A/N: Apparently I'm only posting this for my own amusement and that of two others. Well, I'm glad you both like it :-)
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Emerald Bond
Sworn, signed and sealed
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It was now the time for their personal vows to each other. This time Tommy began.
"Barbara. On this day I become your husband, and will be until forever. I swear that I will always treasure and protect you. You are my equal, my friend, my love. You are the person that grounds me and never loses faith in me. You are the one who will always confront me with the truth, may it be good or bad. And I am grateful that you have entered my life and are willing to bear me and share the future with me. Forever I will be your devoted husband. My a'th kar, Barbara."
Barbara had to sharply inhale to keep a sob from escaping her lungs. Now it was her turn.
"My dear Thomas. From now on until the end of all times I will be your wife. I know it, so it's easy for me to swear that I will always love you. You've been my crush, you have become the love of my life. You're my best friend, my boss, my counterpart and you are the one I can look up to without feeling inferior. You are the one who always encourages me to reach higher than I dare to and I am thankful for all the love and support you offer me. I will give you the same love and the same support whenever you need it and I will happily share the rest of my life with you, whatever it will bring. I will be your deeply loving wife. Forever."
Registrar Burnet saw the love in the couple's eyes and truly believed their personal vows. Smiling about them, she took the papers with the official texts and got up from her chair. She raised her voice again, addressing the audience and the couple.
"Please stand." Registrar Burnet waited a few seconds until everyone in the room was standing. Tommy and Barbara still kept holding their hands. "The moment has now come for you to make your marriage vows. As these words are spoken you will legally become husband and wife."
In an almost dramatic pause Burnet cleared her throat and then addressed Barbara. "Bride, please repeat after me:
I call upon - these persons here present - to witness that I, Barbara Havers - do take thee Thomas Lynley - to be my lawful wedded husband. I promise to cherish and care for you - to trust you and be honest with you - to stand by you and support you - now and always."
Barbara repeated the parts one by one. This time her voice was firm and almost jubilant. And of course she grinned like a fool. She did not see how the registrar turned her head because Barbara had locked eyes with Tommy.
"Groom, please repeat after me:
I call upon - these persons here present - to witness that I, Thomas Lynley - do take thee Barbara Havers - to be my lawful wedded wife. I promise to cherish and care for you - to trust you and be honest with you - to stand by you and support you - now and always."
Tommy's voice was just like Barbara's when he repeated the official vow with a broad smile.
Then came the moment when one of the small silver plates on the desk was deployed. Registrar Burnet lifted the blue velvet cloth and the couple took the unveiled rings. Now that they were displayed like this, they even looked better than a few days before, when they had come to their home, brought by a delivery man. They were rather simple rings of gold, with just a thin line of rough surface in the middle. The smaller one had a tiny diamond which was not perfect but featured a visible inclusion that shimmered green.
Now the rings glowed as if the metal knew the exceptionality of this moment. And Tommy and Barbara knew what was written inside. After debating this and that, they had decided to keep it simple, so in the end it was his name in her ring and hers in his, and two small intertwined hearts divided their names from today's date.
"Barbara and Thomas, we have now come to the giving of rings, which is the ancient and traditional way of sealing your marriage vows. A ring is the unbroken circle that symbolises unending and everlasting love, and it's the outward sign of the lifelong promise you have just made to each other. These rings represent the promises you have willingly exchanged. They reflect your commitment to each other and all your hopes and dreams for the future.
Bride, please repeat after me: Thomas, I give you this ring - as a sign of our love and marriage - and as a symbol of all that we share."
Without effort Barbara let the ring slide on Tommy's shaking finger, repeating the words the registrar told her.
"And groom, please repeat after me: Barbara, I give you this ring - as a sign of our love and marriage - and as a symbol of all that we share."
Tommy repeated the words but it was a bit harder for him to put the ring on Barbara's hand.
"Ah, sh...!" he hissed almost cursing when it did not slip across the knuckle of her ring finger.
"With gusto!" she quietly ordered and nervously chuckled, and then, with a grin on everyone's face, the ring finally was on her hand. Barbara sighed involuntarily.
"And that is that." the registrar muttered smiling. She raised her voice again. "With the exchange of these rings you've sealed your personal bond, for all to see."
She sat down and gestured to everyone else to take their seats again.
"Barbara, while you have planned ahead for this day, you have chosen to assume Thomas' family name. You decided on continuing the name Lynley as another outward sign that you belong together. With this decision you will give up your own family name and will be known as Barbara Annabel Lynley from now on and everywhere. Your future children have no option to carry the name Havers either. I ask you now if you understand that."
Barbara nodded. "Yes, I understand."
"Barbara, is it still your wish to assume the name Lynley?"
"Yes, it is." Barbara answered with a smile although this already had been one of the questions earlier in her private meeting with the registrar before the ceremony. Of course that had just been a confirmation to include it into the ceremony. And of course to have the required file ready.
Registrar Burnet nodded towards registrar Lorne who put said file into the open folder in front of him. It had been a lot of additional paperwork earlier in August but a change on all her IDs, passes and badges already was applied for. Authorities only needed a copy of the marriage certificate now.
"Barbara, from today on you will share your husband's name. You will be known and addressed as Barbara Annabel Lynley."
Tommy and Barbara exchanged another happy glance.
"Now, before we'll continue with the remaining parts of the usual ceremony, we come to something exceptional. It is a first for me because it does not happen very often here in our rather unpretentious Westminster City Hall, that we have to conduct the marriage ceremony with someone who is entitled to a seat in the House of Lords, but every now and then we have the pleasure to do so.
This said, we've also come here to acknowledge the entry of Barbara Annabel Lynley in the peerage roll of England."
Then the registrar got up from her chair and the couple's guests did so too. Barbara had learned from Mr Denton that this was the moment where bride and groom would stay seated.
Registrar Burnet raised her voice again. "Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, has given her approval to this bond. It's officially confirmed by the Licentia Regia which will be put into your new family book along with the marriage certificates later."
Tommy squeezed Barbara's hand. She was his countess anyway but now she would become Lady Asherton officially and legally and for all to see. Barbara may raise her eyebrows about that certain ceremony but for him it was a tradition he would not have missed out. Barbara returned his squeeze of her hand because she knew that this ceremonial part was important for Tommy.
If she was honest to herself, it also was like officially getting one step further into his life and of course it felt a bit majestic.
"Barbara Annabel Lynley, as representative of the Mayor of London and with consent of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, by marriage to Thomas William George Lynley, Earl of Asherton, I hereby acclaim you Countess of Asherton. With your legal bond to the Earl Of Asherton you are also permitted to wear and use this signet ring."
She ceremoniously placed another silver plate in front of Barbara and lifted the cloth. There was a little velvety cushion with a small golden ring displaying the Asherton crest. Barbara had not known beforehand that she was given such a ring because Tommy had had it made in secret, but she was sure it would perfectly fit the small finger on her right hand.
"With your legal bond your name will be added to Lord Asherton's in the roll of peerage. From now on until the day you die you will be known as the Countess of Asherton. Your Ladyship."
With the last two words the registrar indicated a curtsey. She smiled before she sat down again. Her colleague had bowed towards the new Lady Asherton. With a nod towards the audience they were allowed to sit down too. Barbara was blushing deeply, although, and Tommy knew it, she still thought of it as royal nonsense. In fact she was not too sure about it anymore.
"Lord Asherton, Lady Asherton... Barbara and Thomas Lynley, we hope that you will think back on today often and be reminded of the strength of the commitment you have made to each other. Let everyone now recognise this marriage. May you treasure this trust and responsibility, may neither failure nor misfortune ever part you. You are two people with one life ahead of you. May it be filled with love and happiness.
On behalf of the City of Westminster, it is with the greatest of pleasure that I now declare you husband and wife. Congratulations. And now you may kiss."
She had emphasised the now and even had said it with a cheeky wink of her eyes.
After the exchange of their rings Barbara and Tommy had not stopped holding hands. Now they turned towards each other and both grinned broadly, happily, all over their faces. His unruly lock of hair had fallen forward and it made him look like the young man she had once recognised to be the man she loved, which was quite a few years ago. And for Tommy Barbara looked exactly like the gorgeous woman she always was, only now she finally was his wife, his countess, and the mother to his child.
They leant forward to each other.
"I love you." Barbara breathed.
Tommy was only able to give an approving hum before their lips met in their first kiss as husband and wife.
For a few seconds their gentle kiss lasted and the registrar already signed the wedding papers. She presented them to the couple on the other side of the desk, so Tommy put on his reading glasses. This was not the moment to miss the line for his signature.
"So, please sign here, here and here. Barbara, also here, please. One with your maiden name and one with your new family name. Thank you. And the witnesses here and here. Oh, and Lady Asherton..." A laid paper document was presented to Barbara. Above the beautifully written text the Asherton crest was displayed next to the Royal one. "Please also sign here."
Barbara did so. It was the fifth time she officially signed with 'Lynley'. Of course she had practised at home a lot. Her new signature looked a lot neater than her former scrawling although it was not exactly on purpose. Barbara grinned broadly. It was kind of weird to sign like that but it also felt terrific.
Tommy also put his signature on this special paper.
"Lord Asherton, do you wish to seal it?"
He nodded. "Of course. All pomp and circumstance, right, Barbara?"
"Mhm." She rolled her eyes at her husband and almost had stuck out her tongue to him. Tommy chuckled and quickly pressed his signet ring into the hot sealing wax registrar Lorne had dripped onto the peerage document.
What a royal glitz!
After all signatures were on the papers and both registrars had checked that everything was correct, and Tommy and Barbara were told when and where they would get their copy of the marriage certificate, registrar Burnet looked at the couple for the last words of the ceremony.
"Well, now it's signed and sealed. Lord and Lady Asherton, congratulations, Mrs Lynley, Mr Lynley."
They shook hands.
Everything was done now. Barbara turned to Tommy, he bent down, and they exchanged another lovely, happy kiss. They were a properly married couple now. The audience finally applauded and came to shake hands with the newly-weds.
The first few people had left the wedding room already, but registrar Burnet spoke up once more. She addressed only Tommy and Barbara.
"Oh, err, one more word, please. Just for the record: When the time has come, you can't register your child as Bumpy Lynley. I'm afraid Bumpy is not allowed as an official child's name here in the UK."
And so the wedding ceremony of Barbara and Tommy ended with laughter.
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A/N: We now have a married couple! Hip, hip, hooray!
Oh, and I'm sorry, but I don't remember if I've given them second names before, or how those have been. If you have too much time you can just look in all the other episodes. Don't bother to tell me, I wouldn't change it here or there :-P Also, since I've never married by UK law, there may be a few parts of the ceremony which are not or not completely correct. My fault, but: whatever! ;-)