going to open up a guild here and I asked him if I could perhaps work for him.   He offered me a job and I accepted - I’ll start as soon as he secures a building and sets up an office.    But for now, I’m just hanging around.”

A knock came at the door and Zeatt’s head popped inside, “Gentlemen, the ceremony is about to begin.   Come with me, if you are ready.”

Carn rose up and straightened his clothing, then followed Zeatt and Mutt out into the sanctuary of the Church of Yesh.

 

It was adorned with candles everywhere, which, since it was after sunset, gave the church a warm, but somewhat cryptic appearance.    The pews were full of guests, and Carn was amused that he really had no idea who had been invited.   

When they came out, the guests stopped talking and then murmured comments about him, for few had seen his ‘new’ form.

He smiled pleasantly and nodded at the crowd.

 

Suddenly the lady playing the harp stopped and the congregation stood up, as they knew the bride would soon march down the aisle.

An Elven love song was strummed on the harp and as it was played, Snoe came to the front, wearing a lovely purple and gold dress that really made her appear as a queen.    People whispered in admiration of the lovely albino girl.    She joined them at the front of the sanctuary and smiled shyly at Carn and Mutt, before taking her position.

Then, escorted on the arm of Duke Dullerm, Amala came into the room.     Everyone in the church seemed to gasp and make exclamations of her radiance as she slowly made her way to the front on the arm of her father.

She wore what Carn later learned was her mother’s wedding dress, which was a luxuriously gorgeous  silken  gown.      The white corseted dress fit her wondrously, taking his breath away as he saw her in it.    She wore a veil, but her red eyes glowed through them, giving the veil almost a red tint.   Behind her, her magnificent silvery white hair flowed down her back, and purple and golden flowers were pinned throughout its length.  

Carn forgot all else as he watched her approach.   His heart raced as Duke Dullerm took her hand and gently placed it in Carn’s palm with a smile.  

“Who gives this woman to this man?” Zeatt asked Eleazar.

“Her mother and I, with praise to Yesh at this union.”

“So be it!”   Zeatt replied in blessing and the congregation repeated her words as Duke Eleazar seated himself on the front pew next to Aurei and Aidan.  

Carn looked at Amala through her veil and she smiled nervously at him.   Never had he seen her look more beautiful.   They turned to face Zeatt.

“Yesh the Merciful gave this command to those who would follow him, ‘It is ordained that man and woman shall be joined in marriage, for it is in the blessings of marriage that the fullness of love finds emphasis in family.    When two seek to be joined by marriage, they shall proclaim their vows to each other before God in holy matrimony.   And behold, when a man and woman are united in ceremony before me, I shall bless their union and the two shall be as one body, united in thought, spirit and life.’

“Therefore, what Yesh the Merciful has ordained, so do we this day commit unto him.     Before you witnesses, stands Carnithum Lealomyhll, Master Bard, to be united in the bonds of marriage with Lady Amala Dullerm.   If the congregation approves of these bonds of marriage, let them say, ‘So be it!' “

“So be it!”   The people happily responded.

Turning toward Carn and Amala, Zeatt motioned for them to come forward and to kneel.    She laid her hands upon each of their foreheads and prayed.

“Lord Yesh, behold, two of your children, seeking the holiness of marriage.    May you consecrate their union with love, joy, faithfulness and fortify them with endurance.   May they be fruitful and raise children in the light of your commandments and mercy.    May long life and eternal bliss belong to them.   So be it!”

“So be it!”   The congregation, Carn and Amala replied.

Zeatt beckoned for them to rise and then looked to Amala, “Do you have a token to give to your husband as a sign of your love and faithfulness?”

“I do.”  Amala replied, and she turned to Snoe, who came forward and handed her a ring.   Amala held the ring up after a nod from Zeatt and said loudly, “I give unto thee, Carn, this token of my love and faithfulness to you.   It is the wedding ring of my mother’s father, Duke Gamel Bugley.    I give it as a symbol of my vow of love to you, in the name of Yesh the Merciful.”

“So be it!”  The congregation said.

She slipped it on Carn’s finger with some nervousness, but it fit as if it had been made for him.

Zeatt turned to Carn now, “Do you have a token to give to your wife as a sign of your love and faithfulness?”

“I do,” Carn replied, and Mutt handed him the ring, which he held up for all to see, “I give unto thee, Amala, this token of my love and faithfulness to you.   It is a ring given to me 2,000 years ago by your grandmother, Sialia Fannithal, as a token of friendship.   I give it as a symbol of my vow of love to you, in the name of Yesh the Merciful.”

“So be it!” Once again the congregation replied.

He took Amala’s hand and gently slipped the silver ring on, and then he gently squeezed her hand for reassurance.    He could see through her veil that Amala was crying, but they were tears of joy.

 

Zeatt held up a long wide strip of red linen for all to see, “This cord binds this couple together symbolically.    May nothing break this union and may their love for each other grow each day.”

She wrapped the cord around both of their joined hands, and then prayed over it.

“Merciful Yesh, behold I present before you Carn and Amala, joined as one in the bond of matrimony.   May you fill their hearts with joy and may they continually remember you as their Lord and God.   So be it!”

“So be it!”   Everyone replied.

“Therefore as Carn and Amala have committed themselves to each other in the holy bonds of marriage before the all-seeing eyes of Yesh the Merciful, I, Zeatt, Archbishop of Most Holy Yesh, do hereby declare that they are husband and wife.    To Yesh be the glory!”

“So be it!”   The guests shouted.

Turning them around to face the people, Zeatt smiled happily and said, “It is my great joy to present to you Carnithum and Amala Lealomyhll.”

The guests broke into applause and happy shouts.

“Kiss your bride, Carn.”    Zeatt ordered.

Carn lifted her veil gently and was smitten again with her loveliness.    Bending over, he softly kissed her lips, but she put her hand around his neck and kissed him passionately, which won a roar of approval from those in the church.

“Thank you.”   Amala whispered to him after the kiss as they were proceeding down the aisle, “I was worried you would not agree to this impulsive idea.”

“It was a surprise, but a wonderful one, I think.”

“Are you happy?”  She asked with a concerned look at him.

He grinned, “I’ve never been happier, Amala.”

Amala sighed contentedly and they exited the sanctuary, to prepare to receive their guests.



© 2014 Eddie Davis


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"Everyone else is setting down..." I think. maybe, you were wanting "settling?"
"...which was a luxuriously gorgeous white silken corseted gown." You have a bit of an adjective over-load, here. Maybe if you moved an adjective or two to the next sentence? Something along the lines of "...which was a luxuriously gorgeous, silken gown. The white, corseted dress fit her wondrously..." ?
"...giving the veil almost a red look." Maybe, instead, "...giving the veil an almost red tint." ?

Posted 9 Years Ago



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Added on November 21, 2014
Last Updated on December 3, 2014
Tags: Marksylvania, Aurei of Westmark, Synomenia, Bugbears, Drow, Fantasy, Paladins, Good versus Evil, Adventure

A Sovereign Hope --Marksylvania Book 3


Author

Eddie Davis
Eddie Davis

Springfield, MO



About
I'm a fantasy and science-fiction writer that enjoys sharing my tales with everyone. Three trilogies are offered here, all taking place in the same fantasy world of Synomenia. Other books and stor.. more..

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A Chapter by Eddie Davis


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A Chapter by Eddie Davis