"Remind me again why we have to wear these." Rikki commented sarcastically.
Cleo had to agree with Rikki. At the moment she felt more than a little ridiculous. She was wearing a dark blue floor-length velvet robe decorated with delicate silver embroidery in a wave pattern along the hem, sleeves, and hood. The one consolation was that Arethusa had successfully persuaded the others to don the centuries old ceremonial garb as well.
"It is tradition Lady Rikki." Arethusa sighed in exasperation.
Cleo held Lewis' hand as they walked down the hallway. They followed Arethusa to where they were going to perform the ceremony. No one spoke a word, and it was clear that everyone was nervous in anticipation. Arethusa pushed open a set of doors, and they were met with a sort of conservatory. What portions of the wall and ceiling were not made of glass glittered with tiny blue crystals. There was a circular pool in the center of the room that, though not very wide, looked quite deep. sitting on an island in the center of the pool was a curiously placed basin full of coals.
The five other spirits stood silently to the side watching them. Quiet smiles lined each of their faces, including Darius who had only seemed to be disdainful up to this point. Alpheus however, had the largest grin Cleo had ever seen plastered from ear to ear. She realized that it was unlikely any of them had ever experienced a moon ceremony before, let alone a coronation, making all this a curious oddity.
"Is it safe for mer to be in a room with this many windows on a Full Moon?" Ash joked nervously.
"The moon is the reason for the ceremony. What better place to perform it, than where she is in full view?" replied Arethusa before sighing. "Are you all sure about this? There will be no going back later."
"We're sure." Emma spoke resolutely all of them catching eyes and nodding in agreement.
"Okay then. If you could all form a circle around the pool, sitting opposite your mate."
Cleo walked around the pool and sat between Ash and Zane looking across to Lewis. She smiled at him and she was surprised to find an excited smile on his face. His adventurous side was showing itself and it gave her heart a little reassurance.
"If I may, I would like to say something before we get started. As I mentioned, I have made a few trips to the mainland since my awakening. I know the world is vastly different than the one I went to sleep in. Once enamored by superstition and the spiritual, the world now places weight in science and reason. What you are about to experience, quite simply, cannot be explained with logic. You may not understand what is happening or why, and it is going to feel very strange. I also know that I have not done much to earn it, quite the opposite in fact, but I ask now that you would trust me. Trust that no matter how ludicrous it seems, what I ask of you to do is important, and it will work."
"We trust you Arethusa." Cleo spoke, hoping she spoke for all of them.
"Thank you, Ocean's Daughter." Arethusa bowed, catching Cleo a little off guard. "Once the sun has set, and the moon rises, we can begin. Your presentation will be when the Full Moon is highest in the sky."
"Like with the Moonpool?" asked Lewis.
"Exactly. Until then you will need to meditate."
"Meditate?" Emma asked confused.
"Yes, to counteract the moon spell. This will be a bit of a challenge for you Sons of Land. However, even you Ocean's Daughters have not learned how to properly handle the amount of power she exerts on this night. Even now, you feel her, yes?"
"Yeah, the moon just rose." Zane replied. "Wait, how do I know that?"
"Because you are not focusing on your fear anymore. Now, all of you, from here forward you must do exactly as I say. Close your eyes. Breathe. All this time you have been afraid of the moon's power. You have resisted at looking into her eye so that you may not be overcome by her. I beg of you. Do not resist! Embrace her! She wants to strengthen you, and you in turn become her strength."
Cleo wasn't sure what she was doing, but when she closed her eyes, she could feel the moons pull tug at her something inside her. Rather than fighting that feeling as she had before, she began to follow it willingly.
Arethusa continued "Listen for the crashing waves in the distance, you should be able to hear them even from here. Father Ocean: always changing, mysterious and secretive. He calls to you, his children. Unlike humans, you have nothing to fear from his depths. His is a cool and faithful embrace. Hear the crashing of his voice on the shore. Remember to breathe."
Cleo took a breath and heard the waves. Compared to previous full moons she now found the sound of the ocean less heady and more grounding, the irony not lost on her. This continued for a few hours. Her eyes remained closed. She continued to breathe, focus, and wait for the moon to make its journey higher.
"Alright. The moon is nearing her peak. We need to begin. But first you will need to open your eyes and look at the moon. When you do, make yourself a channel, allow her full power to flow through you without overwhelming you."
Cleo opened her eyes and for the first time since becoming a mermaid she took in the full moon with all of her faculties. Her mind was hers but the power flowing from her head to her toes was the moon's power. It felt amazing. The moon was now nearly overhead, and somehow a fire was now burning in the central basin. She had been so focused she hadn't even noticed it had been lit. They all stood with their eyes now open: all thankfully devoid of the zombie-like glaze characteristic of a moon spell.
Arethusa walked up to Ash carrying a bowl full of small dark rocks perhaps a centimeter in diameter. She motioned for him to take one. Arethusa then went around the circle so that Rikki, Lewis, Emma, and Zane could also take one. Before she grabbed hers, Cleo asked, "Arethusa, what are these?"
"These are unrefined moon gems. Small ones. When treated properly they are a brilliant blue. The gems lining these walls are all moon gems."
"They're beautiful." Said Emma.
"Indeed. They also have a very special property: they can store and harness the moon's magical energy. Much like you all. Tonight, we are going to refine them through fire. It is meant to be a picture of the refining you are willing to go through should you become royals. It will not be easy. There will be pain and suffering I am sure. But at the end of it all, like these gems, you may become something remarkably beautiful and terrifyingly powerful." Arethusa looked to all of them pointedly.
Cleo thought that if the insanity of what they were doing hadn't hit yet, it did now. Her heart was racing so fast she thought it might burst right out of her chest. She looked up and saw the moon overhead. As it reached its peak, the water in the pool began to shine. It didn't bubble like the Moonpool did, but there was certainly incredible magic.
Arethusa spoke loudly and officially, "The time has come. If you are willing to become the chosen royals of the Moon Goddess - to serve her with your life, and protect her people to your death - step into the pool, and place your gem in the fire."
In unison the six took the plunge surfacing with their tails. They all swam toward the center and placed their stones in the hearth. Cleo moved back to tread water. Unsure what she was waiting for, she stilled with bated breath. The orange flames danced for a moment that felt like a lifetime, before turning into the bright silver blue they had become accustomed to within the palace.
"She was right." Arethusa spoke quietly though Cleo managed to hear.
Suddenly a blinding light shone about them. Cleo felt a tingling sensation run over her whole body much like when she first became a mermaid. When it dissipated, she looked to her friends only to find that they looked different. It was subtle. There was something in their eyes or maybe it was their skin that shone brighter as though they were reflecting the moon itself. Lewis looked amazing as always but there was a startling beauty that had never been there before. He looked more mature, his boyishness seemingly gone. However, she wouldn't say he looked older either. She couldn't find the right words to describe it and could only assume that the same was true for her own appearance.
Arethusa then raised her voice triumphantly "Blessed be the Moon's Chosen! All grace, wisdom and power to those she has deemed worthy!"
"Long may they live!" Shouted Alpheus.
Similar shouts of joy and praise rang out from their little audience. All the while they could only just smile and stare at each other.
Zane finally broke the silence completely dumbfounded. "Guys, we're royals." He then turned to his right, "I mean can you believe it Emma? You're a Queen!"
"Yeah. My queen." Ash scoffed. They all burst into light giggles and Cleo herself felt a tear roll down her cheek. "See, what did I tell you Zane. You had nothing to worry about." Chuckled Ash. Zane proceeded in giving Ash a light splash catching Cleo in the crossfire.
The laughter and praises continued for a few minutes. Relieved tension was clearly the culprit for their hysterics.
"And finally, the Ceremony of Binding." Arethusa interrupted their laughter.
"Binding Ceremony? I thought that we were done." Said Rikki.
"This is the marriage ceremony." Arethusa spoke quietly
Cleo gasped. She had almost forgotten. She was getting married. The others were silent in thought. The Moon Goddess had made her a royal and in a way she was already tied to Lewis. They had shared things that few others would ever understand. He had always been there for her. He meant everything to her. She loved him so much it hurt. So why not make it official?
"It is a separate rite from the initial coronation as it involves both partners. At this time, you must link hands with your mate through the coronation flame."
"Well, we've come this far now." Quipped Ash as he swam forward again.
Cleo looked to Lewis who in turn smiled at her lovingly. She moved her hand tentatively toward the flames along with the others. She could feel the tongue of the fire licking blisters over her skin; the pain almost unbearable. Until she found his hand in the heat.
Instantly the pain ceased, and Cleo found herself surrounded by darkness. She realized she was floating, not in her tail as a mermaid or even with legs as a human. It was as though she were a bubble of pure golden energy, the only light in the dark abyss.
'Where am I? What happened? Am I dead?' Cleo thought as she took in her surroundings. There was absolutely nothing.
'I don't feel like I'm dead. Of course, I don't really know what dead feels like.' Cleo mused. 'What happened before I got here?'
She tried desperately but couldn't remember. 'I know I was with some people, there was something special happening and we were… oh, what were we doing?' Fear began to creep up as the more she tried to remember the more she felt her train of thought slipping away. 'There was someone important. Someone I need to remember. Think! Think! Oh, come on!' The frustration starting to get to her.
'Who are you? It was someone… someone who… who… wait, who am I? What's my name? Why can't I remember my name?!' She exclaimed in terror. The golden light she was emitting dimmed and her voiceless cry echoed through the void.
With no sense of time and no end in sight she hung there helpless in the ink. Her light continued to fade as she resigned herself to the fate of becoming one with the darkness around her. That is until a voice not her own rang through her thoughts, sharp and clear as a bell: 'Cleo!'. Suddenly a new name popped into her head: 'Lewis. Lewis that's it! That's the who I need to remember! Lewis! Lewis! Lewis I love you! Lewis!'
Her light shone bright again, brighter than it had been when she had first arrived as she repeated the name continuously in her thoughts. Suddenly, she saw a speck of light where there hadn't been one before. Any belief that she was imagining it, disappeared as it grew brighter. All the while, that name never left her mind. As the light grew bigger, she heard another voice, the same as before chanting a different name. Her name.
When the light was close, she realized it was another orb like her except this one a silvery blue and was calling her name. 'Lewis?'
They closed the distance. The two orbs of light merged into a single source. It was as though a bomb went off. The dark world around them was now bathed in every color imaginable. Wisps of energy danced around them as they became something more.
Her memories began flooding back. She saw his memories too, as well as his thoughts and emotions. They were feeling everything together and the feedback was intoxicating. She saw herself as he saw her, and could drown in the amount of love that was there. She felt his despair over her own sadness and anger, and she did the same for his. Every thought they shared, every secret they now knew. Fears, hopes, dreams: everything that defined them as individuals was now theirs to own together. She knew him and he knew her for they were same. Living and loving as one.
They existed like that for an eternity. A single entity made up of two beings, bound by love and empowered by magic. Surrounded by a kaleidoscope of color in a paradise all their own forever. Slowly though, the ethereal rainbow was replaced by a gentle fog. And though they did not know what to make of the change, they were not scared. They had each other, what was there to fear?
Cleo felt the cool water on her skin and shook herself from the dream. She was back in the pool with her tail, the coronation fire now gone out. Cleo wasn't sure she could look at Lewis right now without crying so she opted to inspect her hand which was miraculously unharmed, as though it had never happened. She curiously surveyed the others who all appeared to be in similar states of astonishment.
"Congratulations! You are all now spiritually married." Arethusa cheered.
"Was that real?" Lewis spoke, finally catching Cleo's gaze. As she expected, tears began to roll down her cheeks.
"It felt pretty real." Ash chimed in.
Arethusa nodded, "Yes. From what I have heard and from your reactions, I understand it to be an intense and deeply personal experience."
"But, Rikki... and what I felt…" Zane trailed off. "It felt like we were there forever."
"It is the Moon Goddess' gift to you, a wedding present as it were: to unite a royal couple. Whether lovers or acquaintances at the time of binding, she proves to you that your souls are a good match. Going forward trust that whatever happens, you can make it through together. Because in a way, you have already been through everything together."
"Wow." Emma summed up.
They must have been in a bit of shock because they were all pretty quiet for a few minutes. They all got out of the pool regaining their legs and taking in their new royal appearances. Lewis walked over to Cleo before grabbing her around the waist and whispering in her ear. "Well if we're married, I think it's about time I kissed the bride don't you think?"
"Absolutely." She whispered before placing a firm and passionate kiss on his lips.
A/N: Hey Friends!
That was a long week wasn't it? :P
So sorry for the delay. But it's here now! Hopefully you think it was worth the wait.
As I mentioned in the story their union is spiritual in nature. It does not make their relationships perfect by any means, but they now have the memories of feeling everything the other did: A shared moment of total vulnerability meant to strengthen their bond. (I think of it as a blessing for royals who had to go into an arranged marriage like Derya had to). It is also a magical union with repercussions that we will explore going forward. So excited!
This chapter marks a sort of transition in the story. Consider this the end of the first arc. Oh yeah, we are just getting started here people!
You are all truly an encouragement! And if you like what you are reading, have a question or a critique, or just want to say "Hey!" feel free to leave a review!
Much Love,
Odd Lady :)