Chapter 30 – Dangerous Promises
"Take me away my Lord," She said. He smirked and the next instant, they were gone.
It was just a moment before the world disappeared around her. She clung on to Tom as the wind rushed past them. Serena's stomach started to feel queasy when she noticed her world coming back into focus. She felt her feet touch the ground, and noticed that the moving had stopped. She held on to Tom a moment longer, trying to regain her focus. It was strange. Normally she didn't get sick when she apperated. It was a habit she had broken a few years ago, so she was a bit curious as to why she had felt those symptoms this time. They must have gone really far away.
"Are you ok?" He asked against her hair. She nodded and pulled away from him, offering him a timid smile.
"Yes, I'm fine," She said, though still a bit dizzy. He nodded.
"Good. We're here," He said. Serena looked around, taking in her surroundings.
They were standing in a small, dark, stone room. The walls were old and damp and resembled that of an ancient castle. The door behind them was made of dark brown wood, with ancient runes and carvings scratched into it. There was a single window in the room, but as it was black outside due to the fact it was very late at night, it didn't add anything but more creepiness to the room. There were a few tapestries on the wall, and they lay, silent and still against the cold stone. There was a small, circular stone table on the floor that stood upon a rectangular carpet. The table was very low to the ground, and on top of it stood a single golden goblet.
She sensed deep, powerful magic lay here. And she shivered involuntarily. Something about this place was very eerie, and yet called to her. All in all, it was a bit scary and she leaned in closer to Tom.
"Where are we?" She asked. Tom sighed.
"I have to ensure that you will never stray again," Tom said, looking down at her, his eyes darkening. She pulled away, but he grabbed hold of her arm.
"I never strayed!" Serena cried, but he silenced her.
"I have to make sure that you know to whom you belong. I need to world to realize it. You are mine, Serena, my Princess. You've been mine since I first touched you, all those years ago." Tom said. Serena's heart beat quickly in her chest. What was happening? She wondered.
"There is nothing else I could think of that would do that job other than this. It will make you mine in everyone's eyes. No one will be able to touch you then, and I will have an excuse for punishing them if they try to," He said.
"What are you talking about?" She asked him, feeling goose bumps appear on her skin.
"You're going to marry me, of course," He said, smiling at her. But his smile was cold and mocking. "Isn't that what you've always wanted?" Serena's heart fell.
Was it?
Well, yes, but not like this.
"You want to marry me because you don't trust me?" She asked him slowly.
"It does the job. You get what you've always wanted, and I get to own you legally. There is nothing stronger than the deep magic that will unite us, and therefore, it will not be able to be broken," He said.
He wanted to marry her to own her.
True, she had dreamed of marrying him, but not like this! She wanted it to be for love, not just an excuse for him to own her. Bastard!
"Are you ready?" He asked her.
Serena hesitated, not knowing what to say. She didn't want it to happen this way.
"I…I'm not dressed appropriately," She said. It was true: she was still in her jeans and sweater. Tom's eyes ran over her figure.
"Easily taken care of," He said, waving his wand at her once.
She froze, still scared of the idea of him using his wand on her.
"There," He said. "That will do."
She looked down to see herself wearing a curve-fitting silk dress, overlapped with lace. It was beautiful, with a plunging neck and sleeves opening at her elbows, pouring out lace. It hung to her body and yet there was still a little train at the end.
But Serena felt like crying. She was completely crestfallen.
It was black.
Pure, dark, violent black.
It was beautiful, true, but she never in her entire life thought that she'd wear black to her wedding. It was unheard of. It wasn't right. This whole idea wasn't right. She had spent her life dreaming of it, but it didn't feel right. She wanted to pull away, and yet she couldn't. Physically she couldn't, because Tom wouldn't let her, but even mentally she couldn't. She was trapped. And she realized now she had been trapped all these years. There was no escape for her now, whether she wanted one or not. But, she wondered softly, did she really want one?
"Would you like to see a mirror?" He asked, as he watched her hands caress the dark material. She looked up to see him handing her a mirror. Taking it slowly, she peered at her reflection.
Her hair was down, soft waves hugging her face. A small, black tiara rested on her head, a lace veil falling off of it. Her makeup was fine, her eyes shadowed with dark eyeliner and powder.
She looked beautiful, and yet sad. And dark. Who would wear black to a wedding?
"Come Serena. It is time to make you my Queen," He said, his voice jolting her from her thoughts.
The mirror she held dissolved into the air. She looked up to see him wearing dress robes now, and they were, no surprise, black as well. His hand was extended towards her, and he was waiting, no look of happiness on his pale, handsome face. She hesitated.
Was this her fate? She wondered.
She slipped her hand into his, unaware of the single tear that trickled down her cheek.
He led her to the small stone table and sat her down on one said, before taking a seat across from her. She noticed, now that she was close, that the table was engraved with strange and ancient runes. She couldn't understand them, but she could feel their power.
They were both kneeling, and he placed his hands on top of the table, waiting for her to do the same. She did, slowly, and placed hers on top of his.
As soon as her skin touched his, a fire appeared in the fireplace at the end of the room, as well as a golden knife on the table.
Serena started, surprised, but Tom's hands held on to hers tightly. His eyes were dark and swirling.
The next moment, a ghost appeared. He was old, short and skinny and carried a book in his hands. He wore dress robes that she imagined to be black, and he slowly floated towards them.
Serena was frightened, and glanced uncertainly towards Tom. This was not like any wedding she had ever been to before.
This was an old ritual. Primitive, and powerful.
"Are you ready to begin?" The ghost asked, his voice emanating powerful magic. Another shiver ran up her skin.
Tom nodded, and the ghost, priest, whatever he was, began, opening his book.
"Witch and Wizard, you two are but lady and man. Are you ready to join your souls together for all time?" The ghost asked them.
Tom nodded.
"We are," He said. He looked at Serena.
"We are," She said, softly, lowering her eyes to the stone table.
"Love is the most powerful of the old magic. It is something that cannot be destroyed, not by magic or steel. It is one of the few things common between muggles and witches, and something more precious than gold." Serena listened, with a heavy heart, thinking how she loved Tom, but how he did not reciprocate those feelings for her.
The ghost waved his hand over the goblet, filling it with a strange, cloudy liquid.
"Wizard: Take this knife and catch her blood in the goblet." Serena almost jerked her hand from his.
WHAT?
His grip on her tightened for a moment to hold her down, before he loosened it. He slowly picked up the knife and brought it towards her. Serena's heart was racing. He wasn't going to cut her, was he?
The ghost of a man started chanting behind them.
Tom gently lifted her hand, catching her scared eyes. He offered her a small smile, yet it comforted her. She let him take her shaking hand and run the ragged blade along her palm.
It burned, and she instinctively pulled away, as the blood bubbled up from the cut. Tom held on to it though and brought it over the cup. He turned her hand over and squeezed gently. Serena watched in horrified fascination as her blood dripped off her hand and fell into the liquid. Once the blood touched the surface of it, it started bubbling, heated from an invisible source. The ghost stopped chanting.
"Run your thumb over her hand to stop the bleeding," The ghost instructed. Tom did as he was told and the wound healed over where his thumb touched, leaving behind a light scar. Serena stared at her palm, mesmerized.
"Now, witch: do the same." The ghost said. Serena looked, unsure, from the ghost and then back to Tom. He nodded at her and lifted his hand from the table. Serena's hands were shaking as she took the knife.
How could she cut him?
He waited, and she took a deep breath. The ghost had started chanting again. Setting the knife upon his palm, Serena bit her lip, as she pushed down on the knife and dragged it across his palm.
It was a bit surreal to see Tom bleed. It almost made him a bit more human. Almost.
She led the hand over the cup and could feel him watching her. As his blood touched the liquid, the goblet's runes started glowing, and there was steam rising from it. Serena followed Tom's example, and traced her thumb over his cut, closing the wound. The ghost stopped chanting.
"Take both hands," He instructed. She let Tom's hands fold back onto hers.
"The magic I'm marrying you with is stronger than anything else. It is unbreakable. There can be no divergence, no divorce, no straying. Most couples do not wed this way as the magic is too strong. This marriage is soul-binding. The only thing that can split it, is death herself." Serena met Tom's eyes. They just stared back, burning with an intensity that scared her. The goblet had now stopped steaming.
The ghost held out his hand and pulled his wrist forward, knocking over the goblet. Serena had expected burning liquid to spill out, but instead, two thick, gold and silver bands did instead.
"Take the silver one, wizard, and place it on her finger." The ghost ordered. Tom picked up the silver ring and waited for Serena's hand. Serena hesitated for a minute before placing her left hand in his. He caught her eye and they just stared at each other, faces expressionless, but eyes, burning in intensity, as he slid on the ring. It was warm on her finger, yet cold at the same time. And it fit exceptionally well.
"And now you, witch: take the gold one and place it on his finger." The ghost ordered.
Serena's hand trembled slightly as she picked up the warm metal ring. She slid it slowly on Tom's fingers, refusing to meet his gaze.
"By the power of the earth and ritual, you are now man and wife." The ghost said. "You may kiss the bride."
Serena wanted to smile bitterly at that statement. It ended all weddings, muggle and wizard, yet it didn't seem to fit in this one.
Tom leaned in, and Serena followed. His hands slowly lifted the black veil and he folded it back. Serena didn't know if she was breathing.
Tom's hand touched her cheek and fell to her throat, enticing her forward. She closed her eyes as she felt his lips upon hers. It was slow, yet powerful. With it, she knew that she really did belong to him.
When he released her, and her eyes opened, the fire had gone out and the ghost was gone, leaving them in cold darkness once more.
Tom stood, brushing himself off, before walking around the table to help up Serena. She let him pull her up, and his hands encircled her waist. She looked up to him, her chocolate eyes glazed over with uncertainty. He smiled at her, pulling her in close.
"You are mine forever," He whispered in her ear, the world starting to disappear around them. Serena closed her eyes, clinging onto him.
And as they apperated, Serena couldn't help but wonder: just how long was forever?