Four Bonds

by Kelsey Soliz

  “No, I oversaw everything. These hooligans kept trying to just pack lingerie but I made sure you had anything you might need. The only thing we didn’t touch was toiletries because we weren’t sure what you’d want. If you want to pack that stuff up and bring it down we can leave it by the door so it’s good to go for tomorrow.”

  At least I had Declan around to demonstrate some proper behavior. Although I wouldn’t exactly call this morning’s performance proper. I laugh at my own joke as they all look at me weird but I just shake my head at them and head upstairs to pack my makeup and hairbrush and anything else that might come in handy for the next few weeks.

  By the time I come downstairs, my new fathers-in-law are in the living room with my guys, nearly as relaxed as they are, and I can instantly see the similarities between them all. They are all sitting in very similar manners, ankles crossed over a knee, head slightly off to one side, and an arm either thrown on the couch behind them or crossed over their chest.

  When they hear me enter Maalik pulls me onto his lap, refusing to let me sit in my own butt space even after I squirm a bit. The boys all continue chatting for a bit, filling their fathers in on what we had been thinking in terms of making our house work better for us. The Kings don’t even bat an eye when they guys mention getting the bigger bed installed or knocking down a wall to create a massive suite, and they tell their sons to not worry about details, that they just wanted them to focus on today and to enjoy their honeymoon.

  They all seem incredibly cavalier about the fact that we’re all about to undergo some intense soul bonding thing, so maybe it’s not as intimidating as I have made it out to be in my head? I guess I’ll find out soon enough.

  At some unspoken signal, my fathers-in-law stand up and everyone just starts following them outside, taking their cues. We pile into a limo and head out. When we pull up at the front of the palace, the Queen is there to greet us and it feels like it’s actually been awhile since I’ve been able to properly talk to her. We don’t really have the time to now, but it’s still nice to be given as big a hug as her sons receive, showing me that I truly was part of the family now .

  “Don’t you worry about this binding, it’s nothing to be concerned about. What you are all about to experience is magical and I am so proud to see you all here for it. Now, you just tell me if any of them step out of line and I’ll give you all my secrets for straightening them out, you hear? They might act all tough and manly but they’re total softies inside. And when you all get back from your honeymoon, I expect you over for tea again dear.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind” I tell her with a laugh as she walks in the opposite direction.

  Their fathers then led us down a part of the palace I hadn’t been to yet. There was a door that seemingly appeared out of nowhere at the end of the hall, blending in perfectly with the walls around it. There was a hidden catch that the King new exactly where to engage to open it for us.

  When we step through the doorway, it instantly feels like we have stepped into the past. The electric lights are gone, instead replaced by torches mounted to the wall. Elias and Andre lead us down a spiral staircase that is surprisingly well kept despite its apparent age. We descend several flights of stairs until we hit an alcove that has a small gathering space.

  “Once we walk through this door, we will be separated from you. The first part of the binding will require the five of you to work together, and the two of us will be in a chamber that runs parallel to where you’ll be. This part is sacred and will only be experienced by those that are being bound.

  There are cutouts in the wall so that you may hear us, and we will continue to guide you through the steps required of you. I am proud of the five of you for making it this far, and for helping Isla to feel comfortable here. Please remember that this binding is permanent; once made, it can only be dissolved by death.

  Do you, Declan, enter this binding of your own free will, armed with the knowledge that Isla is your fated mate, and do you understand that once bound you cannot be separated?” King Elias waited for Declan to answer “I do.”

  “Do you, Atticus, enter this binding of your own free will, armed with the knowledge that Isla is your fated mate, and do you understand that once bound you cannot be separated?”

  “I do.”

  Elias went down the line and asked the same question of all of us, and once he was content that we knew what we were undertaking, King Andre continued with our instructions.

  “Once we walk through this door, we will be taking the corridor on the left, and you all should guide each other down the corridor on your right. Once you get to the first room, please change into the robes provided. It is important that that is the only thing on your bodies when you enter into the chamber after that.”

  Ok, that wasn’t creepy at all. As if he knew I was starting to freak out a little bit, Atticus grabbed my hand and gave me a reassuring squeeze. Lander put his hands on my shoulder and then the door was opening and Declan was leading the way down the dimly lit corridor.

  It was obvious we were underground at this point, the walls and floor we walked on a smooth stone that was polished to a shine but held ancient histories that you could just feel emanating from it. How many people had walked these floors and changed their future?

  When the door behind us closed softly, it all but disappeared back into the wall and I was thankful for Atticus’ hand and Lander’s calming presence behind me. I knew Maalik was walking just behind us as well so I felt perfectly safe.

  We soon arrived at the room their fathers told us about and there were a few rudimentary stone benches running parallel to each other, as well as a basket to collect our clothing. There were five pure white ceremonial robes laying neatly over the benches, finer than a bath robe but still soft.

  I felt a little awkward undressing in front of all of them, but nobody made it weird. I think they were trying to make me feel more comfortable by showing it wasn’t a big deal so I followed their lead and slipped out of my clothes, dropping them into the basket provided and then Maalik was there helping me into a robe. Once it was secured around my waist and we were all ready, we started walking forward down the corridor again until we found a large cavernous room.

  There was enough torchlight to see by, but it was by no means bright. We stood in a line, me holding hands with Maalik and Declan now, as we waited for further instructions. King Elias began speaking again when he heard our approach, and I looked around to see there were cut outs like a transom windows along the top of one wall of the room.

  “You stand before each other in this place of origin, presenting yourselves in white to represent purity. You are a new family, here with honest intentions to love one another and live as one. When you are ready, please walk towards the table ahead and Isla will be responsible for covering you all in the mineral rich mud that has been purified for our use.

  This mud comes from the spring that runs through these caves. Once the men are all covered Isla, everywhere but their faces, they will then work together to do the same to you. Once that is completed, please continue your journey forward and await further instructions.”

  It seemed too quiet and somber to crack a joke, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about having my body covered with mud, but we approached the stone table holding the trough of mud anyway. It looked like the sort of substance you might find at a fancy spa and I was surprised to find that it was pleasantly warm and not gritty at all.

  I looked around at my men, trying to figure out who to start with. I guess it made sense to go in order by age, the same order I had married them in. Kept things simple any way. I looked at Declan and gave him a soft kiss, before he removed his robe and placed it in the basket next to the table. My other husbands stood in a line next to him, all the picture of ease with their eyes tracing my movements. I began to spread the soft clay-like mud on Declan’s shoulders and neck, covering first one arm and then the other. I moved onto his chest next and then walked behind him to c
over his back as well.

  There was a certain serenity and intimacy in the act of letting my fingers wander over every inch of him with only the intention of covering his skin. It got a little awkward when I got to his ass and nether regions, we really hadn’t been afforded the luxury of getting super comfortable with each other’s bodies yet. He still seemed to enjoy my attentions though, judging by the fact that I suddenly was provided extra square footage to cover in mud.

  Once I got his legs and feet covered, I moved onto Atticus. I repeated this process through all of my husbands, and when I got to the end they all looked at each other with little smirks on their face. It felt like a place that didn’t want to hear our voices, so we all communicated with gestures. Soon I had four sets of hands on me and found the mud was actually kind of relaxing once I was covered in it.

  I felt a little strange walking through the room naked and covered in mud and I was grateful that there was no one else present to hide from, but there was freedom afforded from just walking around naked without shame.

  We all paused when we got to the corridor, two of the guys linked hands with me and then we waited for King Andre to give us further instructions .

  “The mud you are all covered in is now drawing toxins out of your body and at the same time nourishing your skin. In the next chamber you will find a room with dry steam. There are mats spread on the floor for you all to lie on, Isla will be in the middle and the four of my sons will surround her and lay a palm behind them to connect with her.

  I want you all to meditate on what it is you’re asking to be completed here today and send out thoughts of affirmations towards your mates and brothers. We will let you know when it is time to go to the next stage.”

  Lay in a steam room with a body mask on? This ceremony would have been more aptly named as a day at the spa! We made our way into the room and I found my place in the middle and closed my eyes as I felt my mates settle in around me. Soon I felt palms connecting with my shins and shoulders, and with my eyes closed in this cave it was comforting to feel them next to me.

  I let my mind focus on the attributes my husbands all offered to me; protection, strength, humor, love, a sense of belonging. I let each of their faces linger in my mind as I searched for the chain within my body that linked me to them and sent out my thanks and gratitude for loving me, and relished in the fact that the chain felt stronger than ever.

  I could also sense my dragon at the surface but she was nice and calm, just seemed to be taking a look around. She wasn’t restless, wasn’t trying to steal the show, she merely wanted to be present with me in this moment. It felt as though she was trying to connect with the dragons within our mates. I think they must have been experiencing something similar because I felt their grip intensify as I tried to connect with each of them.

  I wasn’t sure how long we lay like that but it was relaxing and definitely cleared my mind. I thought about the enormity of what we were undertaking, how my soul would soon be shared with four others. I felt waves of warmth flow through me at that thought and the chains began to grow thicker yet. After sitting in silence for a bit it was a little jarring when King Elias gently broke the sound of breathing with his strong tenor voice.

  “Excellent. We can feel the magic working within you all already. You are not done yet but the process is starting. Next we ask that you rise up and continue down the corridor to the next room. There you will find a natural spring. Isla, please help your husbands cleanse their bodies and they will help you do the same. This is to symbolize the promise that you will always care for each other. You are demonstrating your ability to nurture. When you are all clean, you will find more robes at the end of the room.”

  Definitely a spa. When we stepped into the next room, I was taken aback by the ethereal aqua color of the water. I assumed it was due to the mineral makeup of the water but it was gorgeous. Especially in the cave that was almost completely devoid of color. A soft glow emanated from the water, beckoning us forward. When we stepped into the spring waters, it was the perfect temperature for soothing our skin even further. I moved to Declan first as my other husbands helped to gently scrub the mud off of me with some washcloths that were laying on the side of the pool.

  Once I finished cleaning Declan, I moved onto Atticus. He was halfway clean already since he had been standing in the water but it was incredibly sensual to be wiping his body clean in such an intimate space. My body was clean at this point but I kept working on the men until all four looked as good as new. We lingered for a moment in the warm water, and I took each man in turn and kissed them. I felt like I needed the physical touch after being so near them all afternoon already.

  When we were all toweled off and wrapped in fresh robes, we once again linked up as we waited for our next task. Elias and Andre met us at the junction to the next corridor, halting our forward progress. This was the first part of the underground cave system that had doors. There was another long corridor in front of us and it was flanked with thick wood doors on either side. I couldn’t see how many there were but there were at least six.

  “For the next part of the ceremony, you shall all eat together. The Iradeyan goat that our sons hunted last week was prepared and frozen so that it would be fresh still for tonight. The first room on your right is where your feast lays. This is symbolic of the promise that your husbands have made to always provide for you, Isla. They travelled as a group and assisted each other in the capture of a culturally significant goat species. May this dinner also represent your promise to set your family first and to share meals together on a regular basis as a way to reconnect after spending your days as your kingdom requires.

  Once you are ready to continue with your ceremony, I would ask that Declan assist you into the room across from the hall from where you will dine. Dragons, like birds, have the innate need to build nests for their mates. This is usually a place for them to hatch their young, but it also serves as a homebase for them. To prove to you that they can provide shelter for you Isla, each of our sons have been tasked with building you a nest of sorts. If you find their offering to be worthy, then please spend time in each room with each of your husbands, let your bond deepen.

  There are no other expectations for this portion, you may spend as much or as little time in each room as you all feel you need. Once all four of you have had your nests accepted by your mate, please accompany her to the end of the hallway for the final part of the ceremony. We will wait down there for you, please take your time. The rest of you may wait in the dining room for your turn with Isla. Atticus, your room will be the third on the right. Maalik, second on the left. Lander, yours will be the last one on the right.”

  Six

  Elias and Andre walked down the hall and disappeared, and the five us found our way into the room with our dinner in it. There was a long wooden table laden with fresh breads and a big roast front and center adorned with rosemary. Plenty of fresh vegetables surrounded it and there were some bottles of wine and a jug of water. A simple but hearty meal.

  We all sat down and took turns filling our plates, and I felt the need to thank them for their contribution to dinner.

  “I know things got pretty wild last week when you all flew to retrieve the goat, but I want to express my gratitude for your provisions. I appreciate the work you put in to making this meal happen and it is my desire that we have meals together, every night if possible. I know that we will all be pulled in different direction most days, but can we agree to set dinnertime aside as a sacred time for our family? Can we all agree to put in our best effort to meet up for dinner every night?”

  The guys all agreed and we ate dinner in a comfortable silence. I think we were all kind of lost in our own thoughts, absorbing the energy flowing between us. The food was delicious, I had never had goat before but it was surprisingly tasty. Declan finished before me but when I was done, he walked around to where I was sitting to help me up and walk me to the next room over.

  “I thought you guys di
dn’t know what happened at the ceremony? When did you even have time to do this? Did you actually build a nest?”

  Declan chuckled at me. “We only knew this one small part of it but vowed to keep it to ourselves. We were blindfolded and brought through a side door, probably in the room we just ate in. We designed our bed ahead of time and once our supplies were delivered we were all escorted to our room and only once the door was closed were we allowed to remove our blindfold. They take the secrecy of this ceremony very seriously. As to the question of when, we started designing when we heard that you would be travelling to Nogalia, and the construction took place that first week when we were all taking turns showing you around.”

  “So you knew that early that I would agree to be bound to you all?”

  “Well, not until we actually met you and realized that you were our true mate did we dare hope. Before that, it was merely a ‘just-in-case-so-we’re-prepared’ kind of situation. Now, keep in mind none of us are contractors and only have a minimal amount of carpentry skills. These aren’t meant to be permanent structures either.”

  Before opening the door, Declan turned to face me, my hands in his.

  “I present to you this nest, as proof of my desire to provide you with a home. I promise to make it a safe place for you to be, and to hopefully one day welcome children into it.”

  Declan led me inside and closed the door behind us. It was definitely more of a bed than a nest, but I could see the intention behind it. Wood was framed out in angles underneath the thick mattress-like padding, connected to other pieces of wood so that it almost looked the result of stacking a couple star of davids on top of each other. It was the shape of a nest but had a platform built on top of it with cozy blankets and a sheer canopy was hanging over it.

  “You built this?”

  “I did. Do you like it? Do you believe me that I can provide you with a safe and comfortable home?”