EMERSYN

1. Wedding (Re-written)

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PRESENT-DAY, WEDDING CEREMONY

Wedding Ceremony

Damien's POV

There I was, standing in a church, sweating buckets under a kiton tuxedo. Doing what, you ask? Oh, you have no idea.

Well, I was waiting for my little bride and when I said little bride, I meant little bride.

That sounded suspicious. No, don't get me wrong. I'm not a pedophile.

Well, if you must know, it's an arranged marriage.

This isn't one of those fairytale stories where the groom barely knows the bride. I'm not that stupid. In my story, I have known my soon-to-be wife since the day she was born, to say the least.

My chain of thoughts was broken as the arched oak double doors of the church swung open. There comes my little bride, gliding down the aisle as if she was a seraph of the Lord Himself. My breath hitched at sight in front of me.

Emersyn James, the girl walking towards me, looked ethereal as ever, her expression as majestic as it could be. She had linked arms with her father, faintly smiling at her mother, grandfather, and my family. My mother seemed to glow as she looked on at the girl who was soon going to be my wife.

I moved my attention back to my little bride, and heat rushed to my cheeks in almost instant response. Her dazzling gown matched the innocent gold of her pure heart. In my eyes, she was the epitome of elegance and grace. She was the most mesmerizing bride I had laid my eyes upon.

Her crystal bordered veil slightly covered her face, the long trail following her. I watched her as she took a few breath-taking steps towards the altar, towards me, holding a vivacious bouquet of white lilies of the valley. At that very moment, she shifted her gaze, and our eyes met. Her face was serene and calm, but in her troubled eyes, I felt a sense of foreboding. With her, every step towards she could feel my heart beating faster than I ever thought it could.

Our families were the only ones who were present in the church, as we kept the wedding ceremony pretty private.

My family has always adored the James family. We have had an almost family-like relationship with them, with our residential estates located near each other. And now, our family trees would be merged as well.

After what seemed like an eternity, they made it to the altar. I reached down for her hand, which her father gently placed above my extended hand, his eyes locking with mine for a split second. His eyes conveyed everything that had been drilled into my head by him and his son, Emerson. I shuddered slightly as I remembered his exact words.

"We are gathered here in the presence of God, family, and friends to unite Miss Emersyn Millisende James and Master Damien Tyler Atkinson in holy matrimony," the pastor began, interrupting my unpleasant recollections.

"Enrich our lives with the gracious gift of your love so that we may embrace others with the very same love. Marriage is a joyous occasion. It is interwoven in the web of our thoughts with the charm of love, the warmth of home, and all that is of pleasant emotion. Its sanctity and purity make it one of the holiest unions known in human relationships," he continued.

I sneaked a look at our parents in the middle of his speech. Our mothers seemed teary-eyed, with slight smiles of anticipation dancing across their faces.

"May our participation in this celebration of love and commitment give us a new joy and delight in the relationships that we cherish. In your loving arms, we pray, Amen," the pastor concluded, motioning for the audience to sit down.

I fidgeted with my fingers nervously, the finality of the situation finally sinking in. It was finally happening, huh.

"Who consents to Miss Emersyn to be married to Master Damien?" the pastor continued with the ritual, looking at Emersyn's father in expectation.

He came forward and said "I, Samuel James, Emersyn James' father, her mother, grandfather, and her brother consent to her marrying Damien Atkinson."

The pastor nodded in approval. "Emersyn James and Damien Atkinson, let me charge you both to remember that your future happiness is to be in mutual consideration, patience, kindness, confidence, and affection. It is the duty of each of you to find your greatest joy in the company of the other. You must remember that your love pledged today must remain undivided for a lifetime."

I inhaled sharply. It was time for the vows.

"Do you, Damien Tyler Atkinson, take Emersyn Mellisende James as your wife, to love her, to cherish her, and to support her, in times of joy and in times of difficulty? Do you promise with all your heart and soul to honor your vows till death do you apart?"

"I do," I said, my voice almost firm.

"Would you like to speak your vows?" The pastor asked.

I hadn't specifically prepared anything but decided to try my best.

"Emery, I promise to stand by your side while you face the world. I vow to support your every heartfelt decision and to be someone you can rely upon without any doubt. I shall stay true to this bond till my very last breath," I said and slid a simple yet elegant platinum ring down her slender finger.

"Do you, Emersyn Millisende James, take Damien Tyler Atkinson as your husband, to love him, to cherish him, and to support him, in times of joy and in times of difficulty? Do you promise with all your heart and soul to honor your vows till death do you apart?"

"I do," she said, her voice surprisingly steady but filled with emotions. Her eyes seemed to flash with mixed emotions, the moment being too quick for me to analyze.

"Would you like to speak your vows?" The pastor asked Emery.

"Yes," she said. This surprised me. I did not expect her to prepare anything but I wanted to hear her.

"Today marks a new chapter in our lives. Today, I want to make promises to you that I will keep it till my last breath. I promise to share your joys and sorrows and all that God has to offer us till my last breath. I promise you my everlasting devotion, my loyalty, and my respect. I promise to be faithful and supportive and to always make our family's love and happiness my priority. I will be yours in plenty and want, sickness, health, failure, and triumph. I will dream with you, celebrate with you, and walk beside you through whatever our lives may bring," she spoke looking straight in my eyes through her veil.

Her eyes reflected truth and sincerity right then. The heat in my cheeks was knocked up a few degrees, and a small grin crept its way up my face. That was eloquence in its best form, as expected from such a gorgeous person.

"Mr. Atkinson and Miss. James, having witnessed your vows for marriage before God and all who are assembled here, by the authority invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride!" the pastor declared, and the moment I had been expecting was finally upon me.

I took a step towards Emersyn and saw her stiffen slightly. I slowly lifted her veil and that's when she looked up at me with those unreadable eyes, but she quickly blinked and gave me a small smile. I lowered my head and placed a light peck on her forehead followed by her apple-like cheeks.

I could hear both families applauding us, I lightly placed my hand on her waist, facing our families who came rushing to us. This would be a long day...

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