The week leading up to their wedding was hectic. Betrothals and marriage was usually arranged by the fathers of the couple with a prolonged betrothal. As neither Sam nor Brieanna had no one Oother requested the he be allowed to act in that roll, as well as officiate over the vows. The couple were grateful for his assistance. They met in the village mead hall with the required six witnesses to complete the betrothal.
"Is there to be a dowry?" Oother asked.
"Two swords, a coat of mail and a helm," Abigail said acting as Brieanna's family.
"Is this acceptable?" Sam nodded.
"Is there to be a bride's prize?" Oother asked.
"I pledge two pounds of gold," Sam said. The witnesses gasped at the amount. Most never having seen a gold coin. "One half how, and the rest as the morning gift." Brieanna was shocked herself by the size of Sam's gift. She was rendered speechless, but nodded to indicate it was accepted. Sam handed a leather bag to Abigail containing the one pound of gold coins.
"These are for you to keep," Oother said to Brieanna. "These gifts are to ensure your maintenance and are irrevocable, even if you divorce." Brieanna continued to stare into Sam's eyes and nodded. They would be kept apart for much of the week and Brieanna walked with Abigail returning to Abigail's home.
"What is the morning gift?" Brieanna asked. Abigail hugged her and laughed.
"It is given in exchange for you giving up your maidenhood. You receive it following the consummation of your marriage."
"Is that the usual amount?"
"Eight to twelve ounces of silver is the usual amount, eight the minimum. Twenty ounces is the most I've ever seen. If you were not a virgin there would be none. Sam has found a way to really honor you and demonstrate his love, and how much he values you."
"He already has done that in countless ways, and when he bought my freedom," she whispered.
"But this way the entire community is witness. Your status in the community is untouchable. Usually it takes three generations to go from thrall to full yeomen status. Sam has raised yours with one gift." Brieanna walked quietly with Abigail holding Aednat's hand.
"Why are you crying Momma?" Aednat asked. Brieanna lifted her into her arms and wiped her tears.
"Because I love your Da so very much," she whispered.
The harvest continued as the root vegetables were gathered and stored in cellars. Old William suggested that two of the cows could be slaughtered as their use in milk production was waning because of their age. This would be done once the weather became a little colder. The other cows were bred and the milk production ceased. Freed from the labor of milking and cheese making the women on the farm turned their attention to spinning and weaving, the men also engaged in this activity. One of Sam's pigs was chosen for the wedding feast. Several of the former thralls had decided they too would marry on Friday. Sam ordered the construction of sod cottages and gifted and cottage and a plot of land to each couple to cultivate for themselves. The smoke houses were busy as most of the meat from the sheep and pigs were dried, salted and smoked. Sam ordered a large amount of ale for the celebration. The pig was slaughtered and many dishes prepared from the organ meat. The roasting was started midday on Thursday. Oother instructed Sam in the ceremony as Abigail did the same for Brieanna.
Abigail and Brieanna were in the sauna room. The other brides to be would have access once they finished. Abigail undressed Brieanna and removed her glit circlet for the last time and they sat in the steam. "This is meant as a ritual cleansing," Abigail said. "Once you arise from a dip in the cold pool you arise as a future bride and a full member of society." Abigail whispered to Brieanna with instructions as to what to expect on her wedding night. She had added dried flowers and aromatic herbs into the cold pool. "This is a special day, dedicated to the goddess Freyja. The goddess of marriage and family. The herbs and flowers I added to the water are for fertility." Then Abigail gently combed out Brieanna's long hair leaving it down. "Married women in the past would no longer wear their hair down in public after this day, or the glit circlet."
"Sam likes my hair down and me to wear the glit circlet," Brieanna said. Then Abigail assisted her to dress for the wedding. Brieanna chose her blue dress and red dragon pinafore. As it was an unusually warm day she elected to go barefoot. Abigail took an old wooden box she had kept stored, and removed a large silver crown decorated in colorful stones. She adjusted the size and placed it on Brieanna's head.
"The crown...it's beautiful Abby!"
"I wore it on my wedding day," Abigail said, "as did my mother and her mother. I pass it to you, daughter." Abigail kissed Brieanna's cheek as they silently hugged each other. "Be happy Brie!" Brie nodded trying hard to stem the tears she felt welling up in her eyes. "Don't forget your sword." Brieanna slung the sword across her shoulder and the group of women walked toward the mead hall.
Sam had received similar instruction from Oother and had also bathed in preparation for the wedding. He also wore his sword. "Normally the mother of the groom would pass on to her son the family sword. There is a lot of history in the ceremony. But you are founding an entirely new line, so your sword will be fine. I will become your family's ancestral sword. Do you remember everything?"
"I think so," Sam said, then immediately doubted he did.
"Let's go, we await the bride."
The entire village had turned out to take part in the wedding. There were several weddings taking place, but it was the one between Sam and Brieanna that garnered the most attention. As Brieanna approached many of the witnesses commenting on her miraculous transformation from a dull looking crippled thrall to a beautiful young bride who could command two pounds of gold from her husband to be. Sam took Brieanna's hand and stood silently smiling at her.
"The sword!" Oother whispered gently nudging Sam with his elbow. Sam removed his sword. Then handing it to Brieanna.
"I give to you this sword. It will become our ancestral sword which you will yield to our son when he becomes a man." Brieanna then removed her sword from her shoulder and presented it to Sam.
"I give to you this sword," Brieanna said, "It too will be our ancestral sword. It transfers to you an unbroken power of guardianship and protection from my father to you."
"Now the rings," Oother whispered and placed a ring on the hilt of the sword and Sam took the ring and placed it on Brieanna's finger.
"With this ring I swear to take you as my wife." Oother then placed a second ring on the hilt of Sam's new sword and Brieanna took it and placed it on Sam's finger.
"With this ring I swear to take you as my husband." Then with both of them holding the hilt of the sword, Oother declared them man and wife before six witnesses. The other marriages were then completed. The couples were separated again as the men walked to the mead hall. Sam stood at the door blocking the entrance to the hall with his unsheathed sword. Then the 'brides-run' was called and the brides ran to the door, Brieanna being the first to arrive. Then laughing and taking each other's hand Sam threw his sword embedding it into the roof beams as he lead her into the hall.
Brieanna poured a good amount of honey mead into a cup with two handles and presented it to Sam. Sam stood and toasted Brieanna, "To my wife Brie, the only woman I will ever love!" Then with each of them holding the cup Sam then Brieanna drank from the cup.
The feasting and dancing commenced. It was well into the night when Brieanna and Sam were again separated. Abigail took Brieanna to Sam's home and helped her undress and enter his bed. Then Sam accompanied by a crowed of well-wishers including six witnesses was walked by torch light and escorted him to his room.
"I have waited for this forever!" Sam whispered as he took her into his arms.
"Only since forever?" Brieanna teased. "At least the witnesses have all left, in times past they witnessed EVERYTHING!"
"Not sure I could manage a crowd," Sam teased her back. Then running his hand from her shoulder, over her ribs and along the curve of her hips, "I take that back, I need you too much to care!"
The next morning they returned to the mead hall. Brieanna again wearing her wedding crown. Then before the village Sam removed her crown as the village cheered. Then before six witnesses Sam presented her with the morning gift. "Well Sam, you're stuck with me now!" she teased and they kissed.
YOU ARE READING
The Dragon's Redemption
Fantasia"The destroyer will come, a Valkyrie from hell on dragon back. Your rein will be cut short, your sons will shed each other's blood and your daughters time on earth will end on the last day of her fifteenth year."
