Bitter Oath (New Atlantis) - By Nhys Glover Page 0,48
she glanced up at her man, the look they exchanged was magic. If only he and Liv could have even a fraction of that love…
His eyes were once more drawn to the doorway and, for a moment, his heart missed a beat. Coming toward him was a vision. Livianna wore the ubiquitous gown that all the women in this world wore. But hers was floor length and drawn in under the bust by a delicate, gold-linked belt. Her long honey blonde hair hung around her shoulders in glossy, abundant curls. And on the top of her head was perched a wreath of white roses, which Cara had brought with her this morning, over the transparent gauze of the floor length veil. In her hands she carried the bouquet of white roses and gold tinged fuchsias. Her upturned nose, with its light dusting of freckles, was sun kissed from her two days in the New Atlantean sun. Her brown eyes gleamed with unshed tears of joy.
Thank you Jane, he thought, as his love walked toward him on unsteady legs. I would never have had this moment if you had not encouraged me to follow my heart. If every day, from this time on, is a living hell, at least he would have had this moment. His heart was so full it threatened to overflow with joy, and he felt the tears sting his eyes.
After timeless minutes had passed, Liv finally reached his side. Karl cleared his throat, and began to speak the words that had been spoken untold times before, over the millennia. ‘Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the joining of these two people in the bonds of holy matrimony…’
While he stared down into Liv’s upturned face, he was reminded of that first day he had met her – it now felt like a thousand years ago. He had known it then; had known that she was part of him, and would always be part of him. Not even death would ever keep them apart.
Julio was nudging him, and with a little start he realised everyone was waiting for him to say his vows.
‘ I, Rene York, take you, Livianna Patience Mulgrave, to be my lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part.’
He took a gold ring, which he had ordered the night before, from his pocket, and slid it onto Liv’s long, white finger. His dark hands seemed too large and clumsy to touch such fragile beauty.
He finished his vows. ‘With this ring, I thee wed, with my body I thee worship, and with my heart I thee love for all the days of my life.’
The catch in his throat as he said the final ad-libbed addition did not go unnoticed. Liv looked up at him like a cornered fawn. She knew how long that life could be.
Then she began to recite her vows, produced a ring, and placed it on his finger. She included the same additional line that he had. And he was almost unmanned by the knowledge that all the days of her life would be so short.
Then she was standing on tip-toe, and he was bending down to kiss her tenderly on the lips.
‘I now pronounce you man and wife,’ Karl said with a flourish and a smile.
The guests began to clap and cheer, as Rene, blinking back the tears, pulled his wife against his side, and wrapped his arm firmly around her trembling shoulders.
Then they were walking down the pathway formed by the guests toward the living room. The guests followed on behind like a flowing tide of white.
The next hour passed in a kind of blur. He drank a dozen toasts, ate more food than he was comfortable with, at that time of the morning, and never let Liv out of his sight. Eventually, after the last kiss on the cheek was given, the last well wishes said, they shut the front door on the final guest.
Now the house was theirs. They surveyed the half cleared mess and grimaced.
‘Maggie and Cara wanted to finish the clean up before they went,’ Liv said, picking up an empty glass.
‘I know, but that would have meant another half an hour or more before I could get you alone. The mess can wait. Come to bed, wife. I need you.’
With the entertainment system still playing