Beneath the stars
Disclaimer: You've heard it before…so I'm just gonna give you a brief heads up on it. Knuckles…Julie-su and all related characters and scenery in this story belong to Sega and Archie comics. Please do not sell...market…distribute or make some kind of profit in any way. And all that good stuff. The characters are not mine…but I'm not going to sell this story or make any profit off it…as they are copyrighted by…Sega and Archie! So don't sue me…because you won't get much! And I wouldn't advise anyone else to do so either.
Now that we've got that out of the way…Enjoy the story!
- Mau Evig: The Eternal Cat
As the sun came down that evening… and the bright moon began to take over the night sky… twinkling stars overhead peaked out of the blackness. An orange silhouette could be seen…along the shore of the lake of rings.
Sitting along the dock was a young male red echidna…looking upward at the sky above them. It was the night after Antoine and Bunnie's wedding…and Knuckles had reflected upon his words that evening.
And even if they did why would we need a ceremony? Antoine and Bunnie are welcome to theirs…But I think my word to Julie-su is as good as anything…
'Is this really how I feel?' Knuckles thought to himself as he gazed off into the night sky…still dressed in the formal emerald garments that he wore specifically for the wedding. 'After seeing Antoine and Bunnie together tonight…I just wonder if my word is good enough…if our love really feels complete like this…but…she said that the Dark Legion didn't have any kind of ceremony…I just wonder if…this is what she really wants? All the guardians before me always had a formal ceremony…is this really right? For me? For us?'
Not far from the lake…a young pink female echidna gazed off in the distance. She spotted Knuckles and walked over to join him. She smiled as he met her gaze.
"Great wedding wasn't it?"
Knuckles smiled back…a bit unsure what else to say with regards to it.
"Oh yeah…" He turned back to gazing off into the sky.
"I noticed you were pretty deep in thought…as always…" she pointed out with a smirk putting her hands on her hips. "Care to share what's on your mind?"
"You really do look stunning tonight…" Knuckles said…turning to look into her eyes…not sure exactly how to make out what he was saying.
"Yeah yeah yeah…" Julie-su rolled her eyes. "Let's not talk about this stupid gown and cut to the chase already…"
He couldn't help but chuckle. "Oh lighten up. This sort of thing doesn't happen everyday…"
"Praise Aurora…" Julie-su rolled her eyes again with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "I hate dressing up like this…I prefer my nice comfortable everyday clothing…"
"And yet for years and years you dressed up in dark gray robes…" Knuckles pointed out with another sarcastic smirk. He could tell Julie-su was getting red in the face.
"Knuckles…didn't I tell you the day we met that I wasn't crazy about their line of fashion anyway?"
"Oh yeah I remember…" He said reflecting back on those thoughts. Back then he didn't realize that this woman would one day be the love of his life.
Immediately he allowed the words to slip through his mouth. "Julie-su…" He got up and looked into her eyes…her beautiful…vibrant…violet colored eyes that seemed to reflect the moonlight. "Do you really think that…"
"That agreeing to just be together without being sealed in marriage is enough?" She finished for him.
"Well yeah…how did you know…?"
"I had a feeling." She smirked. "The Dark Legion has always believed that love itself is what binds the two in a marriage. The marriage happens when the two parties involved agree to be together for this life and the life beyond that. They don't believe in some huge ceremony or being flashy and showing off. They believe the love is sacred and should be held in private vows between the two involved. No mitres or judges involved or even needed, just the stars in the sky and Aurora herself as witness to that bond of love."
"Really?"
"Yes. The Dark Legion never believed we needed to have a formal ceremony… but that love brought the two together…"
"I never realized the DL treated this with such importance…"
"Dimitri himself was our example…this is the same kind of vow that he made with his beloved wife." She said. "It's not like we were ever meant to be evil in any way…we did what we felt was right in our hearts. It was the parties involved later on that corrupted that ideal."
"In essence…it was a political disagreement gone awry. But the Dark Legionaires were still…normal people."
"Exactly."
"Then Julie-su…" He took her hands and gazed deeply in her eyes. "On this beautiful night where the stars and the moon are our witnesses…and the great Aurora who watches all as our judge…may I take you as my wife…for all time and eternity…?"
"Oh Knuckles…" Julie-su's eyes glowed all the brighter. "I…I will!!" And she squeezed his hands tightly…but not too tightly…but Knuckles could tell that she was pleased with her reaction.
"So…" He said. "Shall we make this sacred vow tonight?"
"Yes. And the stars will be our wedding light."
"Julie-su…do you wish to be my beloved mate and beloved wife for all time and eternity? With Aurora as our witness to this…do you agree to this covenant that I make with you tonight?"
"I do. And Knuckles…will you be my beloved Mate and husband…for time and eternity shall love bind us together in our sacred promise…that by the power of Aurora may we be as one?"
"As one."
"As one."
"I do." Knuckles said.
A bright light shown above the couple from the heavens…and a peaceful whisper could be felt in their hearts… a gentle wind blew encircling about them…somehow…the young couple could feel these words in their heart and spoke these things together…
"Let the stars and the great Aurora be a witness unto us this day that we shall become one bonded in love for time and eternity."
There was a moment's pause when Knuckles looked upon his finger to find a bright golden power ring. Julie-su did the same. They were puzzled at first but then looked up in the sky to see the gentle face of Aurora shining down from above. Knuckles nodded and then looked into Julie-su's eyes.
"I guess then that means…"
"Yes…"
And they shared that tender moment together with their lips locked into a gentle kiss…a kiss they shared and treasured for what seemed like hours before they finally parted their mouths. Julie-su threw her arms around Knuckles, and whispered.
"I love you…"
Knuckles wrapped his arms tightly around her. "I love you too…my beloved wife…"
"My beloved husband…"
Above in the night sky…they noticed shooting stars flying by…
"Seems we get our fire works after all…" Julie-su smiled. "I am so glad we decided to do this tonight…"
"I couldn't think of a better moment or time…" Knuckles replied. And with that…they shared another kiss.
Quietly…the newly weds walked back to the village together…hand in hand…feeling closer than ever before. Their promise…their vows…had completed and fulfilled the love that they shared. No ceremony involved. But there was a marriage between them nonetheless. And it seemed as though Aurora herself …recognized the sacred bond and remembered that promise…even if no one else did. That was more important to them than any mortal recognition of their love…or any formal ceremony.
After all…Knuckles knew Aurora was watching all. As they walked back hand in hand…he knew he had done the right thing…and had no regrets. Julie-su was now his beloved wife…and not just that…she was family now…and not just for now…but for this life and the next…bonded together for all eternity…
And that…was Knuckles word to her…and her word to his…
The End