“Excellent,” Kadam said. “Now I believe it is the time for the exchanging of gifts.”
Ana began, passing her hand over mine. A silver ring appeared. “This is made from the first weapon you ever gave me,” she said.
I lifted my hand to examine the ring. “Do you mean the knife I used to kill the man who took you as a slave?” I asked.
“Yes.”
“Doesn’t it bring back bad memories?”
“No,” Ana said. “It does not. It is a reminder to me that you would descend into the darkest of places to find me. This ring will always serve as a beacon of hope to me.”
“And the gem?” On the outside of the ring, bordering both edges, was a glimmering stone.
“Do you not recognize it?” she asked.
I shook my head.
“It is comprised of fragments from the truth stone.”
“Ah.” Now that she’d said it, I felt the hum of the stone where it touched my finger.
“This way, you will always know I speak the truth. It is a sign of my fidelity.”
“Does marriage tempt you to lie to your husband already?” I teased.
Leaning closer, she murmured, “I am assuming, of course, that my husband will never give me cause to lie.”
I laughed. “It’s perfect. Thank you. Can I give you your gifts now?”
Her eyebrow raised. “You have more than one?”
“I do.”
Kadam assisted by taking the items I’d placed in a bag and handing them to me one by one. “The first,” I said, “is a belt woven from phoenix feathers. The new phoenix, Nightfall, offered them as a wedding present. It took me a while to get them to lie straight. It turns out that phoenix feathers are very unwieldy.”
Ana took the gift and stroked the feathers. She lifted her head, her face surprised. “There’s magic in them!” she exclaimed.
I nodded and smiled. “There’s a bit of magic in all my gifts.”
“What’s next?” she asked eagerly, handing the belt to one of the Silvanae women.
Kadam passed me a small seedling in a clay pot. It was only a few inches tall.
“What is it?” she asked, taking the plant.
“A mango tree, or at least it will be someday. It represents our new union, which will hopefully grow as tall and fruitful as this tree.”
She passed the little tree back after touching her fingertip to one of the three quivering leaves. Next, I gave her the gift Lady Silkworm had fashioned from the fabric Nilima had given her. The finely woven veil was the same color green as Ana’s eyes. She lifted it over her head and the fairies helped hold it in place. The fabric shimmered and sparkled with a power of its own. For a moment, I was distracted by the sight of her beautiful eyes framed by the veil.
I cleared my throat. “This one is to replace the traditional mangalsutra. I know it’s a simple thing but I’ll add to it later. The pearls are apparently incredibly hard to find.” Ana smiled and turned so I could fasten the thin chain around her neck. The one black pearl slid down, finding the center of her delicate neck.
“I love it,” Ana said, turning to me and touching the shiny pearl.
“I know none of these are traditional gifts.”
“Ours is not a traditional union,” she said, taking my hands and squeezing. “The greatest gift you will ever give me, Sohan, is the choice you made to stay by my side.”
Clearing my throat, I said, “Last is a ring.”
“But you have already given me one.”
“I’ve modified it.” Closing my hand, I whispered some words and light bloomed between my fingers. When it dimmed, I showed her what lay in my palm. It was the silver ring with vines entwined, but now brilliant emeralds rested between each loop with a large cut emerald in the center surrounded by diamonds. “It’s from the gem you gifted my parents when you visited. Kadam saved it all these years,” I said. “The green is the exact shade of your eyes.”
Ana held out her hand and I slid the ring onto her finger. “It’s perfect,” she said, grasping my hands.
“Right,” Kadam said. “Then, if the two of you are ready, I think it’s time we cap this most auspicious occasion with the groom kissing the bride.”
I gathered Ana close, a smile on my face as I lowered my head, but just as my lips touched hers, she spoke in my mind.
There is one more gift I need to give you, Sohan, she said.
And what is that, Hridaya Patni? I asked, more than a little distracted by our kiss.
She didn’t respond with words. Instead, her mind opened to me. Ana peeled back the layers of her soul, shining beautiful light on everything she had been, all she was, and all she would become. We embraced with all that we were, holding nothing back. With all the barriers stripped away, we discovered one another on levels so deep and so profound that nothing would ever be able to come between us again, sealing forever the bond that had its beginnings so long ago.
Though to the others, the kiss was over in a relatively appropriate time, we’d spun in each other’s arms, drifting through time and space, lost in each other so completely that not even a goddess or her tiger could have found us.
Chapter 38
Wanderer
When we finally broke apart, we looked in each other’s eyes, and there was a knowing between us that hadn’t been there before. We were more than married then. We were grafted together and undoing one would undo us both.
Congratulations came then, and both of us were surprised to see the trees of the Silvanae had woven their roots together. They’d exploded from the ground, fashioning a great wedding arbor over us. Flowers sprung from the wood and rained petals down upon us. Skimming my hands down her waist, I picked Ana up, spinning her as she threw her head back, lifted her arms, and laughed in delight.
That night we feasted with the Silvanae, dining on sweet honey cakes, rich cream, lemon and lavender tarts, stewed fruits, and salads sprinkled with edible flowers. Kadam was delighted with the fare, and I laughed when I saw he’d asked for a bag full of treats to take home with him. Ana and I sat as close together as two birds in a nest, and we took turns feeding each other succulent berries and rich bites of pastry.
When I became more interested in nibbling on her ear than on the food, she stood, reaching for my hand. “Thank you, my friends, you have favored us with this meal and your company. We must take leave of you now, but I promise that we will visit again, often.”
“But where will you go?” the queen of the Silvanae asked.
“It’s time we began our honeymoon,” I said, kissing Ana’s fingers and smiling at the quiver in her delicate limb.
“Ah, of course. But you do not have to leave,” the queen said.
Ana looked at me, eyebrows raised in question.
I answered, “The Grove of Dreams is comfortable, but I don’t want to be focusing on anything except the goddess.”
“We understand,” the queen said. “That is why we’ve prepared a bungalow for you. It’s hidden away in a lovely part of the forest. The fairies have been working tirelessly to make it ready for you. There is plenty of food, a waterfall with a large pool to swim in, and the loveliest garden. It would honor us to have you remain for a time. We promise you will be left alone unless you summon us.”
“This is a gift we did not expect,” Ana said.
The queen replied, “And you have given us a great gift by marrying here. Our lands now heal and nourish us. Any being that steps foot in this part of Shangri-La will feel the power of the goddess wash over and refresh them. Please accept our small offering in exchange.”
Ana looked to me.
I don’t care, I said. I just want you. I could feel the shiver of excitement and nervousness that ran through her and rubbed my thumb gently over her knuckles.
She turned back, inclining her head graciously. “Thank you. We will accept your generous offer. If one of the fairies could guide us?”
“There is no need. The stones will mark the path.”
“Stones?”