Snippet 3d

Amanda positively glowed at him, leaning up to kiss his cheek before glancing at the window. "Oh, goodness! It's already time," she said, fussing with Spock's sleeve one more time before they turned toward the door, walking back toward the hallway that would lead them to the courtyard. "We'll get there just when the doors open, most likely...and you know about the ring, correct?"

Spock raised an eyebrow as he looked to her. "He wasted little time."

"Oh, I guess you could say that," Amanda said, an almost cheeky air to her tone as they came near the end of the path and toward the doors of the city hall. They paused just before them, Amanda glancing over quickly toward the other end of the entrance to the place where Sarek and the elder of the ceremony were exchanging a brief word. She beckoned quickly to him. "Sarek!"

Sarek looked over at her, turning to nod at the other elders before walking toward them. "I see you are prepared, Spock."

Spock nodded, stopping just shy of him with his mother at his side. "I am."

Sarek nodded, looking him over briefly before turning to Amanda. "He has the ring?"

"Oh, he does," Amanda said, her eyes twinkling as she looked forward again to nod toward the attendant to open the doors. "We're ready."

The heavy, darkwood doors opened slowly, a stream of light greeting the three of them as the vast space of the courtyard was revealed to them once again. They stepped forward, Sarek and Amanda walking on either side of Spock as they approached the other end of the sanded area. A crowd almost larger than the one that had initially attended the first ceremony was present, surrounding on all sides in the seats surrounding the courtyard.

And on the other side of the sand, when the sun's light had dimmed slightly in their eyes, the elder of the ceremony had already descended from his place in the higher stands - and in front and to the side of him, Lesh'ar was already waiting as well. In rich navy blue robes, he turned toward Spock as he approached, the small smile that came to his face a subtle and quiet greeting that could only be seen by Spock as he approached.

"We love you, sweetheart," Amanda whispered just as she and Sarek reached the point where they let Spock finish the last stretch of the walk on his own, beyond the fire that blazed in the center of the court and toward Lesh'ar. All eyes on him, Spock stepped forward, reaching out his hand to accept Lesh'ar's proffered one, before they both turned toward the elder.

The elder nodded to them both when they turned to face him. "You have both come together to complete the ritual bonding ceremony, before this court and before your world. Please kneel."

Lesh'ar and Spock turned to face each other, both lowering themselves to their knees in the rest dust, hands outstretched and fingers touching in the traditional Vulcan symbol of companionship. The court was silent around them, all save the words that followed from the elder afterward.