Song of Life 18

The wedding and feast

The sun was shining brightly when Sarabek awoke. She found her family had all preceded her in waking and they greeted her with hugs and blessings on the morning of her wedding. They enjoyed the traditional morning juices, fasting from solid food until the feast after the ceremony. Joash came and took the men to visit the bath and the barber before donning their wedding clothes. Mirav led Sarabek and Naomi to Sarabek’s new room to dress. Mary would follow closer to the ceremony so she could feed little Samuel. He would nap during the wedding itself and then join his parents at the feast for a little while.

Naomi dressed first, having bathed the day before. Mary arrived and was dressed by Mirav. Then the bride donned her gown and shawl. Mirav gave her a bouquet of spices and scented flowers in season, saying her new husband had sent them as a token of his joy and asked that she would carry them. Sarabek’s eyes filled with joyful tears as the beauty of the combined scents rose to her face. He must be a wonderful man to have sent such a beautiful gift. There was a forehead amulet from the king and queen, fine silver with precious blue stones worn around the head under the shawl. Sarabek looked like the princess she was about to become when she was dressed and ready. The mirror told her that the village girl was now a young woman ready to become the wife of the heir to a kingdom. Only her smile and eyes seemed the same.

Naomi had trouble keeping her eyes from filling with tears. Her little girl was such a beautiful young woman. The men came in to join them for the short walk to the hall. John was overwhelmed with his daughter’s beauty. He kissed her cheeks and spoke his blessing. Yacob and James were nearly speechless. They had been proud of how they looked but the womenfolk all eclipsed them. Yacob grabbed Mary’s hands, kissed her and told her she was as beautiful as ever. James said he hoped his bride would be as pretty as his sister. Sarabek thanked him and teased him that he would have to look with new eyes at young Abigail, the farmer’s daughter who lived across the valley. James blushed and John said “What’s this?” James said he had noticed her at worship service but that he didn’t know Sarabek had seen. John clapped his son on the back and said he would soon be a partner in the vineyard and perhaps they would need to build another house soon. Yacob said he would be glad to help and everyone laughed together, anticipating another day of celebration to come if Abigail was willing.

Joash knocked on the door and said it was time. Naomi and Mary helped Sarabek arrange her shawl as a veil and they were ready. Yacob and Mary went first, followed by James with Naomi on his arm. John and Sarabek followed them, Sarabek’s free hand tucked under her father’s arm. He whispered to her that he was certain God had brought them to this time and place and that she would be very happy. She asked how he could be certain. “I have met your husband and he will make you happy,” said her father. Sarabek smiled up at him and said she knew he was right. As the family arrived at the door, an usher opened the door and announced them.

As Sarabek and her father followed the usher and her family, she looked ahead to the front of the hall. The king and queen were standing facing the crowd with the priest waiting with them. On the right two steps down was the heir, still wearing the mask that designated his place in the kingdom. He seemed familiar somehow, although she had never seen clothes as fine. As the family approached, her mother, brothers and sister stepped to the side and John took Sarabek up the steps, standing between his daughter and her groom. The priest blessed the gathering and asked if the fathers had blessed this union. The king and John said they had and the priest instructed John to give his daughter’s hand to the groom. He kissed Sarabek’s forehead and gave her hand to her groom. As they stepped closer to one another, Sarabek was again impressed that her groom was familiar; she just could not see enough of his face to make it out because of the mask. The priest then spoke the words that explained marriage and its blessings. He asked the groom if he took this woman to be his wife. He clearly said yes and then took off the mask and turned to Sarabek to claim her.

Sarabek gasped “Ruben???” and then said louder “Ruben!!!” Her young shepherd smiled down at her, reached up and removed the veiling to kiss his bride. Sarabek eagerly received his kiss, returning it with surprise and delight. They laughed together and turned back to the priest for his final blessing. The priest announced their marriage to the crowd and everyone cheered. The king and queen then stepped down to the young couple. They blessed their son and then hugged their new daughter. Sarabek realized that the queen was wearing the blue shawl she had made for Ruben’s mother. Any doubt that her shepherd was her husband was washed away. Sarabek’s family joined in the celebration of hugs and the family rejoiced to the shouts of the crowd.

The priest then showed the groom and his bride to the side room for a time of quiet as the feast was set up. When they were alone, Ruben took Sarabek in his arms and told her the story. He began with the day he was announced as heir. “I saw you in the crowd and you stole my heart with one glance. I asked someone to find out who you were.” He explained that when he found out she lived in the village scheduled as the royal flock’s summer pasture, he asked his father for time to woo his wife and to be a shepherd for the summer. After hearing about the family’s character, his father and mother readily agreed and so he came to the valley. “Sarabek, I wanted to tell you before I left, but I could not claim you without telling my father. And then there was business for the kingdom that had to be finished before I could marry. I am sorry we had to wait but it could not be changed,” Ruben explained. “Because I completed my tasks, we will now have a whole year before I need to resume my duties,” he added. Sarabek snuggled closer into his arms and said that God had done a work in her heart during the wait and that she would be a better wife and mother because of it. Ruben kissed her deeply and promised to love her all his days. Sarabek could not have asked for more.

Then the feast was ready and the couple joined their family and the crowd in celebrating. The food and drink and entertainments went on and on. Gifts were brought to the young couple from every quarter and they received them with thanks and blessings. As the sun set, Ruben and Sarabek rose from the feast. They first waved to the crowd that spilled out onto the palace grounds, and then went back to their families. Sarabek hugged her family members for a long time, knowing they would be leaving the next day and she did not know when she would see them again. But being with Ruben was her heart’s desire and she could not be sad. Her mother whispered in her ear to just be happy and receive Ruben’s love. Her father took her hand and again put it in Ruben’s saying he knew God had planned and would bless their marriage. Then Joash and Mirav led them through the quiet palace and the couple disappeared into their private room to become one.

Next: Epilogue