Domination by Conn L.C

Author:Conn, L.C.
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Liminal Books
Published: 2022-04-25T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Clouds billowed white in the sky, moving sluggishly across the bright spring sun. Carling stood in the meadow before the crannog of her uncle and aunt and awaited the one who would claim her. Flowers were laced through her long golden hair and the new tunic her aunt had made for her hung past her knees. At her waist was a new belt with a knife tucked into a decorated scabbard, gifts from both Longus and her cousin Talorgan. It felt heavy on her hip but comforting.

She saw the procession of Roman soldiers exit from the copse of trees, Marcus at the lead with his heavily plumed helmet blowing in the wind. Behind her stood her family, aunts and uncles, cousins, distant kin. All who supported Longus in his bid for chief. Elfin stood at her side with the staff raised in his hand as Marcus dismounted and walked towards them.

Hazel eyes boring into her blue, he looked at no one else. Marcus stopped just steps from her and waited. Elfin moved so that he stood to the side of them both. He lowered his staff and pulled out a ribbon of material, long and blue in colour.

“Your right hand, Carling, and your left, Marcus,” he asked. They raised their hands and he linked them together. “With the tying of hands do you, Carling, promise yourself to Marcus?” He placed a loose loop over her hand.

“I promise myself to Marcus,” she said.

“With the tying of hands do you, Marcus, promise yourself to Carling?” He made another loop around Marcus’s hand.

“I promise myself to Carling,” he said.

“Do you both accept this union and any children that may come from it?” Elfin asked.

“I accept,” both Marcus and Carling intoned together.

With a quick twist and another loop, the priest pulled the knot between them and laid a hand on the top of theirs.

“With the tying of the knot I call down the blessings of the gods on these two. May their lives together be blessed with many children, be blessed in their regard for each other, and be happy for the years to come.”

Elfin removed his hand and stepped back. Carling stood by Marcus’s side and faced the family that had gathered. She saw their faces for the first time, and while some were smiling, others were scowling. To some, the union did not sit as well with them as they had thought, now seeing this Roman in their midst.

“They have joined together, and the bond cannot be broken for a year and a day,” Elfin called out and the crowd cheered.

Longus and Bron were the first to congratulate the couple, even if it were subdued. Their hands still linked by the blue ribbon, they were guided to their seats for the midday feast. Carling ate little and spoke even less. Marcus was just as quiet.

The feast lasted into the afternoon, until finally, at sunset, Elfin stepped in front of Carling and Marcus. He slipped the knotted ribbon from their wrists and handed it to Carling.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.