The Wedding of Isa and Viridi
A bonus scene for Enchanting the Dryad Prince
Isa spun as the dryad elves of Viridi’s household raised emerald ivy from the earth and encouraged it to drape over her skirts. Calva smoothed a partially clasped hand over her freshly washed, dried, and braided hair and white flowers bloomed along the woven strands.
Calva opened her palm to show what she had set into Isa’s braid. “Amor novus flower. It will help your love continue to grow.”
Branch wiggled his eyebrows as his laughing son ran circles around him. “They are a well known aphrodisiac.”
Isa grinned and her body warmed delightfully at the thought of luring Viridi with the flower. She followed the dryads out of the preparation area between the floral trees and toward the guests gathered at the dryad fire beside the spring.
Water bubbled quietly in a deep well of black rock and plants with massive leaves hung in clusters over moss-covered stones. The ground was sandy here and the grit smoothed her feet as she went. How odd to be barefoot for a wedding… But then again, it felt natural to be touching the earth as she went to meet her dryad prince.
The sight of him robbed her of breath, just like in the stories that had once made her roll her eyes.
Viridi was shirtless beneath a cloak of dark green leaves that pooled at his bare feet. His body was smooth and corded with lean muscle from his broad chest to his narrow stomach. Trousers hung low on his hips and stretched to his ankles, which were adorned with another type of flowering vine. His crown of branches and ruby ivy reached high above his head and his eyes were on fire for her. He didn’t smile, but the pleased gleam in his look made her feel like the most valued soul in all the realms. She didn’t need that gaze to feel her own worth, but it was certainly a lovely feeling all the same.
He reached for her hand as she walked to him and when his fingers found hers, a jolt of desire shot through her hand to her heart then down her torso and lower.
She could feel the truth of his love for her, of their fated bond, and his memories of longing and loneliness washed through her mind as if she’d been there with Viridi on a moonlight dusted beach, inside a tree trying to rest, sitting beside another dryad fire while friends danced with their mates.
The dryad elves called this type of seeing and feeling another’s memories the lure, an element of their fated bond.
She wondered if he could see her memories at the moment too. The lost feeling she’d had on the ship, the sadness over all she had let slip from her fingers, the pain of being the only one to protect Nico and knowing she wasn’t able to keep him from all harm.
Nico grinned toothily from the edge of the crowd. He held a long stick that had been wrapped in a pale leaf and topped with a glittering stone.
“It’s my mage staff,” he whispered. “Viridi made it for me.”
“Wonderful. Be careful with all of that water magic.” She smiled. It was just a toy of course, but perhaps the only toy Nico had ever been given.
She leaned on Viridi, lifted his hand and kissed it as the ceremony began.
Branch raised his hands and surveyed the crowd. “We are gathered to witness the wedding binding of Prince Viridi and Lady Isa, soon to be our king and queen.”
Viridi bent slightly to whisper in her ear. “You still want this, yes?”
She faced him and the earnest glow in his eyes made her heart shiver with delight. “More than anything.”
Branch spoke of tides and time, but Isa barely heard the words, and soon Viridi was cupping her face in his large, warm hands and bringing her lips to his.
The kiss began with a soft brush of touch, then grew more insistent as if he was claiming her in front of the crowd. Her body stirred with want and she returned the fervor of the kiss, hoping he knew the depth of her joy.
He broke away, smiling. “I take Lady Isa to be my love for life.”
Her heart soared with the moon and she thanked the Source for this incredible blessing. “I take Prince Viridi to be my love for life.”
The crowd erupted in cheers, and Isa closed her eyes against the starlight and kissed her dryad prince once more.
Thank you for reading!
If you are looking for more books like this, check out the other books in this world, Enchanting the Elven Mage, Enchanting the Fae Prince, Enchanting the Dragon Lord, and Stolen by the Shadow King!
They are all set in the same world and you will see Werian and Rhianne in those books.