DISCLAIMER: The character's and the universe of the Battlestar Galactica do not belong to me.
Great thank you to AMMONITE - for beta and for encouragement.
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DREAM COME FALSE by -yannik-
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Kara is afraid. She stands there in the small room, waiting for her life to change forever. The change is supposed to be good, but it still frightens her. It is the change that occurred in lives of thousands and thousands of women before her, and will occur in lives of countless more. And yet – each of them feels this fear.
Why would she be any different?
Perhaps because she is alone in this room? There is no family here beside her, but that was her choice. She claims not to have any family. She is going to have a family soon – the family of a man she was promised to. She promised herself. She was lucky to be accepted.
No, it's not being alone that frightens Kara the most; she is used to being alone. The fact that really scares her is that she is not going to be alone any more. She is going to walk through life by someone's side. She is going to eat fruits from his palm.
This is going to be a very traditional wedding.
Her friends are here. Margaret and Louanne have brought lutroforos filled with crystal clear water from Kallirhoe fountain in the center of the district. The bath is ready, Kara undresses herself and steps into the water, while Margaret and Louanne splash water from Kallirhoe all over her feet, her legs, her torso, hands and, finally, her head, all the while singing praise to Artemis Limnatis. Kara is cleared, and cleaned. Fresh and new for tomorrow's committing.
Margaret and Louanne help her get dressed in traditional chiton. Then they cover her head and her face with the veil. Dressed like this, she is allowed to meet her other friends, gathered in a small apartment, rented for this occasion near the house of her future husband. It would be too difficult to travel to Caprica from her own place in Delphi, so that part of tradition was overridden.
Kara is relieved to sit and talk to all the people she knows from Picon and from Galactica. There is Helo, Boomer with Chief Tyrol, even Dee. All the people she knows and loves. She loves them, though she feels slightly uneasy, looking at Sharon and Dualla. But she doesn't want to guess where that uneasiness comes from. She's happy. She's going to be happy.
They sit all night and talk, and joke, and play triad, the veil making it a little difficult to move, but it hides her face from other players, and she wins hand after hand. Then they pray to Artemis Limnatis again, and to Hera Teleja. And to her fratrya gods.
The next day other guests come and bring their gifts for the bride. Aunt Saraj asks with reproach why her parents aren't here, and Kara doesn't want to answer. Her mother wasn't even supposed to know. And her father was… someplace. Someplace Kara didn't know. She didn't ask any of them to come. She doesn't need any of them.
As the sun starts setting, Margaret, Louanne and Karl prepare flowers, fruits, sesame seeds and torches. The chariot, drawn by an elegant white stallion is waiting outside the apartment. There is a knock on the door and Aunt Saraj, who is a matchmaker, opens it. A twelve years old boy – the neighbor's son, a good charm – introduces a matchmaker from the groom's family. Then they exchange greetings, and Kara goes outside, following the couple and the boy.
While her friends cheer and laugh, the foursome go downstairs, and the bride gets on the chariot, nearly tripping over the long rim of her chiton. She hates cloths like that, and already can't wait to change into her sweatpants, and t-shirt. But his parents wanted it to be traditional. She wants to make them happy, to express her gratitude for their raising such a wonderful man as her promised one is. The one she was promised to…
The charioteer smacks the horse, and the pompe procession is on the way. The sky is getting dark over Caprica City. Karl carries the torch right next to the chariot, and laughs with her. All her friends throw sesame seeds at her, to ensure fertility of the couple, welfare of this new hearth, and to banish bad fate and misfortune that endangers those feeling overly happy. Kara couldn't agree more – there is darkness, right outside the rings of firelight.
The pompe procession isn't long. They've rented the apartment really close to the house, and that leaves more time for the celebration later on. It's going to last until sundown.
Kara smiles. She misses him. As the tradition requires they have been apart for three days. They haven't even been allowed to talk on the wire. Actually it's a good thing – Kara thinks. It's to let you know if you really miss him, love him. She does.
His parents are waiting at the gates. His brother is there also, smirking at her. And Kara can't help but smile too, though her face is still hidden by the veil. But she knows that he knows he made her feel relaxed already. That's the effect he has on her.
The one she was promised to waits at the altar of Hera Teleja. His mother and his father lead Kara to their son. The suite is being followed by the two matchmakers and friends and family of the bride.
He stands there with a golden peach in his hand. Kara just can't wait to bite the fruit. And to bite the lovely lips that smile at her in the most charming way. She loves that smile. All traces of the fear that was with her yesterday are now gone. She knows this is her future, this is her destiny. This is what is supposed to happen.
He lifts her veil, families pray, sing songs to gods, he lifts the peach to her mouth, and she looks into his blue eyes. The bluest eyes in the whole world. She loves him, she knows that. She bites the fruit making it a sign that food and other needs would now come from her husband. Traditionally speaking.
His eyes sparkle, as he holds her, and plants a kiss on her lips soaked with fresh peach juice. Kara is happy now. Really happy. She was never happier, and she never will be happier. She knows that.
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Kara took a deep breath of cold, damp air. She was so happy, she could cry. As she opened her eyes, just before recognizing her surroundings, she prayed to Morpheus to let her remember that dream. The most beautiful dream she had ever had.
A dream so real, she half expected Lee to be lying at her side, sleeping peacefully.
But no. Next to her lay Samuel Anders. Samuel Anders, whom she married yesterday, in a small chapel built in a tent in the central part of New Caprica City. In a hurry, with just a few friends present – Cally, Tyrol, Laura. With no traditional veil or chariot, not to mention a golden peach.
With no family – no Admiral Adama, whom she considered more than a father, no Lee…
She was happy yesterday, but the dream she just had showed her what her wedding was supposed to look like. And the tradition, veil and chariot didn't matter.
It was all about the man she was destined to marry…
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The End.
NOTE: The wedding ceremony was based on the book "In Ancient Athens", all the words in italics are Greek names.