Looking up, Miko says, “Hmm?”
“Is that all?” Meliana asks.
“Oh,” he says and looks up quickly at the assembled guests within the shell that will become the temple. “Uh,” then he returns his eyes to the book and quickly peruses the passage on marriage. “Yes, I do believe so.”
Then James turns Meliana toward him and stares at her for a brief moment. Flowers in her hair and wearing a gown of white with small blue dolphins embroidered along the hem, she’s never looked lovelier. “I love you,” he says.
“I love you too,” she replies then their lips meet. The people in attendance erupt in cheers and clapping.
When he breaks off the kiss, James glances to where Jiron stands beside him. A big smile across his face, Jiron gives him a nod.
Aleya stands as Meliana’s maid of honor, though she’s no longer a maid. When both she and Jiron had finally made it back to The Ranch, they wasted no time in getting married. Now she’s several months along on their first child.
James takes Meliana’s arm in his and turns toward the crowd. He takes a moment to meet the gaze of those who came to share this moment with him. Lord Pytherian stands in his finest clothes, the rest of the Patriarchal Council arrayed on either side of him; Illan in his Black Hawk armor that’s been shined to mirror perfection with the surviving members of Miller’s band, including Fifer who’s having to use a crutch due to his lost leg,; Brother Willim and the two remaining members of the Hand of Asran; Delia and Tersa stand with a much improved though still solemn Tinok as well as Shorty, Stig and Reilin; the Recruits, most of whom have their families in attendance; Roland, Ezra, Arkie, and Aku whom they have taken into their family; and finally Ceryn who was the first person he met after coming to this world.
Then he steps forward and the crowd parts, creating an aisle to the front door. James and Meliana walk down the aisle as music begins to fill the air. He glances over to Perrilin where he and several other bards strike up a festive tune. Perrilin smiles and gives him a nod which he returns.
Meliana’s father is there beaming with pride. How many men’s daughters have such important people in attendance at their marriage? James pauses a moment when they reach his side. “Thank you sir,” he says. It took some doing in getting all this arranged in such short order. But when he asked Meliana to marry him, she went into high gear and got it all arranged.
“You do my daughter right now,” her father says.
“I shall,” he replies. With a grin to his bride, he says again, “Rest assured I shall.” Then they resume their trek to the main entrance where Scar and Potbelly stand guard.
“…and that’s why I said they’re like a horde of locusts,” concludes Potbelly. Noticing that the newlyweds are on their way, he nudges Scar in the side and they take their positions to either side of the entrance. Standing straight and tall, they draw their swords and hold them up with the tips touching to form an arch that the couple will pass through.
The courtyard grows quiet in expectation as the couple makes their way forward. When James and Meliana appear, the crowd cheers and applauds. The couple pauses there a moment as the cheering goes on and on. The people there know him well. His deeds have been sung in every tavern from Cardri, Madoc, and beyond. They know that no other person has been more responsible in gaining Madoc her freedom.
“Hurry up man,” Scar whispers to him.
“What’s the hurry?” James whispers back.
“I’m hungry!” he replies. “Been standing here a couple hours at least.”
James glances at him then breaks out into laughter. Meliana can’t help but do the same. Then they begin moving down the steps and make their way into the crowd with Jiron and Aleya right behind. The rest of the wedding guests follow led by Lord Pytherian and the Patriarchal Council.
“Look!” James says to Meliana with barely restrained laughter. She turns her head and sees a table filled with tarts. Next to it stands one of Miko’s new priests that he’s gathered to Morcyth. “He’s making sure the High Priest, who since he performed the marriage is traditionally bound to be the last to leave the temple, will have some when he gets out.” Unable to restrain himself any longer, he allows the laughter to roll forth.
The afternoon and evening is filled with merriment, eating and socializing. When the sun at last begins it’s descent to the horizon, James and Meliana quietly slip out from the party. Not too far away is a fine inn, one of the first to be rebuilt after the Empire left. There they will spend the night before leaving for The Ranch in the morning.
Heading there arm in arm with his bride, he says, “Never has a man been happier than I am right now.”
She squeezes his arm and says, “I’m glad.” She then lays her head on his shoulder as he puts his arm around her.
“I just wish my grandparents could have been here to see this,” he says a bit wistfully.
“I know,” replies Meliana. Shortly after they were engaged, he had filled her in on everything.
When they reach the inn and are ascending the stairs to their suite on the third floor, they hear the inn’s door open and footsteps running toward them. “Damn!” he says and begins hurrying his beloved along.
“What’s wrong?” she asks.
“Come on!” he yells and grabs her hand as he races up the stairs. When they reach the third floor landing, they hear the person on the stairs below, rounding the second floor landing on their way up to the third.
Running down the hallway, he fumbles in his pocket for the key. Beside him, Meliana begins to grow fearful. Arriving at the door, he mumbles “Come on!” to himself as he quickly tries to find the key. Just as he plucks it from his pocket, Jiron appears on the third floor landing.
“James!” he yells.
James thrusts the key into the lock and opens the door. Practically throwing Meliana inside, he closes the door just as Jiron hits it from the outside.
“Open that door!” Jiron yells.
Placing his back against the door, James keeps it closed. “No!” he yells. “Go away.”
“But it’s custom!” Jiron yells through the door.
“Not for me it isn’t,” replies James. Then he throws the bolt and for good measure, seals the door with magic. He turns to see Meliana’s face alight with amusement. “What?” he asks.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
“James! You’ve got to let me do this!” Jiron yells.
Ignoring Jiron’s attempts to gain entry, he comes to his bride. “What’s so funny?” he asks again.
“Miko told me about what happened at Rylin’s wedding,” she says. Then she giggles at his expense. “Go away Jiron,” she yells through the door, “I think that particular tradition ends here tonight.”
Jiron bangs one more time on the door before a very undignified giggle causes him to turn his attention to the stairwell. There he finds the High Priest of Morcyth with a tart in one hand, berry juice dotting his right cheek and giggling. Grinning himself, he moves down the hallway to Miko. Then together they head downstairs and leave the newlyweds to each other.
The End
Enjoy James’ next adventure in:
Light in the Barren Lands
Book One of
Travail of The Dark Mage
Now available!
Check out the epically adventurous worlds of fantasy author
Brian S. Pratt
The Broken Key Trilogy
Four comrades set out to recover the segments of a key which they believe will unlock the King's Horde, rumored to hold great wealth. Written in the style of an RPG game, with spells, scrolls, potions, Guilds, and dungeon exploration fraught with traps and other dangers.
Dungeon Crawler Adventures
For those who enjoy dungeon exploration
without all the buildup or wrapup.
Fans of his previous works, especially The Broken Key, will discover Underground to be full of excitement and surprises. First in a series of books written for the pure fun of a
dventuring, Underground takes the reader along as four strangers overcome obstacles such as ingenious traps, perilous encounters, and mysteries to boggle the mind.
Ring of the Or’tux
In many stories you hear how ‘The Chosen One’ appeared to save the day. Every wonder what would happen if the one doing the choosing bungled the job?
In Ring of the Or’tux, that’s exactly what happens. Hunter was on his way to a Three Stooges’ marathon when in mid-step, he went from the lobby of a movie theater to a charred tangle of stone and timber that once had been a place of worship. From there it only gets worse for the hapless Chosen One. First, an attempt to flee those he initially encounters (who by the way are the ones he was sent there to save), lands him into the merciless clutches of an invading army (those whom he was supposed to defeat).
The Adventurer’s Guild
Jaikus and Reneeke are ordinary lads whose dream in life is to become a member of The Adventurer's Guild. But to become a member, one must be able to lay claim to an Adventure, and not just any adventure. To qualify, an Adventure must entail the following:
1-Have some element of risk to life and limb
2-Successfully concluded. If the point of the Adventure was to recover a stolen silver candelabra, then you better have that candelabra in hand when all is said and done.
3-A reward must be given. For what good is an Adventure if you don't get paid for your troubles?
Jaikus and Reneeke soon realize that becoming members in the renowned Guild is harder than they thought. For Adventures posted as Unresolved at the Guild, are usually the ones with the most risk.
However, when they hear of a party of experienced Guild members that are about to set out and are in need of Springers, they quickly volunteer only to discover to their dismay that a Springer's job is to "Spring the trap."
If they survive, membership in the Guild is assured.
Top
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty One
Chapter Twenty Two
Chapter Twenty Three
Chapter Twenty Four
Chapter Twenty Five
Chapter Twenty Six
Chapter Twenty Seven
Chapter Twenty Eight
Chapter Twenty Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty One
Chapter Thirty Two
Chapter Thirty Three
Chapter Thirty Four
Chapter Thirty Five
Chapter Thirty Six
Chapter Thirty Seven
Chapter Thirty Eight
Chapter Thirty Nine
Chapter Forty
The Mists of Sorrow: The Morcyth Saga Book Seven Page 57