Page 4 of I Married A Lizardman

We nodded in greeting, and the Magistrate smiled in return. Although she kept a professional expression on her face, I didn’t miss the way she subtly eyed me. Curiosity as to what thoughts had crossed her mind clawed at me. Was she wondering why her fellow human would have chosen me?

“Since Olix already informed us that a formal Andturian wedding will take place in his village once they reach Monkoo, Susan has waved a formal human wedding,” Kayog explained. “We will therefore simply do the basic procedures to record a legally binding union as per Galactic Law.”

That revelation both took me aback and pleasantly surprised me. Two formal wedding proceedings would have been much in a single day, but I wouldn’t have denied her the observance of her cultural rituals. Knowing that Susan had relinquished hers in favor of mine touched me. Maybe there was hope for this couple after all.

“Very well,” the Magistrate answered, while taking a holographic card from Kayog.

She inserted it into the slot on the altar before her and rapidly browsed its contents. Visibly satisfied with our respective identifications and wedding contract, she nodded and smiled at us.

“Please stand facing each other in front of the altar,” the Magistrate said.

Susan and I complied. My bride swallowed hard again and lifted her head to look at me. Standing face to face only further underlined how small and fragile she looked compared to me. Although she wasn’t trembling, Susan’s nervousness—or was it fear?—was plain to see.

“We are gathered here to bind this male and female in the legal bond of marriage,” the Magistrate said in a solemn voice. “This union is only valid if freely entered into by both partners, not for financial compensation, not through coercion, and not for deceptive purposes. Susan Jennings, are you here of your free will?”

“Yes, I am,” Susan replied.

“Do you voluntarily choose Olix Nillis as your lawfully wedded husband, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish from this day forward until death do you part?”

“I do,” Susan said in a surprisingly firm voice.

“Olix Nillis, are you here of your free will?”

“Yes, I am,” I replied, my pulse suddenly picking up.

I had never heard the human wedding vows before, but I liked the breadth of commitment they entailed. In many ways, they emulated ours, although we didn’t spell them out in so many words.

“Do you voluntarily choose Susan Jennings as your lawfully wedded wife, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish from this day forward until death do you part?”

“I do,” I replied.

“Kayog Voln, Senior Agent of the Temern, do you confirm bearing witness to this female, Susan Jennings, and this male, Olix Nillis, freely exchanging their matrimonial vows?” the Magistrate asked.

“I do,” Kayog answered.

“Then, by the powers vested in me by Galactic Law and the United Planets Organization, I declare you, Olix Nillis and Susan Jennings, husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

My brain froze when Susan suddenly looked embarrassed while staring at me expectantly. The same expression could be seen on the Magistrate and the Temern. Kiss? I wasn’t familiar with the term, but it apparently was something I needed to do to conclude this proceeding.

“Hmmm… What is kiss?” I asked, embarrassed by my ignorance.

I almost recoiled in worry when my new mate’s skin turned a bright shade of red, as she stared at me in disbelief. Why had my ignorance so infuriated her? Was it a sacred part of the human ritual I’d somehow missed in the instructions Kayog had sent?

“Apologies, Susan. I—”

“It’s okay,” she said, interrupting me, then shrugged while averting her eyes. “It’s not important.”

I stared at her, feeling at a complete loss. The depth of the red shade of her skin indicated rage in my people, but her voice and body language only expressed embarrassment. Worse still, I couldn’t decide whether she was being truthful by saying it wasn’t important. Confused, I glanced at Kayog.

“A kiss is a human custom to express affection, among other things,” the agent explained. “There are many ways to kiss, depending on if the target is a mate, a relative, or a friend. In this instance, it is tradition for human partners to seal their union by pressing their lips on each other’s for a couple of seconds. You only kiss a mate on the lips.”

My eyes widened in shock—not to say in horror.

“Why would they do that?” I blurted out, immediately kicking myself for my lack of tact when the redness of Susan’s face went up another notch. “Apologies. I am afraid I do not know much about human customs. I promise to do better.”

“Like I said, it’s okay. Don’t worry about it,” Susan said, her voice a little more clipped this time.

“I did not mean to anger you,” I said, feeling horrible.

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