As we followed his dad into the back garden, the sheer size of the crowd took me aback. There was my family of course, but additionally my deputies and his Hunter cohort were there as were several folks wearing silver and gold circlets upon their brows, some of them studded with gems. Glancing towards the front where the officiant should be standing, was a male in fine robes, his arms covered in bangles decorated with precious stones and a matching silver and gold gem-studded circlet upon his head, topped by the flower wreath.
This had to be one of the Scions, then, and those other people his siblings and fellow Scions and their retinue. A look over at Pilar told me he was as floored by the changes to the program as I was. Just like that, our wedding had gone from small but politically significant to an affair of state. A flash of annoyance flared. No one had consulted us about any of this and I was not okay with it. I recognized that now was not the time to raise the issue though, and what mattered most right now was making Pilar mine.
“The happy pair have registered their intent to Feed,” the Scion announced, looking at the datapad he held. A low murmur broke out over that, all eyes flicking towards me. I squared my shoulders. I knew what I was signing up for, and quite frankly, it was none of their business anyway.
We reached the altar and he smiled at us. “I am Scion Dagfar and it is my great pleasure to Bond you together and unite both our people.”
He reached into his robe and pulled out a bone-handled knife etched with what looked to my eyes like runes. If I had to hazard a guess, I’d say that knife was ancient and reserved only for the most special of occasions. It also looked wickedly sharp, making my pulse race at the thought of the cut to come.
“Kelly Townsend, do you pledge your life and blood to your mate, Pilar of House R’jil’yae’k?”
“I so pledge,” I replied.
“Do you pledge your honor and justice to the Republic of the Sparkling Stars?”
I hesitated but a moment, knowing by the sudden blink of Pilar’s eyes that this was unexpected.
“I so pledge,” I replied.
“Do you set aside your old world ties and embrace with all your being to serve both our peoples with equality and justice?”
“I do,” I replied, now feeling more than a little uneasy. This didn’t sound like a regular set of Bonding vows to me at all.
“Give me your right hand, then, Kelly Townsend.”
Another Scion stepped forward, holding a small chalice. My mouth went dry and Pilar opened his mouth. I shook my head almost imperceptibly, suddenly understanding where this was going. I offered my hand and the knife flashed across my palm. The Scion holding the chalice held it under my bleeding hand and I made a fist, bleeding into the ceremonial cup.
“Do you, Pilar of House R’jil’yae’k, pledge your life and blood to your mate, Kelly Townsend?”
“I so pledge,” his voice rang out.
“Do you set aside your old world ties and embrace with all your being to serve both our peoples with equality and justice, taking the mantle of Scion?”
A collective murmur went up and I was pretty certain my heart stopped for a moment. He was being made Scion now? Right freaking now? What the hell was going on?
“I do,” Pilar replied, his voice steady despite the shock on his face.
“Do you pledge your honor and justice to the Republic of the Sparkling Stars, with all of your life’s blood?”
I knew what was coming next.
“I so pledge,” my beloved replied, holding out his hand. A quick slice of his palm and the chalice took several drops of his blood to mingle with mine.
“Miljack of House R’jil’yae’k, please stand before me.”
The Scion repeated his questions, all of them except the Bonding one specifically. He then sliced Miljack’s palm and added his blood to ours.
Dagfar then handed the bloodied knife to the Scion holding the chalice, taking it from him in turn. Holding it up for all to see, he poured the blood onto the ground. “Let our home world bear witness, a new Scion ascends with his Bonded and his brother! A new era begins!”
“A new era begins,” the crowd repeated, in both languages.
Dagfar handed the chalice back to the other Scion and looked at me. “It is traditional for the alpha to declare to his omega with a gift.”
A stunned-looking Richard stepped forward, handing me the earring. Pilar turned his head to give me access to his ear, where I removed his old earring and replaced it with my gift.
“Kelly Townsend has graced Pilar with a token of his affection, and pledged his life’s blood to his mate. Let him show he is not afraid to shed his blood in defense or in succor of his mate.”
This was it then, another slice; this time the one I’d been expecting. Sure enough, the knife, the blade now wiped clean, reappeared in Dagfar’s hand. I faced him and he made a quick, shallow cut.
“See how he bleeds for you, ready to defend and to offer succor in times of need,” Dagfar intoned. I turned my bleeding chest towards Pilar, whose eyes now were a burning shade of crimson. He bent his head and sensually lapped and suckled at my cut. The feel of his mouth on me went straight to my cock. I hoped no one noticed my sudden erection. Hoo, boy! Agreeing to biting during sex looked like the right call for sure if just this had such an effect on me.
Pilar took one last tongue swipe and I was amazed to see my blood had already clotted. I made a mental note to ask him about that later. Some kind of agent he could secrete in his saliva to aid in healing, perhaps?
“Pilar of House R’jil’yae’k has accepted Kelly’s token, returning his deepest affections, and pledged his own life’s blood to his mate. Let him show he is not afraid to shed his blood in defense or in succor of his mate.”
He placed the cut upon Pilar and I leaned in to taste his blood. It was hot and tasted of both copper and iron. I sucked, gaining a small mouthful which I swallowed, before giving the wound a quick swipe with my own tongue, regretting it didn’t have anything in it to stop the bleeding. I needn't have worried as when I straightened up, his molten gaze met mine and he obscenely licked his finger with great promise of wicked things to come, before swiping it over the cut to seal it.
“I am informed that it is the human tradition to exchange rings, to show the eternal bond of the love between mates.”
Richard reached into his pocket and fished out both rings. He handed me one first, and I placed it upon Pilar’s finger before kissing his knuckles. Richard handed Pilar the other ring and he did likewise as Richard took a step back. Pilar’s fathers handed us our tunics and we put them on.
“I hereby declare these two to be Bonded, and this trio to be Dedicated.”
Miljack stood next to Pilar at this pronouncement and we all turned to face the crowd who stood. It was then we saw the blossoms each of them held and as Pilar led me down the steps, Miljack by our side, they tossed the blossoms at us.
“Long may you rule,” some said in English.
“May happiness always be yours,” one of my deputies called out.
After what could have only been a scant few minutes but seemed like an eternity, I asked, “What the hell was that?”
“That,” Miljack replied grimly, “was us being Ascended much earlier than expected and without any notice.”
“Are they going to make us go off-world now? Without finishing the case?”
“I think we can argue that our pledge to provide justice will give us leave to do that much at least,” Pilar said.
“I sure fucking hope so.”
Dagfar came into the house and found us. “I’m afraid my brothers and I will have to return now, to arrange the change of office. Wrap things up here quickly, if you can. You have been given seven nights before you must report to the station for transfer. Your coronation is night ten. May the stars shine brightly upon you and the universe bless you.” With that he swept out of the room, his group following behind him.
“I guess we need to get moving then.”
“When he arrived, the Hand said a scouting party left at first dark to check the city out,” Miljack said.
“Odd. We should hear back soon then,” Pilar replied. “Let’s go eat,” he said, inclining his head towards the dining room where guests were already trickling in.
“Then we have a date,” I reminded him.
“And then we have a date,” he agreed, kissing me on the lips, the low light catching on the gemstones and cut surfaces of the silverwork of his earring. I felt a swell of pure joy then. I was his, and he was mine, and the whole universe saw it.