He didn't look. He stayed still, back to her, waiting, eyes closed until he felt her there, the gentle touch of her hand on his, then letting go again. Finally he dared to open his eyes.
She was standing at his side, smiling nervously, red hair swept back and a circlet on her brow, beautiful flowing blue wedding gown that was clipped with gold sea-shell clips at the shoulder, fell in silken folds around her chest then tied at the waist with a gold belt and hanging loose around her perfect legs. Her torc was round her neck, a small bouquet of flowers in her hands and her flawless skin was gleaming in the sunlight. Madanach couldn't breathe. She was stunning, perfect, beautiful, a goddess in human form and she was marrying him?? What was he next to her? Just an old man who'd spent his life murdering his way to power and who in no way deserved to have a powerful, beautiful woman agreeing to marry him.
Not that he'd ever even consider sending her away. But he'd forgive her eventually if she did change her mind.
“You made it,” he murmured, hoping the relief wasn't too obvious. “I was beginning to think you'd changed your mind.”
“Never,” Liriel said, smiling. All the same, Madanach could sense the lurking anxiety behind it and it did nothing to allay his own fears. Was he doing the right thing? He didn't know and didn't care, all he knew was that he couldn't let her go. Not now. Not ever.
Erandur called them both together and the ceremony began. There was the usual homily to Mara and her blessings which Madanach barely heard, and then the vows. First the Imperial ones that would make it all legal.
“Do you, Madanach ap Caradach, agree to be bound in love to Liriel Dragonborn, now and forever?”
Yes, gods yes, he was already bound, as far as he was concerned this was just making it clear to the rest of the world that Liriel was his.
“I do, now and forever.”
Erandur smiled, seeming pleased with that. Then it was Liriel's turn.
“Do you, Liriel Dragonborn, agree to be bound in love to Madanach ap Caradach, now and forever?”
Silence. Moments ticked by and Madanach risked a glance, suddenly feeling nervous. Liriel was staring at the Lover Stone behind Erandur, breath coming in rapid, shallow bursts and her eyes... she looked terrified. No no Liriel no, not now, please, don't run away, I love you...
She closed her eyes, shook her shoulders and took a deep breath.
“I do, now and forever,” she gasped, cheeks flushing red and then she looked up, seemingly astonished as she met his eyes. She bit her lips, eyes shining and then a tear trickled down one cheek and he realised she was crying.
“Liriel, are you alright?” he whispered, alarmed. She nodded, smiling as she dabbed at her eyes.
“I'm fine,” she whispered back. “I'm just... overwhelmed.”
Madanach squeezed her hand, turning to face her properly. The vow to Mara was done, now the Forsworn vow made to each other. With Mireen, he'd spent most mornings looking at her and wondering what in the Void he'd been thinking. He hoped it'd be different with Liriel. He already felt different. He wanted to make promises to her, wanted to keep them. He hoped she felt the same as she took his hands and Erandur, having been briefed on this bit by Nepos, draped a specially enchanted ribbon around their hands. The ribbon tightened by itself, binding them together while they made their vows. Some said it would burn the hands off anyone who swore a wedding vow falsely but Madanach doubted this. He and Mireen had survived after all.
“I, Madanach ap Caradach, do take you, Liriel Dragonborn, as my wife and partner in the Dance, from now until the Void takes me. I swear to walk with you in the sunlight, shelter with you when the rains come, protect you from your enemies and show hospitality to your friends. When night falls, my bed will be your resting place and when the day breaks, I will be the one to greet it with you. In the name of the old gods, this I do swear.”
Then it was Liriel's turn and the vow was no different for women. Liriel faced him as she spoke, meeting his eyes without fear now, the Thu'um lacing her voice with power that made him shiver – but not because he was afraid.
Re: Nightshade and Juniper 28.4
She was standing at his side, smiling nervously, red hair swept back and a circlet on her brow, beautiful flowing blue wedding gown that was clipped with gold sea-shell clips at the shoulder, fell in silken folds around her chest then tied at the waist with a gold belt and hanging loose around her perfect legs. Her torc was round her neck, a small bouquet of flowers in her hands and her flawless skin was gleaming in the sunlight. Madanach couldn't breathe. She was stunning, perfect, beautiful, a goddess in human form and she was marrying him?? What was he next to her? Just an old man who'd spent his life murdering his way to power and who in no way deserved to have a powerful, beautiful woman agreeing to marry him.
Not that he'd ever even consider sending her away. But he'd forgive her eventually if she did change her mind.
“You made it,” he murmured, hoping the relief wasn't too obvious. “I was beginning to think you'd changed your mind.”
“Never,” Liriel said, smiling. All the same, Madanach could sense the lurking anxiety behind it and it did nothing to allay his own fears. Was he doing the right thing? He didn't know and didn't care, all he knew was that he couldn't let her go. Not now. Not ever.
Erandur called them both together and the ceremony began. There was the usual homily to Mara and her blessings which Madanach barely heard, and then the vows. First the Imperial ones that would make it all legal.
“Do you, Madanach ap Caradach, agree to be bound in love to Liriel Dragonborn, now and forever?”
Yes, gods yes, he was already bound, as far as he was concerned this was just making it clear to the rest of the world that Liriel was his.
“I do, now and forever.”
Erandur smiled, seeming pleased with that. Then it was Liriel's turn.
“Do you, Liriel Dragonborn, agree to be bound in love to Madanach ap Caradach, now and forever?”
Silence. Moments ticked by and Madanach risked a glance, suddenly feeling nervous. Liriel was staring at the Lover Stone behind Erandur, breath coming in rapid, shallow bursts and her eyes... she looked terrified. No no Liriel no, not now, please, don't run away, I love you...
She closed her eyes, shook her shoulders and took a deep breath.
“I do, now and forever,” she gasped, cheeks flushing red and then she looked up, seemingly astonished as she met his eyes. She bit her lips, eyes shining and then a tear trickled down one cheek and he realised she was crying.
“Liriel, are you alright?” he whispered, alarmed. She nodded, smiling as she dabbed at her eyes.
“I'm fine,” she whispered back. “I'm just... overwhelmed.”
Madanach squeezed her hand, turning to face her properly. The vow to Mara was done, now the Forsworn vow made to each other. With Mireen, he'd spent most mornings looking at her and wondering what in the Void he'd been thinking. He hoped it'd be different with Liriel. He already felt different. He wanted to make promises to her, wanted to keep them. He hoped she felt the same as she took his hands and Erandur, having been briefed on this bit by Nepos, draped a specially enchanted ribbon around their hands. The ribbon tightened by itself, binding them together while they made their vows. Some said it would burn the hands off anyone who swore a wedding vow falsely but Madanach doubted this. He and Mireen had survived after all.
“I, Madanach ap Caradach, do take you, Liriel Dragonborn, as my wife and partner in the Dance, from now until the Void takes me. I swear to walk with you in the sunlight, shelter with you when the rains come, protect you from your enemies and show hospitality to your friends. When night falls, my bed will be your resting place and when the day breaks, I will be the one to greet it with you. In the name of the old gods, this I do swear.”
Then it was Liriel's turn and the vow was no different for women. Liriel faced him as she spoke, meeting his eyes without fear now, the Thu'um lacing her voice with power that made him shiver – but not because he was afraid.