Post by Men of Skye on Aug 30, 2010 4:32:05 GMT -6
Shyvonne MacGregor and Mark Collier Wed
“Shyvonne… I have a confession…” and he moved off the bed and knelt before her… his hands taking hers… “I have committed many transgressions… and I have asked God for forgiveness… and now, I ask you for forgiveness… forgiveness of unspeakable transgressions… I beg thee nay ask me what…just trust that I love thee… with all my heart, soul, and being…” he then squeezed her hands… “Marry none but me… ask that a Priest come and marry us now… before my days are numbered…” Those striking blue eyes of his looking deep into hers… “Make an honest man of me… give me something that I desire more than life… you as my wife…”
Her mouth opened as she sucked in a breath, her words willing him to stop his confession, dying without leaving her lips as he knelt down in front of her. Moss green eyes met the striking blue ones of his own. She knew his eyes without having to see them all the time, she could find him even in the most crowded or darkest of rooms. He asked of her forgiveness without knowing his transgressions. As of yet, he had made known in her presence and those before her, she could not hold against him for they had been before the two of them had met. Her attention fell away from his, looking at their locked hands, and when his hands squeezed hers, her head rose again. He was asking her to marry him, here... now. Her mouth opened, a perfectly formed O of shock. Slowly her mouth closed and as she wiggled a hand from his grasp and lay it against his cheek. Moss green eyes shifted left to right over his face as if searching for something that he had not said but there was no untruths between them (at least that she knew of). "You don't need my forgiveness Mark for your transgressions you committed before me, we knew each other not then, but if you need to hear me say it, and trust that it is truth, then I forgive you." Her hand stroked at his cheek, her thumb caressing the curve of his jawbone beneath the skin as she smiled. "Yes, I will marry you.." She let out a laugh, a small but bell peeling happy laugh as she leaned forward her lips melting with his own in a kiss of love and promise of her answer.
He watched the formation of her lips shape in shock and a smile could not help but form… and her acceptance of his confession and her forgiveness was enough to give him strength. And as she accepted his proposal, he lifted off his haunches to stand upon his knees… Two pairs of lips then pressed against one another to form a very zealous kiss.
This was not the way he imagined to ever propose and marry a woman of his choosing, but under the dire circumstances, he would rather leave her a widow than to go to the axeman single and alone. Better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all? “I promise to love yu all the days of my life… no matter how long…” and when she rose to move to the door, he became puzzled.
Breaking her lips away from his own with some difficulty she lifted off the bed pulling herself away from him to move to the door. "Guards... fetch a priest please, my lord Collier wishes confession..."
At her words he just looked straight faced at the guard and nodded…but refrained from the smile until she returned.
So it was a little white lie and she closed the door moving back to Mark with a grin like the cat who ate the canary as she gave a small shrug of her shoulders as she fell to sitting on the cot again.
The two waited as the guard did as he was asked… meanwhile, they sat and made small talk… the discussion of the dungeon markings and entering them into the journal before his final days… And when the door opened, both jumped a bit and they smiled at one another. The Priest would see both of them sitting upon the cot, holding hands. The Lady MacGregor holding hands with a possibly condemned man.
It was late, near midnight, when the door opened again by the guard and the priest hobbled his way into the small storage room turned bedroom. Seeing Shyvonne, both white brows shot upward in surprise. "This is most irregular my lady…" He grumbled.
Her hand went to Mark's mouth to still him from speaking as the priest came in and she offered him a smile. Yes already bossing him around like a wife. Slowly she lifted off the bed and went to greet the priest keeping her voice a very low whisper only the three of them could hear… "Yes it is very irregular and I beg your forgiveness, Father."
He started to stand and speak, but her insistence of silence was enough to halt him… and he remained on the cot, while she stood and spoke.
Taking a coin purse from her belt, she pressed the full bag into his hand. "I beg of your confidence, Father, in that this remains to the three of us only. It is of the utmost importance, Father, that I have your word that what happens here is of confidentiality between Father and a holy servant of God. This is for your services and for the church, not to mention a promise for a monthly allowance from the Academy to further fund the church."
Now this was odd… He, Robertson sept, and a possibly condemned man, marrying a well-to-do MacGregor female… and SHE was paying for the Priest… and offering a stipend for his silence… What a way to start a new marriage… and it made him smile. And in the next thought was the expression that Searc would have when, if ever, he found out that they were married…. And that mystery smile could be seen by all… if they looked at him.
Her hand closed the priest's hand over the bag of coins and she moved to join Mark curling her arm around his own. "You see Father... we wish to be married. Now, Please. I promise to all mighty God above, I am of sound mind and body in this decision. This is the man I love, Father, and I wish my life joined to his in God's eyes unto eternity..."
Mark finally stood, and moved to Shy, his arm moving about her. Nodding, he spoke softly to the Priest. “Father, I am sure you came here for a very different reason… but to the sins I have committed, I have begged God to forgive me, as I had no Priest… now I ask you to marry us in the eyes of God… I love Shyvonne…” his arm tightened around her. “I know the King has not made a decision upon us, but…” he looks to Shy, then back to the Priest… “Her brother wishes to marry her off to someone else… for power and wealth… but…” the look offered to her again… “We wish to marry in love… and we must do so BEFORE…” he choked back the comment on the possibility of death… “Before she is promised to another…”
The Priest smiled… for he was one in agreement with the King on marriage… as it should be according to God’s word. “There are many documents regarding marriage, and several mention secret marriages. Some dioces admonish it, but some allow… And this is ever so irregular… but being a Priest in the Catholic Church, abiding by the Laws of the Gryphon on free marriage, I shall marry you… But know this… there is no need to buy my silence… but I shall keep the purse, if I may… for the Church, as we can do much with little.”
Shyvonne gave a nod of her head that the priest could keep the money and sure to her promise though he said money was not needed to buy his silence, she would continue sending money by way of the Academy every month in honor of the church and in thanks to the priest and God for his services tonight.
Then he smiled and rearranged them…Mark on the right hand, and Shy on the left. Then he called for the Guard… “Yu sir, shall become a witness… and shall nay say a word of the actions here today, for fear of death, unless I command yu to speak of this. Understand…?” And the guard, puzzlement upon his face, stoodfast, until the Priest positioned him behind the couple. “There that is better…” and the Priest smiled.
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God to join together this Man and this Woman in Holy Matrimony; which is an honourable estate, instituted of God in Paradise, and into which holy estate these two persons present come now to be joined. Therefore if any man can shew any just cause, why they may not lawfully be joined together, by God's Law, or the Laws of the Realm; let him now speak, or else hereafter forever hold his peace."
The guard just shook his head, his eyes fully open.
And also, speaking unto the persons that shall be married, he said… “I require and charge you both, as ye will answer at the dreadful day of judgment when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed, that if either of you know any impediment, why ye may not be lawfully joined together in Matrimony, that ye confess it. For ye be well assured, that so many as be coupled together otherwise than God's Word doth allow are not joined together by God; neither is their Matrimony lawful.”
Both Mark and Shyvonne shook their heads…
Since no impediment be alleged, then Priest said unto Mark;
“Mark… Wilt thou have this Woman to be thy wedded wife, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honour, and keep her, in sickness and in health; and forsaking all others, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live? "
Mark simply smiled and answered… “I will…”
Then the Priest looked at Shyvonne and said… “Shyvonne… Wilt thou have this man to be thy wedded husband, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou obey him, and serve him, love, honour, and keep him in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?”
Shyvonne simply looked at him lovingly and answered… “I will…”
The Priest, moved forward taking Mark’s right hand and placed it on Shy’s, and instructed him to repeat after him;
“I, Mark Collier, take thee Shyvonne, to my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, for fairer or fouler, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us depart, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereunto I plight thee my troth.”
Mark repeated the word phrases, until “death do us part…” and he choked a bit, but repeated it as well… giving Shyvonne a long look.
Then the Priest looked at Shyvonne… “Please repeat after me…"…. and nodded a bit… “I, Shyvonne MacGregor… N. take thee N to my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to be bonny and buxom at bed and at board, to love and to cherish, till death us depart, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereunto I plight thee my troth.”
Moss green eyes moved constantly between the guard and the priest and then up to Mark as the priest took his hand and her own and placed her own hand within Mark's. Words could not express the joy on her face, the sparkle in her eyes as she spoke his vows to her and her hand tightened in his own as he choked on the 'death do us part'. She even now she was praying to God that the vision they had shared would not be of him, and even as she prayed for Mark's release she felt guilt that she now placed the guilt solely on Iain. None of them, from Dublain to Chloe, deserved any of this. Her free hand rose and covered his, so his hand was sandwiched between both of hers and she took a breath to repeat after the Priest.
"I, Shyvonne MacGregor...take thee Mark to my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health..."
Her cheeks flushed as she went on to the next part…
"…to be bonny and buxom at bed and at board, to love and to cherish..."
though the priest had said to repeat, she changed the latter
"…unto the ends of eternity, according to God's holy ordinance; and there unto I plight my troth"
The Priest then looked at them… “Rings?”
Rings?!?! Shyvonne mouth formed that perfect O again as her cheeks flushed a darker red. She had forgotten rings were involved!
Mark looked at the priest oddly, then removed his clan signet ring and handed it to the Priest…
Her blush did not fade as Mark took off his signet ring and handed it to the priest and her voice was a whisper as she leaned forward to whisper to Mark. "I forgot about the rings, but I promise to you, a ring blessed by the Father tomorrow…"
Mark smiled and nodded… though he wondered if he would be alive upon the morrow…
As he held the ring aloft, the Priest began to bless it… “Bless this Ring, O merciful Lord, that she who wears it, one that giveth and one that receiveth it, may be ever faithful to one another, remain in your peace, and live and grow old together in your love, under their own vine and fig tree, and seeing their children's children…. Amen.”
And the Priest delivered it to Mark, having him repeat the words and actions…;
Mark smiles and takes Shyvonne’s left hand… “With this Ring I thee wed, (here placing it upon her thumb) and with my body I thee honor, (here placing it upon her index finger) and with all my worldly goods I thee endow; (here placing it upon her ring finger)… In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”
The Priest would then have them both kneel… “Let us pray… O Eternal God, Creator and Preserver of all mankind, Giver of all spiritual grace, the Author of everlasting life; Send thy blessing upon these thy servants, this man and this woman, whom we bless in thy Name; that, as Mark and Shyvonne shall live faithfully together, so these persons may surely perform and keep the vow and covenant betwixt them made, whereof this Ring given and received is a token and pledge, and may ever hereafter remain in perfect love and peace together, and live according to thy laws; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”
Then the Priest had them rise, join their right hands together, and said; “Those whom God hath joined together let no man put asunder.”
And the Priest looked to the guard… “Forasmuch as Mark and Shyvonne have consented together in holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and this company, and thereto have given and pledged their troth each to the other, and have declared the same by giving and receiving of a Ring, and by joining of hands; I pronounce therefore that they be Man and Wife together, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen”
And the Priest held up his hand and added this blessing…. “God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, bless, preserve, and keep you; the Lord mercifully with his favour look upon you; and so fill you with all spiritual benediction and grace, that ye may so live together in this life, that in the world to come ye may have life everlasting. Amen.”
Then as the Priest smiled, and the pair looked up… he smiled and said… “Congratulations… You may kiss the Bride…”
Mark smiled and took Shyvonne’s face in his hands… and his lips coveted hers… kissing her passionately.
"Amen" Shyvonne hummed with the ending of the blessing and rose to her feet with the help of Mark's hands in her own. Her attention turned to the priest and she smiled in a way that no thanks would ever need be said that could rival that look. Her attention went back to Mark and as his hands captured her face, her own clasped his wrists as his lips descended to her own and her mouth opened even as her cheeks flushed as their lips melted into a passionate dance sealing their love, sealing their souls, sealing their marriage in that kiss.
Then Mark looked to the guard and extended his hand… “Thank you M’Lord… yu shall never regret this…” shaking the man’s hand vigorously… and he looked to the Priest… “Thank you Father… yu have done a great service.”
Her hand looped through Mark's free arm as he shook hands with the guard and then the priest. She gave a nod of agreement to Mark's thanks taking a step forward to give the guard’s cheek a kiss and then clasped a hand with the priests, he too received a chaste and warm kiss against the withered and wrinkled leather-like cheek before she was stepping back again.
Curling her arm around his waist, she turned her chin upward, not indignant this time but inviting as the grin curled her lips. "Kiss me again, my husband..." She purred in a whisper to Mark which lead to the priest leading the guard from the room.
The Priest took the guard by the arm as the pair kissed again… “My son… I think it best we leave the newlyweds alone…” and as he exited the door, prior to closing, the Priest added… “I recommend yu give them some sort of privacy… I dunnae think he shall escape this night…” giving the guard a smile…
The guard offering the Priest an odd look, for all he could do is nod, and close the door… locking it behind him…
The Priest nodded to the guard and then was able to convince the guard to stand as far away from their door as possible.
No one matter now but her… and as the Priest and the guard departed… the lock of the door disregarded as he gentle applied pressure to her lips with his… his mouth opening to kiss her ever so passionately… his tongue exploring her mouth… his arms wrapping about her and pulling her close…. And he would feel her loving arms wrap around his neck and her thighs pressing close to his.
Her lips curled into a smile momentarily breaking the way their lips touched one another but that kiss faulted, not replaced by a frown but more melted with his own as her arms wrapped about his shoulders to his neck, her fingers pressing into the nap of his neck as his lips teased at her own begging them open so that tongues could dance in a fevered passion that rose between them. She felt her back pressed up against the wall as he backed her to it and let out a moan against his mouth as her fingers tangled within his hair, the gruff roughness of a beard that had sprouted from days of being left to conquer his face, scratched at her cheeks as her lips began to swell and tingle with the forceful passionate pull of his lips against her own.
The kiss they shared sparked an inner sensation and his excitement became deafening evident.
FADE TO BLACK
Much later, as they lay entwined in pleasure, his hand stroking her dark hair, he smiled, his blue eyes sparkling… It was only then that they heard an annoying tink tink of blades… thinking it was sword practice downstairs, they ignored it until….
