becoming husband and wife. That torture would end as soon as he gathered the Moonflowers and readied the altar.
A picture flashed through his mind of what becoming one would be like, increasing the pressure in his loins. He needed to hurry. Using his senses like his human father taught him, he probed the meadow, making sure it was safe to enter. Others were there. Deer, elk, and moose.
Nothing like the land he’d come from, which was mostly barren, just some sagebrush and a few scrub trees. The only animals around his boyhood home were skunk, raccoon, fox, and an occasional antelope.
The wars on this planet had taken their toll. Most of the creatures that lived in the jungles and rainforests were destroyed by the bombings, leaving only a few species to repopulate. This land was one of the most interesting he’d visited. He’d never been to Kilapon before, but Simeon told him wondrous stories about it. He couldn’t wait to discover more of it with Zalphia.
Striding across the meadow, he reached a patch of sacred blooms and carefully plucked an armful before heading back into the forest. He’d seen a tree stump not far from the camp on his way to the meadow that would work perfectly as an altar. They would perform the ceremony there.
When he reached it, he dropped the handful of flowers on the ground. Taking a soft skin from the pouch at his waist, Max carefully unfolded it, revealing the milky stone. He spread the thin leather over the stump, placed the sacred gem in the center, and then twisted a ring of flowers together, situating them around the edge of the stump. Satisfied the altar was set up according to Selestial law, he gathered the remaining blooms and headed back to camp.
CHAPTER 9
Max wandered into the firelight, his arms filled with gentle white flowers, and he sat beside Zalphia on the log.
“What have you got there?” she asked, rubbing a silky petal between her fingers.
“These are called Moonflowers. The moon is a symbol of our life cycle. It starts out barely a sliver then grows until completely full. From that point, it begins to fade until only a mere slit remains. So it is with us. We from Selestia flare from a mere speck of light to a glowing being, then fade when our work is done. These flowers represent those here, the humans that will bloom and grow under the light of those from Selestia. As we are joined together, these flowers will show our willingness to alter this world until it blooms in beauty and full life. A life of kindness and love, one that leaves behind the cruel and selfishness they now possess.”
Zalphia watched intently as Max took the long stems and wove them into a wreath with the tender square flowers to the outside. She marveled that his massive hands could work with such delicate plants and not completely crush them. When he finished, he placed the crown of blooms on top her head then knelt at her feet.
He took her hands in his own. “My dearest Zalphia, I wish for you to be my wife. Will you do me the honor of participating in the Selestial marriage ceremony that will join us together here on this earth?”
Tears brimmed in her eyes, and a lump took her voice. She managed to nod.
He rose and held his hand out to her.
She took it, stood, and followed him into the forest.
He stopped when they reached a stump that came to her waist. Spread on top of it was a piece of hide similar to that which he’d made her clothing with, and in the center sat a cloudy-white, round stone. Flowers like the ones making up her crown surrounded the strange rock.
The night birds and the crickets all ceased their songs simultaneously as if someone had spoken for silence, and stillness settled around them. Max took Zalphia’s left hand and placed it on the stone. Her palm fit perfectly over it, and the stone warmed against her skin. Then he placed his left hand over the top of
A picture flashed through his mind of what becoming one would be like, increasing the pressure in his loins. He needed to hurry. Using his senses like his human father taught him, he probed the meadow, making sure it was safe to enter. Others were there. Deer, elk, and moose.
Nothing like the land he’d come from, which was mostly barren, just some sagebrush and a few scrub trees. The only animals around his boyhood home were skunk, raccoon, fox, and an occasional antelope.
The wars on this planet had taken their toll. Most of the creatures that lived in the jungles and rainforests were destroyed by the bombings, leaving only a few species to repopulate. This land was one of the most interesting he’d visited. He’d never been to Kilapon before, but Simeon told him wondrous stories about it. He couldn’t wait to discover more of it with Zalphia.
Striding across the meadow, he reached a patch of sacred blooms and carefully plucked an armful before heading back into the forest. He’d seen a tree stump not far from the camp on his way to the meadow that would work perfectly as an altar. They would perform the ceremony there.
When he reached it, he dropped the handful of flowers on the ground. Taking a soft skin from the pouch at his waist, Max carefully unfolded it, revealing the milky stone. He spread the thin leather over the stump, placed the sacred gem in the center, and then twisted a ring of flowers together, situating them around the edge of the stump. Satisfied the altar was set up according to Selestial law, he gathered the remaining blooms and headed back to camp.
CHAPTER 9
Max wandered into the firelight, his arms filled with gentle white flowers, and he sat beside Zalphia on the log.
“What have you got there?” she asked, rubbing a silky petal between her fingers.
“These are called Moonflowers. The moon is a symbol of our life cycle. It starts out barely a sliver then grows until completely full. From that point, it begins to fade until only a mere slit remains. So it is with us. We from Selestia flare from a mere speck of light to a glowing being, then fade when our work is done. These flowers represent those here, the humans that will bloom and grow under the light of those from Selestia. As we are joined together, these flowers will show our willingness to alter this world until it blooms in beauty and full life. A life of kindness and love, one that leaves behind the cruel and selfishness they now possess.”
Zalphia watched intently as Max took the long stems and wove them into a wreath with the tender square flowers to the outside. She marveled that his massive hands could work with such delicate plants and not completely crush them. When he finished, he placed the crown of blooms on top her head then knelt at her feet.
He took her hands in his own. “My dearest Zalphia, I wish for you to be my wife. Will you do me the honor of participating in the Selestial marriage ceremony that will join us together here on this earth?”
Tears brimmed in her eyes, and a lump took her voice. She managed to nod.
He rose and held his hand out to her.
She took it, stood, and followed him into the forest.
He stopped when they reached a stump that came to her waist. Spread on top of it was a piece of hide similar to that which he’d made her clothing with, and in the center sat a cloudy-white, round stone. Flowers like the ones making up her crown surrounded the strange rock.
The night birds and the crickets all ceased their songs simultaneously as if someone had spoken for silence, and stillness settled around them. Max took Zalphia’s left hand and placed it on the stone. Her palm fit perfectly over it, and the stone warmed against her skin. Then he placed his left hand over the top of
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