Dreamwalker's Bride - Chapter 453

Chapter 453: Wonderful
Ford pulled at his collar. The family didn’t waste any time once the engagement was official; it had been only two weeks since he’d asked Mia to marry him.

And today was the day. He stood at the end of the orchard-lined road, which made a perfect wedding canopy for the sunny day.

It seemed fitting to wed Mia less than a stone’s throw from where he’d seen her for the first time.

Trace held a chair for Anaisa, while most of the guests stood in lines to watch the proceedings.

Ford had been assured it would be short, though he’d never attended a wedding here before. Or ever, really.

Nervous, he waited. The guests seemed to stare at him, and for the first time in a while, he missed his powers. To disappear from their observation would be quite a relief!

In the next moment, however, he completely forgot about his musings. The door of the home opened, and a vision in white drifted towards him.

Ford had been told that Sarah’s dress could be altered to fit Mia, thus making the expedited wedding far more possible.

They had done a fantastic job, for the fabric clung to her as if created and spun solely for the purpose of making Mia appear more beautiful than ever before.

The way she glided towards him almost reminded Ford of the wights, and the way their feet never really seemed to touch the ground.

Of course, that made perfect sense. He felt like floating, himself.

It had been difficult to honor his promise to Seth. He’d perhaps even seemed withdrawn at times over the past months, trying to respect the physical boundaries propriety demanded… but soon, oh so soon, those barriers would fall away.

How long was the ceremony, again?

His lips parted to ask, but the words wouldn’t come. Mia was closer now, and he didn’t want to spend a second looking at anyone but her.

Shining hair cascaded down her shoulders, loose instead of confined to its usual braid. Its splendor would put the finest jewels in the Emperor’s golden forest to shame.

Even as he thought these things, Ford lamented that he never had the courage to say them out loud to Mia. They would sound so silly to her…

The officiant welcomed the guests, and gave a short speech about marriage, responsibility, and love binding people together for the greater good. Ford couldn’t really listen once Mia’s hand was placed in his.

He repeated the vows, meaning every word as he said it but instantly forgetting each sentence once it had left his mouth. Perhaps someone would write it down so that he could remember, later.

Right now, all he really wanted to remember was Mia’s beautiful face. The blush in her cheeks, the flutter of her eyelashes, the curve of her lips.

A slight rumble ran through the gathered crowd, startling Ford out of his reverie. He blinked, and Mia turned a bit deeper shade of pink.

“I said, you may kiss the bride,” The Officiant pursed his lips.

“Finally,” The word slipped out of Ford’s lips before he could think better of it. He grimaced, wishing he could take it back, but the good-natured chuckles of those nearest were all the encouragement he needed to ignore his embarrassment and follow through with the instruction.

Leaning forward, he gently pressed his lips to Mia’s. Hers were soft, and yielding. Inviting. Intoxicating, if he were honest.

Ford pulled back before he could be drawn deeper under their influence, but with his eyes he promised much more, later.

Mia winked!

That startled him beyond being able to react as Mia tucked her hand into his elbow and turned to the applause of the gathered crowd.

Now he somehow had to get through this reception and greet everyone before being allowed the liberty to take his new wife home.

__

Trace watched the celebration with a soft smile on his face and an arm around his wife. Things were far from over for them, but the wedding lent a sense of change that was refreshing.

The dreamwalker and his wife had been needed often in the Capital these last months for aid in the treaty. Trace, for his knowledge of the Emperor through watching his dreams, and Anaisa for her talent in placating the Emperor’s anger.

She had been unhappy about the trips back and forth, both to the capital and the two times she’d been taken by dragons to meet the Emperor again, to relay her memories of what King Harold had promised and said.

Anaisa’s theory was that the Emperor knew that her memories couldn’t lie, and so had made her keep the magic for negotiation purposes.

Still, the journeys were exhausting, and had made her begin to vomit after a few months.

Of course, that had turned out to have another cause entirely. Trace glanced down at her swollen belly.

“Do you need to go rest?” He leaned down to whisper in her ear.

“I’ve had enough babies to know exactly when I need to go rest and when I’m fine,” She reminded him, though her voice was a little tight. The tone she often had when she was being kicked particularly hard.

“Little man giving you trouble?” He teased.

“It’s a girl this time,” She shot a mocking glare at him. “I can feel it.”

“That’s what you said last time, and the time before,” Trace reminded gently. “I think we must resign ourselves to having only sons.”

“Our sons are amazing,” She looked out at where their children played with the others. Daniel was putting on a show for the littlest ones while the adults danced and partook of food.

“This one will be, too,” He nodded.

“It is a girl,” Anaisa turned to fuss at him, but her expression changed so suddenly that his heart skipped a beat.

“Anaisa?”

“We’ll settle this argument shortly,” She swallowed and placed a hand on her belly. “Can you help me get inside?”

“What–now? Baby’s coming now??” Trace’s mind went into panic mode. Though he’d done this four times before, it didn’t lessen his anxiety one bit.

“Hush! I won’t ruin Ford and Mia’s day by taking any attention from them,” Anaisa warned. “We’ll just tell everyone I’m a bit tired. But hurry. Oooooooooh hurry.”

Trace wasted not a second more. Scooping her into his arms, he set off towards the house and the spare bedroom. His mother was distracted by a little scraped knee, but Sarah seemed to catch on.

“What do you need?” She came close and walked alongside them. “What’s already been prepared?”

“Clean towels, boiling water…” Trace listed the items from memory as his sister-in-law opened the door to let him get inside.

“Nooooooo…” Anaisa groaned. “Putmedownputmedownoooooooo….”

Trace blinked, but managed to get her to a bed while Anaisa huffed and groaned. He washed his hands quickly and returned to her side.

“Now! Baby now!” She gasped out, and he smoothed her hair.

“I know it seems like it takes forever, but just breathe and be patient–” He tried to soothe her.

“NOW!” She flailed forward, and Trace finally understood. The baby would not be forever.

In fact, to his great shock, he was holding a perfect, tiny human in his hands less than a minute later.

“Tell me… I was right,” Anaisa panted.

“You were right,” He nodded. “We have a daughter.”

“And so quickly!” Sarah bustled around the room, tying off the cord and cutting it, then getting more clean towels. “None of my births were so simple! Trace, can you wash your daughter while I finish taking care of your wife?”

Trace nodded, taking the newest person in the world to a clean washbasin and gently bathing the little girl.

Her tiny head boasted large tufts of red hair.

By the time he brought her back to Anaisa, she was as clean as he could manage, and crying.

“She’s beautiful,” He whispered. “But I didn’t even think of any girl names, I was so convinced…”

“Eislyn,” Anaisa held out her arms and took the child. “It means ‘Dream’.”

“It’s pretty,” Trace tried it out on his tongue as he looked at the helpless babe. “Eislyn.”

He kissed both their foreheads gently. “Rest now. I’ll join you both in your dreams later.”

She sighed, and nodded, snuggling their new daughter close.

Laughter outside made him stand and move to the window. The bride and groom were about to set off home. Sarah had gone out to join as the mother of the bride, and Trace felt a momentary pang that she missed part of the festivities.

He was sure she would say that being one of the first people to meet a new little baby was always worth it.

“Take her… to say goodbye to them.” Anaisa said quietly. “I’ll take a little nap.”

“I thought you didn’t want to take any attention away from the wedding?” He raised one eyebrow.

“Mia will be mad if she doesn’t get to meet Eislyn… just for a moment. I thought it would be much longer.”

“If you say so.” Trace washed his hands again and took his daughter. “I’ll be back soon.”

He wrapped her carefully and walked slowly outside. Stepping into the sunlight of the porch, he couldn’t help but marvel.

“Did you know, Eislyn,” He asked his softly mewling infant, “That you have an amazing mother? She came from a harsh beginning, but rose above all of it. She helped make such a wondrous peace between humans and the wight Emperor that one day, you might even get to have magic of your own. It’s a new world you get to see today, for your birthday. A new marriage, a new treaty… a new life.”

Trace paused, looking out over the land. Over his family, friends, neighbors, and children. Laughter and love abounded.

“And it’s going to be every bit as wonderful as you are.”