Fourteen
Marin and I both groaned. I wanted more time to see to his wounds, but Hana dragged me off while Zanth grabbed Marin. Zanth’s knuckles were bloody.
Thera outdid herself with the dress. It was a creamy white—my request—satin fabric. The bodice was covered with a delicate lace and glimmering opalescent stone overlay relaying this incredible aura of delicacy I didn’t possess.
The dress had a sweetheart neckline with long tight sleeves and gathered at my waist, giving me an almost hourglass silhouette, which was a feat in itself given my current size. Hana put my hair up with small pins, a few loose curls cascaded down to my shoulders. Thera placed a few matching stones in my hair and a full train of lace was given to me as a veil. The veil was my addition to the ceremony. Against the dark backdrop, I glowed in the mirror.
My hand covered my belly. I wish my mother was here to see me now. I pictured her in my mind’s eye.
My mom rolled out the crust of the pie. Juicy blackberries steeped in sugar waited to find a new home. The oven was preheating, filling the kitchen with heat and a faint smell of charcoal from the left over cheese that dripped from the Digorno we had for dinner last night.
My mom’s hair was up in a ponytail. She’d been crying. Her eyes were swollen. The sight of her distress caused me to slam the door when I walked in.
Damn him. Why did he leave us? Why now? Mom lost the baby only a few months ago and he booked on her. All that talk of committing to a goal was just that, all talk.
“There you are darling. Dinner’s ready.” She inclined her chin to the crock pot. “And the pie is almost ready to go into the oven.”
With a deft move my mom transferred the dough into the pie pan, crimped the edges and added the filling. A few sprinkles on top and in it went.
My mouth watered already.
My mom turned to me with a smile. ”Why the frown, baby doll?”
“Pie takes too long,” I grumbled.
She smiled and bopped my nose with a flour-encrusted finger. “Patience is a virtue.”
“That I do not have,” I finished. An old game. ”Do you miss him?” I added.
Mom huffed and started to clean up the extra dough. “Oh baby, we were finished a long time ago. I wish things had happened differently, but we will survive.”
“Do you regret anything?”
“You should never regret love,” she said.
My mouth turned down until a particularly painful pinch from Hana. “Hey, that hurt.”
“Pay attention, you are drifting off and this is ceremony time. Remember, all you have to do is repeat the words. Just listen to Marin.”
I gave a thumbs up. “Okay.”
“Okay what?” Hana asked.
“Um, okay, boss?”
“What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to repeat everything Marin says.” I snapped off a salute and ducked when Hana went to smack me.
The door opened and Marin slipped inside. A huge dark purple bruised covered his nose and there was a cut over his left eye. The corner of his lip was red. He was in black trousers and a white tunic that matched my gown, because today was all about color coordination. He carried more flowers. Dark green and blue stems peaked through creamy blossoms.
My poor warrior.
He handed me the flowers. “You look beautiful.”
“And you look awful.”
He snorted. “That was mean.”
“You know I love you.” I slipped my arms around his waist.
“I do.”
“And I am going to beat up Finn next time I see him.”
Marin grinned. “Zanth beat you to it.”
Thus the bloody fists, figured. I took a blossom from my bouquet and tucked it into Marin’s lapel marking him as mine in another small way.
He reached out his hand and walked me to the steps. Hana and Thera and Zanth went down before us to get everything ready.
I held tight to Marin’s hand. My palms were sweating. How attractive. The baby gave one huge kick making me groan.
Marin tugged me to a stop and turned me to look at him. The veil obscured his features a little and he lifted it out of the way. “The most important part of today.”
I nodded and leaned up to brush my mouth against his. He leaned down to deepen the kiss as I bent backward to avoid him. “No messing with the berry, buddy.”
Marin laughed and contented himself with a brush of my lips. “I am so lucky.”
I nuzzled his chest. “I’m the lucky one.”
Our gazes met. Screw the goop. I stood on my toes just as Marin lifted his head.
He smiled, a little lopsided and swollen, and re-adjusted my veil. “No. We will be good. I want this moment to be perfect.”
“You sure?”
“Yes,” he said. “Do you know how much you mean to me?”
“Do you know how much you mean to me?” I returned. Marin’s hands bracketed my face, his eyes soft. And there was that look. The one that told me how much he loved me, that I was his world. I would do anything for that look.
“So we go down together?” I asked. No dad to walk me down the aisle, although my dad hadn’t been a part of my life for a long time before this. I’d considered asking Ute but his loyalties were conflicted given Finn’s feelings for me.
“Yes,” Marin said.
My fingers shook in his.
He squeezed my hand. “We start our journey in life together this day.” Marin lifted his head, listening. “Are you ready?”
“Yes.” Go time.
A light humming drifted up the stairs. I didn’t recognize the tune. As we ventured farther down the staircase arm in arm, the music deepened.
“What is that sound?” I asked.
“That is a traditional Fost melody called the crista sung by all present in harmony for the mated pair. It is a plea for the land to give blessings to those who would be joined.”
Nice. Heat stirred in my gut. A tingle shot down my arm into Marin’s hand. The melody calmed me, and any doubt that had winnowed its way into my heart drifted away.
Marin dipped his head to whisper in my ear. “Forever.”
We went onto the front porch. Candles covered the railing. Dusk had fallen bathing the area in shades of orange and yellows. The air shimmered in the cool night. A stray whisper of a breeze drifted across my face, tugging at my hair, making me shiver. The clan spread out in the grass along the clearing facing us. Hana, Ute, Zanth, Jace, Giggy. No Finn. That was probably for the best.
Marin took my hands. I smiled up through my veil, which he lifted and revealed my face. He caught the tear at the corner of my eye and licked it off his thumb. “No sadness today, my love.”
“Tears of joy.”
Marin’s gaze locked on mine. Though he didn’t raise his voice, it echoed throughout the clearing. There was no official. All the population stood as our witness.
“Today, I, Marin Gaol, take you, Elizabeth Camden, into my heart and into my home.
“I swear to guard you and keep you from harm. I swear to honor you and hold you in honor. I swear to love you and hold true to you for all the days we have been blessed with together.” There were murmurs in the peanut gallery at his addition of faithfulness. My eyes stung. This was right. He knew what that meant to me.
Marin ran his gaze over the people watching then returned to me. “May the land look down upon us and rejoice, knowing the truth of my words.” He paused and his hand traced down my face.
“When I saw you, I knew you were the one. You were standing there silhouetted against the night and you had such fire, such passion. When I saw you, I had trouble catching my breath. I recognized you as the other half of my heart. When I saw you, my world had a purpose. No other holds a light to you in my eyes.” Marin placed his forehead against mine as he breathed into my lips, “I love you now and always.” His smile caused the corner of his eyes to crease.
My own lips trembled. I never thought I could feel this happy. My head spun, my fingers and toes tingled. I felt lighter than air yet more connected than I’d ever been. The scents intoxicated me as did his eyes with those little flecks of green and yellow that danced in the night. It was so damn unfair how sexy I found him.
“Your turn now, Elizabeth,” he said.
“Um….” My mind blanked.
I forgot the words. Hana was going to kill me. But then they came to me. “Today, I, Elizabeth Camden, take you, Marin Gaol. I swear to guard you and keep you from harm. I swear to honor you and hold you in honor. I swear to love you and hold true to you for all the days we have been blessed with together…” My mouth quivered, fingers shaking in his.
“Marin, the first time I saw you, men were playing all around me, but you caught my eye. And I couldn’t look away. There was something about you that was right, in some way I couldn’t explain. Then we met and you promised to protect me. I lost a little bit of my heart right then and every day that followed. Without you, I doubt I would have survived.”
Marin drew in his breath.
I covered his mouth with my finger. “You saved me. And you gave me this amazing gift.” I rubbed my hand along my belly. “Nobody has ever cherished me as you do. Nobody has ever made me fell as safe or as loved. You are my world. I love you.”
A round of aws met my words.
Marin mouth curved and he lifted me up and around in a circle. I stared down at him and our lips touched. Sparkles filled the air around us, the land itself showering us with approval, our magic reacting to the moment.
Thankfully, that was the end of our part in the festivities. The rest of the night passed in a haze. So much caring. So much love. So many congratulations. But one stood out.
Stein held up the porch, his hands tight on the rail, while watching me dance with Marin, sporting his usual grim countenance.
I stumbled when I saw him. Marin tucked me tight into his side. “Stein.”
Stein gave a tight smile. “Marin. Beta. Congratulations.” He walked up and extended an object to me. Marin nudged me to accept.
I reached out and grabbed the box. It rattled when I took it from his hands. “Um, thanks.”
Stain inclined his head. “Could you please open it now?”
Marin and I exchanged a glance. My fingers trembled when I unwrapped the gift. Inside was a small delicate crystal rose. It had obviously been hand carved. Even in the fading light, sparkles gleamed deep within the depths of the pink stone. A single drop of dew appeared to balance on the edge of one petal. Mine and Marin’s marks mixed perfectly. My breath caught.
Stein’s jaw clenched. He didn’t look at me as he explained. “This is a new rock we have found. It is shiny. I think Lara would have liked it…” His words stumbled at that. “When I touched the rock, I could see the flower and I knew it was for you two. I wish you all the best in your union.”
Stein bowed but before he could leave, Marin reached out and clasped his hand. “Thank you, old friend.”
They nodded at each other. And to this day, I didn’t know what possessed me. Maybe it was the pregnancy hormones. But I knew this man needed me. I left Marin’s side and hugged Stein. I would’ve been more comfortable squeezing a rock.
I glanced up at Stein who held his arms out to his sides peering down at me. The baby gave a huge kick while we stood there. Stein glanced down at my belly in wonder, and that gave me an idea.
“Would you like to be the baby’s godfather?” I asked.
“What is that?” Stein questioned.
Marin put his hand on my shoulder. “Yes, what is that, Elizabeth?”
“If anything were to happen to me or Marin,” I said, “The godfather is someone who promises to help care for the baby. I can’t think of anyone better. I know how much you loved your daughter.”
Stein’s flinched. “No, no. I failed Lara. I did not protect her. How could you ask me that?”
I persisted. “You did the best you could against the E’mani. I should know. They like to break things. That didn’t make Lara bad. It could have as easily been anyone else. It is not your fault…or mine. And I have seen the man you are in the months I have been here. I trust that you would take care of my child if anything were to happen to me. You and Hana.”
Marin moved to the side of us. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
Stein’s clenched his hands on my shoulders. His mouth worked. A single tear dripped down his face. He crushed me in his arms. “I would be honored.” Oy.
Marin smiled at me over his shoulder. “Good. This is good. Stein, you need to let my mate go though so she can breathe.”
Stein rubbed his nose on his shirt and nodded. “Congratulations again.”
I watched him leave, my heart light.
Marin nuzzled my cheek. “That was a good thing you did.”
“I know. I don’t know what came over me.” Marin chuckled and towed me upstairs to bed. It was after midnight and most of the revelers had already left though a hardy few still occupied some of the rooms.
After cuddling a few minutes, we quickly fell asleep. I’d never felt so loved nor had my feet hurt so much. We woke up hours later at dawn.
He nuzzled me. “Wake up, Elizabeth. I want to see the suns rise on our first day together as a mated pair.”
“Really?” I groaned.
Marin slapped my ass. “Get up.”
“Oh fine.” But a smile tugged at the corner of my lips.
As we dressed I admired my shiny new band. Marin took my hand in his and we strolled down to the porch where we’d exchanged our vows. The first sun peaked up, a round red ball bathing the horizon in a golden hue. The second rose behind it adding blues and greens and shadows across the landscape.
From the bench on the porch, we could see the suns reflected on Mirror Lake. It was breathtaking.
I should have known it was too good to be true. I knew they wouldn’t forget about me. Happiness was futile with the E’mani lurking, as I was about to learn.