Dragoncrest Cliffs the blade and the bow

It was tempting to keep her focus on Njord and let the rest of the world simply fall away. But this wasn’t just about the two of them; it was about their family. Meerkat wanted to acknowledge those who had come out to celebrate, support and witness them today, especially because she knew that some didn’t necessarily approve of their union.

Her gaze found Rosalyn first. The Ruby was looking around with a dubious expression on her face. Meerkat knew better than to take it personally. It was entirely possible she was confused about what she was doing here. Or perhaps she simply didn’t understand all the pomp and circumstance. Either way, Meerkat’s lips curved into a fond smile, glad to see her.

Her brown eyes drifted to Sobo, who looked as surly as ever. She doubted he was here for herself or Njord, though she took a moment to catch his eye, nodding and smiling her appreciation. She was truly glad to see him here, at least for his da’s sake, though for her own and Sobo’s, Meerkat’s attention didn’t linger.

She didn’t know that Loko had helped Njord fell a stag for the wedding feast, so Meerkat was surprised to see his upbeat expression. She met his smile with one of her own, tail waving. He looked truly happy for them. Perhaps she had conflated him with his brother and made too many assumptions. She made a note to seek him out sometime after this, though Njord now recaptured her attention.

Her beloved guided her onto a platform strewn with seashells and wildflowers. Meerkat gazed down at the lovely display a moment before lifting her head. Being raised above the others this way, the center of attention, made her suddenly self-conscious. Her jaw tightened and she swallowed, eyes seeking and finding Njord’s as she finally let herself get lost in him.

By the time Erzulie stepped up to place matching wreaths about each of their necks, Meerkat felt a little steadier. She bowed to the Obsidian, then caught her eye and smiled with not just appreciation but adoration. This woman had made her feel welcome from the moment she had arrived. It meant so much to Meerkat that she stood here beside them in celebration.

Fighting tears now as Erzulie made her speech, Meerkat tried to take deep breaths and focus on how adorable Njord looked in his floral necklace. She laughed under her breath and sniffed wetly, feeling happier than she could ever remember when she recalled why they were here today: they were getting married!

And their lifelong commitment would begin with an exchange of vows. Trying not to think of how much Sobo might sneer or whether Rosalyn might pass away from secondhand embarrassment, Meerkat opened her mouth and sang:

I have died everyday, waiting for you…
Darling, don’t be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years…
I’ll love you for a thousand more.

And all along I believed, I would find you…
Time has brought your heart to me, I have loved you for a thousand years…
I’ll love you for a thousand more.

I love you, Njord, forever and always.

There was more she intended to say. But Meerkat’s voice caught in her throat and she lost her ability to speak. Instead, she gazed up at him with tears gathering at the corners of her eyes, her mouth curved into a radiant smile. Anyway, there weren’t really words to describe just how she felt about this man.

Lyrics belong to Christina Perri.