Greetings All! I hope everyone had an awesome Holiday Season!

For this chapter, I just cut lose and had some fun creating traditions...hopefully you'll find it as hillarious as I did while writing it. I won't deny that I busted out laughing several times at the mental pictures I was creating for this little filler. Let me know what you think of them!

Enjoy!

Dulcea led the way down the stairs. Behind her, Crystal, Aisha, Rocky, Adam, Jason, and Zack followed. They noticed as they got further into the mountain, the air became colder. It wasn't as cold as it was at the North Pole, but it wasn't the warmth they'd come to expect either.

Luckily, they didn't have too far to walk…and soon, they arrived at a massive cavern. Dulcea turned to them. This is the storage room that held all of the items needed for the bonding ceremony. Then she turned back around and pushed back the heavy animal skins for everyone so they could all walk in. Pausing a moment, she lit a large torch in the corner and soon the room lit up.

The room was smaller then it had looked but it was well stocked. In one corner were crude stone casks that held barrels of wine. On the opposite wall, was another room that was separated by a lighter skin. And there, in the middle of the room was a stone carved crate.

Dulcea walked over to the crate and studied the markings. "This wine and it's cask was the last made before the attack. "It's been a long time…so it's very sweet. We'll only need this one for the ceremony." Then she got up and walked over to a carved wooden crate. On the side it had sacred looking symbols. She opened the lid. These are the sacred Ninjetti elements. This will need to be carried up to the surface as well."

Once the boys got to work, Dulcea turned to Aisha and Crystal. "We're the lone females, so it's just you two and I for Kimberly's handmaidens. I'll have to fill you in as we go. Come with me."

In the second room several white garments hung. Dulcea inspected several before she found one that looked like the most untouched by time. She picked it up and inspected it in the light. It was a simple dress with no sleeves. On both sides were slits that were laced up with thin laces. This dress also featured a rounded neckline. Dulcea nodded to herself and handed the garment to the younger woman. Then she went to a large chest in the corner. She knelt down and opened the lid. Then she gestured the girls closer.

"The first duty of a handmaidens was to make the 'lady' look presentable on the day of the ceremony. The dress is a blank and one of many that were constructed thus. As the only handmaidens, its up to us to decorate the dress so that it will bring out her beauty. In a way, we are making her ready to be claimed by her mate."

She scooped up some glimmering beads and precious stones. "These are priceless and they've been down here for eons. We have a big job ahead of us and we don't have much time. We'll also have to gather flowers for dye. I'll have to instruct you as we go along." Saying this she picked up a small pouch and gave it to Crystal. "As the youngest handmaiden, its up to you to pick the stones and beads we'll use."

Crystal accepted the pouch and began to pick, being thoughtful of each one. As she did this, Dulcea went to another chest, this one much larger and picked out a plain sash.

"In the Ninjetti times, the parents of the young woman would have brought out their family crests and heirlooms to represent the clan. But we don't have that option so we must make everything ourselves. The men have their own items to create, but those things were metallic and will have to be forged by their own hands."

She turned to Aisha. You are the head handmaiden. Tradition states that you must find an acceptable hiding place to hole up in while the female is prepared for her mate. There are bigger rooms to be used for this sort of thing. As we are preparing Kimberly for her mate, its up to us to be sure the room is furnished with all we need. When we get up to the surface you may scour the rooms that aren't in use to find an acceptable place to hide the Crane.

"Hide?" Crystal asked as she finished up and closed the lid.

Dulcea grinned. "This is the fun of it. In a way we are kidnapping Kimberly…but it's only for a day. Tommy will not see his intended till the ceremony. It was the custom then, on the first day of preperation, the handmaidens came to the girl's house and the parents made them all swear and oath to look after her…and charged them to not let their daughter out of their sight until her mate claimed her."

"There's a lot more to this tradition, but I'm cold down here and I'd like to keep my toes. So, let's gather our things and get back up where it's warmer."

The girls were only too happy to follow her.

Back in the sacred room with the pool, RuTan, Kimberly and Tommy were rejoined by their friends.

Once they were all there. RuTan, as the oldest male addressed everyone.

"Tradition dictates that this is the parting of the ways for a short time. Kimberly and Tommy, you may embrace one last time before you are separated." At Kimberly's panicked look, Dulcea smiled at her. "In old days ,the couple was separated for days. Sometimes a week. But you will only have to go through the seperation for a day and a half. The girls and I will look after you. You'll never be alone."

Tommy grinned at her and held her closer and pressed a sweet kiss to her lips. "I hate being apart from you too, but when I see you next, this all will be worth it. RuTan says this is supposed to be fun..so I want you to enjoy it."

He kissed her again. "I'll be waiting for you, Beautiful."

Kimberly looked up at him with trusting eyes. "I love you handsome. I'll be waiting for you too."

After kissing one last time, Dulcea took Kimberly from Tommy's arms and then she led the small procession to the hidden cave.

Once she was gone, RuTan turned to the men. "We have a lot to accomplish to be ready for the bonding ceremony. Lets get to work."

In Phadosian Tradition, the male has a more practical and important role to play. In the old days, as soon as the bonding was announced, the male had 2 weeks to prepare a hiding place for them. where they wouldn't be disturbed... where he would claim her for the first time. Where they would stay before rejoining the community. That meant, providing animal furs, cooking tools, and even clothing for his mate."

"In addition to all that, he had more symbolic tasks to perform. One, being, the creation of the family symbol. This symbol was used to identify his clan from all the others…it was a stamp of sorts that was only to be used for sending messages, to monogram articles of clothing that were worn in official and spiritual ceremonies, and most importantly, this symbol was used in the creation of a medallion that was created specifically for his mate- to- be. During the ceremony, after declaring his love for his female and oath to protect her, he placed the medallion around her neck, that was his way of declaring her to be his own."

"The second task was to create a gift for her to wear, his second gift was of his own design, one that showed his love for her. The more time he spent in its crafting, the more he loved her. That's why many spent the whole week before the bonding in it's creation. Often times, it was something like a jeweled diadem, a intricately carved shield, or other weapon, sometimes it was a jeweled belt or a ring. But no matter what it was, it spoke of his love for her."

The third and forth was done during the ceremony. He pours a goblet of wine that he's made or purchased for her and offers it to her as way of symbolically providing sustenance to her. The final act he performs is to take his cloak from his shoulders and wrap it around hers as a symbolic form of giving her warmth. Once the priest binds them and blesses their clan, he releases them and they take off for the place the male prepared for his mate.

Tommy gaze was intense. "I know we don't have much time before the ceremony, but is there a way to do these things for Kim?"

RuTan smiled. "If we get to work right away. Now, I'm no metal worker, but I do remember how everything was done the day I visited the late ValReya. The forge was completely destroyed in the attack, but I did manage to get some tools and I found a strange case that was hidden among the rocks in back of the building. We can see what he left behind."

"But there is one more thing that we must consider."

"And what was that?" Tommy asked.

"The metal that was used had to come from the mate, do you have anything that can be melted to create the gifts?"

Tommy looked dismayed…then his grin brightened and he turned to Adam. "The day we left for Mantua, I had my wallet with me. I think I may have had a couple half dollar coins in it…and I was wearing my watch too along with a gold chain. What did you do with those?"

Andros put it in the ship's lock box, Billy answered, just in case the ship was boarded while on Mantua, I'll go get them." Then he got up and walked out of the cave.

When he was gone, Tommy tuned back to the healer. "What about the cave for the bonding, how do I find one of those? I don't think there's time to build one."

You can use the one I prepared for Dulcea. We never did get to use it. I don't know if there's anything left of it."

"How far is it?"

"Its about 20 minutes away from this temple. I'd heard from my older brothers that the first time could get intense..and loud. So I wanted to get as far away from the temple as safety allowed. It's a hidden spot inside a water fall. It's well hidden too. You won't be disturbed there at all."

"It's perfect. How can I earn it from you?"

"In old days, we had to work hard for that kind of cave, or do a favor from the previous user. But the work we'll do will more then pay for it. I will guide you in the process of forging, but you must do it without my aid."

"What about the rest of us?" Jason asked. "What do we need to do to prepare for the ceremony."

RuTan grinned at them. That was part of the fun. The friends of the male were tasked with keeping the man from seeing his mate before the ceremony, entertaining him and guarding the place from the handmaidens of the female."

Rocky narrowed his eyes. "Why the handmaidens?"

Dulcea's eyes glittered with memories. "The days leading to the ceremony were filled with mischievous deeds. The whole week was a long time to the female, so oftentimes, she asked one of her maidens to go and steal something that her intended owned…like a piece of clothing he wore or an object he valued. Sometimes even the animal skin he slept on."

"But this was not an easy task and it was a challenging game. If the maiden managed to steal the object, she would leave a note letting him know that if he wanted that object back, he must come for it before the ceremony began…along with a gift as ransom and she would be able to earn the chance to become a head hand mainden in the future."

"But if caught the handmaiden would be captured and had to earn her freedome by doing what the betrothed demanded. And it could be anything, as long as it wouldn't comprimise her virtue, destroy her honor or harm her in anyway. Often it meant cleaning their cave, seving them their dinner, or singing to them. I also heard that once the girl had chop off her hair and give it to the betrothed's best friend. Another rumor was that she had to run three times around the temple in nothing but her shift and then spend the night in the tree till someone came for her."

"When I was a young apprentice, my friend sent me to steal her intended's cushion. I got caught of course, but since RuTan was his friend, I only had to polish his weapons. When night came, I was still hard at work. RuTan took pity on me when I accidentally cut my palm. He applied medicine to it and wrapped it before finishing the job himself.. Then because the others were fast asleep, he escorted me back to the females along with the cushion. It was our secret so I took credit for it and became a favorite to be chosen as a handmaiden for other females."

"What about you." Kimberly asked. "Did you send out a handmaiden to steal from RuTan?"

Dulcea smirked and nodded before bursting out laughing. "My handmaiden, MeKah was wild and sneaky…and very twisted. I sent her out to steal one of RuTan's extra mortar and pestals. She came back a little while later. And she'd successfully stolen…his loin cloth. It was clean but it was something that was always worn under the wrap…I had to ask what it was."

Aisha, Crystal, and Kimberly fell into a fit of laughter.

"I blushed when I saw him at the ceremony. I was mortified that he'd publicly demand it back, like the other ones usually did. Thankfully he didn't, though he asked about it later."

She paused as her eyes got misty. "I do miss her though, she always kept things interesting." I grieved her for a long time, but then I found that she'd left a youngling behind, that youngling lived her life in piece, but she died centuries ago. She left decendants but I don't show myself to them anymore."

"But I thought Ooze killed everyone off."

"He destroyed the Ninjetti, but there are other humans on this planet as well as some well meaning aliens. I'm just a legend to them…I passed into obscurity long ago. Only the dragon clan knows of my existence."

"It must be lonely, just RuTan, TorrEnt and you." Kimberly said.

Dulcea smiled at her. "It can be, but RuTan and I find ways to entertain ourselves. Neither of us can leave the plateau or the cave. But TorrEnt comes here with some of the dragons to keep us company once in a while."

They were quiet for a moment before Dulcea spoke again. "But enough about the past, we have much to do before the ceremony. Let's get started!" she looked at Kimberly. "There are many things that must be done to ready you for your mate."

She looked at Aisha. If you would help me carry her over to the bathing pool. We have much to accomplish!" Turning back to Crystal she added. "You have quite the responsibility to finish that dress. You'd better get started!"

Crystal only nodded and turned back to the dress. Once she was alone the smile turned to a frown. Aramour had been on her mind a lot lately. He had been her hero…him and his friend.

And she couldn't deny that she felt something special for him. She'd always felt safe when he was around…and he was very handsome. But she doubted she felt love….but then again, she didn't know what love is…other then the affection her parent's showed her. But she had noticed the way her mother and father acted towards each other.

She'd only gotten a sample of it as she'd seen her mom and dad kiss…and she'd seen her mom as she allowed herself to be carried. She'd watched Connor and Kira interact back at the café. She'd watched as the two helped each other out with drink orders and how she backed her boyfriend up when a female customer tried to get Connor into trouble…was that love then?

Crystal still wasn't sure what love was. She didn't know if she felt love for Aramour…or was it just lust?

I know this stuff is crazy...and I hope you really enjoyed it! Any thoughts on the customs?

Catch you on the flip side!