Betrothed
Vivienne and Rognvaldr were kept apart for most of the day; both haunted by the feeling that they needed to come together. Be together for a great task. Everyone kept talking about the feast, saying they'd have enough time together. They knew tonight's feast was important; that the ceremony would join the magical and non-magical kingdom but they didn't know how until the King summoned them.
Rognvaldr was alone, nervously waiting in the Kings chamber when the door opened and Vivienne entered. They gazed at each other. There was an unshakable feeling of friendly familiarity.
"Hi!" she said after a moment, wanting to fill the silence. "How are you?"
"Hungry..." he admitted becoming embarrassed.
"You're always hungry!" Vivienne sighed rolling her eyes.
"How do you know that?!" he said cautiously.
"Rognvaldr," the King said warmly. "Vivienne: it is good to see you. Please be seated for we have much to discuss." Vivienne and Rognvaldr said on the seats the King indicated.
"Good," the King added. "It seems like mere moments ago that the two of you were babes in your mother's arms being presented at court. And now here you are. Rognvaldr; I'd like to know what you plan to do with your life?"
Whatever question Rognvaldr and Vivienne had been expecting; that hadn't been it. There was a long pause.
"I'm going to be a warlock sire!" Rognvaldr said hesitantly. "My father says I have magic and I'd like to bring peace to the Kingdom by defending it and upholding the ways of Camelot."
"Excellent!" the King exclaimed looking gleeful. "During the summer you shall be a squire with my son Prince Gwydion." Rognvaldr's face lit up with immense pleasure. Princess Vivienne, was pleased that he was happy, but sad that they'd spend summer apart and that he'd end up being knighted. She didn't want him to be endangered. "Now Princess, let me hear from your own sweet lips what you'd like to be..." Arthur cajoled.
"Queen of the Isle of Apples, Mistress of the Avalon mists and healer for when..." she stopped embarrassment creeping through her body. "For when... my husband and brother..." The king's eyes widened with surprise. "I mean cousin... Prince Gwydion, are injured." She looked directly at the King, letting out an unsteady breathe. Not wanting to admit to the nagging feeling within her.
"Indeed..." King Arthur said stroking his beard thoughtfully. Ignoring the slip up regarding Prince Gwydion "Do you not wish to bring peace to Britannia for those bless with magic and without."
"Oh I do Uncle," Vivienne said eagerly. "It is my dearest wish to see that all magical beings are cared for and we can all experience what Gryffindor describes as justice, Majesty!"
"These ambitions please me Princess Vivienne and young Lord Rognvaldr," the King admitted earnestly. "Because there is a service you can pledge yourself to know that will better the intertwining of magic and the un-magical," Before adding lightly. "It is the reason for my calling you together; you must marry each other."
"But SIRE!" Rognvaldr said standing up. "We're only..." there was a pause as he tried unsuccessfully to determine his true age.
"Eleven..." the King supplied amused by the passion being shown by this not-yet-squire. "Your eleven and therefore will only be betrothed for now. Later, if love comes and even if it doesn't; you will wed."
"But I don't want to be distracted by love your highness! Warlocks have to be strong like Gryffindor: unwavering to their magical devotion!" Rognvaldr said quickly.
"And what's that suppose to mean, Rognvaldr!" she said stamping her little foot emphasising how furious she was. She stared at him and another wave of familiarity caught them. He decided her eyes when enraged where the colour of the riches chocolate. But he had no idea what chocolate was or why it mattered now.
"Mi... oh urm... Her..." He corrected himself feeling his brains were scrambled. "Don't take it like I was insulting you." Then he turned to the King. "I wasn't insulting Her..! In fact, she's the only one I could marry... I've always known that. But this..."
"Always known that?" the king asked surprised. Then, he shook his head and continued; "This is your whole life..."
"I know and to be able to be married to Her... I mean Princess Vivienne would be wicked..."
"Wicked?" the King and Vivienne chorused.
...
"Lord's, Ladies, witches, wizards and warlocks," Arthur said proudly in the hall the next night. "Before the Wizengamot commences. We are to honour the land and it's magic. Since before the time of the Romans: the magical and non-magical worlds have been joined. Joined by the common link to this God given land of ours! Inter-magical marriages are important to maintain the land and people: it was so with my parents Uther and Igraine. It is so for my sister born of magic and the royal line. Married to our most loyal and beloved friend: Lancelot. Now her daughter is being presented: so that magic and the land will remain joined: Vivienne come forward."
Privately she gulped and stepped forward towards her Uncle. 'I am a Princess,' Vivienne repeated over and over. Her red robes hugged her tightly giving her little reassurance. The court gazed at her and saw a composed Princess sparkling with promise. Her mother accompanied her never giving a hint that she felt a change coming.
The King winked at Vivienne, turned his gaze towards Rognvaldr and continued:
"Rognvaldr, chosen son of Merlin will be her husband," Arthur announced.
There were gasps and shouts before the hall erupted into joyous applause.
Rognvaldr and Vivienne felt their hearts stop; betrothal. They knew that it was coming but it didn't feel any less strange.
They shared a shy smile. From the crowd they heard Prince Gwydion sniggering.
"His forebear was Maximus who took the borderland and protected its people. He built 'the wall' for magical and non-magical pleading that his descendant would maintain and renew it until such time that there was peace in the land. Maximus became chief and King of the North. He was son of a Roman and through his heir Rognvaldr; we will have peace. Rognvaldr come forward."
Rognvaldr almost stumbled forward; dressed head to foot in a dazzling blue. He shot a look towards Gwydion who was being hushed by Godric Gryffindor himself. His father, Merlin accompanied him gazing directly at Morgaine.
The four of them stood in a square. Morgaine now had no chose but to look at Merlin and was bewitched. An intense look passed between them; there was longing in it. Vivienne looked at Rognvaldr fearlessly. Even though she'd only met him yesterday it felt like they'd always been together.
"Queen Morgaine do you give your daughter permission for this union?" Arthur asked solemnly.
"I do knowing that the magic that joins them will increase and bless the land with peace and prosperity." Queen Morgaine said taking her daughter's right hand and offered it to Rognvaldr, who blushed.
"And do you, Merlin Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, give your son permission for this union?" Arthur asked seriously.
"I do so, knowing that the magic that joins them will increase and bless the land with peace and prosperity." Rognvaldr raised his right hand and clasped Vivienne's wrist. Shyly they smiled at each other.
"Princess Vivienne..." The King said with an encouraging smile.
"Rognvaldr," Princess Vivienne said bravely. "I give you the promise of my troth that we may join our land and its people through our magic, fidelity and the covenant of love shown to us by God. To you, I pledge myself wholly: magic and body."
As she finished speaking, a slither of gold and silver fire emanated from the wands of Morgaine and Merlin. Slowly, it snaked its way around their clapped hands.
"Lord Rognvaldr..." the King propted sounding more serious.
"Vivienne, I give you the promise of my troth that we may join our land and its people through our magic, fidelity and the covenant of love shown to us by God. To you, I pledge my life, that I may ever love and protect you: from this day, to the moment of my death and beyond."
As he finished speaking there was a gasp from the court. The oath went beyond what was needed.
A spark emanated from Morgaine and Merlin's wands – then the magical light encased their joined hands like thread woven into a blanket.
"We uphold the troth you have made and through magic strengthen it," Merlin and Morgaine said together.
From the outside, the four of them looked to be glowing: bathed in a radiant light.
Rognvaldr and Vivienne gazed at each other fiercely; and for a moment their consciousness shifted. They weren't eleven but seventeen again. Best friends of Harry Potter destined to be lovers.
'Ron, I'm scared.'
'I know Hermione, but we have to do this.'
'I want to go home.'
'We will luv, but it's going to take time.'
'That oath you took Ron...'
'It was for you, Mione, always and forever!'
Morgaine and Merlin were staring at one another now: wide eyed.
Morgana, they aren't our children...
Hush, Merlin my love – I heard them too. But I have seen them... through them our land will be joined.
How can it be my beloved when they aren't our offspring?
All will be well Merlin!
As suddenly as it had started the connection was broken. The hall erupted into applause: the deed was done. Everyone smiled and congratulated the couples on a betrothal well done.
Vivienne and Rognvaldr were themselves again and revered to their usual behaviour. Vivienne sought Helena's side and Rognvaldr was joined by Prince Gwydion.
"I will love you forever," he mocked, becoming moon eyed before collapsing into sniggering.
"Gwydion," Rognvaldr spat back, "just you wait until your betrothal."
"I am to be king," Gwydion said boastfully. "I neither want nor need love."
"Yeah, me neither," Rognvaldr replied trying to be casual. "It's just I kind of forget that whenever I'm around Vivienne. She makes me feel strange. It's a complete nightmare!"
"Maybe it's just your magic's..." Gwydion said with the certainly of youth.
A flash of light redirected their focus. Gryffindor was calling the assembly to order. As Rognvaldr turned around he saw Vivienne standing close to him. With a feeling of pure dread; he knew that she'd heard him.
'Great, married for five minutes and I've already upsetting Her...' he thought glumly.
"Ladies, gentleman, witches, wizards and warlocks," Gryffindor's voice boomed. The hall settled down and looked towards the grand old wizard. "Every year, my fellow founders and I take young people with a spark of magical ability and take them to our school in the North. At Hogwarts, we take that spark and fan it into a flame. There, as Hogwarts students, they learn the ways of magic to strengthen this land: healing arts, defence and other lore's.
"I am happy to announce the new Hogwarts students from among your number." He unrolled a scroll and began to read. "Princess Vivienne of the Isles of Apples," Vivienne who had been excepting her name smiled and went towards Godric. As children's names were read out they stepped happily forward. The final name created an uproar. and Lord Rognvaldr of the North and Camelot!"
TBC