Michael looks up. "Quite. How about you two?"
"Oh, we've been here and there," Sienna says with a thin smile.
"Arista came by with a pile of coin, I think she got it from you? Anyway I was wondering if you had a healing wand for sale?"
Heading back to their room Sādhanā and Clara begin the task of preparing for their wedding, donning the beautiful dresses they purchased, each accented by the pins gifted by Arista.
"You look absolutely beautiful love."Sādhanā says, looking at the woman she was about to marry.
"I do," Michael says, getting up. "I wasn't expecting to get that money back so soon."
"Are you looking for Cure Light Wounds or something more potent?" he asks, opening the door to his home.
***
Nicatha finds evidence of a ley line running through Valwick, but it has long been dead. It leads north of the town.
***
"As do you," Clara says, blushing. "Are you ready?"
"Absolutely my love." Sādhanā says taking Clara's hand.
Clara grasps Sādhanā's hand and heads toward the doors of the fort. "I feel like I might faint..."
Smiling as she holds on to her love, Sādhanā whispers "I'll keep you up, just hold on to me."
She pushes their way through the doors.
Clara nods as she steps back out into the daylight. Godrick stands at the flowered archway, his silver beard neatly trimmed and his armor polished. He smiles at the couple as they approach. The crowd roars into a thunderous applause as Clara and Sādhanā approach the arch.
"I suppose you'll always have the distinction of being the first marriage in Valwick," Godrick whispers, a proud smile on his face. "Are you ready?"
Clara nods assuredly. "Yes, Godrick."
"Cure Light would be fine."
"Yes." Sādhanā nods with a smile.
Michael roots around for a few minutes, then produces a thin white wand with symbols of healing engraved on it. "It's fully charged, so it'll be seven-hundred and fifty gold."
Sienna sighs. "Easy come, easy go. Err...Captain, I only have three-hundred and thirty-three."
"I've got it, and it sounds like were late." Cyna says as she gathers up her money.
"Then we better run to Kierk's!" Sienna says, shoveling her coins at Michael.
Godrick raises his arms to silence the crowd.
He looks over the crowd before turning back to the couple. "You have come to the archway today to be bound in holy, gods-blessed matrimony. You have each grown up separate from each other, searching for the love that your hearts have desired. The bonds you enter into today are stronger than steel, eternal are the stars in the heavens. This is the first step in your life as each others' spouse, your trials shall be shared and your triumphs doubly so. This is not a covenant to be entered lightly, so I must ask: are you, Clara Risbane and Sādhanā, committed to this path?"
Clara nods her head. "I am."
Nodding Sādhanā responds, "I am."
Godrick nods. "Then, as you are certain of the path that you have chosen, are there vows you wish to share with each other?"
"Sorry to rush." Cyna says grabbing her wand and running out with Sienna.
Sienna nearly trips over a rock, trying to run back to the mine. "Ah...hah...geez...can't people be...fashionably late...when it counts?"
"If we miss the good parts then we're just late."
"I meant them...they could have waited a few more minutes," Sienna says, trying to catch her breath as she and Cyna near the mines.
"We need to get you into shape if you're winded from just this." Cyna says with a chuckle.
"You can't really blame me with all the walking we've been doing this morning," Sienna pouts.
Alethiro takes both of Arista's hands in his, lifting them about chest level, and looked back into her eyes. "They will see the reason why we didn't tell them." Putting his right hand on her cheek, the Elf continued, "Do not fret my dearest, it will all work out in the end."
Trying desperately not to cry she nods her head at him. She leans into his hand as he places it on her cheek, his touch is calming and helps to ease her mind and heart.
Once she is able to rein back in her emotions she looks at him, "Thank you....for standing by me and loving me. It means so much to me to have your support through all of this."
They walk along the beach for a while longer, Arista's head resting on his shoulder. While together, they almost seem to lose track of time. Upon hearing the thunderous commotion coming from the fort, Arista raises her head and looks at Alethiro.
"Oh no, I think they are getting ready to start. We need to hurry and get back so we don't miss it."
She takes his hand as they make their way quickly back to the front of the fort and find a place to sit. Seeing as most of the people in the town are at the wedding, they have no problem making it back as Godrick finishes addressing the crowd.
Nicatha watches the ceremony respectfully. They seem pleasant women. May they find blessings in this land of curses.
The white-clad gods-wife scans the crowd for Harakhty. Though Skaar says he bites he seems deep in his lore. Perhaps, he would like to investigate the ley line with me. I should also ask Drago and Skaar.
When she spots the varana, Nicatha moves to stand next to him.
Clad in his admittedly-comfortable-but-still-dignity-stripping-formalwear, Skaar stands at attention and listens silently as the ceremony is performed.
The hulking orc gives Corda’s comparatively tiny hand a squeeze and smirks at her as the vows begin.
Corda didn't flinch at the Orc's squeeze. She just stood next to him in her stunning blue dress, her bosoms accented by the low cut.
Cyna finds a spot with a decent view and settles down on the grass to watch the ceremony.
Drago and Elena are positioned off to one side, his left hand resting on the one she had on his right arm.
Huh, who knew this town had so many people in it? As most of the seats are already taken up, Arista stands with Alethiro on the opposite side as Drago and Elena. She keeps her hands in his as they witness their friends union.
"Clara, my entire life I've been searching for the missing piece of my soul, and in you I've found it. You are my home when I am lost, my anchor when I'm adrift,my peace amidst chaos. I promise to always love,cherish,protect and comfort you until my last breath and beyond. I love you with every fiber of my being and I am forever yours heart, mind,body and soul." Sadhana speaks from her heart,tears of emotion welling up in her eyes.
At Skaar's reminder of the ceremony, Harakhty also exited Michael's establishment to prepare for it - not with the expectation of changing clothes, but rather to discard his pack. There is no need to bring a sack of burdens to their event.
*******
Watching the ceremony was much like the few he had scene in "civilization" earlier in his life; someone to formalize the bond, vows exchanged between the two to be wed - quite orderly. In his tribe, the exchange was more organic. As long as an elder was there to recognize what transpired, the marriage was seen as such - no pacts between the couple were expected, nor long speeches given by a priest. But they seem to enjoy this day, and that is what matters. Much happiness to them in a torn land like this.
If the party yesterday was any indicator though, both their cultures shared a love of feasting to celebrate the day. And that was something Harakhty was quite at ease with.
********
He spots the easily-recognizable Nicatha as she appears next to him, giving her a smiling nod of notice, not wanting to interrupt the proceedings. I wonder if this is an odd ceremony to her?
Clara clear her throat. "Sādhanā, you gave me hope when I had none. You brought me back from the grief that was consuming my heart. You gave me my voice back."
Her eyes shine with tears. "You made me a better person because you love me. You give me a reason to face each day. My heart aches when we're apart and rejoices when we're together. I am yours, now and forever."
She smiles and falls silent. Godrick then joins Clara and Sādhanā's hands together. "One love can last a lifetime. One love can redeem the pain in one's heart. One love can shine like a beacon unto others."
He pulls a pair of silver rings, each adorned with an amber heart. "Take these rings as symbols of your unending love and place them on each other."
Clara takes a ring and slides it on Sādhanā's finger.
Sienna wipes her eyes and sniffles. "Blasted fall allergies..."
Arista looks at Alethiro and then back at her friends, her smile is radiant as she watches the two exchange their vows and rings.
Sādhanā takes the other ring and slips it onto Clara's finger.
"By the authority vested in me by the goddess Iomedae and the witness of the people of Valwick, I bind your marriage as true and honorable. Pass through the archway to symbolize the threshold you cross now as each others' spouse," Godrick concludes.
The paladin steps aside and Clara gives Sādhanā's hand a squeeze. "Shall we?"
"With pleasure my love." Sādhanā says with a wink as they step forward through the archway hand in hand.
Godrick gestures to the couple.
He turns to the couple once more and smiles. "You may kiss the bride."
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Skaar roars his approval and cheers with an intensity far from appropriate for such a formal event. "Kiss the bride!"
Radiant in her happiness, Sādhanā takes Clara into her arms for a kiss that conveys everything she is unable to put into words as for a moment even the cheering crowd fades from her awareness, leaving only Clara.
Clara closes her eyes, lost in the moment, as Sādhanā kisses her. The crowd erupts into thunderous applause.
"Now, enjoy the refreshments that have been provided by Hadrinn," Godrick calls out to the crowd, before touching Sādhanā and Clara each on the shoulder. "Perhaps this would be the time to admit that this is the first wedding I've ever had to conduct. I hope it lived up to your expectations."
Clara smiles. "You did just fine."
Hadrinn brings in a large three-tier cake covered in chocolate and decorated with strawberries. "Back, back now! The brides get the first piece! Hurry, before these jackals tear it apart!"
Clara pulls Sādhanā toward the table, sublimely happy. "Do you want to share a piece?"
Giddily happy Sādhanā laughs at Hadrinn's words. "Yes, just like I wan to share everything else with you, love." she says taking hold of the knife, hand over hand with Clara.
Clara cuts a good-sized slab of cake. "I didn't think there'd be this many people. I guess free food will bring out just about anyone."