Burtock looked a little uncertainly to Roland, who gave him a minute nod of confirmation. Clearing his throat, the old gunslinger nodded back and gestured to Alain and Bert, who stepped forwards to flank Roland.
"Who comes forth to witness this union?"
"Cuthbert Allgood, son of Robert, whose forefather Sir Bertrand fought for the Eld." For once, Bert looked completely serious. "I do."
On Roland's left, Alain looked by far the most awkward of the three. His suit was a little too small for him, and formality ill-suited his round, placid face. His voice was just as steady and certain as Bert's, though. "Alain Johns, son of Christopher, whose forefather Sir Alfred fought for the Eld. I do, and bring with me this ring, to seal the compact." Glancing uncomfortably out at the crowd watching him, he cleared his throat and brought out the little box. The ring inside was plain silver, a simple band, almost like a man's. Roland took it with a little nod, ceremony settling over him like a shroud.
"Then, in the absence of..." Burtock had to break off to cough into his hand again. "In the absence of your dinh, it falls to me to witness. Ka has brought you together, in the light of the White, and may your path be shared long and far in the light of each others' love, and wind many years hence into the Clearing. May you be the water to each other's thirst, and the warmth to each other's nights. May you bring into this world children who grow strong and proud, trueborn scions of the Eld. And may you both remember your fathers' faces, so long as you live."
Roland listened until the end, to words he had heard many times before, and spoken himself on more than one occasion. When Burtock fell silent, he nodded just a little, lifting the ring up so it could be seen. "With this ring, I seal my promise to thee. With this kiss, I wed thee."
It wasn't anything like the kiss of the evening before. Less hard, less desperate. But there was still a passion in it, and although it was gentle, it was hardly chaste.
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"Who comes forth to witness this union?"
"Cuthbert Allgood, son of Robert, whose forefather Sir Bertrand fought for the Eld." For once, Bert looked completely serious. "I do."
On Roland's left, Alain looked by far the most awkward of the three. His suit was a little too small for him, and formality ill-suited his round, placid face. His voice was just as steady and certain as Bert's, though. "Alain Johns, son of Christopher, whose forefather Sir Alfred fought for the Eld. I do, and bring with me this ring, to seal the compact." Glancing uncomfortably out at the crowd watching him, he cleared his throat and brought out the little box. The ring inside was plain silver, a simple band, almost like a man's. Roland took it with a little nod, ceremony settling over him like a shroud.
"Then, in the absence of..." Burtock had to break off to cough into his hand again. "In the absence of your dinh, it falls to me to witness. Ka has brought you together, in the light of the White, and may your path be shared long and far in the light of each others' love, and wind many years hence into the Clearing. May you be the water to each other's thirst, and the warmth to each other's nights. May you bring into this world children who grow strong and proud, trueborn scions of the Eld. And may you both remember your fathers' faces, so long as you live."
Roland listened until the end, to words he had heard many times before, and spoken himself on more than one occasion. When Burtock fell silent, he nodded just a little, lifting the ring up so it could be seen. "With this ring, I seal my promise to thee. With this kiss, I wed thee."
It wasn't anything like the kiss of the evening before. Less hard, less desperate. But there was still a passion in it, and although it was gentle, it was hardly chaste.