Clearing his throat, Sindbad straightens and clears his throat. So, this is to be the woman he must face the rest of his life with. And he doesn’t even get to see her face before exchanging vows.
The entourage reaches him, and all the maids disperse to the right or the left, save the woman in white. She comes to stand before him.
“Stretch out your right hands,” the priest demands.
After trying to catch some view of her through the veil, Sindbad gives up and holds out his hand just as she stretches out her much daintier, gloved appendage.
The priest ties a red sash around Sindbad’s wrist, twists it around his hand, and then twists it around the maid’s gloved hand before securing it on her wrist.
“Speak the first vow,” the priest orders.
Sindbad startles. Does the priest just assume he knows their wedding vows?
“The first of seven,” he adds.
This startles Sindbad still more. Would these Seven Vows be the same vows germane of the wedding ceremonies of India? Are these people the descendants of Indians, come here long ago and still clinging to their most sacred of traditions, passed down from a previous age?
“I will offer you food and be helpful in every way,” breathes the woman in white in a soft voice.
That part sounds familiar. Racking his mind, Sindbad remembers the counter vow. “I will cherish you and provide welfare and happiness to you and our children.”
This appears to be acceptable to the priest. “Second vow.”
Sindbad clears his throat, which has gone strangely tight. “Together we will protect our house and children.”
A voice far sweeter and more reverent than his responds. “I will be by your side as your courage and strength. I will rejoice in your happiness. In return, you will love me solely.”
Sindbad’s knees start to buckle. This is becoming far too real. He was anticipating a pagan ceremony that held no meaning to him. Not vows that, though pagan in origin, were sanctioned by the Queen of England herself as legally binding to all who swore by them.
“Third vow.”
Clutching the red tie in his hands, Sindbad continues. “May we grow wealthy and prosperous and strive for the future of our children.”
“I will love you solely for the rest of my life, as you are my husband. Every other man in my life will be secondary. I vow to remain chaste.”
“Fourth vow.”
Sindbad closes his eyes to hide from the panic and try to stop himself from imagining that it is Dahro he is speaking to. “May we be blessed with noble and obedient children.”
The sweet, innocent voice finds him even in the darkness. “I will shower you with joy, from head to toe. I will strive to please you in every way I can.”
“Fifth vow.”
His very tongue is heavy now, but he knows what is required of him. “You are my best friend, and my staunchest well-wisher. You have come into my life, enriching it. God bless you.”
Her voice is faltering as well, Sindbad notices. “I promise to love you and cherish you for as long as I live. Your happiness is my happiness, and your sorrow is my sorrow. I will trust and honor you and will strive to fulfill all your wishes.”
“Sixth vow.” The priest’s voice is like a battering ram on Sindbad’s aching head. Is this what Rani felt when he wed her to Aladdin? This great fear and dread and commitment beyond what she could have ever anticipated?
Sindbad licks his dry lips. “Now that you have taken six steps with me, you have filled my heart with immense happiness. Will you do the kindness of filling my heart with happiness like this for all times?”
This time, the bride’s words come out clear and strong, steady and sure. “I will always be by your side.”
“Seventh vow.”
Sindbad forces his eyes open to be a man and face his fate, this woman and white, while he seals their future. “We are now husband and wife and are one. You are mine and I am yours for eternity.”
“As God is witness, I am now your wife. We will love, honor, and cherish each other forever.”
“You are now bound.
Ship to Nowhere
A Sinbad and the Seven Seas Retelling
The Clockwork FaerieTale Novellas Book 4
by Jes Drew
Genre: Steampunk Romantic Fairytale Retelling
The inauguration year of Queen Victoria sees a world where the seven seas are yet un-mapped and filled with mystery . . .
Sindbad had room in his heart for one love: the sea. Unlike women, the sea would never betray him, and it was never hard to determine the ocean’s mood. The sea kept things simple; just him and his men traveling the globe and discovering new territory for Her Majesty the Queen. But his newest cabin boy is hiding a secret that could derail Sindbad’s carefully charted course . . .
Dunyazad is running out of time to rescue her sister from the murderous tyrant she has fallen into the clutches of. With the well of stories keeping Scheherazade alive going dry, Dunyazad decides to have an adventure of her own to be spun into a tale long enough to last until she find a powerful ally that will rescue her sister once and for all. But her tenuous plan depends on her keeping her true identity— and gender— a secret from the misogynistic captain or else risk being stranded on a deserted island. If only the man weren’t so infuriating, or handsome . . .
Falling in love may be the most dangerous adventure of all to be found on the Seven Seas.
The Clockwork Faerie Tale Novella series can be read as standalones or together, for whenever you want your steampunk happily ever after.
**Only .99 cents!!**
Jes Drew is the author of the Ninja and Hunter trilogy, the Howling Twenty trilogy, the Kristian Clark saga, the Castaways trilogy, The Dystopian Takeover trilogy, The Clockwork Faerie Tale Novellas, The Summers of Yesteryear series, Legends of the Master Spy, The New ESE Files, Tales from Parallel Worlds, Genie and Serena, PIs, Accidentally on the Run, and This Side of Heaven. Her true love is Captain Steve Rogers, and there is a possibility that she may or may not be a superhuman, but she hasn’t discovered her powers. Yet. Also, she might be a spy, but that’s classified.
Author Links
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Signed Copy of Ship To Nowhere with exclusive pins of the previous three books (US Only),
$20 Amazon giftcard (WW),
– 1 winner each!
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