Marital Preparations

[Lord Tellurine]

Meekal excitedly stopped the minstrels. “Ladies and Gentlemen,” he announced over the rumblings of interrupted dancers, “during my excursions today getting ready for this wedding I happened upon a traveling group of thespians.” Brother Emmanuel’s eyebrow raised suspiciously. “Actors,” Meekal explained. “They have agreed to put on a short production in honor of this event.” Meekal clapped wildly and rushed over to his new bride. The crowd offered a smattering of applause also.

Two men dressed in black rolled out a long thin cart with a large painted canvas of a castle. In gold lettering across the top it read: The Company of Royal Union Dramatists. A trio of musicians gathered off to the side and they began playing a fanfare.

Queen Buffy of Muu turned to her husband and asked in a whisper, “What is this?”

As the fanfare finished with a flourish, the doors to the castle swung open and out stepped the broad frame of an actor. He was tall and blonde and his smile immediately enchanted everyone in the room. He was a man who could command an audience with a sweep of his bright blue eyes. He could change the mood of a crowd with his countenance; he could bring a man to tears with his soft voice, and could make a dour woman laugh with his own infectious guffaws.

“Good evening, ladies, gentlemen, and taxpayers,” he said with a chuckle. The crowd showed their approval with a hearty laugh. “It’s great to be here in Arconia,” he continued, taking a slow walk around the stage area to face the entire audience that had gathered around, “but I was just in the Kingdom of Strahfurt, so it’s good to be anywhere.” The audience once again showed their approval with a laugh. “Seriously though, it’s great to be here in Arconia, or as I like to call it: Not Von Schmectia.” There was a big laugh there. “We’re here on a special night. A wedding. It’s the beginning of the bride and groom’s life together. I always thought of a wedding was like a horse going into a new stable. The horse gets shelter and protection and the stable gets a nag.” Brother Emmanuel nearly choked on a turkey leg on that one. The actor had made his way around the room and was approaching the newly married couple. “Just remember your Highness,” he began to tell Meekal. “Married men don’t live longer than single men… It just feels that way to them.” The crowd had a good laugh at that one. “And our bride…” He stopped. The crowd began to murmur. He said in a softened voice, “Princess Buffy?”

Queen Buffy’s face contorted in recognition, “Holden? Holden M. Christian?”

Their eyes locked onto each other’s as a flood of memories came back.

Meekal asked, “Do you guys know each other?”

[Zelda]

OOOOOOPS! (any one gonna complain if I start an "not in the reception" thread?)

[Moonitic]

Somehow, Darion and Ken-Dall managed to twirl their way out onto the balcony, into the quiet of the night & away from the others. No one knew what the next day would bring, or what would happen once they were apart. So this night, as special as it was to Ken-Dall's sister & new brother-in-law, meant just as much, if not more to Ken-Dall & her love. They continued to dance, alone & without the music, the music of their hearts contining their own song. Eventually, they slowed to a stop. "I think we've left the party," Ken-Dall murmured, gazing at Darion from under her hooded eyelids.

[Darion McNair]

“Yes, I’m sure we have.” he replied. The party didn’t seem to matter and while his duty to the Aiovus Strike Force was always in the back of his mind, he knew what was to come and wanted to savor this time with Ken-Dall. Thoughts flashed through his mind of possibilities that the war could bring about: they could be separated, taken prisoner, or worse. He worried little for himself; he was a Bosconian warrior who would be working with friends who had equal (and in the case of the Swordsman, greater) skill. He had no doubt in his mind that the Strike Force was prepared to handle the struggle that lay ahead. It was for his love that he feared. He had seen her performance in the tournament and reflecting on that only brought greater worry to his mind.

“Ken I want to see you through this war as much as I can. I know you are able to defend yourself well but please promise me something.” he said.

“What’s that now?” she replied, wondering what he was talking about.

“I won’t be able to be with you through this entire war, I have duties elsewhere. Promise me if you ever come face to face with the Russic that you won’t fight, you’ll run. I love you too much to ask you to face a greater opponent than you can handle.” A surprised expression was shot in Darion’s direction.

“Darion you know never run fro-”

“I know you don’t, that’s why I’m asking you to promise me you will. It takes all my concentration to go against them and even then I don’t come away unscathed. Lady Rosaline went up against just one of them and came away limping and with one arm broken. She’s more skilled than you are in combat, love. I would hate to think what would have happened to you.”

Ken-Dall knew she would once again have to swallow her pride to agree with what Darion was asking her to do but she thought there might be another way. “Train me.” she said.

“I will, but that takes time. I spent most of my life training to acquire the skills I have. I will teach you as soon and as much as I know. But we have very little time now.”

“Then lets get started.” she said, she began to reach for Halcyon but stopped herself and pulled back with a smirk. Darion eyed her, playfully. He was grateful that she didn’t take his weapon again. Nodding once he drew Halcyon and handed it to her.

“My request still stands, though. I can’t make you into a mighty warrior in just one lesson.” Putting the weapon in her hand, he wrapped his other arm around her waist and kissed her softly. He pulled back and heard three words that eased his mind.

“As you wish.” she said. With that he began teaching her the basics of what he knew. The night drew on and the party kept going but the two of them got to work as Darion began to train out the mistakes infested Ken-Dall’s fighting style.

[Moonitic]

To annoy the gents & make the ladies say "ooo!" Here is what the wedding gown might have looked like:

http://media.bigstep.com/shop/8/12/1...4966307794.jpg

[Crin Dalmeiier]

"Actors?" Mitch asked softly, looking offended. "They brought a troupe of actors to a reception when they have a perfectly good quintet of gypsies around?" He glanced over, "Oh, and Crin. We have Crin, too."

"She's back in the clan," Falcour said hastily, and Crin shot him a look as though to say, "I am?" He cleared his throat. "If she's still going by the name Dalmei'er, she's by all means a member of the clan."

"Falcour just wants a gypsy for a girlfriend and Crin's the only one willing to put up with him," Talmour told Shela and Ame in a mock whisper, and received a kick in the shin for his trouble. He glared at the two, not sure which one had kicked him, but he wouldn't put it beneath either of them.

"We're leaving rather early tomorrow," Crin put in, glaring at her best friend. "Perhaps we should get to bed and let the actors entertain them."

"We're not going to give them the gypsy dance of good luck?" Ame asked, her expression quizzical even as she stood up and pushed her chair in.

"They're not gypsies and I doubt they'd appreciate it," Crin told her. "Drop by Queen Buffy's room tomorrow to say thank-you for the food, and we'll make our getaway now."

"But the night is young!" Talmour whined, standing as well. "Perhaps a few rounds of Rotush before sleep? I've still got my old cards from that trade fair in Tayden. I could do with lightening your pockets a bit."

"Like you could," Shela told him, ruffling his hair.

"To true love!" Mitch called just before the gypsies exited. He gave a grin at the unlikely duo and disappeared through the door, muttering, "For it could obviously be nothing else," to the rest of the gang.

[Moonitic]

<snicker> yeah, go right ahead & stop by the new queen's room...
*********************************************

"I..."

Moon stared on at the actor, unable to escape his gaze. Then, finally, something roused inside her & the spell broke. She looked to Meekal & said, "Yes, we did. Long ago." She dared to look at Holden again, & asked, "What are you doing here?"

"Working," he answered as simply as he could, eyes still wide & completely on her. "And you are..." He attempted to finish his sentence.

"Married," Meekal supplied, unsure of what was going on. He trusted his new bride, but not this...actor. Maybe he made a mistake in asking them to perform. The man seemed far too distracted to continue. The guests started to get antsy. And Moon seemed a thousand miles away suddenly. "And if you don't work, you don't get paid," he stated in a low voice.

"Of course..." Yet the actor still did not move.

[Crin Dalmeiier]

*Sweetly* don't know what you would be doing in there, now that Meekal's leaving...

[Moonitic]

Who says he's the only one? ;-X

[Crin Dalmeiier]

And now, I am running away.

[Iwant2bafencer]

and now I'm lost.

Moon's got an old Bo! *points and laughs, then runs away*

[Zelda]

PRETTY PRETTY DRESS! (Queen goes back to crying in the garden).

[Iwant2bafencer]

Zelda didn't speak when Rosaline asked her what was wrong, and remained silent for a few moments after.

"Alright, I'm going to go back over to Nækos. Come to me when you want to talk?" Rosaline spoke softly, brushing Zelda's hair from her face.

Zelda nodded in reply. Rose hugged her once more and then stood, moving across the garden to the tree that Nækos now occupied. She moved close to the truck and looked up to the branch he was on.

"Nækos, if I asked you to do something would you agree to it and simply trust me about it?"

[Swordsman]

A raised eyebrow. "Depends on what that something is."

[Iwant2bafencer]

"Do you trust me Nækos?" She questioned the general area where he was. It was getting dark enough that he did what he did best, and became a shadow.

[Swordsman]

"Well, it depends on how you look at it. I trust your loyalty, and that you could - perhaps - keep a secret; I trust that you have good intentions. I do not, however, trust your emotions or judgement for even the briefest second."

[Iwant2bafencer]

Rosaline shook her head and stuck to the topic.

"We're in luck then. For this is a good intention idea. Come on Nækos, I promise you no one will be hurt and hopefully it wont be painfull for you. You don't even have to go far to do it."

[Swordsman]

"Why don't you just tell me what it is you need me to do, and then we'll see how I respond?"

[Iwant2bafencer]

"because I'm pretty sure that if I ask it of you straight out you wont do it." She grimaced knowing that probably just hurt her chances.

[Swordsman]

She figured there was probably some kind of visible reaction, perhaps a facial expression in response, but she really couldn't tell in the dark.

"Well, you'll have to ask me straight out eventually, anyway. So why don't you go ahead and ask, and I'll give you my response? Because otherwise I'll just say yes, and then you'll tell me what it is, and if I don't like it, I'll just change it to no anyway."