Everything was clear, and a gentle wind blew through. The audience was sitting patiently, waiting for the two partners-to-be to arrive. And they swiftly did. Lesii, the mother of one partner-to-be, led Gath down on the left, while Rethais, the twin sibling of Relkir, led Relkir down on the right, to the table on the end. Waiting for them was General Vaksavar, the Master of Generals, the second most superior person present, who was about to go through the wedding ritual to bind these two Rethans.
As they reached the end, Lesii hugged Gath rightly, and Rethais placed a gentle hand on Relkir’s shoulder and bowed, and the two relatives backed off and joined the rest of the audience.
Gath adjusted their white armour, Relkir shivered nervously. Both of them glanced at each other, then at Vaksavar. To Vaksavar’s side was their adopted kid Litvir, who was holding two small but very different boxes, trying not to bounce around too excitedly.
“Welcome, gentlevok!” Vaksavar’s voice was loud and booming. “Today, we are all gathered today to witness the beginning of a permanent and vastly important partnership, between General Gath Tsoriou, the Keeper, and General Relkir Rethianos, the High Advisor.”
Relkir couldn’t help but smile a little, hearing their title be announced out loud.
“In order to make this binding permanent, to enshrine their love for one another in official partnerships, Gath and Relkir will make statements for one another, proving their love. Gath, as the older Rethan, please, make your promise of permanent partnership.”
Gath and Relkir turned to each other and held each other’s left hand.
“Relkir, my little tiny angel, you have turned my life around. You taught me how to love again. You make me complete. I could go on forever and ever about how amazing you are, because I do not need to. The universe already knows. But you are also little and need to be loved and protected. So I promise to give you all the love and protection I can, forever and ever. I love you, Relkir.”
“Beautiful. Relkir, please make your promise of permanent partnership.”
Relkir squeezed Gath’s hand tightly.
“Gath, my gentle giant, you have made my life worth living. You taught me that I could be loved, that I can accept who I am. You make me whole. Hah… like you said, I could go on for days about how perfect you are and how happy you make me, but I do not need to tell you, you already know, everyone already knows. You may be big though, but you also need to be loved and protected. I promise, Gath, I will love and protect you, with all my love and power, forever. I love you, Gath.”
Vaksavar eyed Relkir a little and smirked, ever so slightly.
“Beautiful. Gath, Relkir, you have made your promises together, your words have been written down, and we will now make your partnership official.”
Vaksavar eyed Relkir some more. “Relkir Rethianos, do you take Gath Tsoriou as your partner, now and forever, through the mud and the sand, through the wind and the starlit skies, until death parts you both?”
“I do, yes.”
“Gath Tsoriou, do you take Relkir Rethianos as your partner, now and forever, through the mud and the sand, through the wind and the starlit skies, until death parts you both?”
“Yes, of course.”
Vaksavar glanced at Litvir and nodded. Litvir placed the two boxes on the table in front of Vaksavar. The Master of Generals opened up both boxes at the same time, then handed a dagger to both Relkir and Gath. The dagger Gath was holding was red and gold, made by Relkir. Relkir’s dagger was pure gold with a yellow gem in the end, made by Gath. Vaksavar then pushed a sheet of paper towards the couple-to-be.
“Good. Wonderful. Please, use these promise-binding daggers to cut a line across each other’s smallest fingers to draw blood, then mark your blood on this certificate.”
This time, it was Gath who seemed slightly hesitant. Relkir silently mouthed that they would be gentle and it would be brief, and Gath did settle down and let Relkir press their dagger against Gath’s finger. Relkir then guided Gath’s hand down to the paper, dripping blood in the correct place. Gath then hesitantly did the same, clearly worrying about hurting Relkir, but quickly realising that Relkir was fine.
Once the paper was marked, the daggers were handed back to Litvir, who delicately cleaned each dagger and put them back in their boxes.
“Now, my dears, there is just one more step to seal your partnership. Gath, Relkir, please, enter the water, together, and bind yourselves together permanently in the rivers of light, life, time and death.”
…
Everything was clear, and a gentle wind blew through. The audience was sitting patiently, waiting for the two partners-to-be to arrive. And they swiftly did. Litvir, the sibling of one partner-to-be, led Kuta down on the left, while Retvik, not related but technically a universal twin, led Ret down on the right, to the table on the end. Waiting for them was Arkay, the old death god, the third member of the Missing, who was about to go through the wedding ritual to bind these two Rethans.
As they reached the end, Litvir hugged Kuta tightly, and Retvik placed a gentle hand on Ret’s shoulder and bowed, and the two old-universe Rethans backed off and joined the rest of the audience.
Kuta fiddled nervously with their pink wedding armour. Ret glanced around nervously, then turned to Kuta. They glanced at each other, then at Arkay, who had taken a slightly more Rethan shape for this event. By Arkay’s side was Elkay, who had been chosen as the blade bearer for the wedding, mostly because he was the only other Rethan available. On the other side were Nyssi, Tanos and Kayel, who were the three witnesses to the union.
“Welcome, ladies and gentlevok!” Arkay’s voice was loud and booming. “Today, we are all gathered today to witness the beginning of a permanent and vastly important partnership, between Kuta Tieridos, Spiritdrainer, and Retvik Rethianos, Lightbearer. In order to make this binding permanent, to enshrine their love for one another in official partnerships, Kuta and Retvik will make statements for one another, proving their love. Kuta, as the older Rethan, please, make your promise of permanent partnership.”
Kuta and Retvik turned to each other and held each other’s left hand.
“Retvik, my perfect specimen, my guardian angel, you have made me believe I am capable of true love, that I deserve to be loved. You have looked past my anger, my history and the blood on my hands and have accepted me as your true love. I cannot thank you more for how much you have changed my life. I promise, Retvik, I will be by your side, until I breathe no more. I love you, Retvik.
“Thank you, Kuta. Retvik, please, make your promise of permanent partnership.”
Ret took a deep breath. “Kuta, my cute little psionic vampire, my perfect white-plated beauty, you are the light in my darkness, my shade in the burning sun. You make me feel whole and true, you fill the holes in my mind, body and spirit. I will move the ground beneath our feet, I will burn a path towards you, I will move the void if I have to, so I can remain by your side, forever and ever, until you and I are no more. I love you, Kuta.”
“Wonderful. Kuta, Retvik, you have made your promises together, your words have been written down, and we will now make your partnership official.”
Arkay inspected both Ret and Kuta. “Kuta Tieridos, do you take Retvik Rethianos as your partner, now and forever, through the mud and the sand, through the darkened skies and the eternal void, until death parts you both?”
“I do, yes.”
“Retvik Rethianos, do you take Kuta Tieridos as your partner, now and forever, through the mud and the sand, through the darkened skies and the eternal void, until death parts you both?”
“Yes, forever.”
Arkay smiled, then turned to Nyssi, Tanos and Kayel.
“Tanos Tou Ahvran, Fluffyblade, Nyssi Tharru, Spirithuntress, Kayel Theanon, Shadowstalker, do you all accept the words spoken today, do you witness and accept this union?”
“Yes.”
“Yes!”
“Yes.”
“Good. Please mark your names here, then step back.”
The three half-Synaisthyns did as they were told. Elkay then silently stepped forward and placed two boxes in front of Arkay. Arkay opened up both boxes at the same time, then handed a dagger to both Kuta and Ret. The dagger Kuta was holding was black and gold, made by Ret. The dagger Ret had been given was white and gold, made by Kuta. Arkay nudged the sheet of paper towards the couple-to-be.
“Please, use these promise-binding daggers to cut a line across each other’s smallest fingers to draw blood, then mark your blood on this certificate.”
Kuta held their hand out first, feeling somewhat hesitant, but Ret’s gentle grip calmed them down. Ret then guided Kuta’s hand down to the paper, dripping blood in the correct place. Kuta then hesitantly did the same, clearly worrying about hurting Ret, but quickly realising that Ret was fine.
Once the paper was marked, the daggers were handed back to Elkay, who delicately cleaned each dagger and put them back in their boxes.
“Now, my little darlings, there is just one more step to seal your partnership. Kuta, Retvik please, enter the water, together, and bind yourselves together permanently in the rivers of light, life, time and death.”
…
Somehow, across unimaginable distances, literal universes apart, two happy couples held hands, then stepped into the cold, shimmering waters at the exact same time. The blood from their hands gently washed away in the water, mingling together and sealing their partnerships forever.
“You are now blessed partners, permanently bound in love, body and spirit. May the light shine on your love, now and forever.”