Chapter 10
The day of her wedding dawned bright as she laid awake in her bed that after today would no longer be hers. There was still a lot of time before
the married women of the court would come to get her ready for the ceremony which was being held in one of the outer gardens. She knew that there was going to be a lot of symbolism in her preparation to become a bride and she was not looking forward to it in the least. Why did it have to be so complicated and ritualistic? Why could it not be simple? Darcy was a simple person and would have preferred her wedding to be a simple affair but seeing as she barely had any say into what went into the planning of her own wedding she would have to take what she was given. Apparently here the parents were the ones to do all the planning and the bride just had to show up.
She sighed and got out of bed. After a quick bath she dressed and went to her sitting room to await the women who would prepare her for the
wedding.
Jane came in shortly thereafter. "Darcy, today is your wedding day. Can you believe it?!" she exclaimed coming to sit next to her friend.
"In a way no, I can't. It just doesn't seem possible you know. I mean when I left Earth over a month ago I hated the idea of marrying him and now I ….. I can't wait to become his wife, Jane."
"What made you change your mind, Darcy? I mean yeah when you left you were quite set against marrying him and rightly so, so how did you go
from hating the man to loving him in so short a time?"
"It's hard to explain, Jane. It was a gradual change I can tell you that. I…that is ….Jane he's been through so much in the past few years and if you
only knew what he had happen to him…. I'm not making any since am I?"
"Nope, not an ounce of since actually, why don't you start from the beginning."
Darcy nodded and began to explain everything that had happened between herself and Loki in the past month. By the time she was finished
explaining Jane was far more sympathetic to Loki's cause than she had been before Darcy began her tale.
"So you're telling me that Odin lied to him about his heritage all his life and that is what set off the chain of events that followed?"
"Yep," Darcy quipped.
"I do hope someone informs the king of his bad parenting skills," Jane huffed.
Darcy laughed at this and told Jane that she already gave the king a piece of her mind about his treatment of his adopted son.
Jane laughed at that. She knew Darcy well enough to know that she would tell off the King of Asgard for something like that. Darcy was fiercely
loyal to those she loved and protective too. So Jane wasn't surprised in the least that she had done what she did.
They talked or the rest of the afternoon until the women came in to prepare her for the ceremony.
They first had Jane remove her head piece that signified her virgin status. This was wrapped in a velvet cloth to be saved for her firstborn daughter. Then they undressed her and then bathed her with herbs and incence, telling her everything she needed to know about how to please her new husband. This embarraseed not only her but Jane as well as she had been appointed as her maid of honor. Once she was washed they dried her off and began to dress her for the ceremony.
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Loki looked around the chamber that he would be sharing with his new bride shortly. He had not wanted to move out of his chamber but seeing as
it was too small for two people Odin had bestowed a new chamber on the couple as a wedding present. Darcy had yet to see them as he wanted it
to be a surprise. Turning, he left the room satisfied that everything was in order and walked back to his to get ready for the ceremony.
Just as his bride was being prepared for the ceremony so was he. The married men of the court as well as Thor came to help him prepare. Like her they bathed him and told him how to be a good husband to his new bride. After the bath he was dressed in his ceremonial armor sans the helmet.
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Darcy had been prepped for the wedding and was now fully dressed and ready to go. Her dress was a satin like silk in the medieval style. It was
gold with sheer green fabric (the same color as Loki's signature color) wrapped around the bust and flowed down her arms and into a long point.
Her hair was unbound and had been brushed till it gleamed. She wore a circlet in the same golden color upon her brow.
"Are you ready my dear?" her mother asked after all the women left except Jane and Frigga.
"As ready as I will ever be, Mom."
"There is just one more thing to add to your gown, my dear."
"And what would that be?" Jane asked.
"This," Keeren said producing a satin ribbon that was about an inch thick.
"What's that?" Jane and Darcy asked confussed.
"This, is the binding sash. The bride has to be the one to bring it to the ceremony. It signifies herself and her willingness to be bound to her chosen mate," Keeren explained to the two girls as she loosely placed the sash around her daughters waist and attached it with a brooch.
"You look lovely, Darcy," Frigga stated knowing that the younger woman was nervous after all the tales the other women had told her about what to expect as a new bride. "Do not worry, I know that my son would do nothing to hurt you."
Darcy smiled at the queen in thanks and nodded as she already knew that Loki would not do anything to harm her, though it still was hard not to
think of what was to come later on that night.
"Come, my dear it is time."
Darcy, Jane, Frigga and Keeren walked out of the chamber to the large courtyard where the wedding was to take place. There they were met by her father. Then she took a breath and began her walk to the makeshift altar where one of the head priests and her groom were waiting for her arrival.
Loki didn't look back to see her approach as it was considered bad luck to do so and so kept his eyes forward. Darcy though got a good look at his back side and thought he looked very handsome in his armor. She did wish that he had worn the helmet though. He just looked ultra sexy in that helmet and she wanted to see him in it again.
She finally stepped up beside Loki and he took a quick look at her and smiled softly, a look of pure love in his eyes.
Then the priest began.
"We have come together here in celebration of the joining together of Sigyn Berensdottir and Loki Laufeyson adopted son of Odin. There are many
things to say about marriage. Much wisdom concerning the joining together of two souls has come our way through all paths of belief and from many cultures. With each union more knowledge is gained and more wisdom gathered. Though we are unable to give all this knowledge to these two, who stand before us, we can hope to leave with them the knowledge of love and its strengths and the anticipation of the wisdom that comes with time. The law of life is love unto all beings. Without love, life is nothing, without love, death has no redemption. Love is anterior to Life, posterior to Death, initial of Creation and the exponent of Earth. If we learn no more in life, let it be this."
"Marriage is a bond to be entered into only after considerable thought and reflection. As with any aspect of life, it has its cycles, its ups and its
downs, its trials and its triumphs. With full understanding of this, Loki and Sigyn have come here today to be joined as one in marriage."
"Sigyn, is it true that you come of your own free will and accord?"
"Yes, it is true," Darcy answered.
"With whom do you come and whose blessings accompany you," the priest asked.
Beren spoke, "She comes with me, her father, and is accompanied by all of her family's blessings."
"Please join hands with your betrothed and listen to that which I am about to say. Above you are the stars, below you are the stones, as time doth
pass, remember... Like a stone should your love be firm like a star should your love be constant. Let the powers of the mind and of the intellect
guide you in your marriage, let the strength of your wills bind you together, let the power of love and desire make you happy, and the strength of
your dedication make you inseparable. Be close, but not too close. Possess one another, yet be understanding. Have patience with one another, for
storms will come, but they will pass quickly."
"Be free in giving affection and warmth. Have no fear and let not the ways of the unenlightened give you unease, for the spirit is with you always."
He indicated that Darcy remove the sash from around her waist and give it to him. She did as bid and handed him the sash.
He then spoke again.
"Do you, Loki, take Sigyn to be your wife, to be her constant friend, her partner in life, and her true love? To love her without reservation, honor
and respect her, protect her from harm, comfort her in times of distress, and to grow with her in mind and spirit?"
Loki looked deep into his love's eyes and answered, "I do."
The priest then turned to Darcy.
"Do you, Sigyn, take Loki to be your husband, to be his constant friend, his partner in life, and his true love? To love him without reservation,
honor and respect him, protect him from harm, comfort him in times of distress, and to grow with him in mind and spirit?"
She returned the look Loki was giving her and answered, "I do."
The Priest then began to bless the union,
"Blessed be this union with the gifts of the East.
Communication of the heart, mind, and body
Fresh beginnings with the rising of each Sun.
The knowledge of the growth found in the sharing of silences.
Blessed be this union with the gifts of the South.
Warmth of hearth and home
The heat of the heart's passion
The light created by both to illuminate the darkest of times.
Blessed be this union with the gifts of the West.
The deep commitments of the lake The swift excitement of the river
The refreshing cleansing of the rain
The all encompassing passion of the sea.
Blessed be this union with the gifts of the North
Firm foundation on which to build
Fertility of the fields to enrich your lives
A stable home to which you may always return.
Each of these blessings emphasizes those things which will help you build a happy and successful union.
Yet they are only tools.
Tools which you must use together in order to create what you seek in this union."
He then addressed the pair before him.
"These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, for a lifetime of happiness. These are the hands that will
countless times wipe the tears from your eyes: tears of sorrow and tears of joy. These are the hands that will comfort you in illness, and hold you
when fear or grief racks your mind. These are the hands that will hold you tight as you struggle through difficult times. These are the hands that
will give you support and encourage you to chase your dreams. Together, everything you wish for can be realized."
The priest turned then to Loki and asked, "Loki, Will you be Sigyn's faithful partner for life?"
Loki answered, "Yes."
The priest repeated the same question to Darcy, and again the response was in the affirmative.
"Will you be each other's constant friends and one true love?" he asked the both of them.
They answered together, "Yes."
After they had answered the priest began to wrap their clasped hands with the sash. "And so the binding is made."
He then turned to Darcy and asked, "Sigyn, do you promise to love Loki without reservation?"
"Yes," came her reply.
He then asked the same of Loki and he too answered yes. He then asked them both, "Will both of you stand by one another in sickness and in
health, in plenty and in want?"
"Yes," came both of their replies.
"And so the binding is made." the priest said again.
"Sigyn, will you stand together with Loki in times of joy and sorrow?"
"I will," she answered.
Loki was asked the same and gave the same answer.
"Will you share the burdens of each so that your spirits may grow in this union?" he again asked the couple.
They again answered in the affirmative and the priest once again replied with, "And so the binding is made."
"Loki will you always to be open and honest with Sigyn, for as long as you both shall live?"
"Yes, I will," he replied.
Again the question was asked and Darcy replied that she would.
"Will you dream together to create new realities and hopes for this marriage?" he again addressed the two of them.
"We will," they answered again in unison.
"And so the binding is made," was once again said by the priest.
"Sigyn, Will you honor this man?" the priest asked.
"Yes, I will."
"Loki, Will you honor this woman?"
"Yes, I will."
"Will you both seek to cherish and strengthen that honor?" he asked the pair.
"We will," they answered.
Again he replied with, "And so the binding is made."
He then removed the sash and placed it on the altar. "The knots of this binding are not formed by this sash but instead by your vows. Either
of you may drop the sash, for as always, you hold in your own hands the making or breaking of this union. Now you are bound one to the other
with a tie not easy to break. Take the time of binding before the final vows are made to learn what you need to know - To grow in wisdom and
love. That your marriage will be strong that your love will last in this life and beyond."
The priest then turned and addressed Loki.
"Loki, I have not the right to bind you to Sigyn, only you have this right. If it is your wish, say so at this time, and place your ring in her hand."
Loki replied with, "It is my wish."
"Sigyn, I have not the right to bind you to Loki, only you have this right. If it is your wish, say so at this time, and place your ring in his hand."
"It is my wish," Darcy replied.
"Sigyn, as it is your wish, place the ring on his finger. Loki, as it is your wish, place the ring on her finger."
"Then repeat after me:
I, in the name of the spirits that reside within us all, by the life that courses within my blood and the love that resides within my heart, take thee
to my hand, my heart, and my spirit, to be my chosen one.
To desire thee, and be desired, to desire thee, and be desired by thee, to possess thee wholly and completely without restraint, in sickness and in
health, in plenty and in poverty, in life and beyond, where we shall meet, remember, and love again. I shall not seek to change thee in any way. I
shall respect you, your beliefs, your people and your ways as I respect myself. So here we stand together, and here we make a stand, to offer love to holiness, in faith to understand, that if living is for loving, and only truth is true, then I dedicate myself to loving you. I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine."
They repeated the vow together in one voice.
"Loki and Sigyn, in the eyes of this gathering, in the light of the spirits and by the law of the land, be you now married. You may now share in your
first kiss as husband and wife."
Loki pulled Darcy to him and placed a very chaste kiss to her lips, sealing their vows.