Kira and Helina were also in the corridor looking gorgeous, along with the dragons’ brides. We all looked excitedly at one another as we made our way down to the royal court. A number of maids were waiting for us outside the court entrance and they greeted us with smiles.
“The grooms await you inside,” one of them said. “You can take it in turns to walk down the aisle. It’s up to you who goes first and last.”
Hanging back with Jamil, I decided I wanted to go last. The doors opened, and the first bride walked through—Sylvia. Once she had reached Jeriad, the second bride walked through, and so it went on until I was the last girl standing.
My heart pounded. It was my turn to walk through with Jamil. My mother kissed my cheek and whispered good luck while Sofia gave me a gentle hug, careful not to mess up my outfit. She handed me the bouquet of roses and put down my veil.
Then, with Rose, my sisters and mothers behind us, Jamil and I emerged in the glittering court. All the orange and red decorations had been replaced with white, and flowers were scattered everywhere. A haunting organ played as I walked.
My eyes fell on Ben, standing at the end of the raised platform where the thrones had been, now where all the couples had gathered. Wearing a black tux, he looked so tall and handsome, I felt quite breathless. Reaching the platform, Jamil let me go. I stepped onto it and arrived before Ben, trying to steady my uneven breathing. I gazed through my veil into his deep green eyes.
A dragon priest who introduced himself as Einhen climbed to the platform with us once all the couples had gathered, as did Theon and Nell. They went through an odd ceremony of Theon and Nell “approving our coupling” before retaking their seats in the crowd. Einhen was handed an old, heavy book by a maid as well as a goblet of shimmering golden rings. He walked to each of us, handing them out. Then Einhen opened his book and he began to recite: “You will be one flesh, both human and dragon, werewolf and werewolf, vampire and vampire, fae and half-blood. You cannot wish the other ill, or act against them, for to do so is to act against your own body. When the husband fights, so shall the wife; when the wife labors, so shall the husband. There is no difference between these two anymore. They are one. They are complete. Now, recite your own vows and exchange rings, before we seal this decree with the fusion of lips, never again to part.”
The first couple on the other side of the platform, Jeriad and Sylvia, exchanged their heartfelt vows, and then the next. My palms were growing sweaty around my bouquet as it got closer and closer to our turn. Soon Helina and Matteo, who stood next to us, were gazing into each other’s eyes and swearing their love, and then it was our turn.
Ben, holding my gaze more steadily than ever, cleared his throat and began in a deep, slightly hoarse voice:
“River, no words can adequately describe what I’m feeling in this moment, but I’ll start by saying thank you. Thank you for choosing me. As your husband. As your life partner. As your friend. You committed yourself to me even when you didn’t have to. You followed me to places you never should have gone. You were there for me in my darkest hours, even when you didn’t realize it. Of everything that I may have done, you are my greatest accomplishment. My greatest pride. I vow to love you, protect you, and dream with you for the rest of my existence.”
I had to reach up to brush away a tear. My throat felt so tight. I took a deep breath, trying to prevent my voice from cracking as I began:
“Ben, you so quickly became such a crucial part of my life. Anything that you might have seen as a sacrifice on my part honestly was no sacrifice at all. I did it because I wanted to, because there was no other way I could think to act. You own a piece of me, now and forever. The barrier of physicality is no barrier to us. I promise to respect and adore the man you are, for all time… in whatever form that might be.”
Even as I said the words, they felt painfully insufficient. I wasn’t sure there was any way I could truly express to Ben what I was feeling inside right now.
We exchanged rings before Einhen exclaimed, “Now, seal your oaths with a kiss!”
Lifting my veil, Ben lowered to me and, taking my waist, he pressed his lips to mine in a soft, tender kiss. A kiss I wished would go on forever. As everything faded into the background, we were lost in a world that only Ben and I inhabited. A world that we would make brighter for each other each and every day.
River
As Ben and I drew apart, each of us smiling from ear to ear, I realized the other brides were already throwing their bouquets.
“You’d better throw it.” Ben chuckled.
My back to the crowd, I tossed the flowers over my shoulder. There was a wave of cheers and when I turned around I realized that Lethe had caught it. He looked positively thrilled as he examined the bouquet.
Well, good luck, Lethe…
The band began to play, and we followed the couples off the stage. The chairs were pushed aside to make room for tables, where another grand banquet was being laid out. I didn’t think my heart could swell any more with happiness as everyone we loved surrounded us with their congratulations. Aiden and Kailyn came up to us and hugged us both, before Aiden held up Kailyn’s hand to show us a silver ring on her finger. It looked as though if he smiled any wider, his mouth would split.
“Oh my God! You two are engaged!” Ben gasped.
“I decided to propose the same hour she returned to me,” Aiden replied, wrapping an arm around Kailyn.
“It was about time,” Ben said, patting his grandfather on the shoulder.
As we all took our seats, I could barely stomach anything, and neither could Ben. We were hungry for each other and nothing else. Our eyes barely parted throughout the meal.
All the other couples left the table as soon as the meal was over, after bidding everyone good night. Ben and I, however, had far more well-wishers to speak to before we could finally break free.
We left the hall and moved swiftly up the staircase, hand in hand. My heart was racing. I knew what was about to follow. As we reached our corridor, he scooped me up in his arms and carried me to his apartment, through to his gorgeous bedroom. He laid me down on the bed and gazed down at me, a sky of stars shining through the window in the ceiling above him. My dress suddenly felt too tight. My mouth was drying out. This would be my first time. As embarrassed as I was to admit it, I didn’t really know much about how it all worked. In a bout of insecurity, I found myself wondering whether this was Ben’s first time too. I knew he’d had girlfriends before he met me, but I didn’t know the depth of those relationships.
Apparently sensing my tension, he brushed his thumbs against my cheeks. “You’re so gorgeous when you blush,” he said, his voice husky.
I hadn’t realized my cheeks were already so flushed.
Pulling me to sit upright, he sat next to me and placed an arm around me. “There’s no hurry,” he said softly. “We have all night.”