Page 13 of Ghosts and Ginger Tea

Your highness? Was this even real? I blinked twice, trying to process.

“The chief king has asked me to escort you down the aisle. I’m the head of the guard and my name is Alohi.” He leaned down and we kissed one another’s cheeks.

Chief king. At this point, the title of chief and king had been used interchangeably for Keanu by Peter and others I met, so it was no surprise that Alohi combined them both.

“Thank you,” I said, then took his arm. My legs felt like they were full of lava rock, which made the flowing white dress feel even heavier. The flower crown on my head, combined with the pikake lei on my neck, created an overwhelming fragrance that made me nauseous.

But all of this went to show just how wealthy Keanu was. Why was he spending all of this on me, anyway? We were only going to be wed for a month… if I didn’t break his curse.

The sound of organ music filled the spacious halls, echoing around and causing the hair on my skin to stand on end.

“Has Keanu been married before?” I asked aloud as we walked.

Alohi glanced at me, as if taken aback by such a question. “No, of course not.”

“Has he courted other women?”

“While the chief is the most desired and sought-after bachelor on the island,” Alohi began, then shrugged. “He has courted no one. He is too busy protecting our people.”

“How so?”

“Leading and training the men for battle, ensuring our enemies do not take over our kingdom…” Alohi’s voice trailed off as we approached a group of men dressed in black suits. Swords hung from their belts, and I realized I’d never seen swords like that before. I read about them in books, but I’d never been this close to such foreign items. My anxiety lightened only a little when I caught sight of the blonde hair.

Peter gave me a reassuring nod, his expression somber.

“Is my family inside?” I asked him, my voice tight. I was shakier than a palm tree caught in a devastating earthquake.

“Yes, as is Keanu.” He motioned to two grand doors ahead of us. “They are waiting for you.”

My mouth felt dry. Was this truly all real?

Before I could ask for a moment to breathe, the guards opened the door, the sweet music came through, and Alohi stepped forward. He was not dragging me, but I felt as though I struggled to keep up.

The first things I noticed were the two thrones at the head of the room. Gold foiled nearly every item and border in intricate designs. A small brown owl perched on the throne with the higher back. I assumed it was the king’s throne, though I couldn’t quite comprehend why there was an owl there. Perhaps the owl belonged to the king.

It smelled lovely in the room, like gardenias and maile, and the priest smiled kindly. People filled every pew. How did they all come on such short notice, or had they known about this since Keanu returned from the dead?

What does it matter?

I could scarcely pay attention to any of it, because of him. His bright eyes riveted on me, and he wore a smug expression, one that showed he was pleased and amused.

He was different, oh so different, in real life. I mean, the last time I saw him was real life, but he was alive this time. And life seemed to emanate from every fiber of his being. He seemed more alive than anything or anyone in this room, as if he was soaking in everyday–no, every one of my days.

Keanu wore a black suit, with golden epaulets and gold thread lining the lapels and cuffs. His dark hair fell in effortless tousles, and his brown skin resembled the warm color of a coconut husk.

My, I thought, not believing how incredibly handsome he was. How could he not have courted anyone? How could any woman not find him attractive?

Our eyes met, and he winked.

He winked? My heart began pattering, like rain on the roof of a shack. He was playing with me, wasn’t he? Trying to make me nervous, as he knew he had that effect on women! I built a wall around my heart, telling myself that whatever attention he gave me, especially flirty attention, was not real. This young chief did not like me, and I did not like him. We agreed on this bargain and had to follow through with it. There was nothing more between us. Not now. Not ever.

The priest spoke, and while I heard some of his words, they mostly ran straight through one ear and out the other. I focused my eyes on his, trying to discern his expression. He looked me up and down when I reached the altar, which caused my cheeks to color. I looked him up and down once too, trying to take in the fact that I got myself into this marriage.

When the priest got to the vows, Keanu started, his voice confident and clear, and his eyes still on mine:

“With the sea as our witness and breeze as our song, I promise to stand by you, like the steadfast waves that meet the cliffs. In the light of the moon and the warmth of the sun, I give you my heart forever, as eternal as the tides that kiss our shores. Together, we will walk through the shadows and the light, bound by love deeper than the ocean and as faithful as the stars guiding voyagers home.”

We had not written the vows ourselves, but chiefs had recited them after the foreigners came and introduced the concept of vows. Keanu had it memorized, but I knew no such thing.