Page 56 of Triplets for the Dark Elf
They hug me and then Annalise and the triplets step out and the twins go nuts upon seeing their cousins. It’s pure chaos until Charmaine comes and helps whisk the children away so Annalise can get ready.
“Let’s go have a glass of zhisk,” Imris offers, clapping a hand on my back. He looks strong and sturdy after so many years of farming. He’s given up on travel, having hated it from the start.
I don’t blame him. Being away from your family is glacies on Protheka to be quite honest. But I don’t mind the occasional trip, unlike my younger brother, who refuses to take so much as day trips to Pyrthos anymore.
“Thanks,” I tell him. We head inside and up the stairs to Imris’ study and I recall the last time we were here, back on his mating day.
“So. Are you ready to be mated to the love of your life?” he asks.
“More than,” I agree. It’s been a long time to get here, and honestly I never thought I would—but now that I’m here I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Imris drinks his zhisk slowly and stares out the window, watching his zagfer servants setting up for the ceremony down below. It’s going to be partially in the forest, near where he and Charmaine mated but not at the exact same spot. We’ll have the reception back at the house.
The sun starts to head down the horizon and I take one last sip of my drink before it’s time to go.
“Let’s go get you mated,” Imris says, pushing me towards the door.
The high priest is standing in front of the altar, which has offerings to the Warrior and the Hedonist. The offering to the Warrior is a fat dripir heart, gleaming with blood in its metal bowl and we have an ilya for the Hedonist.
I stand in front of the altar as our guests come to sit in the chairs and witness our union. The twins are dressed in matching outfits with Osella wearing a blue dress with puffy sleeves and a wide-brim straw hat and Dovrec wearing a matching blue suit with a child-sized matching bowler.
They lead Father down the aisle to his seat up front, then go back and bring Imris and Charmaine. Duty done, they sit down and the awalpo player begins to play beautiful music.
The triplets are also dressed up. The girls are wearing deep blue dresses with silvery embroidery of stars and moons all over, while Indie is wearing a vest and trousers in satin with matching embroidered moons and stars.
I stare, wondering how in the world they’ve already grown up so fast. They look excited, holding hands as they come down the aisle together to a chorus of “awwws” and “oohs” from the crowd.
Finally, Annalise appears and a lump forms in my throat as I stare at her. She’s wearing a white lace gown with sleeves that stop just above her wrists. The gown fits tightly around her waist before flaring out down to her calves. The lace covers her chest but peeking underneath is a sheath in the same white that covers her up modestly.
Her strawberry-blonde hair is piled atop her head with a few wispy strands that frame her face. I can’t stop staring at how beautiful she looks.
She joins me and we hold hands as the priest begins the ceremony. “Beloved, I seek to know of you, and ask of The Hedonist and the Warrior, that I be given the strength to protect you and the happiness to enjoy our lives together,” I say.
“I pledge to you my life, my home and all that I have, for they are all in your care,” Annalise says, her eyes shining with unshed tears.
“You cannot possess me for I belong to myself, but while we both wish it, I give you that which is mine to give,” we finish together.
“Above you are the stars, and below you the earth. Like the stars, your love should be a constant source of light, and like the earth, a firm foundation from which to grow,” the Priest says as he finishes up.
We kiss and I slip the ring onto her finger. “I love you,” I tell her, murmuring it into her ear.
“I love you too,” she says. “My beloved husband.”
“My beautiful, perfect wife,” I tease her back.
The ceremony over, we head back to the house for the reception.
Inside, Imris corners me and presses another drink into my hand. “I’m so happy you found someone. I know that losing your first love was hard but Annalise is perfect for you. I understand now why you were acting so strangely for all that time.”
“I appreciate it,” I tell my brother, being honest with him. “I truly regret separating you. I know now how unbearable it must have been for you.”
“The past is in the past,” Imris insists. “Let us forget the past and enjoy the fact that we both have beautiful, amazing wives and adorable, perfect children.”
“Of course,” I agree, clinking glasses with him as we watch Annalise and Charmaine giggle and hug on each other as the children all play together. “Here’s to the future. May the gods bless us both and protect our families from harm.”
“Here, here,” Imris agrees.
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ANNALISE