I have absolutely no idea about Neolithic marriages so this is all made up, but maybe some elements of this were real back then.
I hope you enjoy this! The after party will be in the next chapter.

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Torak stood in his joining ceremony clothes, feeling a little nervous a week after arriving at the Raven camp. He wore a neat, tight-fitting suit of buckskin bleached pale with grey fur boots and a thick Lynx-fur cape that had been used in Raven joining ceremonies as far back as anyone could remember. Necklaces of shells, flowers and decorated pebbles hung at his neck. His messy hair had been combed and pinned back so that his wife could see his face, though a few rebel strands broke free. Earthblood had been circled around his heart and smeared on his cheeks and lips.

He was in a small shelter, attended to by a man named Agluff who was peering through the flaps, waiting for the signal to bring Torak out for the start of the ceremony.

He hadn't been allowed to see Renn all day, no doubt she had been transformed in a tent similar to his own. It was about midday, as the celebrations were expected to continue long into the night. Once the ceremony was over, they would officially be mates in the eyes of the clans and the World Spirit. It was a sacred bond.

He could hear a loud buzz of conversation from outside the tent in the clearing. His nervousness grew despite himself as he knew it was not only the Raven clan who were waiting, but many other clans. Fin-Kedinn had sent word of their joining ceremony out into the forest the day they'd arrived, and it had attracted far more people than he had expected.

From Agluff he'd heard that members of the Boar, Red Deer, Swan, Mountain Hare, Seal, White Fox and Wolf Clans had showed up. He was even more surprised to hear that others from clans he'd never expected to come had chosen to join, such as Ptarmigan, Sea Eagle, Willow, Salmon, Auroch, Rowan, Otters and Lynx. Apparently, it was to be as large as a Clan Meet.

Fin-Kedinn told him that many were coming not for the wedding specifically but to pay him and Renn their respects for destroying the Soul Eaters once and for all. Agluff added that many of the clans needed an excuse for a big party now that the forest was back to normal.

Wolf and his family were somewhere nearby, having accompanied them back. He doubted they would want to go near so many taillesses, he and Renn had decided that they would go and celebrate with them tomorrow after this was all finished.

He hoped that Renn was prepared for all this.

Agluff nodded to an unseen person outside the tent and motioned for Torak to follow him. Taking a deep breath, he followed the man out of the shelter.

He was met with a sea of sitting people, all with different tattoos, hair and clothing. All staring at him like he'd grown another head. For a moment Torak stopped walking, he had never seen so many people. Not even at the Clan Meets he had been to as a child, or that he had seen as an outcast. Torak reminded himself that he had faced the Soul Eaters and won, he would not be frightened by being in front of all these people.

Agluff cleared his throat and Torak quickly followed after him, keeping his eyes up ahead to where a makeshift altar had been made from logs and stone. Fin-Kedinn had run through the procedures and it seemed pretty simple. However he would feel stupid making a mistake with so many people watching.

Dark and Fin-Kedinn stood behind the Altar. Agluff motioned for Torak to stand before them and he did so. Now to wait for Renn.

He heard footsteps and yearned to turn around to see her, but he had been told he had to wait until she was standing next to him, then they would face each other. Eventually, she appeared beside him, and they turned to face each other.

Torak's heart skipped a beat when he saw how breath-takingly beautiful she looked. She was wearing a bleached, tight-fitting buckskin similar to his but as a tunic that went to her just above her knees, it followed the curves of her body deliciously, Torak found it hard to look away. She wore grey fur boots that matched his, and on her shoulders a smaller old-looking Lynx cape hung. Her long red hair had been entwined with forest flowers and pulled up into long ponytail which spilled down her back in a cascade of red. Earthblood had been rubbed into her cheeks and delicately painted onto her full lips.

He had never seen her look more womanly, nor so beautiful. She was still his Renn, but she looked so different. He held her eyes and gave a reassuring smile. She beamed in response.

The ceremony began with Torak and Renn holding hands, and Dark chanting a bondind rite. They were made to repeat lines and follow the instructions. Dark took a lock of each of their hair and wound them together, then buried them in the ground.

After the Magecraft rites were over, Fin-Kedinn took his place between them as Clan leader. He placed one hand on Torak's shoulder as Renn crouched on one knee before Torak.

'Do you promise to protect my niece from harm?' He asked him as he began the ancient vows, loud enough for the crowd to hear. His voice was rich and strong, and Torak realised in that moment how much he would miss him once Renn and he were more permanently in the new forest.

'I do.' He locked eyes with Renn as he had been told to do previously through the vows.

'Do you promise to be faithful?'

'I do.'

'Do you promise to fulfil your duty as a father to her children?'

'I do.' Torak swallowed hard, that part seemed so far away.

'Do you promise to respect and honour her, in youth and in age?'

'I do.'

'And unto all of these, do you promise on your three souls?'

'I promise on my three souls to protect, to be faithful, to father and to respect and honour my mate, Renn of the Raven Clan.'

Torak's part was over, and now Renn stood and he kneeled before her as she gazed down on him. The traditional vows altered slightly for men and women, but they were mostly the same. Fin-Kedinn placed a weathered hand on Renn's smooth shoulder.

'Do you promise to serve my foster son?'

'I do.' Her voice was a little shaky, but firm. Torak thought Renn vowing to be a dutiful woman was a little funny, especially how outraged she'd been at hearing from Bale that women stayed at home whilst men went out to hunt.

'Do you promise to be faithful?'

'I do.'

'Do you promise to fulfil your duty as a mother to his children?'

'I do.'

'Do you promise to respect and honour him, in youth and in age?'

'I do.'

'And unto all of these, do you promise on your three souls?'

'I promise on my three souls to serve, to be faithful, to mother and to respect and honour my mate, Torak of the Forest.'

At this, Torak was allowed to stand back up, the two of them exchanged shaky smiles. The ceremony was almost over. Fin-Kedinn took their hands and lifted them up so the clans could see.

'I, Fin-Kedinn of the Raven Clan, and Dark, Mage of the Raven Clan, proclaim Torak of the forest and Renn of the Raven Clan are officially mated.' He joined their hands together as the crowd erupted into cheers and claps.

Torak held her hand high, proud to be mated to someone so strong and beautiful. Then they lowered their hands and exchanged a small kiss to seal the bond. Renn blushed, knowing her uncle must have seen, but he just chuckled along with Dark from their position behind them.

Elated beyond belief, they stood together to the cheers of the clans, as mates for life.