Chained

Chapter 14

*Andrew*

Wow. I mean, literally, wow. Lanny was right. Zita looked stunning. Her hair was piled up on her shoulder in long, blinding white curls with bits of flames running through them. The dress made her looked like it was made from angels and flowed around her legs. And even though her face was covered by a veil, that was, not surprisingly, attached to a small crown, what I did see was absolutely beautiful.

When she finally stood in front of me, her dad left her side and went to stand next to Cross. Zita looked over her shoulder and shared a knowing look with him.

"And let the ceremony begin." Nanti said, suddenly appearing. "Would you please join hands with me?"

Zita held out her left hand and I held out my right. Nanti waved over someone who was holding a small wooden box on a pillow. She opened the box and pulled out a glowing, gold chain.

"What is that?" Zita barely whispered.

"I have no idea." I whispered back.

Nanti grabbed our wrists and put them together wrapped the chain tightly around our wrists. Zita and I exchanged looks, both equally confused.

"The binding has been complete." she announced with a long flourish of her hands.

The chain's glow started to fade away and everyone clapped loudly, almost like they were competing. Zita and I put our hands down and found that the chain didn't slip away, even though it was only wrapped, not tied or locked together. We both lightly pulled and nothing happened. I pulled harder and still. Nothing.

"What is this?" Zita said, louder.

"This, is a binding chain." her mom said. "This will continue to stay on your arms forever until you both have the equal feelings for each other."

"What?"

"When you both have equally fallen in love with each other, the chain will simply slip away. You father and I did this too but it didn't even tie on."

She gave a loving sigh to her husband who blew her a kiss.

"But what about privacy?" Zita snapped, lifting our hands. "I can't go to the bathroom with him right beside me."

I looked around the room and everyone seemd perfectly fine with Zita's outburst. Huh. That's not weird.

"That's not all, daughter." Nanti chuckled. "When you two spend more time with each other, building your relationship, the chain will grow longer. If any of you do anything unfaithful, the chain with shorten. But of course, the length depends on how 'good or bad' the action is."

"You mean, this thing's not gonna come off till Zita and I fall in love?" I said.

"Precisely. Is there a problem?"

Her careful glare gave me sharp stabs in the face and I shook my head.

"Good. Now we will have the traditional vows."

Nanti walked away and in place came a preist, or what looked like one. Her wore that all-black suit with the white collar. He even carried a bible. But he certainly did not have a bald head or white hair. No, he had hair alright. Locks of it. That almost swept the floor!

"Please face your bride, or as in your case, Zita, face your groom."

We both faced each other and I saw something i've never seen before in Zita. Fear. She looked terrified. I could smell it too.

"Um, hold hands as well please?"

We gripped each other's hands and I felt her's shake.

"Dearly beloved, we are hear today...."