Damn you, ever-nagging plot bunnies … I just can't get this one out of my head. I am focusing on one story, but I wanted to get a foundation on this new one. So, here we go … This will be similar to Buying Love, Friends with Benefits, Mafia Princess and The One That Got Away, with shorter chapters and weekly updates: I'm planning on keeping the update schedule with this one … Sunday updates, Wednesday teasers.
Up next will be the glienne, in Edward's POV, plus their bonding. And by bonding, I mean lemons. Gotta love citrus. ;-) Though, I think that may come next chapter … we'll see.
Information about the Hand Fasting ceremony came from the website, A Practical , with the vows and what not coming from Gift from the Sea, Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Vintage 1955.
Chapter Twenty-Five
EPOV
"Dude, I can hear your heart pounding from here," Emmett said as he stood next to me under the dais. "Why are you freaking out?"
"I'm not freaking out," I argued. "I'm anxious to see Bella. I can't wait to be bonded with her forever. I can feel her, sense her love and the air is crackling with the magic of the ceremony."
"It's the perfect night for this," Eleazar said. "The first night of a blue moon, at midnight. Your mating ceremony is blessed." He murmured an incantation and the backyard was bathed in a warm glow, with globes of white light, twinkling around the backyard. "It's time, Lord Edward."
Emmett stood by my side, along with Marcus. Peter was acting as officiant, dressed in deep eggplant-colored robes. Eleazar was seated with Carmen. Jasper was next to Charlotte. Tanya and a few other of our allies were acting as witnesses. I could see the glow of a camera, indicating it was being live-streamed on the Intranet. I wrinkled my nose at that, but being fae royalty meant that we had certain expectations to uphold. Our mating ceremony, our glienne was to be a public event, not the private intimate ceremony that I'd hoped for. Yes, our guests were our inner circle but everyone was going to be watching.
Music began playing, but it wasn't music in the traditional sense. Nature was providing the soundtrack with birdsong, gentle breezes and shimmering chimes. It added to the magic of the night. Alice walked down the aisle first, wearing a beautiful, flowy dress in a deep lavender color. It enhanced her elfin features. She looked otherworldly, but radiantly happy as she glided down the aisle, holding a small bouquet of white, purple and green. She squeezed my hand as she took her spot on the dais. I blew out a breath as Rosalie followed my sister. Her dress was sheer and shimmering, a pale purple that almost appeared white. Her blonde hair was flowing over her shoulders in golden waves. She winked at me, her eyes sparkling as she gazed down the aisle.
My heart stammered. I felt Bella's presence before I saw her. The music swelled and everyone stood up, giving her the respect she deserved. I took a breath and in all of her glory, I saw my mate, my sihrena, my Bella. She looked like perfection personified, wearing a cream dress that deepened to a wisteria color with coordinating flowers dancing down her gown. She looked like royalty, her beauty enhanced by her gown, her hair and the magic surrounding her. With a calming breath, she looked up at me and her eyes glowed a warm orange while her body luminesced with her excitement. I felt her power calling to me. She moved faster to me. I stepped down, reaching my hand to her and she took it. Her emotions, which were churning as she walked toward me, calmed almost immediately. Helping her onto the dais, I stared at her. "There are no words to describe how beautiful you are," I whispered.
She blushed, warming the entire backyard. "I've missed you, Edward," she murmured. "I feel whole."
Peter cleared his throat and he smiled warmly. Bella handed her bouquet to Rose and we took hands. "Lord Edward and Lady Isabella, tonight we are surrounded by your friends and family, all of whom have gathered to witness your exchange of vows and to share in the joy of this occasion. Let this be a statement of what you mean to each other and your mating commitment of the glienne you will make."
Bella and I stared into each other's eyes, moving closer and feeling our bond begin to strengthen. The tendrils of our connection were tightening, pulling us closer together. I could feel her emotions, her excitement, her joy, her love; it mirrored my own emotions. I wanted nothing more than to have Peter announce that we were mated and that we could finalize our bond. The power behind it, and it wasn't complete, was overwhelming.
Peter chuckled, seeing the control slipping between us and the magic within crackling beneath the surface. "When you love someone, you do not love them all of the time in exactly the same way, from moment to moment. It's an impossibility. It is even a lie to pretend to. And yet this is what exactly what most of us demand. We have so little faith ebb and flow of life, of love and of relationships. We leap at the flow of the tide and resist the terror of the ebb. We are afraid it will never return.
"We insist on its permanency, on duration, on continuity, when the only continuity possible, in life, in love, is in growth, in fluidity, in freedom.
"The only real security is not in owning or possessing, not in demanding or expectations, not in hoping, even. Security in a relationship lies neither in looking back to what was in nostalgia, not forward to what it might be in dread or anticipation, but living in the present relationship and accepting as it is now. We need to remember that, especially now, in the times we are living with the uncertainty surrounding our lives," Peter said, smiling tenderly at both of us. "Relationships must be like islands; one must accept them for that they are here and now, within their limits – islands, surrounded and interrupted by the sea, continually visited and abandoned by the tides of life." He placed his hand on ours. "A bond, a love like yours, is truly remarkable, changing and potent."
"And unexpected," I whispered, looking away from him and staring at her. "I wouldn't change anything for the world."
"Me, neither," she sniffled, her eyes shimmering with tears.
"With the glienne ceremony, it is a bonding of souls, of bodies, of hearts. That bond is solidified with the ritual of hand fasting. Hand fasting is a declaration of intent where a couple clearly states they are bonding on their own free will. Lord Edward and Lady Isabella, know now before you go further that since your lives have crossed in this existence, you have formed eternal bonds. As you seek to enter the mating ceremony of the glienne, you should strive to make real ideals that give meaning to this ceremony and to the sanctity of this bonding. With full awareness, know within this circle you are declaring intent before your friends and family as witnesses.
"The promises made today and the ties that are bound here greatly strengthen your union and will cross the years and lives of each soul's growth. Do you seek to enter this ceremony?" Peter asked.
"Yes," we whispered. I blew out a breath and squeezed her hands.
"Look into each other's eyes, please," Peter murmured. We took each other's hands. They crossed and our fingers were twined together. "Lady Isabella, will you share in Lord Edward's pain and seek to alleviate it?"
"I will," she breathed.
"Lord Edward, will you share in Lady Isabella's pain and seek to alleviate it?" Peter repeated.
"Always," I said.
"And so, the binding is made," Peter said. I felt our souls intertwine along with the silken cord being wrapped around our hands.
"Lady Isabella, will you share in Lord Edward's laughter and look for the brightness and positivity in him?"
"I will," she replied.
"Lord Edward, will you share in Lady Isabella's laughter and look for the brightness and positivity in her?" Peter asked.
"I will," I answered. Tendrils of magic swirled around us, wrapping around our feet and pulsing with each heartbeat.
"And so, the binding is made," Peter intoned.
"Lady Isabella, will you share in Lord Edward's burdens so that your spirits may grow in this union?" Peter asked and he repeated it for me. "And so, the binding is made." Stronger magical tendrils swirled from within us, lighting up everything around us. "Will you share in each other's hopes and dreams?" We responded affirmatively. "And so, the binding is made." "Will you take the heat of anger and use it to temper the strength of your union?" A spark of magic reached from our chests, waiting until we responded, which we did. The magical lasso pulled us together and Peter breathed, "And so, the binding is made."
"I've never felt so close to another person," Bella whispered. "So loved."
"Words can't describe what I'm feeling," I replied.
"We're almost done," Peter said. "Lady Isabella, will you honor Lord Edward as an equal in this union?"
"Always," Bella answered.
"Lord Edward, will you honor Lady Isabella as an equal in this union?" Peter asked, his voice taking on a resonant quality.
"Forever," I murmured. I lifted our bound hands and saw her pulse racing against her pale skin. My incisors lengthened and I felt my mouth water. My body craved this, craved her. I quickly bit down, drawing her blood from her vein. She whimpered, clenching her fingers and her arousal swirling around us. I sealed her wound and she daintily bit down on my wrist, her eyes glowing lustfully. As she pulled from my vein, I felt my body harden and my need to make her mine grow exponentially.
Is the ceremony over yet?
"And so, the binding is made," Peter said. "Your hands, your bodies, your minds, your souls, your spirits, they are joined in union of love and trust. The glienne is not formed by these bonds, but by the vows you've made. We can see the power of your bonds, swirling around you, joining you in ways that are ancient and unbreakable. Like stars, your love is a constant source of light, and like the earth, a firm foundation from which to grow.
"May your bonds of love be blessed this day, the first night of the blue moons. May you always hold each other. May they have the strength to hang on during the storms of stress and the dark of disillusionment. May they remain tender and gentle as they nurture each other in their wondrous love. May these bonds be healer, protector, shelter and guide for each other, always and forever." With a wave of his hand, two powerful bindings moved from our bodies and wrapped around our fingers, glowing under our skin. "The perfect circle of the ring symbolizes eternity, as yours is an eternal love. This ring, only visible to your mate, is a symbol of that love and a reminder that you are unbroken and will be with each other, always. Lord Edward and Lady Isabella, you've bound yourselves to each other in the eyes of your friends and family. On behalf of all of those present, and by the strength of your own love, I pronounce you mated for all eternity. You may seal your vows with a kiss."
I cupped her cheeks and stared into her glowing eyes, seeing nothing but love, desire and absolute joy radiating from them. "I love you, sihrena," I whispered.
"I love you more," she murmured back. I dipped my head, brushing my lips with hers and our bonds sizzled all around us, making me even more aware of the need to fully connect with her. She moaned against my mouth, sliding her tongue between my lips. I tightened my arms around her and we lost ourselves in one hell of a kiss, only existing for each other and only this moment. The worries of Aro, Jacob and the pending war with the dark creatures were so far removed from our minds. All that remained was the need to mate with my sihrena, my mate, my life.
My only love …
A/N: Next chapter will be the completion of their bonding. Meaning, lemons. It'll also be their honeymoon. They will be going to some island … playing off their vows. Speaking of which, I adapted the glienne ceremony vows from A Practical Wedding's writing your own handfasting vows. I'm not this creative to come up with these vows on my own, but I really liked their meaning and symbolism.
After their wedding and 'honeymoon', things are going to pick up the pace with the action … Aro, Jacob and their loons, they're preparing for battle. It's going to be insane. Magically crazy … leave me some!