The bright, late Summer sun hung in the sky above them, wisps of cloud trailing through the great blue expanse. A cool breeze rustled through the leaves of the apple trees nearby, and outside the orchard fields of bright flowers swayed gently. Butterflies fluttered around the flowers, and flocks of birds danced across the sky.
Yet Arenborn Kolten saw none of this. All he could focus on was the woman before him. Her beautiful blue eyes that reminded him of the sea and his home, fiery red hair that so perfectly matched her personality, and the smattering of freckles across her face that endeared her to him so much. Inayat, his soon to be wife.
“You listen, though I cannot speak.” Came the voice of their friend, Brynleigh, bringing him out of his reverie. “You love me and care for me in a way I never thought possible, and I can never thank you enough, not in a lifetime, not in eternity. I can only do what I can. I vow to love you with all my heart, forever till the end of time itself.” They had asked her to be his voice, to say the vows he could never speak aloud himself, and he couldn’t have been more thankful or asked for better.
“I vow to protect you from harm or dishonour, though you will say it’s not needed. I vow to treat you with love and respect, and you shall never go wanting. I vow never to ask of you something you cannot or will not do, for all I could ever want or need is your company. To be away from you is to long for your return, and to be with you is pure ecstasy.” He struggles to fight back any tears, the beam on his face enough to tell anyone how happy he was. There was a pause in the vow as Brynleigh sniffled a little before continuing.
“I love you, now and always, my fierce, beautiful Inayat.” He squeezed her hands gently as the vow came to an end and his eyes glistened with the brimming tears. He slowly slipped a ring onto her finger, beaming down to her.
“Arenborne,” Inayat began, “the first time I met you, I just wanted to see if I could make that dour man smile, and not just the polite smile you put on for people, a real, genuine smile." She lifted her hand to point at his face a moment, “Kinda like that one.” She said before taking his hands once more. He chuckles his silent laugh, a tear falling down his cheek as he recalls the occasion.
“I didn’t know then what you’d come to mean to me. I didn’t know then who you were, why you were how you were, what your goals, dreams, and passions were. And now that I know, I love them; I love you, every piece and part of you.
“One of those pieces I love most, is your eyes. Deep, expressive eyes that I can see into. But more than that, it’s in the way you see me through those eyes. The way you see me it’s not any less than who I am, nor more than myself. You don’t see me for who I’m not, for who you might want me to be or think I should be.
“You see me, just me. You take who I am at face value. And who I am, that’s been enough for you. At first, I just wanted to make you smile, but now you make me smile every day. I wanted to replace your pain, but we’ve gone through pain together. I left home anticipating going back, but found my true home, one that isn’t tied to any place or kin.
“You are everything I never knew I wanted. And so, I want to give it all to you, all of me. I vow to honour you as my husband, as your wife, to be the shield that stands with you, to listen, and to be your voice in the silence. I vow to be by your side through the bad times and good, through whatever and wherever life brings us.” With that, she slipped a ring onto his finger. He was crying tears of joy then, unable to stop them from the euphoria of the moment. The second she had let go of the ring now on his finger, his arms swept about her, lifting her up into a deep, passionate kiss. It lasted for eternity as he was consumed by the fire of her love, wrapped up in her arms as though nothing in the world could tear them apart. He was deaf to the clapping and cheers around them, only aware of one thing, his wife, and it was all he needed.
Slowly but surely, eternity came to an end and they broke apart, unable to tear their eyes from each other’s for another long few moments, until finally they look to their guests. They were all clapping and cheering still, offering their congratulations. The love was unmistakable, and if Aren could have, he would have smiled wider. Inayat suggested moving on to the Sizzling Turtle tavern, and looked up to Aren. “What d’ya say, husband?”
The word husband turned him giddy with joy. He placed his hand over his heart before gesturing to her in one small, subtle motion: I love you. He nodded his approval, and soon they were on their horses riding for Hookworth.
Their evening in the tavern was the perfect, the company only doing more to make them feel loved and happy on such an important day. The gifts from Aren’s uncle Blince and his partner Rosielea were perhaps the most lavish and expensive. First, a battle standard. He thought it was the same as his uncles; red with a black circle containing three white horseshoes, till he noticed the white rose of Gondor set in the centre. He smiled at the sentiment, before receiving the other three gifts. One, was a longsword, the elegant two-handed weapon engraved with both their names, the other two with arming swords one for each of them engraved with their name. The weapons were well crafted, and a finer gift than he had expected to receive. Setting the gifts down carefully, he pulled his uncle into a warm hug.
The next gift, came from Brynleigh and Conrob, a set of silver candlesticks with their initials engraved around the bottom gracefully, and supposedly it was ore mined by Conrob himself. This held a different kind of importance to Aren than the gifts from his uncle. It was items for their home together, a foundation on which they could build together. It sent a bright smile across his face.
The rest of their guests, Anglaraen, Kirseth and Kerandrim had no gifts, and instead spent the night in the tavern with them, enjoying the company. The group talked late into the night, but Aren was content to sit and listen, his eyes fixed on the most beautiful woman in the world.
Evetually, the night began to darken, and people began to grow tired and leave, till finally, the happy couple returned home. They barely slept that night yet Aren did not mind, for he woke with a euphoric smile on his face, and it felt like it would never fade.
