Page 50 of Adored By Her Orc Avenger
I look at Dana and see she’s been gazing at me. I smile, and she chuckles happily. I understand her feelings; I can barely contain my nervousness and excitement. I look back at Loki as he continues the blessing.
“Hurian, I understand you have something you would like to give to Dana?”
“Yes,” I respond as I reach into my pocket.
Dana looks at me curiously, and I take a small box out of my pocket. Holding it to her, I get on one knee. She told me this part happensbeforethe wedding in human customs, but I wanted to do this during the ceremony where everyone could see.
I open the box, holding a ring made of hidium, a stone found in Protheka that my father gave to my mother during their mating ritual. I look at Dana, her sweet smile stretching across her face, and return her smile.
“Dana, I want you to have this ring to show you that I am yours. Every day for the rest of my life, I want you to look at this ring and know that whether I am next to you or far from home, I will always come back to you. When we were lost in these woods, I relied on my survival skills to get us home, but you taught me what the word ‘home’ means. I love you, Dana. Will you take this ring as a symbol of my devotion?”
“Oh Hurian, yes, of course!”
I stand up, slide the ring onto her left finger, and kiss her passionately. She wraps her arms around my neck, and I feel hands pull us apart gently.
“I’m supposed to say you can kiss your mate!” Loki says with a chuckle.
I look at him in shock. “Well, can I?”
“Yes!” Loki shouts.
I kiss Dana again, and the crowd cheers. I pull back from our kiss and look deeply into her eyes; I meant every word I said to her when I gave her my mother’s ring; she feels like home.
30
DANA
Ilie my head on Hurian’s chest as the carriage rocks along the road. I look down at the ring he gave me and smile. When I said a ‘human-like’ ceremony, I didn’t think he would go this far.
After the ceremony, we drank and danced with our friends until the stars came out. I was sure we would wait by the river and talk there before returning to the doctor’s hut, but Hurian said he had other plans.
I asked him a few times where we were going, but he wouldn’t tell me. While we’ve been in the carriage, I’ve tried to let it be and enjoy the moment, cuddling with the man I love as he whisks me away.
The carriage slows and comes to a stop. I lift my head from his chest, and he winks at me.
“Are you ready?” he asks with a sly smile.
I nod. “Yes,” I reply enthusiastically.
“Good.”
He opens the carriage's door and stands outside it, holding his hand out to me. I smile and take it, stepping out of the carriage and looking around. Once the torch's light on the front porch catches my eye, I freeze and smile wide.
I laugh as I look at a beautiful log cabin in front of us. He grins, walks me toward it, and tips our carriage driver as we pass him. We walk toward it, and I get a strange, familiar feeling as I look at the door. I look at him with confusion, and he just smiles in return.
“Hurian…”
He chuckles. “Open the door.”
I open the door to the cabin and walk inside. The lit fireplace and candles placed around the room confirm my suspicions. This is the abandoned house we stayed in the first night we were together.
“No,” I say in shock. “How did you…”
“I had some help renovating it.”
I look at the new walls and redone floors, covering my mouth in shock. I hear him chuckle and look at him from the middle of the living room. He’s bathed in candlelight, the flames making his muscles pop as I shake my head.
“I can’t believe you did this.”