107, The ceremony
After greeting their friends and family, they all stood waiting for the visitors. It didn’t take long for the first to arrive. Cetu greeted them and escorted the visitors to greet Ayya and Tenac. Most of them Ayya and Tenac knew, or at least recognised. Some were ambassadors they had never met. Neherim came and the way he looked at her made Tenac put an arm around Ayya and stare down the prince. Ayya also saw the prince had a tail of six riders that magically seemed to always be placed between him and Ayya as he moved away from her.
“Really, six riders?” she whispered to Tenac and her father that stood on the other side of Tariana.
“We went easy. He is an ambassador,” Tenac said. Her father grunted and Tariana giggled. Ayya smiled and kissed Tenac’s cheek. When the last guest had arrived, Ayya felt relieved as they walked back into the camp that was now filled with people. There had been lighter food and drink offered as the guests waited. The other clan chiefs had walked up to Cetu and looked to be congratulating him. Tenac handed Ayya a small bread stuffed with chicken.
“Eat. The ceremony is next,” he told her. Jason came running up to them. He looked cute in his new clan clothes. “Have you eaten?” Tenac asked him.
“Yes, dad,” he answered.
“Are you having fun?” Ayya asked.
“I am. There are a lot of people here.”
“Yes, there are. Do you know what will happen next?” Tenac agreed.
“Yupp.” Ayya smiled at him and she saw king Richard nearby. She pushed Jason and Tenac in his direction.
“Your majesties,” she said and smiled at him and his wife.
“Your grace,” the king answered, smiling back. His wife looked beautiful in a pale blue dress and matching jewellery.
“You remember our son, Jason? Jason, you remember the king of Domne, and this is his queen.” Ayya introduced them. Jason did the bow they had taught him and the king smiled.
“Jason, it is a pleasure to meet you again,” he said.
“The pleasure is mine, your majesty,” Jason said. He had practised etiquette for over a month and was very good at it when he wanted to.
“Have you settled down okay in your new home?” Richard asked.
“I have. I even got my own horse,” Jason said with pride.
“Really? That would make any boy happy,” the king said. Ayya enjoyed their conversation. It was important to her to show the king how well Jason had adapted. He had been one of the king’s subjects, after all. Tenac made sure both Ayya and Jason ate and drank, and Ayya reminded him to do the same as they mingled.
“It is time for the ceremony,” Cetu declared. Tenac offered Ayya his arm and Jason walked over to her parents. Ayya’s and Tenac’s family and close friends surrounded them and then the other guests gathered around as well. They moved through the camp and down into the valley where the horses grazed. Ayya drew in a breath as she looked around her at all the horses. Each and every horse had a braided mane and tail decorated with ribbons and flowers. Tenac looked at her with a smile.
“This is what we occupied ourselves with when you women decorated the camp,” he told her. The guests moved between the horses, following Cetu and Tariana that had taken the lead. Near the river two birch saplings had been placed as two pillars, decorated with ribbons. Tariana and Cetu stopped between them and turned around to face the other people. Ayya and Tenac walked forward and stopped before them. Around them, the guests gathered, and the horses moved around between them. Addon, Estrela and Niwil came to stand behind Tariana and Cetu.
“He looks adorable,” Ayya whispered to Tenac when she saw Addon’s braided and decorated mane and tail.
“Don’t let him hear you say that. He is testy enough as it is, having been forced to have all those things in his mane,” he whispered back. Cetu stepped forward and everyone fell silent.
“We are gathered here to witness the bonding of two people. Rider Tenac and aari Ayya, both of the Che’hul, have chosen to spend their life as one. We are the family and friends of them. Let us witness and bless their union,” Cetu said. Ayya looked up at Tenac and he looked at her. It felt right, Ayya thought, pledging to share the life with the one man she loved and who she knew loved her back. Tariana stepped forward.
“Ayyanapia Teeran, protector of the white rose of Treenia, member of the Che’hul, apprentice of the Lady and protector of Dermes, do you come here out of your free will?” Tariana asked Ayya.
“I do.”
“Do you have full knowledge of what the bond of marriage entrails?” she asked.
“I do.”
“Rider Tenac Cinera, member of the Lady’s personal guard, member of the Che’hul, do you come here out of your free will?” Tariana asked her son.
“I do.”
“Do you have full knowledge of what the bond of marriage entrails?” she asked.
“I do.”
“If you are willing, lock your right hands,” she told them. Ayya and Tenac turned towards each other and held up their right hands and locked them together. Jason stepped forward, holding a white ribbon, which he handed to Tariana. Tariana took it and wound it around their connected hands.
“We live on the plane, from the plane. It’s here we make our vows, it’s among the horses we hold them true,” Cetu said as Tariana enclosed Ayya’s and Tenac’s hands between both of hers.
“I vow to honour you, to love you and to be your shelter in the storm,” Ayya said.
“I vow to protect you, love you and be the rock you can lean on,” Tenac said.
“May our life be full of love, and never empty.”
“May our life be rich with happiness, and never barren.”
“I vow my life, my heart and my soul to you,” they both said together. As they recited the last part, Ayya felt the magic from Tariana’s hands working on her skin. She looked into Tenac’s eyes, and she saw her own feeling reflecting back. There was no doubt, no hesitation, only love.
“You are bonded in heart and soul,” Tariana said.
“As your hands have been bound together, so have your lives,” Cetu said. He walked up to them and slowly unwound the white ribbon. Ayya smiled as she saw the back of her hand. There was a round mark, lighter than the rest of her skin, like an old scar. It was a circle with a horse’s head inside of it. Inside the horse’s head was an infinity knot. She knew the symbol by heart. Tenac had left it with her every time he had left to travel without her. It was his clan mark. Tenac smiled as well. She knew her own mark adorned the back of his hand. They belonged to each other.
“Let what have been sworn together not be torn apart,” Cetu said.
“May the gods bless this union,” Tariana said. It was the end of the ceremony and the guests cheered and flowers were thrown into the air. Tenac drew her closer and placed a chaste kiss on her lips. It caused another round of cheers and they all began to move back to the camp. Food was brought out, meat was getting roasted over open fires, beer, wine and mead were brought out by the barrel and music started to play. Hinat and Firlea came up to Ayya and gave her a long hug.
“It was beautiful,” Hinat told her.
“It really was,” Firlea agreed.
“Thank you for coming. You are the closest thing to sisters I have,” she said.
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world, and we would have missed out on the chance to do this,” Firlea said, looking at Hinat.
“Told you so!” they both shouted, and all three of them laughed.
“I had that coming,” Ayya agreed. Jason came running.
“Mom, dad, they are roasting a whole pig,” he told them.
“It has been going since last night,” Tenac confirmed.
“That is so cool. Can I go play?” he asked.
“Sure, but stay out of trouble and make sure to eat,” Ayya said.
“Yes mom,” he shouted as he ran away.
“You have got the mom thing down,” Tenac told her.
“He is easy,” she said.
“Good practice for the next one,” Tenac agreed and gave her a wolfish smile. Ayya laughed.
“Time for the first dance,” Beruda announced and there was cheering again. Tenac turned a little paler.
“It’s just one dance, we have practiced,” Ayya whispered.
“Can’t we skip it?”
“No. I want my one dance with my husband,” Ayya told him. His eyes snapped to her.
“Your husband?”
“That is what you are, Tenac. You are my husband, and I demand you dance with me.”
“As my wife wishes,” he said. He escorted her to the middle of the camp where the ground was flat and the crowd had made room for dancing. The first part they danced alone, Tenac doing his best to not step on her feet. When the others joined in, he relaxed a little and when the musicians changed to a new melody, Ayya took pity on him and guided him to the side.
“How are your feet?” he asked, worried.
“Not too bad. Barefoot dancing seems to work better for you,” she told him and kissed him. They walked over to the food and put together a joint platter to eat from as they walked around and talked to their guests. At one point, Ayya saw prince Neherim moving their way, then she saw a wall of riders suddenly moving between them and Tenac moving in the other direction. She giggled and shook her head. Jason kept dropping by every now and then to touch base and tell them what he had been up to. He excitedly told them he had tasted the roasted pig, and it was the best thing he had ever eaten. It was overheard by Jontak who seemed to take it as a personal mission to introduce the boy to all his favourite food that was offered.
“Maybe we should stop them,” Ayya said. Tenac laughed.
“Are you worried Jason will get sick?” he asked.
“No, I don’t think the boy has a bottom. I’m more worried the two of them will eat through the clan’s entire food storage,” Ayya said. Making Tenac laugh even harder. The feast was everything Ayya had dreamed her wedding would be. Sure, there were a lot more people, but at this point, they only spent time with the people they loved. Anna came walking with Ken. They both had big smiles on their faces.
“This is amazing,” Anna told them.
“It really is. A wedding amongst the horses. Brilliant,” Ken added.
“I’m happy you are enjoying yourself,” Tenac said.
“We are. Your family has been so kind,” Anna told him. They talked for a while before Tenac and Ayya moved on. They talked to their parents, and Cetu and Beruda. Nontuf and Houama even came by, and the cousins seemed more relaxed around each other. It was progress, Ayya thought. It was getting late, the celebration didn’t look to be ending anytime soon. The night sky was clear, but the fires made everyone comfortable. Tenac took Ayya’s hand and pulled her in closer to him. He looked down at the mark on the back of her hand and then studied his own.
“You don’t regret using our marks instead of traditional rings?” she asked.
“No. I love this,” he told her and kissed the back of her hand. “Come, I think it’s time for us to sneak away. We have talked to everyone we care about,” he told her as he watched the surroundings and guided her in between the tents.
“Shouldn’t we tell anyone?” she asked.
“Not a chance. There is a risk they will have a long list of people we need to thank for attending,” he said. As they left the tents behind them, Ayya had to giggle as they ran towards their own tent. There was a reason for it being placed away from the others. As they hurried inside, she saw someone had put some food and water inside. She smiled as she felt Tenac’s arms close around her waist and pull her flush against him.
“I love you,” he told her and kissed her shoulder.
“I love you too,” she said and turned around to face him. They kissed and this time there were no restraints from either of them. Ayya felt Tenac’s hand skim her body and she let her hands explore him.
“I need you to tell me how to get this dress off,” Tenac said, sounding frustrated. Ayya smiled, took a step back, and loosened the strings along each side. The dress slid down her body, leaving her in only the see-through slip dress.
“Oh,” Tenac said and closed the distance between them.
