Arcaea/Dining Hall Late 08-09/Edara and Jenred's Royal Wedding/The Wedding
Jenred stood, eyes closed, taking long deep breaths. This was it.
He opened his eyes, and looked himself over again, looking for anything out of place. He was wearing a set of his formal leathers and cloak, but instead of his usual dark grey, he stood resplendent in cinnamon flames that matched his eyes, and his cloak flared a brilliant red. His usual Phoenix Ascendant emblem was picked out in ruby-red, with a green, flowering vine wrapped around it. His red-gold hawk-in-flight pendant, with ruby eyes, of course, to counter Edara's pendant with emeralds, rested just so. His hawkshead ring, in a similar red-gold with ruby eyes, crested his left hand. The new belt-knife rested on his hip, the hilt matching the rest of his adornments perfectly. The circlet of Arcaea, his preferred piece (the crown being an unwieldy thing only suitable for sitting on a throne), sat well upon him. His hair was hung loose, straight down to the bottom of his shoulder blades, with just a slight curl at the end tucking against him. It had been braided here and there with some gold...Something that made it look as though the raven-black of his hair was shot through here and there with gold. Jenred had seen it done, once upon a time, and asked Idelle knew where he could find someone to do it. Edara's handmaid had snorted, and summoned the lady's maid she'd hired some months before. Apparently the woman was skilled with dressing hair, but was a bit...haughty. He might have to do something about that, couldn't have any of the other servants looking down on Idelle...
Everything was set. He even had the braid of hair, and the new ivory portrait, safe in his secret pocket under his Phoenix and vine emblem.
He took one last deep breat, and strode out to meet Dren, meeting the shouts and applause of the assembled crowds. He could tell the High Priest was nervous as well...And Jenred just hoped that they would pull it off without a hitch. Because, by all the Aenil, he was going to give Edara a wedding to brag about!
Sir Jenred Bedwyr King of Arcaea
Siobhan admired all the trouble the Arcaeans had gone through, or rather, the Royals had. This was by far one of the most thorough, perhaps exaggerated displays of class, nobility and wealth she had ever attended. To host an event of this magnitude was already madness, but to do it in wintertime… Incredible. She watched as King Jenred entered the ‘arena’ as she thought of it. She noticed he too liked to express himself with semi-precious and precious stones, as did his future Queen, the Duchess of Nocaneb. She liked that. It even seemed as if they actually knew what they were doing with them and that they could grasp at the full magical potential gems provided. She stroked the large amber pendant on her chest, hidden under her dress. She felt somewhat out of her usual self, dressed like this, even though she had done so for many years, before she returned to the life of the sword. She focused on how great she looked right now, in a dress that brought out her eyes and hair, and discretely made-up. Not all of the lessons she learned from Guillaume had been about arcane knowledge and Truth…
Her gown was much less adorned than most of the ‘peacocks’ –as she called them- standing and sitting around. The only decoration of the indigo-blue dress was her crest, embroidered on the front of her right shoulder. It was the first time she wore it, even though she had it made a little over a year before, when she was made a Countess. There never had been good cause for it. She stood quietly, sided by her squire, also cleaned up for the occasion. Perhaps she shouldn’t have brought her but hey, it would probably be the high point of the girls’ life, to witness a Royal wedding from close-by. Siobhan just hoped none of her brethren would notice too much. She wouldn’t want them to start thinking she had gone soft, as most women do when the topic of weddings -or babies- comes up.
Lady Siobhan O'Ways Countess of Itomazh
Goffrey added the finishing touches to his armor, polishing it to a sheen, before giving it one last look over encase he had missed anything. Satisfied that it was in fact spotless, Goffrey began the long and tedious task of actually putting the thing on.
Normally Goffrey abhorred plate mail suits of armor, preferring the much more sensible and flexible chain mail undershirt over the cumbersome, uncomfortable, and damn near impossible to get on plate mail. But this was a wedding, a special occasion, and DAMN IT if he wasn't going to look good.
And look good he did, his armor almost polished almost white, it was a formal variation of the regular plate mail, so it was twice as cumbersome, uncomfortable, and damn near impossible to get on, but it was probably the most formal thing Goffrey owned, so he would have to endure it like he always did.
Goffrey did not know what the Best Man usually wore to weddings, hell he didn't know what regular people wore to wedding, as he had never actually been to a wedding before. He had no idea what to expect, or what would come at him, but he would deal with it when the time came. However that assurance did nothing for his nerves, which ate away at him, preventing him from sleeping all of last night.
An hour or so of getting his armor on, and Goffrey was ready to go, grabbing his dark blue silk cape and tying it in place as he strode out the flaps of his tent, pausing only to grab his helmet, before marching forth to face the day.
Walking towards the place of the ceremony, Goffrey pulled his helmet out from under the crook of his arm, still unsure if he was going to ware it or not. On his way he spotted Jenred, and fell in steep next to him, patting him on the shoulder in a reassuring manner, all the while smiling weakly.
"So," he said chuckling lightly,"Nervous as I am?"
Goffrey Massey Baron of Sasat
Madelena was so excited for Edara. She was just disappointed that there had been no time for the two of them to meet before the wedding ceremony. She had sent her a short note that morning saying that she was there for her and then had turned her attention to getting ready.
This was no easy thing to do. Tenal had brought her a new puppy to make up for the fact that she had lost her old friend Fangs and the little one demanded a great deal of attention. No sooner did she think it was asleep on its little bed beside her's in her tent then it would awake and start lightly chewing on something or someone.
She picked it up in her hands and rubbed her nose on his.
'Tenal thinks you are a mutt! But I think you must be pure blood for you are so cute!' She then cradled the little wriggly creature in her arms as Sarah desperately tried to do her lady's hair.
Then Cypreana showed up and there was much hugging and kissing for the two sisters had not seen one another since they had both left Sartania. Cypreana looked flushed and Madelena was tempted to prod and poke her for information as to why, but she was beginning to feel rushed and so pushed it to the back of her mind, making a mental note to bring it up later at the banquet.
'Cyp, I have to go. I have a role in the wedding. Can you hold him for me?' she asked, indicating to the puppy and half holding it out to her sister.
'Of course I can Maddy. Where did you get him from? I heard about Fangs. I can't believe he is gone.'
'Tenal got him for me. He is around somewhere. His tent is next to mine. Where are you set up? I shall have to come and look for you later, or you can come here.'
'Tenal!' Exclaimed Cypreana. 'I have a bone to pick with him!'
'Oh Cyp, please be gentle with him. He showed me the scars from where you hammered glass in his back,' and Madelena giggled. ' I wish I had been there to see it!'
Cypreana couldn't look cross if she tried when Madelena was in such a good mood and she certainly seemed to be extremely happy.
'OK I'll be good,' conceded Cypreana. 'But if he hurts you one more time I swear it will be the last time he draws breath!'
Madelena hugged Cypreana and then handed over the puppy as she rushed off to the place where the wedding was to take place. She slowed down as she drew near and stuck her chin in the air. She pretended to feel the part even if she didn't think she looked it and smiled at everyone as she went by, hoping to make out Tenal's face in the crowd.
Lady Madelena Rossini Imperial Magistrate of Arcaea, Countess of Orbeh
Jenred grinned wryly at Goffrey.
"Oh, probably more. I've only been planning this for more than a year, with an Aenil seemingly dogging my steps to spike this wedding every time I turn around. I just keep wondering what will happen next..."
Jenred kept himself stilled, breathing long, deep, slow breaths to stay calm. He nodded and smiled at Dren and the other Priests, attempting to radiate a soothing aura of command. He normally pulled it off nicely. He figured his odds today were...somewhat lower.
Sir Jenred Bedwyr King of Arcaea
Edara made her way out to the platform feeling…oddly calm. Leading up to this day, there had been so many things that had worried her: the vows, the gifts, the tourney, the ceremony…but now that it was actually happening, she was serene.
She also felt quite lovely in her gorgeous dress. The dark green satin bodice fit her curves perfectly, and was edged along the front lacing with little silk lily flowers. The flowers crossed her shoulders where a filmy gauze in the palest celadon draped into full sleeves. The same gauze floated from her waist over a full silk underskirt that swirled in varied hues of green. Edara was most delighted with her cunning satin boots that laced all the way to her knees and added a couple of inches to her less-than-lofty height. A delicate circle of flowers crowned her gleaming red locks, which fell, otherwise unrestrained, in long waves to her waist. She wore, of course, her hawk-in-flight pendant about her neck, the emerald eyes a sparkling match for the drops at her ears and in the hawks-head of her ring.
Her attendants—the Imperial Magistrate Countess Madelena Rossini of Orbeh, the Duchess Marle Crowley of Remtom, and her own cousin, Lady Harmony Kindon of Nocaneb—were all resplendent in their own wedding finery. For once in her life, though, Edara felt she held her own, even in the company of the undisputed beauties of Arcaea.
As she approached the platform, Edara did not hear the crowds nor see the watching nobles. Her eyes were only for Jenred. He had never looked more beautiful.
Lady Edara Kindon Duchess of Nocaneb
Looking on the wedding procession, with Duchess Edara looking radiant, and King Jenred so handsome, everything looked perfect. Tenal felt a distinct pang of jealousy somewhere in his gut. Which was odd. Large ceremonies were never his 'thing'.
Nevertheless, he was cheering and clapping along with everyone else. The grand event had come.
With a grin, his eyes slid towards Madelena, looking like an angel in her dress. After that, Tenal wasn't certain where to look at. The royal couple, or his love. Everyone looked so happy and beautiful. Truly a magnificent day.
Sir Tenal Quasath (Knight of Orbeh)
Arlian struggled...And utterly failed to keep his eyes on Jenred and Edara as he should. His gaze kept wandering to Harmony, standing on the opposite side of the circle, opposite Goffrey. She was...gods, gorgeous...The white dress, splashed with pearls, was perfect for her vibrant beauty. She shone through her dress like the sun blazing through a prism...
Arlian smiled like a sot, drinking in her beauty...
Sir Arlian Bedwyr (Knight of Orbeh)
"I still don't understand what was wrong with what I chose."
Tharion carefully made his way to a seat, being careful not to swipe someone with the scabbard that hung from his belt, or to get his cape caught on anything. He was thankful to have arrived in time.
To say that Pierre le Fon had been horrified after walking in and seeing Tharion dressed in his typical black leggings and tunic would have been doing a diservice to all those who have ever demonstrated the physical and emotional displays of an horrific experience. Tharion wasn't really sure what he could call Pierre's reaction but it did include bouts of crying, one period of fervent prayer, extremely colourful (and entertaining!) language and threats of both a physical and spiritual nature. He wondered whether such emotional outbursts were typical of the Arcaeans but had decided not to pose the question out loud.
For his part, Pierre argued that he couldn't understand how a man who warred in golden tinted armour could be so averse to expanding his wardrobe beyond black and white.
Tharion did believe that not having to wear a bright green hat adorned with a dyed yellow ostrich feather was a reasonable request.
A unicorn and snowflake, for the love of the Aenil!
Tharion spent a lot of the argument looking threatening which was a lot easier than forming a coherent argument.
Pierre threatened to leave Tharion's service.
Tharion was disappointed that the threat wasn't carried out.
"What about the cape?"
Tharion's eyes lit up.
"It's twirly."
Watching the exchange, Rowan couldn't help but think that his Lord was a complex man.
Tharion Frostnova Duke of Lasop
Tammo arrived at the Temple wearing silken robes colored a deep forest green. After making sure that the man he had hired was in the proper position (all the while sincerely hoping that after the wedding was not too late to give his gift), Tammo took a seat towards the back in order to better see the whole proceedings. The atmosphere was so charged with excitement, it was impossible not to be happy. It was incredible to see all of his friends and many more nobles he did not know all present in their full fashionable glory. There was Goffrey looking every bit the hero in a gleaming suit of armor; Lady Harmony appearing as beautiful as always; and of course the celebrated couple themselves dressed to the nines and beaming with joy. Tammo had never been too concerned with romance - he had always been preoccupied with more bellicose arts - but the scene before him was enough to make any man want a woman of his own.
Tammo leaned back in his chair, glad to see that the sky above was sunny and a beautiful clear blue. He rather hoped that sky artillery show - what was it called...ah yes, fireworks - would be on display tonight. He had set up his tent right near the group that conducted the show; they were extremely loud, but damned if it wasn't a sight to see.
The sound of the proceedings beginning brought Tammo's attention back to the wedding. He could hardly believed that the long-discussed wedding was actually happening. Aenil be praised, this was certainly Arcaea at its finest!
Tammo Hlessi Count of Saex
At the wedding, attention is drawn to Sir Baz Grindle, as he storms through the crowd, without really waiting for them to part for him. As he bumps shoulders with another man, the man notices him carrying a bloody dagger part-concealed under his coat.
Baz: Yes? You want something?
Baz tosses his head and goes straight to the food, taking a plate, ignoring the queue, and piling it with meat, before standing generally in the way of things, trying to dilute his bad temper with food.
Sir Baz Grindle (Knight of Rrerat)
