The Prince and the Priestess

[Raja kumarie]

I stroke his face gently laying him down on my chest. "That was good." I smile gently

[Ryuu Ishikawa]

"Yes," he agrees, trying to catch his breath. "Was this... acceptable?"

[Raja kumarie]

I chuckle kissing his forehead "it was." I smile slightly yawning s bit "did you enjoy me?"

[Ryuu Ishikawa]

He flushes, though whether it's at the kissing or the question is unclear. "You were wonderful."

[Raja kumarie]

I flush back "as we're you." I murmur gently pulling the blanket atop us nestling into his side. Soon we are both asleep.
..............

I laugh as he stares at the dhoti I hand him. "It's for the serimony. It's the base layer." He in folds it and stares "it's not going to bite. Here I'll help." I'm already dressed in a red and gold langa sari with all of my bells, jewels, and decorations. My hair is braided with a bola and covered in an elegant red vail.

I don't the middle of the dhoti and place it in the center of his lower back. I tie the two ends together and them wrap it around his legs to make pants. Finally tucking the pleats in. I then take out an elaborate coat in gold brocade with red embroidered flowers.

Once he's dressed I smile. "Go join your family in the court yard I need to finish getting ready." I smile

[Ryuu Ishikawa]

He wrings his hands, helplessly. "What am I to do? Or say? Do I need a speech?"

[Raja kumarie]

"You just need to sit there. I will do all the work and Vashti will give the blessing." I smile gently "now go."

[Ryuu Ishikawa]

Sit where?! he wonders, but he simply gives a bow and heads out. 

[Raja kumarie]

The court yard is adorned with flowers and small lanterns there is a gold chair where Ryun is placed and flowers are draped around him in garlands. His family sit around him.

A drum begins to play and the women who came with me start the song. As they sing I light the insens and candles. Vashti - a tall women with broad shoulders and a stern face - brings forth a gold eliohwnt statue and placed at Ryuu's feet.

I take a gold tray and walk to him there's two small bowls of oil and a dish of hati a colored clay. I first dress the statue in both oils and the hati. Then I wave insens in front of my husband and family befor dripping both oils on his feet and hands.

I place my thumb in the hati and place a bindi mark on both our foreheads. Then I kiss both his cheeks.

The I stand back and hand off the tray. I take a breath as the music changes. Then I start to dance at Vashti sings. I spin and twirled getting lost in the song. It's a dance I've performed dozens of times at the weddings of others but it's different now it's my own. Now I'm the center dancer. I twist and turn happily. I pick up the burning bowls they offer me and dance with the fire. Finally the song closes and I bow deeply to my husband and family and pull my vail ove my face. Coming to kneel before Ryuu for the final blessing.

"May you grow love, May your life be easy, May you fin each other again in the next life, May your descendants know peace. Krishna blesses your marriage." She says embracing Ryuu and them me

[Ryuu Ishikawa]

That's...

She's...

dancing, she's...

Is that fire?!

She's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Also, my father will never, ever stop teasing me about this. I want to drag her off to the bedroom and also curl up and die on the spot. 

Ryuu catches his breath, finally, as he's embraced, and it's all he can do to hold still and look like he expected this. Then the woman has departed, leaving him alone with his bride by his side. 

[Raja kumarie]

I smile as my friends leave me with my new family. My ladies waiting at a safe distance. My heart is pounding but still I kneel by my husbands side waiting for a command or to be dismissed.

[Ryuu Ishikawa]

"...this is... a sacred blessing?" he asks, his tone very carefully neutral. "You are very beautiful tonight," he adds, in passable Turkish. 

[Raja kumarie]

"Yes it is the final blessing of the marriage." I smile softly under my vail. It's a fertility ritual "I'm glad I please you husband" I say using the formal title before our family.

[Ryuu Ishikawa]

"Then, I am honored to receive such a blessing."

[Raja kumarie]

I smile again and nod slightly hoping he gets the hint that anything that happens next is on his command