Princess of Faerl

*Elentari*

I was so nervous waking up, I threw up. Multiple times. Mom was questioning me if I had done anything that would make me have morning sickness. I glared at her. Hep and I agreed to wait till after the wedding. She laughed at me.

“Your nerves are that bad?” Alisee asked. She was smiling as she asked, but still was concerned.

“I’m marrying a god. A freaking god. You would be shaking like a leaf too! He’s giving up his chance to have an immortal wife for me. I’m going to get old and die. He’s not. He’ll have to wait for me life after life till I am old enough in each life and repeat this cycle. I may or may not remember him and I may or may not come back. So yes, I’m nervous because a god is making an eternal commitment. He’s making a commitment to a level that, as mortal, I’m incapable of making.” It was weighing on me.

Alke came up to my side, “Don’t let that weigh you down. There are many things that cannot be foreseen, and you never know what gift Adalith may bestow on you next.” She seemed to know something I didn’t.

I took a deep breath. My hair was up tall, but still had bits that hung to my shoulders. So many curls. Thank gods for magic. Otherwise it would have taken me 8 hours to simply get my hair done. Stacie did my makeup for me. A Smokey eye with brilliant blue mixed in. My lips were my signature black. I wasn’t changing that just because I am getting married. My dress was black with accents of white lace. It was form fitting with a mermaid skirt, the train starting at my hips. The lace lined my neckline down my breastbone until my waist and works its way around the train until it laid on top of the entirety of the train and extended an extra foot beyond it. I love my dress. There were crystals all over it, making it sparkle. I ran my hands over it, sighing softly. This was my day. My most important day of my life. I was about to become the wife of the love of my life. Yes, he’s a god, but he’s mine. He wants me. Only me. It sounds impossible even now, as I remind myself that he chose me and waited for me.

“It’s time.” Stacie announced, smiling at me, “Let’s do this, sister. We’re all here with you. You’re a vision to behold, and I’m going to be surprised if he’s able to breathe once he sees you.” She winked at me and Lily nodded.

“You all look beautiful yourselves. Thank you for being here for me. I don’t know what I’d do without you all.” My emotions were going haywire. “Okay we need to get this show on the road before I start crying and ruin my makeup.” I felt Selene around me, floating unseen. Suddenly my face felt funny and I realized what she did. My makeup wouldn’t come off until I washed it off. “Thanks Selene. You just want to see me cry like a baby.” I laughed a bit, and the rest of the ladies laughed with me. We walked to the outside of the garden. We kept the wedding fairly small, for a royal wedding. Any gods that weren’t friends could watch from outside. They didn’t need to be present. Some gods were banned from seeing anything at all.

“You look beautiful, Starlight.” My dad spoke softly. He had called me Starlight since before I could remember. I blushed a bit.

“I second that,” Alaric smiled at me. He had also earned his position as dad over the last year. I had two amazing dads, and I wanted them both to walk me down the aisle. The music started and I damn near started crying already. Hep picked the song. My son and my dear friend, my brother and my sister, my best friend and my brother. Then my moms went down the aisle. I was so ready but wasn’t at the same time.

The chorus of the song hit, and my dads started walking with me. Slow methodical steps. I had to remind myself to breathe. My eyes met Heps and the rest of the world ceased to exist. This was all about us. It was amazing. He was wearing a breathtaking tailored black tux with white accents, his face was glowing with pride. A white rose pinned to the jacket, I could barely contain my happy tears. My dads kissed me on the cheek and each went to their mates. Hep took my hand and the sparks felt like it was the first time all over again.

A swirl filled the garden. There was no officiant standing there when I walked down, but now a magnificent being stood before us. Probably the most androgynous individual I had ever seen. Perfectly masculine and feminine, long glossy hair, wearing a white pant suit. Their voice sounded like a mesmerizing melody.

“Loved ones, we are here today to celebrate a love that has spanned many mortal lifetimes, beyond the binding of reality, into the greater divine. I have watched these two on their journey, a tumultuous one at that. I’m proud of these two. They have survived all odds and came together.” The being spoke and the weight of their words fell over everyone present, and everyone watching from afar.

“I, Adalith, the Creator of All, engineer of Fate and Destiny, brought these two together. Two pure souls that deserve love, loyalty, and dedication that knows no bounds. No one may take them from one another, not even themselves. There is no god or goddess that stands above me, my word is unbreakable.” The being looked to myself and Hep, both of our mouths agape.

“You are my favored of all, I bless you with an abundant life, full of happiness and success in your endeavors.” They looked to Khalith, “The rings, young man.” Khalith nodded with a smile, handing us each the rings we would exchange. “With your vows, please exchange your rings.”

Hep cleared his throat, seemingly trying to muster up courage. “Thousands of years, I have waited for you to return. I was prepared to wait thousands more. There is no being in this world that is more captivating, loyal, and lovely than you. You sacrificed our first life together to make sure we were safe, our child was safe, and we could be together for as long as we would be allowed in another life.” A tear slipped from his eye as he spoke. “Meeting you unexpectedly was beautiful, even if I was sad that you did not recognize me. You’ve been the only woman for me, ever. I adore you, I love you, and I give my all to you, for all eternity. There will never be another. I will wait for you every time.” He slipped a breathtaking band on my finger followed by my engagement ring. “I did not get to help raise our son, but with our sons help, we made your wedding band, signifying we are now and forever family, that no one can take us away from each other.”

I looked down at my ring and my breath hitched. “Hephaestus, I never thought I had a mate, I mean, I didn’t even know what I was until last year. I had no idea what love could be, or that anyone could love me as much as you love me. I had no idea that love could span the reincarnation of souls, unbroken by the sands of time. When I saw you, I was intrigued. I had no idea what it would be. I didn’t know what the sparks were. I just knew I wanted to see you again. I hoped against all hopes to be able to earn your good graces. I had no idea you started a ring for me that day, or what we would be. You’ve been so patient with me. You’ve allowed me my traditions that you don’t understand, you’ve allowed me kindness I’d never known. You have been a steady rock and never abused your status to try and force my hand in any way. You’ve shown me what it means to bring home someone who embodies all of your wants and needs, what your father would approve of. You have impressed both of my fathers. You have impressed me. Through my books and visions I have learned even more about you and fallen even more in love with you. You waited lifetimes for me to come back to you. You buried yourself in work, focusing on the day we could be together again. You’ve been faithful to me even though we weren’t together in those lives. There is no one more loyal than you. No one I’d rather be with forever. I choose, and always will choose you. You’re my past, present, and future.” I took a deep breath, feeling like I was rambling. “We seemed to have the same idea, as I asked our son to make this band, three stones to represent exactly what we are to one another, past, present, and future. Forever my dedication and loyalty to you. Never to be forgotten again.” I slipped the ring onto his finger, my hands shaking.

“May these two serve as an example for those who wish to be bound by the soul through eternity. I give you my gift today. I know it has weighed on you both, the gravity of the differences in your status. Elentari, your name through the ages, has meant queen of the stars. I can think of no other befitting to take over the role as our precious Selene retires as the goddess of the night creatures to spend time with her beloved. In doing this, you are granted immortality, to spend all the days next to Hephaestus as an equal. Is this a gift you will accept?” Adalith had dropped a bomb on me. Immortality? Becoming the Moon Goddess? This was insane.

Hep’s hands started shaking and he was now tearing up, and I started to cry myself, my words failing me, I nodded my head profusely. It took a minute, but finally I was able to breathe out, “Yes, I accept your priceless gift.” I would no longer die, leaving my love alone. I would no longer outlive my children. Yes my parents would die and come back as different bodies, but I was okay with this. I just wondered about my brothers. If they would take over as anything else as well.

“With this promise, and the exchange of your rings, I ask you, Elentari Tirisil. Do you accept the god, Hephaestus as your one and only true mate and husband? To love and keep until the end of time, and possibly beyond?”

“Yes, I do.” I looked into his eyes, the day was so much more than I ever could have imagined.

“With this promise, and the exchange of your rings, I ask you, Hephaestus, god of the forge, do you accept Elentari Tirisil as your one and only true mate and wife? To love and keep until the end of time, and possibly beyond?”

’I can think of no one I’d rather be bound to, yes, I do.” His words filled my ears and I cried happily.

“Transcending the bounds of mortal kingdoms, I present Elentari and Hephaestus Tirisil, God of the Forge and Goddess of the Night, as husband and wife, now and forever more. You may kiss your bride.” Adalith waved their hands and I felt light as a feather. Gasps flowed from the crowd as his lips touched mine, and the world melted away. We couldn’t see it, but silver strands of power were floating around us, mixed with red strands. My hair was no longer multicolored or white, it was a beautiful red with silver strands.

“Belle and Alaric, please come forward with your youngest. Aranelda, you come forward as well. I have one last gift to bestow.” They waited for them to come forward. “For you, Aranelda Tirisil, you are to become the light of the day, as your name suggests, king of the stars. Helios will be stepping down and you will be in his place. This means you will be gifted immortality, and your mate, or mates, will be as well. Is this a gift you accept?”

Aran thought for a moment, as if having an inner monologue with Helios. “We accept, Helios and I.” At that moment, a brilliant gold flash was seen as Helios left into the ether and Aran became the god of the sun. It was beautiful to behold.

“For the youngest Tirisil, the title of God of the Dawn, to take the place of Eos, will be bestowed upon him at his coming of age, if it is his notion to accept this gift. Until then, he will be the avatar of Eos, to learn the ways of dawn, creation of new chapters, and blending the dark of night with the bright of day. As his guardians, do you accept the offer of this gift?” They asked my parents.

“We do accept this gift, that he will be able to accept or deny upon his coming of age.” Alaric spoke and Belle nodded.

Hep smiled at me and we walked, no ran, down the aisle, quite honestly. My parents laughed loudly as we exited quickly. The music had barely started. Hep was anxious to move onto the rest of the day, and honestly so was I. There was so much to unpack and process. So much to think about. Right now though, I only wanted him. I wanted to run away and have our night begin. I know he did too.

“I love you, my goddess.” He breathed in my ear. It sent shivers down my spine to hear him say that. “And now it’s not simply a nickname any more, you are my goddess, mine for all eternity. I can’t begin to understand how I am so blessed, but here we are. Never to be separated again.” He pulled me into his arms again, kissing me fiercely. I could feel the power flowing between us.

We heard the snapping of cameras and couldn’t help but laugh. We knew this would be a public affair to an extent but thought we could steal a couple moments to ourselves. Guess not.

“Time for pictures, my love.” I smiled at him, “They started without us knowing.” Our family caught up to us and we went through all the normal things of taking pictures in poses, the family together, different pairings, and all of that. I was more than happy to escape to my room for a few minutes to change into my dress for the reception.