"It's a good thing," Andres says, patting Arista's hand. "Now let's get you to your groom."
Jelks looks at the gathering crowd with growing horror, a lump in her throat cutting off her airway. She wills herself to breath. I can just sing it, can't I?
"Yes, Mother."
Cyna laughs. "We should be hurry or we really will be late."
Ylrhea walks into the room and grabs the wrapped blanket. "Okay."
"Sure...leave me to get the cooking kit..." Sienna says, picking it up.
She holds back the oncoming tears and sniffles unhappily. Avoiding the majority of the crowd, she skirts around to the arch. This would have to be her best performance yet...
Elena nudges Drago. "Shouldn't we be getting to the wedding?"
Cyna assists Sienna with the heavy lifting. "This stuff weighs more than she does."
"Ugh...I hope they appreciate this," Sienna sighs, trying to get the box out the door.
"Don't worry, I'm sure the lot of us will have a blast watching Alethiro lug this thing around."
Sienna laughs as the group makes their way to the beach. "Looks like everyone but Arista's here."
Watching as the others arrive, Sādhanā notices the bard's distraught expression. "Love is it me or does Jelks look like she's about to burst into tears?" she asks Clara.
"Isn't that how it's supposed to go? Bride arriving last. At least we made it here before the important bits."
"She does look upset," Clara notes. "Should we go to her?"
"If she's performing it would be better if she was in a good frame of mind don't you think? Besides, I feel kind of sorry for her for some reason." Sādhanā replies
"Right. Let's go grab those gifts." The Dhampir replies. After heading back to the room and getting the pins, the couple head towards the ceremony.
"Looks like there are fewer people tonight than for the last wedding," Elena says, as her and Drago head to the beach.
Clara nods and takes her wife's hand, skirting around the crowd to reach Jelks. "What's wrong?"
Jelks looks up at the magus and the paladin, her eyes red. "My...my lyre...it broke..."
Andres takes a deep breath and looks at Arista. "Ready?"
Taking his arm as she takes a deep breath herself she looks at him, "Yes, I believe I am. I'll just have to go back to my room in the fort after the ceremony to get the gifts. I didn't have time to grab them before getting ready."
Andres smiles. "It's easy to forget things on such an important day."
He leads Arista out of the Common House and toward the beach. People scramble around them to get to the beach before the bride.
Arista takes her time, her steps slow and purposeful. This night is the beginning of a whole new life, for the both of us.
The crowd parts as Arista and Andres approach the beach, leaving a wide aisle leading to Alethiro.
"Oh no. Do you have another instrument or is that your only one?"Sādhanā asks.
"It's the one I'm good with. I do have an ocarina...somewhere...on my person..." Jelks says, patting herself down.
As she walks, the dress flows around her. The slight breeze carries her scent of Lavender and Jasmine on it to those waiting around the arch. Her veil seems to almost wave in the breeze and her train follows behind her. She almost seems to have an ethereal quality to her as she makes her way barefoot to the beach, the moon shining down on them.
Jelks finds the small earthen instrument in a pouch. "I just hope I can do alright..."
"You can do fine with that, and I remember you having a wonderful voice when you performed at our wedding. Just relax and do your best. You'll do just fine Jelks." Sādhanā says encouragingly, placing a hand on the other woman's shoulder.
"You did wonderfully at our wedding. We're sure you can do it," Clara reassures the bard.
As Alethiro views Arista's approach, his heart nearly leaps from his chest. More beautiful than the spring winds and the autumn leaves. He thought to himself.
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As Arista nears the beach, the townsfolk hold torches high for her and Andres.
Jelks takes a deep breath and plays the ocarina beautfiully, closing her eyes and losing herself in the music. Another breath and she sings.
"Listen to me, O Endless Sea
please take my words beneath your waves
O cant you hear me calling
for the Long lost Eastern way?
Walking the forbidden path for me
which my feet might draw again
For who will take me to the other shore?"
Andres releases Arista as they reach the arch and joins his family at the side. Godrick nods to the younger farmer and turns to face the crowd.
Through deft timing, she manages to play the ocarina and sing.
"Listen to me, O Gentle Wind
combing my hair with unseen hand
Please dance with me in lonely coasts
and take my song to faraway lands
For no other messenger I trust in
nor other wish consumes my heart.
For who will tell me where you are?"
She turns toward the arch to see Arista stepping toward Alethiro.
"If I could just call the ancient ships
claimed by the deadly call of fire!
I've seen them there in my dreams
in answer to this secret desire.
And my wish may curse me forever
for there's no way to hold it back
And I long to see the flames still burning
deep inside your golden eyes."
She sighs quietly as she finishes. "Okay...not so bad."
With a jovial laugh, Godrick addresses the crowd.
He turns to the couple. "It is in the love that we share that we find our strength. It is in the bonds we build that not only does family prosper, but the entire community as well. When we share in these moments, we display our solidarity, our love and our mutual respect for each other."
Marie comes forth with the rings and presents them to Godrick.
As Alethiro listened to the song, his eyes never left Arista's for one moment. I will forever lose myself within them. He promised himself.
"With these rings, you both pledge to be there for each other for better, for worse, in sickness and in health, in wealth and in poverty, to love and cherish each other for as long as you both draw breath," Godrick recites. "Take these rings, a symbol of your unending love."
As they stand together, the veil covering her face she looks through it to Alehtiro and a smile, more radiant than the sun appears on her face as she listens to Godrick speak.
Arista takes the ring with the moon on it from Godricks hand and holds it in hers, smiling at Alethiro.
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Alethiro took the sun ring and slipped it on the Arista's finger. "I vow to hold to these oaths until Pharasma deem it time to separate us. With this ring I pledge my love to you and no other."
Arista took the moon ring and placed it on Alethiro's finger. "The vows we make here today, I promise to keep until my dying breath. With this ring, I pledge my love and loyalty to you...and no other."
Godrick smiles. "There is something else you needed to do, Alethiro?"
Nodding to Godrick, Alethiro reached into his pouch and pulled out a wooden holy symbol of Sarenrae, dyed blue and yellow, with five pearls embedded in the sun encircling her head and attached to a leather strip. Putting it around Arista's neck, he said, "A tradition among my people holds that the groom must present a gift crafted by his own hands to his bride. This is my gift to you. May it give you strength in times of need."
He then pulled out the goblet and filled it with the blessed water he made earlier. "With this water, blessed by the light of the moon, shall water our love. So that it may grow, blossom and never fade." Gently, he lifted her veil slightly so she could drink some, then he took a drink himself. Clasping hers and his hands around the goblet and nodded to Godrick to continue.
"Now, as you have pledged yourselves to each other, you take the first step in your life together," Godrick continues. "By the power vested in me by Aroden, I pronounce you husband and wife. Pass through the archway, the threshold of your life as a united couple, and kiss the bride."
Sādhanā squeezes Clara's hand leaning her head against her wife's. Hearing the name Aroden invoked on Godrick's lips brings a smile to hers.
Clara smiles as well, a warm feeling in her heart from watching the ceremony.
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Arista and Alethiro pass through the archway. Turning to each other, Arista lets Alethiro lift her veil completely away from her face. They looked deeply into each others eyes as they came together in a sweet embrace, their lips tenderly touching in a deep kiss. As they finally ended the kiss, Arista looked up into Alethiro's eyes and smiled. Her eyes sparkle and her smile radiates pure joy and love as they turn back toward the crowd as man and wife.