From the Chronicles of Saint Aston
Twas the Year Seven-Seventeen of our Lord when we lost the great city of Constantine in the East to the army of Maslimas Adalmalus. The treacherous Cain Terbelis broke faith with Leo the Syrian, and let the Saracens have Christendom's greatest jewel for a tawdry bribe of trinkets and baubles. The paynim foe swarmed over the mountains of Haemus, pressing forward until the Kingdom of the Langobards, where they where stopped only by the Grace of God. But no longer did the Greeks have a kingdom, and they were made as slaves unto the Mohammedans.
To the West, another host of the Enemy led by Taric Abuzarra had crossed the Pillars of Hercules, and ran through the lands of Spain like a swarm of locusts. Valiant King Roderick was slain at Guadaletus by a force no less than two hundred thousands strong. In the span of twenty years the Kingdom of the Visigoths were no more. The invasion halted as the Amiers of the Saracens divided the spoils of war, but was made as new when Abderame swept like a scourge through Aquitaine, in the Kingdom of Francia. In the Year Seven Hundred Thirty-Two of our Lord, Charles the Unlucky, son of Pepin, was slayn at Tours.
The Saracens, united by Baphomet, overwhelmed the divided Kingdoms of the Franks, extinguishing both the sons of Merovech and the Caroling pretenders, and holding sway over all new lands from the Pyrene mountains to the River Rhine, save for fair Brittany in the west. The Holy City of Rome was captured in Seven Hundred Fifty-Four, the Cathedral of Saint Peter now an idol house for the worship of Apollo, Lucifer, Termagant and Mahound.
It is to no surprise that the invaders took much delight in humiliating Christian women. After many centuries, many of their prominent men are now blue of eye and fair of beard.
But, just as the Lord taketh away, he also giveth. Priests and monks streamed forth, seeking refuge in England's shores, and the Seat of Christ is in London now, where Pope Boniface III dwells. Many have become Englishmen. Our lords now sit in the castles of Neustria across the channel, won by cold steel and faith in the First Crusade.
In Saxony, heretic met heathen, yet the Sword of Mohammedus could reach no farther, so the Caliphus sent scribes and learned men to the lands of savages, and brought them under their book. It is thereafter that the foul Northmen sailed across the North Whale-road and sacked the holy-island of Lindisfarne to great rapine and slaughter. How the paynims made the Northmen give up their love of swine and mead is unclear, but heathens are known for their lust of gold and sin. Every Tenth-Year the Dane comes and steals our women; some for himself, and others to sell to the Saracen, for such is the reign of Satan.
I write in haste, for it appears the Northmen have plans to attack Suthfolk. I will resume writing this history in Cantabridge
Addendum: Brother Aston never made it to Cantabridge, and was canonized by the Church in the Year Twelve-Fifty-Four of our Lord. His head shouted at the heathens long after it was cut from his body, and he is now known as Saint Homobonus the Vexed.
--X--
Ludham Village, Nottinghamshire
Svmer is icumen in
Lhude sing cuccu
Groweþ sed
and bloweþ med
and springþ þe wde nu
Sing cuccu
There were fifty men, women, and children in the village of Ludham, and all were gathered today on the same farm, to witness the marriage of Alfred, a rich churl, and Elfgifu, his beautiful bride. It was the Sun's day, and she sat atop her throne in the clear blue sky.
Elfgifu wore a lovely woad-blue dress and veil, and a gay garland culled from yonder grove rested upon her brow. Alfred also wore a band of blue at the hem of his sleeves, to show he was as pure and chaste as his virgin bride.
All of Alfred's and Elfgifu's family and friends were there and dressed in the same clothes as per the old Saxon manner, to confuse and ward off evil spirits jealous of the couple's merriness. Now that England was a Christian realm, this custom was done more out of solidarity than to fool wicked sprites. Only an anosmic spirit could be so easily tricked: the bride and groom were the only people to have bathed the night before.
A priest was hired from St. Mary's in Nottingham to officiate the ceremony and register the marriage for the Church. He had traveled a fair distance to get here, but he was always happy to celebrate the union of a man and woman.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God to join together this Man and this Woman in holy Matrimony; an honourable estate, instituted of God in Paradise, and into which holy these two persons present come now to be joined."
Old Gertrude sighed, watching her daughter's flaxen hair and floral wreath glow in the light of the sun. Her husband Athelstan was equally proud of his daughter, and to hand her over to Alfred. Alfred's weighty handgeld may have also swayed him.
"Therefore if any man can shew any just cause, why they may not lawfully be joined together, by God's Law, or the Laws of the Realm; let him now speak, or else hereafter forever hold his peace."
All those attending simply smiled in silence; Elfgifu was a chaste and lovely woman, and Alfred a faithful and hard-working man. Both were well-liked in the community. Even jealous Wilfrid could see this was a match ordained by heaven.
The priest turned to the couple, who were now staring at each other lovingly, waiting with bated breath.
"Alfred, wilt thou have this Woman to be thy wedded wife, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honour, and keep her, in sickness and in health; and forsaking all others, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?"
"I will."
"Elfgifu, wilt thou have this man to be thy wedded husband, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou obey him, and serve him, love, honour, and keep him in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?"
"I will."
The priest then led the pair a short walk to the altar for the final stages of the ceremony.
The first was a Saxon custom, the exchanging of swords. Alfred's father gave him the family ancestral sword, chipped but illustrious, with a proud horse's head on the handle. Alfred took it and gave it to his betrothed, who handed it to her parents, who would pass it down to their eldest son. In turn, they handed her a newly made sword, paid for at their expense. It was a humbler item, with a plain round pommel and Celtic patterns engraved on the hilt. She handed it to Alfred, who gave it to his family.
The rest of the ceremony was more familiar to non-English Christians. The priest took each partner by their right hand, then connected them.
"I, Alfred, take thee Elfgifu to be my wedded wyf, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us depart."
"I, Elfgifu, take thee Alfred to be my wedded husbonde, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us depart."
"Bless these Rings, O merciful Lord, that those who wear them, that give and receive them, may be ever faithful to one another, remain in your peace, and live and grow old together in your love, and seeing their children's children. Amen."
The couple exchanged rings and vows, then the whole congregation knelt down and prayed. The minister pronounced a long blessing.
"...that ye may so live together in this life, that in the world to come ye may have life everlasting. Amen."
He turned the couple to the crowd, whereupon they kissed and left the altar. A chorus of cheers erupted from young voices and old, and a raucous applause broke out, followed by songs, praises, toasts to God and the merry couple, dancing, drinking and eating.
Everyone stuffed their mouths with handfuls ripped out of the big honeycake on the center table and gulped down delicious, foamy mead until everyone was buzzed. Some were already stumbling on their legs; they would have to be kept away from the procession.
The village's strongest and youngest men, all Alfred's friends except Wilfred, hoisted the pair onto their shoulders and carried them over to Alfred's house, as everyone stripped off bits and pieces of Elfgifu's garments (anything attached to the bride was considered lucky). Their closest friends led them inside to the 'nuptial chamber', the living room, and planted the pair onto Alfred's humble quilt and straw bed.
Alfred hastened to remove Elfgifu's wedding garter, the symbol of her virginity, all the while keeping his drunk friends' hands away. They all walked out of his house and shut the door, roaring encouragement as the two undressed each other in private.
Then the gang burst back in, this time walking backwards and making a gesture to avert their eyes, tossing socks over their shoulders, trying to be the first to land one on either of their noses. The naked Alfred and Elfgifu tossed back the missed socks until Oscar's finally landed on her nose. He ran out of the house, cheering that he'd be the next to marry. The odd-faced fellow really needed the luck.
The rest of the village ran by the door, delivering a happy goodbye. The married couple waved back, covering their genitals as they sat in bed, waiting for everyone to take the celebration elsewhere. Finally, Alfred's parents kindly shut the door and dragged the wooden board behind the one window in his house, and left. The house was dark save a few cracks of light.
"Now, thou art mine, wife."
"And thou mine, Alfred."
"Thou truly art a gift from the Elves. I won't be sad to hand thee my morning-gift tomorrow, however large a sum it is."
"And I hope thou livest a long and healthy life, so that I may never need to use it, mine generous husband."
Alfred stared down at the beautiful creature underneath him. He had pined for her ever since they were young, and prayed to God every night that his farm would flourish so that he may marry her and support her with wealth. They were only four years apart in age, and he had many years left in his strong body to work. Hopefully they'll have three or four towheaded children running around in his hovel soon, to split his sizeable inheritance to.
He planted a kiss on her graceful swan neck, underneath her delicate chin, followed by many more. Elfgifu lay patiently on her back, letting her lord and master appreciate what was finally, rightfully his. The trail of kisses crawled down her stomach, lingering on her tiny navel, before resuming down. She blushed as he approached her golden-brown veil of modesty. Will he?
Oh! He did! She hoped it wasn't a sin to kiss the man in the boat, she did enjoy it so.
Alfred bade her sit up so that he could finger her long, flowing hair. Every time he saw her, it was covered by a white veil. Now it was his, and he was probably the only man to see it in its full glory. Between this, her bosom and her bare buttocks, there was much treasure on Elfgifu for him to enjoy alone. He wanted to selfishly hoard every inch of her uncovered body.
Elfgifu was amused that her husband seemed only to want to play with her hair like a child. He was struggling to braid some of it with his coarse hands, so she took it from him and neatly braided it into a pigtail, before doing the other. Now they hung over her breasts like two long pieces of golden rope. He took the free ends of each and brushed them across his face, enjoying the tickling sensation.
She laughed. Who knew such a hard-working, respectable tiller of the earth could be so innocent? She almost had to remind him that he had a man's job to do. A man's job that needed a man's knob.
She took his hands and planted them on her proud breasts, letting him feel and enjoy them. No barren tree was she: these were fine fruit hanging from her trunk, and he needed to experience their tender suppleness before she had to feed his children with them.
Alfred's eyes lit up like he just saw Solomon's gold. Could such perfection really be within arm's reach? He might soon become a poor man, having neglected his fields and livestock to bed his new wife every day. Of course, he would have to so when his parents weren't in the house. The bed the two shared would quickly be filled with his coughing mother and father, which was not an exciting thought.
