No Black Robe, no marriage for your God. I am sure enough happy with a marriage my way." With a determined glint in his eyes, he turned toward the crowd, raising his arms, and shouted something. Then he shrugged. "There. , it is finished. I have said words. We are married." Seizing her by the arm, he growled, "
, come, wife."
Loretta dug in with her heels. "No! Wait!"
He looked down at her, his vexation evident. "You will say the God words?"
Loretta didn't see as how she had any choice. At least this way her marriage would be blessed by a priest, and she wouldn't be living with Hunter in sin. "Y-yes, I'll say the words." Casting him a sideways glance, she said, "Can I have just a moment with the priest?"
"For why?"
"Just to ask him something."
Hunter's grip on her arm relaxed. "
, hurry." Loretta cupped a hand over the priest's ear and quickly whispered her request, then stepped back to Hunter's side. The priest considered what she had said, then nodded. A moment later he blessed the young couple before him, and the ceremony began. The words bounced off the walls of Loretta's mind, making no sense. Numbly she made her responses when she was instructed to. Then it came Hunter's turn. The priest asked the usual question, adding at the end, "Forsaking all others, taking one wife and only one wife, forever with no horizon?"
Hunter, eyes narrowed suspiciously, shot Loretta a knowing look. For several long seconds he made no response, and she held her breath, her gaze locked with his. Then, with solemn sincerity, he inclined his head and replied, "I have spoken it."
The priest, momentarily confused by the unusual response when he had expected an "I do," sputtered a moment, seemed to consider, then nodded his assent and finished the ceremony. Loretta and Hunter were married, according to his beliefs and hers.
, come, wife."
Loretta dug in with her heels. "No! Wait!"
He looked down at her, his vexation evident. "You will say the God words?"
Loretta didn't see as how she had any choice. At least this way her marriage would be blessed by a priest, and she wouldn't be living with Hunter in sin. "Y-yes, I'll say the words." Casting him a sideways glance, she said, "Can I have just a moment with the priest?"
"For why?"
"Just to ask him something."
Hunter's grip on her arm relaxed. "
, hurry." Loretta cupped a hand over the priest's ear and quickly whispered her request, then stepped back to Hunter's side. The priest considered what she had said, then nodded. A moment later he blessed the young couple before him, and the ceremony began. The words bounced off the walls of Loretta's mind, making no sense. Numbly she made her responses when she was instructed to. Then it came Hunter's turn. The priest asked the usual question, adding at the end, "Forsaking all others, taking one wife and only one wife, forever with no horizon?"
Hunter, eyes narrowed suspiciously, shot Loretta a knowing look. For several long seconds he made no response, and she held her breath, her gaze locked with his. Then, with solemn sincerity, he inclined his head and replied, "I have spoken it."
The priest, momentarily confused by the unusual response when he had expected an "I do," sputtered a moment, seemed to consider, then nodded his assent and finished the ceremony. Loretta and Hunter were married, according to his beliefs and hers.
( Catherine Anderson )
[ Comanche Moon ]
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