Alethiro finished getting dressed in his wedding attire and simply waited for the ceremony's approach.
"A braid would look beautiful," Clara says. "Should I do something with my hair?"
Godrick approaches Alethiro and puts a hand on the elf's shoulder. "Ready?"
Esmerelda lets Arista into her room, where Marie is waiting. "Into the dress you go, dear."
She holds it up, Marie helping her keep it off the ground.
"Given the strange whispers and the vision you received when the altar was purified and destroyed, I believe we are dealing with the Great Old Ones," Michael explains. "Concrete information is rare, as most of it is considered heretical and the rest of it incomprehensible. The Great Old Ones are creatures...no, forces...beyond our comprehension. They are forces of chaos and those who worship them are deranged and evil. Anyhow, the Great Old Ones don't exactly exist in our plane or any actual one, for that matter. They exist 'between' places, if that makes sense. Zahvroma has long been a place of power, the source of magic for all of Vesaria. If the vision Ylrhea described to me is right, someone or something sent the Shard of the Sky down to perhaps hold this place in conjunction with others, perhaps the realms of these Great Old Ones."
Michael pauses to see if the group comprehends what he explained.
Sienna looks around and shrugs.
"I think I get it...so is someone trying to free the Great Old Ones?" Ylrhea asks tentatively.
"If we have time cascading down your shoulders would be stunning." Sādhanā replies.
"I'm sure we have a little bit," Clara says, starting to brush her wife's hair.
"Perhaps 'free' isn't the correct term," Michael answers. "Basically, if everything is lined up right, the Great Old Ones can manifest in our world."
"But if this Shard of the Sky's all busted up, then why is this a problem?"
"Because it doesn't need to be whole to function, it doesn't even need to exist physically," Michael answers. "I'd need a piece of it to be sure, but I think it is like the Great Old One's dimensions, not quite here nor there."
As Clara brushes her hair Sādhanā enjoys the sheer peaceful bliss of the moment. It was moments like these that made all the danger and struggle worth every second.
Once Clara brushes and places her hair in an elegant braid, she switches places with her wife, using the brush and her fingers to style Clara's abundant hair into a fall of cascading curls down her back and shoulders.
Clara sighs happily as Sādhanā runs her fingers through her hair. These moments would be few and far between after tonight, she feared. All the more reason to enjoy them.
Once her wife finished, she stood and gave her another kiss. "Alright, we should head to the beach."
"You've lost me, but if I can manage a piece of the next one I'll bring it with me."
Michael nods. "Just don't put yourself in any danger to do so"
"Yes love, let's" Sādhanā says, happily taking her wife's hand as they head out of the fortress towards the beach
Cyna nods. "Alright, I'll try not to. Is there anything else while we're here? We were going to check in with elder sister."
"I believe that covers it," Michael says, escorting everyone to the door. "Have a good night."
Clara and Sādhanā find Alethiro and Godrick standing at the beach.
Alethiro stood waiting for the ceremony to begin. Bringing his hand to a pouch on his belt and tapping it repeatedly.
"I believe that covers it," Michael says, escorting everyone to the door. "Have a good night."
"Thanks for your time Micheal, good night." Cyna says.
She turns to the others. "Let's go see what Elder Sister has been up to."
Seeing the flowing dress, Arista stops to take it in for a moment before letting Esme and Marie help her into it. She tries to remain calm and relaxed while letting them help her get ready.
Esmerelda pulls the burgundy dress with the gold trim together while Marie ties the corset together, holding it in place. The dhampir then has Arista sit down so she can style the aasimar's hair, weaving the veil into the ornate headband made by Kierk. She places it on the crown of Arista's head and Marie straightens the veil around Arista's face.
"There, that's the hard part," Esmerelda says, taking a small box from her belongings.
Esmerelda takes a small brush and begins applying a light red blush to Arista's cheek and a bright red lipstick. "I haven't put on this stuff in years, I hope it doesn't look bad."
Marie reassures the dhampir as she finishes. Esmerelda helps Arista stand up. "Alright, you're ready. Well, at least with the dress and the makeup."
Cyna and the others find Elder Sister in her ceremonial robes. "Good evening, Cyna. Are you on your way to the wedding?"
Jelks gathers her things and hurries to the beach. "Oh...don't let me be late...c'mooooon..."
She trips and falls in the sand, her lyre flying a little ways from her. "Oh, no no no no no no no no..."
Arista looks at Esme and Marie, taking a deep breath she smiles.
"I'm actually ready in every way."
After formally greeting the Elder Cyna says. "Just thought to check in first, see if there was any new developments since we last spoke?"
Elder Sister sighs. "None. We know for sure that Reinhardt is gone, though. But I'm still concerned about Harakhty..."
Cyna nods. "I'll be keeping an eye on him. Were you informed about what we found yesterday?" she asks.
"Yes, I have heard about it. Since we have limited information about it, the best thing to do would be to continue forward with our plans and do something about protecting the area," Elder Sister says.
Jelks scrambles to her feet and runs to the lyre. "Oh, please, Shelyn, don't let it be broken..."
She picks up the lyre which is folded in upon itself. "Crap!"
"Let me get Andres," Marie tells Arista before leaving the room. She returns with her brother who smiles radiantly.
"Alethiro is a lucky man," Andres says happily. "You look beautiful!"
Marie nods and excuses herself to get Lucco and the kids down to the beach.
"Alright, dear. I'm leaving you in Andres' capable hands so I can get to the beach as well," Esmerelda says. "Leave here in about ten minutes."
"Yes, I have heard about it. Since we have limited information about it, the best thing to do would be to continue forward with our plans and do something about protecting the area," Elder Sister says.
"Soon. After the celebrations and whatever Drago's mother is scheming, we'll make a move on the tower." Cyna replies.
Elder Sister nods at Cyna. "We best get to the beach before the bride does."
"Right." Cyna says.
She turns to the other two warriors of the Circle and says. "We should grab their gifts and get to the beach quickly."
Sienna nods. "I wonder what cake they are having."
"Probably not the kind that won't keep your hips from expanding," mocks Ylrhea.
"I'm sure we'll find a way to work it off." Cyna says with a wink.
Sienna blushes, then sticks her tongue out at Ylrhea.
"Eww, I didn't need a demonstration."
"Keep it up, Ylrhea..."
Jelks falls to her knees. "Why does everything bad have to happen to me?"
"Now kids stop fighting, we've got a wedding to get to!"
"Yes, Mother."
Arista nods and thanks Esme while blushing at Andres's comment. "Thank you....it's not too much is it? The dress turned out even better than I imagined, but I wasn't sure about the face paint. Does it look too dark to you?" She trembles a little as she looks herself over. "She said about 10 minutes right?" She tries to laugh a little, but it comes out more as a nervous twitter. She takes a few more deep breaths and tries to steady her nerves.
"You're fine, Arista," Andres reassures the aasimar. "Just a few more minutes and we'll walk on out there."
She nods again and then smiles radiantly at him, "Okay....I can't believe I'm about to get married, or how incredibly happy I am."
Sādhanā squeezes Clara's hand leaning down to whisper to her wife. "For some reason the fact that Alethiro's fidgeting nervously makes me like him even more."