It was a traditional latil’e declaration of love. Not all matings were for love, and S’kasia had told her it was ultimately up to S’samph whether he offered a mating of love or of alliance. Eleri felt two errant tears slip down her cheeks, even though she’d been well prepared to hear it.
“You have heard his offerings, Eleri, human of Gaia. Do you accept what S’samph of S’kyra’s third clutch can provide?”
“I have one more thing to offer, in the way of Eleri’s people,” S’samph said. He gestured to K’kaen who brought out a wide box. After getting close enough, he opened it to reveal a beautiful universal instrument carved from real wood. Eleri gasped.
“Eleri, do you find fault with this offering?” S’kasia finally asked.
“No, no. Nothing like that,” Eleri said, wiping tears away from the corners of her eyes. “S’samph, where did you find this?”
“You said this would make you happy, did you not?”
“I did.” She paused to wipe her eyes again. “I did, but I never thought you’d be able to find one for me.”
“If you want another one you will have it. As many as you want.”
“One is more than enough.” Eleri couldn’t do anything but gape as she ran her fingers along the carved spine of the instrument.
“So, do you accept my offerings?” S’samph asked, and she noticed the worried twitch of his tail.
“I accept what you offer, S’samph. It’s more than I could have ever hoped for.”
Eleri’s voice was choked with a fresh rush of tears. Breaking with tradition, S’samph handed the mating bands to S’kasia and leaned in to bring Eleri into his arms.
“Why are your eyes filled with wetness at accepting my offerings?” His voice was gentle, but Eleri detected the concern in his body language. She sniffled inelegantly and continued to laugh.
“Sometimes humans cry when we are happy.”
“This wasn’t in the IA guide. I read the entire IA guide on humans.”
Eleri couldn’t restrain herself as the laughter turned into a snort. She decided it was best not to comment that it had taken him nearly half a standard year to finally finish reading the whole thing. “Tears are usually for sadness, but sometimes when we have overwhelming emotions, they can also turn into tears.”
“I’ll research this later.”
“I promise I’m happy. I’ve never been happier.” She beamed up at him. “Now, are you going to give me my mating bands or not?”
S’kasia placed the bands in S’samph’s outstretched hand. Her claws looked disproportionately large compared to the bands, which had been resized to fit Eleri’s narrow wrists. S’samph fiddled with the clasps as S’kasia lifted her ceremonial staff high overhead. As he affixed them around Eleri’s wrists, S’kasia brought the staff down hard in the dirt, causing the ground to vibrate underfoot.
“I bear witness to this mating,” she said.
“I bear witness to this mating,” K’kaen echoed.
Eleri shook the bangles straight on her wrist. Although most latil’e females wore them tight so they couldn’t be removed easily, Eleri had requested hers be large enough to take on and off easily as she’d need to remove them for work.
“I am grateful you stayed,” S’samph said as he bent toward her, gathering her and all her ridiculous blue skirts in his arms. “I meant all that I said. If it is in my power, I will keep you from loneliness and fear. You have my whole spirit to command.”
Eleri pressed her forehead against his. “I don’t have an ancient Earth saying for you. I was never much of one for poetry, but I can offer you all my love and my honesty.”
“I will hold you to that, mate. Now, we have some other responsibilities to attend to.”
“The flooding season is over, and we both have work to do,” Eleri laughed at his implication.
“Aglao can manage the clinic without you for a few days while we are in Abwele.”
Eleri smiled as she thumbed the junior healer’s pin hidden inside the hem of her dress. It didn’t match with the rest of her bridal finery, but she hadn’t been able to leave it aside, not after how much work she’d done to earn it. As they made their way back to their nest to begin preparations for their travel, S’samph interrupted her musings.
“You have the lines on your face for thinking hard,” S’samph commented as he curled the tip of his tail around her ankle. “Are we not supposed to be ‘taking a vacation’, as you humans call it?”
“I’m just thinking about how glad I am I accepted S’kasia’s mating request all those seasons ago,” she teased him.
