[Haven] What does love do?

[Pegasus]

You are cordially invited......

100th Ashan, 722. Dawn

"It has been well planned," he said, reaching out to put a stray piece of her hair behind her ear. She smiled and leaned into his hand. "Yes," she replied. "It has." Looking into his eyes, she asked the question which was on her mind. "Has this assuaged your doubts?"

"Yes," he replied and lowered his head to briefly meet her lips with his. "But then, I didn't doubt it would. Love, after all, changes everything."

She smiled at him and shook her head. "You are such a romantic," she whispered and his eyes gazed on her, seriously. "I rather suppose I am", he said and then, he took her hand and as she sun rose into the Scalvoris sky, they made their way.

“Love recognises no barriers, it jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination, full of hope.”
~ Maya Angelou ~

Arrival.

The Ceremony Begins

They had planned and arranged everything and they had done so the way that Vri has asked them to. Yet, there were concerns from the people of Haven. The idea of a chapel - a single chapel - dedicated to one Immortal was strange to them in the extreme. There was one such place on Scalvoris, but that was a temple of Delroth, the Immortal of Vanity and it had been made to celebrate that vanity. However, the people of Haven also knew these two who were getting wed and they trusted them to do the right thing.

So, while both Balthazar and Elisabeth knew there were doubts and concerns, no one argued with them and it certainly didn't stop anyone from being happy for the couple and wanting to make this day perfect.

Which meant that people had been in and out of the Chapel all morning as they got it prepared. That all the final preparationsElisa and Balth - please feel free to describe in more detail had been carried out meticulously. The structure was prepared, the flowers and the seats and everything was arranged.

They were, effectively, ready to begin. As was traditional, Elisabeth and Balthazar had spent the evening with Darius and, because it would have been bad luck to do so, the couple were not involved in anything to do with the wedding from the time the sun set the trial before, until the wedding itself.

But now?

Now it was time. The first guest would soon arrive, and now Elisabeth, Balthazar and Darius needed to get themselves to where they had to be.

A wedding was happening to-trial.

OOC:
Alright, you lot. Sit up straight...... You there, in the back? Stop tugging at your collar.....

Ok everyone, welcome to the wedding of Balthazar Black and Elisabeth Angelus! I'm going to be modding it for you. Please note the following:

• Only PCs who are invited may post in this thread.
• Darius is officiating the ceremony. ( Scalvoris Wedding Traditions for info
• I'm going to ask you all to identify up to 3 knowledge per post using the new [knowledge tags
• This wedding will have a posting turnaround time of one week. I will be posting every Friday to it, so that these lovely people can not be too horribly grandfathered.
• Guests Please take yourself to the point of arriving in Haven, seeing that it's lovely and pretty, and making your way to the Chapel. I will take it from there in my next post.
• Darius Please feel free to describe yourself arriving in the Chapel, helping out in the morning if he would have, etc. Please take yourself to the point that you are in the Chapel. You have the betrothal ribbons / ropes, tied into one long rope.
• Elisabeth & Balthazar Please feel free to describe the place, the chapel, etc - and what you did that morning. Please take yourselves to the point that you arrive at the Chapel, where Darius is waiting for you - and the guests will be arriving soon. You'll be giving the first guest a gift (according to tradition) so please have that prepared (link to thread where it's acquired if appropriate).

Please note Posting order does not equal arrival order in this thread. Darius arrives first. Then Elisa and Balth. The first guest to arrive will be selected randomly, so please make sure to not assume anything there (ie: write your own post, don't "see that so-and-so has arrived" etc) Thanks!

My next post will be Friday 13th May.
If you don't post by Thursday 12th, be warned that I may well post first thing in the morning.

[Winston]

Winston wandered through the small settlement, admiring it as he did.

As transport had been arranged for him

he had no problems getting here, for which he was most grateful, and he had wasted not time in getting himself ready. He was eager to meet some new people.

The towering volcano was a sight of much wonder... and a little concern. The things that might be up there... But if ever there was a curiosity that could kill this ferret, it was almost certainly a megaton of super-heated, compressed rock and so for now, his curiosity was very easily set at bay.

He knew almost nothing at all about the entire affair, the rituals, the customs or ceremonies of this place, the people or even just the two individuals involved! But the idea of refusing such an invitation seemed positively outrageous and so of course he came along gladly. He had also painstakingly prepared some sweets to gift to the newlyweds in the form of a selection of Honey Drops he had made with honey from the farm. It had taken quite a while, but was well worth it, as to make them big enough for the bigguns to enjoy, he'd had to make them a couple at a time, in his 'him-size' oven, filling his entire pan each time. He'd managed a dozen of the tasty treats before he wrapped them up in some light hemp and tissue, lined with very lightly greased paper to prevent them sticking. They weren't extravagant by any means, but consumables are always a good gift for people you don't know and a hand-made gift is always best, regardless of the occasion.

It was nice not to have to scuttle around and hide as he made his way to the chapel. This was a good opportunity to practice interacting with some bigguns' without the hassle of being in the big city, with all its associated curiosities and temptations that went along with it. He decided that as he was in his very best attire, in the form of a

Dapper Tuxedo

, he should act the part as well. For this reason, rather than scurry, he attempted to stride (in very small steps) toward the chapel with pride. He stood tall (OK, only one foot tall, so not really very tall at all), with his chest puffed and his head held high. Anyone seeing the ferret would receive a bright smile and a cheerful wave.

He was determined to avoid succumbing to curiosity and even more determined not to get into trouble. If he did, he might ruin the entire day for these two people... which he didn't even know!

He approached the chapel and took one last moment to straighten his tie and jacket before going forward, gift in hand, smile on face. The awe in his eyes at the majesty of the place would be quite obvious as he made no attempt to hide it. Also, while certainly shy of being trodden on, he would not be shy of anyone at all that wish to come and say hello.

[Devin]

Devin had no interest in getting married himself, at least not in the near future, but he was absolutely excited when he received an invitation to Elisabeth’s and Balthazar’s wedding and immediately decided that he would accept it and attend. He had met Elisabeth during his winter party the cycle before and found the young woman quite lovely, and he had gotten drunk with Balthazar and been pranked by him, which was something that he had absolutely enjoyed. He was just so happy that they had found each other and wanted to build a life together because they were both very nice people in his opinion.

The only thing about the wedding that baffled him was that Darius would officiate it. He hadn’t known that his fellow Baron did that kind of stuff. As he got ready in one of the luxurious bathrooms of Smooglenuff Manor – he used a violet infused oil bath so that he would smell nice and clean at the wedding, and his skin would have a fresh, soft glow – he briefly wondered if he should ask him if he wanted to officiate a ceremony together with him at the Temple of Delroth in Scalvoris Town sometime – and try to convert him to Delroth in the process.

A moment later, he decided to postpone the answer to that question and focus on the wedding again though because this was Elisabeth’s and Balthazar’s big trial and not Darius’ or Devin’s or anybody else’s big trial. He was determined to be a good wedding guest and do his part in making sure that the young couple had as pleasant an experience as possible.

For that reason, he had toned down his outfit. Usually, Devin was dressed very extravagantly, and he was very shiny, but he realized that it would be bad form if he outshone the groom (or the bride). So, he wore a suit in such a dark shade of grey that it almost seemed to be black. It was very fashionably cut, but relatively simple, without any jewels on it. There was just a bit of violet and silver embroidery, and there were silver buttons, because buttons were all the rage that season. A silken shirt and a vest were part of it.

He wore boots with a small heel, and a short cape that matched his suit, but no jewelry apart from his signet ring.

Haven wasn’t too far from the Barony, so he had decided to just ride there on his black Scalvwing Caz rather than using some other form of transport. He didn’t remember ever visiting Haven before, so he looked around quite curiously when he arrived before he made his way to the Chapel, coming to the decision that everything was quite lovely and pretty. Haven wasn’t as great as the Barony, but it was still a very, very nice place.

He liked it, he decided.

Of course, he had brought a gift for Elisabeth and Balthazar, because arriving without one was totally unacceptable in his opinion, and because he wanted to make them smile. He had actually read up on Scalvoris wedding customs beforehand to make sure that he didn’t commit a faux pas and ruined the wedding in the process, at least partially.

He had acquired a fine box that was made of carved wood. It was a deep and rich chocolate brown, with inlay ornaments made of pure silver, and it had been polished until it shone. Inside, on a cushion made of deep red velvet, rested a set of crystal glasses with engraved ornaments, with pictures of the local flora, such as Tempest Lilies and Rubrum Berries. The rims of the glasses were made of gold, because he had wanted to incorporate all four kinds of traditional gifts – gold, silver, glass and wood carvings.

He hadn’t been entirely sure if it would be an acceptable gift, but he had also included a bottle of red wine with honey, made by Smooglenuff Manor’s own cook, because gifting people a set of glasses, no matter how nice they were, seemed weird to him if you didn’t also include something to fill them with. Besides, the drink was sweet and delicious.

Just like love.

Even though that sounded a bit cheesy, to be honest!

[Woe]

Woe wasn't at all sure what he made of the concept of marriage. THere were phases, times in his life he entertained and even flirted with the idea of domestic attachments such as a wife and children. Usually when he was in his younger days, he thought of it. Even now, however, it came up every once in a while. Ultimately, the phase and mood would pass and he would find himself returning to center. Although he could certainly see how the idea of marriage and security in another's company might hold some allure, he preferred isolation.

Then again, what was marriage but another deal or contract to be brokered? In the end, such an arrangement surely wouldn't upset his patron, Chamadarst, so long as he was respected in his isolation and neutrality.

In either event, Woe hadn't brought a date along to the wedding himself, and so would feel little pressure to romance anyone during the festivities. He had considered bringing someone like Sage, or Soraia to the wedding with him, as mostly a social buffer more than a date. But in the end he decided not to.

After embarking on a ferry (he didn't wish to frighten the Hopetounians by descending upon their small hamlet with a terrifying dragonling), he settled for a room at the Inn in Hopetoun where he spent the night. The next morning, after bathing and dressing himself in somewhat plain attire, a brown and gray surcoat with black trousers and knee boots, he triggered his ability he'd acquired on Mount Ornthrus, to mimick the scent of any flower. In this case, he chose a night lily, one of his personal favorite floral scents. This would ensure he didn't smell rank by the time he arrived at Haven.

He rented a cart there, as there were a few running on Faldrass, and remained seated until Haven came into view. He had in his hands, as he exited the vehicle, a medium-sized wooden box. Very plain in itself and with a light coloration. Inside, a very nice glass decanter, with a set of four glasses, all set in green silk cloth to keep them safe during handling. They were fashioned by the Egilrun glassblowers, of the Union glassblowers out of green glass (which would keep the contents of the glasses and decanter cool, and laced with copper glass accents (which would ensue the drinks poured into them would taste extra nice). Besides that, he'd acquired a few season's worth of casks of Purple Whiskey, straight from Yaralon. He'd been lucky enough to find some at the market at a good price.

With these gifts he put them wherever directed to, and then filed in with the rest of the guests, keeping mostly to himself for the time being.

He had mixed feelings about the two getting married. On the one hand, he and Balthazar had fought together in wars, and with monsters, and shared other adventures. On the other, he had delivered a scathing character assassination right in public. On some level, Woe had to admire his forthrightness in that. Woe would've been more subtle about it, or thought he would.

Yet, there it was, they had a mutual enmity, which he supposed was borne out from Elisabeth telling him about what had happened at the Glass Temple.

But for today, this was not about that. He would put aside the past to celebrate the couple, and try to think of Balthazar more as the valiant soldier who'd volunteered to fight the Creep, while Woe guided the rest of the civilians to safety. If he held onto that memory of his former friend, he could abide by it.

OOC

Deducting the amount for luxury alcohol, to last for two cycles from my ledger.
Image of the gift in question:

[Tiggy]

Tiggy was both very excited and very nervous. What a wonderful opportunity, but, undoubtedly, there would be so very many people there and, experience told him, most of them would be very much larger than Tiggy. Tiggy had never been to a wedding before, goodness, he'd never been INVITED to a wedding before, let alone one in this new home. What will it be like? What will happen? What is expected of the guests?

Tiggy had thought long and hard about all of these questions, and more besides, he'd picked out a bow tie for the occasion, hopefully, it would be suitable. So many new things and so many new people made Tiggy very nervous indeed, but, it was time to be brave, what could possibly go wrong? Thankfully, granny was coming along too, as a chaperone for Tiggy, and hopefully to save him from any major social or wedding faux pas. Indeed, granny had already saved one such awkward situation with the wedding gift. Tiggy had intended to embroider a beautiful picture for the happy couple, using his spines as needles. When he'd discussed his plan with granny, she'd suggested something else entirely, explaining it simply wasn't done to give gifts of fabric at a wedding - yikes, that was close, and potentially very awkward indeed. The last thing Tiggy wanted was to make a bad impression or cause upset, however unintentional it would be!

Transport arrived and took Tiggy and granny to Haven on the island of Faldrass. And oh, what a beautiful place it was. A small settlement of huts with a chapel for the wedding. There appeared to be a volcano of some description and Tiggy hoped it was nothing to be concerned about. Tiggy had made a special batch of mead with granny's honey, following a recipe in one of their mother's old brewing books. He'd presented it in a beautiful glass bottle, with a bow of twine about the neck, and a stopper in the top - hopefully, this would be an appropriate gift for the couple. What were their names again? Elisabeth and Bathistar, no, Balthazar. Yes, Elisabeth and Balthazar, that's right. "I'm sure it will be obvious who they are when I see them" thought Tiggy.

[Elisabeth Black]

100 Ashan, Arc 722

Haven Settlement/Faldrass

It was time.

The trial Elisabeth had been planning, preparing, and anxiously waiting for had arrived. In the slowly dimming light of late afternoon, the chapel sat, nestled in a serene little nook against the broad swath of emerald trees that separated it and the farm from the rest of Haven.

Dozens and dozens of candles illuminated the chapel's interior, bathing it in soft candlelight, set against the backdrop of sheer lengths of beautiful, shimmering gold and burgundy materials.

Gracefully adorning the long main altar at the front of the chapel were several exquisite groupings of Tempest Lilies – the bride's favorite flower. Haven's settlers had wished to cover the chapel with them. Yet, ever concerned about Faldrass's recovering eco-system, Elisabeth had negotiated a compromise to include the beloved flower in a few central places.

Another special touch, suggested by Jolene and Delilah Munny, were native shrubs and plants, carefully wrapped in burlap with their roots intact, artfully placed around the edges of the main room, integrating the lush greenery of Faldrass into the intimate setting. Once the wedding trial was over, the preserved plants would be transplanted into the planned reflection garden surrounding the chapel.



All the preparations for Haven's leader had come to a halt the trial before. Scalvoris tradition dictated when the couple was to step away from wedding business and begin focusing on each other, and Elisabeth was determined to respect the cherished rituals. Darius, scheduled to arrive soon, was to share dinner and the night with the couple, talking about anything but the wedding, but before he did, Elisabeth and Balthazar had something they needed to do.

Taking the ropes and ribbon they each had acquired, they sat in Haven House and explained the significance of each. Elisabeth, revealing a beautiful length of translucent black ribbon she had found while working a bit of a case with Oram in Scalvoris Town, told Balthazar what it meant to her. The color represented the name they would soon share. As far as the ribbon itself, its transparency, she told him, symbolized the need to always be open and honest with each other.

Once Balthazar had presented the ropes, they worked together to braid the whole lot into one long creation – with an assist from Storm, who thought the materials were great fun to bat around - and then set the completed product aside to present to Darius before the wedding.

Once their friend had arrived, the trio spent the night speaking of times spent together, memories, and thoughts of the future. Their shared time and experiences gave them a wide range of topics to speak on, filling Haven House with laughter and happiness.

With the dawn, Darius departed to attend to his own matters before the wedding, leaving Balthazar and her to observe another tradition. Elisabeth had purchased two gifts for Balthazar – one to gift at dawn and one during the ceremony itself – and the one she wished to give him then was being stored in the new barn at Munny farm.

Leading him there, she showed him the supplies and equipment(1) Masterwork Blacksmithing Skill Kit necessary to outfit the forge he wished to build for himself, explaining that it was important to her that he continue to learn and express himself in the skills he chose to pursue. She wished him to understand that she supported him. During one of their very first conversations in Rharne, she remembered a question she had asked….

"Tell me, if you could do whatever you wanted – forget about the fights and everything like that – if you had time where you could just focus on yourself, what would you do?"

He had answered blacksmithing, so in her procuring the supplies necessary for his forge, Elisabeth was honoring the thought of a different way of life. At least that was her way of thinking about it, which she expressed to him with a smile. "Now is a time of change, love. For you. For us. This gift is simply an expression of my support of all you wish to accomplish. Now and always."

As they walked back to Haven proper, it was time to part until the wedding. It would be several breaks until they saw each other again, and it couldn't come soon enough for her.

She had arranged for Balthazar to prepare for the wedding in Haven House while she retired with a few of the settlers to the guest house, making sure refreshments and snacks were left for the mage, should he desire them.

Within Haven House, Balthazar would find an origami star, similar to the one Elisabeth had made for him not long before, placed on top of his wedding attire that she had lain out carefully on their bed for him. On one of the segments, in Elisabeth's delicate handwriting, he would find a small note. "Can't wait to see you!"

Arriving at the guest house, Elisabeth was greeted by a flurry of activity. A bath was prepared, and everything she needed from Haven House had been transferred over, including tea, cookies, and some small snacks for them to munch on during the trial. Haven itself was in full swing, getting the bonfire and beach areas prepared for the celebration to follow the ceremony, but she wasn't allowed to be a part of that, nor did the settlers allow her to poke her nose into any of it.

Submerging her head under the water, Elisabeth scrubbed and scoured every part of her body, relaxing in the warm water for just a few moments, not wanting to risk becoming wrinkly, and then rose, wrapping a nearby robe tightly around her body.

Semi-organized chaos ensued after. Storm, largely undisturbed by the people rushing about, watched from a nearby chair, blinking slowly. One of them had given him a bath the trial before, which he hadn't appreciated, thank you very much. To add additional insult, the same one insisted on trying to wrap a ribbon around his neck. After much howling and complaining, the girl had stopped and rewarded him with fish bites, which was barely adequate compensation for the torture. He truly loved them all, but sometimes, they could be a bit much.

Pampering. Hair. Cosmetics. Lots of laughing. The breaks slipped by, and astonishingly, before she knew it, the time had come.

After dressing, she shooed everyone but Storm out of the guest house, explaining her desire to be alone for a few moments before departing.

Looking down at the silver ring adorning her finger, the one whose mate was with Balthazar, clad in her wedding finery, the young woman lowered gracefully into a plush chair and closed her eyes. Reaching out with her heart and soul in prayer, Elisabeth felt the need to touch those who had a hand in her life before joining that life with Balthazar's.

Love came in many forms, and her first prayer went to Ethelynda, giving a vow that she would endeavor to guide, protect, provide for and defend those in Haven to the best of her ability.

Beautiful, kind Saoire. Her wisdom had guided Elisabeth during a time of uncertainty, giving the young woman seeds of confidence to embark on a new adventure, ultimately starting her on the path to being the type of leader she had become and was still evolving into. Elisabeth gave a similar vow to her, to honor Saoire by teaching others the best she could, that which Elisabeth knew - to pass on knowledge to others.

Ziell was winter and snow. He brought peace to her heart and soul when she thought about the Immortal, so to him, she vowed to try and offer the same peace he filled her with to others.

Her prayers focused more intimately on her relationship with Balthazar as she continued. She prayed to Xiur, thanking him for the hope Balthazar brought into her life. Qylios was given gratitude for the way of light Elisabeth followed – a path that had strengthened her bond with Balthazar. Cassion, dear Cassion, for the adventure and stories the couple had shared and would continue to share for the entirety of their lives.

Famula. Elisabeth could not forget what the Immortal had done for her, wrapping the young woman in warmth and care while her marked, Jacien, had resurrected Elisabeth during the Forging. It was a faint memory, but one Elisabeth remembered. She had been given a second chance at life, the opportunity to forge this life with Balthazar, and she wouldn't waste it. Gratitude and appreciation were sincerely offered.

Elisabeth couldn't begin to figure out where to start her prayer to the final Immortal, so it all came out in a tumbled mess, threatening to reduce the bride to tears. Vri. Heartfelt thanks for his resurrection of Balthazar. Gratitude of the gift he had given them in asking to have the chapel built, which ultimately had allowed her to understand his Domains and how her life connected to them, which she hadn't before being given that time to reflect.

To Vri, she vowed to love Balthazar with the entirety of her being, fiercely, unconditionally, repeating the words she had sent out to the Immortal during the time spent incarcerated after the Almund Bazaar incident. "I chose him to love. I chose him every trial after that to love, and I choose him for every trial forever."

It went beyond that, though – she knew that now. "I will protect him with everything I am," she began. "I will be his partner in love and life. I will be there when he needs me, without fail. Through good times and bad."

After her prayers, she rose and made the final preparations. One last lingering look in the mirror was all she needed, wanting to remember the trial forever and savor every emotion and moment.

The dress was a dream. In no manner would Elisabeth have ever been able to imagine something so perfect. Gianella had taken her incoherent ramblings and created a vision.

Wrapped around her slender form, a dress made from the most beautiful material of shimmering iridescence, white with the faintest trace of pink. That tiny touch honored Elisabeth's wish to have the pink tree that she and Balthazar often had found themselves beneath in Serenity Garden incorporated into her gown. Long, loose, semi-sheer sleeves flowed gracefully down around her arms, the marks she had been gifted as Qylios and Xiur's Adored clearly visible - Elisabeth was honored to bear such and hadn't wished them hidden. An intricate but straightforward long skirt, gathered delicately at the waist, danced gracefully around her legs as she walked, allowing her ease of movement, while the back of the dress plunged elegantly towards her lower back, highlighting the ornately gathered dark curls behind her head, adorned with a few of her cherished Tempest Lilies.

A few dabs of lavender and orange oils later, there was nothing left to do.

It was time.



The door to the guest house opened, and the leader of Haven was immediately greeted by the three guards of Haven – Silk, Ronan, and Balder – dressed in their finest clothing. Ronan grinned and gave Elisabeth something of a funny little bow. "Your honor guard, m'lady."

Arching her eyebrow gently, she smiled at them all and laughed. "Well, well. An honor guard for little ole' me? This must be a special trial or something…."

Carefully, she handed Silk one of the two items balanced in her hands and Ronan the other. "Could you two please carry those to the chapel for me? One is Balthazar's gift, and the otherOne jewelry-quality fire pearl, nestled in material within an Ignis shell and tied with lovely ribbon is for the first guest that arrived."

Taking Balder's offered hand to step down, Elisabeth then immediately gathered up the sides of her skirt and gently pulled it up just a bit. Gianella had made sure that the gown wouldn't drag on the ground, but Elisabeth wanted to be extra careful until she got to the chapel.

Storm, finally interested in the activity going on, followed her out of the house, having been consumed by boredom and ready for a new challenge.

The small group made their way through the wood and arrived at the chapel moments later, guards delivering the bride safely to the steps of the chapel. Elisabeth thanked them for the escort and for being who they were. She couldn't do what she did in Haven without them. Even Ronan.

After taking back the gifts they had carried for her, they left her to wait for the man she loved.

It was time.

OOC stuffs for Peg

Ribbon - Purchased within tier during this thread with Oram, that is not reviewed yet but almost done.
Balth's first gift - (1) Masterwork Blacksmithing Skill Kit - Purchased here
Guest gift - Solo'd here (One jewelry-quality fire pearl, nestled in material within an Ignis shell and tied with lovely ribbon)

Thank you Visna for the beautiful wedding template!

[Oram Mednix]

Something new, something old, something…hot something cold? Yeah, that sounds right.

Weddings. People did things at weddings. They ate, drank, danced, sang, laughed, cried. They didn’t typically scowl, though, so Oram would do his best not to scowl this trial. Given the occasion, the Chief Ranger hoped that would not prove too difficult.

Once he was within sight of Haven, Oram paused to look at the hamlet. Haven looked more festive than it had the last time Oram had visited. It was also sporting a new building that he guessed was the chapel. Elisabeth had been busy in the interval, and not just with wedding preparations.

Before walking into the settlement, Oram sat down on a rock and changed shoes. The rest of his outfit was fairly suitable for both outside use and, he hoped, the occasion before him. It was, in fact, the same blue linen shirt and off-white trousers he had worn to the grand opening of the Order outpost in Egilrun. It was, in his estimation, the right combination of presentable, season-appropriate, and low-key On this occasion, he had eschewed the advice of his sister-in-law, since it was for a wedding and he he dreaded the inevitable “when-are-you-getting-married?” conversation. Or even the ostensibly more innocent “are-you-taking-anyone-with-you-why-the-Beneath-not?” conversation.

The time he had spared not fussing too much over clothes and nor contending with Signy’s and Osric’s busybodying over his non love life Oram had put to use assembling a wedding gift he was actually fairly proud of: in a box he now retrieved out of his domain bag lay a wind chime made from blue Egilrun glass. The chimes were actually modeled after wine bottles. Oram had seen somebody make chimes from discarded wine bottles, and decided to use that idea, combined with the special properties of the local blue sand, to make a set of musical chimes he hoped would bring the couple delight on those trials when the breezes blew out to or from the sea. The hunter also remembered that glass was considered especially appropriate for wedding gifts, so it fit.

Oram had commissioned the glass parts (the bell and the clapper) from the glassblowers in Egilrun (Woe Morandi wasn’t the only person with contacts there, after all), but had made the rest himself from wood and wire. Thin, wide slats of balsa wood designed to catch the wind depended from the bottom of the glass bead clappers via fishing wire. Not knowing what else to do with these “windcatchers”, Oram had simply painted them green on one side and a matching blue on the other, so that the colors would fluctuate whenever the windcatcher span in the breeze (he had used the attachment from a spinner lure to ensure the windcatcher could spin freely-a touch he allowed himself to feel a bit proud of).

Gingerly, he peeked inside the packed box to make sure the thing was intact in its straw. Assured that it was, and having stowed his traveling boots back into his domain bag, Oram rose, dusted himself off, and strode the rest of the way to Haven. The hunter did not normally like these sorts of occasions, but the people present would include many he knew and liked, so he found himself, quite uncharacteristically, looking forward to the trial ahead.

[Balthazar Black]

100 Ashan 722

Even the trial of the wedding, Balthazar wanted to find some way to distract himself from everything going on around him. The night had passed without sleep but he was managing well enough thanks to the company that had been given by Darius and his bride. There were so many traditions that Elisabeth wanted to uphold which Balthazar didn't care for but he knew that the settlers did. It wasn't about the traditions to him and it certainly wasn't about the large ceremony they were going to have. It wasn't about the guests and it wasn't about the cat that would not leave the couple alone while they tried to weave their ropes and ribbons together the trial before.

It was about Elisabeth. It was about how he felt about her.

He had been in love before. He had been in love more than once, but never the way he was in love with Elisabeth. He had never been married because he never saw the point of it. Love was love, declaring it in a wedding was just making a show of it. But if you couldn't make a show of love and you could make a show of violence in tournaments, what sort of lover would he have been? Not the sort he wanted to be. Elisabeth was different. Better. Soon, she would be his wife.

The trial before they had gotten together to braid the ribbons and ropes they had bought together and they explained the significance of the colors. Elisabeth explained her ribbons by citing the name that would be theirs and the transparency she hoped they would have. They each had commitments in their lives that would make total transparency difficult. Balthazar's commitment to Robin and the company against Elisabeth's commitment to the Spirit Branch of the Elements. However even in that divide they would and always had found ways to get what they needed to say across to the other.

He explained the significance of his ropes after she was done with the ribbons. The white rope was meant to represent her and Viden where she had grown up. White for the snow he knew she loved. The black rope was meant to represent him and the Untold where their relationship bloomed. The red was meant to represent Rharne where they had been brought together and the blood that they had given in defense of each other over the time since. Darius arrived not long after and the trio spent the night together as tradition dictated. It was one of the better reasons that Balthazar had ever chosen to forgo his sleep for the whole night.

When Darius left at dawn, Elisabeth lead Balthazar to the barn at Munny Farm where she had been very confident that her gift was hidden from Balthazar. He didn't snoop because he wanted to be surprised and he certainly was. He told her that he didn't want her to pay for the outdoor forge he was adding to the outside of his workshop because he wanted to oversee it and he made a joke that he didn't want to make the gift easy for her, but she'd been clever and found a way around it. He gave her a small kiss on the top of her head when she expressed that it was a time of change for them but he said nothing about the notion. Instead he lead her back towards Haven House and more importantly his workshop, where he had hidden her gift from her.

While they walked to the workshop, Balthazar explained, "I've noticed you like spending time with the Munny's. You like flowers and plants and all manner of flammable foliage." He wasn't good at talking about these sorts of things and his words here made him a little more concerned about how he'd manage in the ceremony. "I wanted to give you something that would allow you to explore your interests. Saoire gave me a set of gardening books, which of course you can read, but I thought it might be a good idea to get you some tools to work with too." Balthazar said as he opened the door to his workshop, revealing all the tools she might need to begin her own thriving garden.

Afterwards they had to part until the wedding began so Balthazar went into Haven House to get ready and Elisabeth went off to another building. He felt like she should have used the house while he went elsewhere because he did not suspect that his preparations would take as long as Elisabeth's. In any event, they divided and Balthazar went to get ready. He didn't find any appetite between beginning to get ready and the time when he was finally done, so he didn't eat any of the snacks that had been left out for him by Elisabeth. Elisabeth was pampered by a few of the people of Haven but Balthazar opted to remain by himself while he got ready.

After he got dressed he set out a blanket on the ground and sat down on it with his legs crossed. He took a few breaths in through his nose and let them out through his mouth while he cleared his head of the few lingering concerns going into the wedding. He wasn't sure he was up for all the socializing. Maybe he didn't like the way he looked in the outfit he'd chosen. Maybe it was just the mood he was in on that trial but it was the trial they had chosen and they had to go through with it now. No delaying on account of mood.

At least he could do something about the way that he looked. He picked up his pocket watch and examined it for a few moments- observing his reflection in the metal while he considered what he wanted to change. The first thing to go would be his mutations. A blanket idea to cover all of them, from the etheric cracks webbing up his arm to the glowing eyes, up. He pressed in on the top of the pocket watch, popping it open and activating the magic. Once the change overtook him and the transformation was complete he looked as if he hadn't been touched by the sparks inside him. It felt strange... and wrong... but it did make his outfit look a little better on him. He kept his darkened fingertips and nails, unwilling to conceal Vri's blessing. It looked good with the black outfit as well. He considered turning his hair black but decided against it and after setting the watch in his pocket, he went back to his meditation.

Suddenly he heard a knock at the door and the mage opened a single, curious eye to investigate. After a trill he realized whoever was at the door knew he was inside and likely wanted to talk to him so the mage rose to his feet and walked over to open the door. To his surprise, Robin was standing outside with a few of the men from the company who were all dressed better than Balthazar had ever seen them before. Robin wore a red doublet and black pants but the most surprising thing to Balthazar was that the boy had cut his hair to a much shorter length.

"You cut your hair." Balthazar said as if there was nothing else going on.

"You're less mutated." Robin replied in an equally casual tone.

"I don't like it." They said in unison a few trills before their expressions broke and they laughed. Balthazar invited Robin and the members of the company inside for a few bits, knowing he had time to talk to them. It would have been easy to avoid talking about the wedding with this lot but that was all they seemed to want to talk about. Specifically the security situation. Balthazar assured them that there would be no need for extra protection and Robin pointed out that if they had a problem, Balthazar's hand would be bound to Elisabeth for most of the night. When that didn't work, Robin pointed out that Balthazar did have a bad habit of being in the right place at the wrong time. Realizing his friend was concerned, Balthazar agreed to let Robin keep an eye out for any trouble. It wouldn't hurt to let the boy feel useful.

Robin and the company members left after a bit more talking about recent events and Balthazar found himself alone in the house again. He had rarely ever been the sort to pray for things. When he did, it was often because he did not know what else to do. Elisabeth was much more interested in speaking to the immortals through prayer. Still, Balthazar couldn't deny, and he felt it, that this trial never would have come if not for one specific immortal. It had nothing to do with the chapel he'd asked for. Balthazar was alive because of a decision that Vri made. He took a deep breath and looked down at the dark nails on his hands. "Thank you, Vri." Whatever backlash came from dedicating a chapel to the one who had made this all possible, Balthazar would endure.

With another deep breath, Balthazar rose to his feet and went over to take Elisabeth's second gift out of the place he'd hidden it. He turned the wooden dagger over in his hand a few times, thinking of the better gifts he might have been able to get her before making his way out of the house and to the chapel. He intended to go alone but not a dozen steps from the house, Robin and the company members found him again. Balthazar gave the wooden dagger to Robin so that he could hide it from Elisabeth and they went together to the chapel. Balthazar walked a good bit faster than any of them.

He was more than a little excited to see Elisabeth.

[Gennadiya Lyosha]

“I have been and still am
a seeker, but I have ceased to
question stars and books;
I have begun to listen to
the teaching my blood
whispers to me.”
― Hermann Hesse

What Does Love do
100 Ashan 722

Gennadiya paused at the entrance to her tent and confirmed that there wasn’t anything else before she turned and left. The Lysorian woman had been pleased when she had gotten the invite to attend the wedding of Elizabeth and Balthazar. She felt a friendship with the young woman who had worked beside her in the war at Storm’s Edge. Genna walked away from her tent her boots making a firm tread. Even for this kind of event Genna wore nice and matching boots instead of more fancy shoes. She wore a rich blue dress that had small caped sleeves, and a skirt that stopped at her ankles. Genna had used the hair clip and now her hair was gathering in a large braid that actually ran across the front and hung down one side of her face.

She looked around at the new settlement that was well on its way to becoming a prosperous. It was one of the differences between the two women. Genna suspected that Elisabeth would thrive with this kind of challenge and clearly had. The Lysorian woman was self aware enough to know that she would do this if she felt it was necessary, but she didn’t think she would have thrived in the same way as her friend. She did take in all of the construction and that the people seemed to be happy. That was always important. The people also seemed to be thriving in this settlement.

Soon she came to the Chapel where everything was taking place. She paused outside to take it in and then made her way into chapel as she realized she was pushing the being on time. She moved into the room with the same grace and confident she went about life. Though as she looked around at the decoration and the wonder of what was about to happen she felt a twinge. She hopped that she would soon have the chance to find that someone and spend her life with him.

Today though she could easily push those wishes and thoughts aside so that she could celebrate with her friend.

[Darius Baer]

Arc 722, 100th of Ashan

A thin golden line appeared on the horizon. Small at first, but bright, it slowly grew, as if someone was gently unstitching back the seam where sky and ocean met. Darius watched on, standing on an isolated headland near Haven's bay, so that he could admire an unfettered view of the sunrise's glow creeping over the Hollow Sea towards him. In one hand, he held a notebook, its pages worn and crumpled at the edges.

Back down the coast and out of sight rested the Libertalia. The brig's sails would be furled, its masts piercing the sky as it sat patiently at anchor. Eventually, the Lady Jean would bring Josef and Astra to shore, but that was a few breaks away.

For now, Darius was content to take some time to himself and watch the sunrise. The promise of a new trial, full of potential and the unknown, and all the hope that came with it, seemed like something worth reflecting on. It seemed like the perfect place to write down what he would say at the wedding.

The Scalvorian had not been to many such occasions, so it was probably inevitable that he thought back to when his father had officiated one. That memory had lingered in his mind for arcs, mostly because being embarrassed as a youngster wasn't easily forgotten, but he tried to ignore those emotions that had dulled over time and focus on the ceremony itself.

He had followed this very train of thought many times since Elisabeth had asked him to take on the role he was now preparing for. He had relied on his father's wisdom and experience to help guide him. And he had made notes along the way.

This was to be the first wedding on Faldrass since the eruption. That added to its significance, and Darius wanted to get it right.

He settled down on the small headland, opened his notebook, and began to go over what he was to say at the ceremony.



By the time Darius next looked up, a trial had passed. The thin line of gold had departed the horizon, and the sun now hung in the sky. A quick glance in the direction of the Libertalia - despite the ship being out of sight - told Darius that the crew would soon be loading themselves into the longboats and rowing ashore. They had offered to lend a hand with preparations, and the Havenites had graciously accepted. Josef and Astra would be making their way to the settlement, too, in the rowboat named after Darius' mother.

Rising to his feet, the bearded blond followed the coast as long as he could, eventually spying his ship which confirmed his suspicions - no longboats on board - before he turned inland and approached the chapel.

Elisabeth had kindly offered him a small room in the back of the building to get ready, and it was there he went first. The building was empty, though he knew there had been people in there since the previous night, as evidenced by decorations in the common room and a tray of food that had been kindly placed in the small backroom where he had put his knapsack and other belongings. A small chest was there, too, no doubt brought to shore by his crew. He opened it up to check that the essentials were there: his suit, and a pouch of green sand that was cold to the touch. Into the chest, he added the notebook, and, alongside that, the boxed rope - made up of three individual ropes, intertwined with a long black ribbon that weaved through and around it - that had been patiently awaiting his attention on a small desk.

Satisfied that he had everything he needed, he sat down and began to eat.

Darius stood at the altar and looked out across the common room of the chapel. Since finishing his meal, he had washed, trimmed his beard, and donned a blue suit that had been bought specially for the occasion. He had been nervous about remembering what he would be saying, and so he recited his notes over and over, committing them to memory.

He had been visited by both Josef and Astra - that had given him a burst of courage - as well as a handful of Havenites who had made final touches to the decorations and lit the many candles that illuminated space.

But in that moment, he was alone. Beside him, on a small table, rested the betrothal box that the couple had given him. The lid sat open, revealing the rope within. Also on the table sat three glass vases in a straight line. The middle one was empty, but each of the others contained sand: cool green on the left, and warm orange on the right. Everything was in its place.

Guests and the couple would soon arrive, and Darius was as ready as he was ever going to be. His excitement for Elisabeth and Balthazar helped to mask his own nerves, even as he took a deep breath and sent a furtive glance out the windows of the chapel. Where there had once been a golden glow of a sunrise, there was now the brightness of a fine Ashan trial. He returned his gaze to the door of the chapel, waiting to see who would be first to join him inside the building.

It was time.