Buri slowly stepped onto the edge of the path. A few petals drifted up in the breeze caused by her movement, to rest on her feet for a brief moment before slipping off with her next step.
Gracefully, with only the sounds of ruffled cloth and nocturnal insects to accompany her, Buri made her way up the isle. The K'mir moved with measured steps, her eyes never leaving Raoul's.
Playful winds picked up, whirling the red and white petals about Buri's form. Her white, mid-calf length skirt, shining with red trim, fluttered against her legs, the fabric outlining the top of the black leather boots she wore.
Vibrant red, her tunic-like top embroidered in white caressed Buri's upper body, showing off her curves. Tight at the top, it then flared out at the waist and fell to her thighs. A black leather belt rested on her hips, with two sheathed daggers clipped to the right side, their handles wrapped with red and white thread.
A birch bow was slung across her shoulders, the grip wrapped with red and white cord. Over the top of her right shoulder arrowheads could be seen, all fletched with swan feathers.
The colors highlighted Buri's dark skin, making it glow. Her hair, pinned up in traditional K'miri style, framed her face perfectly, and drew attention to her eyes.
Although the rest of her was elegant, no one missed how glorious Buri's eyes shone. Faintly outlined with kohl, their shape was well defined. A light coat of white covered her eyelids, making the brown in her eyes stand out all the more. Raoul's gaze was riveted to them.
Her lips were ruby red, full, and smiling like their would be no tomorrow. Reaching the end of her path and joining arms with Raoul, she turned along with him to continue their walk to the dais.
A robed and hooded Mithran priest stood behind the altar, a priestess of the Goddess next to him. As Buri and Raoul ascended the dais steps, the priest swept back his hood to reveal a young man in his early-twenties, with level gray eyes and long, red-brown hair.
Murmurs arose from the crowd at the appearance of the priest. Mithran initiates as young as he were almost unheard of, and regarded by most as legend. It surprised people to find him here.
Ringing filled the air, returning the people's attention to the others standing on the dais. The priestess lowed her hands, and the sound stopped. With a nod to her fellow religious, she proclaimed in a strong voice, "Gathered are we to witness the joining of two souls and two hearts, eternal in the eyes of our Great Mother Goddess."
The priest echoed, "Gathered are we to witness the joining of two souls and two hearts, eternal in the eyes of the Almighty Mithros."
Thus, the ceremony had begun.
The people gathered watched in amazement. The aging priestess and young priest worked together flawlessly, moving some of the more tenderhearted maidens to tears, and giving even the most battle-hardened soldiers reason to sniff.
Without all the manner of pomp and circumstance that were a part of most weddings, this one seemed that much more glorious. The intertwined voices of the holy drifted up into the midnight sky, strong with purpose.
They spoke of devotion and care. They spoke of understanding and strength. They spoke of support and respect. Most importantly, they spoke of unconditional love. As the rite proceeded, their words became inflected with an austere ambiance that flowed throughout the undercurrent of their tone.
Buri and Raoul stood with hands clasped and eyes closed, absorbing every individual word as it reached them. Raoul gave Buri's hand a squeeze, a small bit of assurance. She returned the gesture just as the priest and priestess' voices faded away.
Opening their eyes, they were confronted by the piercing gaze of the priestess. With an almost imperceptible flick of her wrist, the woman allowed a thin band of gold and white metal to fall from her sleeve into her hand.
As she reached out towards the girl in front of her, she intoned, "Buriram Tourakom, of the K'mir, do you swear by all gods, both great and small, and especially in the name of our Great Mother Goddess, to be a loyal and loving wife to the man, Lord Raoul of Golden Lake and Malorie's Peak, whose hand is now clasped in yours?"
Trembling slightly, Buri reached out to accept the ring being held out to her as without a moments hesitation, she replied, "I do."
The ring warm in her fingers, Buri held it as the priest turned to Raoul.
From his habit he pulled a silver and red ring, holding it out to Raoul as he said, "Lord Raoul, of Golden Lake and Malorie's Peak, do you swear by all gods, both great and small, and especially in the name of the Almighty Mithros, to be a loyal and loving husband to the woman, Buriram Tourakom of the K'mir, whose hand is now clasped in yours?"
His voice rang strong as he said, "I do."
A smile finally crinkled the priestesses weathered face as she watched Buri and Raoul slip the shining rings on one another's fingers. When they finished, and together with the priest, she said, "We now pronounce you lord and lady, husband and wife, forever in the eyes of the gods and the people."
Raoul gently took Buri into his arms. With a swift heave, he lifted her from her feet and pressed his lips to hers. Fiery passion whipped through the two of them as they held the kiss, and the crowd went wild.
-----------
Laughing with joy for her friends, Kel didn't notice the woman who had come to stand behind the podium along with the two already there. When she saw Neal go still however, she saw what he was looking at and she froze too.
Queen Thayet swept out her hand in a placating gesture at all those bowed before her, "Please, everyone. There is no need for this, none at all. I came for the same simple reason as all of you, no more." Every wedding attendee was in a supplicant position, greeting their monarch, but she flapped her hands at them in an effort to get them to rise.
Buri stood dumbstruck for a few moment before saying, "Thayet! What are you doing here? I thought you had vital matters that needed immediate attention!"
"I do Buri. That's why I'm here. You didn't think I'd miss this for anything in all of the Eastern Lands, did you?" Thayet smiled, "Buri, you're the best friend I've ever had, and for me, being at your wedding is a vital matter. Jon can survive without me for a couple weeks."
"Thayet, thank you."
The Queen shook her head, "C'mon Buri, none of that. Besides, this ceremony isn't over yet, we do have to finish it."
"Isn't over yet… What do you mea-" Buri's words trailed off in understanding as she saw the thin dagger Thayet drew from her sleeve.
The priest and priestess stepped back into the shadows as Thayet strode forward. In a strong, echoing voice she proclaimed, "In the name of the Four Horse Lords and the K'mir tribesmen of Sarain, I Queen Thayet of Tortall, design to witness the wedding of this man and woman standing before me with a blood pledge."
She flashed the dagger in the air, "With this blade I would bind these two in heart, soul, and blood, forever. Who among you would witness such a thing?"
Immediately, every hand in the fort went up. Smiling, Thayet looked around at the assembled as she chose her people. After a flick of the dagger at each person, she ended with a group of six assembled around her.
Gravely, she drew each person close to watch as she made a shallow cut along both Raoul and Buri's right wrist. Grabbing their arms right above the cut, she pushed their wrists together and allowed six combined drops to fall on top of the podium, where they condensed to form a solid spot of color.
After the last bit had fallen she pulled their wrists apart and whistled. Out of the closest building came Dom, a bundle of light bandages in his hold. With a nod to Thayet, he began to wrap Buri's cut.
So that's where he's been all evening, Kel thought with an inner smile. It figures he'd be in on this secret, when the rest of us didn't even have a clue.
Thayet's voice drew her out of her thoughts.
"Kel, here," Thayet pointed to a line with an eagle feather quill, "sign please." Kel took the quill and placed her signature on the paper, below Alanna's, Wyldon's, and Neal's. When she finished, Lerant signed below her, and Owen below him.
"One signature for one drop. The ritual is complete." Thayet blew on the ink to dry it, then rolled up the paper. "Horse Lords and K'mir, witness this deed as done!"
The booming roll of thunder was heard overhead once. Letting loose a long, bloodcurdling war cry, both Buri and Thayet reveled in this sign from above, written down in K'mir legend as the best omen one could ever receive.
----------
After sharing one more long, sweet kiss with Raoul that was accompanied by much cheering and whistling, Buri walked over to Thayet. With a huge smile, Thayet wrapped Buri in a tight embrace, then held her at arms length.
"I've missed you during this war, my friend," Thayet reached into the front of her dress and pulled something out, keeping it clutched tight to her chest with one hand. "When I get so wrapped up in everything, and I feel overwhelmed, all I can think of is how you've always been there to help me."
"I want you to have this," Thayet put out her hand and uncurled her fingers. Resting in her palm was a thin silver chain, and an oval locket.
"Thayet… But this, this is yours… It was left to you." Buri, stunned, gave her head a small shake. "I can't take it."
A genuine smile of empathy crossed Thayet's elegant features. "Buri, I want you to have it. It's the best thing I can offer you on this amazing night, and I feel it's the most proper too."
Letting the locket and chain fall to the tips of her fingers, Thayet undid the clasp and fastened it around Buri's right wrist, the same one that held the cut made only moments earlier.
"It's yours now."
Buri's eyes were over bright as she carefully opened the lockets hasp. Within it a few strands of hair were clipped to one side, and a small patch of deerskin cloth covered the other.
"Are you sure…" Buri's voice, full of emotion, trailed off as she continued to look at the locket.
"Yea Bu, I'm sure." Thayet wrapped Buri's right hand in both of hers, "I think both our mothers would approve of their last tokens being in your possession now."
Buri wrapped Thayet in a massive hug before whispering, "Thank you."
----------
"It's three-thirty in the morning," Kel whispered with a sigh as she flopped into bed. The ceremony had been amazing, and the small reception afterwards was great, but now the late hours had caught up to Kel, and she was completely ready to go to sleep.
With a smile still on her face as she thought of the happiness that was so evident between her former knight-master his new wife, Kel drifted off into the peaceful realm of dreams.
----------
The next morning was well advanced before Kel woke up. Startled at seeing the large amount of sunlight that poured through her window, when usually there was none, Kel jumped up out of bed, still rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
As her head cleared, Kel laughed at herself. Well, yea, she thought, I didn't go to bed until well after midnight last night, of course I woke up later than usual. Splashing water on her face before she dressed in a light tunic and breeches, Kel finally got the last vestiges of sleep to flee her mind.
Going outside, Kel noted the position of the sun in the sky. It was about half-way to its zenith, and shining down with a fierce intensity. Looking around, she noticed Dom standing above the portcullis, presumably taking his stand at watch.
Seeing him up there, helping to keep everyone safe, warmed her even more that the sun. With a smile, she walked to the nearest set of steps.
Dom heard her approach, and turned slightly. When his eyes met hers, they both smiled as without a word exchanged, she came to stand next to him. The next two hours they spent in silence, keeping watch together, and taking peace in one another's sheer presence.
After his watch, Dom escorted Kel down to the grounds. With a radiant grin on his face he asked, "So you forgave Meathead?" As he waited for her answer, Dom stepped just a bit closer to Kel's side.
"Yeah. He's been my friend for so long, and I know he wasn't doing it to be spiteful, he did it because he cares," Kel paused to wrap a strand of hair around one finger as she thought. "I don't think I could ever find another friend so faithful as he. I love Neal like a brother, and I always will. Being mad at him is something I can't do for long."
Catching Dom's potent glance, Kel whispered, "I said another friend so faithful."
Dom glanced around furtively. Seeing no one in view, he grabbed Kel in a swift but strong hug, "I know what you mean." With that and a small wave, he then strode off.
Kel stood stock still for a long moment before her legs would obey the command to move.
Wondering what she was going to do the hour between now and lunch, and not exactly sure if she even wanted to go to the mess hall today, Kel walked outside. Deciding to go sit by the nearest river for a while, to think, she set her course and headed out.
Reaching the river bank, Kel looked for a flat rock to sit on. As she wandered around a bend, she came face to face with the Mithran priest who had helped to marry Raoul and Buri not twenty-four hours earlier.
Startled, Kel uttered a small oh, before bowing to the man standing before her.
With a kind hand and a warm smile, he lifted her by one arm. Kel noticed then that his habit's hood was down, signifying he was not on spiritual business. In a pleasant, light baritone voice, he said, "It's alright, there's no need."
Standing close to him, Kel noticed that he was only a hand-span of inches taller than her, with a muscular build. Returning his smile she replied, "Thanks."
"No problem." It was as he said this Kel realized how young he actually was. In her experience, most priests were stuffy old men, with no sense of humor. Kel could tell that this particular priest wasn't like that at all. There might be no difference in age between the two of us, she thought. He really is young for an initiate!
"I'm Solan, by the way. Mithran Initiate of the Light Solan the Third to be exact, but I don't really like the title. Call me Solan, please." He held out a hand, "You are?"
Kel grasped his hand in a firm shake. It was rough and calloused, unlike what she had expected, "Keladry of Mindelan, Lady Knight, but everybody calls me Kel."
You're the famed Lady Knight!" Solan asked, astonished. "I never thought I'd meet you face to face!"
"Oh no, you're probably thinking of Alanna the Lioness, she's the famous one." Kel let go of his hand, "I'm just another knight."
"No Lady Keladry, I mean you."
"Why me? And, just Kel, please." Kel shook her head, "I've done nothing worth acknowledgment."
Solan gave her an exasperated look. "Nothing worth acknoledgm…" He sighed, "Excuse me Kel, but you stopped Blayce the Gallan and destroyed all his killing machines. You saved an untold number of lives." He grabbed her hand again and gave it a warm squeeze. "I'd say that's worth a lot of acknowledgment."
"Thanks, but I only did what I had to." Kel looked down, "I needed to save my people."
"That's what makes you even more renowned, the fact that you didn't do it for glory." Solan shifted position so he could look into her face better, "You did it because you care about those who look to you for guidance, unlike many other nobles."
"I still don't think I'm famous, but, thanks again… Solan."
A bright smile passed across his features as he sat on the nearest rock.
Yay, another chapter done! Makes me happy, it does. Hehe, now, on to writing the next one! Well, R&R this one please! Thanks!
Sull