Page 68 of Must Love Scones and Secrets
“Shall we?” my mother whispered.
I nodded.
Fluttering our wings, we made our way to the front of the hall, flying up to the dais rather than walking up the stairs.
When we met Bjorn, my mother set my hand in his.
Bjorn leaned forward, kissing Rin on her cheek, and then my mother stepped aside with my friends.
“You look so beautiful,” Bjorn whispered, “like the Lady of Spring herself.”
“You’re not so bad yourself,” I replied with a wink. “And you definitely need to fix your hair like that more often.”
Bjorn chuckled.
With that, we turned our attention to the officiants.
The ceremony itself was a blend of traditions, with Rune elf formality and touches of pixie custom woven throughout. We exchanged vows, bound our hands with a silver cord embeddedwith northern and southern magic, and shared the traditional blessing cup of wine.
“Prince Bjorn, what gift do you offer your bride as a token of your love?” the officiant asked.
“An arm ring forged here in the Frozen Isles,” Bjorn said, slipping the ringlet of silver up my arm to my bicep. “It is made from the first neck torc I was granted as a boy. May it symbolize my lifelong love.”
“Rosalyn, what gift do you offer your husband as a token of your love?”
I grinned at Bjorn, then pulled a small, folded piece of paper from my sleeve. “I considered giving you a ring or an amulet, but nothing felt quite right. I wanted to give you something that showed my undying trust.” I grinned. “So, I gift this to you, Bjorn, the recipe for my rose-and-strawberry scones, an award-winning and absolutely secret recipe known only to me… and now to you. You are the only man I have ever dreamed of sharing my life with, and to prove it, I give you my most coveted secret.”
At that, the crowd laughed.
Bjorn chuckled. “Your secrets and scones are safe with me.”
I smiled warmly at him.
“Prince Bjorn of Frostfjord,” the officiant called, “and Rosalyn Hartwood of Moonshine Hollow, hailing from the pixie lands of Spring Haven, I confirm that your tokens have been exchanged and your vows completed. Therefore, before this good audience, I am pleased to pronounce you husband and wife! Kiss the one you love, and let us all revel in your joy.”
With that, Bjorn leaned forward and set a passionate kiss on my lips.
The crowd erupted in cheers, sparks flying all around the room from the traditional pixie wands my mother had brought from Spring Haven. Colorful, magical confetti popped alongside golden sparks, lighting the great hall with color and light.
The musicians began to play, and the whole room broke out in smiles and excited cheers.
King Ramr and Queen Maren stepped forward to congratulate us.
“Well done,” Queen Maren said as she embraced me, her formal façade softening slightly. “Welcome to the family, Rosalyn.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” I replied, still a bit nervous around my new mother-in-law despite her kindness.
“Maren, please,” she corrected gently. “We are family now.”
King Ramr, overcome with joy, pulled my tiny mother into an embrace. “Oh, aye. A pixie in our family now! Welcome, dear lady! Welcome.”
“Oh!” my mother exclaimed in surprise. “Thank you. Thank you very much.”
When he finally let her go, he turned to me, enfolding me in a bear hug that lifted me off the ground. “About time that boy found someone with spirit,” he declared, his voice booming in the hall. “You’ll bring some much-needed warmth to Frostfjord, my dear.”
“Thank you, King Ramr.”
Moments later, the great hall transformed. Servants quickly rearranged the space, using magic to bring in tables and heaps of food. Ice sculptures melted into colorful drinks while musicians played jaunty melodies.
