Chapter 37

Part 5

“I hate to risk breaching any royal protocols, but we must prepare for the ceremony.” Nemia politely interrupted.

“She’s right.” Alilia nodded. “Mark, you will meet the rest of these august personages after the ceremony, but for now, I will show them to their places, and check on the progress of the preparations and the feast.

“And by the way, Yazadril, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen you looking as you should.”

Mark gave the group a smile and a polite bow. “Thank you all for coming.” he told them as Alilia led them out the door and down a set of stairs.

“Actually,” Dilimon remarked as the door closed behind them, “Over three-quarters of an hour remains before the ceremony begins. I assume you will be using our people’s ceremony, which is not lengthy or complex, so you should have plenty of time to coach Mark in what will be required of him.”

“We will use our people’s ceremony, though we will be conducting it in Mark’s language.” Nemia told him, then laughed. “I simply couldn’t abide having to listen to a political debate right now!”

“Thank you, Mother.” Talia smiled. “I’m nervous enough without being surrounded by royalty!”

“Me too!” Mark laughed. “So, how exactly does the service go?”

“At the appointed moment, the chandelier there will chime, and out by the podium, the Orchestra of The High People will begin to play the music that Talia and Nemia have chosen.” Yazadril said, falling habitually into his teaching manner. “We will then proceed down the stairs to the room below at ground level, and while we are doing that, the bridesmaids and groomsmen will take their places on the third tier of the podium at the center of the chapel. As Theramin will be conducting the ceremony, he will be the first to emerge from the room downstairs, walk down the aisle, and take his place atop the topmost tier of the podium. Then you, with Dilimon as your best man, the two of you constituting the immediate party of the groom, will walk down the aisle and take your places to Theramin’s right on the second tier of the podium. Then Talia, with Nemia and I as her parents and Alilia as her maid of honor, and thus constituting the immediate party of the bride, will walk the aisle and take our places to Theramin’s left on the second tier.

“Theramin will then begin speaking the ceremony.”

“Right. And I will say… Please correct me if you think my translation could be better.” Theramin said as he stroked his chin. “Welcome, gracious people, to an event of great joy and importance. We gather here in this revered place to join two lives into one, and to join two hearts into one, with bonds and oaths of love and honor, proudly sworn in assembly to be witnessed by all.

“Who speaks for the bride?

“And Yazadril will step up to the top tier and say…”

“I will say that I speak for the bride, and introduce myself as her father.” Yazadril said. “And from there we must be brave, for much that follows may be difficult. All know of the deaths yesterday, and of the curse. When I speak, I will have to squelch the rumors, and explain enough to make them see the necessity and the rightness of this marriage.

“I still wish as few as possible to know that you passed the barriers. But, they will need to know the reason why you were here in the first place. I will tell them that as you approached the border, I detected that you were unaffected by most spells, and that you agreed to stay here so that I could study your unique properties. Skirting the truth to be sure, yet true enough to avoid compromising my honor, I think, because even before you passed the border I could tell that the Illusions and Force barriers of the Wards were not affecting you. I will explain your feelings about sexual intimacy outside marriage, so that they can understand why you would ask a girl you do not love to marry you, and that the curse has driven you to it.”

“I do love Talia.” Mark quietly interjected. “It’s come upon me quickly, but she is beautiful and adorable. Though I must admit, after losing my family and after six months of solitude, my heart is as ready to find new love as it’s possible to be. And while I first asked her to marry me so that what we must do for the curse would at least not be a dishonor, it’s more important now that the vows help to insure our happiness in the future, no matter how long that will be.

“How long is it, Yazadril? How long will it be, until the end of days?”

“Ah, that’s difficult to say.” Yazadril said as he considered it. His hand automatically rose to stroke a beard that was no longer there, giving him a momentary start, then he put his mind back to the problem. “Hmm. You know that a thousand thousands is called a million?”

“Yes.”

“And that a thousand times that, a thousand millions, is called a billion?”

“A thousand millions? No, I’ve never even considered such a big number, so I didn’t know that. But now I do. A billion.”

“Yes. This world has had simple life for at least six billion years, and complex life such as exists now for about two billion. It will be habitable for at least another four billion years, and perhaps for as long as seven billion. After that, the sun will start to grow. Life will adapt to it for a while, for it will be a slow process, but eventually all life will be exterminated. If the curse can somehow keep you living after that, you will have some eight to ten billion years in total before the sun grows enough to envelope and consume the world. And that will be the end of days.”

“Huh.” Mark grunted after a moment. “Knowing the answer does me no good, because it’s inconceivable. Four to ten billion years! I simply can’t grasp how long a time that is!”

“No one can, Mark. No one.” Yazadril told him gently. “But back to the subject at hand. I will speak for the bride, and then I will step back down to the second tier, and Theramin will ask; ‘Who speaks for the groom?’ At that point, since you have no close family here, you can have Dilimon speak for you, or if you so choose, you may speak for yourself.”

“Ah, no offense Dilimon, but I think I’ll speak for myself.”

“Likely a wise choice, Mark.” Dilimon grinned. “If you manage to make as good an impression on the rest of your guests as you made on the assembled rulers of the elven nations, you’ll be well thought of indeed!”

“Yes? You think I did okay with them?”

“You were wonderful!” Nemia assured him with a smile.

“You were.” Yazadril agreed. “So, after you speak for the groom, so to speak, ahem, then you will step back down to the second tier, and Theramin will say…”

“Then let the bride and groom step forth, that they may be joined in matrimony.” Theramin continued. “The two of you will then step up onto the top tier and join hands.”

“I don’t want to seem like I’m looming over you too much.” Mark mused. “Do you think it would be better if I went to one knee at that point?”

“I think it would be a seemly gesture. I’ll make sure there’s a small cushion to rest your knee upon, for the podium is hard stone.” Theramin smiled. “Then I’ll say; Do you, Talia, take this male; Mark, to be your husband? And she’ll say; I do. And I’ll say; Do you solemnly swear to love him before all others, and to strive to bear his children, and to care for him as best you are able, and to seek always to bring him happiness, for as long as you both shall live? And she’ll say; I do so swear.