The High Queen's Vow [The Mystic Women of The Realm Series Book IV] (60 page)

Sam raised an eyebrow, “Good eve, Master."

She turned to enter her tent, as U'Aine said, “Good eve, Highest. Thank you for this great gift."

Sam entered her tent fully shaken, but grateful in the moment. She had left Sle'nel’ and her sister, feeling loneliness in the act, and now having to face her moments alone and no longer with the support of Meera or Caitha. She lay down upon her bed, smiling, taking great pleasure in knowing that U'Aine was directly outside her tent.

"Into the lake, High Wizard Sorcerer? You know of My back?"

"I am sorry, High Queen, but the waters are magical. It is necessary."

She wasn't pleased, “And the water is of ice."

The preparation for the Lour'den’ Ceremony had been difficult for San'lr'in', as much pain had been involved. She was first required to bathe fully in the Lake of Mirrors, an ice-fed lake that sent shivers of sharp pain to her back. After enduring the nearly frozen lake's waters until the moon was fully in the sky, she then had to cross a bed of hot coals the moment she left the lake's waters. While in great pain from the one, she was provided no moments to remove her first pains prior to the cause of the next pains. She brought her meditations to her after she endured one painful moment after another, knowing fully that she would have to deal with the pains when the ceremony's preparations were complete.

"Place your powers aside now, High Queen, as this potion will interact with them overly, and this must not occur. This is the moment where being Elfin provides relief, but since your are not of such, this will be the most uncomfortable of all the purification actions."

"Place My powers aside? For how long, High Wizard Sorcerer? These are The Realm's powers and are vowed to be ever fully aware, as possible."

"You must trust me, High Queen, and while I know this as most problematic, it must be so as to prevent you from harm. It will only be for a short few moments, but the event is necessary."

San'lr'in’ closed her eyes, then did as bid. After the moments necessary to do as such, she re-opened her eyes, “They are contained but on alert, High Wizard Sorcerer. Will this be enough?"

"It will have to do, my Queen, but will increase your burden more fully. So it must be. Now you must drink this potion, but perhaps you should find yourself closer to the ground, Highness."

San'lr'in’ looked at the potion in the cup, smelling some of its ingredients, and thinking the entire look and smell of it repulsive. She brought it slowly to her mouth, then drank it down quickly, knowing what was about to occur.

At the moment the potion completed her throat, and as she swallowed quickly, she felt her stomach grab and twist itself into contortions. In an unknowing act, she knelt to her knees, releasing everything that was inside her stomach. For many moments she retched, wishing the moment over, hoping that the potion didn't do as such to Sle'nel'. When she was completed with the cleansing process, and fully exhausted, she hoped for some rest.

"Once again, I apologize, my Queen, but no rest is to be provided. Now we must prepare you for the ceremony itself. What you are to do, and what you are to say. Do you know the Elfin tongue, my Queen?"

"A little, but not the formal language."

For the remainder of the late after-eve, the prior High Wizard Sorcerer taught San'lr'in’ her role in the Lour'den’ Ceremony.

"The cleansing process is finally complete, Highness. Now we will prepare you with your garments and decorations for the Lour'den’ Ceremony. Are you not excited, Highness? My Daughter is performing one of the most sacred Elfin ceremonies. She has given you high honor, my Daughter's lover."

The High Queen sighed, feeling miserable, “I know I am to be excited in this, Is'en'nel'. I will try to bring together My excitement. But know this. If this pleases My Elf, then I am most pleased and excited, as you say."

It was the just-prior early morn. The High Queen was fully exhausted, hungry, and with deep pain, yet she refrained from turning angry, knowing that she had willingly accepted the ceremony for her lover. As four Elves began to prepare her for the ceremony, she drew her powers back into their state of full awareness, then remained in her second meditation, removing some of her pain, and resting. She wished she could call The Healer to her, but it had been forbidden.

At the correct moment, both The High Queen and Sle'nel’ were led to the small amphitheater. All the newly-returned Elves were present, as well as many Mystics, Deep Mystics, and forces of The High Queen, waiting for the event in the tiered seats.

While The High Queen was held waiting at one end of the arena, Sle'nel’ was held at the other. The candles were lit just prior to the sun's rise, then San'lr'in’ and Sle'nel’ were brought inside the arena, within viewing by all. It was the first moment that they could see each other since the prior eve, and San'lr'in’ stood stunned at her Elf's beauty. Standing at the opposite side of the arena was her lover, fully dressed in the Elfin Queen garments, shimmering even though only the light of a single candle lay upon them. Sle'nel's eyes shone at The High Queen, even from across the arena.

San'lr'in’ smiled what felt like her first smile in an era, locked eyes with Sle'nel', and sent a quiet message,
You have stolen My heart and breath, My Desire.

Sle'nel's gown was unlike those in the Valley. While a one-piece gown, the top was tightly fitted, exposing only her chest. The sleeves were loose, cut with a slit on the outer side, all the way to the wrist. The gown was flowing from the hips to the ground, with a short train following behind. Her hair was softly flowing with long thin golden ribbons that accentuated her eyes, and a small crown of shimmering silver was upon her head. San'lr'in’ knew it to be the crown of the Elfin Queen, but Sle'nel’ thought it a mere decoration, not knowing of its significance.

Sle'nel’ returned her own message,
I love you
.

The ceremony began with four Elves creating two lines, winding their way down through the seats, carrying candles and singing while bells played in the background. As they came down from the top of the arena, more Elves joined in the line, while more musicians began to enter their music from the background. The moment was unhurried, and yet while the ceremony began softly, with each addition of singers and musicians, its intensity and excitement grew.

The two lines of singers grew until they reached the first tier of seats, where they then entered the arena. One line of the Elfin singers picked up Sle'nel', as the other did with San'lr'in', placing each into the center of their line. Each in the line of Elfin singers carried a candle in her hands and wore a crown of lit candles on her head, casting a sacred eeriness on the early pre-dawn morn. While the candles provided enough light from which to make out all the singers, the light provided only enough light to make them seem as half-real and half-spirit.

The lines wove intricate designs as they crossed, then re-crossed in and out of each other. San'lr'in’ followed those in front of her, as was required, but kept her eyes mostly on Sle'nel', surprised in her stance, seeing her fitting perfectly amongst all the other Elves. Their eyes met as the lines crossed, each smiling softly at each other, each awed in the other's garments, beauty and bearing.

Finally, the ceremonial professional brought Sle'nel’ to an arch, slightly away from the center. The other line halted San'lr'in’ on the opposite side of the arch, inside a circle. Between them, off to one of the sides, yet near the middle of the arena, were the two presiding Elves. As the two lines left Sle'nel’ and San'lr'in’ in the assigned locations, they continued the procession until the lines were combined, forming a circle of Elves around the proceedings.

Sle'nel’ was staring at San'lr'in', amazed that one such as her would agree to a ceremony as this. She could see that her lover looked yet slightly pained from the Cleansing Ceremony, but also saw that San'lr'in’ looked upon her only with love, smiling her kindest and softest of smiles.

Sle'nel’ knew little of the full ceremony, having been given only some memories of it, so was surprised to see San'lr'in’ dressed in a gown from the Valley, but with an Elfin full-length cloak as its covering, shimmering in the Elfin fashion. As did Sle'nel', The High Queen carried a candle, but unlike Sle'nel', her crown was The High Queen's crown, for no other crown could be placed upon The High Queen's head, as was required by The Realm.

When the procession had completed the circle, the music halted. The last refrains echoed through the arena, but San'lr'in’ hadn't noticed. Her eyes were fully upon her lover, who was now just a short distance across the arena. Seeing her look directly back to her, San'lr'in’ was glad in the moment, knowing that she had made no mistake in agreeing to the ceremony.

"Elfin Queen, Sle'nel'. You must now ask The High Queen of The Realm, your chosen partner, if she agrees to the Lour'den’ Ceremony.” The first Elf spoke only in the formal Elfin language, then the other Elf translated her words into the language of the Mystics, so that all could hear and understand the ceremony.

The Elves typically favored detached stances as their custom, but made an exception in their sacred ceremonies. Sle'nel’ walked across the arena to San'lr'in', knelt fully before her, placed her candle to the side, and bowed her head to the ground. She then raised her head, “My most gracious and beautiful Queen. Would you grant me the great honor of performing the Lour'den’ Ceremony with me?"

"Great High Queen of The Realm, San'lr'in'. It is the moment for you to provide your answer to Elfin Queen, Sle'nel'.

San'lr'in’ suddenly caught herself from reaching to touch Sle'nel's hand, but then remembered Is'en'nel's words, “Under no circumstances are you to touch Sle'nel’ in any fashion until the correct moment."

She knelt in front of Sle'nel', looking into her golden, glowing eyes. Smiling, she said, “I humbly and willingly perform the Lour'den’ Ceremony with you, my Desire."

"It is the moment for you to join your flames together."

Sle'nel’ and San'lr'in’ picked up their candles, touching them flame-to-flame. The flames grew together, as did the flames’ smoke, mingling in the waves of their dance.

"Like the smoke, this ceremony brings Sle'nel’ and San'lr'in’ together across the moments of the all-eternity. Separate yet combined, the flames provide the image of how Sle'nel’ and San'lr'in's spirits now come together."

The ceremony continued in the same fashion, using other images to join them together in the symbolic fashion, until finally, the symbolic moved to that of the actual physical joining. As they were given their swords, they raised them against each other's. Prior to the ceremony, the swords’ powers had been coaxed to bring magic to the moment. At the correct moment, they brought their swords strongly together as if in battle, holding them tightly together at the moment of connection. All eyes were on the swords, watching as they began to melt into the other, taking each other's shape into their own, forming one newly forged sword. When it looked as if the swords were forever locked into each other, and as they moved their swords slowly apart, the swords took back their own shapes, returning to normal.

At the moment San'lr'in's sword touched Sle'nel's, she looked at her lover, feeling Sle'nel's energy flow through her sword and into her body. Sle'nel’ felt the same flow of energy, looking at San'lr'in’ in surprise at the feeling.

How could this occur?

I know not, but hope it is non-ending
.

The moment was intense in its feeling, providing a togetherness neither had prior felt. The sensation was of such amazement that they didn't wish to move their swords apart in fear that the feeling would end. They felt as if they were with each other in their intimacies, but far more fully. They sensed each other's depth of emotions, thoughts, and desires. They began to experience the other to the depths of their most hidden and private of fashions, until they became as one.

After a moment that seemed both overly short yet overly long to them, they separated their swords, as was required. They stood, drained from the moment, feeling a sudden intense loneliness. While Sle'nel’ was astonished at the experience, San'lr'in’ stood more surprised in the moment than in any other event in her lifespan, never having expected that such a connection with another could ever be possible. The sun's rise had well occurred now, and was well into its early mid-morn phase when the final moment in the ceremony was to begin.

Sle'nel’ smiled at San'lr'in',
My Love
.

San'lr'in’ smiled softly in return, her eyes shining gently upon her lover,
I knew not of this occurrence, My Desire. Never could I have imagined as such. Thank you most truly for this moment.

It was as if each other had shared their most intimate and sacred of moments, thoughts and feelings with the other, and both felt as if they were now as one. The ones attending the ceremony weren't without a visualization of the moment. When the swords had come together, Sle'nel’ and San'lr'in's spirits became visible to all those in attendance, moving into, through, and out of each other's bodies as if dancing. Caitha had no words yet to describe the moment, gasping in amazement while clutching tightly onto Meera's arm.

"What a most beautiful ceremony, M'Love."

Meera just smiled, thinking the same, pleased that Sle'nel’ had finally found her peace.

As they moved onto the final moment of the ceremony, San'lr'in’ suddenly found herself somewhat saddened, now knowing that Sle'nel’ would forever be able to sense any moment in which San'lr'in’ faced grave danger. She had hoped this never to occur, knowing that such a moment would be a most emotionally difficult one.

"Elfin Queen. High Queen of The Realm. You have arrived to the final moment of the Lour'den’ Ceremony; the moment that is most sacred and the one in which you will become united across the eons and eternities. As your spirits join, you will be most truly bound together in your love, sharing in the joy of your union, the sacrifices gladly given to the other, the peace in the knowing of the other, and in the privilege of this need. No union in all The Realm can understand or know of the fullness given in exchange for this sacrifice. Never again will you feel alone. Never will your spirits fly without the other. Stand before each other, and bring your hands closely together while you yet remain without touching."