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Oh, well. Baby steps.
I’m a little surprised to see that their chosen pastor is a woman. Her hair’s short, and her suit is sharp. “Welcome to all of you who are here to celebrate the marriage of Kristiana Liepa and Aleksander Volkonsky.”
Kris holds out her hand, and Aleks takes it.
“I’m so pleased to be here today, officiating the wedding of such a beautiful couple. When Kristiana asked me to marry them, I told her I’d need to meet with them a few times first. It’s been hard for them to make time, especially with all the things going on in Russia, but they’ve made time for it. It has been really special for me to talk to them about the things they have in common. Their love for horses. Their passion for racing. Their affinity for the earth and collecting minerals and rocks.” She shakes her head. “They’re a match made in heaven.”
I can’t help it—I glance sideways at Mirdza and smirk.
She’s looking at me, too. No one in the audience has any idea about Aleks and his horse form or his earth powers. Kristiana had no interest in gardening, in rocks, or in gems. As far as I know, Aleks never rides horses. But I suppose none of that matters. It’s what the world sees.
She drones on a little bit about the sanctity of the marriage covenant, and how they each promise one another to protect and preserve their connection and their bond. I’m a little distracted, because Alexei’s writing something on the inside of my palm.
The first time, I don’t quite catch it.
But the second time, I do.
I. L. O. V. E. Y. O. U.
He’s said it on national television—twice—but I’ve never said it back. Between the election stuff and the travel and the meetings, we haven’t had very much time alone, and what we’ve had has been a little. . .preoccupied. When we’re together, I mostly want to be touching him and kissing him. Or I pass out and fall asleep. There’s not much in between.
I decide that it’s time.
Most couples would have a normal date, and they’d sit down and stare into each other’s eyes, and then the girl would tell him she loves him too. She loves that he’s always there. She loves that in spite of always being supportive, he gives her space. She loves that he hasn’t wavered, but that he lied about wanting her so she wouldn’t worry.
That might feel wrong to some people, but it was right for me.
It’s strange to me how one person’s love story might be someone else’s disaster. Alexei came into my life as a horse, and he was a literal answer to the first prayer I ever made. He has stayed with me, biting anyone who means me harm—or wants to ask me out—and watching my back ever since.
So I squeeze his hand, and then in my really lousy Russian, I spell out I love you, one symbol at a time. He’s much quicker than I was, because he releases my hand, turns my face toward his, and kisses me right on the mouth.
In the middle of Kristiana and Aleksandr’s wedding.
The officiator’s just now telling them to share their vows, and I don’t think anyone even notices. That’s a relief.
But Alexei’s still beaming when I sneak a glance.
“When I started thinking about what I wanted to promise,” Kristiana says, “I wasn’t really sure. My mom died, as all of you surely know, and so I know better than most people that there aren’t any guarantees. No matter what I promise today, I could die in an hour. In a year. Or when I’m eighty-five. Some things in life—a lot of things, really—aren’t up to us.”
Kristiana looks up at her soon-to-be-husband and smiles. “But one thing is entirely within my control, and that’s what I spend my time focusing on. In the past, it was horses, horses, and more horses. From this day forward, though, I promise it will be horses, horses, Aleksandr Volkonsky, and more horses, for as long as we both shall live.” She smiles then, and I’m standing close enough to hear her whisper, but only just. “Good thing you’re the most beautiful horse I’ve ever seen.”
Aleks is laughing when he starts sharing his vows. “My lovely wife will always keep me on my toes, and I love that about her. She races for her job, and it’s been a joy of mine to run alongside her. But her other job, the one I’ve been taking her away from more often than not lately, is healing creatures who can’t even say what’s wrong.”
He looks away from Kris and out at the audience. “Most of you know her well enough to know why that’s perfect for her. Kristiana loves to champion the little guy. She loves stepping in and helping horses’ lives to improve. She’s like that in every single way. That was the first thing I noticed about her, and it’s what made me fall so hard and so fast in love. She is always healing, always caring, and always watching, and she will do anything it takes to protect the people she loves. Thank you all for joining us today, so I can pledge to each and every one of you that I promise to take care of her in any way I can for the rest of my life.”
John’s sitting on the front row.
Aleksandr meets his eye. “John here, the Liepa family’s long-time horse trainer, wasn’t very keen on me at first. In fact, I think he kind of hated me. But over time, I think he’s come to accept that I make Kris happy.”
“Given how you met, you can’t ever complain about any horse she buys.” John folds his arms. “Or any vagabond-looking trainer she hires.”
“I suppose you’re right,” Aleksandr says. “From this day forward, carte blanche on horse purchases.” He clears his throat. “I think two trainers is more than enough, though. Don’t you?” He eyes John.
Unsurprisingly, this makes the whole room cheer. And after the pastor pronounces them man and wife, Kristiana’s dad walks in, leading two horses. One of them I barely know—a sweet but very leggy chestnut mare. But the other one—it’s Five Times Fast. The horse Kris was riding when she met Aleksandr.
“I thought that we could do the norm and just get in cars and drive to the reception,” Aleks says. “Since you’re wearing that.” He points at her huge, fluffy skirt. “Or we could race there.” The glint in his eye is all the evidence anyone needs to see that they’re perfect for one another.
When he swings up on his leggy mare, I realize that he must be a decent rider. I suppose it makes sense. He came from a time when riding a horse was still an oft-used mode of transportation. I figured he might have just shifted into his horse form whenever he needed to go somewhere, but I suppose he couldn’t exactly traipse around naked once he arrived back then either.
