by Dane Bagley
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Another long and dreadfully painful ten days passed for Terrence. He had not been allowed to see Tira, though he petitioned the king unceasingly. The battling had hardly improved and the king was unmoved in his willingness to remove the armor.
“If they must battle the beasts and the dragon with it on, then they must learn to use it. They must strengthen themselves.” The king himself wore the armor and knew of how hot, heavy, slow, and inflexible it made him. Yet, he believed that he and everyone else could learn to master it.
Terrence was informed, only the night before, that the next day was to be his wedding. He would be given his wedding day and the two following, to be with his companion. Then it was back to the field of battle. That evening he was fitted in another suit, not of armor, but of fine material. He looked in the mirror and felt proud.
It reminded him of how Daxton had looked at his feast, the evening when they had left Agedon. Terrence thought about his cousin and wondered if he was married yet. What about Aiden, had he been married. He felt bad that he had deserted his friends, though not regretful. He wished that Daxton could stand by his side, in place of Marcus, to comfort him in this celebratory hour. He suspected that somewhere Tira was also being fitted in her dress and was missing her family and Mirinda. There was something melancholy in being wed amidst strangers only.
The next day, at the appointed hour, the sun stood directly overhead. Terrence entered the outdoor arena where the feast, festival, and wedding were to take place. He was pleased to see that he was not amidst strangers. It is true that the women were unfamiliar to him. But he was no stranger to the men. The king and the warriors smiled, and congratulated, and cheered him on. He had been fully accepted and was loved by the people. He loved them, too. It did not take away all of the emptiness he felt from his family not being there, but it took enough away. The women, though strange to him, could not take their eyes from off of him. He had seen this look before, though it was always directed towards Aiden in the past. Well, for the moment he was a bachelor, he might as well soak it in.
He was brought before the veiled portrait. The artist and king stood on either side. He had not seen Tira yet, and wondered where she would be when her gift was given.
Jack came up to Terrence carrying a large cloth. “Are ye ready to see her?” he whispered to him and laughed jovially. “I must blindfold ye now.”
“Blindfold?”
“Yes, it is she that shall remove it.”
Terrence bent down slightly and Jack blindfolded him. He stood in the dark for a few minutes. He knew when Tira had entered the premises. A noise went about him. The women chattered and the men intemperately unleashed their praises. Terrence reddened a bit. He did not mind the women gazing upon him. Yet, he did not appreciate his men gazing upon Tira as they did then, while he, blindfolded, could not behold her.
In a moment, he sensed her presence near him and then felt her hands about his face, feeling for the knot of the cloth. Terrence smiled and bent forward. She removed the blindfold and he gazed upon her. She was radiant. No earthly beauty had ever penetrated to him as she did then. She smiled with a tender blush and allowed him to look her over. Her dress was a magnificent white, she glowed as though light radiated from within her. Her eyes, those marvelous eyes, were more tender and beautiful than ever. He wanted to take her in his arms and embrace her and kiss her tenderly but did not know the protocol.
Tira took his hand and led him closer to the veiled portrait.
“I take you to receive my gift,” she said formally and squeezed his hand.
In the squeeze, Terrence felt the significance. She seemed to say, ‘I have done my part in sitting for this dreadful portrait, now you do yours and blur your eyes so that you see nothing of it. Let us get through this hateful necessity so that we can enjoy each other fully, forever after.’
Terrence squeezed her hand back and could see that she smiled.
Victor Crown smiled proudly, standing by the veiled portraits’ side as did King Daron Drake. Terrence nodded and smiled at the king and then bowed to the artist, who returned his bow. Terrence felt tension in Tira’s grip as the portrait began to be unveiled. Terrence blurred his eyes as the cloth began to be removed such that he would have no appreciation of the portrait itself.
When the cloth was removed, a gasp could be heard throughout the arena. Tira’s grip loosened and then she let go. She put her hands to her face and gasped. He could hear her breathing heavily and then she began to cry.
“It is so beautiful,” said Terrence deceitfully.
“Terrence,” said Tira, overcome. “Terrence, look at it! I mean really look at it.” Then turning to Victor, “Oh, it is so beautiful. How did you do it?” Then turning back to Terrence, “Look at how beautiful it is. We shall hang it where all can see.”
Terrence did not think that this was an act, but he felt uncomfortable breaking the promise that he had made to her.
“Oh, king Drake, thank you for this marvelous gift. My congratulations to the artist and to your exquisite skills.”
“Terrence, look at it! Focus on it! See what he has done with my portrait!”
Terrence obeyed, hoping that he was doing the right thing. Tears began to well up in his eyes. He whipped them away hurriedly. But he had never seen anything so beautiful, other than Tira herself, in his life. The artist had captured her in her wedding gown with all the radiance that she possessed in person. Her face was that of an angel, and somehow he had even captured the majesty of her eyes.
“Oh,” said he, “no verbal praise could bring this justice. You have, in truth, presented me with the gift of her beauty. I shall never forget how she looks this day.”
Terrence embraced Tira and moved in for the kiss.
“Wait!” said the king. “We must wed thee first.”
The crowd laughed and the king began the ceremony. Upon completion, the couple kissed and the crowd rejoiced. In Agedon it was as though they had witnessed the union of angels.
Chapter 20