Chapter Four

Vows

Eloderaý awoke, petrified with fear, on her wedding day. For a moment she could not breathe as terror rushed over her, and then she clenched her chattering teeth and stood up.

Opening the door of her closet, she reached out a timid finger and touched the soft white lace of her wedding dress. As she did so, the rays of the morning sun sparkled upon the diamond on her finger. Set on a slender band of gold, this jewel was flanked by two smaller sapphires on either side.

Eloderaý smiled when she saw it. Only a month had passed since their betrothal was announced, and the days had passed slowly in response to her excitement. But now that the day had finally come, she wished that it was still the day of her betrothal.

Lynessa came in to dress her as the morning wore into afternoon, and found her pale with fright. Not knowing how to reassure her, since she had never been married, Lynessa comforted her with the words of the unlearned.

Eloderaý felt a little better when she was dressed. There was no way that she could deny she was pretty in white, and the dress was gorgeous.

Lynessa sat her down on a chair and started to brush her long auburn hair. Eloderaý thought about Galdore - the way his yellow hair hung, the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled or laughed, the way he spoke to her... Now she was feeling better, and she hugged her knees in anticipation.

The wedding was not to take place until the evening, and so both Galdore and Eloderaý tried to keep themselves occupied. They were not allowed out of their rooms, to ensure that no one saw them.

Evening finally came. Eloderaý felt only a faint trace of fear in her heart as Lynessa led her towards the great hall. Her entire being was pounding with excitement.

Her eyes roved over the entire hall before she actually stepped in. There were hundreds of people, and Kanethon stood with Galdore and Tristal on the dais.

Lynessa gave Eloderaý a small push, sending her gracefully in. For a brief second she stood still, to recover her wits, but then she moved slowly forwards.

When she reached her fiance's side, she relinquished her banquet of lilies and roses to Lynessa, who then moved to one side.

The two stood before Kanethon, who blessed them in the name of Elamm' and the Valintari. For a moment there was silence - then Galdore spoke.

"I, Galdore, take you, Eloderaý, to love, to respect, to have and to hold, until Elamm' sees fit to separate us."

Then Eloderaý repeated why the King of the Fortaerim had just vowed. Kanethon joined their hands, blessed them again, and the King and uncrowned Queen turned to face the crowd, smiling.

As Galdore and Eloderaý stepped down from the dais, everyone broke into singing. It drifted out and lost itself in the twisting breezes. THen Royaleisia came and stood upon the balcony, her golden hair shining in the moonlight.

Finally she went in, and the last ray of light disappeared in the darkness. But all was bright inside, at the wedding of the King of Fortaer.