Notes:

Anam Cara - Soul Mate (Gaelic)

Chuffed - Pleased, delighted (British slang)

Grá mo chroí - love of my heart (Gaelic)

Ionúin Álainn - beautiful beloved (Gaelic)

Maestru – Teacher (Thessian)

Mo cheann geallta - My promised one (Gaelic)

Nara - literally "bearer"; one who shoulders another's burden, aids others (Thessian/Source: CDN)

Siame - "one who is all", a loved one cherished above all others (Thessian/Source: CDN)

Sim're - "sister of my sister", a dear friend's loved one (Thessian/Source: CDN)

From Near and Far

T'Soni Country Estate, Armali Republic, Thessia – 13 Aug 2188

The sun had yet to peek through the window to illuminate their bedroom when Livos quietly eased past the door and padded silently to the bedside to wake Shepard, taking care to not disturb Liara in the process. "Nara. The first of the Broker ships, Gurji's Promise has arrived; Spectre Bau and Kasumi Goto are downstairs eating breakfast as we speak."

After blinking her eyes a couple of times in an attempt to clear the sleep from them, Shepard nodded, having expected the early morning wake-up, and leaned over to press a gentle kiss against Liara's crest before gently slipping her arm from beneath her sleeping lover. Surprising Livos, Shepard slid from beneath the covers to emerge stark naked before the Asari; moving silently to the closet, she quickly drew on a pair of silver-gray sweats and headed for the door. The captain of the Personal Guard followed behind in stunned silence until they exited the room and the door had closed behind them; at that point, she blew out a heavy breath and exclaimed quietly, "By the Goddess, Shepard! When did you suddenly become so… Asari?"

Chuckling, Shepard glanced over her shoulder at the Captain and slowed until Livos drew up beside her. As she picked up her previous pace, Shepard smirked and responded, "What? It's not like you haven't seen me strip down in the Armax locker room at the end of every one of our practices. What's the difference?"

"I… do not know." Livos shook her head and shrugged, unsure of herself as she answered, "I suppose it just surprised me and it felt… odd. Perhaps because it was in your private quarters? You are our Captain and I suddenly felt as if I was intruding in your personal space."

Shepard clapped her gently on the back and answered, "Don't worry about it, Liv. That's what I wanted; if you had buzzed my comm, it would have woken Liara as well, and she needs her rest more than I do. Besides, if I was uncomfortable with it, I would have chased you out before I got up. But, that said, I'll be more sensitive to it next time and give you time to escape if I happen to be sleeping nude."

Visibly relieved, Livos relaxed and said, "Thank you, Nara. I do not care to be skinned alive by Lady Liara should she feel my seeing you naked… in your bedroom… is inappropriate." She suddenly laughed as she continued, "Because, if case you have somehow failed to notice, Mistress Liara can be extremely possessive and protective when it comes to you."

At that, Shepard laughed with her. "Anyone who doesn't see that deserves to be skinned alive, Livos… me included!"

They could hear a number of people chatting as they stepped around the corner into the kitchen. Of course, Chef Leyana was up and beginning to make breakfast for the early arrivals, as well as Lyessa, who was accompanied by her seldom present bondmate, Selina. Lyessa had an amazing expression of contentment on her face as she busied herself preparing the buffet table while Leyana cooked. It was apparent to Shepard that, while perhaps not here often, Selina knew her way around the Estate kitchen and she aided Lyessa with a practiced ease.

The most distinctive voice of the bunch undoubtedly belonged to Spectre Bau. Shepard smiled at the familiar sound and greeted him first. "Jon. Great to have you here! You too, Kas! How was the trip from the Rim?"

They both answered at the same time, although each reply was quite different. Bau replied quickly, stating simply, "Fine. Nothing significant worth mentioning," while Kasumi rolled her eyes and said, "Really, Shep? We literally came from the other side of the galaxy, through any number of relays, and yet, we had no time to spare for… acquiring… anything. If you need any quick requisitioning done on the side, please, do tell. Keeping an eye on the rebel Quarians has been beyond dull – at least so far."

Shepard smiled and answered, "Boring is good in this case. And please, do try to keep it that way, Kas… at least until after my honeymoon?"

"Can do, Shepard." Kasumi shrugged. "I certainly agree that there's no sense in poking the evil genius until we know what she and Gerrel are planning."

"That is a very good idea, Kasumi." Miranda's voice rang clearly through the dining area. "It seems we've arrived here just in time to prevent our master thief from provoking another war and keeping you from your well-deserved honeymoon, Shepard."

Instantly, the Captain's face lit up and she spun around to stride quickly to the newest arrival. "Miri! Gods, it's good to see you in person for a change, instead of over that vid-screen with what has to be the worst resolution in the galaxy!"

Pulling away from the resultant bear-hug, Miranda was smiling as she responded, "Good to see you, too, Shepard… and I agree. It may be time to think about a few system upgrades. All that aside for now, are you ready for the big day?"

"Absolutely," Shepard said, with an enormous grin on her face. "Long past due, don't you think?"

Judea cocked her head and smirked. "All in good time, Captain. Asari normally take time to think things over before jumping in with both feet. For Asari, knowing someone for barely five years is an extremely short promise period before a bonding. Count yourself lucky that Liara is still an impulsive maiden… otherwise, you could plan on waiting another five years or so."

"In counterpoint…" Hannah added with a smirk, as she walked into the dining area with her first cup of coffee of the morning. "After five years, Humans begin to wonder if a couple is ever going to actually tie the knot. The normal length for our engagements averages only a year."

"Well, you do have to admit, Mom," Shepard gave her mother a mock scathing glance as she defended her and Liara's long timeline, "…we did have rather unique extenuating circumstances. We just happened to be in the middle of the biggest galactic war in known history, so taking a few months off to bond wouldn't have been exactly prudent, would it?"

As the group laughed with easy camaraderie, Samantha glanced at the coffee in her mother's hand. "Now, that looks like an excellent idea." Her eyes shifted to Miranda as she continued, "We have an extensive selection of Terran teas as well… and, I imagine, Leyana is starting to put up items in the breakfast buffet. The commandos will start rolling in within the next ten or so. Anyone besides me hungry?"

Before they managed to get seated, the crew of the Chiroquol also strolled in, Oriana immediately rushing to Miranda's side. Their entourage included their little rotund friend, Barla Von, and Shepard immediately set her plate on a table and went to him, shaking his hand. "Barla Von. Good to see you. If you haven't already been informed, much like what we did for the Saint Patrick's Day party, we have remodeled a few of our rooms with controls that can be set to a great variety of environmental requirements. Today, one just so happens to be configured for a high-pressure, high-gravity, ammonia-based atmosphere. Hopefully, you'll feel right at home."

Amidst the intermittent rebreather sounds emitted by his suit, the Broker's financial wizard replied, "That is most excellent, Captain. I must admit, giving up my independent financial business to be employed by the… House T'Soni… most certainly comes with a number of perks." He chuckled quietly as he continued, "I do not recall any of my clients ever providing such amenities when I had to travel to conduct business."

"Well, this is certainly not a business tip… and it's our pleasure to accommodate you." Shepard smiled. "You are part of the family now." She then turned to her longtime Asari sisters, hugging each of them tightly as she uttered quietly, "Ai'a me. It is wonderful to see you both. This reunion has been far too long in coming."

"But what better occasion than a bonding to bring us all together… young one." Arlyna chuckled as she used the nickname from when she was Samantha's biotics instructor.

Shepard simply grinned back and shrugged her shoulders at the comment. "Call me what you will… It's too good to see you to worry about you teasing me with semantics, Maestru."

"As it is delightful to see you as well, Sim're." Niria took her turn at getting an affectionate hug from the Human. "And where is Lady Liara? Still asleep?"

"Yes," a nodding Shepard answered. "But I'll be the first to admit she needs all she can get. I've been working on a few things as Spectre but, as the primary, Liara has been working with at least a dozen different matriarchs to make this all happen the way we want it to."

Niria gave her another hug and pulled back. "We will leave you to your breakfast and get settled into our room. We look forward to spending whatever time we can with you, but do not feel badly if other things pull you away; we understand the duties placed upon those of a high house, even during what should be a very personal event. We are here for you and Liara, Samantha, not the other way around. We will manage just fine."

Over the course of the day, the guest rooms continued to fill with a steady influx of visitors… so many, in fact, that Shepard began to look at her and Liara's private bonding blessing the next morning as a way to escape the hordes… even if just for a few hours of the morning. With the formal bonding ceremony the very next day following that, they would soon be away on their honeymoon. Roughly fifty-four hours before we get to escape the madness… but who's counting? Shepard immediately felt the wave of apologetic humor sweep through the link and she realized Liara had heard her thoughts.

The Spectre never dreamed that every room in the Estate could ever possibly be occupied, yet it was quickly becoming a reality. The guest wing of the main house contained fifteen deluxe bedrooms, thirty-one suites with anterooms and five captain suites, which included two bedrooms as well as anterooms for either personal attendants or close friends. At capacity, the country residence was able to accommodate up to 184 guests in addition to the staff… and nearly every bed was full for the upcoming bonding.

As the more senior matriarchs began to arrive, Shepard began to feel as though she was constantly on display… and quickly gained a better appreciation for everything Liara must have had to deal with while growing up as the daughter of such an influential matriarch. The captain drew a deep breath and affixed a new smile firmly on her lips before walking into the main reception area to locate Liara. She immediately sought out her cheann geallta and whispered in her ear, "Sorry, Love. Didn't mean for you to hear that snide little comment earlier."

Liara looped her arm through the one offered by her captain and offered up an entertained smile. "Perfectly alright, Samantha. Out of necessity, I was forced to deal with it as a child… but I mostly felt very much like you do now and took whatever opportunities I found to rebel when I dared." Her lips quirked into a grin that she could not suppress as she added, "Just ask Shiala."

"Oooohhh. I'll be sure to do that!" Shepard grinned in response before continuing, "Just so you know, today's last shuttle from Widow is due into Armali within the hour. Livos will take Sella and Allia to pick up our stragglers… Wrex, Grunt and Garrus and Dee. Even if they're a little late, they should be here in plenty of time to get ready for dinner."

"Excellent… and thank you for the update. I'm looking forward to seeing them all again, as I'm sure their arrival will likely be the best part of the evening." It was Liara's turn to draw a deep calming breath. "Are you ready to start the real work? Socializing with all these people we hardly know?"

"Yes, I am," Shepard nodded, adding quietly, "I'm just glad Miri agreed to come early and give us a voice in our ear. There's no chance I'd remember the names of all these people."

"You won't be expected to," Liara answered with a sly smile. "You will gain the advantage by putting them off balance when you greet them by name." Her inner voice carried a hint of humor as she continued through their link. {I suppose it pays to be bonding to the Shadow Broker, Samantha. You'll get much more info through that earpiece than just a name.}

The Spectre turned her head enough to give Liara a glance of understanding before squaring her shoulders in preparation to face the crowd. {Not knowing them gives me reason to ask the most banal of questions without reproach. I think it may actually make this event easier, as I've rarely met someone who didn't like to talk about themselves.}

No longer having the excuse of an ongoing galactic war to dodge the social responsibilities that came with bonding into a great house, it was time for Captain Shepard to be seen at the left hand of the new Lady T'Soni, so she spoke aloud, "I suppose it's time. Shall we?"

"With you on my arm, Siame?" Liara gave her a dazzling smile. "I'm ready to face anything."

T'Soni Country Estate, Armali Republic, Thessia – 14 Aug 2188

The evening had gone well, and Shepard had remained up long after Liara had retired for the night, drinking with Wrex, Grunt and Garrus. Dee had also slipped away, but only after soliciting a promise from Garrus that she not wake in the morning without him in bed beside her. So, while it was a rather rare occasion, Liara woke first and took advantage of the moment, inhaling deeply through her nose and reveling in Samantha's familiar scent. She carefully propped herself up on an elbow and studied the peaceful face of her sleeping lover until she could no longer resist the temptation.

Blue fingers trailed softly up her siame's firm stomach before cupping and gently massaging a voluptuous breast. Shepard groaned softly and her eyelids cracked open, a loving smile appearing on her face as her right arm curled around the blue body tucked against her. Pulling Liara tightly to her side, she pressed warm lips to the Asari's forearm, just above her elbow, before whispering softly, "Good morning, Grá mo chroí. How did you sleep?"

Giddy with joy, Liara answered by tipping her head down and planting a passionate kiss on the woman's lips as she pushed off with her left arm to relocate herself atop the woman she loved so dearly. "Like a dream, my Promised One." Her body trembled with eagerness as she felt Sam's hands travel across her hips to cup her butt cheeks, giving a little squeeze. In response, she slid her leg over and planted a thigh firmly between Samantha's legs.

Shepard grunted in surprise, the sudden warmth of Liara's thigh pressing against her making her quiver lightly in response. "Uh, uh, uh. No teasing, T'Soni. That will make today's rituals rather uncomfortable."

"Who's teasing?" Liara's eyes flicked to the chrono hanging on the wall and returned, narrowing with purposeful desire as she purred, "We have forty minutes before the alarm goes off, Siame." To punctuate her eagerness, a blue hand replaced the thigh, making Samantha gasp.

"Then we'd better get busy, shouldn't we?" Shepard growled with desire as the link opened wide and she dived willingly into the seemingly bottomless obsidian of Liara's eyes, shifting quickly to a meld, overflowing with loving devotion.

Mount Orlael, Armali, Thessia – 14 Aug 2188

Lady Liara T'Soni walked hand-in-hand with Captain Shepard as they eagerly climbed the hill trail at the foothills of Mount Orlael. She was relieved they had chosen to have their formal bonding blessing conducted at the Cave of the Sacred Pools rather than at the rebuilt Temple of Athame in Serrice. After the war, the Council had overseen the relocation of what remained of the beacon to the central repository – where scientists of all races would have access to it – and the Temple had been rebuilt exactly as it had been… right down to the commissioning of a stone-carved statue of Athame to replace the shell that had been used to disguise the beacon.

The last thing either she or Shepard had wanted to happen during their final bonding preparations was to be reminded at every turn of the crushing defeat that had resulting in so many deaths and injuries to the team members who had entered the temple that fateful day. Liara shuddered as the uninvited memory intruded into her mind anyway and trickled without warning through the link; a somewhat surprised and concerned Shepard immediately squeezed her hand and reassured her Ionúin Álainn with a steadfast gaze. "Hey. None of that, now. We're here, we won… and I am about to bond with my Anam Cara. What could possibly be better than that?"

Liara turned her head to look at the stalwart Human beside her; the visage of the precious woman at her side, vibrant and beautiful, made it easy to cast the haunting memory from her mind and allowed a jubilant expression to light up her face, definitely more fitting to the occasion, before she answered, "Absolutely nothing, Siame. Asking for anything more would be an insult to the Goddess… She has provided a promising future for us and, with that, I shall always be content. Such a blessing is more than I could have ever hoped for… yet, here we are."

Squeezing her hand again, Shepard's expression turned to one of joyful promise. "Yes, here we are." Her eyes flicked forward as she continued, "Seriously. I can see the entrance ahead." A wave of fluttering butterflies took flight in both of their stomachs as they crested the hill, the reality of what was about to happen suddenly as near and irrefutable as the rock cliffs before their eyes.

The priestess awaited them within the cavern entryway, smiling welcomingly as the couple approached, hand in hand. "Lady Liara, Captain Shepard. I assume you are prepared to begin your journey?"

"We are, Priestess Avila," Liara responded with a grin. "We have waited a long time for this opportunity."

The priestess nodded. "Time is a friend in that regard. If your relationship has endured for more than a year following the end of the war, that is a good sign. So many fell in love for the wrong reasons, seeking something they felt they would never have because of their fear of death during strife... and, sadly, many did not survive contact with peace." She looked into the eyes of the couple, saw their steadfast devotion and smiled. "Each of you, however, still possesses that spark… that fire in your eyes."

"Yes, we do." Liara paused thoughtfully and decided to add, "And, I assume you have been made aware of our special link... as I believe it to be an important factor in this process."

When Liara hesitated again, the priestess raised her brow and prodded, "Out with it, my child. If you feel it important, then it must be so... and I have not been given any special information regarding your pairing. So, to that end, please, tell me of this link."

Drawing a deep, calming breath, Liara breathed out, "We share Inanna."

"By the Goddess I serve!" Surprised by the declaration, Avila drew a hasty breath. "That is... extraordinary! Combined with your import and fame, why am I performing the ritual… here… and not the High Priestess at the temple in Serrice?"

"Because we had no desire to return there." Liara frowned, an expression not lost on the priestess who, of course, immediately queried why. Liara continued, explaining, "We went there during the war... to meet with a science team regarding the concealed Prothean beacon. We were there when the temple was nearly destroyed... us along with it."

An also frowning Shepard quickly added, "Because she leads a high house, Liara already had to explain all this to the High Priestess. I am surprised this information was not passed on so we did not have to relive those memories on what is supposed to be a special day for us."

"Of course... you are correct. My apologies, Captain," the crestfallen priestess answered quickly. Affixing a smile to her face, she continued, "So, we shall discuss it no longer and get on with your ceremony. If you will follow me, please?"

They wove their way into the caverns, moving slowly downward until they came to a division in the tunnel. Avila turned back to them and smiled. "Thus, we begin the process. From here, you will lead. Have no fear… I know these tunnels better than my own soul and we will not get lost. You will, however, eventually find your way to sea-level and a tidal pool that awaits us at the exit to the ocean. I will mark the progress of your journey and provide the appropriate blessing while you bathe in the Sacred Pool; I will cleanse your soul as you cleanse your body." She stood to the side and indicated they should proceed. "If you have no questions?"

Having been appropriately coached by their mentors, they did not, so accepted the invitation and forged onward. Shepard and Liara enjoyed the cave's shafts. The entire place was filled with fluorescent rocks and flora, so no external light source was required for their passage through the various tunnels. Both Aethyta and Sha'ira had explained that, to the best of their knowledge, it was an eezo effect limited only to the caves on Thessia. Even rocks taken from the caves and moved elsewhere off-world faded over time as their eezo was depleted, the unique biological makeup of the entire planet refreshing the energy source as no other location could.

Shepard and Liara turned the whole event into a private adventure. Liara had turned to Avila, shortly after they had begun, to ask only one question. "Would you be upset if we purposely choose what we think to be the longest way around?"

"Absolutely not. You would not be the first to do so, as many have done the same, for a variety of reasons. They range from purely wanting to experience as much as one can of the divine beauty of these caverns, as it is likely to be the singular time you ever gain entrance unless you take the vows of a priestess, to very simply wanting to prolong the brief respite from the many demands of relatives, friends, and ceremony that can be so stressful during such times."

The priestess laughed understandingly as she watched expressions of guilt flicker across both their faces, smiling as she continued, "I see a bit of the latter in you. Rest assured that neither I nor the Goddess would ever think the lesser of you for that. This is an important event in your lives… one that is not to be taken lightly, particularly for those of a Great House. In your own way, you are a servant of the people just as I am… and the Goddess Athame recognizes your compromises for and sacrifices toward the greater good. So, let us continue on our way… and, please, do not carry any burdens of guilt or concern on this day. I am in your service until the conclusion of the formal bonding ceremony on the morrow, so my time is yours to spend as you wish. You are here to enjoy the blessings the Goddess will bestow upon you both over the course of this sanctified event."

Somewhat relieved, Shepard and Liara continued on their way, hand-in-hand, as they made their way forward. They thoroughly enjoyed the beauty of their surroundings and frequently took turns that led them upward again, instead of down toward the sea, purposely trying to prolong their journey and extend their adventure within the sacred mountain. When they started to hear the surf echoing through the tunnel, they knew they had likely run out of options… and were somewhat saddened when it finally came to pass. They turned one final corner and a grand vista of the Thessian Ocean opened before them, causing them both to gasp at the beautiful sunset before them.

Liara stared in wide-eyed wonder as she sputtered, "I had no idea we had been in here so long!"

As Shepard mumbled something in surprised agreement, Priestess Avila smiled and laughed softly. "I must admit, I believe you somehow managed to find the longest route through the mountain that I have ever had the pleasure of taking. If that was truly your desire, then the Goddess most definitely smiled upon you as you made your choices! We passed through areas I don't believe I've seen since my initiate days when I had to memorize all the passages." Her joyful grin instantly told them she wasn't exaggerating as she continued, "It was invigorating… and a positively glorious trip!"

T'Soni Country Estate, Armali Republic, Thessia – 14 Aug 2188

Owing to a limited amount of time available to be away from their classified assignment, Spectre Ashley Williams had readily accepted Samantha Traynor's offer to set the vessel down on the parking apron of the T'Soni Estate's cargo transshipment area, rather than have to shuttle the crew to and from the military docks in Armali. Given her previous posting, Traynor had been given the opportunity to join House Steward Lyessa and Captain Lyria Tremi in welcoming the crew of the Normandy when the frigate arrived – an opportunity which she had immediately accepted.

Having tracked the Normandy's approach to the planet from the relay, Traynor had arrived twenty minutes before the vessel's scheduled touchdown. The Estate normally had a dock reserved for VIP arrivals, but it was currently occupied by the Knight Shade, so was unavailable. Instead, she had provided Joker and Edi with landing coordinates immediately adjacent to the House T'Soni commando heavy corvettes, Freedom and Liberation… the latter of which Sammi had seen once before – when a rather angry Matriarch Aethyta had arrived on Earth with a full commando escort, immediately following the attempt on her daughter's life while they had been in Vancouver.

Given the amount of traffic expected through the Estate over the next few days, the Broker vessels could be nowhere in evidence, so had been parked under the early morning's cover of darkness in empty, secure warehouses – readily available due to the carefully selected pre-harvest date for the bonding – leaving plenty of room on the parking apron closest to the residence. As she waited, Sammi idly paced back and forth along the walkways in and around the other T'Soni vessels. Several minutes prior to the ship's arrival, Traynor was joined by Miranda Lawson, who commented, "It'll be good to see everyone we used to work with, don't you think?"

Sammi grinned at the former Cerberus operative as she replied, "It really hasn't been that long for me, but I do have to agree with you… I'll be really chuffed to see our former shipmates again." A flash in the distance caught her attention; shading her eyes with one hand, she looked in the direction she believed would be the ship's approach vector just in time to see a second flash – the glint of the sun reflecting off the armored hull of a very special ship.

As she watched the slender outline of the frigate, she commented, "Looks as if Joker is actually going to refrain from coming in hot. You suppose Edi is responsible?"

Miranda's posture was similar to Traynor's; watching the Normandy's approach with her eyes shaded by a flattened hand over her brow, she replied, "Maybe, but my guess would be Armali approach control issued a 'do not exceed' velocity at such a low altitude. Given the recent pirate attack on the market, it wouldn't be wise to piss off the authorities right now… Even Judea chose to tread lightly during her approach… and we were cloaked!"

As the ship continued to close on the docks, Miranda advised Sammi, "Better plug your ears, Traynor. Ship's engines have an ear-splitting whine, no matter how slow it's traveling." Having warned her companion, Miri inserted a pair of custom fitted noise-suppressors into her own ears.

Sammi watched with a touch of envy in her expression. One more thing to add to my list of needed equipment before we set out that I never would have thought of! She placed her hands on either side of her head and prepared to insert a finger in each ear as the sound from the Normandy's engines began to reach their position.

When the ship drew closer and the whining complaints from the four engine pods began to engulf her, she plugged her ears – just as Joker engaged reverse thrust to arrest their forward momentum; the nose came up momentarily as the dockside computer interacted with the ship's navi-computer to guide the landing gear to a precise touchdown. Traynor dropped her hands as the engines rapidly spooled down to idle; the remainder of the noise quickly diminished away as Edi secured the power converters, leaving only the relatively quiet APU's running.

The T'Soni Freight Master had a well-trained crew, who immediately hustled forward to connect the ship to ground power. As soon as the external power light lit green on the Bridge, Joker also shut down the APU's, leaving the parking apron in sudden, welcome quiet. Traynor and Lawson approached the area under the nose where the hanger bay ramp would deploy; as if on cue, the seals unlatched and retracted, followed by the wide ramp slowly tipping down from the hull, accompanied by the whining complaint of the hydraulic pumps.

A pair of armed Marines marched down the ramp first, taking guard positions on either side of the bottom edge. They were followed by Captain – and Spectre – Ashley Williams, who spotted her former shipmates and broke into a huge grin as she moved towards them at a jog. "Lawson! Traynor! Damn if it isn't good to see both of you!" Ashley grabbed Miranda's forearms first before grabbing both of Sammi's arms in greeting as she added, "Ship doesn't seem the same without you on the comms systems, Traynor. You've really been missed. Any chance I could convince you to come back?"

Sammi could feel her cheeks flush as she grinned back at Ashley. "I've missed being on the Normandy, Captain, but working alongside Riana, Tali'Zorah, and all the new crew members on the Knight Shade has been absolutely smashing. I've been so busy I've hardly had any time to simply sit and think. Sorry, but I absolutely love my job here, so I'd have to say no."

"Can't blame me for asking." Ashley nodded as she released Traynor and said, "We'll be rotating crew members off the ship for the ceremony and party tomorrow, but my schedule is so damned tight, I wasn't even able to make the detour needed to give Kahlee Sanders a ride in… she should be arriving on a shuttle this afternoon." After a brief pause, she added, "We'll have to depart mid-morning, day after tomorrow."

A movement behind Ashley drew Miranda's attention; Dr Chakwas had appeared and was walking down the ramp to be greeted enthusiastically by Traynor and Lawson. With a twinkle in her eyes, the normally reserved doctor gave each of Normandy's former crew members a warm embrace, saying, "It's so good to see both of you; we'll be sure to catch up tonight during the pre-bonding reception." She glanced around, a worried wrinkle crossing her forehead at the obvious lack of someone she had expected to be there to meet the ship.

Miranda immediately picked up on it and smiled. "Hannah is inside putting together Shepard's dress uniform… while she and Liara are completing their bonding blessing ceremony at Mount Orlael. Their return is later than expected, so Hannah decided to help out by getting Sam's uniform ready for her."

Lyria immediately stepped forward. "Doctor Chakwas. I am Lyria Tremi, Estate Guard Captain." She smiled at the Human doctor about whom she had heard so much. "It would be my honor to escort you to the main house and help you search out Hannah Shepard. I am sure she has simply lost track of time and will be more than happy to see you, sooner rather than later."

Karin smiled back. "Thank you, Captain… and I am more than happy to take you up on your offer! Please, lead the way."

Mount Orlael, Armali, Thessia – 14 Aug 2188

Once they had taken in the absolutely stunning view granted them from outside the cave, Liara and Shepard finally noticed the calm tidal pool at the cavern's seaside entrance, its surface seemingly on fire, burning with the reflection of the Thessian sunset. As they approached the pool, they also noticed the plain white towels and clothing laid out carefully upon the rocks beside it. Having been coached for this, they immediately went to the side of the pool and stood beside its rock entrance steps. The lighting, a combination of the glowing natural rocks and fauna with the colorful sunset, made the entire cavern appear surreal as they began to help each other remove their clothing.

With the sun blazing in the entrance, it was almost hot and, with the exertion of the day's hike, a dip in the pool would be most welcome, so they immediately signaled to Avila that they were ready to begin. She nodded in confirmation and raised her hands upward as if welcoming the setting sun. "Please descend into the pool, immersing your whole self and then lifting only your head above the water."

As soon as they returned to the surface of the surprisingly warm pool, Avila began in earnest. "May Athame grant you peace in your future union, that you may never be without the comfort and companionship of the other. Breathe deeply of Athame's salt and sea; let her renew your body with its natural purity and innocence. Listen to the surf and let it guide you toward the rhythm of the universe. Let the surge and ebb of the waves without lead you to a place within, where the outbound tides can carry your concerns away until you find an inner peace."

She fell silent as she walked to the edge of the pool and handed them a single sponge. "This is a natural sponge that has been harvested from the sea of Athame's bounty… exclusively for this ritual. Use it in her glory to cleanse your body. Let the salt of her sea draw toxins from your mind and soul. Let the warmth of her sea ease the aches of your soul as well as your body; let it draw the negativity of daily life from you and ease your burdens. Share, as you must do for a truly successful bonding, and leave not a single patch of skin untouched by her instrument."

As the couple readied themselves, Avila closed her eyes and chanted, "May your head be cleansed, that you may think clearly. May your throat be cleansed, that you might speak rightly when words are needed. May your heart be cleansed, that you might hear its messages clearly. May your hands be cleansed, that they may create beautiful things. May your feet be cleansed, that they might take you where you most need to be in your service to Athame."

She watched the couple, pausing briefly between each statement to ensure they both had time to complete the cleansing of the other before she moved on. Once they had completed the last step, she instructed them to rise from the pool and dry each other off, in the same order as having been washed. While they did so, she uttered yet another prayer.

"Negativity of this, our sacred space, I banish you by the light of our Goddess Athame's grace. You have no hold or power here, thus I stand and face you with no fear, while positive energy alone comes near. Goddess of all, Goddess of light, shield this couple both day and night. Grant them your blessing so they find a happiness that lasts and fills their lives with joy and love."

As they stood nude before her, Avila dropped her eyes. "Please, walk together to the shore and cast your sponge back into Athame's sacred waters. Once that is done, return to me." When they had done so and returned to stand before her, Avila requested they hold hands to form a circle. Their curious gazes made her squeeze their hands, reassuringly, as she spoke once more. "With the circle complete, it is easy to sense you are a blessed couple, repeatedly guided to success even where so many others would meet only failure."

She paused and drew a deep breath as divine inspiration filled her. "Athame's desire is for you to continue leading a long life together, full of wonderful adventures which will be guided by your combined wisdom, charity, and love. Your friends and loved ones, often one and the same, will always be precious to you and, while many will pass from this life long before either of you, their fond memories and good deeds will be preserved within your hearts and souls, never to be lost to the annals of obscurity. Let it be known that your very existence is revered by the Goddess and the sanctity of your glorious union will be readily confirmed under the blessings of Athame. Peace and prosperity to you."

She dropped their hands and instructed, "Please, dress in the provided attire. and I will accompany you to your home for the night. There, you are allowed to socialize with your guests for the evening, during which time I will be available to answer any questions or provide any service of Athame either of you may desire. As the evening comes to a close, I will accompany you to your rooms, where I will bless your bonding attire as you begin your period of self-reflection. You will don no clothing other than what has been provided until the time comes for you to dress for your bonding ceremony in the morning. Are there any questions?"

She looked at both of them, waiting for a positive confirmation from each before allowing a blissful smile to overtake her serious expression. "So, it is done, Goddess be praised! Let us return to the outside world so you may enjoy the evening with your guests!"