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The notes of harp music floated gently through the air as Marella traversed the wooded path, lightly strewn with golden leaves atop crisp toasted-brown ones. Anticipation in the air, she knew what she must do. She was, and wasn't, looking forward to it.
As she reached the platform, she caught the eye of of a few other loved ones who'd gathered from the village; her sister Theresa, her friend, Olivia. She took her place in line, only three women ahead of her. The men were lined up on the right. Wade looked at her, and she gave him a gentle smile, as she tried to read his eyes. Trent stood right behind him. She didn't dare look at him, not while Wade looked on. It was only proper to let him know during the ceremony, and she feared their gazes would give them away.
"Thank you all for gathering this Samhain Day!" rang the voice of the community leader, Hilda. Her long curly blonde hair stood up around her head like a halo glowing in the dimming sunlight. "Let the Ceremony commence! First couple, you may step up!"
The first couple took their place on the wooden plank platform in the center of the circle of trees. They took each other's hands and looked into one another's eyes.
"I stand here in honor of you," spoke Victor.
"And I stand here in honor of you," said Sabrina.
Together they said the age old words that everyone knew by heart. "We stand here together, heart to heart, after a year and a day apart. Having explored another's love, we reconnect at the center, of below and above."
They each took a deep breath. Her hands trembled in his.
The onlookers counted aloud, "One, two, three!"
"Reunite!" they both blurted out, and then relieved giggles escaped them both. They hugged tightly, then shared a kiss as applause erupted from the crowd. Marella nodded, and turned around to see her sister, Theresa behind her. "I knew it!" mouthed Theresa. Marella just nodded and smiled. Victor and Sabrina were made for each other. They'd both seemed pretty down during their year and a day. Helen, the next woman who'd been standing in line, waiting, covered her face with both hands and tried to keep her tears as soft as she could. Marella's heart went out to her. This was always so hard. But the new year brings new beginnings, and while change can be painful, it's also important for growth. Claire patted Helen's shoulder. Helen patted Claire's hand back, then took her leave.
Marella inhaled slowly through her nose, and exhaled through her mouth and tried not to lock eyes with either Wade or Trent.
Thank goodness it wasn't too long of a wait. Claire went next, paired with Sebastian. Theirs was another quick ceremony, as they also chose to reunite. As did Dylan and Claudia.
Marella stepped up onto the platform. Wade stepped up, too, and faced her. His dark eyes and dark hair looked lovely in the glowing firelight, and she knew deep in her heart why she'd ever fallen in love with him.
They declared their honor for one another. They held hands. His were warm and slightly sweating. She felt the quiver in his fingertips as she did all she could to keep hers steady. He smiled gently at her, and they spoke the sacred words together, "We stand here together, heart to heart, after a year and a day apart. Having explored another's love, we reconnect at the center, of below and above."
"One..." said the community.
Her heart was in her throat.
"Two..."
Tears filled her eyes.
"Three!"
A look of puzzlement filled Wade's eyes, as he said emphatically, clearly, and confidently, "Reunite!" at the same moment that Marella said, "Part ways."
A gasp was heard.
"Marella, wait, what?" Wade asked.
"Part ways," she said again, with a slight nod, this time on a hiccup of breath as she held back sobs.
"What? No... Merry! I thought... Are you sure?" Wade asked, squeezing her fingers tightly.
"Ow, Wade, stop!" Marella said softly.
He released her hands. "I'm sorry," he whispered, a desperate look in his eyes. The reflection of flames danced in the sea of his dark eyes.
Marella wanted to comfort him, but knew there was nothing she could say.
Hilda's voice rang in again, "We have a Parting. Marella and Wade, it is time to declare."
Wade's bottom lip shook, and tears fell down his cheek. Marella's eyes spilled over as well. They each held up their hands, and placed their palms together. They spoke together the words they knew by heart, that they'd all known since they were children. "The years we've shared, our hearts we've bared, together now, we do declare. Like rivers to the ocean, we came together, and now apart, Merry we met, and now Merry we Part."
What was once a rhyming sing-song they recited in childhood, a mere specter of the past, now actualized into their current reality. A first Declaration for either of them, unusual at their age. But twice now, they'd chosen reunions, and now... Well, now things would be different for both of them.
Hilda embraced first Marella, then Wade, giving them each a kiss on the cheek. Wade gave a small glance back at Marella, who gave him a soft, encouraging smile. Then he left.
Hilda turned to Marella. "All right, my dear. Please call upon your Other."
"Trent," she said.
Trent walked over, stepped up onto the playform, and faced Marella. He smiled hugely at her and she blushed as she returned his smile with her own.
They joined hands.
"Whenever you're ready," said Hilda.
They took a deep breath and began about one second apart and giggled. They looked into each other's eyes and began again, saying in unison this time, "We join now together, and I promise to be, true to you and true to me." Then they leaned in and kissed each other. There was soft clapping and a few "aww" sounds from onlookers.
"May you have an excellent two years," Hilda said with a loving smile.
"Thank you," they both said, then stepped off the platform, hand in hand, together. Trent walked over to a tall oak, and leaned back against it. Marella leaned onto him and they kissed once more. Then she turned, cuddled into his side, as they wrapped their arms around each other, and watched the rest of the ceremony. They both sighed a contented sigh, and rested easy in each other's embrace.
As she reached the platform, she caught the eye of of a few other loved ones who'd gathered from the village; her sister Theresa, her friend, Olivia. She took her place in line, only three women ahead of her. The men were lined up on the right. Wade looked at her, and she gave him a gentle smile, as she tried to read his eyes. Trent stood right behind him. She didn't dare look at him, not while Wade looked on. It was only proper to let him know during the ceremony, and she feared their gazes would give them away.
"Thank you all for gathering this Samhain Day!" rang the voice of the community leader, Hilda. Her long curly blonde hair stood up around her head like a halo glowing in the dimming sunlight. "Let the Ceremony commence! First couple, you may step up!"
The first couple took their place on the wooden plank platform in the center of the circle of trees. They took each other's hands and looked into one another's eyes.
"I stand here in honor of you," spoke Victor.
"And I stand here in honor of you," said Sabrina.
Together they said the age old words that everyone knew by heart. "We stand here together, heart to heart, after a year and a day apart. Having explored another's love, we reconnect at the center, of below and above."
They each took a deep breath. Her hands trembled in his.
The onlookers counted aloud, "One, two, three!"
"Reunite!" they both blurted out, and then relieved giggles escaped them both. They hugged tightly, then shared a kiss as applause erupted from the crowd. Marella nodded, and turned around to see her sister, Theresa behind her. "I knew it!" mouthed Theresa. Marella just nodded and smiled. Victor and Sabrina were made for each other. They'd both seemed pretty down during their year and a day. Helen, the next woman who'd been standing in line, waiting, covered her face with both hands and tried to keep her tears as soft as she could. Marella's heart went out to her. This was always so hard. But the new year brings new beginnings, and while change can be painful, it's also important for growth. Claire patted Helen's shoulder. Helen patted Claire's hand back, then took her leave.
Marella inhaled slowly through her nose, and exhaled through her mouth and tried not to lock eyes with either Wade or Trent.
Thank goodness it wasn't too long of a wait. Claire went next, paired with Sebastian. Theirs was another quick ceremony, as they also chose to reunite. As did Dylan and Claudia.
Marella stepped up onto the platform. Wade stepped up, too, and faced her. His dark eyes and dark hair looked lovely in the glowing firelight, and she knew deep in her heart why she'd ever fallen in love with him.
They declared their honor for one another. They held hands. His were warm and slightly sweating. She felt the quiver in his fingertips as she did all she could to keep hers steady. He smiled gently at her, and they spoke the sacred words together, "We stand here together, heart to heart, after a year and a day apart. Having explored another's love, we reconnect at the center, of below and above."
"One..." said the community.
Her heart was in her throat.
"Two..."
Tears filled her eyes.
"Three!"
A look of puzzlement filled Wade's eyes, as he said emphatically, clearly, and confidently, "Reunite!" at the same moment that Marella said, "Part ways."
A gasp was heard.
"Marella, wait, what?" Wade asked.
"Part ways," she said again, with a slight nod, this time on a hiccup of breath as she held back sobs.
"What? No... Merry! I thought... Are you sure?" Wade asked, squeezing her fingers tightly.
"Ow, Wade, stop!" Marella said softly.
He released her hands. "I'm sorry," he whispered, a desperate look in his eyes. The reflection of flames danced in the sea of his dark eyes.
Marella wanted to comfort him, but knew there was nothing she could say.
Hilda's voice rang in again, "We have a Parting. Marella and Wade, it is time to declare."
Wade's bottom lip shook, and tears fell down his cheek. Marella's eyes spilled over as well. They each held up their hands, and placed their palms together. They spoke together the words they knew by heart, that they'd all known since they were children. "The years we've shared, our hearts we've bared, together now, we do declare. Like rivers to the ocean, we came together, and now apart, Merry we met, and now Merry we Part."
What was once a rhyming sing-song they recited in childhood, a mere specter of the past, now actualized into their current reality. A first Declaration for either of them, unusual at their age. But twice now, they'd chosen reunions, and now... Well, now things would be different for both of them.
Hilda embraced first Marella, then Wade, giving them each a kiss on the cheek. Wade gave a small glance back at Marella, who gave him a soft, encouraging smile. Then he left.
Hilda turned to Marella. "All right, my dear. Please call upon your Other."
"Trent," she said.
Trent walked over, stepped up onto the playform, and faced Marella. He smiled hugely at her and she blushed as she returned his smile with her own.
They joined hands.
"Whenever you're ready," said Hilda.
They took a deep breath and began about one second apart and giggled. They looked into each other's eyes and began again, saying in unison this time, "We join now together, and I promise to be, true to you and true to me." Then they leaned in and kissed each other. There was soft clapping and a few "aww" sounds from onlookers.
"May you have an excellent two years," Hilda said with a loving smile.
"Thank you," they both said, then stepped off the platform, hand in hand, together. Trent walked over to a tall oak, and leaned back against it. Marella leaned onto him and they kissed once more. Then she turned, cuddled into his side, as they wrapped their arms around each other, and watched the rest of the ceremony. They both sighed a contented sigh, and rested easy in each other's embrace.