Out Of Space And Time

Two Hearts Now Beat As One

Later that night, the couple sat in the Gathering Room talking about the family's upcoming move to the station.

"In what capacity would you like me to be at the station?", she asked.

Alkhor looked baffled. "I'm not sure what you mean.", he said.

"Earlier today, you said you are hoping I shall be your wife soon, yet you have not mentioned it since. Pray forgive me if I am being too forward, but I am just wondering.

”Shall I be joining you as a friend or as your wife?”, she said shyly, embarrassed to mention becoming his wife. "Alkhor, in what capacity would you like me to be?"

She was used to marriage proposals being handled as business deals, complete with negotiations, even for love matches, including negotiations regarding a dowry, but Alkhor most definitely wasn't.

He experienced more than abit of culture shock at that moment.

“I was hoping...Agnes, I'd like you to be my wife.”

“Alkhor, I should find being your wife exceeding agreeable. I should like that very much!", she replied, smiling demurely.

He gave her a tender kiss, then took her into his arms for a deeper, much more passionate kiss.

"So, how did couples in your time get married?", he asked, taking her hands in his. ”I know some things, but not all that much about marriage practices back then.“

"Well, a couple would occasionally get married in a church or do a handfasting, also called a "spousal", or a "spousal contract".

"Handfasting and spousals were quite common here in Massachusetts. Most of my family and friends did handfastings, as did Hamilton and I.

"The couple would hold hands and say vows which they made up themselves. They could say their vows with or without any witnesses present.

“As long as they said they took each other to be their wedded spouse, they were considered to be legally married. Many times a couple would go to the smithy and hold hands over his anvil while saying their vows.

”Interesting.", Alkhor said. "What about a marriage license or certificate? Did you need one back then?"

"No, not for a spousal," she replied. “Pray, how do Cardistanians get married? What are Cardistanian weddings like?”, she asked, pronouncing “Cardistanian” as “Cah-distanian”.

“We exchange rings and say ancient vows.”, he replied.

They turned on the large-screen and did some research. In order to be eligible to receive Alkhor's retirement or death benefits, which he wanted her to have if anything ever happened to him, they would need to have a Cardistanian wedding. A marriage license or certificate wasn't required.

For her to receive citizenship on his planet, which he wanted her to have as his wife, they'd need a Cardistanian wedding.

“We can definitely do a spousal. We Cardistanians have something similar called a Life Binding. In order for you to get any of my benefits, you'd need to have Cardistanian citizenship.

”That's what my mom did when she married my dad. She and Tara both became Cardistanian citizens. They're biologically human, but are legally Cardistanian.”, Alkhor said.

"I personally do not care one way or another about marrying you simply to be able to receive your benefits, Alkhor. 'Tis not why I am marrying you. I am marrying you because I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you.

"But I do confess, 'twould be nice to have citizenship somewhere, since I am not considered to legally be a citizen of Earth or anywhere.

“Earth's government nowadays sadly has no regard for ancient records. Most people here on Earth have no knowledge of Plato, Socrates, or any of the ancient Greek or Roman philosophers.

”Indeed, 'tis truly a shame to have no regard or knowledge of anything ancient.“, Agnes replied.

”I agree wholeheartedly. It's quite sad when that happens. It just diminishes a civilization, in my humble historian's opinion.

“I've been thinking. We'll have to buy a wedding ring set for us plus a wedding dress and veil for you. I'll wear my military dress uniform for the Cardistanian ceremony.

”Tis no reason to buy a dress for me, Dearest. I can wear one of my best dresses. Pray, which dress shall I wear for our Life Binding and our nuptials on your planet?

“I have the blue flowered dress with royal blue petticoat you like, as well as my yellow flowered dress and green dress. Those are my best dresses, perfect for a wedding. Or I could make a dress.

”I know...I can procure some material with Cardistanian flowers on it, and make a solid matching petticoat. Oh! I can make a matching cap with lace to go with the dress!“

“I'm not sure about the Life Binding, but most brides wear a traditional wedding gown.”

”That is what I was asking, Dearest. Blue symbolizes purity, and is worn at most weddings, although sometimes yellow and green dresses are worn as well.“

”That's interesting. For centuries, brides have traditionally worn white. White has symbolized purity since 1837.“

”White? Truly, Alkhor? WHITE? Indeed that is quite odd! Why I never...WHITE? No...I cannot believe that! WHITE? Truly, Dearest? For a WEDDING?“, Agnes exclaimed, her ancient, thick Bostonian/Worcester accent actually getting thicker!

”White has symbolized purity since 1837, when Queen Victoria of England wore one when marrying Prince Albert.“

Agnes was truly shocked. As she'd explained to Alkhor, brides in her time wore blue, symbolizing purity, green, or yellow, or whatever color their best dress was.

”1837? No wonder I was not aware of that. 1837 is quite abit after my time. I would have been 106 that year, had I not been busy traveling through time.“, she replied, smiling broadly and giving him a quick kiss.

”However, if you would like me to wear a white gown for our Life Binding and Cardistanian wedding, I would be agreeable to doing that.“

"Well, we'll have to do that for a Cardistanian ceremony anyway, so we might as well get everything now. That way everything's ready before we leave for the station.

”Why don't we go in the morning, shop for your dress and our rings?", Alkhor said.

He'd been highly amused at her reaction to the concept of a white wedding gown. He'd tried hard not to laugh at Agnes' initial strong revulsion towards wearing a white wedding gown. He ended up smiling ever-so-slightly and chuckling just abit.

Her comment about being 106 in 1837 amused him as well.

"I confess that is precisely what I was thinking as well.", Agnes replied, smiling.

They decided to do their spousal right away in the privacy of her room. They stood in front of her bedroom window.

In addition to saying the necessary words for them to be legally married, and the marriage to be legally binding, they recited the ancient vows that were not only part of most Terran weddings, but all Cardistanian ceremonies as well.

After they'd plighted their troth, they went back downstairs to the Gathering Room.

Alkhor poured them each a glass of Cardistanian whiskey he'd ordered from Cardistan and had brought with him from the station.

Agnes, like most people from her time, had grown up with whiskey as well as bourbon, wines, ales, rums, and ciders. She was very fond of all of them.

“Oh 'tis delicious, Alkhor! The best I have ever sipped!”, she exclaimed.

They sat on the couch, cuddling and kissing passionately, talking for hours about the future, children, and many other things.

Before they knew it, it was 3 in the morning and they were dozing off in each other's arms, and slept until morning.

They were up by 9, showered and got dressed. Alkhor moved his belongings into her room since they were now married according to the laws of her culture and century.

They told everyone their good news, then told them they were going to the mall and would be back in a few hours.

Everyone was thrilled for them, and wanted to come with, promising they'd give them privacy.

The family went out for breakfast to celebrate, then went to the local mall.

Once there, Alkhor and Agnes went to a bridal shop. Everyone else went to other shops. Agnes narrowed her search down to two off-the-rack dresses. After trying them on and showing them to Alkhor, she made her selection.

Agnes chose a fingertip veil rather than a cathedral length veil since she wouldn't be walking down a long church aisle.

Alkhor loved the dress she'd chosen, secretly hoping that had been the one she'd picked of the two she had narrowed her choices down to.

He loved them both, and would have been happy no matter which one she'd chosen, but the dress with the cap sleeves was his favorite of the two. The dress was truly “Agnes”...dainty, very feminine and unpretentious.

Next they went to a popular jewelry store. The store was having a jewelry sizing event with sizing done on-the-spot for facility employees who were transferring off-Earth and wanting to get married before the facility closed.

They chose a yellow gold set with a diamond solitaire on her engagement ring. The set had diamonds throughout both her wedding ring and the matching groom's band. He had them engraved in Cardistanian with the ancient Cardistanian saying, ”Two hearts now beat as one.“

He also bought Agnes a plain gold ear cuff with a dainty connecting chain and a pair of drop earrings with a diamond and ruby in them. Alkhor put them on her after paying their bill and waiting for their rings to be sized.

Since she had been born in the Earth month of July, the ruby was the gemstone symbolizing that month.

"Now you're a Cardistanian!", he said proudly, giving her a passionate kiss.

The ear cuff set was the traditional sign of a Cardistanian woman, something they wore from the moment of birth.

Agnes was marrying a Cardistanian, becoming a Cardistanian citizen herself, so she had decided to wear the traditional Cardistanian ear cuff.

Normally only one ear lobe had an earring but, in a nod to Agnes' culture, he bought her a pair of earrings so she could wear an earring in each lobe, just as his father had done for Mrs. Tepesch.

After their rings had been sized, in a nod to Agnes' culture, Alkhor got down on one knee and officially proposed to her right there in the jewelry store. She very happily accepted. He put the engagement ring on her finger and they kissed.

They then collected the bag with their wedding bands and met up with the others. Agnes proudly and happily showed them her engagement ring, ear cuff set, and earrings.

The next morning Khasidhi arrived to help the family pack.

Even though she was half human and half Cardistanian, Khasidhi looked fully Cardistanian. She had her mother's eyes. Agnes liked her immediately, and the feeling was mutual.

Khasidhi was thrilled to hear about Agnes and Alkhor being a couple.

”It took someone traveling from 1755 to get you to settle down.“, she teased him, poking him several times in the stomach.

Later that evening, with the entire family present, they had a Cardistanian Life Binding in the Gathering Room.

Agnes wore her wedding dress and Alkhor wore his dress uniform, which he'd just so happened to have brought with him.

After the Life Binding and exchange of rings, they were officially Cardistanian husband and wife.

As a surprise, Mrs. Tepesch had pulled some strings on Cardistan, arranging for an Adjudicator to be present via live stream to officiate. This not only made a ceremony on Cardistan unnecessary but, also, legally granted Agnes full Cardistanian citizenship.

She was now Mrs. Agnes Tepesch, citizen of the Cardistanian Empire.