Soulbound

by Archer Kay Leah

  Bowl in hand, Armamae flicked water in a circle around their feet. "Blessed be the hope that guides your path."

  A string of prayers followed, one to each Goddess. Afterwards, Kee and Armamae took turns singing tales of Emeraliss's most celebrated consort, Valaster the Unburdened.

  Mayr's heart burned from the sentiments behind the stories, all of them chosen by Tash for their ceremony. Valaster had sworn to commit himself to Emeraliss only when the vastness of love filled it, unimpeded by impurity. He traveled the world on foot four times over and sailed the waters in a tiny boat with a single sail. On land, Valaster collected a handful of dirt for his every woe and whispered the grains into gold. In the span of a thousand dawns, he scattered his regrets on the wind and dropped a golden trail of generosity to ease the burdens of others. On the seas, Valaster drank a cup of water for every guilty thought and cried tears of pearls, releasing his despair to the tides and offering a gleaming grave to those who drowned. At the end of his journey, Valaster sank into Emeraliss's silken lap with the lightest soul a man ever had, devoid of darkness. Together they birthed a dozen children, each with a spirit lighter than the last. Their final child was born as pure soul, wispy energy that drifted far into the universe on its first breath.

  The last song ended on a sweet phrase of harmony, though the warmth of its significance lingered. He needed no explanation for why Tash had chosen those particular tales. Deep within their pretty words was everything Tash wanted to say.

  Mayr glanced at Tash, mesmerized by his noticeable adoration of Kee and Armamae. Later, when they were alone, he would entreat Tash to serenade him with the same songs. Where Kee's voice was harsh and Armamae's voice wavered, Tash's singing voice was gentle and smooth, comforting like a lullaby.

  Kee raised her arms towards Pellon and Ress. "We shall present the offerings. Mayr, you may begin."

  Pellon stepped forward, the hilt of the sword tilted towards Mayr's right hand. In Mayr's firm grip, the sword slid easily from the scabbard. He presented the sword to Tash, the blade flat on his palms. "With Emeraliss's blessing, I offer you this sword, a symbol of protection, security, and balance. May it serve as the line we never cross, the united front we present to the world, and the strength in our duty to one another."

  Tash's fingertips wandered over the sharp edges and paused on the engraved words. "It's beautiful," he whispered. "Thank you."

  Mayr sheathed the sword and waited as Pellon placed the sword across the front of the altar. Once Pellon resumed his place, Ress moved to Tash's side and opened the black box he held. A gold talon ring lay inside, a twin to Tash's silver talon. Every ridge was finely detailed, the smooth curves flawless.

  "With Emeraliss's blessing, I offer you this ring," Tash said, holding the talon towards Mayr, "a symbol of faith, determination, and loyalty. You are to me what Emeraliss is to Halataldris: trustworthy companion and steadfast spirit. May it represent the clutches in which our union is held safe, the power of our happiest joys, and the softness beneath our hardest layers."

  "I'll go with that." Mayr stroked the ring lovingly. "I will always treasure it. Thank you." He nodded additional thanks to Ress, knowing well he had forged it.

  Tash beamed as Ress set the box on the altar. When everyone was back in line, Kee and Armamae blessed the rings with incense and water. They recited another prayer, alternating verses until Armamae turned around, the dish in hand.

  Kee picked up both rings. "These carry your words, a symbol of beginnings with no end and ends with new beginnings." She opened her hands to present the rings in her palms. "Falter on your path and they will lead you back to the beginning. If you think you see the end, look ahead to what you left behind. Alone, they are voids; slip them on and they become whole. Just as you complete them, fill your marriage with what they represent."

  Mayr retrieved Tash's ring and slid it onto Tash's middle finger, then waited as Tash returned his. Beside them, Kee and Armamae disentangled long lengths of white and silver ribbons.

  "Hand in hand, present your arms," Kee instructed.

  The ceremony was nearly finished. Mayr shivered and took Tash's hand, grinning at his slight tremble. While Kee tied and knotted the end of one set of ribbons around Mayr's right elbow, Armamae did the same around Tash's left. In a graceful flow of motion, Kee and Armamae looped the plaited ribbons together and wove them around Mayr and Tash's arms. Their hands moved over and under in an elegant dance. An elaborate web of crisscrossed ribbons radiated from a tight spiraled pattern down Mayr and Tash's forearms, holding them together. The design ended at Mayr and Tash's wrists, the loose ends knotted.

  "Love is a promise of self," Kee said. "Strong and delicate, it is a gift beyond worth. It is like wings, uplifting as it moves us from one place to another. It is as the divine, rooted in our soul, entwining us together. So are you bound."

  The rest of the ceremony was a blur to Mayr. Kee removed the ribbons and placed them in their glass box. Mayr and Tash toasted their union with a goblet of mead. He recalled signing his name on multiple documents, followed by Tash kissing him to a roar of approval. Their guests whistled and sang, clapping and stamping their feet while they tossed petals everywhere.

  Somewhere in it all, he told Tash he loved him, dropping the words with such fire and honesty they branded Tash's name on every piece of his heart.

  *~*~*

  Propriety be damned if anyone says anything about this. If relaxing with my husband is inappropriate, they never should've let me get married.

  Mayr sank deeper into his heated kiss with Tash, a breathless gap in time that tasted of berry preserves and clotted cream drowned in smoke-laced syrup. Settled sideways on his chair at their table, Mayr's legs stretched across the abandoned chairs next to him, previously occupied by Aeley and Lira. He had intended to rest before they resumed thanking their guests, but lifting his legs had led to leaning into Tash, followed by Tash's playful assault on Mayr's neck, jaw, and lips. At the mercy of touch and moan, Mayr had twisted himself into Tash's embrace, crossed his ankles, and wrapped one arm around Tash's neck to keep steady.

  What snickers and chuckles he thought he heard were forgotten. The din of the wedding feast continued, the multitude of voices meshed with melodies from the musicians. For what precious moments they had, he was finally alone with Tash.

  Mayr nipped Tash's bottom lip and chuckled at the groan it earned. All things considered, he could not complain even if they were interrupted. The feast was perfect. After the ceremony, all of their family, friends, and guards returned to the estate for the festivities, accompanied by most of the priests. Given their families had planned the feast and kept most of the details secret, Mayr had worried over what to expect.

  His concern vanished the moment he and Tash entered the ballroom.

  Their families had spared nothing. Soft, ethereal whites and blues filled the room, with touches of gleaming crystal that stole focus from the room's earthy greys and dull silver. The table for the wedding party and their escorts sat on a dais, facing the long tables arranged through the room, save for the empty space reserved for dancing. White tablecloths with bright blue runners covered every table to the floor. Chairs were dressed in white silk and delicate, iridescent blue sashes. On the back of each chair was a spray of white feathers and different tones of blue ribbons, fastened by a white jewel pin.

  Extravagance spilled over every surface. The dishes were of pristine glass, the goblets colourless crystal—all of them heirlooms of Aeley's family, used for every Dahe wedding, birth, and funeral. The walls were decorated with thin, billowing white and light blue fabric, long lengths of draped and cascading ribbons in the brightest blues Mayr had seen, and strands of white crystals with silver beads. Among them, tapestries depicted Emeraliss in various scenes, including one of Emeraliss and Halataldris in flight. Gifted to Tash and Mayr by Tash's family, the tapestry's shiny blue threads picked up the light from the fire, torches, and candles.

  Not one corner had been left u
nadorned. Had Mayr not known better, he would have taken it for a feast for a Councilman or one of the Grand Families.

  It's even worse than Ae and Lira's, and I planned half of that.

  Mayr parted from Tash and laughed softly, caressing Tash's whiskered cheek. The night could not have been better. The dinner had consisted of their favourite dishes in copious amounts, followed by a dance and casual celebration that allowed everyone to mingle and converse in comfort. The music was lively with various drums, flutes, fiddles, pipes, and a harp Tash had carefully fondled and plucked beautifully, the bright notes as endearing as his nervous smile while he played quietly. Where Aeley and Lira's wedding had relied on the usual stringed ensembles found at aristocratic festivities, Mayr and Tash's feast had all the playfulness of a barn party. If anything, the celebration proved how well their families knew them.

  Out of habit, Mayr eyed the guards stationed along the walls and near the doorways. Second shift was almost finished, with the third to switch on at any moment. To allow every guard the chance to enjoy the evening, he had scheduled four shifts with the instruction to avoid inebriation. Far as he could tell, everything was under control.

  His back protested his contortions, echoed by the ache in his legs. Grumbling his annoyance, Mayr swung his legs down and sat up straight. He gazed over the crowd, relieved to recognize most of the guests. The priests were the only exception, though Tash knew them all. Everyone else was considered safe. If they were not family, they were friends from the village and surrounding towns, including Orae's staff from the tavern, various merchants, the families of the guards, and friends of Mayr and Tash's parents. To Aeley's credit, she had not invited any of the High Council, sparing them all a headache, though Mayr was still split on the choice to not include the few bounty hunters he appreciated. Their distrust of Tash was the only reason they had not been invited.

  He did think it regrettable that the one mercenary he liked, Gren, had been unable to attend due to what his letter called 'family complications,' notably with his adopted son, Playe. From that alone, Mayr gathered Playe was acting out again, his adolescence in full effect. No doubt he was running his adoptive mother, Tracel, to absolute lunacy. Tough as Tracel was, Playe tested everyone's patience, a trait honed by years of living on the streets with youths not much older than he. We'll come around when things calm down, Gren had written. A wrapped box had accompanied Gren's letter, filled with fragrant creams, oils, and salves from Tracel.

  It was just as well: Mayr disapproved of Iliane being in Playe's presence. Before that happened, he wanted her to have at least four more years to her age and several sparring sessions. One day Iliane would lose the innocence of her childhood, and when that day came, he would make certain she could defend herself against trouble and lies.

  Able to sense where she was, Mayr found Iliane quickly. She danced in front of the musicians with his niece and nephews—her cousins, he insisted. As Efae and Alith stomped and flailed their arms, Iliane's arms were looped around Dayla's waist. Together they pranced and hopped and flicked their feet in a shoeless blur of white skirts and stockings. Betta and Barin also danced, hand in hand as they moved across the floor.

  Despite the crowd, it was Iliane that kept his attention, her round face lit up with a grin. Her dark, thick ringlets were tied back with curled white ribbons and a jeweled hair clasp. The white gold necklace he had given her hung around her neck, its red and white jewels shining as bright as her brown eyes. Whenever she spun, the top layers of her white dress floated upwards and fell gracefully. Every time she looked at him, there was a smile, a wave—something to tell him their relationship was all right. That he was far from a stranger.

  Once more, he said a silent thanks to Betta for keeping her word. Their past had been a mess, and though he still loved her, he liked this Betta more.

  Sipping his lukewarm gaffa nectar, Mayr searched for the others he was most concerned about. His parents sat at one of the closest tables with Tash's parents, all of them laughing and sharing what he supposed were family stories.

  A disaster we'll pay for later, he almost muttered, continuing onwards. Most of the children danced spastically or raced through the room, pushing through the crowd and playing games. Aeley and Lira were engrossed in conversation with Loftin, Orae and her three sons, and Estara's husband, Teneth. Gathered around the end of a table in the middle of the room, he suspected they traded the latest gossip.

  Further away, safe in a quiet area near Iliane, Arieve and Coye danced slowly. Arieve looked as radiant as she had at the ceremony. Her smile seemed to be permanent, just like the glow in her eyes.

  Likely due to Coye, Mayr realized, disappointed. In the last month, Arieve had spent more and more time with Coye. Some days he wished Coye would leave for good, but most days he was entirely too relieved Coye was back. There was no denying the joy Coye brought Arieve or the dreamy way Arieve spoke of her. Although he and Coye had yet to exchange words since their confrontation, he would show Arieve he could be civil. His chance would come soon: he and Tash still had to officially thank them for attending the wedding.

  We'll do that once I'm ready for more talk. Mayr rested his head on Tash's shoulder and nuzzled his throat. Neither of them wanted to dance, but Mayr was not much fonder of large gatherings. His interests lay in intimate conversation. With Tash, he could say a wealth of things without uttering a single word.

  "Soon," Tash murmured. He slipped his arms around Mayr's shoulders and huddled close. "A few more guests and we'll be done."

  "Good thing we aren't expected to stay all night or that could get problemsome."

  Tash's deep chuckle played through Mayr, chased by a shiver. "Let's try 'problematic'?"

  Mayr rolled his eyes. "No, problemsome. You can have 'some' problems, but who in the Four's blessed world has 'atic' problems?"

  "I think someone's had too much to drink, or maybe not enough."

  "Who made you Keeper of all wordage?" Mayr pressed his hand to Tash's stomach and glided his palm downwards to Tash's hardened cock. When Tash's head fell back and he rose into the touch, Mayr hummed. "Yes, I can see my language bothers you. Perhaps I should make up some other words to relieve the frustration? How many words do you think we can make from 'suck,' 'my cock,' 'and come—'"

  The words tumbled into a moan as Tash attacked Mayr's mouth again. Hungry and commanding, his tongue and teeth besieged whatever Mayr intended to say.

  By the time they parted, Mayr had no words, his conversational skills too scrambled to function. To quench the blaze under his skin, he finished the rest of his drink and poured another from the decanter next to him. He downed that round as if it were air. Contrary to what Tash thought, Mayr was far from drunk. His choice to drink gaffa nectar instead of mead, ale, or wine was strategic. The nectar's only effects on Mayr were a bittersweet aftertaste and delightful tingle.

  The downside to not being drunk was being sober enough to recognize an oncoming catastrophe when he saw it: off to the side of the room, Estara, Orlee, Allaysia, and Bremary stood together, talking and laughing like the best of friends.

  All four of them. In the same space. Without supervision.

  Mayr whimpered. "By all that's sacred, get them away from each other."

  "Who?" Tash asked.

  "Our sisters." Mayr motioned to the group. "They might've helped plan the wedding, but the end of days is imminent whenever they're together." He scanned the crowd for Pellon. "If I send Pell charging into their little party, maybe they'll scatter…"

  Tash's throaty laugh twisted Mayr's insides. "I definitely need to get you out of here. You're starting to see things." He tugged Mayr's hand. "Let's go finish with the guests then I'll make you forget about the end of the world. I hear I can be a very good distraction."

  "You have no idea," Mayr said, standing with Tash. "One look is all it takes."

  "You'll have to show me which look," Tash whispered against Mayr's ear.

  The answer on Mayr's tongue never ma
de it past his lips, interrupted by the vibration of footsteps. The dull thud of boots sounded from Mayr's right, accompanied by softer steps.

  Arieve strolled across the dais, her face flushed. Passing behind the chairs, she pulled Coye by one hand, the ribbons of her floral crown tangled around her shoulders. "Since you look ready to escape, it's a good time to chat." She stopped at Mayr's side and stole a hesitant glance at Coye. After Coye's subtle nod, Arieve stood on her tiptoes and brushed a kiss over Mayr's mouth, then Tash's.

  "And by chat, she means give you your wedding gift," Coye said, crossing her arms and uncrossing them. The deep golden hue of her short, curly hair was dark against the embroidered white collar of her long tunic. A wide belt of thick white cord hung loosely from her hips, twisted and woven to resemble a lattice. Her loose white pants, tied up the sides in a crisscrossed pattern of thin cord, disappeared into boots up to her knee. Her green gaze flickered away and down before returning to Arieve and Mayr.

  Amused by Coye's nervousness, Mayr focused on Arieve's empty hands. "I don't know," he said, clutching her fingers to his chest, "but I think we've already been gifted these and all the lovely things they do. Unless there's something special we're meant to do with them?"

  "You've done quite enough already," Arieve said. "What trouble we were aiming for we've got now."

  Mayr stilled, his lips hovering over Arieve's knuckles. Her tone… Its playfulness was gone. The way she straightened her back, the tension in her grasp, the odd note in her voice—she meant something more solemn than a wish for a happy marriage. The awkward pause stretched into an agonizing silence. None of them moved.

  Not until the corners of Arieve's mouth twitched with the smile she fought to hold back.

  "Arieve…" Confusion twisted Mayr's emotions. "What's going on?"

  Arieve crooked her finger at him and Tash. They both leaned in and pressed their foreheads to hers. "We wanted a family," she whispered, cupping their cheeks, "and come the end of summer, we'll have a little one to spoil shamelessly. This is the only gift here that'll keep giving, and it's the only one you can't give back."