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Stories from the Verse
Con Version
Chapter 69: Takano 106
Table of Contents
Previous chapter: Cooper 22
Tommy had thumbed through her Bible quite a bit, into the fading dusk, trying to find anything she could about getting married. As she stepped up on the rock they used for a podium she addressed the gathered group.
“This afternoon,” she began, “we are doing something a bit different. We are here to witness the joining of two people in marriage. The Bible says that a man will leave his parents and cling to his wife, and they will become one person. Part of that seems to be that as they come together, they tell the rest of the world that from this moment forward they are solely for each other.”
There were a lot of trappings in weddings--bridesmaids, fathers giving away daughters, best men, flowers--but other than making it a big deal Tommy wasn’t sure that any of that would matter. She was going to make it simple.
“Davey, would you please come forward?”
He walked out from the front of the crowd and she pointed to her left where she wanted him to stand, then continued.
“Varlax, would you please come forward?”
She also came forward.
“Davey and Varlax have privately agreed to become husband and wife, and we are here to make that official, formal, and recognized. Before we continue, does anyone know any reason why they should not be permitted to do this?”
There was a loud sob from somewhere in the back of the crowd. Tommy hesitated, but decided that wasn’t actually an objection in the meaning of the word. She continued.
“Davey, do you promise to love Varlax, and to care for her to the best of your ability, for the rest of your earthly lives?”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said. Apparently the phrase ‘I do’ had not survived, at least in his case.
“Varlax, do you promise to love Davey, and to care for him to the best of your ability for the rest of your earthly lives?”
“I promise.”
“I charge you both to be faithful to each other as long as you are both alive, and I call this gathering as witnesses that you have so promised. I declare you to be wed, husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
Well, she did like that particular part of the trappings. It seemed to catch the couple off guard, but they rose to the occasion, Varlax throwing her arms around Davey’s neck and finding his lips with her own.
Tommy turned her attention to the crowd. “At this point, in the traditions of your ancestors, there would be a big party until the newlyweds slipped away to be alone. We had our big party last night; but before we disperse, I wanted to say a few words.”
She wasn’t entirely certain what those few words were going to be, but she’d done a lot of reading about love and marriage the night before, and had some things rattling around in her head. She stood for a moment, silently staring out at the crowd.
“It seems I don’t know what they are,” she said, but then tentatively continued. “The future of your people, our people, humanity, depends on this, that men and women who love each other commit to each other, have children, teach those children how to live in this world. I look forward to welcoming Davey and Varlax’ next child into the world, and hope I will still be here to see it. I also look forward to more of you forming families, having children, building the future.”
She wondered if that was all, but then thought of one more thing. “As Varlax and Davey begin this journey together, they will need your support and assistance--all of you, just as you will need theirs in the days ahead. This community works because it is community, in which each of us helps all of us, and all of us help each of us.”
She looked around once more, and then said, “Thank you,” and left her perch.
There is a behind-the-writings look at the thoughts, influences, and ideas of this chapter, along with eleven other sequential chapters of this novel, in mark Joseph "young" web log entry #506: Characters Involved. Given a moment, this link should take you directly to the section relevant to this chapter. It may contain spoilers of upcoming chapters.
As to the old stories that have long been here:
