The saint commenced to recite a periphrastic passage which had been dedicated to eternal love and marriage from a holy book—written by Alfia herself—the Goddess of love, union and marriage.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here in the sight of supreme beings and in the face of their congregation to join the God of Thunder and this fairy in the bond of holy matrimony…"
A bubbling noise produced by the torrent of cascading water moving with a rippling flow along the spring's bed behind the oak tree and gently lapping waves that played with spring breeze, had a very pleasing cadence with the sentimental words coming out from the saint's low mellifluous voice.
The sun melted into a sunless yet bright weather, the last whit of warmth was drawn off by the soothing breeze. And, the inclement weather didn't strike at all. Ironically enough—all the auspicious signs considered for lifelong fidelity and happiness together with the grand decorations, adornment, feast and family—all were there. Everything she once dreamt for her wedding. It was just... people weren't the same anymore.
Fallen into the state of deep trance, Eliana's eyes didn't blink. Happiness didn't make her heart soar, nor did unhappiness make it drown, instead, she had been left on the grounds to deal with her dilemma. Anyway, she wasn't in for dredging up bad memories, hence, gave in to the demands of the words entering her ears fighting for her attention.
"Man and wife take pious oaths to not forsake their better-half before the test of time. In the good times, they will soar together in each other's arms, and in the bad times, they will hold each other tight."
Eliana repeated the words inwardly, only for the meaningful sentences to lose their essence. To her, it felt as though someone threaded the wistful desires tumbling out of their minds on these fancy sentences.
"I, now, require and entrust you both to manifest clearly all the goodness and purities that your hearts are owner of and avow should either of you be cognizant of any impediment that may jeopardize the holy bond of matrimony. Kindly, get it off your chest." The saint paused for a moment, running a brief glance on the couple.
A chill or rather a somewhat blunt arrow grazed at Eliana's heart, making her radically self-conscious. The words struck her ears and rippled on her heart. In a desperate attempt to sweep the havering that began mushrooming rapidly after the saint's last words rained on it, she forced her gaze on Hades's hands, tying her wandering mind to their appearance. Long bony fingers, fat veins popping out under the gleaming bronze skin, trailing all over the back of the hands. Very manly.
"Hades Costello Alarie, wilt thou have this female to be thy wedded wife to live together after the heaven's ordinance and the religious rites in the holiest estate of matrimony? Wilt thou love, comfort, honor and keep her in health and in sickness, forsaking all others, keep thee only unto her, as long as you both shall live?" The saint asked.
"I will." Hades answered firmly without a shred of hesitation. His gaze never faltered for once.
The saint averted his gaze from the beastman, before posting it on the bride. "Eliana Winxx, wilt thou have this male to be thy wedded husband to live together after the heaven's ordinance and the religious rites in the holiest estate of matrimony? Wilt thou love, comfort, honor and keep him in health and in sickness, forsaking all others, keep thee only unto him, as long as you both shall live?"
Eliana stared at the beastman standing merely a foot away from her. His long white ceremonial attire was accented with an inch-breadth gold embroidery that ran vertically down the length of the front placket under the line of the gold cufflinks and circled around the band collar and knee-lengh hem. An exquisite needlework ornamentation that matched the embroidered edge of her wedding veil.
The muscles in his arms bulged beneath the fabric of the sleeves that fitted slim through his robust arms and ended without pooling at the wrists. The cuffs, featuring the same work of embroidery, had been attached via gold cufflinks. The wedding attire drooped from his shoulders, and streamed behind in the air. A guy, everyone in the Divine Brilliance entertained in their sinful dreams, yet the very one, she never thirsted for.
Her lips quivered twice, thoughts alternating between going astray and attending the present. She was a strong adherent of marriage, now treating it flippantly in order to reap some benefits, rattled her up to say the least. Her conscience vehemently wrestled with the tiny goal she was about to meet. Then, reasonings hopped out of her like a fecund doe rabbit birthing hundred of tiny litters.
'Nothing comes before my country, my family and my people! All's fair in love and war.' She solidified her will, shaking all the scruples off. Hades's heated gaze encumbered her eyelashes, causing them to droop downward, sending her heart in the state of ruins. Opportunistic she was, and conscience did bite her hard. But, she needed the spousal benefits, this marriage would carry to her way.
"I will."
The saint read out another passage and Hades repeated after him line by line. "I, Hades Costello Alarie, take you, Eliana Winxx, to my lawfully wedded wife to have and to hold from this day forward for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in health and in sickness, to love and to cherish till death do us part. According to heaven's holy law, thereto, I give thee my troth." His eyes never took off Eliana; while his mouth delivered the vows, his eyes flashed a calm certainty that seemed to be trying hard to channel something indecipherable to her heart.
Eliana listened to the oath, and it brought a wild tempest on her. A part of her rivaled just as her long-lasting beliefs had been called into question by her other half. Her stomach was in knots. But, no one could rid that anxiety off her, not even she herself. As the very next part of the process, she was obliged to utter the exact words after the saint, under the dark gaze hovering over her. She couldn't let her ambivalence cast doubt on her!
"I, Eliana Winxx, take you, Hades Costello Alarie, to my lawfully wedded husband to have and to hold from this day forward for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in health and in sickness, to love and to cherish till death do us part. According to heaven's holy law, thereto, I give thee my troth."
Hades crammed his fingers inside the chest pocket of his attire, and produced a beauteous diamond ring. He placed it on the holy book, and Prince Oliver, the Crown Prince of Wingland, placed another ring beside it. The saint cantillated some profound verses of wedding bands exchange, seeking blessings from heaven.
A mere second that his hand had spared hers to extricate the ring from the confinement of the clothing, froze her right hand. Nervous fear numbed it, until Hades' warmth drove the cold away. "With this ring, I thee wed, and with it, I bestow upon thee all the treasures of my mind, heart, and hands, irrespective of circumstances. I promise with divine assistance to pledge thee my love now and forever." He repeated the phrases after the saint, and slided the ring onto her ring finger which clung onto her digit perfectly.