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Zelda tried to pay attention to both the ceremony and her husband-to-be, but Zayed looked so handso finery, his expression alht her cue from the officiant to say her part

Zayed’s hands tightened on hers as she responded autoe myself to your protection, to be your wife and co you joy and cushion your sorrows, to ith you through the world in trust and faith”

In spite of the fact that she knew that their e would last mere weeks—until neither of them needed the benefits it would confer anye

“I pledge myself to your dependence, to be your husband and provider, to bring you coood, to hold your hand as alk through the world together in trust and faith,” Zayed said, in his part

Zelda sed against the tight feeling in her throat, and the regret that the vows they were exchanging weren’t real They were legal, but the knowledge that they would be parting ways, and that the pledges were essentially holloeighed on her

The officiant went on, requesting the approval of all of those gathered to watch the union, explaining thethem into the final phase of the ceremony It was a beautiful ritual, and Zelda hoped that soe was a shaht sheafter she and Zayed were out of each other’s lives

“Zelda, please ain,” the officiant told her Speaking in English—which brought a ave Zayed’s hands a quick squeeze as she spoke

“I pledge myself to you with allthat is ive” The words were froe, and not in the Murindhi dialect, was so out to the officiant that she should e

The officiant nodded his head in approval and turned to Zayed “And now, if you could give your pledge to your neife,” he told the Sheikh

“I pledge myself to you with allthat is ive”

Zelda fought back tears as the officiant announced that the two had pledged theht of everyone, and could now be seen as husband and wife

On cue, one of Zayed’s friends stepped forward and handed him a small, wooden box; at the same time, one of the female attendants handed Zelda her own s to put on Zayed’s finger, a sihtly iven her

They put the rings on each other’s fingers, and Zelda found herself senuinely, at Zayed than she had thought she would as the officiant declared them fully married The Sheikh leaned in and kissed her on the lips—more than a peck, but less than a full-blown passionate kiss

Zelda couldn’t quite suppress the tingle she felt, the rush of soh her at the soft, warht up in the moment, she reminded herself firmly

The ceremony over, Zayed took her arm and led her back down the aisle to the processional, and Zelda felt a wave of relief as she realized that the first part of the ordeal was over The guests cheered and clapped, sly at the around, not even trying to suppress the blush that rose into her cheeks She was supposed to be glowing, wasn’t she?

They stepped through the doors separating the house froarden and Zayed turned to look at Zelda “Well done,” he said, leaning in briefly to kiss her on either cheek

Hadya took charge of her again, then, and led Zelda away, back to her quarters to rest while the staff transitioned everyone froarden where the reception would be held

Zelda looked down at her hand as Tahirah loosened the dress on her, taking in the sight of the rings on her finger, feeling the significance of them Zayed had insisted that she should take theht a divorce to be able to marry “for real” Zelda wasn’t sure if she would be able to bring herself to do it, even if she knew that the rings would otherwise just go to waste, never to be used on another bride