The Library at the Prince Estates is lit warmly with a warm fire crackling cheerfully in the fireplace. Kelin sits with his Father, Sunshine and Chyara.
“You must relax Dalton”, Gnieus tells him. Concentrate on the one you wish to speak with. Call to them and only them. If you do not concentrate on only the one spirit, you’ll get many.”
“I’m not sure about this Sunshine”, says Chyara. I mean, most of the time when a girl meets her betrothed’s Mother she can actually see them. Does my hair look ok?”
“Mother will love you Chy” Sunshine says, “because I do.”
“That’s not a very good reason” she says.
“Aunt Chy. She’ll love you because you’re loveable” Kelin says “Who could resist? Everyone loves you.”
Chyara smiles and pulls Kelin close, wrapping her arms around him. Kelin looks to his Father and grins to him, rolling his eyes heavenward yet pleased to be hugged by his Aunt. “You’re the one everyone loves Kelin. I’m sometimes amazed at how much you have drawn this family together. Not only our immediate family, but drawing the Steels and Savages to us. We’re truly like one large extended family”, Chy states.
“Good Dalton. There she is.” Gnieus and Kelin look to Sunshine’s Mother and smile while Chyara just seems nervous. “Come with me Kelin. We’ll give them some time alone.”
Kelin smiles to the , rises and walks to the door and out in the moonlight with his Father. “Chyara was near your age when I was captured by the Pirates. I have missed so much in your lives. In everyone’s”, Gnieus says.
“How did you stay alive all that time Da?” Kelin asks.
“There were times when I actually had given up and no longer cared if I lived or died. In those times, your Mother would come to sit with me and tell me all about you. I wanted so bad to hold her and be with her but every time she’d convince me to hold on for you. Sometimes Constance would come to me in my dreams. She’d assure me that you were happy and healthy.” Gnieus says.
Kelin puts his hand in his Da’s, “Come on Da, Chief Spirit Walker and Grandmother have joined Chy and Sunshine. I want to ask him something”, Kelin says.
The pair walks back to the Library and say their hellos to Constance and the Chief. Kelin looks to the Chief and says, “Chief. When we first, you said your name was Running Bear and now we also call you Spirit Walker. Do you go by both names?”
The Chief laughs and nods, “I do go by both Kelin. I was known as only Running Bear until I was about your Father’s age. After I could walk with spirits, I was also called Spirit Walker. I normally introduce myself as Running Bear still because Spirit Walker takes some explanation at some point. Only those close to me call me that.”
Kelin nods to the Chief then looks to Constance, “How did you meet the Chief, Grandmother?”
“Sunshine’s Mother was my best friend from girlhood. I’ve been friends with Chief Spirit Walker since the day she met him. I’m afraid I wasn’t able to save her either.” Constance looks to the Chief with a sad smile. “The three I loved the best.”
Chief Spirit Walker pats her hand before speaking, “You would have if you could have. That’s what Matters.”
Constance smiles softly to the Chief but Kelin wasn’t quite sure asking his questions, “Sunshine, Thank you for saving my Da, but why did you do it when you had never even met him?” Kelin asks Dalton.
Sunshine frowned in thought then looks to Kelin, “I know that this will sound strange to you since you did not grow up believing, yet I think you’ll understand with all you’ve recently been through and now know. When I turned fifteen years old, I went into a sweat Lodge with my Father. All young men of the Village do this. I had fasted for three days and my Dream Vision came upon me easily. The Spirit of my Great Grandfather had shown me some of my future”, Sunshine said.
“He showed me the Vision of a young girl. The girl was only a few younger than I was and already a beauty. He had told me the girl’s name was Chyara and she was to be my wife when the time was right. He told me that Chyara’s brothers would not trust me and I must go on a quest to prove myself worthy to them. The quest would help my people as well as hers and would unite both families with a bond as strong as time itself”, Sunshine continued.
“The only other thing I knew was that I already knew the girl’s brother, Chad. I told Chad the next time I saw him that I would one day marry his sister, Chyara. Chad was confused because he did not know anyone named Chyara. I too was confused and wondered if my Dream Vision was incorrect, until I saw Chad a year later. Chad told me about Kelin and that his Father had a sister named Chyara. Chad said that both of their clans had united, the Steels and Broadricks.” Sunshine finished. “So I knew Chyara would be my wife and when the time was right, what I must do in order to win her and her family.”
“So that’s what you meant when you said it was written in the stars”, said Chyara.
**Two Weeks Later – Savage Village**
Chase, Milla, Chad, Khali, Caius, Stormy, Gnieus, Sunshine, Chyara, Constance, and Chief Spirit Walker all sit together with the Steel, Broadrick and Save children all gathered about. The adults seem happy yet stern as they explain the rules of the new Teleporters that had been installed just that morning.
“The Teleporters are all installed in special buildings outside of the homes. You are not allowed to use them unless you have an adult’s permission and you will be respectful of the other’s privacy when you are visiting the other places. Remember, we’re all family and we all reserve the right to punish… yes, I mean spank if necessary any of you”, Chase finishes in what he hopes is a fierce voice. A couple of the Savage children giggle and Tara rolls her eyes yet they all know that atleast the other adults would not hesitate.
“What places will be linked?”, asks Kelin.
“The Steel houses in Nidaros and Magincia, The Broadrick home in Dragon’s Watch, The Savage Village here, The Savage Estate in Silvervale and the Prince Estates in Delucia.”, Chief Spirit Walker answers.
“We’ll be able to move into our rebuilt homes this evening, but of course, Chyara cannot move to Silvervale with Sunshine until after the wedding”, Chad adds, causing giggles from most of the children.
*****
The Wedding plans are well underway when All the children go to Milla to ask permission to go to the Savage Village to work on their wedding gift for the couple. Milla gives her permission and accompanies the children as far as White Fox’s Lodge, making sure she doesn’t mind them hanging out for the day. White Fox agrees and asks if they can remain and spend the night. Milla agrees and tells the children that someone will come back later with their overnight bags.
Once alone with White Fox, the girls explain to White Fox what they wish to give the couple. White Fox smiles brightly and takes the children to the women’s day Lodge, getting them set up and to work on their special project. The boys work with the women learning how to make the glass beads being used while the girls work with the women discussing traditional patterns and colors. Tara and Lilly remove wedding dolls from their packs to show the women the traditional wedding garments of their culture and the women show the girls samples of their own culture’s wedding finery.
Sunshine’s nieces and nephews are assembled to assist in the project and everyone involved with the project decide the best combining of the two cultures would be for Chyara’s slippers, headdress with a veil and the bodice of her gown to be in beadwork, while Sunshine will wear Savage traditional headband, vest and shoes. White Fox, who has been trained as a Tailor takes Tara, Lilly and two Savage girls to Luna to choose fabrics for the wedding attire, while Tempest works on drawing a design for the clothing with the help of a talented young Savage girl and Chasity separates beads for the work. Beads in whites, clear, bronze silver and gold are chosen for the work.
Everyone works right up to bedtime and beyond, only taking time to eat a quick lunch and dinner. Many little hands diligently string beads under the tutelage of more experienced hands and near midnight, the beading and clothing are finished. “In the morning, we’ll attach the beading to the finery we have created”, White Fox told the exhausted children as she leads them to her lodge for sleep.
***
Just before lunch, White Fox uses the teleporter to go to the Steel Estate in Nidaros and invites the Ladies to lunch, vaguely explaining that the children have a surprise for Chyara. Chyara looks extremely frazzled and replies, “I’ll gladly come. I’m so frustrated right now I could scream! I cannot find the perfect dress for the wedding and believe me when I say I have tried on every dress in Luna and New Magincia!”
Chyara, Milla and Patrice all return to the Savage Village where they eat lunch with the women from the Village as well as all the children who had helped on the project. After the food had been consumed by all, the children, their faces shining with joy stand before Chyara. Tara and Sunshine’s oldest niece, Tasha are the spokespersons for the children. “We have made all the wedding finery for you and our Uncle for your wedding” Tasha states proudly.
“All of us did” Tara makes a wide sweeping motion encompassing everyone in the room. “And you’re gonna love it Aunt Chy!”
Chyara, bless her heart had the expression on her face of love for all the children, yet the shadow of worry. It was frantically racing through her mind that she must tread carefully to not hurt these children’s feelings, but if the best tailors in the lands could not please her, how could these scruffy kids possibly make something to make her happy?
Different children began slipping out the door and soon back again, carrying different garments. They treated the garments with extreme care and the pride of craftsmanship. Chyara’s eyes grew wider and wider with each piece of finery she was presented. In the end, she rose, her trembling hand at her throat, her other hand gently touching the exquisite beading covering the bodice of her gown. Chyara Broadrick was speechless for the first time in her entire life.
Patrice found her voice first and it was choked with emotion, “Now I see I must seek the assistance of your Feast cooks. We must work together to create a Wedding feast that blends the traditions of our cultures as beautifully as you all have done.”
Chyara, in the meantime gathers all the children around her, hugging them fiercely and sobbing with joy.
***
The stress of planning the wedding was taken from Chyara and over the next weeks she found the most happiness of her life as she saw the combined efforts of her and Sunshine’s families. The wedding would be different than any other yet traditional in all its parts to both cultures.
Unknown to the children until the morning of the wedding, they were all in the wedding party themselves. The women of the Village with the help of Chyara, Milla and Khali had make them all wedding finery to compliment the bride’s and grooms. The girls dresses were in the same style as the wedding dress yet tea length and made of a rainbow of pastel colors. The boys wore finery similar to Sunshine’s, yet their vests were in the same colors of the girl’s dresses, yet darker in hue.
The ceremony itself was held in the beautiful gardens of the Prince Estates with the Priest and Savage Medicine Man presiding. There were tears and laughter shared all through the ceremony as Sunshine and Chyara spoke the words that made them man and wife. The cheers were so loud when the couple were introduced as Mr. and Mrs. Dalton Savage that birds in the trees of the nearby forrest were startled from their perches.
It was announced after the ceremony that the reception was to be held at the couple’s newly renovated home in Silvervale. The celebration lasted well in the night and was enjoyed by all.
***
The Saga of Kelin and his adventures will continue in “The Adventures of Kelin 16 – “Jillian’s misadventure”, coming soon to the bookstore at The PaxOku Silent Rose Library!
Peace and Knowledge be with you!
Tatania Karthina
30 July 2011