Page 65 of Dark Voyage Matters of the Soul

Anandur

The moment Anandur had been awaiting was finally here.

He stood at the entrance to the dining hall, flanked by his seven groomsmen and one groomsmaid, dressed in a smart tuxedo and a white dress shirt, which would make Wonder happy. But he wasn't wearing a bowtie, and the shirt wasn't buttoned all the way to the top, so the Superman T-shirt he was wearing underneath was showing.

"You couldn't help yourself, could you?" Kri murmured. "Button that shirt up and hide that thing. Wonder will be upset."

"No, she won't." Anandur grinned. "She will be tickled. You look great, Kri. I love the gold bowtie. It's a nice touch."

"Thank you." She adjusted the tie. "Michael's is blue."

Each of his groom's-persons had chosen a bowtie that was either red, white, or blue to honor his bride, and Kri was the only one who had thought of adding gold to the ensemble.

Brundar looked sharp with his white-blond hair unbound and cascading down his back. Kian looked like a god, which wasnothing new, and Onegus was grinning like he was the one getting married. Bhathian was straining the seams of his tux, and he looked miserable, confined in the restricting garment. Arwel had his shoulder-length hair gathered in a ponytail and looked pained, probably because he was picking up the emotions of the rescued women all the way from the lower deck where they were housed.

Yamanu looked great with his black hair gathered in a long ponytail, and Michael was looking at Kri with unabashed admiration.

It had been a tough choice between Michael and Max, and the reason Michael had won was simply because of being Kri's mate. The kid wasn't even a full-fledged Guardian yet, but he showed great promise and most importantly, his heart was in it.

As the music that signaled the groom's entrance started playing, Anandur and his entourage walked toward the dais where Annani was waiting.

Smiling at his guests, he took in the decorations and was impressed by how well they had turned out. It had been all Amanda's doing, and he owed her a big thank you for making the night special for him and Wonder.

Clad in her white ceremonial robe that was edged with gold, Annani radiated warmth and love but also unmistakable power. Her glowing skin made her look majestic and ethereal, which, as it turned out, was even more spectacular than they had believed. Not all gods glowed in the dark, only the nobility did, and the stronger the glow, the more royal the status.

To him, though, the Clan Mother looked like an angel, her smile reaching across the room and touching his heart. It was a smile that conveyed love, pride, and acceptance.

The chatter and music in the room seemed to fade into the background as Anandur walked toward the dais and his great-great-grandmother, who was the heart of their community.

As he took his place, Anandur scanned the smiling faces of his clan members, and the positive energy sent his way filled him with joy. His gaze drifted across the room, eventually finding his mother seated at the family table.

The look on her face was one of immense pride and affection, and her warm smile seemed to say, "I am so happy for you."

Naturally, his mother loved Wonder.

Everyone did.

His gentle, beautiful, graceful mate. In a few moments, she would walk in, surrounded by her bridesmaids, and she would smile at him from across the room.

He hoped she would be amused by the Superman shirt peeking from under his dress shirt. She'd wanted him to just wear a plain tuxedo and look dignified for a change, but she knew him well enough to expect something mischievous.

If he had done nothing special, she would have been disappointed.

Standing at the foot of the dais, Anandur felt an unexpected wave of emotion sweep over him. Given that he and Wonder were each other's fated mates, he had viewed this night just as a joyous event to celebrate their union with the clan, but now, asthe reality of the moment settled upon him, he realized that it was so much more than just a fun party.

This was a binding of souls, a public declaration of his and Wonder's eternal commitment to one another. It was a testament to the love that had grown and flourished between them, a love that was now going to be made official in front of their community. It was an acknowledgment of their bond, a celebration of their unity, and a promise for their shared future.

Wonder

Wonder hadn't seen her bridesmaid's dresses until tonight, and now that the eight of them flanked her four on each side, she wasn't sure whether she should be mad at Amanda for going overboard with the dining hall decoration and the dress designs or thank her for being so bold.

One thing was for sure: no one was going to forget this DC Universe-themed wedding, so maybe it was a good thing, given that there were ten of them taking place.

Each of her bridesmaids had a different dress that matched her personality in addition to being Wonder Woman-themed.

Carol's was a long, flowing red gown with a subtle gold waistband and gold trim along the neckline. It was Grecian-style, the one-shoulder strap adorned with a golden W emblem. It was bold and pretty, like the female wearing it.

Vivian wore a navy-blue chiffon dress with a V-neck and an A-line silhouette. The skirt was sprinkled with silverstars, mimicking Wonder Woman's star-spangled look. It was conservative and demure, matching Vivian's motherly character. Her daughter Ella wore a knee-length, metallic gold dress with a fitted silhouette and a sweetheart neckline. The dress was more daring and modern, fitting the young female who had recently changed her hair color from pink to blue.