We walked over to where our parents stood with our hands entwined. I watched as Adam bent down to sign his name on the leathery vellum of the contract. No blood was called for on this one, but it felt as if I’d signed it with much more than my own blood.
I smiled at Adam as both sets of parents shook hands warily over the table and we stood together in silence. We were doing this; we were getting married and saving Faery—together. There were more pros here than cons. I wasn’t alone; I was with my best friend. It could have been a lot worse. The Demon could have seen me married to some complete stranger, and then I’d be here with him. I would marry Adam, and I’d learn to love him to the best of my ability, and, in time, it could become so much more.
Of course, I was in love with Ryder, but I wouldn’t let that come between us. I could forgo what I wanted, for what was needed. We would make strong babies, and who knew? Maybe someday I would fall in love with Adam; truly fall in love with him.
Adam watched as I bent down to sign my life away with a grim look on his face. When our parents had done the same, something passed between us—acceptance at the cards we’d been dealt I guess. He held out his hand, and I accepted it. We made our way to the raised dais where we would be presented the children of the land. We were seated in comfortable looking chairs, which was a blessing as the heels Mari had glamoured were already killing my feet. It was supposed to have been the first thing on the agenda from what Mari had mentioned, but everything was off kilter here tonight. Maybe the Fae needed to hire some wedding planners or something to keep each stage of this event on track.
A long line of women with children and tiny infants lined up in front of us. I was overwhelmed as one after another pushed her child into my arms for a blessing. This went on for at least an hour, and Adam watched with a grin on his lips. Or, at least he did until I placed one in his arms.
“What the hell, Syn!? What do I do with it?” he exclaimed as he took the squirming bundle and held it in front of him with a look of sheer horror.
“Hey, I’m not the only one who needs practice here,” I said, smiling impishly. My smile dropped as a hush stole over the entire crowded gathering. I looked across the room to find everyone staring at Adam. “Give me back the baby. I don’t think you’re supposed to hold it,” I whispered.
He handed it back as we watched the crowd. They continued watching us closely as if Adam would have gobbled it up and digested the small being I now held against my chest. The mother quickly snatched the small child from my arms and glared down at me.
“Oops?” I offered with wide eyes, unsure of what else to say. What the hell was wrong with these people?
“Synthia, a future King does not show interest in the young. It’s a woman’s job, and for Adam to do so would mean he has other interests in them,” Mari placed a hand gently upon my arm. A small tug at her lips and a gentle twinkle in her eyes at least told me that she didn’t think I was a complete idiot.
“Oh, well I assure he has no interest in your child other than the normal prince type stuff. I’m sorry if I gave you that worry,” I said a little sheepishly to the mother of the infant. Mari smiled and nodded approvingly, and gave a dismissal of the woman who was gone with the simple gesture. The woman sifted out of the room the moment she had been allowed to by the reigning queen.
“I think I’m going to need a notepad to keep up with the dos and don’ts here,” I mumbled under my breath.
“I may need to borrow it,” Adam said, smiling impishly as he elbowed my shoulder.
Another infant was placed in my arms within moments of the other. I looked at it, and felt its pale, cold skin; it didn’t look as healthy as many of the others had. “It’s sick,” I said to Adam who had also gone still at seeing the child’s pale color. I looked up at the mother to find fat tears rolling down her cheeks. “She is sick already,” I said and watched as the mother nodded with fear lighting in her blue and green eyes.
I felt my heartbeat accelerate, and the beat of it throbbed in my ears. I sent my power rushing through the infant and pushed with a gentle probing that made the tiny infant wail. The mother cried out, but Adam leapt from his chair to hold her back for a moment as I cleansed the infant from the sickness that was killing its small chance of survival.
When I had finished, it had a radiant glow that the other infants had. No longer was the small pale infant sickly, its eyes had opened, and it was staring at me with the same wonder that it’s mother now held. “I‘ve done what I could for the baby for now. We have to figure out what is wrong with the earth, and why Danu isn’t accepting them before it will truly be safe, though,” I said softly as I handed the child back; the entire assembly sat in awe of what I had done.