Thank you all for your continued support, and sticking with this story. I hope you enjoy this much awaited moment!

Chapter 57 - The Wedding Ceremony of Ms Margaret Scott and S'chn T'Gai Sordd

Avarak was continuing his reconnaissance of the church. Another commotion appeared to be taking place in the vestibule, when he looked towards the noise a broad smile appeared on his face, which he quickly schooled away.

He turned to his Aunt Manda, "Ko-kuk Manda," he said, "Mimi is here!"

Amanda turned round to have a look. "Ok, time to sit down properly,'' she said to Avarak kindly.

He duly sat back down on the pew and faced the front, waiting expectantly for the next part of the proceedings to start.

The Vicar came over and briefly spoke to his father, who stood up. Sarek and Avarak followed his lead. The three Vulcans were now standing at the front of the church, on the right hand side as you come in. Fortunately for Avarak he now had a tremendous vantage point where he was standing, which was at a slight angle to his father and uncle. It afforded him a view of the central aisle and more than half of the congregation, mainly Mimi's family and friends. He looked up at his father and Uncle Sarek, who were both standing bolt upright, facing the front with their hands behind their backs, in true Vulcan, stoic, fashion. His father's cheek twitched slightly.

There must have been some kind of hidden signal, as all of the congregation stood up at the same time without anyone instructing them to.

A string quartet began to play the entrance music. Because Avarak had been involved with planning the wedding he knew the piece of music was called 'Cathair-eaglais na Gaidhealtachd' or 'Highland Cathedral,' it was a traditional Scottish piece. As the music played Avarak watched as Mimi and her father slowly walked down the centre aisle. From where Avarak was standing Mimi's father was on the left hand side and Mimi was on the right hand side. For some reason, that Avarak did not understand, Mimi was wearing a veil over her face. He made a mental note to ask her about it later. As they continued to move down the aisle Avarak could see T'Shahel coming into view, following closely behind them.

Avarak heard a sobbing sound, he quickly scanned the congregation. Some of the women on Mimi's side of the church were wiping away tears. He decided to scan his father's side of the church and noted that some more of the human females were crying, even Ko-kuk Manda was wiping away a tear from her eye. Avarak frowned, he was confused as to why people would cry at a wedding as he thought humans saw it as being a 'happy' occasion... Hugh and Mimi continued to walk down the aisle...

Avarak looked again at his father, his ears were going a darker green, fascinating, he thought to himself.

After a very short period of time, although in a strange way it felt longer, Mimi and Hugh stopped just beside where his father was standing. At exactly that moment the music stopped as well.

Hugh lifted Mimi's veil over her head and gave her a kiss on her cheek. Avarak raised an eyebrow at the public display of affection, it was not very Vulcan. He wondered what his grandmother was thinking about the proceedings, so he stole a quick glance there was not a flinch on her face. Hugh took his place at Mimi's left hand side.

Mimi turned to give her bouquet to T'Shahel and then she turned slightly so she was facing his father. There was a broad smile on her face and a sparkle in her eyes. She looked beautiful. Avarak looked again at his father, he looked at Mimi with a neutral expression, but Avarak could see a sparkle in his eyes also.

After the Vicar welcomed everyone to the marriage ceremony those who had gathered sang, what humans called, a hymn, 'Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee.' Avarak found this very interesting, there wasn't any singing at a Vulcan wedding! (If Avarak was to give the hymn an emotion, which being a Vulcan he wouldn't, he would say it was a 'happy' song.)

*'*

The Wedding Vows

The Vicar spoke, in a very solemn tone, "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here in the sight of God and in the face of this congregation to join together this Vulcan and this woman in holy matrimony which is an honourable estate. It is not by any to be enterprised nor taken in hand unadvisedly, lightly or wantonly but reverently discreetly soberly and in the fear of God." He was not speaking in Standard, instead he was using some kind of archaic English, Avarak did not understand all the words.

The Vicar turned and spoke to the congregation. "If anyone can shew any just cause why they may not lawfully be joined together, let them now speak, or else hereafter for ever hold their peace," he said. There was an awkward silence, when nobody breathed.

The Vicar then turned to speak to Mimi and his father. "I require and charge you both, that if either of you know any impediment why ye may not be lawfully joined together in matrimony that ye now confess it," he said. There was another awkward silence.

Continuing to speak in a solemn tone, "Who gives this bride to this groom in marriage?" he asked.

"I do," said Mr Scott. He took Mimi's right hand and placed it into Sordd's right hand. Mr Scott then went to sit down beside his wife Abigail.

"I ask you each now, to repeat the marriage vows," the Vicar said. At this point the Vicar said a few lines which Avarak's father then repeated. The Vicar then said a few more lines which his father repeated and so on ... (The entirety of the vows are shown below)

"I S'chn T'gai Sorrd take you Margaret Scott to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to cherish thee, till death us do part. With my body I will honour you, all that I am I give to you and all that I have I share with you. This is my solemn vow."

They loosed hands.

Mimi then took Avarak's father's right hand in hers. Again the Vicar said a few lines and she repeated them...

"I Margaret Scott take you S'chn T'gai Sorrd to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to cherish thee, till death us do part. With my body I will honour you, all that I am I give to you and all that I have I share with you. This is my solemn vow."

They loosed hands again.

*'*

The Giving of Rings

At this point Avarak reached into his pocket, you would not have know the robes had pockets because they were so well concealed, and stepped forward, to hand the rings to the Vicar.

"Bless, O Lord the giving of these rings, which are a sign of affection and devotion to each other. May those who wear them live in peace and your favour all the days of their lives. Amen," the Vicar said.

Mimi and Sordd exchanged the rings. They then knelt down, fortunately there were two pew cushions for them to kneel on.

"Let us pray," the Vicar said. "O Eternal God, Creator and Preserver of all the universe, giver of all grace, the author of life: Send thy blessing upon this Vulcan and this woman, whom we bless in thy name; that, living faithfully together, they may surely perform and keep the vow and covenant betwixt them made, whereof this ring given and received is a token and pledge; and may ever remain in perfect love and peace together, and live according to thy laws. Amen.

The congregation replied, "Amen."

"They have declared their marriage by the joining of hands and by the giving and receiving of rings. I therefore proclaim that they are husband and wife," the Vicar said.

At this point it was almost as though a wave of relief rolled over the congregation and everyone was able to breathe freely again.

*'*

For the signing of the register, which did not take very long, the wedding party moved to the side of the church and the choir sang, 'For the Beauty of the Earth.'

*'*

After the register had been signed, Avarak, and his Uncle Sarek returned to their seats. Mimi and Sordd sat on two seats which were located on the platform, in full view of the entire congregation.

James, Mimi's older brother walked to the front of the church and stood in front of what looked like a podium. He paused for a few moments then he began to speak, "Reading from Paul's Epistle to the Romans, Chapter 12. 'I urge you, brothers and sisters...'

Avarak, who was getting tired by now due to a lot of excitement and new experiences, decided to count all of the red pieces of glass in the circular window at the front of the church...

"... If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone," James finished the reading and went to sit back down on his seat.

There then followed what was called a sermon, fortunately it was quite short.

During the sermon, which was on the meaning of love and living in peace and harmony with others, Avarak filled in the time with a number of activities including: reading names on a war memorial, interestingly it dated back to the Terran First Word War; counting the number of choir members; and counting the number of pipes in the pipe organ. Avarak also studied the large floral arrangement at the front of the church by counting how many there were of the different kinds of flowers and trying to determine if there was a logical pattern.

After the sermon, the whole congregation stood up and sang another hymn, it was called, 'The Lord's My Shepherd.' The words of this hymn reminded Avarak of the rolling green fields and countryside of the surrounding area. It also reminded him of some of the sheep he had seen grazing on the hillsides. Avarak, who as we know had helped to plan the wedding, knew that there were only three more things to go before they would leave the church...

After the hymn the congregation sat down again, the choir remained standing.

Some gentle music began to play...

"Deep peace of the running wave to you," a choir boy began to sing a solo. Avarak was quietly impressed, the boy must be very brave he thought. He also thought that it was the kind of song that could aid you in meditation.

"Deep peace of the flowing air to you," the choir boy continued to sing, eventually the other members of the choir joined him...

*'*

Avarak was beginning to fidget, and to be honest he was starting to get a bit bored with the proceedings. He wanted to go outside and explore, fortunately for him there were only two more things on the programme...

"If you will close your eyes to receive this blessing," the Vicar said. "Let us pray,"

Avarak looked over to the left, the humans bowed their heads and closed their eyes. Uncle Sarek turned to him, "Close your eyes Avarak, as a sign of respect," he said neutrally.

Avarak bowed his head and closed his eyes.

"The Lord bless you, and keep you," the Vicar said.

Although his uncle had told him to close his eyes Avarak couldn't resist the urge to peek. He squinted his eyes open slightly, just incase anyone happened to be looking at him, however when he saw what the Vicar was doing he could not resist opening his eyes fully. As the Vicar was speaking the blessing over the congregation he was holding up both his hands and forming the ta'al with them … unfortunately Avarak was unable to comment on this to anyone as his eyes were supposed to be closed!

"The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you," the Vicar continued. "The Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon you and give you peace. And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit be upon you and remain with you always Amen," the Vicar finished.

"Amen," said the congregation all at once.

The music began to play, a Vulcan quartet this time, "K'war'ma'khon' (a Traditional Vulcan song). His father and Mimi turned and began to leave the church. Uncle Sarek indicated for him to follow, and both sides of the wedding party began to file out together, side by side.

They came out of the church into the autumn sunshine. A piper was playing some traditional Scottish tunes on his bagpipes. The crowd outside continued to cheer the bride and groom! It was a very happy sight! (Well the humans were happy, we wouldn't know what the Vulcans were 'feeling')

*'*

Notes

The part regarding the ta'al was inspired by the documentary, 'For the Love of Spock.' Nimoy stated that when he was a child, his grandfather took him to an Orthodox synagogue, where he saw the blessing performed, he peaked when he wasn't supposed to!

Deep Peace (A Gaelic Blessing) Libera - for a sense of what happened at this point!