Treana Min E'Zoenna - Heart of True Peace

[Nehetsrev]

Seplar 21, 1431

I died while out mining gold today.  I knew this time would come eventually.  I can feel it.  I'm living on my last tether to this world.  One more death could be my very last.  I'm scared.  I'm afraid I may not live to see myself wed to Daniel.  Or, since he's told me he too is on his last strand, I'm afraid he might not live to see it.  It's okay though.  I know it's alright to be afraid, even sensible to a degree.  I just won't let fear control me, or paralyze me.  Not again.  Not like I froze up after Erathim, and again after Addison.  I'm deciding to go on living, right til the second I really do die.

Whatever will be, will be, I guess.  No use fretting too much about it.  I will update my will though.  I don't think I can put it off any longer, though I know with all honesty I have been putting it off for a long time now.  I've given it some thought, and even if we both live to be wed, I'm willing the house to Calvin instead of Daniel.  If I go, and Daniel lives, he still has his church to seek shelter in, but Calvin doesn't have anything...at least not so far as I know.  Besides, he should be able to visit his mother in the family crypt downstairs.  I think I'd like to be burried next to Addison too.  I should find out how much it will cost to have the crypt expanded and start saving up to cover those costs, so that he isn't put in a bind when I die.  Maybe I should have plans drawn up to include a place for Daniel too.

[Nehetsrev]

Mai 7th, 1432

I saw Calvin today!  After all this time, it turns out he's been working a farm east of Port Hempstead.  He said his grandma Caniel has been keeping in touch with him too, and explained she is tutoring children in beginners use of the Al'noth there in Port Hempstead as well.

Anyhow, Amireana and I were talking outside the city gates when Calvin wandered up.  At first I wasn't sure it was him, because I hadn't seen him in so long, but when he answered my heart leapt!  It was so good to see him, even if his attention seemed more fixed upon wooing Ami'.  The poor boy still hasn't learned not to lay on the compliments too thickly lest he scare the ladies away, or seem insincere.

I told him Daniel and I would be wed soon, and he wanted to come to the ceremony.  I felt kinda bad having to explain to him that only the wedding party could be at the ceremony, but assured him he was welcome for the reception should Danny and I pass the trials and be wed.  It sure won't be long now, just a few more days til our wedding at Glass Lake on Alindor.  With Mariner's Hold washed out by that big wave, we'll probably have to sail into Katherian and trek cross-country from there to get to the lake.

[Nehetsrev]

Mai 14, 1432

Joy of joys!  As of yesterday I'm a married woman, officially, and finally.  For the moment I've left Danael upstairs in bed sleeping blissfully.  While I'm near exhausted myself from our first night together, I just couldn't wait to write about it all.

The ceremony was beautiful, if a bit disorganized.  Poor Cole nearly gave me a heart attack though...  We were speaking the ritual words in the Old Tongue without any real proper rehearsal and he got his lines mixed up for the A'Dose Min Im'Taro Desiir (that's the first trial, in Common, "The Subduing of Impure Desire").  I was crushed and fell to the ground in tears, getting all muddy since we were holding the ceremony on the western shore of Glass Lake.  Anyhow, Cole figured out he must've said the wrong thing and asked to speak in Common for the rest of the ceremony, and when he corrected his judgement a wave of relief washed over me that just felt so...  joyous!  I couldn't stop laughing even while Daniel helped me to my feet again.

As the ceremony moved onto the second trial, A'Taev Min Im'Taro Lanna (that's "The Taking of Impure Love" in the Common tongue), my joyous laughter of a few moments before ended with the seriousness of what I was giving.  I'd thought, and anguished, almost the whole year of Courting trying to decide on my sacrifice.  It was no easy choice to make, and in the end I chose to give up the rapier Addison had given me so long ago.  The adamantium blade that had seen me through so much, and which still retained it's edge and gleam just as it had the day she laid it in my hands.  It tore at my heart.  It was almost like giving up Addison herself.  I'll always love her, and always have her memory in my heart and spirit, which was why I had decided that the rapier was my most treasured posession, and thus must be my sacrifice.  Yet even now, I feel my sacrifice was less than what Danael gave.  He gave up his title of knighthood within the church of Rofirein, laying down a beautifully crafted shield to signify his sacrifice.  He has placed me before his duty to Rofirein, before his god.  What more could be asked of him?

Finally, it was time for the third trial, which perhaps was the easiest.  The A'Pojoel Min Loen Lanna ("The Cut of Lasting Love").  It was also probably the clumsiest moment of the ceremony aside from Cole's understandable and accidental blunder in the first trial.  Both Daniel and I had forgotten to give our daggers to Cole and Amireanna before the wedding began, so we had to hand them to them then, and have them handed back.  After that though, it was smooth sailing.  Daniel and I cut eachother's left palms and joined hands, Honora wrapped the ribbon loosely around our joined wrists, poured the Urn over, and it was over.  As my gaze held Daniel's eyes, and his mine, I could sense we each barely even noticed the pain of the Urn's washing (a sollution of saltwater).

As Honora tended to un-wrapping the ribbon, Daniel announced the family name we had chosen together, which coincidently was also his former surname.  I'd found the word 'poetr' in the Old Tongue translates to either 'commitment' or 'promise' in the Common tongue, and fell in love with the notion our family would be one of promise and commitment.  I don't think it's likely we'll have any children between us though at our ripe ages.  After all, I'm fifty-two years old, and Danael is fifty-one.  Even if we're still both in excellent fitness for our age, it'd still be miraculous for me to find myself with child.  In any case, it was my turn to announce the new name I'd chosen, and to Daniel's pleasure I chose to adopt our new family name.  I am now Treana Min Poetr, Heart of Promise!  Finally, it was Daniel's turn to announce his new name.  He too chose to adopt our family name (or perhaps stick with it?) but changed his first name to one of the Old Tongue, so now he is Danael Min Poetr, "Spirit of Promise" in the Common tongue.

Amireana and Cole bore witness to our new names and family, and Honora spoke the final words of the ceremony...adding her own touch.  She intoned, "Then!," her voice loud and strong so it felt even the birds in the trees and fish in the water would hear, "Viza Na'Ruvan e'viza an'e'heura.  Lanna, landa, landahath.  Lanna.  Witness and helpers see truly and hear truly.  Love, lay...," she giggled a little, "plant seed.  LOVE,
darn it!"  Her grin as she finished was a wide one, displaying her larger canines in all their length, and echoing the happiness in all our hearts.

I think I hear Danael stirring, so I better finish up for now...  hopefully we'll have our reception date set and all our friends and family can cellebrate our joyous union with us then.  I think we'll book the Twin Dragon's for it, Danael seemed to like that idea the last we talked about it.  No more time for writing or talkin' now though...I'm getting back to the action!