Helena laid her hands on the old scriptures and slowly crossed herself after putting her hand on her forehead and chest.
Eckart and Marianne slowly crossed themselves after her.
“I would like to bless you under the protection of the nine gods.”
When Helena was done, two priests who knelt beside the pillar closest to the altar stood up.
The two priests, who pulled down the hood of their white robes, supported the two so they could face each other.
“God Airius said, ‘I will surely shed the first light in the sky on the royal lineage.'”
Helena declared the blessing of the first god. Airius’s protection was the Frey family’s lineage itself. As if to prove his blessing, Eckart’s golden hair shone in the sun.
“Goddess Anthea said, ‘I will make sure the king’s wife will reap the evidence of the abundance on earth.'”
Helena declared the blessing of the second god. This time, the priest who supported Marianne politely offered the young green barley on the altar to her.
Marianne held out her hands under the veil. She grasped the stem of the plain grain with her hands with her thin lace gloves. The grains that would grow and ripen in the future was evidence of the riches that Anthea allowed on the earth.
“Goddess Serapina said, ‘I will impart undying embers to burn away and remove the unclean things and light up the night.'”
When Helena declared the blessing for the third time, Beatrice walked behind the priest holding the glass lamp. The two approached the fireplace behind Helena.
The burning embers there were with the sacred torch that had never been extinguished since the temple was opened.
When Beatrice opened the lid of the glass lamp, the priest took out a piece of burning firewood with a stick the priest had put in advance. The embers burning the firewood soon were moved to the lamp quickly. Beatrice closed the lamp cover again and slowly returned to her original position.
“God Ran said, ‘I will give you the endless water that is not dry, so that you can save lives on earth and wash away ominous disasters.'”
When Helena was done with the fourth god’s blessing, Grand Duke Christopher stepped forward with a pair of silver glasses. A priest received the silver cup from him and brought it to the altar.
Helena raised two small silver kettles on the altar and tilted them. It was the holy water that filled the empty glasses, which they obtained before they fell from Benoit Falls.
Eckart and Marianne took their own cup and drank half of it. Subsequently, the priests dipped the remaining water in their glasses and touched their foreheads, the tip of their noses, cheeks, and lips in turn. It was an act of cleanliness as if they created a protective shield made of water.
“God Zephyrus said, ‘I will offer the constant wind that can blow away the tent of concealment that blinds truth and despair which cast mist before your eyes.'”
Subsequently, Helena’s declaration of the fifth god’s blessing resonated through the main hall.
Eckart lifted the veil over Marianne’s head in person. A long, soft cloth was swept over the tiara, modeled after the wind.
Now, with her veil removed, he could clearly see her. His blue eyes, as cool as the sea, and her green, as fresh as the forest, faced each other.
“Goddess Kader said, ‘I will ensure you the fate that never goes wrong during a thousand resurrections, with the promise of righteous courage and retribution.'”
At that moment, Marianne recalled the night again, looking at the jewelry box brought by Duchess Lamont. She thought of Kader’s star that allegedly fell fast asleep over her right shoulder. She also imagined Airius’s star that appeared like fate, perhaps shining behind his back, as well as Anthea’s star, allegedly shining over her left shoulder.
Helena mentioned it to her in the past, but her voice was so vivid now that she felt like she had heard it yesterday.
Eckart took the engagement ring out from the jewelry box. The gold ring was in the form of three rings joined together. When the two outer rings joined together as if they held each other’s hands together were separated, a heart-shaped ruby sparkled in the middle of the ring. Around the ruby, transparent diamonds formed a crown. The smooth loops of the ring were engraved with the names of Marianne and Eckart as well as the first and last verses of the holy scriptures that sought the eternal blessings of the nine gods.
Duchess Lamont picked up the ruby-embedded ring with the verses of the holy scriptures and placed it on the middle finger of her left hand.
Eckart then placed the ring with his name on Marianne.
Marianne glanced at the ring that strangely touched the scar between her fingers.
Fate and God’s considerations, stars and resurrections, and all sorts of abstract sentiments complicated her mind and disappeared in a moment.
In any case, it was Marianne and Eckart who vowed to stand here and live in the fast lane in the future. They were two humans injured and comforted by tender feelings’ they were not Anthea and Airius.
Marianne finally placed a ring with her name on him.
“God Astrid said, ‘I will block pure lust and deception from each other and allow you a burning desire for your partner of destiny alone.””
While the seventh god’s protection was declared, Eckart looked awkwardly at his hand with the ring.
Eckart had never imagined having an engagement ring, but he was more concerned about her warmth when she touched him to place the ring on him. Even though he was wearing ceremonial gloves, he felt uncomfortable when she touched his finger. He felt she was very dangerous, but at the same time, he felt a strong desire to make this pain strangle his neck a little harder. Obviously, it was dangerous thinking.
Luckily, Mrs. Chester offered to give him a bouquet at that moment.
Eckart quickly changed his facial expression. He casually received the bouquet and passed it to Marianne. At that moment, his fingertips were entangled with hers again. He flexed his fingers gently.
Her green eyes still glistened tenderly, and the bouquet of jasmine flowers, symbolizing Goddess Astrid, had a sweet scent.
“God Tanatos said, ‘I will allow you darkness and the shadows to forget your wounds, and sleep together in the endless night.'”
Helena declared the blessing of the eighth god.
Marianne closed her eyes still, holding some bouquets and green barley stems. Her thick eyelashes cast a dense shadow under her eyes.
Eckart swallowed dry saliva. After hesitating for a moment, he wrapped her slim chin with his left hand. He could her faint heartbeat under the palm of his hand. Cowardly, he felt relieved that the heartbeat cycle was a little faster, and he slowly overlapped his lips with hers.
The surroundings were quiet as if time had stopped. The sunlight pouring over the window drew a long shadow of the two united in one.
Their lips that touched lightly fell off slowly. When they opened their eyes, their eyes met strangely. Marianne laughed very gently so he could see it, while Eckart let out a long sigh without taking off his eyes off her.
“Goddess Urd said, ‘I will make your everlasting royal family prove your oath, and allow you immortal history and unfailing eternity.'”
And then Helena declared the ninth goddess’s blessings.
When Grand Duke Christopher and Duchess Lamont stepped forward, Helena politely handed the dagger on the altar to them.
Eckart and Marianne cut the tips of their little fingers very lightly and dropped blood in the silver cup containing the holy water. Their red blood was mixed with clear water.
Helena crossed herself again with two silver glasses placed them side by side on an old scripture.
“The nine gods’ blessings will help you keep your promises and keep an eye on you.”
Then, she slowly pointed to the back wall with her fluttering sleeves.
“Finally, report to the nine gods about your union.”
At Helena’s order, Eckart and Marianne stood facing toward the wall. The portraits of the nine gods leading up to the ceiling looked magnificent as if they were looking down at them.
“I, descendant of God Airius, the twenty-ninth emperor of Aslan, the seventh king of the Frey family and Eckart of the Frey family solemnly swear before…
“I, descendant of goddess Anthea, the twenty-fifth daughter of Duke Kling, the first daughter of Lennox, and Marianne of Kling and Lennox solemnly swear…”
Eckart and Marianne identified themselves one by one and made a pledge.
“As husband and wife, we promise to share joy and sadness, respect unconditionally, love, and trust each other. We promise to be friends, family and lovers closest to each other.”
His low, cool voice and her soft and gentle voice verbalized the oath as if they were singing in a chorus.