Volkanon beams at you with tears flowing freely into his beard. To hear him tell it, no father has ever been as full of pride or joy in a daughter as he is with regard to you. It doesn't matter that he's not actually your father, or that you've only known each other for a few seasons. You're somewhat concerned that he's actually going to explode, or hug you until you stop breathing – and worse, wrinkle your dress.
Your stunning white dress, exquisitely adorned with delicate lace and the finest blue roses – an import from another land which was arranged by Arthur. He'd also had the flowers bespelled to last forever, so that your wedding gown might forever look as fresh as the day you wore it first.
Today. Your wedding day.
Volkanon helps you make the final adjustments, settling your veil just so and ensuring that the folds of the gown flow so and your makeup is just right. No one does perfection like Volkanon… Just ask him. (You know from experience he'll volunteer the information anyway – but it's the simple truth.)
"Are you ready?" he asks, with one more flick of your veil, twitching a rose just a fraction of an inch and nodding to himself in satisfaction.
You take a deep breath and meet his concerned gaze. "I am."
A smile breaks out across his familiar craggy face. "At long last, the day has come. I never thought I'd see you walk down the aisle… I feel almost as if I'm the one getting married, I'm so happy!" Unsurprisingly, he starts bawling; it's obvious how much he wants to hug you. The only thing holding him back is the certain knowledge that all the work he'd just done would be rather definitively UNdone.
"Thank you for that, Mr. Volkanon." Even you aren't sure whether you refer to his support or his restraint, but you're almost dizzy with the excitement of it.
Simultaneously sobbing and smiling fit to burst, Volkanon turns you toward the door, giving you a gentle nudge. "Go, Miss Frey! Go to your destiny! Go to the first day of the rest of your life! It all starts here and now!" Dabbing at his freely flowing eyes with a handkerchief, he sends you off with a shooing motion.
Your steps take you outside the castle… to an empty town square. Surprise and disappointment flash through you, but only briefly – just as you realize he's not there, a familiar footstep reaches your ears just before he appears.
The white tuxedo ought to look ridiculous on him… but it doesn't. The whole thing is over-the-top, and yet somehow it all comes together to make a surprisingly pleasing whole.
"Whoa," he breathes, his eyes drinking in the sight of you. He looks stunned; he might have a similar reaction to having been hit in the back of the head with a two by four.
Funny. You feel exactly the same way.
You take a deep breath. "So… what do you think?"
He shakes his head slowly, his eyes glued to you. "Like a hundred million gold," he finally says in a low voice.
Your cheeks warm. "High praise indeed, coming from you," you can't resist teasing him.
"Heh. I guess I deserved that," he says with a slow grin. "You look fantastic. Really amazing. That dress is beautiful on you. Not like this monkey suit I've got to wear." He makes a face, tugging uncomfortably at the collar and cravat.
Your head is shaking even before you can voice your own opinion. "No, really. Bado, you look amazing too."
He makes a disbelieving noise. "You're probably supposed to say that." At your indignant expression, he laughs. "You're so cute. Come on. Our public awaits. And the sooner we get this over with, the sooner I can start making you as happy as you make me."
You stare into each others' eyes for a long, somewhat sappy moment, unable to keep from smiling. "You're right," you agree. "Let's go." Sliding your hand into the crook of Bado's offered elbow, you turn your steps together toward the southeast side of town.
Amber and Illuminata await you near Carnations, the young former Guardian positively bouncing with glee. "Congrats!" she sing-songs, her wings fluttering in her excitement for you.
Illuminata echoes her sentiments only somewhat more sedately. "Congratulations!" Her grin doesn't fade as she adopts a chiding pose. "Be nice to each other now! I don't want to be doing any infidelity investigations on you two!" Bado laughs, dispelling your incipient indignation. He and Illuminata exchange a grin before she and Amber step aside, applauding you as you move on.
Margaret's next, positioned near the top of the wooden stairs that lead to her home. "Congratulations on your marriage, both of you! I really hope you two have a long and happy life!" Her eyes sparkle as she looks upon you, seizing your hands and squeezing. She looks happy enough to cry herself.
"Ah, thank you!" you reply, squeezing her hands in return. She, too, claps as you progress.
Doug's there, with Blossom. "Congrats! Best wishes!" he says. "Gaius sends his best wishes, too," Doug adds with a grin before Blossom can speak. "He's really happy for you two. We all are. He wanted to come but apparently he worked himself sick again," Doug said, making a face.
"Yeah, that sounds like him," Bado agrees with a laugh.
"Yeah. I don't get it either," Doug replies with a shrug. "Anyway, congratulations!"
Blossom's eyes are shining with unshed tears. "Congratulations on your wedding. I hope you two share a long and happy life together," she says, before they too applaud and stand aside.
Bado's hand covers yours in the crook of his elbow as he guides your steps toward the northern part of town. Porcoline and Arthur watch your approach with big grins of their own.
"Congratulations. You two look good together," Arthur says simply.
"I thought you were in love with moooiii, Frey! I feel so betrayed…" Porcoline's grin is swiftly converted to a dramatically mournful expression.
"Heh…O-okay…" You've never been sure what to say to him when he gets like this, and Bado's about to retort when Porcoline flaps a dismissive hand, eyes sparkling with his usual humor.
"…Kidding of course! Congratulations to you. Come have dinner in my restaurant together sometime."
"Okay. Thank you." Still somewhat uncertain, you smile at him as he and Arthur move out of your path in turn. A little beyond them, two tall figures stand side by side.
"Congratulations. I'm not good with words, so I don't quite know how to say this, but… Here's hoping for many happy returns." Dylas' smile is a little uneven.
"Mm. Thank you."
"You better take good care of her, or you'll hear about it from me," he blurts at Bado.
"Congratulations," Leon cuts in before it can get really awkward.
"Thank you very much," you reply.
As they applaud and let you pass, Bado nods at Dylas.
Xiao Pai barely waits for you two to approach before bursting out, "Congratulations!"
Lin Fa is no less exuberant, her words almost sung. "Congratulations. I wish you nothing but happiness!"
Your path is about to take you to the south of town. Knowing who'll be waiting next, your eyes dart to Bado's face. He doesn't look concerned, squeezing your hand again and smiling warmly down at you as you tread the path to the southwest quarter.
The Dragon Knight and her brother bow as you approach. "Frey… congratulations. You are so beautiful." Forte studies you for a long moment.
"Thank you Forte." You smile despite your nerves, and she nods.
"Bado… can you make sure you're always there for Frey?"
"Try and stop me," he says, looking down at you with a besotted grin. "You know she brings out the best in me."
Forte nods. "…Good. …I'll do my best too. Frey, don't let him get away with being a lazy bum anymore, okay?"
You can't help but laugh. "He's going to have to work hard to keep up with me!"
She laughs at that. "That's true," she says with a smile for you and him together.
Kiel steps forward then. "Congrats! Both of you!" His grin is huge as you both thank him. Then his expression sobers a bit. "Bado… Thank you very much for everything you've done."
"Kiel, thank you too." Bado says.
"Thank me? For what?" Kiel's surprise is clear.
"Kiel… Forte… I've had my eye on you two for a long time now. And remember, he's also watching over you from above. He is your dad, after all. So… Don't let him down. Live your lives to the fullest."
Kiel nods, and Forte replies, "…Don't worry. I will." With teary eyes and brave, happy smiles, they step aside and let you pass.
The hardest part behind you, Bado continues to lead you south,
"Congratulations on your union," Jones says simply.
Unsurprisingly, Nancy's a bit more enthusiastic. "Congratulations! Frey! May your married life be joyous!"
This time, your "thank you" is a little more subdued, though no less genuine.
Dolce's as taciturn as ever. "Congrats." Pico shoots her an exasperated glance before smiling at you and Bado. "'You two look really good together.'" The four of them move aside, and you return to the town square.
Sometime while you were making the rounds, it's filled up with tourists and local merchants and other well-wishers, all cheering and applauding enthusiastically. "Congratulations! You two look good together! Best wishes to you!"
Vishnal waits with Clorica before the castle, where Ventuswill awaits. "Congratulations on your marriage. May you have a long and happy life together," the blue-haired butler says with a gentle smile.
Clorica echoes his words. "Congratulations. May you two have a long and happy life together," she says, managing not to so much as yawn. Indeed, her eyes are sparkling and she's awake as you can ever remember seeing her.
Bado squeezes your hand again. It's time.
Vishnal and Clorica wave you on in to the castle, where Volkanon's exuberant bawling has not subsided in the least since you left his care many minutes before.
"So beautiful…so beautiful!" There's a small pile of soggy handkerchiefs on the floor behind him.
But this is the moment of truth. "Congratulations, Frey!" the beloved voice echoes in the room. Ventuswill, the Divine Wind, beams down at you with a bit of a smirk.
"Thanks," you say, wondering what she has up her sleeve… Assuming that dragons actually had sleeves, Ventuswill would never lack for something up hers.
"I've never imagined you starting a family… You've always just been that peculiar visitor from the sky, as far as I'm concerned. I hope that you'll be happy from here on out, forevermore!" Though her words are teasing, the love and friendship behind them is genuine.
That's more like what you're used to from her. "Of course!" You exchange another besotted smile with Bado,
Ventuswill smiles benevolently down on the two of you. "Good. Now let us begin. Frey. Do you love Bado, and pledge your companionship and devotion from this day forward?"
As if there were any question! But you stick to the script… "I do."
"Excellent. Bado. Do you love Frey, and pledge your companionship and devotion from this day forward?"
Bado's eyes gleam with love and possessive pride and a deep joy as he gazes at you. "I do."
"Very well… Henceforth, you shall be Mr. Bado… and Mrs. Frey… I hereby pronounce you man and wife. May the Native Dragons bless this newlywed couple!" Ventuswill raises her voice to carry throughout the town, and a resounding roar of approval shakes the castle walls.
"Frey… I can't believe we finally made it here," he says softly, cupping your face lightly in one large, warm hand. The touch of his calloused fingers, rough but familiar, bring you comfort.
"Me neither," you can't help but agree. "After everything we've gone through…"
Bado shakes his head. "That's all behind us now," he says, suddenly earnest. "You're my wife, and I'm gonna make you the happiest woman in the world. Even if I gotta work at it," he adds with a grin.
"Bado," you say with a sigh, shaking your head. Then your own lips part in a grin to match his. "Just being with you is enough."
"Good. I'd really hate to have to work, anyway," he says as he pulls you in toward him for a deep, loving kiss, full of promise of the joy he will bring you tonight and for many years to come.