Down Deep

Chapter Twenty Eight - Grant

The lights were just starting to dim simulating sun down, when Grant made it to the soul stone. It had taken two deeps men to move it to the grassy patch that grew near the park. Stine and both sides of the family were waiting for him.

The sight of Zdana standing beside the large stone wearing a beautiful white dress had his breath catching in his throat. He had never seen her in anything but hides and wondered where they had gotten the material from. Then he remembered the huge stock of fabric in the warehouse. Her hair was loose and hung down her back to just behind her knees. Like himself, she was barefoot. When Grant asked, Haron had explained that miners always took their vows barefoot to be connected with the Mother.

He loved Zdana with every fiber of his being, but he could not help but to be nervous as he went to her taking her hands into his. Everyone kept warning him that swearing yourself to a mate was not the same as it was in the Uptop. In the Capital, they were just words. A promise to each other that was easily broken. Those people were not connected to the Mother and did not even believe in her. They still followed the seven gods of the days before the dragon flu. When two from the mines took each other as mates, it would bind their souls. He was not sure what that meant, but did not care. He fully planned to spend the rest of his life with Zdana, vows or no.

'Who is standing for this woman?' Stine asked

'That be me.' Olson said 'I be head of our kit.'

'Who is speaking for this woman.' Stine asked looking to Zava.

'I be speaking for her.' Zava spoke up. 'This be Zdana born of the Fens and Deeps. She be strong both in body and heart. She be sharp of mind and be rich in love.' Stine nodded and looked to Haron.

'Who is standing for this man?' The mayor asked

'I be standing for him.' Haron replied squaring his shoulders and giving Grant a huge grin. Grant was still a little over whelmed with the family's instant acceptance of him. Even more shocking was they had no cares of how he came to be in the world. All that mattered was he was part of their kit and they loved him as if he had been born and raised with them.

'Who is speaking for this man?' Stine asked.

'That be me.' Grady panted as he jogged toward them. 'Sorry I be late. Dozed off.' Grant smiled to the man. 'I don't be know'n Grant too long. But since he be come'n down to the mines, I be seen he be a good hard worker. Every day he be grow'n stronger, and he be plenty smart. He be brave too. Give himself up to the watch to help the mines. They beat him bad, but he never complained once. Didn't even mutter bout his ear getting torn up.' Stine nodded amused before looking to Grant.

'Exchange, you vows.' The mayor told him handing him a small knife made of Mother's stone. His family had been kind enough to explain the whole ceremony to him to prepare him for what was about to happen.

'I Grant born of the Capital, but descended from the Deeps, swear a blood oath to the Mother.' Grant said placing the blade to the palm of his hand, but looked Zdana directly in the eyes. 'I vow to never do you harm. I vow to stand always at your side, sick or healthy. Through lean times, and times of plenty. Be there war, I will be at your side, and watch your back. My strength is yours. My heart is yours. By blood, this I swear.' He drew the knife across his palm drawing blood.' Stine took the knife and handed it to Zdana. She set the blade to her palm and looked him in the eyes.

'I Zdana, born of the Fens, descended of the Deeps,' as she repeated the vows a strange light felling began to fill Grant. He felt warmth rise through his feet and spread through his whole body. As the mayor joined their bleeding hands and bound them with a hide strap, a rush of power he never knew existed flow through him.