Disclaimer: I only own what is mine. My OCs and ideas.
A/N: Wow, Thanksgiving break and I finally get a chance to update. Ok, I'll take it. Not much to say, but it was really nice to sit down and get back into writing these fanfictions. So look for my other stories to update soon, if not already. I've gotten a lot written so hopefully, I can update again soon. A little bit of a short one, but moving along! Anyway, read, review, enjoy!
Reviews:
ArtemisBAMF1218 - I've done a countdown; the wedding will begin in about six or so chapters. Yay!
Yeah, there are a lot of festivals. But not everyone celebrates all of them, it's just a culture-by-culture thing. The Raksha Bandhan is the festival that I'm going to use. It's kind of a filler, to be honest, but it has value. So, I hope you enjoy.
Sam? Ryu? Anime? Hm... I like that idea. Could totally happen.
Danny, Danny, Danny. He is quite a perfect. I've got a really cute scene lined up for the next chapter. Just wait. Ok, enjoy!
Chapter 25
"So, we will hold the Immortal Ceremony in the morning, then a Chinese Ceremony," Danny said looking over a piece of paper. "Then after that, we have your coordination as queen, which will be a little after lunch. Then after that, we are going to have the celebrations that will last well into the night and the next week."
"Right," Aiko nodded her head along with Danny.
"The Immortal Ceremony will be just the two of us in that room I showed you the other day, there will be time afterward for us to catch up some from what I've been told." Danny went on, "It will likely be our only chance to speak to each other alone that day."
"Which is kind of upsetting," Aiko sighed laying her head down on the table.
"But the next day we don't have to do anything," Danny pointed out. "Celebrations will still be going on, but we are not required to do anything."
Aiko smiled. "That's good. So then I have to change into coronation robes and we get ready for the coronation."
Danny nodded his head placing the paper down. "You'll have to memorize all the lines like I had to, your coronation will be just like mine, except there will be nothing about the outside world mentioned. So it will just be the questions and the answers, and the Final Say."
Aiko's blood ran cold.
"What if… what if the spell doesn't like me? What if something happens and I cannot become queen?"
"Nothing will happen," Danny assured her.
"How do you know that?" Aiko asked. "What's it ever like? You were so vague when I asked you about it before."
Danny sighed. "When under the spell, you will feel exposed. Everything will be laid out before you, and you will see things that are a part of you. It's different for everyone."
"You looked to be in a lot of pain when you entered the spell," Aiko pointed out.
"It does hurt, a lot. But… That's how it works." Danny shrugged. "I know you'll be able to get through it just fine. If I could do it, you can."
"That's not really an answer," Aiko complained. "But thanks, you have faith in me."
"Don't worry about it at all." Danny dismissed easily.
"That's not reassuring," Aiko muttered.
"Oh, and I'll be the one who to coronate you because I'm now the only one with the authority to do so. So I'll be running that ceremony, not a bunch of monks." Danny smiled. "The first real public ceremony I get to do."
"Congratulations." Aiko laughed some, "sounds exciting."
Danny just nodded his head. "After your coronation, you'll have to change dresses again and then we go to join the celebrations. Which is going to consist of a lot of dances and talking to people. And it will go well into the night."
Danny placed the paper down on the table. "Did I forget anything?"
"Yes," Aiko nodded her head. "Wedding procession, coming to pick up the women you want to marry and proving your love for her."
Danny looked at Aiko for a moment blankly before understanding what she meant. "Oh, that."
Aiko only giggled some. "Come on, it's fun."
"In who's opinion?" Danny asked.
"Kasumi and your sister," Aiko smiled. "Don't worry about it. It's just going to be very small. And I made them promise to not do anything to publicly embarrass you. It's just going to be in the front courtyard, with the gate closed, no one will see you."
Danny sighed heavily. "Right, it's going to be so much fun."
"It will be," Aiko assured. "I'll be watching."
Danny sighed and shook his head. "Ok, I think we are done for today."
"Dragon Lords, thank you." Aiko sighed. "Are you sure?"
"Well, the ceremonies and other things are in order, so… all that's left is the decorations, our robes, and the little things."
Aiko smiled. "So, are you coming over for Raksha Bandhan?"
"That's coming up, isn't it?" Danny sighed.
"Oh, no," Aiko muttered. "What did Ryu do this time?"
"Nothing," Danny shook his head. "She's not done anything lately."
"Are you sure about that?" Aiko asked easily.
"She's just the same as ever," Danny assured her. "It's just daily life."
"I see." Aiko nodded. "Well, I have to do some shopping to do before I head home, and shops are going to close up soon."
Danny smiled.
Aiko stood up from the table in the library. "Well, I'll see you later. Love you."
"You too," Danny replied as he watched Aiko walk out before he got back to working on the plans.
Aiko stepped out of the office and started to walk down the hallways when a hand gripped her wrist.
"I thought you were never leaving." Ryu sighed. "I was waiting for you to finish up so I could talk to you, but you guys just kept talking about the wedding."
"You know you are not supposed to be snooping on our wedding plans." Aiko corrected her.
"I swear I wasn't listening in. I was just waiting for you to finish up." Ryu said quickly. "I need your help with something. What do I need to buy Danny for the Raksha Bandhan?"
Aiko smiled and laughed some. "You know, Danny wasn't even sure if you were interested in that."
Ryu rolled her eyes. "Of course I am interested in it; I just don't know what to get him. So please, as my future sister-in-law, help me out here."
Aiko smiled. "Alright. I'll help you out. It's really not that hard to do."
"Good." Ryu nodded her head. "Let's get a move on."
"Ok, stop right here." Aiko said.
"What's this?" Ryu asked.
"The Indian Market, we can find exactly what you are looking for here," Aiko promised.
"Ok, let's get to work. What do I need?" Ryu asked.
"It's called a rakhi."
Ryu sighed. "What exactly is that?"
"A bracelet," Aiko explained. "You can get almost any color you want. And they have metal ones and glass ones. Some are just made of thread. And sometimes you can find one made of stone."
"Oh," Ryu sighed. She looked down at the crates on the ground near her. She easily squatted down and picked one up and studied the large glass bead on it. "This is the Hindu symbol, right? The Om?"
"I see you are learning culture quickly." Aiko smiled, she also knelt down. "Yes, that is what that is."
"Cool." Ryu looked it over. She put it down and ran her hand over all the glass beads on the bracelets.
The woman sitting behind the creates was older; she noticed the blue hand instantly and had caught Aiko's eyes.
Aiko smiled and gave her a small wave.
The woman nodded her head.
They had a silent understanding.
Aiko went back to looking at the selection too. She smiled to herself as she looked down at all the beautiful colors.
Her mind was racing back. Mama always took her to buy Davos' rakhi when she was little. And the first year Danny was in K'un-Lun, she had asked why they were not buying him one. And she had claimed Danny was enough a part of the family and needed to be included.
Aiko's face turned a little pink. She would get him one as well.
Thinking back on the memories, it seemed so foolish looking back. Either the way she had phrased it or the childishness in her. But it was the right thing to do. When Danny was called into the living room for the ritual and Aiko had spilled her best explanation, Master Kung added in to help Danny make sense of the mixture of All-Speak and English.
But when he understood what everything was about…
The look in his eyes was priceless. He, for the first time in months, had looked genuinely comfortable. He looked at everyone from not the outsider's eye, but he was a part of the family. And it made him so happy.
Aiko smiled and looked over to Ryu, who was looking over all the bracelets. Holding a few in her hands and looking them over. Debating which one she liked.
Aiko looked back down and picked up a beautiful wooden rakhi and held it in her fingers. There was a beautiful lotus carved on it.
The lotus would be perfect for Davos, all she needed was one for Danny and she was good.
Aiko searched through the create, quickly picking out a peacock rakhi.
She passed them to the woman. "Just these two."
The woman looked at them and nodded. "Three each."
Aiko nodded her head and opened her small handbag and pulled out the coins. "There you go, six."
"Thank you." The woman passed the brackets back. "Lovely selections, my lady."
Aiko smiled. "Thank you."
Ryu sighed. She held up two bracelets to Aiko. "Which one do you think he would like?"
"You're over complicating this," Aiko said raising an eyebrow. "Just pick the one you like, you know he won't care. He'll just be happy you got him something."
Ryu grumbled. "Thanks for the help."
"My young lady, if I may." The woman intervened. "I believe the one in your left hand is the prettier one."
Ryu looked at the two again. "Ok, that's the one then."
"Three per bracelet." The woman nodded.
Ryu reached to the inside of her cloak and handed Aiko her small change bag. "If you don't mind helping me out."
"You can't touch coins?" Aiko asked. She looked down at Ryu with almost pity.
"Yeah, well, it's not like anyone is dumb enough to cheat me." Ryu shrugged.
Aiko sighed. "Fair enough."
She passed over the coins and smiled at the woman, "thank you."
"Not a problem, my lady." The woman smiled. "You have a nice evening."
Aiko placed a hand on Ryu's shoulder and steered her away.
"Just like that?" Ryu asked a little surprise.
"That's all you need for Raksha Bandhan," Aiko confirmed. "You'll have a great time. I promise."
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