Summoner 19, page 30
part #19 of Summoner Series
“Everything okay?” I inquired.
“Everything’s great,” Braden insisted. “I just wanted to get a little encouragement before this all started.”
“You have nothing to worry about,” I stated simply, and I embraced the summoner briefly. When we pulled apart, I admired how well Braden had cleaned up. His hair was well-styled, his eyes were bright, and his black suit had been perfectly pressed. A single dark-red rose was pinned to his lapel, and the red against the darkness of the jacket gave it a sophisticated touch. “You look excellent.”
“Thanks,” Braden chuckled, and the moment of laughter seemed to boost his mood even further. He peered around the guests who’d taken their seats and began to nod to himself. “I suppose it’s about time to start, isn’t it?”
“Probably,” I agreed, and as if she’d heard our conversation, Nia suddenly appeared.
“Are you guys ready?” she asked, and we all looked at Braden. The summoner nodded once, and that was all the confirmation Nia needed. “Alright, then, let’s get to our places, shall we?”
Braden, Varleth and I followed the elementalist over to the designated area, and once Varleth took his seat, Nia announced she was going to prepare Mati and instructed that Braden and I were to take our positions at the head of the space.
I walked down the aisle first, and I forced myself to smile and stare straight ahead at my destination. I wasn’t exactly nervous, but I was worried that making eye contact would disrupt my present calmness.
Once I reached my place, Braden made his way down, and a faint blush covered his cheeks as the eyes of the crowd fell on him. He managed to hold his head up high, and with every step, the nervous boy I’d met on my first day of school melted away. The man in front of me was tall, confident, and assured, and his gray eyes held a confidence that came from years of practice and dedication. This man was about to marry his dream woman, and I was proud to call him my best friend.
Once he took his place, I offered him a smile and then peered out at Nia. The elementalist stood at the end of the yard, and when she met my gaze, she turned her head to an unknown figure and inclined it softly.
Suddenly, Braden’s bride appeared and started to make her way down the aisle.
Mati was absolutely luminous. The banisher had always been a real beauty, but tonight she looked downright ethereal. Her long raven-colored hair had been curled and pinned up into a sophisticated updo fastened by glittering pins and barrettes that sparkled like jewels. Her long-lashed green eyes were like emeralds against her alabaster skin and had been lined with just enough kohl to make them appear even bigger than they already were. Whoever had applied her makeup had done so with a precise hand, and they’d applied just enough to emphasize but not drown out her features.
The makeup and hair were flawless, but the thing that pulled it all together was the dress. Mati was clad in a long-sleeved pearl-white gown that was both flowing and simple, with a skirt that flared out enough to make it appear like she was floating as she walked, and a sophisticated neckline that swept off her fair shoulders. It was the kind of dress a woodland princess would wear, and Mati looked absolutely beautiful. A simple veil trailed behind her, and her pink lips were curved up into a smile as she studied Braden.
I glanced over at Braden as Mati walked down the aisle, and I was delighted to see the smile that graced my former roommate’s face. The way the summoner beheld the banisher was like a blind man who’d seen the sun for the first time, and it warmed my heart. Braden was a great man, and I was determined to make this the best day of his and Mati’s lives.
Nia followed after Mati, and my wife carefully took her seat near the back row. She gestured at me and subtly flashed the pair of wedding bands the bride and groom had given her to hold onto for safe keeping, and I knew I would call upon her to bring them up later in the ceremony.
When Mati reached the front of the aisle, all of the guests took their seats, and once everyone was in their chairs, the realization that it was time to begin the ceremony struck me.
I quietly cleared my throat and took a deep breath.
Braden gave me an encouraging smile, and that gesture was all I needed to get my confidence back.
“Friends, family, and loved ones, thank you for joining us here on this special occasion!” I began, and I looked out at the guests in the area. Except for a few people I assumed were Mati and Braden’s family members, I knew every single one of the guests, and that fact somehow comforted me. “We are all here today on this beautiful fall day to witness these two amazing people, Braden and Mati, be joined together in love and marriage, now and forever. The gift of marriage is miraculous, and this ceremony presents us with a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the love shared between these two souls.”
I glanced over at Nia, and the elementalist hurried up the aisle and presented me with the rings. I gave her an earnest smile, and then she went back to her place.
“The circle itself is an infinite ring,” I continued once Nia was seated. “It is magical and never ending, never changing, and yet always adaptable, a ring with no beginning and no end. Like the circle, true love itself is infinite. It goes on, knowing no boundaries or restrictions. It flourishes and blooms in the light and in the dark, laying down no ultimatums, making no demands at all. Love, in its infinite form, is something that cannot be forced. It cannot be taken away. It is a gift we give to ourselves, and an honor we give to others from the bottom of our hearts and souls. When two people come together and give one another this gift, this most sacred gift of all, it is certain the Maker is smiling down upon us. Today is a day to celebrate the love of Braden and Mati. They are two people who are two halves of a whole. Two souls coming together to form one single being; two hearts, beating in a single rhythm. Today we ask that the blessings from the Maker, our family, and our friends shine upon this union.”
I paused and looked between my friends. “Braden and Mati, will you please face one another?”
The happy couple turned to face each other, and though they hadn’t exchanged words yet, their eyes were both wet with tears of adoration.
“Braden, please take Mati’s ring and place it on her finger,” I instructed my former roommate, and I passed him a plain silver band. “Braden, do you take Mati to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or worse, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?”
“I do.” Braden nodded at his bride.
I nodded once and then turned to Mati and held out my hand again. “Mati, please take Braden’s ring and place it on his finger.”
The beautiful banisher nodded her head, took the other silver band into her hand, and then carefully eased it onto Braden’s ring finger.
“Mati, do you take Braden to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or worse, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?” I asked her.
“Of course, I do.” Mati grinned at Braden with a smile that could have melted steel.
“Braden and Mati, these rings symbolize much,” I continued on. “It is your life, your love, and the eternal connection you have found with one another. Do you both swear to uphold your oaths and pledges you have made here today to the best of your abilities, to each other, and to the Maker?
“I do,” the couple said in unison.
“Then I am happy to now pronounce you husband and wife,” I declared with a huge smile on my face. “Braden, you may kiss your bride.”
Braden and Mati came together and kissed each other like they were the only two people in the world, and this time, I couldn’t suppress my happiness. A couple of tears dripped down my cheeks as I grinned at the newly married pair, and my heart swelled with joy as they held each other.
The rest of the guests clapped and cheered them on, but Braden and Mati ended the kiss after a tasteful amount of time. The pair held each other’s hands and then faced their guests, and the applause grew louder as Mr. and Mrs. Flint made their way back down the makeshift aisle.
The rest of the guests followed suit, and once everyone began to mingle, my heart rate settled down. I’d done it. While officiating was the least dangerous of any task I’d ever handled, it was certainly the scariest, but I’d accomplished it all the same.
And now, it was time to unwind.
The ceremony flowed seamlessly into a small but tasteful reception, and I was glad to finally have an opportunity to loosen my tie and take a breather.
“You look like you could use a drink.” Nia approached me with a pair of champagne flutes in hand, and the string lights reflected off the diamond pins in her silver hair and cast a glittering glow that made my knees weak.
“Definitely,” I agreed as I happily accepted the glass from my wife, and Nia took a seat beside me and daintily sipped at her own drink.
“Gryff, the ceremony was beautiful,” the elementalist gushed after she lowered her glass from her lips. “Seriously, you did a wonderful job.
“It wasn’t all me,” I insisted. “Arwyn helped a bit with the words.”
“Either way, it was flawless,” my ashen-haired wife countered. “The presentation, the thoughtfulness… you did great.”
“Thank you,” I said in a grateful tone. “It definitely reassures me to hear that.”
I heard a rustle behind me, and suddenly, a grinning Layla appeared before us.
“C’mon, guys, it’s a party!” the petite summoner insisted with a twinkle in her hazel eyes. “Come be social and dance with us!”
“Well, who are we to turn down a request like that?” I asked, and I winked over at Nia.
“Seems reasonable enough to me,” Nia agreed, so we rose to our feet and followed Layla over to where the rest of our family had gathered.
We spent the rest of the evening drinking, laughing, and dancing the night away. Mati and Braden clung to each other like glue, and the more I watched them, the more I realized just how perfect they were for each other. Every time one of them moved an inch, I noticed the other positioned themselves subconsciously to match. It was almost as if they were completely in sync with each other, and I admired the level of perfection they’d attained together. My former roommate’s happiness meant everything to me, and seeing him so happy with his new bride made my heart swell over and over again.
Even the kids seemed to enjoy themselves, though it was apparent they had no clue exactly what was happening. Milo and Lahrra were enamored by the lights while Olivir and Nessa were fascinated by the rose petals. Nicolis and Daphne were just happy to be there, and Braden and Mati danced with them all regardless. Mati even saved me a quick dance, and we were certain to make it as exaggeratedly dramatic as possible.
“Thank you for everything, Gryff,” the banisher said as we jokingly whirled around. “Seriously, none of this would have happened if it weren’t for you and your family, and Braden and I are so grateful to have people like you guys in our lives.”
“We’re just as happy to have you,” I assured the new Mrs. Flint as I twirled her. “You and Braden are family to us. We’d do anything for you both.”
“And us for you,” Mati insisted. “Seriously, Gryff, if you all ever need anything whatsoever, feel free to ask. I know life can be extremely stressful, especially with everything you’ve had to deal with, so anything we can do to help make things easier… don’t hesitate, okay?”
“Thanks, Mati, I appreciate that,” I said, and then I dipped her down with a flourish.
Mati broke out into a fit of laughter when she came up, and I couldn’t help but join in.
“Might I interrupt?” Braden chuckled as he approached us, and I broke out into a huge grin.
“Is this invitation to dance intended for me or Mati?” I teased the ox-like summoner. “I know you two are married now, but I was here first, after all.”
“Ah, so this wedding was just a ruse to bring you and Gryff closer together,” Mati joked as she narrowed her green eyes playfully at Braden. “I see how it is. Everything makes sense now.”
“Gryff’s awfully dreamy, but unfortunately, he’s not my type.” Braden winked at his wife.
The banisher approached her husband and wrapped her arms around his neck, and the moment she did, Braden swept her off her feet and up into a twirl.
“It’s a damn shame it couldn’t work out between us,” I laughed.
“Well, since Braden’s taken, care to share a dance with me?”
I turned around to see Freya behind me, and the hawk princess’ smile was one of the loveliest smiles I’d ever seen.
“Of course,” I said, and after I gave Braden and Mati a nod, I crossed over to my shapeshifter wife and took her into my arms.
“I am not a great dancer, but I wanted to spend some time with my husband,” Freya said as she rested her cheek on my chest.
“I won’t ever be opposed to that,” I assured her as I rested my hand on the small of her back and helped guide her through the slow dance. “You look beautiful tonight, my love. You always look beautiful, of course, but that dress suits you.”
“I wish I would have had a dress like this when we were married,” Freya remarked. “Hawk Clan should have customs such as these, with nice parties and pretty dresses.”
“Our wedding was perfect, no matter the circumstances,” I assured her, and I kissed the top of her golden hair.
“You are right,” the hawk princess agreed as she fixed her eyes on me. Her long eyelashes were coated with mascara, and the darkness of it made her golden-flecked eyes smolder with intensity.
Entranced, I leaned down and kissed her. Her lips were soft and tender against mine, and my nose was filled with the lavender scent of her hair as she clung to me. It’d been a while since I’d last spent some alone time with my hawk wife, so we spent a fair amount of the reception together, dancing and kissing each other.
We rejoined our family later, and the rest of the reception went swimmingly. There was a big affair with the cutting of the cake, though Braden and Mati forewent the classic “shove cake into the other person’s face” bit. We all stuffed ourselves with the moist vanilla dessert and other excellent foods, and we drank up all of the delicious champagne Nia’s father had gifted us for the occasion. That is, except for Ashla, who stuck to water, and Arwyn, who wasn’t a big drinker in the first place. The pair insisted they were fine with the rest of us partaking, so partake we did.
After a couple of hours, guests began to leave, and the party came to a natural end. We walked Braden and Mati out to a carriage to depart for the evening, and the bride and groom offered me heartfelt hugs.
“Thank you, Gryff,” Braden said again, and his cheeks were flushed pink from all of the excitement. “Seriously. That was perfect.”
“Don’t even mention it,” I insisted. “Now, you two go have fun.”
“Oh, we will,” Mati giggled, and after one last hug, the pair climbed into the vehicle and departed the mansion. Once the happy couple vanished down the road, I went back out to the backyard to survey the damage.
The cleaning crew had already shown up, and I began to cross over to them to ask how I could help, but Nia shooed me away before I could offer my assistance.
“Ah, ah, ah,” she tutted. “No touching. That’s what they’re for. You just go ahead and head upstairs. They’ve got it all under control.”
“Fiiiiiiine,” I drawled, and I planted a kiss on Nia’s lips. “Will you join me later?”
“I might.” Nia winked at me.
“You better,” I warned her, and after one last kiss, I made my way up the spiral staircase.
When I got back to my room, I flopped down onto the bed without removing my suit. Tonight had been a roaring success. Everyone had a great time, and the ceremony was perfect. I felt like I was on a whole new level of happiness.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.
“Who’s there?” I called out. I figured it was Nia, but when the door creaked open, I was surprised to see Arwyn instead of the elementalist.
“Care for some company?” Arwyn asked, and the gorgeous professor leaned against the doorframe.
“Hey, Arwyn,” I greeted the gorgeous redhead. “Come on in.”
Arwyn took me up on my offer and stepped into the bedroom. The gorgeous redhead closed the door behind her and then gave me a beautiful smile. “Still tipsy?”
“Nah, not anymore.” I shook my head. “I’m pretty lucid.”
“That’s good to hear,” Arwyn remarked, and while there was a smile on her lips, it definitely seemed as if she had something on her mind.
“Is everything alright?” I wondered as I sat up in bed.
“I… have some news for you,” Arwyn began, and she bit her lower lip in a nervous way. Then the buxom beauty crossed over to me and took a seat at the edge of the bed.
“I’ve really started to hate that sentence starter,” I snorted as I leaned forward.
“I think you’ll come to like it when you find out what follows.” Arwyn smiled at me, and then she took my hands into hers. “Gryff… I’m pregnant.
Chapter Fifteen
“Maker, Arwyn, are you serious?” I gasped.
The professor’s amber eyes filled to the brim with crystalline tears as she nodded, and I leapt up from the bed and swept the gorgeous healer up into my arms.
Arwyn pressed herself tightly against me, and I spun her around the room as the news settled into my brain.
“This is fantastic,” I breathed, and I leaned down to kiss my red-haired lover. This kiss was unlike any we’d ever had before. Since the first day I’d met the healer on the train to Varle, I’d had a feeling our lives would end up intertwined, and now, here we were, about to have our first child together. I didn’t think it was possible for me to love the professor any more than I did, but this moment proved that thought wrong.
“I’ve wanted this for so long,” Arwyn whispered, and her luscious lips trembled as she spoke. “I’ve been waiting so patiently as the others have become pregnant with your children, and now, it’s finally my turn. I’m so incredibly thrilled I’m going to be a mother.”
