Yamani Tortallan fusion Bridal Shower
When princess Shinkokami asked Kel if she could host the bride party for Yuki, Kel was tremendously relieved. She wanted Yuki to have all of the tradition, ritual and fun but it wasn't her strength. Shinkokami on the other hand, was a consummate hostess and Kel knew the party would be spectacular.
The princess decided to hold the celebration in one of the queen's special parlors. The room had a high ceiling overlooked the Royal forest and menagerie and had tall windows so they could enjoy the view. Shinkokami brought in flowers from the hot houses and great swathes of silk cloth in Yuki's favorite color, yellow to transform the room into a glowing fragrant sanctuary and oasis.
A beautiful luncheon would be served with delicacies from the Yamani islands and Tortall. Shinkokami had planned the bridal party using a mix of customs she had come to know. Having recently been married, Shinko understood how important it was for Yuki to have the friendship and support of the women around her and she planned to party to forge and strengthen those bonds. It was a small and intimate group, no one who needed to be impressed was included, so all could relax.
The activities that were planned broke down barriers by their nature. Behind screens, Yamani masseuses would knead stress from bodies and rub oil into them before groups of the women went to a steam room and a good soak in the royal bath. Also planned was the Bazhir custom of drawing beautiful pictures and patterns on women's hands and feet using vegetable dyes. All of the activities were geared toward helping the women gather their strength to themselves and give them time to get to know each other better.
It would be a special day with so many women Kel held dear. With determined effort she focused on the good things, their friendship and support, their enthusiasm for Yuki and Neal and the luxurious chance to relax and be pampered. Kel was determined not to let her anxiety about another attack ruin the day.
The ladies arrived early in the morning, just after breakfast. Several of them came from morning glaive practice. Kel always felt she appreciated a good massage more after she'd worked her body hard. They were escorted the West parlor where they were greeted by the bright, welcoming colors and smell of fresh flowers.
Then they were taken to the bath area where some had a quick dip and were then given soft robes. From there they went to the parlor where a long low table near the windows overlooking the forest awaited them. The table was surrounded by large comfortable pillows. It was part Yamani, part Bazhir. The low table was set with bowls of berries and fruit and the women were served Yamani tea in round cups with no handles. There they talked and waited their turn with one of the masseuses.
Kel and Alanna were called back together. Kel was grateful for the pairing. Another warrior understood understood the healing she was going through. Yuki and her mother had finally stopped asking "How are you doing?", but the question was still in their eyes. Kel and Alanna gratefully accepted the ministrations of the masseuses in comfortable silence, except for the occasional moan of appreciation when a particularly tired spot was cared for.
Thoroughly and pleasantly kneaded, they made their way to the steam room then finally the bath to soak. Kel wondered what it was about the process that drained all the anxiety from her and left her wonderfully in the moment. She looked at Alanna and they shared a knowing smile.
"What are you thinking of?" Alanna asked.
"I was thinking of a time where we were doing a rescue mission in winter. I remember thinking I wasn't sure if I'd ever feel warm or clean again!" Kel laughed and shook her head. "This is wonderful. When they first started working on me, my head was swirling with thoughts. Now it seems enough to enjoy the warmth of the water."
Alanna nodded in agreement. "A massage and soak is one of the best things I do after a mission. It's good for the body and mind. It seems to wash away the stuff you want to let go and leaves what you want to hold onto. Plus, it helps my body recover faster."
"Letting go of some of it is the trick isn't is?" Kel said staring into the water.
"It's really the only way to keep going and stay sane." Alanna answered. "I've found I don't need to treat all my memories equally. Some I try to keep in crisp detail, thoughts of family and friends. Others, when they come up, I just tell them to go away, that they've had their time and it's over."
"You tell them to go away?" Kel was curious.
"There is the part of my mind that is always bringing up ideas," Alanna explained. I think of it like a low level clerk. Then there is the part that is the commander. A good commander has to decide what ideas need attention and which don't. So the commander part of my brain dismisses some. It lets me focus on the important stuff."
They sat and soaked in silence for a while.
"I think Neal found a good match in Yuki." Alanna commented. "I'm really happy for them."
Again Kel looked at Alanna curiously. She hadn't heard her comment on relationships before.
"George has been a perfect match for me." Alanna continued My life is so much richer for having him in it. I really like Neal. I want the same thing for him."
Wilina, Dom's mother and Yuki came into the room and hung their robes on hooks.
"I think I'm done cooking." Kel said to Alanna, who nodded to her and they exited the bath. As they left, Kel gave a small bow and crinkled her eyes at Yuki who was chatting with her mother-in-law to be.
Kel joined her mother having tattoos traced on her arms and hands. After a time all of the ladies made it back to the table, which was then laden with delicacies from Tortall, the Yamani Islands and the Bazhir.
In this perfect cocoon of comfort, the women began to tell stories. Some of them were personal stories, some were legends or folk stories, all had meaning for those who were there.
Illane told a cautionary tale of a young woman who always tried to do what would please others, but found because those choices were from different people, they did not create a clear path, but instead a tangle that made nobody happy.
Queen Thayet told her story of leaving her people to come to Tortall, how some would always question her as Queen and some would embrace her, and the best way she had found was to make the best decisions she could each day and only let criticism inform her, not cripple her or cause self doubt.
It took a little time before Neal's mother, Wilina, could relax. She didn't know the queen and princess the way Yuki and Ilane did. Sharing the morning glaive and bow practices with the queen and had allowed them to get to know each other as individuals. Kel could imagine it was a little intimidating to go a steam room with the queen if the only way you knew her was as a the monarch to whom you answered.
Neal's aunt, Dom's mother, was attentive but fairly quiet. She mostly stayed near Wilina. When her turn came to storytelling though, she told the group a tale of her great grandparents as they created the family homestead. To get through difficult times, her great grandmother said to be sure to hold fast to what is good. Kel thought she looked at her when she finished the story. It had been what Kel was thinking too. Hold fast to what is good. It didn't mean there wouldn't be trouble or hard times, it just meant you had to hold onto the good tightly, and let the hard things slip away. Yes. Dom's mom was right, Kel thought. Hold fast to what is good.
Later Dom's mother inquired of her how she was recovering and Kel responded quietly that her bruises were almost healed. The older woman did not remark on the slightly haunted look in Kel's eyes.
Kel was especially pleased to see that Yuki and Neal's sister Jessamine had come to enjoy each other. Since she had married their classmate Balduin, Neal's sister had been a part of the gatherings of Kel's year mates. During the war, Jessamine and Yuki commiserated while they missed their men who were so far away fighting the Scanrans.
Oranie told how she and her husband had a secret way to communicate when they wanted to meet each other and how it made them feel like a team amidst the turmoil of daily life.
One of the longest married women there, told how she and her husband started and ended each day telling each other something they appreciated about each other and a made the group laugh when she said that some days, she was glad that he wasn't as grumpy as the day before and he would say he was glad she wasn't as picky as she was the day before.
Alanna told a story of a Tortall legend who had first loved a rogue of the city but married another love whose life was a better match for her. That story made it clear a woman's heart has room for many Love's and life with each love would be different, so the wise woman should look with clear eyes at what life with a love would be like. Deep love does not always mean a happy life. A moment of quiet settled around the room as each woman considered the stories and enjoyed quiet camaraderie. Kel had had plenty of time in the last few years being cold, wet and hungry, this day would be one to save in her memory for the next time knight work took her to a less comfortable place.
After all the seriousness everyone was ready for some fun when they heard Alanna's voice tease her daughter, who was well known for her romances as a young woman. "And then there was that gorgeous dark eyed young man from Port Caynn you dated for a while Alianne," her mother teased. "why don't you tell us why you didn't keep him around?"
"Ugh!" Alianne groaned pushing up from her cushion "Do you have to remind me of my bad judgement? It took me a few months to realized I'd wear myself out giving him all the compliments he needed to get through the day. For so long, his mother had told him everyday how wonderful he was, so that it had become something he required. He couldn't get through the day without a couple dozen or so gold stars! I had better things to do than follow him around all day telling how wonderful he was."
Her mother smirked at her, knowing she was uncomfortable with the spotlight, but also knowing she was close to Yuki's age and had some wisdom to share. "And why are you so happy with Nawat?"
Alianne stopped, serious for a moment, "He sees the true person I am and the best person I want to be," she paused, "and I can trust him completely. The trust is the biggest thing for me." Alianne rolled her eyes, she could only be serious for so long. "I have trust issues." She quipped facetiously and rose to look out the window at the lowering sun.
To close the day, Shinkokami stood and addressed Yuki and the other women, beginning with a formal Yamani bow.
"Today we have forged and strengthened the bonds between us. We know there is power and strength in our connection to each other." To Yuki she said "We, your family, will always be there for you, we will support you and share our stories to help you find the path to a long and happy life."
Kel smiled at Yuki as she bowed back to the princess and all of those present, then she responded with the formal words spoken by the women of the Yamani warrior class, "I shall take your words and stories as arrows in my quiver to slay the troubles of life."
Kel thought that Yuki had been given a full quiver and she knew Yuki was a skilled archer.
