Page 126 of Shâhzâdeh

“It is my honor to esay I have been afforded zhe privilege of escorting zhis lovely bride as she begins her life vith my son.” My father stood up taller and smiled even broader which caused Vanya to tear up.

“Please hand the lovely Vanya over to the man He created specifically to love and protect her from any weapons formed.” Priest was clearly taking over this portion of the ceremony sending that not-so-subtle word to my father’s people.

My father bowed his head slightly respect before taking Vanya’s hand in his. “It vill be my honor, Jahmir.”

My father leaned over and kissed Vanya on the cheek before walking her the few steps to me. I grinned as my father reached over and kissed both of my cheeks. “I do not need to tell you to be good to her because zhat is simply zhe man you are. Allow her to soften you. To slow you down. To discover beauty in being still.”

“I have and I will, bâbâ.”

He pat the side of my face unbothered by the display of affection in front of so many people. My face was so similar to his and I knew the tears in his eyes reflected my own. “You have been my greatest accomplishment,XšayaršaAmádée Bijan. Continue to be zhe man your mozer and I taught you to be. Never back down, love deeply and protect vhat you love until your last breaz.”

I promised him that I would and only then did he step back and put Vanya’s hand into mine.

We turned to face Jahmir and as he started the service I leaned over to speak into her ear.

“I zhink you tried to kill me zhere wiz zhat no.”

She shrugged her shoulders regally as though she weren’t afraid that she had almost given me a heart attack. In fact, she seemed to glow even brighter because she’d kept me on my toes. “I cleaned it up nicely I thought.”

“You did. I have to tell you,jameelahyou steal my breaz wiz your beauty daily. But today, you have been even furzer exalted into zhe heavens to reign amongst zhe most perfect of beings wiz how you look.”

“Wow. I was going to say you looked handsome but that no longer seems adequate.” She was trying to keep her voice down and I watched as the blush spread from her cheeks and down her neck.

“Any words of praise zhat fall from your lips and into my ears are beyond adequate and are extolling as zhe greatest bards.” I squeezed her hand wishing I could kiss her despite where we were in the ceremony.

“And they say I’m the poetic one.” Vanya and I looked at Mir having completely forgotten that he was even there.

“I’m sorry, Jahmir. I forgot myself for a minute. He has that effect.” Vanya looked contrite and her chest flushed.

Jahmir smiled benevolently at her and he had a way about him that could put anyone at ease. “No apologies needed, it’s beautiful to witness and makes me eager to get back to mydove. But first, let us proceed.”

Mir began to pray both in English and then in Persian so that everyone was included. I held Vanya’s hand tightly and sent my own petitions to God for us.

When it was time to say our vows, Vanya turned to me and went first.

“Xerxes, when I met you, circumstances were unique to say the least. To think that within a year I would be here impatient to become your wife isn’t something the Vanya that day would’ve ever imagined. But not because of anything that you did. It was because I could feel the power that radiates from you. The presence that you have whenever you enter a room, as though you enter to do the bidding of the universe and anyone standing in your way would be encompassed in your wrath. And I was worried about that. Being encompassed. Allowing you in and then being consumed by you. But I should’ve had faith. From the first day we met, you showed me respect. The second, you showed me your protection. And from then on, every meeting has been unveiling to me that you are the purest definition of a man that could ever exist on this earth. You’ve shielded me from harm. You have watered and nurtured my passions. The ideas that are in my head you refuse to let them rest there and do what you can to help bring them to life. You are Xerxes Amádée Bijan but to me you are an Adonis, because no more perfect man for me exists but you.Ghalbam faghat barâye to mitape. Dooset dâram.”

I had to take a deep breath when she spoke in perfect Persian that her heart beat for only me and that she loved me. I wanted nothing more than to fall deeply into those words and hold them close to my heart. She had never said them before and I would wait until later to ensure she meant them.

“Xerxes, it’s your turn.” I’d been too stunned to speak for a while and cleared my throat so that I could do as Jahmir instructed me.

“My fazer often told me zhe story of when he first saw my mozer. How he got what he called an icy heat over him. And I would hear him speak about mymamanand of course I could do nozing but agree. Because if you have met mymamanyou know zhere is nozing about Babette Cannon zhat is more accurate zhan praise.” I looked at my mother and she blew me a kiss from where she sat next to my fazer, looking perfect in her soft mauve dress. “I always felt zhat maman vas perfect. A one off zhat could never be replicated. And zhen I met you, Vanya.”

She gasped and the tears started to well in her eyes.

“I am honored zhat you use zhat phrase perfect for you when you speak of me. I feel zhe same way about you. You are a gentle breeze zhat can be turned into a hurricane with zhe right pressure. A woman of multitudes but even vhen she is showing me her anger zhere is a beauty to it. As a man zhat has spent years doing, I feel my world slowing down as a take in more around me and appreciate it. I crave it. Zhe still moments vhen you look at me and smile and zhe vorld slows. You asking me questions or reading me something zhat you find joy in. Slow dancing wiz you and speaking to you about zhe zhings zhat I love. Vanya, you have become my best friend. Zhe reason for me to put plans into place zhat I didn’t understand until I met you. All of zhis work has been so zhat I can grant you whatever your heart desires because you have fulfilled parts of me zhat have never seen zhe sun to grow. Zhe part zhat desired love and companionship. To find someone to spoil so beautifully. I am angry zhat you had not known zhe adoration zhat you deserve but I am proud to be zhe one to bestow it upon you for zhe rest of our days.Dooset dâram. Az hâlâ tâ vaghti ke khorshid dige nasooze(I love you. From now until the sun ceases to burn.)”

“And now that the vows have been spoken Xerxes has a gift to present to his bride.”

Vanya looked shocked as he spoke and I felt her hands get clammy inside of mine. “What is this?”

We hadn’t discussed this part of the tradition, despite this being the most symbolic to me next to our rings. I wanted to include Vanya in all parts of my life and even though it wasn’t official until we visited Tehran, becoming my wife meant more than just becoming Mrs. Cannon.

“Zhis is zhe part of zhe ceremony where I present you wiz your bridal jewelry.”

She looked down at her exquisite gown and I could see the question forming like she thought I found it lacking. “My what? Is my dress not enough—”

“It is perfection. But it is custom in our family on boz sides to adorn a bride wiz jewelry. My mother got you started, but it is my honor to finish zhe job.”

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