Gaoling reverberated with the celebration of love and marriage.
People from all walks of life, nobleman and commoner and alike celebrated a union of love.
The heiress to the Beifong name and wealth, Queen of Gaoling's underground earth bending arena, war hero and master earth bender was getting married to the son of a chief, a politician, inventor, swordsman and fellow war hero. Both were held in the close confidence of the Avatar and the heiress was to be installed into the office as chief of police of Republic City in the following eight weeks.
Lao was the picture of pride, Poppy a picture of joy. Katara and Hakoda were full of joy too.
The patriarch handed his daughter's hand to her husband, and the younger man bowed with respect and gratitude.
Vows were said, and the families of both parties exchanged handshakes and bows.
Iroh presided over the union himself, with a heartwarming story of tea and married life.
Lao may have shed a tear, one could not tell, his hands moved too fast to be certain.
There was a chaste kiss at the end and then fireworks against a twilight sky.
The festivities were deafening and she held his hand for comfort, gently squeezing it.
She remembered the day of Sozin's comet, where she could feel nothing and see nothing and all she could hold on to in the darkness and sounds of battle was him.
She thought she would never have him.
He stroked her hand gently and whispered in her ear that she was beautiful.
She was glad she was wrong.
