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“The mask is... traditional,” I said.
Another idea that had come to me as I was waiting for word from the Temple. Since I had no clue where I came from, and there seemed to be no one else like me on Alia Terra, or at least on this continent, I had no culture. No traditions. And I knew humans were big on theirs, so I figured... I might as well invent some for myself. I felt like I needed to explain the necessity of the mask, and it couldn’t be that I was ugly and I didn’t want my bride to see me.
“Oh, okay,” she said in a small voice. “I understand.”
I squeezed her hands lightly, then I had to let go of her for a minute, so I could pay the Temple for the service it had provided. The priest took his time to count the credits. He put aside the fee that was due to the Temple, then turned to Aurelia.
“What does the bride want us to do with the credits that were paid for her agreement to this arranged marriage?”
She didn’t hesitate. “My friend, Mina... Mina Norell, and her husband, Joseph. Can you make sure they receive the money as a gift from me?”
“Of course. It is done. Now, shall we proceed with the bonding ceremony?”
My bride nodded. I took her hands again, and we both listened to the priest’s words. I couldn’t focus on what he was saying, my mind distracted by the warmth of Aurelia’s hands. I was also worried about when the ceremony would be over, because I didn’t know what was appropriate... Could I kiss her? Could I take her in my arms and carry her to my sleigh? I’d asked the priest earlier, and he’d told me that different species had different traditions, and it was up to me to choose how to mark our union. I didn’t want to frighten my bride, and I also didn’t want to give her a chance to touch me too much, because then she would know...
She’d know she’d just married a beast. Though there was nothing I wanted more than to touch her and be touched by her.
I snapped out of my trance when I heard the priest declare us bonded mates. Aurelia turned to me, waiting for me to do something. Or nothing at all. I couldn’t know what she was thinking.
“Krampus,” she said.Of course, the priest had mentioned my name. “What now?”
I realized I’d been standing there, like an idiot, for at least two minutes, and both the priest and my bride were waiting for me to do something.
“Now... you are mine,” I said, though I didn’t fully believe it. Not because I didn’t believe in the ceremony and the validity of what was happening here, but because I was stunned that this incredible creature was now my wife, and I could take her home with me. “And I am yours.” If she wanted me, that was. How long before I had to allow her to remove the mask, and she saw my face and changed her mind about this arranged marriage?
“Yes,” she said, simply.
Still at a loss, the only decent idea that came to me was to lift her hands to my lips and kiss them gently. I lingered, my lips pressed to her warm skin, and I felt something in my stomach that I’d never felt before. Apparently, the priest and all the Temple servants I’d talked to were right – the DNA test was never wrong. I knew, deep down, that Aurelia and I had been made for each other. I’d never known love. Now I did.
“I will take you to your new home.”
“I can’t wait. I’m sure it is lovely.”
Her words made me nervous. What if she didn’t like the cabin? What if she didn’t like the cold and that we were isolated up in the mountains? What if she’d envisioned a different life for herself?
I kept these thoughts to myself and gently guided her toward the door. The young man who’d brought her to the altar accompanied us to my sleigh and passed me her luggage. I loaded it into the sleigh, then turned to look at Aurelia. As expected, she was standing there, unsure of what to do. I needed to help her up, but before I could do that, I had to cover her hands. She would cling to me, and that could give me away. First, I threw a heavy winter coat onto her shoulders. I’d brought it especially for her, along with a pair of gloves. I slipped the gloves onto her hands, and now it was safe to take her into my arms and gently place her inside the sleigh.
As expected, she yelped and clung to me.
“Please don’t drop me,” she said.
As if!
“I got you. Don’t worry.”
Our breaths mingled in the frozen air, and as I held her to my chest, I wanted to lean in and kiss her. I stopped myself. Something told me it was too soon, even if we were bonded and we belonged to each other. I climbed into the sleigh, gently placed her on the fur-covered seat, then covered her with a thick blanket and tucked her in well.
“Are you warm?” I asked.
“More than warm,” she giggled. “I’m hot.”
If I could blush, I would’ve. Fortunately, I couldn’t, since my face was covered in fur.
“You need to be warm, because where we’re going, it’s going to be a few degrees colder than here. I... I’m sorry...”
She smiled, but it looked forced. Or frozen. “Don’t worry about it. I’m used to the cold. I grew up in this town.”
I paused with my hands on the reins. Snowdrop neighed, his breath thick in the air. He was eager to get back home, in his barn, where it was warm and dry.
