2. Alliance

  

A few days later... 

SITARA

The moon shone bright through a circle of trees.  Within that circle, stood a crescent-shaped altar.  Upon which, a goblet of mead, incense, sea salt, a bowl of water, an athame and a binding cord were all lovingly laid out.  In front of the altar, stood a high priestess.  To her right and left, two lines gathered.  A young man walked down the middle, wearing a sword that looked as long as he was tall but he walked straight and proud, looking every inch a laird’s son as he took his place to the right of the altar.  His father has made a treaty with the neighboring tribe and this marriage solidifies it.  Though he's not particularly happy about getting a wife, he's not unhappy about it either.   

  

JOHAN

I watched as the small figure of my wife-to-be walked towards me.  The only thing I knew about her to be true is that she is a chieftain’s daughter, the future spiritual leader of her people.  I’ve heard the rumors amongst my father’s men, the men that were on the battlefield that fateful day.  They said the dead rose and followed her across the battlefield like a silent, undead army.  All my father would tell me of her was that she was a great beauty and that she possessed untold powers.  As she drew nearer, I could feel an inexplicable pull.   

I studied her as she slowly made her way towards me.  She will barely come up to my chin.  As she walked, a hush fell over the grove.  All types of animals sat at the base of the trees watching the proceedings.  A small bird landed on her bouquet and chirped at her.  She smiled and nodded to the bird, as if understanding the chirping noises the bird had made.  The bird flew up and landed on a nearby tree branch, not far from where I stood.  She kept walking slowly towards me and as she drew nearer, I could see her toes peeking out from under her dress.  And that brought an involuntary smile to my lips.   

She walked through a beam of light and it made her look almost unreal.  She looked younger than her nineteen summers.  As she stopped in front of me, she looked up and a small shy smile graced her lips.  I couldn’t help but smile back.  I looked down into her almond shaped honey colored eyes and felt a weird tingling in my chest. 

SITARA 

The scene looked exactly like I have been dreaming about for as long as I could remember.  I watched my surroundings in a detached manner, after all, my whole life has been leading up to this moment.  I walked towards the high priestess and my husband to be.  

On my head, I wore a wreath of interwoven rosemary and sage intertwined with forget-me nots.  For my bridal bouquet, I carried white orchids, yellow daffodils, gillyflowers, with a few forget-me-nots and cherry blossoms sprinkled in as well as some rosemary and sage.    

I was dressed in a beautiful cream colored gown with leaves and flowers embroidered into the bodice, the hem and the sleeves.  The dress was a gift from the laird, my soon to be father in law.  Though it is not customary, I was barefoot and every step brought me closer to Johan, the blue-grey eyed boy I have dreamt about since I was eleven.  With every step, I could feel myself absorbing the power of the earth through my feet, felt it coursing through my body, filling me with raw unfettered power.  

I've felt different ever since the battlefield, when the recently dead rose and followed me.  My father later told me that my eye color had changed from their original warm honey to a swirling, shimmery see through silver.  The lines closed to form a layered semicircle, three people deep, around us.  The altar completed the circle so that from above, it looked like the high priestess and Johan and I formed a triangle. 

The high priestess raised her hands toward the sky. “Greetings and Welcome”  

Everyone replied,  “Greetings”  

“We call upon the ancient and mystical elements of air, fire, water, earth and spirit to join us and bless this union.”  The priestess turned to Johan.   

“Johan, do you come before us of your own free will?”  Johan answered “I do.”  

She then turned to me, “Sitara, do you come before us of your own free will?”  

“I do.”  

“You stand within this circle before me and all that is living, both here of your own free will.  Face each other and raise your left hands.”  We complied.  The high priestess made a small incision on my forearm, then did the same to Johan’s, then joined our hands with the binding cord.  

“As your blood run together, flowing and mixing, so too do your life forces become one.  As your hands are bound, your lives and spirits are joined.  With the binding of your hands, I bind your love with protective energies to watch over your bond this day and for however long you wish to be tied to one another.  

Repeat after me,  Blood of my blood, Bone of my bone.   I give you my body, That we may be one.”  I give you my spirit, Til our life is done.   Heart to thee, Body to thee.   Always and forever, So mote it be”  

We repeated the words, “Blood of my blood, bone of my bone.  I give you my body, that we may be one. I give you my spirit, Til our life is done.  Heart to thee, body to thee.  Always and forever.  So mote it be.”   

Everyone else joined in.  “So mote it be.”  

“With the giving of your oaths to one another, we welcome you into your new journey in life.  May the gods be with you and bless you.  May you see your children's children's children.  May you be poor in misfortunes and rich in blessings.  May you know nothing but happiness from this day forward."