Sam lit the candles, placed the glass globes over them so the breeze could not disturb their flame, and waited for Ashton to join him. He heard the soft rustle of her footsteps shortly before he saw her enter the clearing. She was a vision of beauty as she glided across the small space toward him. Again, Sam noticed the glow that seemed to surround her, as she moved to strand straight and tall by his side. He handed her a single white rose to hold for her wedding bouquet as they turned to face each other in the quiet of the forest.
The music he had selected was only a mere whisper of sound and did not detract from the night sounds of nature. The brilliant moon, the blanket of stars, the droning insects, and the small animals would be their witnesses as they exchanged their vows of love on this night.
Sam raised Ashton’s hands to his lips and kissed them reverently one by one before he began to speak. “My love,” he started, his voice low and vibrating with the emotions he felt. “Never in my life did I think I would find the one person who was meant for me, made for me, my other half. But fate and destiny have brought you to me and I will thank the gods every day for the rest of my life that it was you. You are kind and sweet. Your laughter is music to my ears. Your smile fills my heart and warms me every time I see it upon your face. Your touch lights a fire inside me that will only and forever burn for you. You have made me more then I could ever hope to be and I owe you my life. You have changed my life by showing me the goodness and love that can be found with one’s soul mate. And you are my soul mate. I have no doubt that we were and are meant to be now and forever.”
Sam paused as he reached into his pocket and withdrew a wide gold band. Raising Ashton’s left hand he slid the ring on to her third finger before once again, looking deep into her eyes, letting her see all that he was, all that he felt for her, he continued. “I love you, Ashton Rider, and I want more then anything in this world for you to be my wife. To join me in this life and in the next as my one true love. I will give you anything, do anything, you have only to ask it of me. I would give my life for you. I promise to love you all the days of my life and to do what is right and what is good so you will never be disappointed in me. I enter into marriage with you with no regrets and with only love for you. Thank you, thank you for being my love, my life, my wife.”
When he was finished, Ashton wiped a tear from first her cheek and then his, before she kissed his trembling lips with all the love she held inside for him. Then, taking one small step back from Sam, and smiling into his face, she began to speak.
“My one love. I can think of no greater pleasure or honor then to be your wife. All that you are, all that you have shown me, makes me love you more each day, until I feel as if I will burst with the emotions you stir inside me. You came into my life and have made me whole and complete, until there is nothing more I could ever ask for. Only your love. That you love me and that you have accepted my love in return is the greatest gift I have or will ever have. Each morning I wake up and greet the day knowing you are by my side and in my heart. Each night I close my eyes and cross into sleep knowing that you are by my side and in my heart. That is where you will always be, by my side and in my heart, as I will be with you.”
Ashton lay down her flower, and removing a ring she had placed on her right thumb, she lifted Sam’s left hand and placed a gold band on his third finger. “This ring that I place on your finger, is a symbol of the love I feel for you now and will feel for you forever. I only want your love and your happiness. That you have asked me to share this life with you, is a precious gift to me, and I will hold it inside me and guard it for all time. My one true treasure in this world is the love that I have found with you. I am rich because of it, and will be thankful all of my days that I have you. From this moment forward I will know you as my love, my life, my happiness, my husband.”
Ashton held both of Sam’s hands in hers and brought them to rest over her heart. She drew him to her and placed a kiss of promise and hope on his lips and shared the kiss each bride receives from her husband.
“I love you, Ashton, Sam said as he gathered her to him.
“I love you, Sam,” Ashton returned with love and joy beaming from every pore of her body. “Did you bring the basket I had in the kitchen, Sam?” Ashton asked her head snuggled under Sam’s chin.
“Uh huh,” he said not wanting to move.
“Let’s pour the wine,” she said.
Sam let her go only long enough to retrieve the basket and open the wine. Ashton spread the cloth and poured two glasses before lowering herself to sit. Sam joined her and raised his glass to touch it to hers.
“To my wife,” he said, “to Mrs. Sam Barnhart.”
Ashton smiled into his eyes and touched her glass to his saying, “To my husband and to our love.”
Sips of wine were mingled with kisses and murmured declarations of love. Soon the glasses were forgotten and the warm summer night became their blanket, as they made love for the first time as man and wife. The moon dimmed and the stars paled before the light that their love cast towards the heavens.
At the Window to the World, Saul closed his eyes and the window became dark as the angel bowed his head and said, “Destiny has been fulfilled.”