Due to this being a very important chapter, I decided to put in different POV's.
Leonardo~
I wake up to birds chirping at my window. I groan and roll over to get more sleep, but then I remember, 'Today's the day.' I feel a burst of energy and rush out of bed. I stop at the window. The sky is bluer, the trees are greener, and colors are more vibrant than ever before.
Flowers have seemed to have magically appeared overnight and lined a path to Father's garden, wrapping around his house. They even appear in garlands curling around the patio railing. The tile is swept so clean that I could almost see my reflection in it from my window. I breathe in deeply.
'Today is the day.' I put on my armor, ready to talk to Meiki. But then I remember, I can't see the bride until the wedding. 'My bride,' I smile and walk down the stairs. I see Jika and a few other servants go up the stairs, along with some flowers, giggling. I chuckle, 'Meiki is going to have an interesting wake up call.'
I had picked where I wanted to get ready before hand and finish my route to Father's house. The main courtyard looks stunning, and it isn't even finished yet. Servants bow to me as I pass, still preparing for the big event. As I step through the short but wide opening into the my father's quaint abode, I'm greeted with a barrel hug.
"Leo!" Michelangelo yells. I bite back the slight urge to reprimand him for not using my full name. But the urge is much less than before Meiki.
"Ready to get married?" Donatello asks, stepping into the room as soon as he heard our little brother. I stop for a second.
"..Wow... I'm getting married..." I say, my first time actually saying that.
"It's okay, ani," Donatello says, a hand on my shoulder, "Everyone gets wedding jitters."
"Did you read that in a book Don?"
"... Maybe." I chuckle at my brothers. Michelangelo guides me to the bedroom where my wedding attire is laid out. I realize that my armor is of no use.
"Alrighty bro-"
"You are not about to tell your oldest brother to 'strip,' Mikey," Donatello interrupts. Our youngest brother shrugs. I take off my armor with Donatello's help. It's laid aside and I switch rooms to take a shower in privacy.
'I'm getting married...' I remind myself, 'It's finally happening. No more waiting, no more tension or fear of her leaving. It's happening.'
Meiki~
I hear a faint noise. I brush it off and try to fall back asleep. But the noise is still there. I softly moan and it intensifies. Wait.. is that, giggling?
I crack an eye open. Jika and five other girls are looking down at me. They each have a big smile and giggling like they just heard the funniest joke. "Good morning?" I say.
"Good morning Okusama," the five girls reply at the same time. I rub my eyes and look around. My room is bright with sunshine. On the table there is an array of hair brushes and adornments, more than what would be in my wardrobe. I sit up and see over their heads at my wardrobe. From this angle, I can see it has the most beautiful dress hanging in front of it. There is a bathtub set up and the chair had been pulled out to another space of the room. And finally, the room is decked out with garlands of orchids and peonies.
"Meiki come on!" Jika says, literally pulling me out of bed. "We need to get you ready!"
"Get me… ready," my face lights up as I remember, "It's my wedding day," I say to them.
"Come come, no time to lose." One girl helps me out of my sleepwear and undergarments. She goes for my necklace. After being told that it will be ruined by the water, I allow her to take it off. Three of the other girls were pouring hot water into the tub to keep it warm. I'm helped in and sigh as I let the water fold over me. Scents of numerous flowers dance over my nose. Someone washes my hair and massages my scalp. I get every part of me so clean I squeak when I'm wrapped in a overly fluffy towel.
I'm dried off and put in a pure white kimono. I sit in the chair and let them fuss over my hair. They act different than other times I was around. They coo over me and say all the different things that will be happening, what food there will be, how I can't help with the food but Jika already knows how to make my dish. They also mention which servant boys, whom I don't know, that they are hoping they will get to dance with. Maybe they think of me as their equal now. Or, they are really excited for the wedding.
After my hair is dried and brushed, I'm told to stand. The first part of my wedding gown is an under kimono. I take off the white kimono and replace it with a light blue one that reaches my feet. It fits my curves and hugs my form perfectly. "We worked on this ever since you arrived, Okusama," a girl, Hamimi, tells me. I look at it and spin.
"I've missed color," I say, admiring the first part of my dress.
"Blue looks good on you," Jika comments. I nod. Next is the kakeshita, as Jika calls it. It's another bright white kimono, but it isn't as tight as the one underneath it, but it is a little heavier. It has a few layers sewn together and the collar shows them off. The light blue fabric peeks out at the top and a little at the bottom. A deep blue obi is tied around my waist to keep the first kimono in place. It is accented with white in the patterns. There are red ribbons that are tied in loose bows in front and the whole thing is tied in the back in a solid blue bow. They take a moment and look at me. I also look at my reflection.
"You look like a true Josei, Meiki." I sit down and they do my hair. I'm allowed to look in a hand mirror as they twist and tug my glossy black hair into a top knot fashion. I'm shown the hair adornments and get to select which ones I want. I choose a few flowery ones and two golden ones with light blue diamonds on the ends. They put them in my hair and I'm dressed further with necklaces. The last is the one I wore from the first day. I touch it in memory of all we've been through.
They do my make up, which isn't too deep but brings my face out more. Then I stand up and Jika brings over my uchikake. It is covered in light colors with highlights of deeper, richer versions of the colors to add drama. It all shows patterns of flowers, rivers, and trees; meshing them together in a picture of something that isn't of this world, yet made of it. I turn around and she drapes it over my shoulders. The sleeves widen as they run down my arms and they are a little longer than where my palm touches.
"It's supposed to be that way," Jika assures. The train flows out and the front is not secured like a kimono but hangs around me. It is heavier than the other pieces, but not too much. I am not given sandals, but stay barefoot. "You're ready."
I look in the mirror and stop. I'm staring at someone that isn't just beautiful, but radiant. She's has a.. a glow about her. I turn and she turns. I smile and she smiles. I freeze up.. and she freezes up. "Okusama, is something wrong?" Hamimi asks. I look down and my heartbeat quickens. I would have started to sweat, if it wasn't for the powder they applied to my bosom and face.
"It's just.." I look back at my reflection. "I'm getting married.." There's a pause and then Jika orders the other girls out. She has me sit on the bed.
"Shimai, it's okay." She hugs me, careful not to mess up my attire, "Everybody gets nervous."
"I'm sure Leonardo isn't," I say over her shoulder. She lets go and sits next to me.
"I'm sure he is." I look at her. "He may be a Great Kame, but he is also a young man. Young men get nervous too. I'm sure he's fretting if his kimono is backwards." That springs a giggle from my lips. "Shimai, Meiki. It is alright to feel this.. this feeling. You are giving yourself to someone else. For your whole life. It is a big thing.."
"I know, I just can't help it."
"I'll be there, every step of the way. I'll even walk you down, is that alright?" I start. My father is supposed to walk me down the aisle. But since he isn't here..
"Yes. I'd love it if you did," I reply. She smiles and has the other girls come back in. They make a few adjustments and then I'm ready. They hold my dress up as I walk down the stairs. My bare feet feel the coolness of the tiles once we step off the stair. The courtyard is decked out like my room, only bigger. I let the girls arrange my skirts so they flow correctly. Then Jika and I walk over to the flower lined path. The five others walk with us and pick up wide, shallow baskets of petals. As the first disappears around the house, the music begins.
Leonardo~
The music starts to play so I stand up by my father. Everyone turns to see the first flower girl walk down the aisle. I wait as she finishes her journey and sits in one of the front rows. The second had started halfway through the firsts, and now the third had rounded the bend. I fidget slightly in my spot, thankful that no one was looking at me.
'Where's Meiki? How long will this take?' I wonder as the second flower girl takes her seat.
Meiki~
Hamimi goes around the corner and Jika counts to herself to when we start walking. I take a few deep breathes. "And step." We follow the path the other girls took, walking slowly to the pace of the song.
I have never been to this garden, although I'm sure I was welcome. There are chairs on either side of the aisle. Servants of Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and the Great Master are sitting in them. It seems odd not to have any servants in red to complete the colors. The chairs are fenced in with flower garlands, even though the garden is beautiful enough on its own.
I smile ahead and lock eyes with Leonardo. He is standing at the front, waiting for me. He has on a gray hakama, a dark blue-almost black kimono shirt, and a black haori. Underneath his hakama, I can see sandals with cloth straps peeking out. I see a smile forming on his face, beaming brighter than anything I have ever seen.
Leonardo~
Meiki is walking down to me. And she's the most beautiful young woman I've ever seen. She is wrapped in more color than that of the rainbow, the dominating one being blue. I watch her float over the petals the five previous girls had strewn on the ground. Meiki is being led by her friend, Jika. When they reach the wooden bridge that the ceremony will take place on, Jika lets her go up as she herself takes a seat. Meiki walks up to me and I take her hand. She smells like a tenshi (angel).
The music fades out. We stand facing my father. He smiles at us, the look of a proud father. "We are here," he says to the crowd, "in this place where water below meets the wind above. There is no better place to join these two, my son, Hamato Reonarudo, and his josei, Meiki Tote, together." He pauses looking around. "My son is swift as the wind. He does not let anything hold him back. Only mizu (water) could be worthy of something so strong and free, even though they seldom touch. Meiki has this mizu within her."
As my father continues, I look out of the corner of my eye at the chairs on my side of the aisle. Michelangelo and Donatello are sitting next to each other. The former has a tissue in hand, already shedding a few tears. The latter is smiling, probably trying his best to stop his head from wandering away to equations and inventions. But I don't see Raphael. I was hoping he'd come. My attention goes back to my father as he goes on with his speech on our extended month.
Raphael~
I pull out a pack from the wardrobe. It's a servant's, only larger for me. I open it up and pack a set of clothes, my breakfast that was sent up, and the coins I always have in a pouch at my side. I feel guilty taking them, but it's what I would be allowed to take anyway.
I'm leaving. I let myself sleep in and now I'm leaving. Faintly, I can hear the music of the wedding. No doubt it is beautiful. No doubt they are happy. And most importantly, no doubt I am not welcome.
I had left my armor in the wardrobe and instead dressed in a brown shirt and dark brown hakama. I wear sandals on my feet and a sash around my waist. But it isn't red. I don't even look at the color red, it isn't my color anymore. Finally, I drape the cloak about my shoulders and head silently down the stairs.
The courtyard is empty, of people that is. Tables, chairs, and rugs decorate the floor. An open space for dancing left alone, except for the garlands of flowers draped above it. I shake my head at the idea of staying longer. It'll only make it worse. I walk around the palace so I don't run into servants preparing for the festivities and walk out among the front gardens. I force myself not to look back, but take one peek anyway. The sight of the beautiful palace renders me to tears. It is- was, my home.
'I have no home now.' I turn around and continue down the road, letting my feet guide me to where I'm to go.
3rd POV~
Leonardo gently takes up Meiki's hand and slips a golden ring on her finger. It glints with a few inlaid stones of different shades of blue. "For my tsuma," he says. Meiki picks up the loop which her ring to Leonardo is tied. His finger is much too big for a ring. And even so, it would not stay on. So it is put on a chain to hang around his neck. He bows so she can get it over his head.
"For my otto," she replies. His ring is larger than hers, and is carved out of a blue marble stone with golden drops set into it.
"Meiki," Leonardo starts, taking hold of her hand, "I've found that love does not come forcefully, but gradually over time. Like wind, and water." Meiki blushes. "When I first met you, I did not love you," he now takes hold of both her hands, "But I do now and will forever." The crowd, Michelangelo mostly, 'aww's at the statement.
"Reonarudo, Meiki, by the code of the Great Family, I pronounce you otto, and tsuma." The crowd cheers as Leonardo sweeps Meiki up into his arms and kisses her.
They got married, Yay! The next part is the celebration.
I don't know much about Japanese weddings, so I did some research and wrote my best.
Everybody wave goodbye *waves* Because that is the last scene with Raph. *hears reviewers gasp* I know. But! Never fear.. *cough* he'll be in the sequel *cough* Hehe, you heard nothing.