“They are on my ship,” said Skylan. “And a sword. I lost mine in the fight with the kraken, but you might find one on my ship. Aylaen told me that your queen has her sword in her possession.”
“Chain mail! Swords!” King Tai was astonished and displeased. He asked sternly, “Why do your people bring death to a wedding?”
“The sword doesn’t have anything to do with death,” said Skylan. “The sword means that I vow to take my wife under my protection, to guard her with my life. I place my ring on the tip of my sword and offer the ring to my bride. Aylaen places her ring on her sword and offers it to me, meaning that she vows to fight life’s battles at my side.”
“You people view life as a battle?” King Tai regarded Skylan with wonder.
“Life is hard for the Vindrasi, Your Majesty,” said Skylan proudly. “To die in battle with my hand on my sword’s hilt is the highest honor a man can attain. I will go to Torval’s Hall and there spend the afterlife in revels with my fellow heroes, both friend and foe, and with my beloved wife when she comes to join me.”
“Remaining alive to care for one’s family is the highest honor we Aquins can attain,” said King Tai. “To die peacefully in old age, surrounded by those we love, frees the soul to return to the sea from which we all come…”
Skylan considered this was only to be expected of people who lived among fish. Fortunately, he did not speak his thought aloud. Another thought had struck him.
“A ring! I’m talking about rings on swords and I don’t have a ring to give Aylaen.”
King Tai smiled. “Do not worry about the rings. I came to ask if you would accept these rings as gifts from Her Majesty and myself, and I have brought you this.”
Inside the box was the Vektan Torque and two rings. The wedding rings were made of ivory delicately carved to symbolize the threads of his wyrd and Aylaen’s twisted together. The rings flanked the Torque, one on either side.
“How appropriate,” Skylan murmured, pleased.
He left the rings in the box. They would be used in the wedding ceremony. He lifted the golden Torque, adorned with the spiritbone of one of the Five. He thought of all the Chiefs of his people who had worn it before him. He thought of the sacred trust that he was taking on himself, and he remembered with shame the first time he had put the Torque around his neck, claiming it for his own, when he had sworn to Torval he would give the position of Chief to his father.
Torval had punished him by taking the Torque away from him. Perhaps now the god was telling him that all was forgiven. He placed the Torque reverently around his neck.
Before, when he had worn the Torque, he had not noticed the weight. Now he felt the heaviness, not of the gold, but of his responsibility.
“I will try to be worthy, Torval,” Skylan said softly.
King Tai was discussing the wedding plans with Acronis. “We have arranged the ceremony for noon, if that is agreeable. Our Queen herself will perform the ceremony in the name of Akaria, the sea goddess.”
“If we could also pray to Torval-” Skylan began, then stopped when he saw Acronis’s brows shoot up.
“We know of Torval,” said King Tai politely. “We do not pray to him.”
He bowed to Skylan and walked out.
“Imagine,” said Skylan, shuddering. “Dying in bed so weak you cannot stand up and then spending your afterlife among fish. What a strange people. I cannot believe we worship the same gods.”
“The Aquins are peace-loving,” said Acronis with a smile. “They do not believe in war. In their entire history, which spans many centuries, no Aquin has ever killed another in battle.”
“A strange people,” Skylan repeated.
* * *
Skylan and Aylaen were wed in the shrine of the Sea Goddess Akaria. If they had been in their homeland, they would have been wed before the altar of Vindrash, the dragon goddess. The Vindrasi had always revered the Sea Goddess, however, for they were a seafaring people.
The shrine was located on its own small island that was surrounded by a shallow pool of sea water. The shrine was made of stone carved to resemble the two halves of a conch shell standing open, with the altar of the Sea Goddess in the center. The interior of the conch shells were lined with mother of pearl and shone with a rainbow radiance in the light of the noontime sun.
Aylaen wore the apron dress of her people, a new dress made of green wool embroidered with dragons, clasped at the shoulders by two golden dragon pins. Aylaen had been amazed when Queen Magali gave her the dress, wondering how the Aquin people had come by it, for there had been no time to make it.
“A gift from the Sea Goddess,” said Queen Magali. “To go with your sword.”
Skylan wore soft leather breeches and a leather tunic, gifts of the Sea Goddess, and his chain mail and his own sword, which the warriors had found lying near the Venjekar, both marvels to the Aquins. He also received another gift from the Sea Goddess. King Tai handed him a box of driftwood. When Skylan opened it, he laughed. Inside was a fish knife.
Acronis stood with Aylaen in place of a male relative. Skylan had been hoping to have Farinn by his side, but the young man had not yet returned. Wulfe did not attend the ceremony, either. Skylan was just as pleased. There was never any telling what the fae child might do or say. And so Skylan took his place alone in front of the altar.
He was standing there, waiting for Acronis to escort Aylaen, when he felt a presence by his side. Thinking Farinn had returned, Skylan turned to chide the young man. The words froze on his lips.
Garn stood next to him.
“My friend!” said Skylan, choked, his eyes dimming with tears.
“The two people I love best in this world are being wed,” said Garn. “You did not think I would let a little thing like death stop me from standing with you.”
Skylan and Aylaen spoke their simple vows of love and faithfulness, pledging them in the name of Torval and Vindrash and Akaria, the sea goddess. Skylan placed the ring on the tip of his sword and presented the ring to Aylaen. She took the ring, brought it to her lips, then slid it onto her finger. She drew her sword, the blessed sword of Vindrash, placed her ring on the tip of her sword, and presented the ring to Skylan. He took it, kissed it, and slipped the ring onto his finger.
Clasping hands, the two kissed each other decorously and then turned to face the King and Queen, who had been watching all this with amazement. They stared at them uncertainly, wondering what came next.
“And so we are wed,” said Skylan, seeing their confusion.
Queen Magali smiled and looked relieved. She and King Tai wished the couple joy. Acronis whispered some words to Skylan and embraced Aylaen.
“I wish for you all the happiness I would have wished for my own dear Chloe,” he said softly. “A father’s blessing on you, my dear, since your own father cannot be here.”
“In my homeland,” said Skylan, “we would now celebrate with games and a great feast.”
“In this, our people are alike,” said Queen Magali, smiling.
Skylan and Aylaen left the shrine and boarded a small barge decorated with shells and flowers. No one was there to pole the barge and they were wondering how they were to reach their destination when they were surrounded by young Aquins, men and women, who took hold of the barge and began to pull it through the water. There was much jostling and splashing. The barge rocked precariously and, of course, in the end tipped over, throwing Skylan and Aylaen into the water to the delight of the crowd.
Skylan, in his chain mail and his sword, immediately sank, causing even greater mirth. The Aquins rescued him and hauled him, coughing and spluttering, to the surface. The young people swam with him and Aylaen to the palace, laughing and jesting. Such was their jollity that Skylan, though he feared his chain mail was ruined forever, could not help but join in the merriment.