Chapter Four – Love and Marriage:
"I look stupid!" Terk huffed as she crossed her arms, "I look as bad as a rhino who's wearing a hide two sizes too small!"
"Terk," Jane put a reassuring hand on her shoulder and calmly handed her a small bouquet of flowers, "you look wonderful, my maid of honour."
"Yeah okay," Terk conceded somewhat reluctantly, "you don't look so bad yourself Jane."
"Jane, you look beautiful," Kala smiled gently as she watched Jane make a few last minute adjustments to herself.
"Thank you Kala," Jane beamed, "and thank you for agreeing to walk me down the aisle. It really means the world to me."
"Anything for my son… and my daughter," Kala replied and Jane tried hard not to tear up not only from Kala's sweet words but also by the inner sadness that her own mother was not alive to see her wedding day. Even though this was indeed to going to be most unorthodox wedding ever, she took comfort in the fact that she knew that her mother would have approved.
"Remember this Jane," she recalled her mother's words, "to have a happy marriage you must have love. All the money, land and titles in the world cannot make a husband and wife happy if they have no love for each other." Jane's mother had certainly done just that. She had given up a life of immense wealth and privilege to be with her father and it seemed only natural for Jane to continue that Porter tradition.
"Hey everyone," one of the younger female gorillas approached them, "everything is ready, everyone is waiting."
"Right, I think I have everything," Jane checked out aloud, "something old, my mother's pearl and diamond earrings, something new my dress, something borrowed my veil and something blue," Jane patted the sash at her waist with one hand as she took her bouquet from Kala with the other. "Here we go, let's do this!" she smiled in a mixture of nerves and excitement.
Kala gently took Jane's trembling hand as the bridal party arranged themselves in order before walking towards the wedding.
Tarzan stood at the alter, nervously fidgeting with the boutonniere in his suit. Archimedes stood next to him, looking over the vows one last time. "Professor," Tarzan turned to his soon to be father-in-law, "are brides always late for weddings?"
"It's tradition! Why a wedding is not a wedding without the bride being a little bit behind schedule!" Archimedes chuckled, "Don't you worry my boy Jane will be here."
"Is it also 'tradition' for a groom to be nervous?"
"Oh yes," Archimedes nodded, "you should have seen me on my wedding day to Catherine! I was an absolute nervous wreck! Butterflies in my stomach and all sorts!" He paused and looked up at Tarzan who was anxiously shifting his weight from foot to foot. "You're not getting cold feet now, are you Tarzan?"
"Actually my feet are getting rather warm in these shoes Professor," Tarzan replied innocently to which Archimedes had to clench his jaw to stop himself from laughing!
"They're coming!" Tantor cried from behind Tarzan, "Places everyone! Start the music Flint!" Flint cranked the handle on the phonograph and slowly Pachelbel's Canon in D Major started to play out. First down the aisle walked Manu the baby baboon, scattering flower petals from a little wicker basket. Jane had insisted that he was part of the ceremony. "If it weren't for Manu then we would never have met!" she said as they planned the wedding together.
Then followed Terk, holding a small of bouquet of flowers and when she reached the alter, stood opposite to her cousin and Tantor who was Tarzan's best man or rather 'best elephant'!
"Oh my!" Archimedes gasped and Tarzan turned his head and stared in absolute amazement as he saw Jane emerge with Kala from between two trees, the sunlight shining down on her, making her look almost ethereal, almost angelic. She looked beautiful beyond words. She was wearing a dress that she had made especially for the African trip. It was a simply elegant white light cotton dress embroidered all over with tiny white sprigs and a duck egg blue sash. The skirt was embellished with three rows of gathered frills before a deep hem touched the bottom of her boots. A centre panel of white embroidery decorated the bodice and a delicate striped lace high-collared infill together with matching elbow length sleeves that covered her neck and arms but allowed her golden skin to shine through.
She had managed to style her hair into a soft bouffant style and had ingeniously took one of her father's white mosquito nets and pinned it to her flower headdress as a wedding veil. Jane took one step carefully in front of the other, praying not to trip up in her cream leather heeled boots. She gazed around, amazed at how beautiful the place looked. The gorillas were sitting in rows just like in a church so there was an aisle for her and Karla to walk down. The clearing had been decorated by stringing garlands from tree to tree of the most beautiful and colourful flowers. It was not only the gorillas that attended, many other animals and birds watched from the sidelines and in the trees, all awed at this marvellous sight.
She looked ahead and saw her father, dressed in his smartest suit and then Tarzan, her beloved, looking so handsome in his father's suit that he found in the treehouse, both standing under a small makeshift wedding pagoda decorated with hundreds of flowers. Jane gave her bouquet to Karla, kissed her gently on the cheek and went to stand in front of Tarzan who took her lace gloved hands in his.
"Wow!" he gasped, almost lost for words, "Jane… you look…. wow!" Jane beamed and tried hard not to cry. Tarzan could also feel the tears beginning to well in his eyes and he then understood at how a person could cry with happiness.
"Dearly beloved," Archimedes called out, deciding it was best to start conducting the ceremony now before everyone became a blubbering wreck, including himself! "We are gathered here today to celebrate the marriage of Jane and Tarzan. Now does anyone here, know any reason why Jane and Tarzan should not be married?"
Everyone shook their heads and Archimedes continued, saying each sentence first in English and then in gorilla, which had been translated phonetically for him by Tarzan. This meant that they had to greatly simplify the ceremony and leave out the parts about God, which suited Archimedes and Jane's personal views on that matter.
"Tarzan, will you take Jane to be your wife? Will you love her, comfort her, honour and protect her, and forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?"
"I do," Tarzan answered without a shred of doubt and Jane squeezed his hands in delight.
"Jane," Archimedes turned to his daughter, "will you take Tarzan to be your husband? Will you love him, comfort him, honour and protect him, and forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?"
"I do," Jane replied and Tarzan squeezed her hands back.
"Now Jane and Tarzan, I invite you to join hands, oh you already are! That's great! And make your vows in the presence of friends and family. Tarzan you first my boy."
"I, Tarzan," Tarzan took his time, determined not to make a single mistake, "take thee, Jane, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part."
"I, Jane take thee, Tarzan, to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part."
Jane was glad that the word 'obey' had been left out of her vows. It was one part of her culture that she was more than happy to leave behind. This was her chance to be an equal partner in her marriage, to reject the role of a biddable and suffering wife that she would have to undertake if she had married an Englishman.
"And now for the rings," Archimedes declared and Jane looked to Tarzan in confusion.
"Rings, what rings?"
"Well not exactly rings," Tarzan admitted as Tantor stepped forward and handed him something with his trunk, "I hope you like them." Jane gasped as he showed her what Tantor had given to him. In the palm of his hands were two necklaces; the pendants were grey heart shaped pebbles threaded onto thin leather cord.
"Do you like them?" he asked as Jane gently picked one up out of his hand.
"Like them? I love them!" she gushed, "Where did you find the pebbles?"
"At the waterfalls, our waterfalls," Tarzan whispered softly into her ear. A tear slid down Jane's cheek which he gently wiped away with the pad of his thumb. After a nod from Archimedes, Tarzan held out the necklace left in his hand. "Jane I give this you this necklace as a sign of our marriage. With my body I honour you, all that I am I give to you, and all that I have I share with you." He untied the knot and then carefully retied it around her neck, as it was too small to slip over her hair and veil.
"Tarzan, I give you this necklace as a sign of our marriage. With my body I honour you, all that I am I give to you, and all that I have I share with you." She slipped the necklace over his head, the heart shaped pebble resting on his chest. It was the perfect symbol for them; it was how he realised that Jane was the same kind as him when he listened to her heartbeat.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife," Archimedes beamed at the both of them, "Tarzan, you may kiss the bride." Tarzan and Jane giggled nervously before leaning in. All the gorillas whooped and hollered in joy as the pair shared a long, loving kiss.
"I'm not gonna cry! I'm not!" Tantor insisted aloud but quickly dissolved into hysterical tears, "WAAAHAHAHAHAHA!"
"Pull yourself together, you're embarrassing me!" Terk snapped at him but even she couldn't help a tear or two trickle down her cheek.
"Is everything how you wanted it?" Tarzan asked Jane as the reception party was in full swing. There were several platters of fruit, nuts and termites as well as some food from Jane and Archimedes' supplies and the phonograph was playing light, upbeat music.
"Well it's not exactly what I always thought I would have," Jane replied, "it's better, a million times better! Come on let's go and cut the cake!" Holding Tarzan's rock knife together, they cut a canned fruitcake serving as their wedding cake. Jane giggled as they fed each other a piece and when Tarzan kissed her, the crumbs on their lips made the kiss taste all the more sweet. The party continued long into the day, Archimedes showing the gorillas how to dance to the music and Jane tossed her bouquet, all the female gorillas scrambling for it but it somehow ended up in Terk's arms!
"What does this mean?" she asked Jane as the other females groaned in defeat.
"It means you are the next one to find a mate, and Gobu has been looking at you all afternoon!"
"Don't be stupid! He's not interested!"
"Well he wouldn't be coming over if he isn't!" Jane winked as she saw Gobu approach them, deciding to leave him and Terk to it and went to dance with her husband.
"Jane, Tarzan," Kala and Archimedes approached the newly wed couple. The sun was setting, all the food was gone and everyone else was plum tuckered out but Jane and Tarzan continued to slow dance, not wanting to end this beautiful moment, this beautiful day. "We have a gift for you, come." Jane and Tarzan somewhat reluctantly broke apart but followed their parents with intrigue.
"Oh Daddy!" Jane gasped when they eventually arrived at their destination. Tarzan instantly recalled the place as soon as he saw it. It was the tree where he and his mother often sleep in when he was little. Its branches were shaped like a cupped palm, cradling them as they slept. The branches had been decorated with more flower garlands and a large soft nest had been made with some pillows and blankets for extra comfort as well some clothes for Jane and food supplies for them both.
"For your honeymoon," Archimedes said softly as Jane hugged him tightly. It was the most wonderful gift she had ever received from her father and touched her very heart.
"We will see you in a few days," Kala said and nodded to Tarzan, "don't worry about us, we'll be safe."
"Oh no he didn't!" Jane gasped in surprise once her father and Kala had left.
"What?" Tarzan asked as she crouched down by the food supplies.
"Daddy left us some champagne!" Jane pulled out a large glass bottle from a pail filled with cold water, "We bought some to celebrate arriving in Africa! I thought we drank it all on the ship the night before we headed into the jungle but he must have saved one!"
"Champagne?"
"It's a drink made from grapes, a fruit that grows in France. It has lots of bubbles in it, people drink it on very special occasions."
"Like weddings?"
"Yes! Absolutely! Here I'll open it," she said as he sat down in the nest with her, eager to try this new drink. "Just to warn you it might make a loud pop when I open it," she told him as she used the hem of her dress to twist the cork out of the bottle. Fortunately the cork came out easily with only a small pop and Jane poured a little champagne into two enamel mugs.
"To love and happiness," she said as she clinked her mug against his.
"To love and happiness," Tarzan repeated and watched her take a sip, a dreamy smile forming on her lips as she swallowed some champagne.
"What you do you think?" she asked as Tarzan took a sip but then immediately started coughing and spluttering and pulled a face! "It is a little on the dry side!" she giggled at Tarzan's repulsed expression, "Don't worry, it's an acquired taste!"
"What exactly is a honeymoon Jane?" Tarzan asked as he put the mug down, he would not be trying that champagne stuff again!
"It's a holiday that a husband and wife take after their wedding where they spend time together alone, where they do things together."
"Like making love?"
"Yes," Jane blushed scarlet, "amongst other activities." This was it; it was time for them to consummate their marriage, to make the step that she had been so far too frightened to take.
"How do we make love?" Tarzan asked, his face solemn. The air around them became tense and filled with a powerful energy; this was no time for joking or subtleties.
"We take off our clothes," Jane swallowed her fear as she leaned in and slowly untied his cravat, "I'll take off yours and you take off mine." As they slowly undressed each other, Tarzan marvelled at how many layers Jane was wearing. It was like picking off tiny petals off a huge flower.
"Why are women's clothes so… difficult?" he asked as he somewhat struggled to undo the tiny hooks and eyes on the back of Jane's dress.
"Fashion is one of the only ways that women where I come from can use to express themselves I suppose," Jane replied as he finally managed to open her dress. But as he attempted to unhook the busk of her corset, it would not open no matter how hard he tried.
"You'll have to unlace it," Jane stuttered, panic and embarrassment rising in her. This was not going as smoothly as she hoped. Tarzan turned her round so that her back was facing him. But after seeing the complex criss-cross lacing and the tight double knot of the bow, he took out his rock knife and with a quick flick cut through the laces! Jane gave a little gasp as the corset fell off and her hands instinctively covered her breasts.
"Don't be ashamed," he said, his tone husky and filled with desire, "you are so beautiful Jane." Hearing those words, Jane moved away her hands and turned to face him. Tarzan's eyes widened at the sight of her half naked body, glistening almost silver in the moonlight. His heart started to pound as he took in her slender neck, her small waist, the whorl of her navel, her soft perfect breasts. Then taking a deep breath, he removed his loincloth.
"Is it…alright?" he asked nervously as he saw Jane staring at him with wide, unblinking eyes.
"Yes," Jane nodded as she continued to stare down at him, taken aback and aroused at the impressive size of his manhood, "absolutely alright!" Tarzan leaned over her and began to stroke and caress her skin, drinking in every part, every curve of her body. She felt his manhood rise even further and she felt her own heart race, her body beginning to melt under his touch.
"Be gentle," she whispered into his ear as he carefully pulled down her white lace trimmed drawers. Tarzan nodded and caressed the nape of her neck, his hands stroking her breasts and then down to her privates, softly tracing the tiny pink bud between her legs making Jane groan in desire.
As Tarzan gently and tenderly entered her, panic started to spread through her. Even though this was clearly his first time, would he come to realise that it was not hers? She was the only female he had ever encountered but would he notice that she would not bleed, as she should?
But as Tarzan slowly moved inside her and gave a low groan of ecstasy, she quickly realised that he did not know about this. Her body relaxed as she wrapped her legs around his back and pulled him in deeper. She gasped as she felt desire rise and rise in her like hot spring as their rhythm slowly gain apace.
Tarzan couldn't believe that this was happening, all the emotions and feelings rushing through him faster than him swinging on vines. He felt as high as the birds flying in the sky and on hearing Jane's breathy gasps of pleasure and crying out his name made him soar. He realised that lovemaking was more than just creating offspring. It was for pleasure too. As their toned, naked bodies melded into one, he also saw that it was a way of expressing their love, a way to connect his wife emotionally as well as physically.
As they climaxed together, Jane almost screaming out his name, Tarzan thought that this was the most exquisite, most pleasurable moment of his life and he couldn't believe that he was doing this wonderful act with the woman he loved. When they were finished, he rolled off her and laid in the nest in an exhausted, blissful state.
"That was …. so…" Tarzan failed to find the words to describe how he felt in that moment. He looked over to see Jane shivering violently, her teeth chattering loudly. Quickly he grabbed a blanket, tucked her in and held her close to warm her up.
"Are you alright Jane?" he asked as her teeth stopped chattering but was still trembling.
"More than alright," her smile was dreamy, "no wonder the French call it 'une petite mort', a little death!" Tarzan smiled and held her close, both of them soon falling asleep in each other arms on their first night together as husband and wife, both happily dreaming of the many nights to come.