Herm and Rami walked hand-in-hand across the glaring desert sands. They made their way to the high walls that separated their master's compound from the other compounds. They waited until the guards were not looking. And they hid behind an immense, strong gotapo tree with its branches up high off of the ground. It was not higher than the wall. But it was high enough. There, in that corner, they could not be seen.
Herm turned to Rami and he smiled. A sort of secretive, exuberant smile. Rami smiled back. And it was a joyful, victorious smile laced with fear. They were both afraid.
It was a wedding. You were meant to be afraid.
"Can I kiss you?" Rami whisphered to Herm.
"Yes," Herm answered back.
They leaned forwards to press their lips against Herm's and he ran his fingers through their hair. It was glorious. It felt like light was fire working inside them both. It felt like the pain of the world was being washed away. Even though it wasn't, not really.
Finally the two stopped kissing. They needed to get on with the wedding of course.
"That was beautiful." Herm smiled at Rami. And it was a sad sort of smile. An exhausted sort of smile. But it was a smile anyways.
"Yes, it was," Rami smiled back, eyes overwhelmed with aching sadness and unquantifiable love.
They kept looking at each other for a while, even after their smiles had faded into blankness. They stood there, holding hands, feeling each other's pain. Feeling each other's love. Feeling each other's hope.
"We should get started on the ceremony," Herm whispered.
"You're right. We should. We don't have long." And oh it was so heartbreakingly true. They didn't have long. They never had long. But they made made the most of what they had. Of every sweet, stolen moment.
And no moment was as stolen as a wedding moment.
"I'm ready to speak my vows." Rami's soft voice was laced with excitement. With adoration. Even with a little bit of pure joy.
"Go on Rami." Herm's soft, steady voice had a soft sort of gladness to it, and a warm kindness. It also had a heartbreaking sort of exhaustion. An exhaustion of the soul.
"I..." They stopped, and bowed their head shyly while breaking into a smile.
"Go on," Herm coaxed. "I'll love you, whatever you say."
"I know. It's just ... ugh I want to get this right."
"Whatever you say will be perfectly right."
"Aww thank you. You're so sweet."
"You're so sweet too."
"Can I kiss you?"
"Sure."
The two exchanged more kisses, in the darkness between the thick walls and the thick trunk of the tree. And each kiss was perfect, was as concentratedly sweet as the first kiss.
"I'm actually ready now." Rami's soft voice floated through the tiny space. Hearing it, Harm smiled.
"I ... I want you to have all good things in life. I wish that I could give you your freedom. I wish that I could give you rest. I wish that I could give you power. But all I can give you is love."
"All I want you to give me is your love," Herm replied. "When I'm with you I feel as if my heart is free. When I'm with you I feel as if my soul has power."
"You make me feel free too," Rami responded. "You make me feel a secret freedom that our Depur will never know about. You make me feel a secret sort of power hidden deep in our kisses. You make me feel hope. Hope for all the people that we will become free. Some day. Somehow."
"You heal me," Herm told Rami. "You heal the most jagged, wounded pieces of my soul, after Depur leaves me broken from her cruelty. You ease the hurt. Soothe the pain. Not all the way. But what you do is work miracles. What you do is impossible. From the depths of my misery you make me feel better."
"You make me feel better too," Rami responded. "Depur makes me feel like I am nothing. But you, you remind me of who I am. You remind me that I'm worth so much more than the work of my hands. I'm worth so much more than Depur says I am. I am not nothing. I am not a tool."
"Rami, you make me feel like I am in an oasis in the desert. You make me feel like I am gazing at the stars. You make me feel like my life is something more than misery and tragedy. You make me feel like there is beauty in it too."
"Herm, you make me feel like escape. You make feel like a secret. I can be who I truly am with you. And you see me for everything I am. You accept me for everything I am. You love me for everything I am."
"Rami, you love me even when I am finding it hard to find hope. You love me even when I am hurting myself. You love me even when I'm at my lowest. And you love every spark of joy that I feel."
"You love me even when I don't love myself. You help me to love myself. And you help me to love all the slaves in the whole world."
"You make me feel a sense of purpose. You motivate me to love everyone. You motivate me to help everyone as much as I can. You motivate me to fight for everyone."
"You make me realize that I have so much to contribute to all of the people. You help me know that I can help people. That I can make their lives better."
"You help me feel connected with all the slaves. With everyone in this galaxy who is going through oppression."
"You make me connect to my higher self. You make me know that I have a spirit that is transcendent."
"You support me."
"You support me too."
"You light a fire inside me that nothing can put out."
"You carve a river in me which never stops flowing."
"Can I kiss you?"
"Yes."
The two of them kissed for a long moment. A moment that was beautiful. A moment that was precious. A moment that seemed all too short and never ending both at the same time. They kissed deeply and passionately. And when they finally broke the kiss, they looked deep into each others' eyes and they saw fire sparking to life between them.
"Rami," Herm started, "you're wonderful. You're beyond wonderful. Words cannot describe how amazing you are. You are secretive and clever and sensitive and kind. You are understanding and wise and so incredibly sweet."
"Herm," Remi echoed, "You are amazing. You are so angry and hopeful and so full of wonder. You are so kind and curious and thoughtful. You are so much. And I'm so glad I have you in my life."
"Rami. I would die for you. You make me feel like I am alive. Even if it's for the briefest moments. That's still a miracle."
"Herm. I would die for you too. I hope I am never separated from you."
"Even if they take you away from me, you will always be in my heart."
"Even if they separate us we will be together in the rain."
"We will be together in the rain."
"We will be together in the rain."
"Forever."
"Everyone will be together in the rain."
"And the whole world will be united."
"Herm, I will always love you to the best of my abilities. And I will always try to heal you and make you see your power."
"Rami, I will always love you, and try to heal you, and support you whenever you need it."
"Herm, I will always try to be there for you, and I will always want you, and I will always try to give you joy."
"Rami, I will always try to show you your amazingness. And I will try to make you not think of Depur."
"I will try to make you feel free."
"And I will try to make you feel free too."
"And I will try to hide your soul from Depur."
"And I you."
"I will be with you for as long as I can."
"I will be with you as long as I can."
"And when the rain comes, I will fight for your freedom. And I will fight for everyone's freedom."
"When the rain comes I will give everything I can to the cause, for you and for everyone."
"Can I kiss you?"
"You can."
And with a kiss Rami and Herm sealed their vows to each other. Though the vows would not be truly sealed until they blended their Tzai recipes.
So they took each other's hands, smiled victoriously and secretively, and they stepped out from their hiding space underneath the tree. Holding hands, the couple went back to the slave quarters where their people were waiting for them.