The ceremony was set up on the grassy knoll that separated the village of Arimythia from the pastures in which the sheep were taken to graze daily. All the people of the village were gathered around the knoll, from the eldest to the youngest babes. They all watched silently as Fionn walked carefully up to the top of the knoll, where Akorsa waited with a man named Itziar. He was the eldest man in the village, and was the one who was always called on to perform the traditional Arimythian marriage rites.
As Arimythian tradition went, Akorsa was led up before the people by her father, who presented her before the people and Itziar as the woman to be married. Then Fionn was permitted to come out of his house and meet her up on the knoll. When he finally reached Akorsa�s side, Itziar spoke.
�Clasp hands with one another,� he said. Fionn grabbed both of Akorsa�s hands in his, and smiled at her. She gave his hands a gentle squeeze and turned to look at Itziar.
�The two of you came hither today to be wed, with the people of this village as your witnesses, have you not?� asked the old man.
�We have,� the two said in unison. Itziar turned slightly to look at Fionn.
�As a husband, it is your duty to protect your wife, to love her and provide for her, and to treat her with the respect she is due,� he said. �Do you swear on your honor to do these things, Fionn son of Myron?�
�As the stars do shine in the night sky, I do swear it,� he said, looking into Akorsa�s eyes. She smiled and she felt the tears begin to well up in her eyes. Itziar turned to her then.
�As a wife, it is your duty to love your husband, to obey him, and to be willing to fulfill your womanly duties to him by bearing children,� he said. �Do you swear on your honor to do these things, Akorsa daughter of Alvis and Aroha?�
�As the stars yet shine and as the sun and moon do rise and set, I do swear it,� she answered.
�Having sworn yourselves to one another, you do bind yourselves together until the end of your days. May you be happy and fruitful together as you live together as husband and wife,� said Itziar. �You may kiss the bride!�
Fionn leaned forward and kissed his new wife, setting all of his emotion into that solitary touch. Akorsa, being so irrevocably happy, finally felt the warm tears begin to pour down her cheeks, the whole world as she knew it spinning about her. When Fionn broke the kiss a clapping from the villagers could be heard, along with cheers and a few whistles. The newlyweds turned to face their friends, families, and neighbors. Fionn let out a laugh of joy, waving to his father. Meanwhile Akorsa, who could not cease her blushing, buried her face into her husband�s shoulder.
�What is wrong, my love?� asked Fionn, lifting up Akorsa�s chin gently so that he might look into her eyes.
�They are all staring at me!� she said with a nervous laugh.
�They only stare because you look so lovely right now. Besides, you have stood before these folk before; you know all of them as well as anyone else. What have you to be so frightened about?� he asked.
�I have nothing to be afraid of, really. It is just that I am so unbelievably content at this very moment; and yet I feel so silly!� she admitted to him, her blush returning slightly once more.
�Do not fret over it. Come, it is time for the feast to begin! It would be terrible if we were to be late for the celebratory part of our own wedding, would it not be?
�Absolutely dreadful,� she said, allowing him to lead her down the knoll towards their small wedding feast.
- - - -
The feast, which was really more of a festival, as there was more dancing and games than there was eating, began just after the ceremony. The sun was still high in the sky, as it had not yet approached evening time. Fionn and Akorsa were dancing to an Arimythian reel, in a sort of competition with Doyle and Lenna. After several long minutes of dancing, what lasted for nearly half of an hour, Doyle and Lenna won, having successfully beaten the younger couple. Akorsa flopped herself down on the soft grass with a heave.
�Big brother, I do believe that you have bested me!� she said with a laugh.
�Aye, we did,� confirmed Doyle as he slung an arm about his wife�s waist. �But I shall give it to you, sister, that you both you and your husband put up a very good fight.�
�Thank you, Doyle,� she said, as Keihl ran over and sat on the ground beside her.
�Sister, sister!� he exclaimed, tugging on her sleeve. �Come and see what I have found!�
�Keihl, what is it, little one?� she asked him, perplexed. The small boy just shook his head, and tugged on her sleeve again. �Very well, very well, I am coming. Show me what it is that you have discovered, little brother.�
Keihl led her all the way to the southern edge of the village before he stopped. He pointed with his small left hand into the distance.
�There,� was all he said. Akorsa looked to see what the boy was pointing at, and what she saw made her blood run cold. Moving in the distance was line upon line of men, each of whom bore the standard of the Proctorial Army. It was not possible that they were now marching for Arimythia in order to aide them, as the Captain-General had not yet returned to the Walled Cities. She knew something dreadful was about to happen. She turned Keihl back towards the village.
�I want you to do get your father, Doyle, Fionn, and Verican. Hurry, Keihl!� she said, nudging him away. The little boy ran quickly, and within a matter of moments the four men Akorsa had sent him for were standing beside here.
�What is this?� growled the Captain-General angrily. �I did not order this! I could not have ordered this! What are those arrogant fools doing?�
�I was hoping you would have an answer to that,� said Fionn nervously, wrapping his arm about Akorsa�s waist.
�They ordered my men to march in my absence! Those politicians know nothing about the art of soldiering, let alone are they able to lead an offensive against anyone! They must have discovered we were missing and thought something dreadful had happened,� explained Verican.
�We ought to get back into the village,� said Alvis. �Have the people hide inside their homes. As much as I hate to scare them, we have no choice but to so. All we shall be able to do will be to await their arrival.�
The others nodded and ran back to the village, alerting the other villagers of the situation. There was a slight panic among the people, but soon enough they were all tucked safely inside their homes. Alvis and Aroha had sent Keihl to say with Lenna and Doyle in the meantime, while Fionn, Akorsa, and her parents stayed within their own home. Verican had elected to stay with them during their wait, seeing as they had been housing him during his stay in the village.
Feeling a great unease and that something dreadful was about to take place, Akorsa had changed out of her dress and into her shepherdess�s attire. She sat beside the door to the house, sharpening her axe in fearful anticipation. Upon feeling that her weapon was properly prepared, she looked at Verican.
�Your men did not lead themselves. You have known the Proctors longer than I; which ones among them would march the army all the way here?� she asked. �I know Shondor would, as he seeks glory in everything. Josson is far to much of an intellectual to go about in such a manner. Braaihre if foolish enough to partake in such a crusade. What say you, my lord?�
�Corrigone and Rymson will be involved in this as well, I know it. As for the rest of them, they will still be sitting within the hall awaiting some great victory. Not a one of them knows how to lead an army, and the only reason my men would dare to do this was if they were somehow convinced that something ill had befallen me, and you possibly as well,� he explained.
�Are the people of this village in danger?� queried Fionn.
�It is possible, but no one here can yet be sure of what the Proctors are planning. We shall have to wait and see,� answered the Captain-General. Then, suddenly, Akorsa rose from her chair, the great axe and her staff in hand.
�I am going out to see where they are,� she said, opening the door.
�I am going with you,� said Fionn, following her outside. Verican groaned and snuck out the door as well.
�You people are fools! If we are seen, the two of us will be sent back to the cities,� said the older man, lowering his voice down to a whisper. �Fionn, goodness knows what foolish thing they will do to you.�
�We shall not be caught, so both of you be quiet and follow me,� hissed Akorsa, crouching behind a house with the two other men in tail. She snuck along behind house after house as they made their way towards the southern border of the village. Soon enough they heard voices and a pair of footsteps heading towards them. They ducked back, using a house for cover, and waited for someone to appear. A single uniformed man walked by the house where the two Arimythian newlyweds were hiding with the Captain-General.
�Werner?� whispered Akorsa, recognizing the man. The soldier whirled around, and Verican grabbed him by his arm, pulling him behind the house with them. �What are you doing here, Werner? What is happening?�
�Lady Akorsa! Captain-General! You are both alive!� gasped the man in exuberance. �What do you mean what has happened? You were kidnapped, and we came in search of you.�
�Kidnapped? We were not kidnapped, man,� growled Verican, shaking the guard slightly. �We snuck out of the city several nights ago.�
�You were not kidnapped? Why, that was what the Proctors told us! We all agreed to come out in search of you. They told us that they feared an Arimythian had come and stolen the both of you from the city,� he explained. �They arrested Durward, as well, as he was the last man to see you in the city, Lady Akorsa.�
�That is absurd, Werner! Why would my own people kidnap me?� she asked, thinking the idea preposterous. He looked at her with perplexity, then realizing that the whole idea had been a scam, a trick made up by the Proctors. Akorsa turned around to Fionn and Verican. �We must warn the villagers!�
�What is happening? I do not understand,� said Fionn.
�They made up a ploy of some sort, that your wife and I were abducted by one of your people. They convinced my men to march here to rescue us both. They will raze this entire village to the ground and kill all the people in it by way of avenging us both,� explained Verican. �That is, after they kill us. It is a terrible plan, but it will work well enough for them to get rid of us all.�
�We need to stop this, then. Let the men see you both alive and well and this will all stop immediately,� suggested Werner. Just then, a dreadful screeching could be heard just outside the village, and the sounds of screaming men and clashing weapons began to sound. The Maseriff had obviously seen the Proctorial Army approach the village, and had chosen that moment to attack once more.
�Perhaps there shall be no need for that after all,� said Akorsa as she stepped out from behind the house with her axe held above her head. �The Maseriff will dispose of the Proctors here for us. All we need to do is protect the villagers long enough and the Maseriff will retreat once more.�
�And if they survive all of this, by some odd twist of fate?� queried the Captain-General, as he unsheathed his sword.
�Then I shall pick them off one by one; for betraying you, Lady Akorsa, and you, Captain-General. It shall also serve well by way of avenging the injustice done to Durward!� said Werner, drawing his sword as well. Akorsa nodded to the guard, then looked at Fionn, who looked a bit nervous at the whole situation, and visibly ashamed that it were so.
�Fionn?� she said, and his eyes met hers. �They are attacking the flock; those monsters seek to destroy our flock as well as our people. You and I both know it to be true. Think of this no differently then when we are out to pasture.��
He smiled at her as she tossed him her staff. He pulled his long knife from his boot and rose to stand next to her. �Shall we?� he asked, a mischievous gleam now in his eye. The four of them then left the cover of the house, and went with stealth and great haste in search of their enemy.
