Rowan #2
In his arms, I found solace. I found sanctuary. I found home.
I found myself.
The great hall had been transformed into a mystical wonderland, mesmerising me with its beauty.
Cascading flower arrangements hung from the ceiling, seemingly suspended in mid-air by invisible threads.
There were blush-coloured peonies and white roses, pink larkspur and what I was certain was heather, all intricately weaved through with trails of jasmine.
Lights flickered throughout, and when I looked closer, I was delighted to see thousands of Lightning Sprites moving gracefully between the blooms. The tinkling chime of their voices rang down from above.
It was as if I had awoken in a fairy tale.
As if I had stepped into a story just like one of those I had been read as a child.
The ones that transported me to another world.
Another realm. And I had, in a sense, less than three months earlier, when I came through the Mystwoods.
It felt so much longer than that, while at the same time, barely long enough at all.
When Caelan and I entered the room hand in hand, we were greeted enthusiastically by Jesmina, her smile radiant.
As if she had been using one for years, she raised my phone and captured the moment in a photo, forever preserving the memory of the evening.
My instructions on its operation earlier that day had been put to good use.
Behind her, the entire household staff celebrated, everyone a vision of elegance.
Orick, his glass raised in a toast, held court with a captivating female stranger, their conversation punctuated by laughter and easy camaraderie.
Nearby, Mrs Gretchen twirled gracefully across the dance floor, her laughter infectious as she moved in perfect harmony with a female I had not seen before.
Caelan leant in, whispering in my ear that it was her mate.
In a corner of the room, the housemaids, once mere silhouettes on the staircase, bubbled with energy as they exchanged stories and whispers with a trio of male guests.
Their animated gestures and bright smiles spoke volumes about the sense of relaxation that permeated the room.
The decision to enlist temporary help from the village had been a stroke of genius, giving our own staff a well-deserved reprieve for the evening.
I was overcome with gratitude at seeing how much they had done to make our special day truly unforgettable.
When Aenan stepped in behind us, I thought I caught a subtle exchange between him and Orick. It wasn’t much, just a quick shake of Orick’s head. I was about to ask Aenan about it but forgot when he placed his hand on my back and kissed my cheek.
“Congratulations, little sister,” he said. “How do you feel?”
My heart swelled as I smiled at him. “I guess I feel the same, except… I feel more here.” I touched my chest where my mate bond lay.
As if preening under the attention, it pulsed, drawing my gaze to Caelan.
Aenan said something to Caelan as well, but my mate’s eyes never left mine.
He nodded and I vaguely sensed my brother moving away.
Caelan’s grip on my hand had not wavered since our bonding ceremony.
I couldn’t bring myself to let him go, either.
It felt as though the silver ribbons from the ceremony were still entwined around our wrists, a secret between just the two of us.
The sense of security and love it brought was palpable, filling me with a warmth I never wanted to release.
I never want to let you go either, little bird, Caelan whispered into my mind. And speaking of secrets, I have one for you.
I smiled at him. What?
He turned around and brushed a hand under his hair, pulling the shorter lengths away from his neck. With his other hand, he turned down his high collar.
I gasped, reaching out a hand. “What is that?”
A silver tattoo shimmered there. It looked like a Celtic knot; I did not know the proper name for it, but was certain I had seen it before, or something similar.
It had four continuous loops with four small dots in between.
Lines flowed above and below that, a series of dots and symbols between them.
The bottom one slipped under his collar in what looked like infinity loops.
“It is our bonding mark,” he said, turning back to me.
My hand rose to the back of my own neck. “Do I have one too?”
“Yes,” he said with a smile when I turned around. “We didn’t want to tell you until it was confirmed. We weren’t sure if the brand would be healed or not.” His fingers lightly trailed over the design on my neck, following the same loops I had seen on him.
“But how?” I asked.
“The silver ribbons flow through our heart and soul, joining our spirits as one, before exiting the skin here with the bond mark. Do you like it?”
“I love it,” I whispered. “I love you.”
He kissed me softly. “I love you too.”
The room around us, and all the people within, faded away as we stood there, lost in our own world. A world where only our bond mattered. Where only our love mattered. A world where bond marks graced the back of our necks, declaring our love for all the realm to see.
Would it be entirely too rude to leave so soon? I asked, looking at him in such a way that he could not misunderstand my meaning.
He laughed out loud, pulling me further into the room.
Plucking a glass of wine from a passing waiter, he handed it to me.
“There will be plenty of time for that later,” he whispered.
“Drink up, because once I get you alone… Well, let’s just say we won’t be sleeping until tomorrow. ” He winked at me.
I took a sip of the bubbly wine, trying to tamp down my rush of desire. As a distraction, I pulled him in the direction of the dance floor. We spun around the room, once, then twice, passing a still laughing Mrs Gretchen. Her equally delighted mate whirled her away in a circle of joy.
When my feet could dance no more, we moved back to the drinks table, where I stole another glass of wine.
The sweet bubbles dissolved on my tongue, feeling for all the world like magick, and when I caught the lingering look Caelan was giving me, I reached up and kissed him passionately.
A chorus of cheers and catcalls sounded, but when I tried to pull away, he clasped me tighter and kissed me until I was breathless.
When he finally released me, it was only so he could whisper in my ear, “To be continued…”
I stared at him in wonder, then amusement, the familiar words ringing in my ears. With a lazy smirk on his face, he kissed me again, short and sweet, then went off in search of Aenan. I was swallowed up by Jesmina and the other housemaids.
When the clock struck midnight, we seized our chance and said our goodbyes.
Well wishes followed us as we slipped away to our room.
It had been two days since I had last laid eyes on him, and it felt like an eternity.
My longing had only been heightened by that small separation and the sensual verbal foreplay we had teased each other with all through the evening.
We surrendered to the fiery passion and unbridled desire that had been building between us since the moment the bonding words were spoken, and in the quiet intimacy of our room, we became one.
Bound together by a love that burned brighter than any star in the night sky.
As he’d promised, we didn’t sleep, not until a soft pink light peeked over the horizon.