'A Promise Kept'

frolickinraptors (58)in #fantasy • 7 years ago

FINAL CHAPTER: Chapter 13.1 from the Irish Fiction Novel: We Come Back: Vol. 1
Find all currently posted chapter exerts at the bottom of the page!

A Promise Kept

Zooey had fallen fast asleep.

I knew she wouldn’t make it through the entire book, and in fact, we had only reached the last chapter of the first act. Little did Zooey know, the book had many parts in it, far too many to be read in one session. Zooey had been asleep for a few hours now, and though most of the story really wasn’t meant to capture the attention of a four year-old, this last chapter was my favorite, and so I woke her.

“Zooey, darling, can you wake up for mommy?” I cooed at her.

She rolled over and sleepily smiled at me, “What is it mommy?”

“Our daughter, this is the best part. I think you’ll want to hear it, are you too sleepy to stay awake to hear it?”

“No mommy, I can stay up. What part is it?” she whispered, climbing on to my lap.

“It’s Jack and Raea’s wedding,” I smiled kissing her head.

“Chapter thirteen…” I began.

The snow, pure and white,

glimmered around us, blanketing the forest floor, and the mountains we approached. We were close to Swan Lake now. Transportation of all forms, having been deferred to various parking places, no longer shared the road, as we reached the hidden valley. Guards lined the path, leading us onward. I was so nervous to see him, because I felt as if I couldn’t wait any longer to do so. Seeing he had spread winter around the valley and the lake and the caves dramatically highlighted the view. It was evening, and not a cloud littered the sky, revealing the ever bright celestial night. The swans filled the caves, nesting happily, enjoying the sounds of merriment from the lake below.

A bridge had been built,

that lead out on to the lake, at the end of which stood an open columned marriage gazebo of enormous size and elegance. And now as I saw the lake through my pewter carriage window, I gasped in a true state of awe. It was the most stunning site I had ever seen. The water glowed throughout, as various cuttlefish lit up. The magnolias and roses with their butterflies were delicately placed on both sides of an aisle leading from the end of the bridge to the heart of the gazebo. Candle lit lanterns, hanging from trees and their branches that formed archways, reflected over the seating. The bridge and the gazebo were also lined with magnolia trees, and lit up by dozens of tiny fireflies from LarkGlen.

The seats in the great gazebo were full,

and now as the carriage bumped along, I felt my heart pounding in my throat. I couldn’t see the gazebo anymore, as we crossed into the winding bridge, which blocked the gazebo from view due to the arches. Before I knew it the carriage came to a stop. My father kissed my hand and before opening the carriage door, whispered, “You can always change your mind and leave right now, your life is yours to do with what you will.”

“I love you Papa. My life leads me here, in fact I believe all of my lives have led me to him,” I reached my hand out for Pa's.

He smiled, opened the carriage door, and stepped out,

waiting for me to take his hand and step down. The cheers that exploded upon the opening of the carriage door were deafening. The light from the torches and the candles reflected off my glass buttons, causing mini prisms of light to dance around as I moved. I smiled at all the familiar faces and even the unfamiliar that surrounded the aisle. As we reached the start of my wedding aisle, we stopped and both took a deep breath.

We waited until the sounds of those in their seats,

and standing, quieted and the Irish fairy fiddlers and Scottish ancestral bagpipers began to play, before we walked on. I smiled as I saw LavenDar and grinned upon seeing Whip, whom I reached my hand out towards as I walked. He leaned over and kissed it, expressing his love and devotion. I brushed back the hair from his face and smiled affectionately before continuing onward. Leonie, Kasson and Beathan sat with Aubrey, Trix and my mother, and reached out to me in turn, blowing kisses and wiping tears or winking in approval.

As we came around the bend,

and approached the bridge, I could see the back of Jack. He stood in a beautiful blue and white suit, standing in front of the presiding universal minister from Tertull, the same who had married Seasons before us. I felt myself going breathless, hardly able to notice the fireflies or the flowers spraying their perfume ever so lovingly across the bridge. As if a string tied to my heart was held in his hands, Jack’s soul pulled me closer, tugging me willingly. When we reached the gazebo, he slowly turned around.

He had been repeating to himself,

‘Almost there, hold on just a little longer, she’s almost here,’ since he heard the explosion of commotion coming from the people watching. Now as he received the nod from the minister, he turned around, feeling physical relief the moment his eyes landed on mine.