When it was time for the vows, the couple stood facing each other and held hands once again. Clair watched quietly, her attention fixed on the ceremony.
Suddenly, Zach reached for her hands, catching her by surprise. She turned to him and found him smiling.
"I was just-" she started, confused by what he was doing.
Before she could finish, Zach began repeating the vows, his voice soft but sincere.
"Do you, Zach Oliver Rowland, take Claireth to be your lawful wife, to hold close from this day forward, through all the joys and challenges life may bring, in times of plenty and of need, in sickness and in health, promising to love her deeply and cherish her for as long as you both shall live?"
She gazed at him, finally realizing what he was doing. A nervous giggle escaped her lips, mixed with the sudden urge to cry. She blinked back her tears, trying to hold on to the moment.
"I do," he answered, his smile filled with warmth and affection.
After Zach finished his vows, Clair continued to look into his eyes. It wasn't their wedding, and they were only pretending, but the moment felt strangely real to her. The joy she felt was something she couldn't deny.
"I do," she finally whispered.
"I, Zach Oliver Rowland, take you Claireth, sent from heaven, to be my wife. From the moment I fell in love with you, I just knew you were the one I've been waiting for all my life. I promise to laugh with you in moments of joy, to hold you close in times of sorrows, and to walk alongside you through every season of life, forever grateful for the gift of your love."
"I, Claireth, take you, Zach Oliver Rowland, to be my husband. I promise to love you with all my heart, to cherish you endlessly, and to treasure you, today and every day. You are my light, my joy, and my everything. I am forever grateful to have you. I love you even beyond this life."
Zach reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. When he opened it, two silver rings gleamed inside, one engraved with a heart, the other with a feather.
"No way..." Clair whispered, her voice filled with disbelief.
She pressed her lips together, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall.
"It's not official without these," he said with a warm smile.
Clair looked at him again, and the sincerity in his eyes made her heart ache. There was no playfulness or hesitation in his expression, only genuine affection and devotion. In that moment, even though the ceremony was only an imitation, it felt more real than anything she had imagined.
Zach carefully took the heart ring from the box and gently held her left hand.
"I, Zach Oliver Rowland, give you, Claireth, this ring as a promise that my heart will always belong to you. With it, I offer you my love, my loyalty, and everything I am. No matter what happens, my heart will remain yours, now and forever."
With those heartfelt words, he carefully placed the ring on her finger. Overcome with emotion, Clair took the other ring and gently held his left hand.
"I, Claireth, give you, Zach Oliver Rowland, this ring as a promise that I will always carry you in my heart. Through light and darkness, no matter where our paths may lead, I will always find my way back to you."
After her earnest vow, Clair gently slid the ring onto his finger. The priest then continued the ceremony.
"Today, I have the honor of declaring you husband and wife. You may now seal this beautiful moment with a kiss."
YOU ARE READING
Divine & Wicked: The Strayed Memories (Book2)
Fantasy(Fantasy•Romance) COMPLETED Zach awoke a few days after his surgery, his mind foggy and his heart empty, as though his life had been reset. He moved through what he believed was his normal routine, unaware that fragments of a forgotten past were slo...
