“Noproblem,Elena.Leaveittome.”
“It’snotabigjobandtakesonlyafewminutes,butit’sthebeginningoftheweddingandaveryseriousbusiness.Doup!”Markpattedhischestandsaidfidently,
“Itoldyounoproblem.Pleasebelieveme,Elena.Idoit.Leaveittome.”Elenanodded,smiledathimandholdingthehandsoftheflirndtheringbearerwalkedthemtowardsthehallwayofthechurchtowaitforthesignalfromthemasterofceremoobegintheirwalkdowntheredcarpettowardsthealtar.Shethenquicklywalkedbacktohercousiakecareofthelong,nine-footlongtrain.
Thelittlegirl,carefullyscatteringflowerpetalsthtaofherontheredcarpetandtheboysolemnlybearingthesmalltrayswerethefirsttowalkintothechurchaglowwithdlelightandperfumedwithvishbouquetsofwhiterosestiedwithwhitesatinribbons.TheanmusicswelledtoacresdoandarteddowntheaisleonthearmsofMarkinadriftingswirlofwhitesilkandhernine-footlongtraintrailinglikeacloudbehindherbeingatteobyherlovelybridesmaid,Elena.MarkhappeobestandihegardensatthefrorahechurdickedbyElenaonthespurofthemomenttogivethebrideaway.HewalkedslowlyandcarefullyontheredcarpetwithNovelonhisarms,hisexpressionmostlyseriousandsolemnbutbrightehaslightsmilepyingtoperfethepartofalovingbrivingawayhissistertoperfe.Whentheyreachedthealtar,oppedandtheanmusietoahalt.Inthesilehemuchrespectedwhite-hairedpastanbyaskinginadeep,resonantandsonorousvoice,
“Whogivesthiswomantobemarriedtothisman?”
“Ido”repliedMarkclearly.Thenhepovel’shandintoMr.O’Brian’s,hemandsteppedback.Withasighofreliefthathehaddonehispartwithoutaglitch,Markwalkedbackdowntheaisleandwhileeveryotentionwasteredonthebrideandgroom,heslippedunobtrusivelyawayfromthechurch.MakinghiswayaroundthegardentothebatraintoLaverrailer.
Theattentionofthesixteeiesscatteredinthefourtrailersoutsidethebatrahechurchwereallilytratedonthergestransmittingtheweddingoftheturyasittookpce.Whichyoungwomawishtohaveasolemnbutvishwedding?Whichyoungwomanisnotedwithherfuturehappiness?Amongthosesixteeies,Aisha’sfeelingsweredeeplystirredahemostonhermind.She,thequeenoftheKingdomofDreams,wasnowptheembarrassingpositionoflookingforandsideringchoosinganewspouse.Howcouldshebearthatandwhiinthismundaneworldcouldbeparabletoherpositionandtalent…?
Theceremonyonthesroceedingacctoprotocol.Theofficiatingpastorwassaying,
“Dearlybeloved,wearegatheredheretodayinthesightofGod,andinthefaceofthisgregation,tojoiherthismanandthiswomaninholymatrimony.Ifanypersonshowjustcausewhytheymaynotbejoiogether,letthemspeaknoworforeverholdtheirpeace.”Hestoppedforamomentandlookedaround.Aseppedforwardtostoptheweddiurohebrideandasked,
“DoyouNovelSilkestakeRobertO’Briantobeyourwfullyweddedhusband,tohaveandtoholdfromthisdayforward,forbetterorforworse,forricherorforpoorer,insiessandih,toloveandcherishtilldeathyoudopart?”
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