We stood at the altar,

but neither of us could speak

Flowers dotted the landscape

and he just stared at us,

as if we were kids,

I wonder if he knew of the things

that I whispered in your ear often enough,

knew of the bitterness of our families and friends

I figured that he did then as slowly you turned to me

and our truth became rubble there

at that makeshift altar

Sunlight revealed it as so

I heard the soft gasp of your voice,

was used to only listen closely to you

and I wondered about the clouded look in your eyes

and the way you half-danced as if to escape

I cried when you turned away,

no one saw me

as you told that man

that you can't do it

I remembered tales of Vegas from Alfred,

who'd always been too close to Toris

and half-asked with just a head tilt

if we'd elope

I never wanted to give you up

yet I heard your soft,

'I can't,

I really can't.'

I wondered if you could hear my heart break

and then I caught your eyes,

the jewels that sought out him,

your brother

I stood tall

and before the crowds of people kissed you

as if I was saying my own goodbyes,

The man with us at the altar stared

as if he'd never seen anything like us before,

I smiled

for a moment,

I'd found you again

My lips were soft

when they marked our goodbyes

yet I felt even then that you'd come back

perhaps not to the altar

where our change waited

or to the meadow surrounding it,

full of bright colors,

flowers marking the day

I remembered how you pulled away,

didn't have the gall to act

as if I burned you

I knew then that you

still loved me

I heard the break in your voice

when you called everyone to attention,

the soft tone that I knew only I

had caught

I stood tall,

leaned forward

and whispered one last, broken

"I love you."