“I hadn’t thought of that,” Calan said. “That’s a good idea. Maybe some of them will find their females while mingling with the residents.”
“Will you pledge with me at the celebration, Mikki?” Rax asked.
“I will.” Mikki smiled at him. “It’s sweet of you to ask.”
“And you knew he’d see it your way,” Ajha said grinning at her friend. “Doesn’t it bother you to talk in front of all those people?”
“Hell, it’s better than getting beat up in front of a bunch of people,” Mikki said. “I’ll tell anyone who wants to listen this guy is my pledged bond mate.”
“I should get you a dress to wear,” Calan said. “Parei wore a pretty blue dress when she pledged to Jamerin.”
“A dress? I never wore a dress my whole life,” Ajha protested. “I won’t even know how to put it on.”
“It will be like a long shirt or tunic,” Calan said. “There must be something suitable in the shop district at Starport City. I’ll check on the AI-net.”
“If it would make you happy,” Ajha conceded as she knew it would. “Will you get a dress too, Mikki?”
“Sure. We can dress the same and Calan, and Rax can get suits that complement our dresses,” Mikki said. “It will be fun. That’s something most of the people here haven’t had much of in their lives.”
“We’re going to change that,” Calan said. “Everyone has been working hard. Maybe we will make it a tradition---people pledging at seasonal festivals.”
They finished their meal, chatting amiably about plans for the pledging ceremony at their first annual Fall Festival. With only a week to plan, they all agreed to keep it simple. The food would be basic fare from their food processors, and the music would be recorded. Dancing would be free form because most had never learned.
When they finished eating, Calan took out his tablet and searched for the clothing they discussed. The attire for Jamerin’s pledging had all been handmade by the clothing maker in Blue Summit. When he found what he was looking for, he scanned everyone for size and put in the order. Then he sent a blanket message to everyone’s tablets about the gathering.
Since most of the residents were still wearing the clothing they were issued on arrival, it wasn’t necessary to buy anything too elaborate to look impressive for the event.
Chapter Twenty
The courtyard at the center of the industrial complex seemed huge until over three thousand people gathered there. The clamor of human voices reminded Ajha what it was like when she was first dawning with so many voices in her head it was hard to hear just one. They all quieted when several tones played over the sound system.
Calan, Ajha, Rax, and Mikki were waiting at the door opposite the restored fountain to enter the courtyard. Ajha and Mikki wore simple matching dresses of pale blue. The floor-length garments were figure flattering A-lines with vee necklines and belled sleeves that almost made them look medieval. The dresses were otherwise unadorned. Instead, the women wore streaming blue and white ribbons in their hair.
Ajha’s hair had grown out to shoulder length. Calan had evened it out with a simple pair of scissors for her, vowing to get a grooming droid when funds were more plentiful. Mikki’s hair had also grown, so she wore it straight also enhanced with ribbons.
Calan and Rax wore simple long-sleeved vee necked shirts with collars and matching trousers in a darker blue that contrasted with the lighter blue of their mates’ dresses. Together they made two very attractive couples.
They all had tiny wireless coms in their ears routed through the sound system so everyone could hear them speak.
“I’d like to welcome you all here today to celebrate my pledging to Ajha and Rax’s pledging to Mikki. Back in the days before the war left Earth in ruin, when two people pledged to share their lives together and make a family they had marriage ceremonies. On Aledus, where my father was born they called it pledging which is basically the same.
“We are also here to celebrate the progress we’ve made in building this community. I hope there will be more pledgings in the future so we can begin rebuilding civilization here on Earth by building strong family units.” Calan ended, his speech, waiting for the cheering and clapping to die down. “Let us begin.”
Soft music opened the ceremony as Calan and Ajha strolled to the pristine white fountain shooting water high into the air hand in hand. Rax and Mikki waited until they were about halfway there and followed. Everyone was quiet. Those too far back in the crowd to see viewed it on their tablets.
Calan spoke again
"The Mother of Life is responsible for the evolution of humankind throughout the Galaxy. She gifts some humans with special insight to find their soulmates as I have found mine in Ajha Lann.”
Then they faced each other holding hands.
“We are destined to walk all planes of existence together for all time. For through time and space, the human soul knows no bounds.
“Love has many facets, my beautiful Ajha Lann, and knowing love is a precious gift. You give your love freely, and what's more, you accept my love freely. Ajha, I give you my love now and always. As it travels the circle of our thoughts from my heart to your heart and back again, it grows and blossoms to a joy beyond words, pure and untouched inside us.”
He looked at Ajha with eyes full of love unspoken that flowed freely between them and waited for her to speak.
“Beloved Calan, I love all that you are . . . With all that I am . . . All that I will ever be. We are like the water that ripples in the fountain. Your love is my love . . . And your joy is my joy . . . Your sorrow, my sorrow . . . Your pain is my pain. We are one with our love. We are one now and always, and with all that we are, we will protect our life together from this moment on.”
