"The time has come for the couple to speak their vows, in sight of the Goddess in her anointed church, and to be joined in holy matrimony," the elderly priestess read from the Book of Conception, standing on a small pedestal to better see over the heads of the wedding guests.
"${First name - The Husband} ${Last name - The Husband} and ${First name - The Wife} ${Last name - The Wife}, please join your hands and declare your vows," she instructed. Her voice was calm, collected; the pleasant tone of the chanting that drifted out from the church clearly calmed any anxious groom.
${First name - The Husband} shyly gazed up at his soon-to-be wife, ${First name - The Wife}'s presence both enchanting and intimidating to him—her piercing blue eyes were looking right at him, yet he couldn't help but feel so insignificant in her presence.
Without a moment's hesitation, ${First name - The Wife} reached down, grasping his left hand and gently pulling it towards herself, threading their fingers together. The boy didn't say a word; instead, he blushed and stared at the ground while her large, warm hands caressed his small ones.
"I, ${First name - The Wife} ${Last name - The Wife}, take you as my husband. I promise to love and protect you from this day forward. To provide for you, shelter you, and hold you." As she spoke, she was gently squeezing his hand, sending the occasional gentle warmth through her fingers—it tickled and relaxed him.
${First name - The Husband} shivered at her words; he was frozen by her beauty and the flowery language she used, unable to escape the heat of her touch. He could feel his cheeks burning under her gaze as he stared down at their interlinked hands.
"Your turn now, ${First name - The Husband}," ${First name - The Wife} softly insisted, not releasing her grip on him. ${First name - The Husband} was forced to look up, into her clear blue eyes. Looking back up to her face—now very close to his—he could see a smirk; however, behind the smile, he could see compassion.
"I, ${First name - The Husband} ${Last name - The Husband}... take you, ${First name - The Wife} ${Last name - The Wife} as my wife." In utter nervousness, ${First name - The Husband} paused before continuing: "And I promise to love and respect you. To comfort and care for you. To give you everything you need." ${First name - The Husband} finished, his voice quivering.
"I now proclaim this man and woman husband and wife." The old priestess turned to the newlyweds, gesturing towards them with a wave of her hand.
${First name - The Husband} was still in a daze as ${First name - The Wife} pulled his hand—the one which was trapped within hers—gently towards her; a diamond ring was slipped onto his finger. The entire congregation burst into cheers, applauding the union between the two young lovers. ${First name - The Wife}'s grin widened as she watched ${First name - The Husband}'s complexion blush.
"You may now kiss the groom." The priestess's voice echoes softly through the dimly lit chapel. ${First name - The Wife} let his hand drop, at last, staring down with naked lust into ${First name - The Husband}'s eyes; the pure innocent green orbs blinking uncertainly—the red soaking his cheeks. She can't help but smirk as he shifts uncomfortably under her gaze.
Then she took him firmly by both shoulders, bending over, and her lips found his. The taste of her lipstick was still fresh, not yet coated by saliva, or left to dull in the stale air of the church. The kiss seemed to go on forever; ${First name - The Husband}'s soft lips responded reluctantly as ${First name - The Wife} pushed him against the wooden rail behind him—his body tautened by the hug but clearly resisting—until, finally, ${First name - The Wife} moved away, leaving only her lipstick there to mark his soft lips.
${First name - The Husband} was flushed from the kiss and breathing heavily when he looked up to meet ${First name - The Wife}'s eyes. He could feel her gaze on his face and saw how she was unconsciously wiping her tongue along her lips. His face flushed even more at this realization; he tried to smile as much as he could, which wasn't very much, while ${First name - The Wife} strode forward to face the altar.
${First name - The Wife} seized ${First name - The Husband}'s left hand—too tight to be a simple gesture of affection. Unused to the overly tight grip of his new wife, ${First name - The Husband} bit back a gasp; feeling the heat in her hand. It didn't help that her thigh brushed up against him at every step, though he was wearing an entirely too-tight suit.
The ceremony soon came to an end, with the newlyweds taking their vows before the Goddess, signing a contract, and being officially recognized as married. There was a brief prayer in thanks by the priestess; then the happy couple was guided out of the chapel, leaving the pastor and priests behind.
With a teary goodbye to his parents—the ones who had pushed for this wedding in the first place—${First name - The Husband} was whisked off by ${First name - The Wife} to begin his new life, while his friends and family were left behind to partake in the festivities.
The black limousine sped away from the church; ${First name - The Husband} stared in sorrow as it quickly vanished into the distance, knowing that he is now bound to live out the rest of his days at ${First name - The Wife} ${Last name - The Wife}'s side as her househusband. He couldn't help but sigh quietly as he accepted his fate.
"We are almost there, my dear husband." ${First name - The Wife} pulls his hand—the one which has been resting on his knee—towards her; taking it within her own palm. "You will finally be mine," she says.
"Y-Yes, ma'am," ${First name - The Husband} stutters under the weight of ${First name - The Wife}'s gaze, trying to swallow back the lump in his throat.
The hum of the engine died down and the driver slowed the car down to a crawl; at last, they could see the front gate of ${First name - The Wife}'s mansion from the car's window. It was wrought iron, adorned with ivy leaves, and lined by greenery all around. As they rolled over the bridge to the entrance of the estate—he could see two guards on either side of them.
They waved the car through the gates of ${First name - The Wife}'s manor when they approached; it looked like something out of a fantasy book, except that it was real.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" ${First name - The Wife} smiled down at the boy as he stared up at the impressive house before them. With its bright red brickwork and ornate white windowsills, it had to be worth millions of dollars. "This is where you will call home, ${First name - The Husband}—your new life; your new home."
She released his hand which she'd been clutching onto for the entire ride from the chapel to her estate. Once free, she traced his face with her soft touch, trailing her fingers along his jawline and across his lips. Her eyes bore into his once again; the look telling him he can't escape her grasp as they glide down from his neck to his collarbone.
"Come—let's go inside." ${First name - The Wife} glides out of the car with elegant grace; her sharp heels clicking against the stone walkway. She gently grabs hold of his hands, not letting him pull away. Taking the boy by surprise, she pulls him along as she makes her way to the main door.
${First name - The Husband} hesitates a little, still unused to her forcefulness and dominance; nevertheless, he was powerless to stop her—he had no choice but to follow her. ${First name - The Husband} ${Last name - The Wife} felt his feet take him towards the mansion's door like an obedient puppy following its owner. The doors to the front opened silently before them, and they walked into the chandelier-lit foyer.
Heavy red drapes were pulled aside, allowing moonlight to stream in; the enormous window faces the large grassy lawn which leads out from the front of the mansion.
"You can explore the mansion tomorrow—but for tonight, we will retire to my bedroom," ${First name - The Wife} says playfully, dragging the boy upstairs behind her. ${First name - The Husband} stumbles behind her as they ascend the staircase to the first floor—the largest room on the floor being the master bedroom. The moment they entered the luxurious suite, ${First name - The Wife} pushed the boy against the wall