And a crownfit for a fairy queen atop my head.
With a smileso wide it stretched my cheeks, I repeated my friend’s words, “I’mmarrying Henry today.”
Lottie placeda kiss on my cheek and then fled to the door where she poked herhead out. I heard her ask someone if everything was ready and thenshut the door before sprinting back to me.
“Are youready?” she asked. “Finn is outside waiting for you.”
“Yes, you gowait near the bow. I’ll be out in a moment.”
When she wasgone, I remembered to grab Henry’s iron ring and firmly secured itin my palm, the cold metal digging into my skin. I was nervous, butnot for worry over what will happen. More of a nervous excitementto finally bond our lives together the way the universe so clearlywished them to be. Marrying this man, it felt… like I was followingthe invisible road that fate had laid out before me. As if allthose years spent lost and alone, wandering through life with nopurpose, just waiting for my flashing sign. Well, here it was, andI followed it wholeheartedly.
A knock cameat the door, but it did not open. My signal to meet Finn, Isuppose. I sucked in one last deep breath and pulled on the brassknob to find him waiting there, a cheeky grin smeared across hisface. But it quickly morphed to an expression of sheer awe as hetook in the sight of me.
“BloodyChrist, I can see every bitta yer shape,” he said under his breath.He stuck out his elbow and grinned madly. “Henry will likely fallto his knees. Ye looks likesomethin’ from the heavens, Lass.”
“Thankyou.”
I looped myarm through his, my cheeks warm despite the cool December air.Madam Guthrie was right. The dress appeared thin, but its fabricgave me warmth. Or perhaps it was the quickness of my heart,beating faster and faster as we neared the front of my ship. Theboys had lined the path with candlelight in glass jars whichilluminated the snowy backdrop that now blocked out the sun.
I could seehim then. Henry. My pirate king waiting for me near the bow,dressed in his new black vest and fancy trousers under the nicejacket I’d gotten for him. His long blonde hair had been neatlycombed and tied with a black ribbon at the back of his neck. Helooked so handsome.
Andnervous.
I noticed theway his large hands wrought together anxiously, and his two feetdiscreetly shuffled in their place. As if he couldn’t bear theburden of standing there in place as I slowly walked toward him. Imet his dark, obsidian eyes, now covered in a film of gloss andbeaming with pride. I couldn’t help but match his expression andfelt a single tear escape as Finn released me and I finally stoodby his side. He reached and wiped at it with his thumb.
“Tears?” hesaid by way of asking.
I pressed mycheek into his open palm. “Tears of joy. I promise.”
“You look likea vision,” he told me, deep and full of emotion.
“Well, you’reno popper yourself.”
Henry chuckledlightly and took my hand in his as we turned to face the waitingpriest. I hadn’t even noticed him, or anyone else until thatmoment. My mind only searched for Henry. I glanced over my shoulderto where a giddy Finn and three deckhands sat on wooden cratesgleaming up at me. With Lottie and Gus flanking our sides, Henrynodded to the holy man to proceed.
The next fewmoments were a blur of words jumbled together with the sound of myheavily beating heart and blood rushing through my head. I repeatedas prompted and Henry followed. But when the priest turned thefloor to us, to profess our vows to one another, my mind clearedand the world around me came into focus. It was his turn first.
“Dianna,” hebegan, both his hands holding mine between us. “My life… it hasbeen nothing but a series of cold and dark places. I felt trapped.I felt lost. As if I didn’t even exist. And, for a time, I evenwished I didn’t.”
He paused tochoke down the emotions that threatened to escape his throat and Isqueezed his hands.
“But then, bysome divine force, the universe saw fit to throw you in my path. Tomake me love you. To show me I was worthy of being loved in return.I said it before, and I’ll say it forever. Everything I am beginsand ends with you. You are my light in the darkness. And I vow, onthis day, to always protect your flame. To cherish it with my souland keep it warm with my heart. I love you, Dianna Cobham.”
The resound oftears being shed and sniffed away masked my own and I struggled tofind my voice under the bubbles that had formed in my throat. Ipulled one hand free of his to wipe at my nose and he chuckledunder his breath.
“Uh, well,that’s a tough act to follow,” I croaked, and a wave of laughtererupted around us. I returned my hand to his and called my heart tospeak. “Henry William White. You say I’m the bright light in yourdarkness, but I’ve always thought you were the force that brokethrough my empty world. Spilled into it like the ocean that oncecrashed through my home. I-I harbored so much hate for the worldaround me until you chased it all away.”
I had to stop,to catch my breath, and Henry’s chest heaved with anticipation.
“O-our lives,by some inexplicable fate had been woven together before we evenmet. That much I know to be true. And like a golden thread, yoursoul had been tethered to mine and it pulled me in. Dragging mehome. There’s no doubt in my mind that I was born to love you. Andwhat I’ve learned is that we’re both worthy of it. Today, I happilyhand over my heart, my light, for you to
