United by the bond of marriage
“Is it today?” Ikaris asked, his head peeking through the door, followed by Sprite’s. “Or have I been flying too slowly?”
Ajak laughed, her lips leaving a kiss against Anacaona’s cheek before she went to welcome her guests. “I thought you would never arrive. But yes, it is today. You haven’t missed my wedding.”
Sprite’s eyes sparkled, the last wedding she had witnessed had not been to her taste at all, too much flames and flowers everywhere, they could have caught on fire at any time, or at least it was what she said. “Am I smelling tamales?” the storyteller finally mustered, going to join Anacaona in the kitchen.
Ikaris and Ajak made their way outside, setting the stage for the ceremony. The healer had chosen to follow all of her girlfriend’s traditions, for she knew how much it mattered to her. The only problem would be the absence of family on her side, she had lost all of them during the battles of 1520.
“Sersi has asked me to address you her most sincere apologies, she was unable to come.” The man finally said, placing a rock on his shoulder and carrying it next to the bonfire, it would be the place in which they would eat their feast.
“Did she? I was hoping for her to play the role of the mother. I will have to ask Sprite.”
Ikaris raised an eyebrow, still as confused as to what his role would be during the festivities. Something that Ajak caught immediately, leading her to recapitulate all the events that would take place as soon as the sun would start to go down.
Inside the house, stress started to fill Anacaona’s chest. Who wouldn’t be nervous in this kind of situations? The woman knew she was making the right choice by accepting this union with Ajak, but how could she trust that everything would go according to plan? She had been unable to see any ceremony for many years, because the white man would always come to crash it all. They believed their traditions were worthless, that only their god mattered. Would Ikaris and Sprite be strong enough to protect them both?
The green lady caught on her stress, and placed her hand above the woman’s. “It will all be well. You can trust us young woman.”
Anacaona was still as confused as to how Sprite could have the spirit of an old person, trapped in the shape of a girl of merely ten years of age. And yet, she still accepted the reassurance.
All of her worries vanished when she finally stood face to face with Ajak, the setting sun as source of light. They were both wearing the finest robes, Ajak’s grown was blue, while Anacaona’s was of a pure white. They were almost identical, if not for the fact that Ajak was wearing a cape on her shoulders. Their faces were decorated with colorful pastes and shimmering crystals.
Ikaris proceeded to read the text he had been given, sometimes failing to articulate a word or two, but he was trying his best. Once his speech was finished, he went in the back of the two women and tied Ajak’s cape and Anacaona’s skirt, uniting them by the bond of marriage.
Sprite followed, carrying the tamales and giving them both four mouthfuls. Meanwhile, Ikaris was lighting the bonfire with two rocks, he had been forbidden to use his powers, even if it would have made it much easier. When finally the fire appeared before their eyes, Ajak and Anacaona both looked at each other and shared a kiss, the only addition that Ajak had requested.
“Congratulations to the brides.” A voice emerged from the woods, Ikaris immediately placed himself in a defensive position, only for a man with a black suit to come out of the leaves a moment later.
“Druig!” Sprite screamed with enthusiasm, running towards him to hold him. “You came!”
It took a sentence from Ajak for Ikaris to finally leave his defensive position. “Welcome Druig, come join us.”
The black haired man approached and bowed before Anacaona, introducing himself briefly to the confused woman.
The remainder of the night was spent sitting beside the bonfire, listening to Sprite’s incredible stories of medieval dragons, gods, or even of the formation of the galaxy according to the humans. Anacaona was mesmerised, huddled him against Ajak’s chest, wrapped in her cape. The healer could not help but look at her wife, smitten as she always was when looking at her.
It was doubtlessly the most incredible day of both of their lives.