Thank you Fyrebyrd, 2brown-eyes, Gabby1017, and Ceceprincess1217 for prereading, and to jayhawkbb for editing. This one endured quite a bit of tinkering, so please remember, all mistakes are my own.

Chapter 7

Taking the first step through the doors, I look straight ahead to the front of the church and ignore all those standing in attention. Waiting at the front with his back to me is my future husband. He is dressed in all black; whether it is of leather or cloth, I do not know. With his sword sheathed in its scabbard at his waist and his shoulders broad, he is an imposing, magnificent presence.

Step by step I come closer, and with each of my strides, my nervousness lessens. My father leads me up the aisle, and as the soft music comes to a close, we stop just a few paces from the altar ... and Edward. My fingertips tingle with the urge to touch him. When I take the final step to his side, Edward turns just slightly and offers me a warm smile before turning his attention back to the priest.

In that brief moment, seeing his eyes lit with happiness, I am completely at ease. Even when Elder Afton begins to speak, I do not cower. I do not feel unworthy of my newfound position. Edward has chosen me, and I hold my head high as he begins.

"We are gathered here today to join together His Royal Highness Prince Edward Anthony and Her Royal Highness Isabella Renee, sanctifying their union in the eyes of the God of Adwen and the Gods of Galon. It will join together two kingdoms, bringing prosperity and security to all of their subjects. Does anyone here have any reason why these two should not be joined together?"

The priest waits for a bit longer than I feel comfortable. A voice in my head prays that Jane has not found some ridiculous reason to speak. The typical sounds of a group this size—the sniffles and coughs and the shifting of fabric as Ladies move in their gowns—echo off the stone walls in the otherwise silent church. But there is no outcry to stop the ceremony, so the priest continues.

"Who gives this woman to this man?"

"I do."

And with those two small words, my father releases me from the bonds holding me to Adwen. King Charles takes his seat, and my soon-to-be husband and I stand side by side facing the priest. I can see Edward from the corner of my eye, trying to covertly get a look at me. Even with my limited view of him, I know we are both smiling. Swallowing the urge to turn completely and face him, I attempt to focus on the priest and the start of the ceremony.

It is hard to concentrate on the words. Edward's close proximity—knowing he will soon be my husband—is all-consuming.

"Princess Isabella, daughter of King Charles of Adwen, of the house of Swan, do you take Prince Edward, son of King Carlisle of Galon, of the house of Cullen, heir to the throne of Galon, for your husband?"

I respond with a smile, "I do."

"And do you, Prince Edward, son of King Carlisle of Galon, of the house of Cullen, heir to the throne of Galon, take Princess Isabella, daughter of King Charles of Adwen, of the house of Swan, for your wife?"

"I do." His smile is evident in his voice.

When we are asked to say our vows, we turn to one another and grasp hands. Mine are small and tremble in his. The words spoken are of our own choosing, as unique as our situation. As our union is less than traditional, so are the words we chose to promise to one another.

And I am the one to begin.

"I stand before God and all these witnesses and freely give myself to you. I shall be your shelter in your times of trial. I shall be a source of comfort in your times of need. I pledge my devotion and all that I have to you for the rest of my days. I am yours, and you are mine. This is my wedding vow to you, Edward."

His smile is blinding, and I am sure I have one to match. I retrieve Edward's ring. It is gold, large, and masculine, with an oval, blood-red stone. The inscription inside the band is of my choosing as well. It reads, I choose you. And I am forever yours. I allow a moment for him to see the engraving before I place it on the third finger of his left hand. Judging by the look upon his face, I believe the words have affected him.

Again, he takes my hands in his. And when Edward recites his vows to me, I understand why he was so overcome with emotion when I made my vow to him.

"You cannot possess me for I belong to myself. But while we both wish it, I give you that which is mine to give. You cannot command me for I am a free person. But I shall serve you in those ways you require, and the honeycomb will taste sweeter coming from my hand. I pledge to you that yours will be the name I cry aloud in the night and the eyes into which I smile in the morning."

Several shocked gasps echo in the church, but Edward continues as if he did not hear them.

"I pledge to you the first bite of my meat and the first drink from my cup. I pledge to you my living and my dying, each equally in your care. I shall be a shield for your back and you for mine. I shall not slander you, nor you me. I shall honor you above all others, and when we quarrel, we shall do so in private and tell no strangers our grievances. I am yours and you are mine. This is my wedding vow to you, Isabella."

When he allows me to read the inscription inside the band of my ring, tears cloud my vision.

... and she was fair as is the rose in May.

The ring is a delicate gold band crowned with a beautiful blue stone. I have never seen a gem like this. The swirls of color within its facets catch the late afternoon light streaming through the stained-glass windows of the church and is simply beautiful. He places the ring on my finger and the briefest and softest of kisses upon my knuckles. This causes a few delighted chuckles from some of our guests.

The priest quiets the crowd and continues, proceeding to place a bundle of braided cords over our joined hands. As he speaks, he wraps the cords around our hands, holding them together.

"These many three-fold cords are a symbol to remind you of the importance of the Gods in your lives. With Them, all things are possible, and They will bless your union if you continue to serve Them."

With our hands still bound, the priest turns his eyes to the crowd. What he says next is the part of the ceremony unique to Galon. The blessing he offers comes from the long and rich history of their ancestors' belief in the elements to guide them.

"It is believed that the human soul shares characteristics with all things divine. It is this belief that assigned virtues to the cardinal directions; East, South, West and North. It is in this tradition that a blessing is offered in support of this ceremony."

"Blessed be this union with the gifts of the East. Communication of the heart, mind, and body. Fresh beginnings with the rising of each Sun. The knowledge of the growth found in the sharing of silences.

"Blessed be this union with the gifts of the South. Warmth of hearth and home. The heat of the heart's passion. The light created by both to illuminate the darkest of times.

"Blessed be this union with the gifts of the West. The deep commitments of the lake. The swift excitement of the river. The refreshing cleansing of the rain. The all-encompassing passion of the sea.

"Blessed be this union with the gifts of the North. Firm foundation on which to build. Fertility of the fields to enrich your lives. A stable home to which you may always return.

"Each of these blessings emphasizes those things which will help you build a happy and successful union. Yet they are only tools. Tools which you must use together in order to create what you seek in this union.

"In front of the Gods and these witnesses, I pronounce you Man and Wife." Elder Afton removes the braided cords binding our hands. "You may seal your union with a kiss."

Edward grasps the edge of my veil and lifts it over my head before gently cradling my face in his palms. Looking into my eyes, his words are but a whisper. "My wife."

The kiss he gives me is almost indecent, and the cheering and whistles from his countrymen are deafening as he wraps his arms around me and holds me close. His lips are firm and insistent, his tongue just barely making contact with mine, but he eventually relents, leaving me breathless. When he finally pulls back, we are both beaming.

When we turn to face our guests, I find so many happy faces. Emmett and Jasper are in the front row of the church, seated next to several of their men, and they all wear smiles; some are genuinely happy, some are mischievous with matching twinkles in their eyes. I scan the crowd and find Angela in the rear row of the church, dressed in her finest dress. While her appearance is out of place with the other Lords and Ladies and noblemen in attendance, she looks so very happy. She is seated next to a young man who must be Benjamin, and he is also smiling, but he is not looking at Edward or me. No, his focus is on Angela.

As we walk quickly up the aisle, I look around the small room, searching for Jane, but she is nowhere in sight. I heave a sigh of relief that she did not cause a scene during the ceremony.

Edward and I go through the church doors into the courtyard lit by the fading orange glow of the evening sun. We take the opportunity to sneak away from the crowd for a moment and find a quiet alcove, just on the edge of the courtyard.

"Isabella, my wife, you have taken my breath away. I have never seen such a beautiful sight as you. You are the most beautiful princess Galon, or Adwen, or all of the realms for that matter, have ever seen. And now ..." He searches my face, his eyes taking in each and every detail, "Now, you are mine." His kiss is aggressive and demanding, and his hold on me is equally so. With his left arm wrapped behind my back, his right hand roams, making its way from my hip upward. I am completely surrounded by him. When his hand finally reaches my breast, his thumb zeroes in on the pebbled flesh, as if he knows right where it is.

"I cannot wait to take you to my bed ... to make you mine, Isabella."

I look down, staring into his chest, unable to meet his surely intense gaze. "And I cannot wait to be yours, Edward," I whisper.

He kisses me once more, on the forehead this time. He holds me there, close to him, grasping me by the nape of my neck before releasing me. "We should find our way to the feast. We do not need anyone sending out a search party." He takes my hand, and we leave the privacy of the hidden alcove, walking back toward the castle and into the banquet hall. Music is already playing, the food is being brought out, and the mead is being poured.

When we enter, we are once again met with cheers. We are seated in places of honor at the front of the room, and for once, my father is not at the center of the table. We are served a hearty meal, and as he vowed, Edward feeds me the first bite from his plate and the first sip from his cup, much to the delight of our guests. As the meal goes on, we are suddenly interrupted by a strange sound. It grows louder and louder, and I soon realize it is all the men from Galon, lightly banging their goblets on the table tops.

I do not know the meaning of the gesture until Edward leans over to kiss me. His lips meet my smiling ones, and we kiss until we are both laughing.

He leans close and speaks so that I may hear him over the cheers. "This means they approve, my wife."

"I'm glad I meet with their approval."

The call to kiss comes several more times, and after each kiss, I find myself anticipating the next. The servers eventually begin to bring out the sweet treats that have been prepared for tonight. I choose several small items—cakes and candied fruits—and share them with Edward. He refuses to let me feed myself.

"I want to be the one to give you all sweet things in life." Each bite is followed by a chaste kiss, so I do not mind being fed.

Edward twirls me around the floor several times before passing me to one of his men. He is the first of many who take me for a spin before I am handed off to Jasper, who happens to be a fine dancer. I am currently being led by Emmett, who is large but surprisingly light on his feet.

"I want to thank you, Your Highness."

"Whatever for, My Lord?"

"Not only are we now family, but your marriage to a future king puts me in your service. So please, call me Emmett." He smiles down at me. "I want to thank you for your acceptance of Edward. He was so melancholy when we set out to come here. He was hopeful that he would find a bride, but he knew it was possible that it would not come to pass. After his broken betrothal with the princess of Rhema, he has not had high hopes of finding a wife. Every kingdom his father was in contact with either had prior arrangements for their daughters, or had only sons. He was beginning to lose hope of finding a match his father would accept." He shakes his head, his smile still in place. "But watching him after that first night he saw you, well, he's a new man. I truly believe you are a good match for him ... in many ways. He has not been himself for so long, but I see that changing. I think you will help him become the man he is meant to become."

"Thank you, Emmett," I say softly, stunned at his confession. "I hope that I can be a good wife to him, to support him in all he does. He is a good man. I can see that. And you are a good friend to look out for him."

As he gives me an awkward hug, awkward because he is so much larger than me, I hear Edward approach.

"Emmett, do I need to forcibly remove you from my wife, or will you willingly release her?" He is smiling, so I know it is all in jest.

"No, cousin. I was just giving her some friendly advice about how to endure the days you're being an arse."

I gasp, worried Edward will be offended. Hearing his laugh, though, I realize they must often behave like this.

"Hopefully, we get her to Galon before she sees the real me." He gives me a wink, so I know he is being playful, but before I can return his playfulness, his next words shock me. "Well, Emmett, I need to get my new bride to bed. It has been a long day." With that, he scoops me up in his arms. Along with my squeal of surprise, Emmett's laughter is joined by the hoots and cheering of all of Edward's men.

He whispers into my ear, "Is that agreeable with you, wife? Would you like to join me in bed?" His nose skims lightly up and down my neck, and his beard tickles as his lips leave light kisses upon my skin.

I nod, unable to speak. I notice as we leave the banquet hall that we have attracted a following.

"Edward, why are all of your men following us?" I'm beginning to feel uneasy watching the growing crowd of men trailing behind us.

"No need to worry, my wife. They are only accompanying us to our door. It is a tradition in Galon, among those not of royalty. It is meant to wish us well. But I will warn you, you may hear something not meant for a Lady's ears. Some of them are a bit deep in their cups."

We make the long walk to the Queen's chambers. As we approach the door, many of his men have begun to sing, and it is quite funny.

Emmett is leading the procession, so he is the one to get everyone's attention. "All right, settle down, men." His loud, booming voice rises over the revelry. "This is where we leave the happy couple. Edward and Isabella, may you have a long and happy life together." This is met with cheers from Edward's men. "May your happiness grow into love. May your love grow into passion. And may your passion fill your nights ... and a few cradles as well."

Edward is shaking with laughter as I hide my face in his neck. "Thank you, Emmett, for that, um, encouraging speech. And with that, we bid you all a good night." We enter the room, and he kicks the door closed. We can hear the men singing as they walk away, and I am more than thankful they did not linger. He places me on my feet and holds me steady.

Now that we are alone, the nerves begin to creep in, and I begin to tremble. His hands move to cup my cheeks, and he places a tender kiss on my lips. "There is no reason to be frightened, Isabella. We will do this our way and at our pace. I will leave you now, so that Angela can help you prepare. And when I return, we will take this next step ... together."

I have lost my voice, so I only nod. With a kiss to my forehead, he leaves me, slipping through a door off the sitting room, into what I assume to be the bedchamber.

Left alone, my eyes fall closed, and I breathe deeply, trying desperately to calm my nerves. When my heartbeat begins to slow and my breaths are even, I open my eyes.

For so many years, my mother's chambers were sealed up with the ghosts of the past; only recently were they opened and cleaned for tonight's ceremony. Everywhere I look, I see things that tell a story about the woman who gave birth to me. The looking glass over the dressing table, the brushes and combs laid upon it, and the vibrant tapestries hung on the walls—all of it gives me some small clue about the woman I never knew. I wonder if she, too, spent the moments before her bedding ceremony in this room, nervous and anxious, unsure about what was to come.

It is in this moment that I realize how much I miss the guidance of a mother, even as I am to step into the role of a wife.

Before I allow myself to become too wistful, Angela enters, and she gets to work. We remove my dress, taking care not to damage it. She assures me it will be packed carefully and ready in time for our departure. After helping me to remove the layers worn beneath my gown, leaving me in my shift, she then unwinds my intricate braid, careful not to damage the pearls she had woven through it for the ceremony. My hair is brushed and braided again, but this time loosely. She helps me change into a sheer shift which ties in the front. It has delicate lace at the edges as well. It is really quite beautiful. The thought of it becoming stained with blood, torn or damaged makes me cringe. I can only hope Edward will be gentle. Angela then helps me into a robe, and I am ready for my husband.

"Do not fret, Isabella. He seems like a good man. He will treat you well, I am sure of it. Have a pleasant night, and I will see you in the morning." She wraps me in a soothing hug and pulls back with a smile on her face. "Your husband awaits you, My Lady." She nods toward the door Edward passed through earlier before leaving the room.

I stand stock still outside the closed bedchamber. I know what is next. I also know that three men, besides Edward, are already waiting inside, there to witness an act I wanted so badly to share privately with my husband.

I grasp the knob and push the door open, swallowing down the unease about what awaits me on the other side.

A/N: I would love to hear what you thought of the wedding, the vows and blessing especially. I found a good bit of it on a website if you're interested in taking a look. FFN does weird things to links, so here's the website, just remove the spaces and change the (dots) and (dashes). ;)

documents and designs dot com /verse/Celtic (underscore) marriage (underscore) wedding (underscore) vows dot htm #t10

If you're in my Sunshine Fics group on Facebook, this week's chapter pic includes Isabella and Edward's rings. Stop by and take a peek! I'll be sure to post the link to the vow and blessing site, too ;)

And now time for some recs! This week, I'm rec'ing four stories by the same author.

Isabelle Sumner's Secrets of the Court, The Broken Throne, and The Weight of the Crown are all part of an epic trilogy. I've yet to finish the third in the series, but they're great fics. She's also posting a new WIP, titled Audeamus. It's 'kind of' a sequel to the Secrets Trilogy ... but not. I only read the first chapter, but I am anxious to get back to it.

I hope you'll check them out!

And remember, for exclusive weekly teasers and pics, be sure to check out my Facebook group, Sunshine Fics! 'See' you all soon!

Lots of love

~Sunshine