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The Lost Stars ChronicleChapter 51: Marriage
It had been a week since the Fellowship Of The Pendants had returned to Drullen Bell Keep. It had been a week full of good food, long tells and soft beds. But already, Aros was feeling the call of the road. So one morning, he got up early and padded down to the larder, intent on filling a backpack full of food for his impending journey. However, his plans were interrupted when he found he was not alone. Reno, too, was in the larder, sprawled across a pile of sacking, munching on an apple.
“What are you doing down here?” demanded Aros, jumping back with surprise.
“I couldn’t sleep.” Reno replied mildly, his eyebrows raised, “Why are you down here, and what’s with the pack?”
“Er…”
“Urge to wander getting at you?” Reno prompted knowingly.
“Right. Yeah.”
Aros took an apple and flung himself down by his brother.
“That’s it exactly, Reno. The urge to wander. I’ve had it all my life.”
“So did I…until I met Shainya.”
A dreamy look came into Reno’s eyes.
Aros smiled. “Aye…but I’ve found no gal yet, so the road keeps calling.”
“Don’t go.” said Reno suddenly, “At least, not yet. Wait a few days. Please.”
Aros looked at Reno. “Whatever for?”
Reno smiled. “Just wait. I want you to be there.”
Then Reno got up and left.
Spring. Shainya loved spring. The time of year when the world seemed born anew. Life springs forth, from the ground, from the sea, from the air. Everywhere there was life. Flowers bloomed, birds sang, and the wind rustled through the trees. Yes. At last, Dametreos was healing. Healing from pain. Healing from strife. Healing from war. Healing from chill. Dametreos was healing. Shainya loved spring.
Every day of spring was too good to spend indoors. Every day, Shainya was outside, in the forest, in the meadows, in the streams, simply enjoying life. Sometimes she climbed. Sometimes she swam. Sometimes she just lay in the grass and slept. Today, however, she was working. Working in the vast gardens of Drullen Bell. T oday she was digging up a bed full of last year’s rotted bulbs. It was not particularly hard work, but extremely satisfying. She hadn’t gotten her hands in some good, deep, fresh soil since, well, since she had had a family, and had lived at Olgendale, her birthplace. Shainya always immensely enjoyed gardening, and she had been extremely willing to help with the call had gone out through Drullen Bell to start re-digging the garden beds. He hands were now smeared and caked with dirt, and her forehead was smudged where she had wiped it repeatedly with her grimy arm, but the grit didn’t bother her. It reaffirmed that she was alive.
“Shainya?”
Shainya looked up and smiled at Reno.
“Hello, Reno.”
“Shainya -- er…”
“What?”
She sat back on her heels and brushed off flecks of dirt from her hands. Reno was now red and fidgety. He also was trying to hide something behind his back. At last he blurted out, “Shainya -- how can I kneel before you to ask you marry me if you’re already on the ground??”
Shainya’s eyes grew very wide.
“Oh…”
Reno sank down beside her, his trousers sinking into the newly-churned earth, and said, “Well, there, I’ve blown it…I can it all planned out to be totally romantic and all and…”
“Oh, Reno!”
Shainya flung herself on Reno and kissed him rapidly and repeatedly, crying, “Yes, of course I will marry you!”
“But, but-!” Reno struggled upright, “I haven’t officially asked you yet…!”
Shainya calmed, pushed herself back from Reno, then waited expectantly, her whole face glowing.
“Er…well, Shainya…will you marry me?”
“YES!”
Bjarn was in his study leisurely reading a book when a knock interrupted him.
“Come in!” he called, and set aside his book.
Reno and Shainya entered, almost skipping with insane joy, both of them radiating happiness.
“What’s…this?” Bjarn asked.
His eyes traveled over Reno’s dirty knees and Shainya’s well-muddied hands. Then a glint of gold caught his eye. A bit of gold wrapped around Shainya’s finger.
“My God…”
He looked back up at them, and the truth hit him the moment Shainya burst out, “We’re getting married!”
Bjarn stood up as if in a daze, and embraced them both.
“You have been such a father to us both,” said Reno, “We thought you should be the first to know…”
Bjarn stepped back to look at them, his craggy face breaking into a giant smile.
“Reno -- Shainya…I’m…so happy for you…”
“Thank you…”
They both embraced him again, and then they were out of the room, laughing and dancing. Bjarn returned to his bed and sat. Then he began to cry. He had never felt so happy in his life.
The ceremony was a simple and quiet one. It was held in a glen not far from Drullen Bell’s gardens, and only a few attended. Shainya wore a simple white dress with no frills, and Reno had on his best suit. Bjarn, by their request, performed the ceremony, and Aros was best man. Proud little Luxus was the ring bearer, and Fina, Rodurik’s little girl, was the flower girl. Rodurik, his son Trad and his wife Darinana, Voolmark, Anardan and his friend Elacil were also in attendance, as were other friends Jack Craft, Green Fox, and J’anrya.
When all was said and done, the newly wed couple embraced to the clapping and cheering of friends. Then, giggling, Shainya tossed her bouquet into the crowd. It landed on Luxus’s head, where he stared at it in horror to everyone else’s ringing laughter. Aros charged his brother and punched him in the arm.
“So that’s why you wanted me to stay a few days long, you little tyco! You had to get married first!”
Reno merely grinned and winked. Someone struck up a fiddle tune, and everyone took to dancing, including Bjarn, who did a quite impressive jig. The whole of the day, the woods surrounding Drullen Bell Keep were filled with joy and happiness. And the laughter of Reno and Shainya floated through the trees like music.
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