Bluelake Family/IlyaRP/Ilya's wedding

The wedding was set to happen during the tournament at Tucha, on Duke Fatih's grounds, december 23rd, 2007. Still has to be cleaned up a bit and better formatted, right now I just posted every post with wedding, Ilya or Willem in it. ;)

What happened first

Roxas showed up.
Freidroch and Crip drank to bride and groom.
Freidroch announced Willem's arrival.
Willem and Ilya exchanged sweet letters and set up a training session.
Tyrion also sent a congratulatory letter.

Problem with wine cakes

My brother, Willem Tinsley, has asked me to let you know that the wedding will still be taking place before the tournament ends. The loving couple had intended to be wed this morning, but it appears that some of Baron Trevor Vance's famous rose wine cakes fell flat. It seems that he did not add the correct amount of yeast, or whatever it was that he uses. As this ruined almost 200 of the small cakes, he insisted that the problem be corrected before the wedding commences. He is currently in the Duke's kitchens, working feverishly.

Both Willem and Ilya invite you all to the wedding and to the festivities to be held afterwards. The wedding will take place on the palatial gardens of our tournament host, Duke Fatih Kalkandelen. His estate manager has asked that you all enjoy yourselves, but to not be too drunk and disrupt the proceedings. He said that there would be time for political and religious bashing later.

To Ilya and Willem. May their love last forever.

Freidroch Tinsley (Knight of Menedor)

It was time

Ilya was walking around the city, restlessly. Her cousin Ireth had not yet sent word saying whether she'd arrive in time for the wedding or not. And there was the cakes, not yet ready. And the dress, lacking some embroidering, still. Ilya was very happy about it, the sleeves made with a double puff, the green velvet very nicely cut, the white frontal part beautifully framed with a golden trim. Yet, it wasn't finished, and they had only a few hours to have things ready.

After an hour or so of observation of the nightly life of Tucha, the lady decided to return to Duke Fatih's palace, and try to sleep. The calm wind and the voice of the city had calmed her nerves better than all the support given by her mother. If Ilya knew how it would be like, she'd probably ask to have a quiet wedding, only Willem and her, in the mountains of Nazia or the calm fields of Menedor.

As she entered her dependences, her mother showed up saying the women had finished the dress sooner than expected, and the last batch of cakes was ready, only needed to bake, as planned. It was time.

Ilya Bluelake

Letter from Ilya

Greetings, knights and dames, lords and ladies,

I thank much all of you that sent Willem and I best wishes. I hope to meet you personally in less than a day's time.

I would also like to announce that the wedding shall take place with the first lights of the morning, and the celebration afterwards will last until the end of the tournament, or until Duke Fatih's police throw people out of the palace's grounds, depending on the behavior of the revelers.

Being so, I would like to see all of you in the palace's gardens, tomorrow morning, just as the sun rises, for the ceremony. If all goes well, the celebration will take place in the same gardens and also in the Main Hall, where shall be the dance floor.

Expecting to see you all there,

Ilya Bluelake

The wedding

Miriam was calm and cheerful that morning. She had helped her daughter with dressing and arranging her long hair, again. Ilya had been nervous about the ruined cakes, about the weather, about the dress that was hard to put on, and about Ireth, who hadn't answered her letter. The mother knew the distress and had spent the previous evening assuring the young lady that things would be fine. The steward of Nazia and a man like an uncle to her, Robert was already running about organizing things and she should just relax, the ceremony would be fine, the celebration afterwards, even finer.

Thus, it was in a slightly worried, but mostly happy mood that Ilya found her way out of the sumptuous room Duke Fatih had offered her. Her mother went to fetch her father, dressed formally in a blue tunic. Charles was pleased to see his oldest daughter. Ilya smiled and kissed him, yet preventing him to ruin her dress with his hugs. They'd leave through the main door of the palace, into the gardens, prepared for the occasion.

- Shall we, dad? Charles had weepy eyes, but offered his arm to her. The look on her father's face got Ilya back to her feet. She had never been her dad's little girl... she had always been his daughter, his friend, to whom he had taught the sword, the letters, the horse-training. She smiled, reassuring, and he got ready as well. - Yes, my dear... Yes.

As they left the palace's doors and went into the garden, in a path prepared for her, Ilya gasped. If she could, she'd have run to her mother and Robert and kissed them both. It was so beautiful! The flowers, so many colors... suspended in lines over the majestic wooden benches for the important guests, in harmony with the garden's colors. The banners, hers and Willem's, hanging from masts on the left and right, and also Falasan banners draped a bit further away from the bride's path.

Very conscious of how she looked in the green velvet dress, with the front part of it in white, embroidered with golden flowers, Ilya walked, slowly. Her hair was loose, with a simple golden tiara, and she carried a single purple rose in a white lace. The lady smiled as she saw Willem waiting for her, with Duke Fatih and Priestess Angel by his side. The priestess wearing simple yet beautiful attire, the two men gorgeously looking, but Ilya had eyes only to her beloved, with his sight fixed on her, bluer than ever. She knew this part of the ceremony would take place still far from the altar... and couldn't help feeling small goosebumps about it.

The musicians that had started playing long before she left the palace's doors stopped for a moment, when Charles took Ilya on his left hand and Willem on his right, and Duke Fatih pronounced the words that would set the starting point to the ceremony:

- Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of Magnus and the Warrior Saints to join together this Man and this Woman in holy Matrimony. Therefore if any man can shew any just cause, why they may not lawfully be joined together, by Magnus' Law, or the Laws of the Realm, let him now speak, or else hereafter forever hold his peace.

This gave Ilya time to look around. She saw her mother talking to a boy who couldn't stay still, then pointing him a door and rushing to take the place in the altar were Ireth should be. By Miriam's side was Lady Chi, and on Willem's side, Sir Freidroch and Sir Loronzo. Of the Mist she couldn't help adding, in her mind. King Reilwin was also there, smiling and running the crowd with his eyes. Ilya noticed Willem was holding his breath, and just hoped that Angel or Duke Fatih wouldn't take much longer to continue the ceremony.

Ilya Bluelake

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Willem waited, anxiously. Upon hearing no objection, Duke Fatih motioned to Ilya that she was to move down the aisle. Her father led her, walking slowly, as if to hold her back, not from what was going to happen, but to keep her for himself, if even for a minute more.

Willem looked out among the wedding guests. He saw his parents, a few distant relatives and most of the Black Army of Falasan. There were others that he recognized, both allies and former enemies. Today they were all welcome.

As his bride arrived, her father kissed her on the cheek, whispered in her ear and turned to be seated. She looked beautiful, more than ever before.

Angel, Priestess of The Way of the Warrior Saints, started to speak, bringing his focus from his bride back to the ceremony.

- Do you have words for each other?

Willem took Ilya's hands in his, looked deep into her eyes and said,

- Ilya, I willingly give my body to you in loyal matrimony.

- And I receive it, with honor. And I gladly give my body to you, Willem.

- With respect, I receive and will cherish it.

Angel looked to Fatih, who nodded. - Having the Blessings of the Great Father...

- And of Magnus, added Fatih

- ...you are now recognized as husband and wife. - Angel stepped towards the couple, kissing them each on the head as a sign of respect. Ilya was beaming as she wiped the smallest tear of joy from his eye. He cradled her head in his hands and brought her lips to his.

It was the first of many kisses that they would share that day.

Willem Tinsley

Who else attended

Most of the Falasani on the tournament attended the festivities, as well as many nobles from foreign nations. If you want your roleplay linked here, just say so in the discussion page.