The Plains of Abraham

Chapter 31

When I asked Malcolm to perform the ceremony he agreed, having finally resigned himself to my relationship with "the strumpet." He prattled on about preparations until I interrupted and said the ceremony would be in the Ellanoy tradition.

After a pause he clarified, "You mean in the pagan tradition."

"Well, yes."

"You're asking me to perform a pagan ceremony."

"More to the point, I'm asking you to marry us."

After another pause he said, "Okay."

The ceremony required two witnesses. Adrienne chose Eli and I chose Jonah. We didn't lack for witnesses, however, since the entire village turned out for the event.

The members of the wedding party assembled within a nine foot circle of short monoliths, the same place Ella and Rachel had wed. King Berthold, his flowing beard in braids for the occasion, escorted Adrienne to the center of the circle, where he symbolically gave her away. The village members gathered outside the circle.

My ceremonial garb used to belong to the king. Deerskin shirt and pants, dyed red. A green cloak embroidered with scenes from nature. As Eli helped me on with the robe, I questioned a depiction of a kitten in the embroidery.

"It's supposed to be a lion," he said.

"Oh. Not a terribly frightening lion."

"The person who did the embroidery might possibly have never seen one."

Adrienne also wore red, long sleeves, an ankle-length dress, and a green elbow-length cape. Which was also embroidered, with flowers rather than kittens. Eli explained the sleeves and the length of the dress were to symbolize a covering of the bride, who was not to be uncovered until the wedding night.

"It's a little late for that," I said. "Don't you think?"

"A common dilemma in these parts, believe me."

Candles were placed and lighted at the major compass points of the circle. Malcolm, who had sought guidance on how to conduct the ceremony, rang a bell. Adrienne and I walked the perimeter of the circle four times, to symbolize the four elements: earth, air, fire, and water. We faced each other, holding hands. Jonah draped a short rope across our clasped hands.

Malcolm said, "Do you, René, take Adrienne to be your wife? To love her all the days you spend on this Earth, and for all time in the hereafter?"

"I do."

"Do you, Adrienne, take René to be your husband? To love him all the days you spend on this Earth, and for all time in the hereafter?"

"I do."

Jonah removed the rope. Malcolm handed me a chalice of wine. I took a sip from it, gave it to Adrienne, who did the same. Malcolm rang the bell again and said, "I now pronounce you husband and wife."

We kissed. And we were alone in the nine foot circle. She and I and the electricity binding us. Until our lips parted, and people were among us once more, and a breeze, one now familiar and welcome, carried sanction from the woods and prairies.

King Berthold shook my hand and congratulated me. "How beautiful the sun is," he said, "now that you are part of our family."

As we left the circle I made a remark to Adrienne about the brevity of the ceremony. She said, "It's because people want to get to the food." Indeed a sumptuous banquet followed, during which neither Adrienne nor I were permitted to lift a finger to serve ourselves. Villagers took turns spooning food into our mouths and lifting chalices for us to drink from.