A Magik and A Mortal (OpenNovellaContest2020)

Wedding Magik

Open Novella Contest 3
(Fanfiction) with the Fantasy & Science Fiction Prompt:
#25 — When all else fails, throw a little magic at it!

"Do you Darren Stevenson take Samantha Cartwright to be your lawfully wedded wife? To love and to cherish, in sickness and in health, in good times and bad, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," Darren promised. Although he couldn't help feel a twinge of guilt as he gazed into his beautiful, blonde-haired wife's green eyes.

He hadn't told his soon-to-be wife that his family was incredibly rich and one of the top two companies in computer technology. His family's business practice of using people and resources to turn a profit was the only thing that mattered. So, he left it all behind, taking his mother's maiden name, working his way through college, and landing a job with an architectural agency. A company that had a universal goal of making the world a better and cleaner place through self-sustaining, energy-efficient homes with minimal impact and waste on the environment.

Samantha believed him to be a modest income-earning man. A regular bloke trying to eke out an honest living, not rich and callous like his parents, uncaring of anyone who got in their way because they felt they deserved to have it all. Did he want to be around those with that mentality and values? Not a chance. Did he miss some of the creature comforts from living that lifestyle? Maybe a smidge as he thought of his small nine hundred square foot home.

The minister turned and smiled as he faced the bride. "Do you Samantha Cartwright, take Darren Stevenson to be your lawfully wedded husband? To love and to cherish, in good times and bad, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," she promised. Except, she couldn't help feel more than a twinge of guilt as she gazed into her handsome, jet-black haired husband's blue eyes.

Sickness? She never got sick, nor ever would. As long as they lived? She'd out live him for sure. She never told her soon-to-be husband that she was one of the top ten powerful Magi's of the outer realm. A magi, such as herself, could have riches beyond imagining. She didn't want that grandeur lifestyle. She was bored with having it all. She wanted the simple life.

Okay, so maybe she resorted to using magic to help her out every now and then, but overall, she loved her job as a financial advisor; enjoyed the mundane task of working with numbers and spreadsheets. She certainly never expected to fall in love with a kind, caring and loving mortal. He didn't care about riches nor want material possessions. The problem was, if Darren ever found out about her immortality and magical talents, she could say goodby to that simple life.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife," the minister concluded the ceremony.

Samantha tilted her chin up to meet Darren's kiss, thrilling to feel his lips on hers. When he deepened the kiss, she wrapped her arms around him to bring him closer. He splayed his hands over her waist to bring her flush against him. Lost in the feel of him, she could only think that love was the best kind of magic there was in the world.

A soft cough brought her back to where they were, in the hotel chapel. She let go of Darren, who also released his hands and stepped aside. The only witnesses to their union was the minister's wife and an hotel attendant.

"Thank you, Pastor Blake." Darren dug out of his pants pocket a roll of bills and gave the minister his fee. Then he took her hand and led her down the short aisle.

Samantha had on a simple white bolero jacket over a white knitted-style dress. The flower she held in her hand was one perfect rose. A white flowered cap over her tied-back hair, a big smile, and the adoring gaze up at the man beside her, was the only indication she was a bride as they made their way into the elevator and up to their room for the night.