Celta Thursday, Heart Fortune Cut with Barton Clover continued

Chapter 31

Glyssa jerked at hearing her name. She hadn't known Walker Clover, T'Clover, knew her name, let alone of her.

"Yes, this can all be worked out later. Now we should celebrate an excellent match!" said an older woman from the doorway. She brought in a tray of champagne and flutes, poured for them all.

"To Barton and Enata!" T'Willow toasted.

Everyone drank. Naturally the champagne was top-of-the-pyramid. Glyssa sighed into hers. This event had wrenched her life – her Family's lives – into changes she hadn't imagined.

After they drank, T'Willow met her gaze. "I believe you have a connection with GreatCircle Temple?"

"Good, the marriage ritual can be tonight." Barton squeezed Enata and she squeaked.

"Tonight!" T'Licorice exclaimed.

"No reson to wait, is there?" T'Willow asked gently.

"The women–" Walker and Barton said together. They almost shuddered in unison, too.

Barton jutted his chin. "I want to be married tonight. Glyssa is one of that trio of friends with Camellia D'Hawthorn and that priestess."

"Tiana Mugwort," Glyssa said faintly.

"That's the one," Barton said. He smiled with glee at Walker. "You alert the Clover women, Head of the Family."

"Yeah. And you alert all the guards that will be needed tonight at GreatCircle Temple, providing we get that venue."

Preferring public to private communication, Glyssa took her scrystone from her sleeve, and murmured Tiana's direction.

"Here, Glyssa! How did it go with Enata and GreatLord T'Willow?
"
"We are still at T'Willow Residence," Glyssa said formally. "He knew Enata's match at once."

Tiana's eyes widened. "Really!"

"Yes. He's Barton Clover."

"Barton Clover! He dated my sister," Tiana said.

Barton went wide-eyed himself, not in the same way. "Only one evening date, I mean, one dinner only. I promise you, Enata. Months and months ago."

He must be fibbing. Since Tiana's sister was recently married, it couldn't have been that long. Glyssa kept a comment behind her teeth about that. "In any event," Glyssa said. "GreatLord T'Willow advises an immediate marriage and GrandLord Walker Willow would like it there at GreatCircle Temple tonight."

"What!"

Walker crossed to Glyssa, looked down into the scry. "Can you see what you can do? We would love to have you officiate."

"Me?" Tiana seemed dazed.

"There shouldn't be more than a couple of hundred Family members," Walker said. "You can call on all the resources of the Clover women to help, um, decorate and whatever."

Glyssa saw Tiana literally reel against a wall.

"Barton is my favorite brother, and highly respected by our clan," Walker said.

"A couple of hundred people. Lady and Lord," Tiana continued to repeat.

"Is the Temple, the entire large area of GreatCircle Temple, free tonight?" Walker asked.

"Ye-es, I believe so. I will have to consult the schedule and my superiors, of course."

"Of course, but if GreatCircle Temple isn't free, I suppose we should have a wedding – not a marriage ritual, but a simple wedding – in the Family grove at Clover Compound."
Barton's shoulders came up around his burly neck. "Please, no, not at the Family Grove, Walker. The women will flig–, sorry, will pick at me all day long. I'll be bones by night. Really hard to love a woman if all you are, are bones."

Enata giggled. "You're funny."

Glyssa lifted her nose and pinned Barton with a stare. "Enata can match any Clover woman." After all, the Licorices had had their title since the second generation of the colonists. Not many Families could say that, certainly not the Clovers, the newest of the Grand tier of nobles.

Barton pulled Enata in front of him, wrapped his arms around her. "I believe that, Lady and Lord, bless. I have a woman in ten thousand."

"One moment please," Tiana said.
*************************************