Mina paced back and forth across her bedroom, stopping every so often to look at the dress laying out on her bed. The dress was simple and traditional for a Genii wedding, ironically so since it was her mother's and had come from a completely different culture. The dress was not the problem, however, it was what the dress represented. She was getting married in a few hours, to a man she had never met and was 15 years her senior. A man that was well known amongst the Genii as being cold and harsh. Mina's thoughts were interrupted by her door opening and her sister entering the room.
"Mina? Are you alright?" Thali inquired quietly.
Mina looked from the dress to her sister, inhaling slowly and focusing her thoughts.
"At the moment, not really. But I will be. I just want to get this over with."
Thali looked at her older sister with sympathy.
"You never know, this might turn out better than you think. For all we know, there could be a good man under that harsh exterior."
Mina smiled at Thali's suggestion, always the optimist. She let out a long sigh and picked the dress up off the bed. Thali moved forward and helped Mina into the dress, lacing up the strings in the front and back. Once the dress was on, Mina could feel the pressure of what she was about to do increase on her chest. Suddenly she felt like she couldn't breathe and her eyes began to water.
"Mina? What's wrong?" Thali asked with concern, guiding Mina to sit down on the bed.
Mina's breaths came in gulps as she bent over, her head in her hands. Thali gently rubbed her sister's back, offering small soothing noises.
"You don't have to do this, you know. I can go talk to Caleb and we can call the whole thing off."
Mina shook her head and sat up, brushing the dampness from her eyes. She took a few deep breaths before turning her gaze to Thali.
"I can do this. I made a commitment to help my family, and I plan to follow through with it. This isn't how I pictured my wedding day would go, but it's how it's going to be I guess. Can you do my hair for me?"
Thali sighed and nodded solemnly, grabbing a brush from Mina's bedside table. She watched her sister's expression in the mirror as she styled her hair, watching Mina's eyes express her fear and sadness. Once her hair was finished, Mina stood up and gazed at her own reflection in the mirror.
"It's time to face the music."
…..
Kolya stood silently at the front of the empty event room within the tavern. He didn't know what he was expecting. He didn't have many friends, and the ones he did have were off planet on missions. From what he had heard about the status of the Delaine family, it didn't surprise him that they wouldn't have many people there for them either. He chuckled softly to himself at the fact that he had something in common with his bride to be.
His attention turned to the door to see Cowen and Mekhai walk into the event hall wearing uniforms that matched his own. Both men nodded in greeting and joined him at the front of the room.
"You ready for this?" Mekhai asked.
Kolya turned to the younger man and raised an eyebrow.
"This is simply me following orders Mekhai, nothing more."
Cowen smirked at Kolya's statement.
"At least give the girl a chance Kolya, you may enjoy having a wife around."
Their conversation was cut short by the door opening again and a young redhead with short hair poking her head in the door. Kolya was taken aback by the woman's young appearance, concerned that he was looking at the face of his wife to be.
"Is everyone ready?" the young girl asked.
"Yes Thali, we are ready," Cowen answered her.
The door closed again and Kolya turned to look at Cowen in disbelief.
"I thought you said she wasn't that young. I'm not sure I am comfortable marrying someone who is barely an adult Cowen."
Cowen returned Kolya's accusatory statement with a look of confusion.
"What are you talking about?" he gestured to the door, "You mean Thali? She's not the one you're marrying. You are marrying Mina, that was her younger sister."
Kolya let out a sigh of relief and focused on the door again, waiting for the woman he was really going to marry to walk through it. He was disappointed when the door opened to reveal the same girl as before. She walked across the room from the door and stood at the other side of Cowen. He glanced at her, surprised to find her looking at him with disdain. He turned his gaze back to the door to see two more people entering the room.
Kolya had met Caleb Delaine before, but never his sisters. He suddenly wished that he had met them before this day. Mina's red hair matched her sister's, but fell past her shoulders in gentle curls. She walked slowly across the room on her brother's arm, and Kolya's eyes never left her face. When the pair reached the front of the room and joined the rest of them, Caleb released Mina's arm and took his place between Thali and Cowen. Mina stood opposite Kolya and looked up to meet his eyes. Kolya was surprised by the mixed emotions he could see. Fear, sadness, confidence, and hope mixed together with the soft hazel color.
"We are here today to join together in matrimony this man and this woman," Cowen started, bringing Kolya out of his trance.
"Who gives this woman to this man?" Cowen continued, turning his gaze to Caleb.
"I Caleb Delaine give this woman, my sister Mina Delaine to Commander Acastus Kolya to be his wife," Caleb stated clearly.
Cowen nodded in acceptance and turned back to the pair before him.
"Could the two of you please join hands?"
Kolya lifted his hands in front of him with his palms up. Mina brought her hands to meet his and gently placed them over his. He marveled at how small and delicate they appeared compared to his. He closed his hands over hers, grasping them as gently as possible.
"Mina, please repeat after me. I Mina Delaine, daughter of Markand and Nola Delaine, take you Commander Acastus Kolya to be my husband."
Mina took a deep breath before repeating the words exactly as Cowen had said them.
"I Mina Delaine, daughter of Markand and Nola Delaine, take you Commander Acastus Kolya to be my husband."
Cowen turned his attention to Kolya, saying a similar thing. Kolya met Mina's eyes, seeing the fear and sadness he had seen before prevalent above everything else. The poor woman was terrified of marrying him. The honorable man in him wanted to put a stop to this and save the beautiful woman before him from doing something she clearly didn't want to do. The soldier in him knew that this marriage was ordered by Cowen, and if he didn't do it, he would pay for it and Mina would likely be married off to another man she didn't want to marry. Finally, the part of him that was nothing more than a man, who saw a beautiful woman standing before him, wanted nothing more than to take his chance and scoop her up while he had the chance.
"I Commander Acastus Kolya take you Mina Delaine to be my wife," he strongly repeated Cowen's words.
Cowen gestured to Thali and Mekhai, indicating for them to hand the rings to the couple. Kolya accepted the ring from Mekhai and watched as Thali handed Mina a simple silver band, giving her sister's hand a reassuring squeeze as she did. Mina slid the ring onto his finger, and he did the same for her. The rejoined hands and both looked to Cowen.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife. Mina Delaine, you are now Mina Kolya. Commander, you may kiss your bride."
Kolya looked down at his new wife and released her hands. He gently took her face in his hands and closed the distance between them, placing a soft kiss on her lips. The kiss lasted only a few seconds before he pulled away, not wanting to make her uncomfortable. His hands fell from her face to his sides. When their eyes met again, he swore he could see a change in her emotions. Her fear and sadness had faded slightly and the hope had returned. The corner of his mouth quirked up slightly, but returned to its neutral position when Mina quickly looked away.
A hand grasping his shoulder forced him to look at Caleb, who was extending his hand for him to shake. He shook the young man's hand, his gaze shifting to Mina embracing her sister behind him. He watched the pair of women turn and leave the event room together, leaving the men alone.
A/N: I didn't know if the Genii would have any specific wedding traditions, so I figured a simple wedding ceremony would do. Wanted to let you see into the mental torment of each party as they go through with their arranged marriage. I hope to write from both points of view for the whole story, but most of it will most likely be from Mina's point of view. Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please review and let me know what you think!