A Bond of Three (35 page)

Aroman gulped. “I understand. Thank you for pleading my case. Whatever befalls me, I shall not forget that.” He looked from Sorran to the king. “My fate is in your hands, Your Majesty.” He squared his shoulders and looked him in the eye.

Sorran regarded his father with interest.

The king gazed levelly at Aroman. “You shall return to Vancor after the wedding. Once there, you will stand trial.” He gave Sorran a glance. “I doubt you will have someone there who will speak for you as eloquently as my son, but we shall see.”

Aroman bowed once more.

The king smiled, completely changing his countenance. “And now I should return Prince Sorran to his chamber to ready himself for his wedding, or the queen will never forgive me.”

Sorran gave Aroman one last look as they exited the cell. The warrior held himself erect, his back rigid, and gave Sorran a brief nod. Sorran returned it, and then followed his father through the palace.

His husbands-to-be awaited him.

T
ANISH
STOOD
with Malin at the front of the audience chamber, watching the guests arrive, their faces smiling.

Malin had cast off his black cloak to reveal the traditional dark green robes of an adviser. His long white hair was caught in a clasp at his shoulder, decorated with a hummingbird. He looked Tanish up and down with a smile. “If I may say, Your Majesty looks wonderful.”

Tanish glanced at his wedding robe of deep blue. His heart had raced when he’d put it on, the memory of that first wedding still sharp in his mind.

This one will be different.

A thought occurred to him that sent his heart fluttering. “Malin, it occurs to me that I do not know what is about to happen. This is no ordinary wedding.”

Malin chuckled and patted his arm. “I doubt you would feel reassured, Your Majesty, if I were to tell you that the high priest uttered the same words to me this morning. Who knows the last time such a ceremony took place? So long ago that no record has survived to tell us of it.”

Tanish stared at him. “But… he is to conduct it. Surely….” He had been so elated to have his lovers restored to him that he had not thought to speak with the priest. The expression on Malin’s face assured him that he need have no fear.

Malin adjusted the purple cloak that had been his father’s. “He would have loved to see this day.”

Tanish heard the tremor in Malin’s voice. It was his turn to pat Malin’s arm. Tanish had thought of his father when he had put on the cloak. The interment had only been days before, and had it not been for the wedding, Tanish would have mourned him for a longer period.

He regarded the guests in their finery. King Beron and Queen Vasha were seated at the front, both smiling. They caught his gaze and bowed their heads to him. Across the chamber sat two women. They wore simple clothes that stood out against the fine robes of the Great Houses, but their expressions filled Tanish with joy. One look at the younger woman’s features revealed their identity. Tanish was delighted to see Feyar’s mother and sister at the wedding.

Throughout the chamber, he caught glimpses of red, and he watched anxiously to see the reaction of those around the
Seruani
who had decided to attend the wedding. Tanish had made it clear to the guards at the main door that all
Seruani
would be welcome. Among the faces of those who had come, he saw one that sent his heart racing. Erinor flushed and bowed his head, his
cashor
folded around him.

The cashor will remain a symbol of the
Seruani
, but now they wear it as a badge of honor.

“It is time, Your Majesty.”

Malin’s quietly uttered words sent shivers down his spine. He gave a start at the horns’ triumphant blasts and turned to watch his lovers walk slowly through the middle of the assembled guests. Feyar was dressed in a white robe, over which he wore the
cashor
. Tanish smiled at seeing it. They had discussed it that morning, and it had been Feyar’s decision to wear his
Seruan
cloak.

Beside him, Sorran wore his wedding robe and cloak. Both men were smiling as they approached the throne. The horns’ jubilant noise gave way to the delicate melodies of the
torishar
, its notes filtering through the chamber above the whispered conversations. But when Sorran and Feyar reached Tanish, the voices and music fell silent.

Tanish gestured for them to flank him. Sorran gave him a shy smile and stood close enough that Tanish could feel his body heat through the robes. Feyar held his head high, but Tanish saw the nerves he tried to hide. Feyar blinked and took deep breaths as they faced the priest.

“I welcome you all to witness the marriage of King Tanish of Teruna, Prince Feyar of Teruna, and Prince Sorran of Vancor.” The priest paused and smiled at the three of them. “And I would crave your indulgence, for this is a new experience for me.”

“For all of us,” Feyar whispered.

Tanish took hold of his hand and squeezed it.

The priest held up a thin rope made up of three strands of gold, red, and blue. Tanish heard the hitch in Sorran’s breathing. “Place your left hands together, one above the other.” They each put out a hand, and the priest wrapped the silken rope around them, binding their hands together. Sorran shivered.

The priest placed his hand on theirs. “These are the hands that will wipe tears of joy and sadness from your eyes,” he intoned. “These are the hands that will comfort you in illness and hold you in grief.”

Tanish felt tears prick the corners of his eyes. Feyar’s breathing quickened, and tremors rippled through Sorran.

“These are the hands that will hold you throughout the night, to protect you and to let you know that you are loved and desired.”

Tanish’s mind was filled with one image—the three of them in bed, wrapped around each other, their hearts beating as one.

“These are the hands that will ease your pain when you have need of it, to help bring healing.”

Sorran’s hand, lying between his and Feyar’s, was suddenly warmer.

The priest bowed his head. “May the Maker bless these hands. May they always be held by one another. May they be both strong and tender as they build a life for you.” He raised his head and regarded them solemnly. “Do you swear, by these hands bound together and by the love you bear for each other, to be faithful to one another, supporting one another day and night, and always seeking to protect one another?”

“We do,” Tanish said clearly, Sorran’s and Feyar’s words an echo of his own.

“Do you swear to use these hands for the good of each other and for all Teruna?”

“We do.”

Feyar’s hand grew warmer, and Tanish felt a tingling all over his body.

Something is coming.

“Then by the Maker, I bless these hands and this union.” He loosened the silken rope and freed them.

Tanish looked to Malin, who brought forward the three rings Tanish had given to him earlier. Tanish placed a ring on Sorran’s finger and looked into his lover’s eyes as he slid it on. Sorran’s joyous expression made his heart dance. Then he pushed a ring onto Feyar’s finger, once more meeting his gaze. The love in Feyar’s eyes nearly overwhelmed him. When Tanish moved to place the last ring on his own hand, both Sorran and Feyar stopped him, their fingers touching the heavy ring as they slid it into position.

The priest nodded and gestured for them to join hands once more. He laid his hands on theirs and raised his eyes heavenward. “We pray to the Maker to bless these rings, an earthly symbol of the love between these men. May they bind them together and be for all who see them a sign of this bond of three.”

Tanish gasped as his hand grew hot.

The priest clearly felt it and jerked his hand away from theirs as if burnt. He took a step back, staring at them.

“Do you feel that?” Feyar asked, his eyes widening.

Tanish nodded, his gaze focused on their hands. “And my skin feels as though fire crawls over it.”

“By the heavens,” Sorran said in a whisper. “I feel it too.” Then he stared down at their hands. “What is happening?” His voice cracked.

Tanish’s throat seized as he watched a gold light shimmer around their hands. It spread, spiraling up toward the vaulted ceiling and out from their bodies. From the gasps and low cries emanating from behind them, Tanish judged that everyone saw the phenomenon. The light danced around Sorran and Feyar, bathing them in its brilliance. Sorran held his breath, his eyes large and round. Feyar was breathing rapidly, his chest rising and falling.

“Join hands,” Sorran gasped out urgently. “The circle of three, remember?”

Tanish nodded, and the three of them moved closer together. He wrapped his fingers around Feyar’s wrist, who in turn grasped Sorran’s wrist. When Sorran closed the circle, his fingers tight around Tanish’s flesh, the golden glow around them grew brighter still. Tanish could see Malin’s face, his mouth a wide
O
as he stared at them. Tanish closed his eyes, and suddenly it was as if Feyar and Sorran were there in his mind. He could hear their thoughts, feel their emotions as they fought to quell the panic.

Then they were gone.

Tanish opened his eyes. The light was gone also, and the chamber was silent. Feyar and Sorran were staring at him, faces pale. Tanish struggled to compose himself.

Then it started. His hands grew hot, the skin tingling. “By the Maker, what is this?” Feyar and Sorran looked down at their hands, their breathing becoming more rapid. “You feel it too?”

Sorran nodded, and then his face lit up in a joyous smile. “I know what this is.” He spun around to face his parents, who sat openmouthed. “Mother, come to us.”

Queen Vasha swallowed but got to her feet and walked over to them. Voices rose, the slew of noise growing louder. When she reached them, she stood still, her breathing erratic.

Sorran looked at them. “Remember how it was with your father, Tanish?” He nodded. “My senses tell me that we should lay hands on my mother, all of us.”

Tanish knew enough to trust Sorran’s instincts. He placed one hand on the queen’s shoulder and another on her arm. Feyar mirrored him, and Sorran placed his palm flat across her forehead and the other above her breastbone.

The queen closed her eyes and caught her breath as they stood around her in silence. “Oh, by the heavens, it feels….” Slowly she opened her eyes. “I know not what you did, but I was filled with a sense of such peace.” She smiled broadly. “Oh, Sorran, that feels wonderful. But why did you lay hands on me?” Her cheeks glowed with health and her eyes shone.

Tanish and the others withdrew their hands, staring at each other. Tanish sensed confusion in Feyar, and he pulled his husband to him. “I know, I feel it too.”

Sorran bowed his head, his voice lowered. “Something in me said that you needed our touch. I have learned to follow my instincts.”

She kissed him on the cheek. “Then I too will trust them, for I have never felt so… alive.”

Sorran led his mother back to her seat and then returned to Tanish and Feyar. He threw his arms around them and laughed. “My husbands, it seems I am not the only one with gifts.”

Tanish was about to speak when Malin rushed forward, clutching his staff.

“What was that, Your Majesty?” He seemed to have recovered his composure.

Tanish looked at his husbands and smiled. “Malin, in truth, I do not know.” He glanced at Sorran’s parents. King Beron held his wife in his arms, smiling.

Around them, everyone was staring at the three of them. Tanish caught Erinor’s grin.

He turned to Malin. “It would appear that the bond of three is truly a powerful combination. What this will mean for Teruna, who can say?”

“It will be wonderful,” Sorran told him quietly, his face glowing. “I feel it. Something is coming.” He kissed Tanish on the lips and then Feyar. “And we are the first to experience it.”

Feyar found his voice. “But what did we experience? That light was so strange, and the heat that flowed from these hands….” He shuddered. “I do not understand how you can be so calm, Sorran. Nor do I understand why it felt right to lay hands on your mother. I felt the heat leave my hands as I touched her.”

Sorran’s smile was beautiful to see. “I have lived with such strangeness all my life. Everything in me tells me that what we experienced is not only for the good, it is merely the beginning.” He met Tanish’s gaze. “Teruna is to undergo a change, my husbands.”

His words resonated within Tanish, and in that instant, he knew them to be true. But his thoughts were not of Teruna’s future.

In an audience chamber alive with chatter as all the guests marveled at what they had seen, Tanish drew his husbands to him, their mouths joining in a three-way kiss that took his breath away. When they parted, Tanish regarded his husbands, their faces glowing. “I love you, my
terushani
.”

He was rewarded with gentle kisses and soft caresses as his consorts spoke words of love.

Chapter 25

Six months later