The Wedding of Skye and Jove
One week. One week reviewing the letters that you received and one week of burning every letter that you find from Russet. That almost makes the sleepless nights worth it.
You didn't pay much mind to Absinthe's letters. He didn't bring much to the table beyond the alliance with your Asad neighbor, and with a war clearly on the horizon you don't want to get dragged into it on someone else's terms. You wrote him a politely worded letter (mostly written by Alan to make sure you didn't cause a political snafu) turning him down. His response is a politely worded letter accepting the refusal, though there is another line in another hand added to the bottom. "I won't challenge you to a duel when you have a brat in your belly, so don't be afraid to visit." Crass with a tone of superiority. Yep, Absinthe wrote that part. His father must have put him up to it.
Daneda Mutsu (you resolve to never use that foreign naming system again in your life) was the next to go. While he was an excellent candidate, you could tell that he was hiding something every time he spoke. The fact that his family life was of a different culture also played into this, but you just couldn't trust someone who seemed to be hiding something big. You deliver your rejection in person, feeling rather awkward in doing so. Daneda either does not pick up on your awkwardness or politely ignores it. His response does surprise you though.
"I had expected as much, as did Mother." He produced a letter from his pocket, the seal of the Mutsu House on it. "Read this after your wedding, Lady Skye. I sure it would be of interest to you, though, in truth, I do not know what it is about." He did give you a poem as a wedding gift though, so... You know, you still have no idea what to make of him.
Suwari was your favored choice for much of the week, but as you thought about it more, a marriage to him would not give you much. Tribesmen are notorious for their warring, and though you don't expect that they would call you in for every war, you would likely be pulled into one if they were attacked during the Civil War. More over, while the Dust vein would be a useful claim to have, a ceremonial war would fix that problem. If you did it right, you could get them as an ally in other ways.
77 + 6 (Diplomacy) +7 (Alan) = 90
Major Success
The first message you receive from his father is one of anger. It seems the Champion of the Ekidnu loathed being told no. It was only through rushed letters and a surprising stroke of diplomatic luck that you managed to calm down the tribal. It came as a surprise when a letter from Suwari came, promising that his people would not raid your lands until "Your firstborn is full grown. May the Nameless One smile upon your union, Lady Skye of Ravenswood."
By weeks end, you send a messenger to Suwami. From what you gathered by the messenger's report, the conversation had gone something like "A message for your son, Mayor Ulrich, from Lady Skye." "What does she want now?" Your imagined Ulrich grumbled to himself as he took the letter and opened it. Ulrich's actual response was most certainly surprise and fury, given by the fact the messenger could hardly hear you through the ringing in his ears. He did tell you that the phrases "controlling, murderous bitch" and "betrayal" were said.
Well, at least it didn't end in a murder.
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Six months. A full season has passed since Father rode off into the Silverlands. A season where you didn't have the usual comfort of knowing that he would be there with his understanding and quiet questions.
Pit, a season since someone asked me how I'm doing and it still doesn't seem right. A small part of you knows that feeling will never fade, but you hope it does.
You sigh, looking at your mother's wedding dress. You know it fits, you spent an entire day being poked and prodded by the tailors to ensure it did, but... It just doesn't feel right.
I knew it. I waited too long.i
Before you can get too far into kicking yourself, you hear a knocking on your door. Earth's voice comes from the other side. "You ready, sis?"
Well, time to get going then. "Give me a moment. I'll be right out."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unlike the marriages of Kings and Lords, your wedding was smaller. There were no exotic performers, no comedic midget circuses, no jousts, no contests of strength and valor. The hall of Ravenswood Keep were done up in lesser finery, but there was one critical thing that your home now had.
Life.
Since Father rode into the Silverlands, everything was grey, in mourning. Now you can hear people talking, laughing. Pit, you think you saw Earth smile behind his handkerchief. Standing on the raised platform that replaced the throne, you can see this life first hand.
Many of your guests are your own subjects: off duty guards dressed in finery and off to the sides, soldiers who had distinguished themselves in both your father's and your services, and favored commoners including Livy, the eldest chronicler in your family's service (
Pit, I thought he died last year!).
Your council was in attendance as well. Alan talked with unfamiliar guests, likely those of other courts who came to see what many believe to be another contender to the throne. Amity was with Russet, keeping the man from going to the banquet table (which made it so much better to see him squirm under her gaze). Henry Liddel, your new Huntsman Superior sat quietly in his seat with his daughter and apprentice, Alice, next to him. You would think that the quiet girl was bored out of her mind, but you know that is just how she always looks. Sullivan stands besides you, holding the holy book of your shared faith, a string of white Dust crystals hanging around his neck.
You don't see Balthazar, but such a skin-crawlingly creepy sort didn't seem right for this sort of occasion. You do see an unremarkable figure keeping watch over Razz as she excitedly talks the ears off of a pair of captive Huntsmen. With the grace of the Nameless One, they'll likely survive.
There are two guests that you did not expect to come. Seated as close to the front as a noble guest could, Knight Alric Asad of the province of Wadno is in ceremonial armor with his arms crossed. You know where Absinthe got his pride from, and judging from the looks he is giving you, he knows just who you snubbed his offer for. It's restrained though. He knows the game, and he'll get his chance eventually.
Even though their presence was announced, you were surprised when you saw Daneda Mutsu leading a smaller, grey haired woman by the arm. It takes you a moment, as the last time you saw this woman was nearly a decade ago, but you recognize her as Ritsuko Mutsu. The years were obviously not kind to her, but even from a distance you could see that her eyes were closed. Judging how Daneda helped her take her seat, it was clear he was used to this. Focused with nervousness as you are, you hear her whisper a word to her son under the din of the crowd. "She looks lovely in that dress. I knew she would."
Before you have time to question this, the announcer calls for everyone to be seated. The wait for the next words is nerve-wracking. "Announcing, the Groom, Sir Jove of the House of Strausberg." You swallow as the first of the honor guard appears, the court musicians playing the traditional wedding march. The next out are Jove and his father, both dressed up in their finest. The older man looked like he felt very much out of place, but that didn't stop him from only giving you the passing glance. The part of you that isn't second guessing your choices at the speed of Razz's speech remarks the fact that you'll have more to do to repair his opinion of you. Jove, on the other hand, walks confidently down.
Well that's a good sign. The same part says before you try to calm yourself down.
Then your eyes met Jove's and your mind went blank for a moment. You blinked, composing yourself as your husband-to-be walked up to the platform. "Lady Skye." He says, bowing his head slightly.
"Sir Jove." You reply, curtsying and glad that you didn't stutter.
With everything in its place, the musicians were silenced and you reached out, taking Jove's hand. Sullivan looked towards you and nodded supportively before speaking. "Beloved Children, we are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony under the light of the Nameless One." He turned towards you. "Lady Skye Ravenswood, do you take this man to be your husband, to live together in holy matrimony, to love him, to honor him, to comfort him, and keep him in sickness and in health, for so long as you both shall live?"
You thought your voice would catch, that you would stumble over the simplest of words, that you would make a fool out of yourself. You manage to not do that. "I do."
Sullivan turned to Jove. "Sir Jove Strausberg,do you take this woman to be your wife, to live together in holy matrimony, to love her, to honor her, to comfort her, and keep her in sickness and in health, for so long as you both shall live?"
Before you had time to fear that he would say no, Jove answers. "I do."
Sullivan removed the string of Dust from his neck and wrapped them around your entwined hands. "By the power invested in me as a Deacon of the Nameless One, I pronounce you man and wife."
You don't quite remember what happened after that. You remember the celebrating, your new Father-In-Law saying something about kin, a lot of dancing, some very bad singing, you think you might have tried challenging Asad to a duel... No you tried to challenge him twice, but it was just a blur.
The next clear memory you have is laying in bed, face down in your pillows to hide your bushing cheeks. You're sweaty, sore, almost glowing. "Don't rub my ears like that, Jove." You mumble quietly.
Outside you hear the first raindrops fall. The rainy season has begun.
AN: I'm going to need to slow down on these. If I keep up this pace, I'll not only burn out harder than a set of Nascar tires soaked in gasoline, but I'll run out of material. I just can't go too slowly or I'll also burn out like a man in some kind of weird dungeon trap where there's fire ahead of him and fire behind him. Maintaining that balance is going to be crucial.
