38 Ceremony

I woke up early the next morning laid with Clio beside me, last night was fun we drank and told stories, Astrid and Ubbe embarrassed me quite a bit of tales of my youth as expected, Egil had started to come around more as well.

Getting out of bed quietly to not wake Clio, I got dressed and made my way outside to clean up, it was a cold but bright morning as the grass was covered in frost, I had to break the ice of the washbasin to get clean, when I'd finished and got dressed I made my way back inside Astrid was sat at the table sewing something.

"Morning Astrid, what you doing?" I asked as I sat across from her.

"Morning Fenris, I'm just making a dress for Clio" she answered not looking up from her work.

"Oh, you don't have to you know" I replied as I took out 2 rings from my pouch, I'd gotten Zodry to pop back to Ireland to fetch them, the rings we're silver and each had a small gem embedded in the band, as I played around with them I was thinking of what they should look like for a family ring. Taking out a block of wood with dark blue veins in it I push my nature manipulation to make it grow longer and roots started to form on one end after a bundle of roots grew so did the block into a long thin branch-like trunk that had a spiral of veins across its length, snapping the trunk in half I transfigured the wood to bend into the shape of a coin and removed all the brown pieces along the way. What was left was a disc of dark blue wood, I reproduced it again and started to draw runes in the air with my hand, the family crest I had made yesterday was crafted out of protection, partnership and growth runes. Along the edge I made a runic circle of mental protection, detect curse, reinforcement and life force runes.

Hopefully, the life force runes will prolong Clio's life until I can study Qetsiyahs immortality spell. I could always add more runes later so that would do for now, When I shrunk down the runes and embedded them into the wood discs the dark blue brightened and became almost electric, It buzzed with magic power. Moving on to the ring I removed the gemstone and transfigured the band to look like vines twisted together, to hold the Crest of wood I shaped it to look like two hawks grabbing it in their claws facing opposite directions and place the coin of wood inside to fix everything in place.

I was satisfied with my work and just hoped Clio would like it, I then moved on to my own ring, removing the stone I transfigured the band to look like tree bark, kind of like scales, to hold the wooden coin in place I shaped it to look like two wolves chasing each other's tails and fixed that together as well.

"Astrid, do you think Clio will like these?" I asked as I looked up from my craft and handed them over, I was going to use our blood to bond them to us in the ceremony id picked that little ritual up in one of the grimoires I had looted.

Astrid looked up from her dress and reached out to take the rings, when she looked at them closer she was shocked by the intricacies of the design, everything was heavily detailed.

"These are amazing Fenris where did you get them?" She asked in shock

"What? didn't you just see me make them from 2 silver rings?" I asked confused

"What? Did you make this? I didn't see anything I've been working" she was surprised

"Oh yeah I used magic to shape 2 silver rings anyway do you think Clio will like them?" I asked again.

"Oh Fenris, I'm sure Clio will like anything you give her, she really loves you you know?" She stated like it was a fact and I was shocked this time, id been with Clio a bit over a year now and we had never said we loved each other.

"Really? Does she love me? How do you know?" I asked repeatedly

"Are you blind? Can't you tell?" She questioned exasperated

"Erm, I don't know? I guess I can tell she likes me but love? I have no idea" I murmured I could tell I was getting on her nerves.

"You idiot" she sighed handing the rings back over and getting back down to her sewing, I was at a loss of what to say so I just kept quiet and put my things away. Getting up I went outside to meditate it had been a while since I went into my mindscape and I wanted to improve it and compile my new memories and spells id learned.

As I sat down on the cold ground I shut my eyes and steadied my breathing, it didn't take long to enter my mind and I began to wonder around adding additional runes and compiling memories when I can across new ones. I started to add more things into my psyche small birds began to fly around, squirrels ran through the trees. I made a huge longhouse and kept all the memories of the children inside.

When I was finished going over the spells and cataloguing them in their area I ventured to the cave in the centre of my mind palace, sat upright watching with green speckled red eyes with a golden pupil the entrance was a 40-foot tall pitch black wolf with a silver tri pronged crown that covered its ears and top of its head.

I approached and got even closer than last time and it didn't look like I would be cast away this time, so I continued and kept eye contact with it, myself? I don't know how to explain it, we were both each other.

"Hey, can we integrate yet?" I asked feeling strange talking to my inner self.

"Not yet, but you don't need to we are one and your mind will be weak without me." It replied in my own voice, it was really strange like having a conversation with an echo.

"Hmm, I hadn't thought about that" I confessed.

"You have just not at the forefront of your mind" he explained, I explained?

'Huh guess I have' I thought with a chuckle, "okay I'll leave for now I'll come back soon" I announced with a wave as I left the cave and left my mindscape. Getting up and going back inside I noticed everyone was awake and talking at the table.

"Morning everyone" I announced my arrival and kissed Clio on the cheek as I took my seat and grabbed some food on the table.

"Okay after breakfast you lot can leave while Clio gets ready" Astrid declared

"I need to go into town to get gifts anyway" Ubbe responded

"I'll go to" answered Egil

"Okay I'll go into town as well it's been a while since I visited Frida and Brandr," I notified Astrid.

"Who's Frida and Brandr?" Clio asked

"They were my friends when I was younger, they were killed in a raid on the town I buried them and raised a Yew in their memory" I replied with weakness in my voice, I still felt I could have done more for them.

"Oh, I'm sorry Fenris" she comforted me with a hand on my back,

"It's okay Clio it's in the past I can't bring them back and I wouldn't want to, the memories are enough" I forced a smile at her.

"Enough with the sombre attitude today should be a happy day! I'm sure their watching you from the great hall and are proud" Astrid let out and that actually brought my spirit up.

"Yeah, today Is the day Clio becomes my wife" I announced with a huge grin as I continued eating as Ubbe laughed.

Over breakfast, I told Astrid about the ceremony and what she would have to do, it wasn't much she would just declare to the witnesses and the gods that she preceded over the ceremony and our magic and vows would do the rest.

"Clio are you okay with this?" I asked worriedly

"Absolutely Fenris, Blood bonded weddings hold for a long time and we even get to share some of our magic and abilities with each other and our descendants afterwards" she replied joyfully,

The Grimoire never said anything about that, I knew our descendants gained them as family magic was born, but as soon as she explained that one of my wishes kicked in, I began to comprehend what a blood bond was; connecting blood and magic through a ritual linked 2 beings, it was similar to how I bonded with the elves but more powerful, Clio would gain a slight bit of my abilities, she would become a half immortal meaning she would have longevity and remain in her prime but not become a werewolf without biting her. Her mind would improve with the addition of an eidetic memory but she would have to construct her own mind palace. But most importantly she would gain a slither of the blessings I've received.

"Great! That's even better!" I shouted in happiness after a brief period of staring into space as the knowledge entered my mind, and then I kissed her and she chuckled when I pulled away with a huge smile.

"Okay, out we've got to get ready! Come back later to take us to the venue" Astrid shouted pushing all 3 of us to the door.

We all left the house laughing and made our way into town while talking about what they were going to do, apparently, Ubbe was sworn not to tell me and Egil was going to see his friends for a while, I told them to meet back at the house at midday and we would all go to the venue, together.

As I walked through town and greeted the folk I made my way to the lovers yew, it had grown massively over the years most likely due to the rune stones id placed around it. As I got there I sat down and started to talk about everything, my life so far, Clio, my worries for the future even if I didn't get a response I was relieved to just get it off my chest.

I sat there for a few hours as Toskr scuttled the branches when the sun was at its peak I set back off to the farmstead excited and worried at the same time when I obtained Odin's blessing it was painful, as my bones and muscles changed I aged rapidly to reach my prime, luckily Clio was in her prime at 22 so she wouldn't age.

As I got back to the farmstead Ubbe and Egil were waiting outside and Astrid was at the door looking inside as Clio made her way out, what I saw took my breath away. Clio was wearing a light green and yellow gown that had flowers stitched into the front, her hair was tied up in a braid that wrapped around her head accented with flowers and a bridal crown sat atop as the rest fell down to her mid-back.

I knew she wouldn't be wearing a white dress like a modern wedding, Viking women emphasized their looks with the hair. As I gazed at her she gazed back with a blaze of love in her eyes, as of this moment I knew I would cherish her for centuries. Making my way forward I reached out my hand for her to take and couldn't help pulling her closer I kissed her forehead and confessed with as much affection I could muster

"You look divine, now I feel underdressed"

With a chuckle, she wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me on the cheek with a bright smile.

"Don't worry about it I would still marry you if you wore rags"

"Nope I can't look like a beggar while my woman looks like a goddess" I expressed and took a step back and waved my hand over my body getting rid of the grime and transfiguring my outfit, my black trousers warped into grey ones with a Celtic knot pattern stitched up the sides, my leg wraps turned green with runes running along their length, my tunic top transformed from a sleeveless vest into a long-sleeved almost white tunic with green trim and Yggdrasil on the back, my belt thickened and had Fjörgynsson in runes "ᚠᛃᛖᚱᚷᚢᚾᛊᛟᚾ" written along it.

After my outfit had changed I run my hand through my hair that had been growing for a while now and it began to braid the top into an almost mohawk style that I lifted and brushed the sides and back of my head and my hair began to fall away. (Just like ragnars before he went short or bald) I was glad I had practised alongside the children or it would have taken a considerable amount of time to do.

"There that feels better shall we get going?" I announced and grabbed her hand and looked at her as she looked me up and down.

"Yes let's go!" She beamed a beautiful smile that brightened the day even with the rays of the sun bearing down on us.

"Before we go I know this isn't a traditional wedding but I was hoping we could do some of the rituals involved, I know you both have bathed today so that's one off the list but I know you two won't have your ancestors swords to transfer to each other but I've bought you both one so maybe you can start the tradition in your family" Ubbe announced as he handed over two swords, they were a simple design without any decorations.

"Thank you Ubbe, we will keep these both safe" I asserted with conviction as I attached it to my belt and clio did the same,

"Yes thank you" Clio let out with a smile.

"Let's go then" Astrid announced and we began walking to the forest.

As we got closer and closer I started to get more and more excited, I could tell Clio was as well by the way she was squeezing my hand as we walked together. I heard Astrid grumbling behind us about the venue after we had been walking for almost an hour but when we walked past the treeline into the clearing she was lost for words.

"This is beautiful!" Clio shouted as she marched me up the steps to the trunk admiring the scenery.

"Glad you like it, this is the altar where we will perform the ceremony" I announced as we stepped off the last step and I felt the magic drift over us like it was excited to begin.

As Astrid followed us up and Ubbe and Egil stood below she began the Ceremony.

"On this day with mother magic, Fjörgyn and the mother as witnesses, we are here to bond these two in blood" she began and the runic circle illuminated the symbols of each deity mentioned.

"To confirm this marriage I ask Freya, Frigg, Lofn and Aine to allow these two to bond" and the runes continued to fill with light.

"To begin we shall handfast these two while they preform the bond" Astrid continued as me and Clio just gazed at each other feeling the magic dance around us.

"With my magic, I will cut your palm," we both said at the same time both reaching out our right hands and casting a small cutting charm to the opposite palm,

"With my blood, I shall bond with you, so mote it be" we both continued together, it was as if magic was dictating what we should say. As our hand clasped together a bright golden light spiralled up our arms onto our chests and stopped at our hearts as Astrid tied a bit of Fabric around our hands.

"With this sword, I give my protection and life to you" I declared as I unsheathed the sword and lifted it over our clasped hands.

"With this sword, I shall be the shield for your back and you for mine" Clio declared as she unsheathed her sword as well and held it alongside mine.

"With this ring that represents the whole of my being, I give to you my everything," we both announced as two rings floated out of my pouch without me casting a spell and rested on the tip of each sword when it landed it felt as if I could speak freely again.

"With my everything, my life is bonded to yours, my magic yours to use, my love yours to receive, until the world ends I'll forever be your husband" I declared as I tipped her ring towards Clio.

"With my everything, my soul is yours to take, my magic yours to wield, until the earth is gone I'll forever be your wife" Clio declared with a big smile and misty eyes as she tipped her sword towards me.

"In this marriage, I will not command you and nor you me, for this is a marriage of equals" I announced

"In this marriage, I will not claim ownership and nor will you, for we are free people" Clio announced as the tied bindings unravelled and fell to the floor as the light of the bond travelled up our arms into our hearts. Unclasping our hands we reached for the rings and took them from the sword tip and sheathed the swords again. I took Clio's ring in my hand and grabbed her hand with my other.

"With this ring, you are my wife" I announced as I slid the ring on her left ring finger.

"With this ring, you are my husband" Clio declared with tears in her eyes as she slid the ring on my left ring finger.

"With the gods and Us as a witness, I declare this union finalized" Astrid announced as I grabbed Clio into a deep kiss, the magic continued to dance around us and I noticed the magic circle fully lit up as I closed my eyes and contained the kiss.