57.5 Twofold

General Summary

Day 1120

It’s wedding day.   The visiting dignitaries are all hassled and stressed, trying to make sure they behave appropriately, look fine enough so as to not be insulting, say the right things.   The youngsters are all full of excitement and giddiness — the outfits are wild, ranging from daily garb to outlandish finery as people opt into the occasion or remain in what’s comfortable for them. Bran and Caravel are wearing clean clothes, but nothing formal for their station. Yneir is not as resplendent as she once might have been, but still many levels above what Bran has chosen to wear. Vaneilli is dressed much like Bran, but with a single concession to Yneir — a glitzy bejewelled necklace overtop of her everyday clothes.   Lyssa is in dwarven finery, much at Randall’s insistence for putting on a good show for the visiting dwarves. She looks every part the hero.   Poor Doraal is being bullied into wearing his formal robes as a Hand of the Empress. Mistress, with glee, is chirping about how she doesn’t have a formal position and can just wear black like any self-respecting elf.   It is so hard to not get involved…but of course Uncle Red will be present and surely wearing his own Imperial finery. She argues that Kaide and I are not dressed to represent our teacher, so why should she? Fortunately, Uncle Red makes his arrival at this point and I give Doraal a wink as the robes of an Imperial advisor are thrust upon Mistress. Apparently Uncle Red and Kaide have been discussing that Hands used to serve until they die in battle…and Mistress is the first Hand to retire to ‘advisor’ status.   So Mistress, too, puts on her formalwear and I paint her face with patterns of joy, celebration, coming together.   The full day is preparation, leading up to a dusk wedding outdoors, with the ziggurat and the trees themselves presiding over the ceremony.   I spend most of the pre-ceremony and reception with Alder quietly guarding me from any of the visiting dignitaries. It’s a day for Liliales and Qishali, and my presence is liable to distract.   There is no music at the ceremony. Fae perch in branches — living and ghost alike.   Kaide and Catena stand at the head of the ceremony and their presence spreads across the attendees — warm and dark and unexpected to both the fae of seasons and the humans in attendance. The Empress has been shielding her aura while amongst family, but everyone here is seeing her depth and power uncovered. Many look worshipful.  

If there is magic in this world, this is it. If there is destiny in this world, then they possess the greatest one.

  She calls on the audience to bear witness, and also to commit to both Liliales and Qishali their aid and support in forging a future together.   As the audience sits again, the aura of promise blankets the ceremony and Kaide turns to Liliales, the Dusk Wing Prince. She welcomes him as the first in a new tradition of Imperial princes, with the Outlands in its current state. And she welcomes Qishali as our first princess, to guide people through the day and night of the Empire and protect them as we all do. They both swear loyalty and service to the Empire — guiding, protecting, welcoming. The crown that I designed is placed upon Qishali’s head and her ears and tail twitch with excitement.   Then, Kaide steps back to let them say their own vows.   Liliales speaks to how they met in conflict, struggled together through countless dreams. He could search a lifetime and not find someone so remarkable, so precious to him.   Qishali speaks to the immeasurable bounds of their love, how he shelters her, protects her, strengthens her. She says immeasurable as it is, she will always return his love twofold. Then, she splits into her two selves and kisses him on both cheeks.   Kaide entitles them as prince and princess, and they bestow upon one another the titles of husband and wife.   It is as perfect a royal wedding as we could have hoped for.