Kingdom Come

VII. From Eden

Finan smiled at his younger friend proudly, he just might get her after this. Hopefully. Jaehaera could tell her pale skin did nothing to hide her now bright pink cheeks and neck. "Thank you, Sihtric," she answered quietly. She looked at her feet again before braving to look at the others. "Are we going to this wedding or not?"

"We were waiting on you," Finan laughed, gesturing towards the church where Boecca and her aunt were getting married. "Though one of us was rewarded for his patience," Finan mumbled under his breath. Sihtric heard anyway and shoved him. Finan took Hild's arm, and the group began their walk. Sihtric held out his for her to take nervously, which she did after a thank you.

The group found Beocca, Thyra, her father and mother, and Aethelwold in the church already when they arrived. Jaehaera couldn't help but be confused as to why Aethelwold had come, but she took her spot behind her mother on Thyra's side of the church. "I am witness," her father began, as he placed Beocca's hands together with Thyra's. "You are together, never to part, bound as man and his wife." He finished wrapping the chords around the two's hands.

"And prayer?" Beocca added.

"I don't know any prayers," her father told him with a smile. Jaehaera stood next to her mother, nudging her playfully with a smile. She wished she could have been there for her and her father's wedding, but she knew why she couldn't.

"I will say a prayer," Hild answered as she left Jaehaera's other side.

"Hild," Beocca smiled at her thankfully, "please."

Hild placed her hands over their tied hands. "Let us pray," the nun began. Jaehaera had been taught by Hild what to do. They were now all supposed to close their eyes and bow their heads, as was the custom for their religion. Through their actions and Hild's words, they were all now praying to Hild's God. She glared back at the three men when they didn't do as the nun instructed. Sihtric looked at the woman with shock, but the three followed her actions anyway. "That God, and all His Saints and all His angels in heaven, smile and bless you. Let us pray that this union of Dane and Saxon can show that this is a land for all people."

"Under one God," Beocca added. Jaehaera rolled her eyes but smiled. She opened her eyes but kept her head bowed.

"Under one God, of course," Hild agreed, "Amen."

"Amen," she and the others added. Immediately Thyra and Beocca embraced in an endearing hug. Hild clapped happily, and so did Jaehaera; loudly. Her father looked at her with a bright smile while he shook his head at his daughter.

After Hild finished, everyone loitered for a while longer. She hugged both the newlyweds fiercely. She loved both so much, and she couldn't be happier, and she told them so. Then the door opening caught her attention, Aethelwold had walked out without a word to anyone. She rolled her eyes at the man and found her spot next to her father and Finan. Uhtred wrapped an arm around the shoulder of the girl.

"When are you going to tell the man what Sihtric saw?" Finan asked her father. "That the ghost is a lie?"

"Can I do it, father?" Jaehaera asked with a smile.

"No you may not," her father told her, returning her smile even when hers fell at his words. "If I tell him, he'll talk and Sigefrid will hear. They must believe that we believe."

The next wedding they all found themselves attending was that of the King's daughter, Aethelflaed to the next turd King, Aethelred. She stood between her mother and Thyra as they waited for the girl to enter. Finan and Sihtric stood behind her looking positively bored out of their minds.

"I do enjoy another wedding," Aethelwold's voice whispered to her father. She gritted her teeth together to hold herself from ripping the man's throat out. "A royal wedding, in particular, is a tonic for the soul. The excitement, the expense-"