My veil is another piece of art. It’s a deep, dark green, almost black, and when he removes it, it will transform into butterflies. My hair is made of curls and coils, pinned up with wild roses and strawberries. I can’t wait to see Kenric in the suit I designed for him. He will look stunning and be the match of any prince anywhere. The colors should suit him and highlight his eye color. The cloak only attaches to one shoulder, but it’s long enough to puddle on the floor behind him. It's made of oak leaves. I’ve used the same magic that I used for my aspen leaves to keep his oak leaves bound and dancing. The tunic will fit him perfectly and is decorated with fox squirrels chasing rolling acorns across it. He’ll wear mossy green pants tucked into high Fey boots that look like oak twigs with leaves.
Right now, instead of hiding in my veil, the butterflies are dancing around in my stomach. Will someone please start the music already? I’ve peeked in, and many of those that I’ve served with are here. Some are still feral, and they sit in a section by themselves. My heart breaks for them, but I do not fear them. We spent decades or centuries together in that state. I was as feral as any of them before Kenric. If I hear an unkind word said to them today, I may have some unkind things to say to anyone bold enough to do that on my wedding day. Finally, I hear the music start, and the doors are thrown open so that my glorious dress and I fit through them. I want to run down the aisle and leap into his arms, but I march at the steady, sedate pace dictated by the song my mother chose.
Kenric is smiling, and when I get close enough, he reaches out a hand to me. I take it, and we stand before the priests. Each one comes to bless us, and finally, all twelve of them are done. We have a few other gods, but no one calls on them for weddings. We begin our vows, and when we’re done, my wild roses are twined around his oak branch. I put a bit more magic into it, and the chapel becomes an oak bower with rose petals raining down on everyone. The butterflies are flitting around, my mother is crying, and my father looks like he wants to. Kenric pulls me into him and kisses me thoroughly as everyone applauds. I am beyond happy. This glorious male is mine.
We stand to greet everyone at the feast. The king comes first, and for once, he’s not ass to me. My parents are next. Then comes the rest of the trade delegation. I still don’t like how those men look at me. Kenric says that I’m not allowed to conjure anything that will eat them. I make sure that the aspen leaves have me well covered when they come past us in the line. All my friends are next – Amer, Elora, Fylson, and all the others.
Amer leans in, “The outfits are amazing, Yávi?, darling. Maybe find out if Kenric’s got any brothers and send them my way, hmm?”
Grinning, I whisper back, “What will Elora and Fylson think of that?”
Amer laughs, “The more, the merrier, dear girl.”
That answered that question. The line streams past for a while – family, friends, people I haven’t seen in ages because I was gone fighting in a war.
Last are the feral ones. Kenric is careful to move slowly around them, but he doesn’t fear them any more than he did me when I was still feral. When they don’t smell his fear, they relax a bit. The first one is Taeryl, one of the few left from our year group. I wasn’t sure she’d come since she took off to the forest. I had no idea if she’d get the invitation or not. I hug Taeryl, and this surprises her for a moment, before she hugs me back. She looks at me, curious. “How did you manage to revert?”
I don’t say anything, but I glance at Kenric, and her eyes widen. “I’ve been told that a partner who doesn’t fear you can help you. I know that Kenric was able to help me.”
Taeryl giggles, “I don’t even have to sniff you. Gods above! He’s marked you so thoroughly, I can tell just from being near you. So that’s really it? I thought it was just some of the males being horny.”
I shrug. “Go ask my mother. I will say that the first time Kenric marked me, he was surprisingly thorough.”
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Taeryl giggles. “And the second and the third and a few more besides. You look happy, Yávi?.”
I whisper to her, “Don’t call me that with the king here. He took my name back.”
Now Taeryl looks angry, “I heard about that. I hope a rock troll fucks that son of banshee hard and dry for at least a week. You’ll always be Yávi? to us.”
I can’t help it, and I start laughing. Taeryl always did have rather creative curses. “If you get too uncomfortable, I won’t be offended if you leave. I have a room set aside where you can calm down, if you need to. If anyone makes you uncomfortable, please feel free to see me or Kenric.
Mirthal is right behind her and gives me a bone-cracking hug, “So this is your male, hmmm? He’s got some stones to marry you, Yávi?.”
Mirthal looks at Kenric, “Take good care of our girl, eh?”
Kenric looks puzzled. “Why does everyone keep saying that? Amer, Ruvaen, even your father.”
Mirthal laughs, “Just wait until she’s angry.”
Kenric shrugs and smirks, “I have my ways of dealing with that.”
Mirthal laughs, “I bet you do. My nose works just fine, better actually, in this state.”
Saleh and Zeno are next. Those two were always together so no one was surprised when they took off to the forest together. “We aren’t staying long. The fear smell gets to us, but we wanted to come tell you how happy we are for you.”
“You should go talk to Taeryl and my mother before you go. I know that they’ll have some interesting things to say to you.”
I’m beyond touched that they came. I know how hard this is for them. It wasn’t that long ago that I was just as stuck and seriously considering taking off for the forest myself. Larrel, Keryth, and others from my year group clustered around me. We chat for a while when there’s a bit of kerfuffle at the door as Taeryl’s trying to leave.
I hear someone say, “Just leave already, you feral freak.”
I see Kenric stiffen, and anger rolls through me. I see Nieven dart between Taeryl and whoever the asshat is that said that. Nieven’s from my year group, but he was never stuck like any of the rest of us. Then again, Nieven’s size, looks, and personality meant he was always popular, and maybe that explains why he was never stuck. Nieven’s tall, broad, and heavily muscled. He has tons of power, but not much speed. When I look to see who Nieven’s confronting, it’s one of my distant cousins. Joryth’s always been a little shit. I have no idea why my mother invited that turd. We do not get along. He can’t stand it when he’s not the center of attention, and here, at my wedding, he’s definitely not the center of attention. He’s a few years older than I am, so he missed the mass conscriptions. I take a deep breath, and before I can say or do anything, Kenric and Nieven are escorting him out.
Thank the gods! Joryth has always been able to push my buttons. I rush to Taeryl, and she’s almost in tears. I explain Joryth to her and tell her that maybe Nieven’s available.
Taeryl snorts, “I think he might crush me.”
I whisper in her ear, “No, I can tell you he won’t.”
Taeryl laughs, and it’s the happiest sound I’ve heard her make in a long time. “Did you really just say that to me on your wedding day?”
I shrug, “It was a very long time ago.”
Taeryl gets a speculative look as Nieven and Kenric return.
Nieven catches me up in a big hug, “I like your human, Yávi?. He’s got some spine to him. You did good with him, I think.”
“I think so, too. Can you keep an eye on Taeryl? That gobshite Joryth upset her.”
Nieven nods, “Consider it done. Who comes to a wedding and tries to start a scene? I had to tell him I was going to haul him to the border and throw him over it before he stopped his whining and went home. I told him I’d let him have some quality alone time with those things and see if he’s still such a little shit after a few nights of that. The rest of us did it for years. Insulting little prick, but once he realized I was serious, he pissed himself.”
Nieven is so smug about making Joryth piss himself that it practically radiates off him, which makes me laugh.
“You know he missed the mass conscriptions by a hair. That convinced him that he was somehow better than the rest of us. He’s always been an insufferable little shit if he wasn’t the center of everything. Even when we were little. I despised having to invite him to my birthday parties. I do not understand why my mother invited him today.”
My mother walks over and asks what all that was about. “Just the usual. Joryth being a gobshite to random people. Couldn’t you have lost his invitation? You know we don’t get along.”
I see my mother frantically trying to shush me with hand gestures. “Let me guess, his mother’s right behind me, isn’t she?”
My mother nods.
I paste on a big smile and turn around, “Hello, Aunt Meria.”
She snorts and laughs. “Oh, please! I was surprised he was invited. I know the two of you have never gotten on. Joryth’s always been a gobshite. That was apparent from the time he learned to talk. I’ve never been able to get him out of it. Your big friend there seems to have shut him up quickly enough, though.”
I smirk, “Nieven’s brutal when he wants to be. We were in the same year group, so we ended up stationed together for quite a long time. Joryth’s lucky he’s not scrambling around trying to find his way back over the border and away from those things.”
Nieven laughs, “I was going to be generous and give him the standard-issue starter kit that they gave all of us.”
I rabbit punch Nieven’s giant bicep, “That’s not generous, and you know it. Those kits were terrible.”
Nieven laughs and nods, “They were pretty bad. The survival rates went up once we started making our own gear.”
Kenric has a speculative look, and I know I’ll have to answer questions later. Just then, the music saves me.
Kenric bows, “I believe that they’re playing our song, Lady Kenric.”
- Which character deserves the "Poor Decision Making" trophy and what advice would you give them?