19| A Night To Remember II

A bear. A bear… There was a wild animal in front of her.

Then again, wasn’t she getting married to one?

She had initially found it strange when she hadn’t noticed any bears during her tour on the surface. There had been birds, dogs, horses, and snakes, but no bears. She had concluded without even bothering to ask that maybe those creatures might have been in the woods until Eustace told her she would find quite many of them both in the woods and underground, along with a mount waiting for her down here.

The creature silently regarded Mel and turned around on all four paws, turning its back to her.

“My lady.” The escort lowered the veiled umbrella and smiled apologetically at Mel. “We will pass a few more sections before getting to the centre of the settlement where the ceremony will take place. The journey is a little lengthy…”

Mel’s gaze shifted back to the bear’s behind. It would be silly for her to ask if the bear was hostile or if it would eat her. They wouldn’t just present her like food on a platter for their animals.

“We will help you up.”

Mel took a steady breath and nodded, dragging her feet to stand beside the bear, mere inches away from its shimmering fur.

“Where is the saddle?” she asked.

Her question stopped the escorts and Mel immediately felt embarrassed. Then again, she had seen saddles on their horses, so why not the bears?

“It’s alright, my lady,” another escort said in a comforting manner, understanding plastered across her features. “We don’t use saddles on our bears. On one hand, Iva is gentle and is one of our lord’s finest companions. Please forgive me for being forward…” She gently took Mel’s hand and pressed her palm against the thick fur.

Mel flinched as her hand came in contact with warmth. The startled woman cautiously sifted her fingers through the smooth fur before letting her palm sink deeper, coming in contact with its flesh. A purr-like sound rumbled from the animal's throat, echoing across the quiet expanse of the wide cave and Mel stilled in fascination as the bear’s skin seemed to ripple and flex under her touch. Did it like her petting it?

She took her hand back and looked back at the envoys. “I’m sorry. It seems like I’m here wasting time…” She cast another apprehensive glance at the monstrosity and turned back to the envoys. “Help me up.”

The escorts did so, and in a manner of seconds, Mel was carried, lifted, and guided to the bear’s back—though clumsily. Her gown didn’t give her as much free movement as expected, but she was able to find a sitting position with her legs hanging down the side of Iva’s back. She clutched patches of the creature’s fur, worried that with each movement, she might slide off its back, but her anxiety eased over time, and her focus was shifted to the dazzling crystals that changed colours from time to time as they went deeper into the tunnel, uphill, downhill, and into other tunnels that branched from one other.

“Has anyone ever gotten lost here?” Mel asked in a whisper, dizzy from the shifting directions.

“No, my lady. Never. Though, to ease your worries, every household has its tunnels leading above ground. But if you want to explore the undercity, our lord can arrange a guide for you.”

Mel had a few more questions, but the journey seemed to draw to a close as she heard nearby chattering. Her stomach squirmed as they drew closer and her heart nearly stopped in her chest as they strutted into the dome-like expanse of a large cave. The rocky walls and floor were smooth, and faint wine crystals jutted from the ceiling, light emitting from every facet of the stones.

What grabbed her attention, however, were the wide steps leading up to the large stone doors on the other side of the cave. A large paw print of a bear was engraved on the two stone slabs. Iva stopped right at the base of the steps and the escorts helped her down the mount, straightening the folds and layers of her gown.

Behind those doors was one of Grime’s sacred spaces and the hall where her wedding would take place. She glanced at the floor, a little downcast. No matter what support Eustace or Lori had given her, she was here, with no one by her side. Never before had she felt so lonely.

If circumstances could allow, her mother would have been here, arm in arm with her daughter as she was being handed over to her new family…

“My lady?”

Mel straightened, turning her attention back to the escorts. “Sorry about that…” She faced the doors and stepped forward. The escorts assisted her in climbing the few steps and they paused briefly at the door. Amidst the low chatter, Mel picked the melodic sounds of low music, similar to the stringed instruments that were being played in the first section.

Mel took a deep breath and found the escorts staring at her, waiting patiently for her next instruction. A barely visible smile touched Mel’s lips and she nodded. Two escorts moved forward, one on each side of the slab, and gave the stone doors a soft push.

Mel expected to hear the stone grating against the rocky floor, but the doors were silent and opened with ease. The light from the stones in the cave brightened as the doors were swung open, pouring a dazzling wine hue into the partitioned chamber.

Mel’s small shadow splayed across the rocky-grained floor and stretched towards the grey curtain before her. The chattering ceased and the music eased into lower notes. Mel’s heart clamoured within her chest. Behind those wide drapes was a large gathering. Her eyes swept over the spacious rectangular enclosure and came to rest upon a small raised stone platform with two wooden bowls on it. She took hesitant steps into the chamber and her heart soared to her throat as the escorts closed the doors behind her, leaving her alone in the sudden darkness.

The low music remained, and she nearly jumped out of her skin when a large hand engulfed hers, along with the tips of her sleeves.

“It’s fine.”

Mel nearly jumped out of her skin at the low voice in her ear. She felt his rough palm and it then occurred to her that her hand was shaking. She looked up to find the faint blue glow of Bjorn’s eyes staring down at her. Her pulsing heart quickened. They were holding hands. The moment was short-lived as someone cleared their throat, startling her.

A dim grey glow engulfed the sacred space and Mel’s attention was drawn to the shriveled old man in the corner. He appeared to be even smaller than Mel. His slight frame was steadied by a wooden walking cane and his lips quivered as he smiled fondly at her.

“Your shoes, my dear,” his hoarse voice called out to her.

Mel immediately looked down and noticed she was a few inches away from a dark grey line. She directed an apologetic smile the man’s way and leaned forward to undo her shoes when she stilled mid-movement. Bjorn was already hunched forward, his hands nimbly undoing the buckles of her sandal.

“Your leg,” Bjorn mumbled.

Mel raised her feet and a warm shiver crawled up the back of her leg when Bjorn touched her ankle, slipping the shoe off her foot. She focused on his white hair, hoping he wouldn’t look up. It would have been helpful if the gown had a high neck to cover the redness of her neck and cheeks. That was how hot they felt.

A few moments later, her shoes were off her feet and they both walked forward, barefoot. Her excitement ebbed when Bjorn didn’t hold her hand after, and she had followed his lead, coming to stand beside him in front of the raised stone platform.

The old man shuffled up to them, stopping beside the stone platform. He announced, his voice slightly louder and clearer than before, “Now, let us begin the ceremony.”

The music stopped and from the edge of the curtain, a young Grime girl slipped in. She was the same height as Mel, but with a little more “meat to her bones” as her father would describe. She felt a slight pinprick in her heart and Mel clutched at the side of her gown.

‘Just bear with it. I can see them another time,’ she comforted herself, thinking of her family.

The girl held a wooden jug tentatively and approached the old man. He nodded at her and she moved right to the front of the platform, facing Mel and Bjorn. She bowed slightly at the both of them and tilted the jug at one of the bowls.

Mel’s eyes went wide at the glowing blue liquid that streamed out of the jug, pouring into the bowl as a shimmering pool. The liquid emitted a light smell, a fragrance she couldn’t identify. One moment she was smelling honey, the next, she was smelling chocolate. After that, a fragrant mixture of citrus and cinnamon assaulted her senses, rendering her confused as even more scents spread throughout the chamber. While she couldn’t identify most of them, they all smelled pleasant and before she knew it, both bowls were filled.

“Please, drink,” the old man instructed.

Bjorn took one of the bowls and Mel hesitantly did so. The interchanging fragrances grew stronger when she brought the bowl close to her face and she inspected the liquid. It was thick, and its syrupy body consisted of a faint blue base with thin swirls of darker blue. She squeezed her eyes shut and brought the bowl to her lips, downing the liquid.