Page 39 of In Love With the Leshy

“I shall begin the process of decorating her body with vines grown from my own form.” Em stands me in front of Lola and Fang, who look to be guarding vines with flowers tied on them. “Leave your arms open wide like this.” He says so only I hear. “You are on display and must not move. If you do, the vines will form thorns to punish you, puncturing your skin and drawing blood.”

My heart protests against my chest. Unfortunately, I’m not in a position to test the limits Em placed on me. I struggle to slow my heart as Em wraps the first vine under my breasts, tying it in the front before slipping it between them and over my right shoulder. He pulls it around the front, fastens it, then does the same thing on the left side. He weaves the remainder of the vine between the crisscross in the front, then wraps the rest around my breasts, over and under my nipples, with the flowers very tactfully placed to cover them. Em takes two smaller vines and attaches them to the vine over my shoulder and spirals one around each arm.

Next, he moves to my lower half. Wrapping a long vine around my waist, he knots it below my navel and runs the vine between my legs. He secures it to the piece at my back so that it won’t move or slip. He repeats the action before winding the vine around my thigh and calf, securing it around my ankle. Using the final loose vine with flowers attached, he secures it below my navel and runs it down my bare leg.

“Almost finished,” he whispers. I don’t respond, afraid if I do, I’ll move too much, and thorns will stick me. Considering where the vines are placed, that promises to be hella uncomfortable, if not downright painful.

I notice for the first time vines crawling down his arms. I’m not sure where they originate from; they’re just sort of there, a part of him. I keep silent as he takes my hand, entwines our fingers, and leads us out of the water onto solid ground. Em bends to dress me with one last item. A decorative crown made from flowers and braided vines.

“I wish you could see how beautiful you look,” he whispers, placing the crown on my head. His eyes twinkle under the moonlight as he takes my hand in his and raises our joined hands to the sky for everyone to see. One of his upper vines extends to me and wraps around our upper arms, then down to our lower arms and wrists, holding us bound together. A vine extending from his lower body does the same around our legs.

“Let no man or beast,” Em raises his voice, and I think every animal in the forest can hear him. “Touch my queen’s hair or skin beneath where these vines have been placed, lest they should be ready to be punished in the cruelest and deadliest of manners.” He makes eye contact with each of the animals surrounding us to make sure the message has been received.

“Come. Feast your eyes upon my queen close up and pick up her scent so my mate shall never be confused with a trespasser. And then you may wait outside my cave for the marking of my queen.”

The animals close in, some causing my breathing to stop momentarily, like the snake slithering at our feet, lifting his head and upper body with his forked tongue flicking in and out of its mouth.

“Breathe,” Em whispers. “You did well, My Flower. You did not bend or wilt in the wind. Just a little longer before I can take you in my arms.”

“Um, you didn’t think warning me about the killer vines would be a good idea?”

Em flashes a wicked smile my way, “No.”

His teeth scrape against his bottom lip as if he’s taking great delight in my discomfort. “It’s better for your fear to scent the area.” My mouth opens, and my eyes double in size. Before I can get a word out, Em stops me. “Silence.” He says with a firmness he’s never used on me. I have no choice but to listen if I want to give our lives together a chance to work. If I don’t, there will be a free-for-all, all the animals of the forest against me.

“To satisfy my queen’s traditions, we will now have a ceremony that ties us together in matrimony.” He announces when the animals have all had a chance to examine me.

The majority of the animals retreat back into the forest. To my surprise, some new ones join us. Instead of Lola being here solo, she stands among ten or fifteen rabbits. It’s the same with the squirrels and chipmunks. Wings flap through the air. Even the raccoon has company.

Ana bounds out of the trees, barefoot, with a loose flowing white dress over her. Her blonde hair hangs loose, but on top of her head, she wears a crown of vines and flowers similar to mine. In her hand, she carries a small basket full of flower petals. “You’re so beautiful, Erin!”

“Thank you. So are you! And it looks like we’re wearing matching crowns.”

She twists her mouth to the side. “Yours is prettier. It has more flowers. Oh,” she perks up. “Uncle Em asked me to be your flower girl! I’m so happy you’re going to be my aunt.”

She hugs my legs, knocking me a little off balance. I hold my breath, waiting for the thorns to prick my skin.

“That was only for the ceremony,” Em says, reading my thoughts. “Now you can move freely.”

“Shall we begin?” Masha calls from the opposite side of the spring.

Ana leads the way, taking petals from the basket and dropping them as she walks. As soon as we reach Masha, she begins.

“Friends, we are here to witness the exchange of vows between Emerald Hickory and Erin Clark, who want to mark this day as the beginning of their lives together. The first day of a new forever, starting with a shared life, sustained by an everlasting love and the promise to give their whole self, holding nothing back, to the other. Emerald, is there anything you’d like to say to Erin as you place this ring on her finger?”

Rings. Right, those are important. I didn’t even think about rings.

Em uses his free hand to hold the ring. He lifts our bound hands and slips something on my ring finger as he speaks. “I never knew the love of a parent or caretaker. I have no youth to remember. Love has never existed in my life. Only duty. Until now. From the moment I laid eyes on you, my life changed. If you are in pain, I feel it. If you can’t sleep, I’m restless. When you smile, I’m happy. When we touch, the lifeforce inside me grows stronger. I love you, Erin, with all that I am. If you have a wish and it is within my power, I promise to grant it. I promise to protect and cherish you for the rest of our days together.”

For someone who wasn’t raised with love, who can look and act like a brute, he has a soft side that endears him to me, like a giant teddy bear. I sniffle as I wipe the tears from my eyes. That’s when I see the magnificent sparkle coming from the ring he placed on my finger. Taking a good look at it, I’m left momentarily speechless.

“Emerald Hickory,” I begin, “I’m sorry. I don’t have a ring.”

“That’s not true.” Masha interrupts me. “If you don’t like it, I’ll put it back, I promise. But if you’re okay with using it, this is my gift to you.” She hands me a ring made of vines with crystals peeking out around the perimeter. The band is larger and thicker than mine, and it doesn’t sparkle as much, but it’s just as beautiful.

“Oh my god! My mother’s rosary beads!”

“We weren’t able to retrieve them all because the string was broken, and it had been tossed and left for garbage, but I thought I could use some to make Em’s wedding band, and the rest I’m using to make a necklace for you.”

---