Translations and Pronunciations:
Qanza: Kahn'-za
Xenuli: Zen-oo'-lee; loosely translated, "soul bonding, spirit
bonding, soul love"
Hasina: Hah-see'-na; the very first Daughter of the First House,
considered a Goddess, all other First Daughters of the First House had
names ending in -ina.
Endra: En'-dra; the very first Daughter of the Third House, considered
a Goddess, all other First Daughters of the Third House had names
ending in -idra.
Iana: Ee-ah'-na (note: ah pronounced as a soft o); the very first
Daughter of the Fifth House, considered a Goddess, all other First
Daughters of the Fifth House had names ending in -ana.
Tilela: Ti-lee'-la; the very first Daughter of the Seventh House,
considered a Goddess, all other First Daughters of the Seventh House
had names ending in -ela.
Kantia: Can'-tee-a; the very first Daughter of the Tenth House,
considered a Goddess, all other First Daughters of the Tenth House had
names ending in -tia.
Zolixa: Zo-lick'-sa (note: zo pronounced the same as the first part of
the name Zoë); the very first Daughter of the Twelfth House,
considered a Goddess, all other First Daughters of the Twelfth House
had names ending in -ixa.
Lakha: La-ka (note: the a's are pronounced very softly); the very
first Daughter of the Thirteenth House, considered a Goddess, all
other First Daughters of the Thirteenth House had names ending in
-kha.
(Pronunciations in brackets) Imzadi, lo (low) kando'hi (kan'-doe-he),
e (ay) xantu (zan'-too) kando'le (kan'-doe-lay). Lo pensa'hi
(pan'-sa-he), e xantu pensa'le. Lo mazi'hi (ma'-zee-he), e xantu
mazi'le. Lo dawen'hi (da'-wen-he), e xantu dawen'le. Lo venpa'hi
(ven'-pa-he), e xantu son kelso e fa. Hendosi (hen-doe'-see),
Imzadi'le, e ju (Jew) fai (fay) nos'hi (nos = rhyme with close).:
Beloved, to your heart (lit., heart yours), I give my heart (lit.,
heart mine). To your mind, I give my mind. To your soul, I give my
soul. To your spirit, I give my spirit. To your body, I give all that
I am. Forever, my beloved, I will be yours (lit., it yours).
E (ay) sanya (san'-ya) i (ee): I love you.

"I summon you to the place of marriage."
Deanna gracefully stood from her seat and took Beverly's hand
as she led her to the middle of the room, where Will and Qanza, the
High Priest of the Order of _Xenuli_, stood. Letting go of Beverly's
hand Deanna stood, tall and proud, facing Will.
Deanna let her mind wander slightly as Qanza started his
speech on Imzadi love.
Qanza gently placed his hand on Deanna's arm, turning her
attention to him. "Do you entrust your love to Hesina, Goddess of
Honesty and Truth, First Daughter of the First House? Do you entrust
your love to Endra, Goddess of Health, First Daughter of the Third
House? Do you entrust your love to Iana, Goddess of Nobility, First
Daughter of the Fifth House? Do you entrust your love to Tilela,
Goddess of Courage, First Daughter of the Seventh House? Do you
entrust your love to Kantia, Goddess of Perseverance, First Daughter
of the Tenth House? Do you entrust your love to Zolixa, Goddess of
Balance, First Daughter of the Twelfth House? Do you entrust your love
to Lakha, Goddess of Peace and Protection, First Daughter of the
Thirteenth House?"
Deanna took a deep breath. "With all my truth, my health, my
nobility, my courage, my perseverance, my balance, and my peace, I
entrust my love to the Goddesses."
Qanza then turned to Will, asking him the same questions and
evoking the same answer. Qanza motioned for Will and Deanna to take a
step forward, and when they did, he produced a gold, silken cord.
After clasping their hands in the ritual gesture, Qanza gently tied
and knotted the cord around their hands and forearms.
"Daughter of the Fifth House, may you speak the sacred words?"
Qanza asked softly.
Deanna gazed into Will's eyes, and with a voice full of
emotion, she spoke in her native tongue. "_Imzadi, lo kando'hi, e
xantu kando'le. Lo pensa'hi, e xantu pensa'le. Lo mazi'hi, e xantu
mazi'le. Lo dawen'hi, e xantu dawen'le. Lo venpa'hi, e xantu son kelso
e fa. Hendosi, Imzadi'le, e ju fai nos'hi._"
Again, after Deanna spoke, Qanza turned to Will and asked the
same thing of him, Will repeating Deanna's words.
After another speech by Qanza, the golden cord was untied,
then retied around Will and Deanna's biceps, holding them together at
the side. Qanza prayed a blessing from the Goddesses over them, then
Will turned slightly, letting his free hand rest on Deanna's hip, and
Deanna turned, reaching up with her free hand to twine her fingers in
Will's hair.
Standing like that for a moment, the couple stared at each
other. Then, slowly, in unison, they tilted their heads just enough
that their lips met softly.
With that one kiss, it was as if the doors to their minds were
suddenly blown open. Every touch, every sensation, reverberated
through their bodies and minds, reflected back a hundred times, a
hundred fold. Their limited telepathic ability exploded, as they could
suddenly hear each other's thoughts, crystal clear.
Neither of them noticed the absolute silence in the Sacred
Church, as the bond completed itself, fusing their entire beings
together. The kiss, which was merely a brushing of lips, lasted for
over a minute as the bond strengthened and intensified through that
simple touch. Finally, their lips drifted apart, causing both to
shudder at the slight loss of sensation, but that loss was quickly
forgotten in the wake of the new sensations.
"Imzadi," Deanna whispered, "e sanya i."

End