Adrian Silvercrest's Arc

Chapter 8 of 23

The morning of the village wedding came gray and cool. Adrian sat on the edge of the bed and pulled his boots on slow. His hands would not stop shaking. In two hours he would stand at the front of the chapel with Elara, and every neighbor would watch. Aldric would sit in a pew like any guest. That was the part Adrian could not steady himself against. Aldric came in already dressed, dark coat, no hat. He set a cup of water on the table. "You look sick," he said. "I am." "Drink." Adrian drank. "You will sit and watch me marry her in front of the whole village. I do not know how to ask you to do that." "You did ask. Weeks ago. I said yes." Aldric sat beside him. "I will be in the third row. I have counted the pews already. Third row, left side, aisle end. I will see both of you the whole time." "And it will not hurt you." "It will hurt some. Not enough to matter." Elara knocked once and stepped in. She wore the pale dress with the veil folded back. The red jeweled flower was pinned above her heart, the small blue stones catching the window light. She carried the blue-silver-gold bouquet in one hand. She looked at Adrian. "Stand up." He stood. "You are green," she said. "Breathe." "I am afraid I will look at him during the vows and everyone will know." "Then do not look at him during the vows. Look at me." She took his hand and pressed it flat to the flower on her chest. "He is here. I am here. Walk with me." The chapel bell rang across the field. They walked. The village filled the pews. Adrian found the third row on the left. Aldric sat at the aisle end, hands folded, a plain gold band on his finger that matched Adrian's own. Adrian's breath caught. Aldric had worn the ring in public. No one would read it. Only Adrian would. Adrian looked at Elara through the vows. She wore the red flower. He wore the ring. Aldric wore the ring. Three pieces of the same secret, spread across the room, and the village saw only a wedding. He said yes. She said yes. The priest closed the book. That night the cottage door shut behind the three of them. Elara set the bouquet on the table. She kissed Adrian first, long, then turned and kissed Aldric the same way, in front of him, without hurry. "We did it," she said. Adrian sat down because his legs would not hold. He was not jealous. He was not sick. The wedding was done, the village believed it, and both of them were still his. The fear he had carried for a month was gone. What replaced it was quieter and harder to name.