THE WEDDING MORNING — THE RING DISASTER
Tradition dictated the bride and groom sleep separately.
Romance dictated it should feel magical.
Reality dictated it would be absolute chaos.
And so, on the morning of their wedding —
a crisp, glowing dawn spilling through the windows of Aurelthane’s estate —
Elaris Vorn awoke with a racing heart and a sudden, inexplicable sense of DOOM.
He sat up.
Blinking.
Breathing fast.
Then he turned.
And doom stared back.
Because Borin, Kaer, Garruk, Vex, and Laz
were all standing at the end of his bed
looking like a tribunal of guilty raccoons caught inside a bakery.
Borin was pale.
Kaer was rubbing the back of his neck.
Garruk was sweating.
Laz was hanging from the wardrobe door upside-down in shame.
Vex was pretending she had nothing to do with anything.
It was every possible sign that Something Catastrophic had happened.
Elaris:
“…Why do all of you look like you committed a crime?”
Nobody spoke.
Silence.
Then — a tiny paw raised beside Elaris’s pillow.
Pancake.
With all the solemnity of a priest delivering last rites, he translated:
Pancake:
“He checked the toilet twice. The ring isn’t there.”
Elaris:
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN—THE TOILET—WHY WERE YOU EVEN—”
Borin broke.
Borin:
“WE CAN EXPLAIN—”
Laz:
“WE CAN’T—”
Garruk:
“YES WE CAN—”
Kaer:
“NO, WE REALLY CAN’T—”
Vex:
“OKAY, WE LOST THE RINGS, ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?!”
Elaris nearly passed out.
His hand went to his forehead.
He saw his life flash before his eyes.
Then Sereth’s face.
Then Sereth with knives.
Then Sereth with knives aimed at him.
Elaris:
“YOU DID WHAT?!”
The group turned into a pile of limbs, apologies, and frantic pointing.
Laz:
“It wasn’t MY fault—”
Borin:
“I HAD THEM, I SWEAR—”
Kaer:
“There was ale involved—”
Garruk:
“There was a goat involved—”
Vex:
“And a catapult—”
Elaris:
“THE RINGS WERE ON THE CATAPULT?! WHY—HOW—WHAT—”
Borin (tiny voice):
“…maybe…”
Everyone groaned.
Elaris’s pupils dilated to absolute panic.
Elaris:
“You launched them HALF WAY ACROSS TOWN?!”
Kaer:
“Look, in our defense—”
Elaris:
“THERE IS NO DEFENSE!”
Just as Elaris was ready to lie down and die—
The door opened.
And Elyra walked in, glowing with excitement.
Elyra:
“GOOD MORNING! It’s wedding day! How are—”
She stopped dead.
She looked at the men.
Then the floor.
Then Pancake.
Then the men again.
Elyra:
“…Umm… what’s happening?”
Pancake lifted a paw.
He didn’t even hesitate.
Pancake:
“Borin lost the rings.”
Everyone:
“PANCAKE!”
Elyra gasped so loudly it echoed.
Elyra:
“WHAT—NO—DAD—THE RINGS—”
Elaris darted forward, hands on her shoulders.
Elaris:
“Elyra. Sweetheart. Deep breath. WE will fix this.
But listen — Sereth CANNOT know.
NOT UNTIL WE FIND THEM.”
Elyra nodded urgently.
Elyra:
“Agreed. She will kill you. Then she will kill THEM.
Probably in that order.”
Elaris:
“Right. Everyone — WHERE. DID. YOU. LAST. HAVE. THEM.”
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The boys exchanged looks.
Borin swallowed.
Borin:
“…maybe… the catapult… when we flung a goat.”
A collective groan rose from the group like a dying whale.
Elaris closed his eyes.
Elaris:
“Of course it was.”
He straightened, clapped his hands, and barked out orders like a field commander.
Elaris:
“LISTEN UP!
We have hours until the ceremony.
Vex, Elyra — get ready with the girls.
Under NO circumstances tell them what’s happening.
Make Sereth feel special. Distract her.
Tell her NOTHING.”
Vex saluted.
Elyra nodded like she was being given a top-secret mission from the gods.
Elaris:
“EVERYONE ELSE — WITH ME.
WE FIND THE GODS-FORSAKEN RINGS.
NOW.”
Garruk roared.
Kaer grabbed rope.
Laz grabbed a map.
Borin grabbed a shovel for some reason.
Pancake jumped into Elaris’s hood, ready to direct.
Elaris threw open the door.
Elaris:
“MOVE OUT!”
The hunt for the rings had begun.
And nothing — not devils, not queens, not cosmic weasels —
would stop them.
THE BRIDE’S MORNING
Chaos, Secrets, Silk, Boots, and the Most Dangerous Mission of All:
Make Sure Sereth Doesn’t Learn The Rings Are Missing.
The sun rose soft and golden over Aurelthane’s guest wing —
quiet, serene, peaceful.
Inside the bridal suite?
Carnage.
The women of the Crimson Dice were in full preparation mode.
But also in full panic mode.
And Sereth?
Sereth woke up happier than she had in years.
Which made everything so much harder to hide.
SERETH’S MORNING — The Bride Glows… Unaware
Sereth stepped out of her room wrapped in a long white robe, hair down, feet bare against the polished wood floor.
She looked radiant.
Serene.
Calm.
The contrast between her tranquility and the chaos around her was comedic cruelty.
Elyra whispered to Arden:
Elyra: “Okay. She looks too calm. We are so very doomed.”
Arden: “Stay focused. No panicking.”
Vex popped out from behind a curtain like a summoned gremlin.
Vex: “PANIC IS THE ONLY THING KEEPING ME ALIVE RIGHT NOW.”
Sereth blinked at them, utterly confused.
Sereth: “…Good morning?”
Three voices shot back in overlapping hysterics:
All: “GOOD MORNING!! GOOD! PERFECT! BEAUTIFUL DAY, RIGHT?!”
Sereth squinted at them.
Elyra immediately grabbed her arm.
Elyra: “Mum come on we have so much to do — hair, makeup, dress fitting, flower choices — NO TIME TO WASTE.”
Sereth: “…It’s barely sunrise—”
Vex shoved a pastry into Sereth’s hand.
Vex: “Eat. Don’t ask questions.”
Arden smiled politely, the picture of clerical serenity.
Arden: “It’s tradition.”
Sereth took a bite, still baffled but amused.
Sereth: “…You’re all acting strange.”
Vex (too fast): “No we’re not—YOU’RE strange—wait no—SHUT UP AND LET’S GET READY.”
THE BRIDAL SUITE BECOMES A WAR ROOM
They ushered Sereth into a massive chamber layered with mirrors, silk drapes, buckets of flowers, and at least seven boxes of pastries.
Sereth paused, touched.
Sereth: “…You all did this for me?”
Arden placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.
Arden: “Of course. You deserve every moment.”
Vex: “Now sit still or I’m braiding you to the chair.”
Elyra laughed — but the moment Sereth turned away, she mouthed to Arden:
Elyra: She can’t find out about the rings.
We’re all dead if she does.
Arden nodded grimly.
Pancake, who had snuck in through a window, hopped onto the pastry table.
Pancake: “She will turn this entire estate into a crater.”
Vex: “WHY ARE YOU HERE—GO HELP THE BOYS—”
Pancake: “No. I sense pastries.”
He devoured a croissant like a tiny furry monarch.
HAIR, MAKEUP, AND STRATEGIC LYING
They worked on her hair first.
Elyra brushed it gently, weaving the silver streak with renewed pride.
Elyra: “Your streak is beautiful, Mum.”
Sereth smiled softly.
Sereth: “It’s grown on me. Symbolic now.”
Arden wove silver ribbons through her braid.
Arden: “Saren will be proud. You walk today with blessing and purpose.”
Vex painted her lips a soft rose-gold.
Vex: “You’re going to make your necromancer pass out.”
Sereth blushed.
Sereth: “…Do you think so?”
All three girls at once:
“YES.”
Elyra muttered aside:
Elyra: “And we REALLY need him unconscious so he doesn’t interrogate us about anything weird going on.”
Sereth: “What weird thing?”
They froze like statues.
Vex: “NOTHING. EAT ANOTHER PASTRY.”
Sereth narrowed her eyes.
Sereth: “Are you hiding something—?”
Arden clapped loudly.
Arden: “TIME FOR THE DRESSES!”
THE DRESSES
The Bride — Sereth Vorn
When Sereth emerged in her gown, the room fell silent.
She wore the ivory lace dress from the image —
delicate floral embroidery, soft flowing skirt, a graceful slit revealing toned ranger legs.
Her copper hair, streaked with silver, fell over one shoulder in romantic waves.
Arden actually gasped.
Vex whispered:
Vex: “Gods… Elaris is going to DIE.”
Sereth flushed.
Sereth: “Do I… look alright?”
Elyra stepped forward, eyes wet.
Elyra: “Mam… you look like every storybook heroine rolled into one.”
Sereth’s smile softened into something pure.
Maid of Honour — Elyra Vorn
Elyra’s gown — the starlit-black dress — shimmered as she twirled.
The faint glitter across the bodice and skirt sparkled like constellations.
The thigh-high slit revealed her green-silver heels.
Her copper-white braid fell like a warrior-princess.
Vex: “How does the maid of honour look like she walked off a romance cover?”
Elyra: “Genetics?”
Bridesmaid — Vex
Vex’s dress was the infernal-black lace masterpiece from the image.
Deep neckline.
High slit.
Long lace sleeves.
Black strappy heels wrapping her calves like serpents.
Chains draped from her horns.
She looked sculpted from firelight and trouble.
Vex: “If I don’t steal at least three hearts today, I consider it a failure.”
Arden: “You cannot flirt during the ceremony.”
Vex: “I absolutely can.”
Bridesmaid — Arden
Arden emerged in the gold-and-white gown of celestial elegance.
Soft flowing sleeves, plated silver corset, slit skirt, golden sandals.
Her braid glowed like dawn in her hair.
Vex: “Rude. You look like a holy painting.”
Arden blushed.
Arden: “Elyra chose it.”
Elyra: “And I was RIGHT.”
Sereth adjusted her skirt gently.
Sereth: “Everything alright?”
Elyra: “…Yep. Everything’s perfect.”
Sereth squinted.
Sereth: “You’re acting strange.”
Elyra: “Bridesmaid nerves?”
Vex: “Probably the heels.”
THE BRIDE’S FINAL CHECK — AND THE NEAR-DISCOVERY
Sereth twirled once before the mirror.
Sereth: “I can’t believe it’s really happening…”
Elyra hugged her from behind.
Elyra: “Dad’s going to cry.”
Vex: “Dad is going to faint.”
Arden: “Dad is currently having a morning.”
Elyra elbowed her.
Elyra: “MORNING? That’s what we’re calling it?”
Arden: “I’m trying not to panic.”
Sereth: “…Why would you panic?”
Vex pointed violently:
Vex: “LOOK! A FLORAL CROWN!”
Sereth turned.
All three girls collapsed behind her in silent agony.
Elyra mouthed:
Elyra: We are NOT surviving this lie.
Vex: Shut up and smile.
THE BRIDE IS READY—
And the Boys Are Somewhere Doing Something Stupid
Sereth admired herself in the mirror.
She was luminous.
Fearless.
Beautiful.
A bride.
Sereth: “…I can’t wait to see him.”
Elyra swallowed.
If only she knew.
If only she knew her groom was currently interrogating goats and digging through haystacks.
The bridesmaids stood proudly behind her.
Vex: “You’re perfect.”
Arden: “You’re ready.”
Elyra: “…Please don’t come looking for Dad until someone summons you.”
Sereth: “…Why?”
Three silent screams.
Vex grabbed Sereth’s hand.
Vex: “Because tonight is going to be perfect.
And NOTHING is going to ruin this moment.”
Sereth softened.
Sereth: “Okay.”
They exhaled in relief.
Sereth gazed out the window.
Sereth: “…Do you think Elaris is nervous?”
All three women, instantly:
“ABSOLUTELY.”
Sereth grinned.
The girls resumed preparations…
…while the boys attempted to prevent the wedding from becoming a crime scene.
