Page 43 of Beyond the Shadowed Earth

The elephant keeper spoke a word in the beast’s ear and it lumbered forward, winding the long way back down the hill.

Eda had ridden an elephant once before, the day of her coronation. It had been hot and dusty, and the motion of the creature had made her sick to her stomach. That day had been filled with triumph. This one was tainted with regret.

She held tight to the front of the saddle and focused on looking like a goddess of old, untouchable, unshakeable.

When Ileem was her husband and bound to her as he was to their god, would Tuer come to her at last? Or was her deal at an end, now that Tuer had taken what she’d promised him? She would gladly trade away her Empire for Niren to be returned to her, hale and whole.

The procession wound down the hill and past the gates of the city, where all of Eddenahr was waiting. They rang little bells and waved scarves and threw flowers in the elephant’s path.

As they approached the newly completed temple, the clouds blotted out the sun and the rain broke, driving and heavy. It shredded Eda’s veil, plastered her priceless gown against her body, ruined her elaborate hair.

But something tight inside of her eased, because Ileem was waiting for her on the temple steps. He was dressed all in silver, and shone like the moon.

He is sun and moon both,she thought. A thrill went through her. If she had never made her deal with Tuer, would she even have met Ileem? Certainly she wouldn’t be marrying him this morning. Was her friend’s life worth this? Worth him?

Everything moved far too slowly for her after that. The Odans sang a hymn as attendants brought out another set of steps and helped Eda down from the elephant, holding rain canopies over her head that were rather too late to do any good. One of the new priestesses hung a garland of flowers around her neck and brushed a line of oil and ashes across her forehead.

The ancient priest from the mountain took Eda’s arm and walked with her up the steps. It took an eternity to reach Ileem at the top, but finally, finally they did.

Eda took Ileem’s hands in both of her own and tried to remember to breathe. It was almost cold, up there in the wind and the rain, but Ileem’s presence warmed every part of her.

The ceremony was long, melding together Denlahn and Enduenan marriage traditions. The speeches and pledges filled up half the morning, and her legs began to ache from standing there for such an extended period.

At last the priest came to the formal words of binding. “As the Stars shone with one light, may you be one. As the Tree flourished upon the earth, may you flourish. Until the last Star falls from heaven, may your love endure. Until death parts you, may you be true. Until time itself is ended, may you be of one mind and one heart and one soul.”

A shiver passed through her, her hands trembling in Ileem’s, and she knew in her heart of hearts that this, at least, Niren would not blame her for.

“Do you bind yourself to this man?” the priest asked Eda. “To guard him and keep him for all of time?”

“I bind myself,” she said, her voice swallowed up in the echoing rain. “For all of time.”

“Do you bind yourself to this woman?” the priest asked Ileem. “To guard her and keep her for all of time?”

Ileem smiled, smoothing his thumb across Eda’s skin. “I bind myself, for all of time.”

“Then by the will of the gods and the One who created them, let it be so.”

And then, then—Ileem washers.

He wrapped his hands around her chin and drew her to him, kissing her long and deeply in the sight of everyone watching below.

Eda stepped back from him, joy pushing past her anger and her grief, filling her up. There was only one thing left.

She turned to the crowd, and called her Barons to join her at the top of the temple steps. Domin was still in Evalla, managing Rescarin’s affairs, but Lohnin, Dyar, and Tuell were there, Lohnin holding a cedar box stamped with the emblem of the Empire.

None of the Barons were smiling. They looked as cross as wet hens. They lookedlikecross wet hens.

Eda accepted the box from Lohnin, and gazed out into the crowd. “Today I, Imperial Majesty Eda Mairin-Draive, Empress of Enduena and Ryn and Od, hereby crown as my equal in power His Highness Ileem Emohri, Prince of Denlahn.”

She opened the box and took out the crown.

Ileem knelt before her, and she lowered it onto his head.

“Rise, Imperial Majesty Ileem Emohri, Emperor of Enduena and Ryn and Od. Long may you reign beside me.”

Ileem grinned. Ileemlaughed,and Eda hauled him to his feet. They turned together to the crowd and raised their joined hands.

They descended the temple steps side by side, and climbed up onto the elephant, Eda first, Ileem after her.

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