Touch of Flame

Ravina watched Joel make a try this time and he spent more time talking but still failed. Kara kept glancing away, uninterested, and then she said something that made the smile on Joel’s face fade before she walked away.

As he eyes searched for Aaron, she saw that some women tried their luck with Saul who was completely uninterested. He was the unreachable man for some women. The quiet, distanced male and that made him mysterious and a challenge. Just what some women liked. Well, at least according to Ester’s books.

More and more people gathered as the time for the time of the ceremony neared. A few men and women began to burn incense and spread the smoke and scent.

“That is to cover everyone’s scent for the ceremony,” Malachi explained.

“Why?” She asked.

“You will see soon,” he smiled.

The musicians came and sat in the circle, the drummer playing a mysterious rhythm. The smoke spread, filling the air with the scent of spice, amber, and resin.

Ravina tried to look beyond the smoke and at the crowd sitting below them. The smoke slowly began to evaporate as the men and women burning the incense left the circle.

Trumpets began to play and the drums became louder when Ravina saw what looked like a carriage without wheels being carried by four men.

“What is that?” She wondered.

“A palanquin. The bride is in there,” Malachi explained.

The crowd began to cheer and all the musicians began to play their instruments. A few dancers stepped into the circle swaying to the music.

From the other side came who she thought to be the groom on a decorated horse. He wore a large golden necklace around his neck and his arms and wrists were cuffed with golden bracelets. He rode to the circle, and then swiftly dismounted his horse.

The crowd cheered as he stepped into the circle, his body adorned with tribal tattoos and glistened from whatever he smeared on himself.

He watched the bride arrive in her carriage and when the carriage or palanquin was placed inside the circle he reached his hand out to help her out.

Ravina’s eyes widened. The bride was stunning, dressed in all red and golden. She was adorned with more jewelry than anyone and her hands were covered with tattoos. She wore a veil on her head that the groom removed and then just threw away. The women in the crowd hurried to pick it up as if it meant something while the palanquin was removed. Now they stood in the middle holding hands while the dancers danced around them.

The groom began to walk around his bride as well, keeping his eyes on her, taking in all of her. with every whirl around her he took off one of her jewelry.

His hand slid down her arm, and he removed her bracelets. He did the same with the other arm. And then he walked around her again, his hand brushing along her bare stomach, his fingers grazing. He got hold of the belly chain and removed it as well.

God, was he going to undress her? Her heart was beating to the rhythm of the drums.

“What is he doing?” She asked.

“He is going to remove anything that could expose her as the bride.”

“Why?”

“Because he will have to recognize her later.”

She was still confused so she just kept watching.

The groom stopped and then it was the bride’s turn. She took off his necklace and his bracelets and just like him, she took the time to touch him, as if getting to know his body.

The dancers left the circle as the music changed. Now it was only loud drums that played and as the groom drew the bride into his arms and group of women came and pulled her out of his hold.

They teased him “no” with a finger.

Oh, what was happening?

A few other women came and blindfolded him. They also put a cover over his nose and mouth.

“He isn’t supposed to see or smell,” Malachi said. “Now he has to recognize his breedmate just by touching.”

Interesting, she thought sipping her wine. The groom stood still while the women rubbed a cloth over the bride.

“To remove her scent,” Malachi explained.

Ravina nodded.

They rubbed her with different clothes, removed her top skirt, and then draped her with a new one quickly, changed her hairstyle, and put some other jewelry on before they all stood in line.

Oh no. “He is supposed to pick her out?”

“Yes.”

They told him they were done and then he made his way to the line with the help of one of them. “He can touch anything except for the face,” Malachi said.

The groom went for the hair on the first woman and immediately decided it wasn’t her. He moved to the next one, touched her hair and then shoulder, and moved on. Touched hair again, shoulder, waist, skirts. He seemed confused and went back to her hair, both hands followed the shoulders and then he moved on.

Now it was his bride, he reached for her hair but she put it up in a bun, he touched her shoulders, his hands skimming down to her waist. A smile curved his lips and then he drew her into his arms. The crowd cheered and she laughed happy he found her.

Then it was her turn and the poor man had to watch her touch men all over their bare torso. How would she be able to tell? All of them were muscular. She had a more difficult task.

“That is just unfair,” Ravina said.

Malachi chuckled but somehow the bride slowed down when she touched the groom. Her hands moved over him carefully, each touch feeling intimate in a way, and then her hands went lower and Ravina felt her heart accelerate. The crowd seemed to get excited as well but didn’t make a sound. Instead, she could see the women putting a hand over their mouths.

The groom stood smiling, waiting for the bride to make a decision but Ravina could tell the bride didn’t want to make a mistake. Hell, that would be the worst on such a day. how could they have such games? What a way to start a married life if she picked another man.

She continued to touch him and he tried to be as still as possible and then she moved on to the next man. Ravina put a hand over her mouth to stop the gasp. Oh no. Poor couple. She knew it was more difficult with men but at least she was hesitant right?

She touched the next man but somehow changed her mind and went back to the groom. The crowd relaxed with her, the drums only adding to the tension, and then she chose him. He had been nervous too so when she picked up he just wrapped his arms around her and the crowd cheered again.

Ravina breathed in relief. Could they stop the drums? They were making her nervous for no reason.

“Well, they passed the first test,” Malachi said.

First test? Why did it sound like there were ten of them?

The next test was less stressful but not fun if she had to do it. They were supposed to chew and bite off a sugar stick from each side and try to leave as little piece as possible left without their lips touching. And what was left would be compared to Dias and Georgia’s piece. But not yet. First, all trials would be completed and it was the groom that had to fight for his bride now.

The bride only had to sit in a chair and relax while the groom was blocked by a tree trunk. Yes.

Two men held the treetrunk on each side and the groom would have to push the four men backward until he got to his bride. How fast he got there also mattered so he had to be faster than Dias to get the title.

What a wedding! They would go home exhausted already.

The groom pushed and pushed, his muscles straining and a growl coming from his throat. Inch by inch he moved closer to his bride that cheered him on and when he arrived he broke the trunk in half with a roar and went to pick up his bride.

Ravina could only stare at the brutality followed by sweetness as he carried his bride proudly with a smile. She could feel Malachi’s gaze on her and she turned to him. “What do you think?” He asked.

“It is uh… fascinating.”

He smiled.

“Let’s see if you will continue to think so,” He said.

“Why?” She asked.

“Well, it will be a bit… bloody from here.” He said.

Bloody? “Will there be a fight?”

“Not really. More like a… bite… and claws.”

Bite? And claws?

“Will you be alright watching?” He asked. “We can still leave if you want?”

“No, I will be fine.” She said confused, trying to remember if she read anything about mating in professor Ward’s books.

No. She was completely clueless.

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