The next morning, Miriam was awake with the sun. She dashed to her window and looked out. It was a glorious day. She heaved a sigh of relief. She had been so afraid last night when she had seen clouds rolling in. But the rain had come and gone during the night, leaving the lawns looking fresh washed. There were already creatures outside setting up for the big day. She smiled, unable to contain her happiness. Her wedding!

A knock came at the door. She turned and went to open it. There stood Judith, Hannah, Mary, Salome, and Joanna. They came in to help her get ready. Hannah was carrying a basket.

Miriam watched as Hannah set the basket down. "What's in the basket, Hannah?" she asked.

"A wedding present," Hannah said.

Miriam knelt in front of the basket. She gently stroked the lid. "Can I open it now or should I wait?" she asked.

Joanna and Salome, both of whom knew what was in the basket, giggled to each other and then chorused, "Open it now, Miriam! Go on!"

Miriam didn't need any more urging. Cautiously, she removed the top of the basket. Inside was a length of folded white cloth. She lifted it out.

It was a wedding dress.

The dress had long sleeves. The sleeves and the top of the bodice of the dress were made of some gauzy material. It had a collar that came halfway up her neck. There was fancy embroidery done around the collar and along the shoulders. The rest of the gown was made of the same silky fabric Rose's wedding dress had been made of. Starting at the waist was a large diamond embroidered on with ivory colored thread. The top point had been rounded off and the other three points had curlicues coming off them. Inside the diamond were embroidered flowers in the same ivory thread. The skirt had been sewn with small pieces of crystal that sparkled in the light from the window. Miriam held it up to herself and twirled, admiring the way the skirt flared out. It was a dress that could make any mousemaid feel like the most beautiful princess in the world.

Miriam looked up at Hannah. "Oh Hannah," she breathed, "It's beautiful! Thank you! Did you make it yourself?"

"Yes," Hannah said, smiling. "I wanted to make it for you, but I wanted it to be a surprise."

"Did others know about this?" Miriam asked.

Judith laughed, "Yes," she said, "Everybeast at Redwall knew. We had to make sure you didn't get another dress."

"No wonder nobeast would help me when I asked them to help me make or find a wedding dress!" Miriam exclaimed. She chuckled, "They knew I couldn't make one for myself."

Everybeast laughed.


A few hours later, Rose and Columbine stopped off at Miriam's dormitory. When they saw Miriam sitting in a chair in the middle of the room, they stopped in astonishment. The dress fit her perfectly. She'd had a bath and her fur had been gently brushed until it gleamed. Her headfur was loose and fell to her shoulders.

"Oh Miriam," Rose breathed, "You look like a princess."

"Absolutely stunning," Columbine agreed, "Jesus is the luckiest mouse in the world."

Miriam blushed. "Thank you Rose, Columbine," she said.

"Don't forget your crown," Mary said, "A princess isn't a princess without one." She walked forwards holding a crown of white lilies in her paw with a lacy veil attached. She placed it on Miriam's head and adjusted the veil so it hung straight and fell to her waist. "There."

Miriam stood up and smoothed out her skirt. "I wish I could see myself," she said. She turned to the others. "How does it look?"

"Exactly as you would want it to," Judith replied, handing over Miriam's bouquet of white lilies.


Jesus, too, was getting ready for the wedding. He had bathed and put on the long white robe which was traditional for male Jewbeasts to wear when getting married. He twitched the garment straight.

"You look good, matey," came a voice.

Jesus spun around to find Martin and Gonff waiting for him. He smiled at them. "Hello," he said.

"How are you doing?" Martin asked.

Jesus took a deep breath. "I'm okay," he said. "Nervous, but okay."

"I remember that, matey," Gonff nodded his head.

"Me, too," Martin said. He shuddered at the memory, "But when I saw Rose, looking stunning in her wedding dress, my nerves just vanished."

Gonff nodded. "Same with me when I married Columbine. Like mist when the sun rises in the morning. I bet it'll be the same with you and Miriam."

Jesus smiled. "I'm sure you're right."

Martin twirled his sword in a warrior's salute before sheathing it. "Shall we go?" he asked.

Jesus bowed to him. "We shall," he said.

Gonff gave Jesus a playful push. "Go on, matey," he said.


A leanto had been set up in the orchard underneath an apple tree that was covered in white blossoms. Four poles supported a rectangular frame. A snow white piece of canvas lay across the top and draped down the back of the shelter, tied down to avoid it flapping in the slight breeze. The poles and the frame had been painted white and the front two poles had been wrapped with garlands of white lilies.

Jesus stood under it with Abbess Germaine, waiting for Miriam to make her entrance. He gazed out over the creatures seated on benches, all dressed in their best. Gonff and Martin were sitting in front, along with Jesus' disciples, his half brothers, Joseph, and Miriam's father, Micah.

The front door of Redwall opened, causing Jesus to look up. Rose, Columbine, Mary, Salome, Joanna, Judith, and Hannah all walked along the aisle between the two rows of benches and took their places at the front.

Then, Miriam made her entrance. Jesus smiled at Miriam as she made her way up the aisle and towards him. She blushed and smiled back. When she reached the front row of benches, Jesus walked out from under the leanto to meet her. Raising her veil, he kissed her on the forehead. "You're gorgeous," he whispered. "I really am going to have the fairest among mousemaids as my wife."

"And I the most handsome of mice as my husband," Miriam whispered back.

With that, paw in paw, they returned to the leanto and turned to face each other. Abbess Germaine smiled at the two mice, and then Jesus and Miriam opened the ceremony with a passage from the Song of Songs.

"Oh, my dear friend," Jesus said. "You're so beautiful! And your eyes so beautiful—like doves!"

"And you, my dear lover," Miriam replied. "You're so handsome! And the bed we share is like a forest glen. We enjoy a canopy of cedars enclosed by cypresses, fragrant and green. I'm just a wildflower picked from the plains of the north, a lotus blossom from the valley pools."

"A lotus blossoming in a swamp of weeds," Jesus said. "That's my dear friend among the mousemaids I have known."

"As an apple tree stands out in the forest, my lover stands above the males I once knew," Miriam said. "All I want is to sit in his shade, to taste and savor his delicious love. He took me home with him for a festive meal, but his eyes feasted on me!"

Then it was time for the vows. Abbess Germaine turned to Jesus. "Do you Jesus take Miriam to be your wife?" she asked.

"I do," he said.

"Do you promise to love, cherish and protect her, whether in good fortune or in adversity, and to seek with her a life hallowed by God?" Abbess Germaine asked.

"I do," he replied.

Then Abbess Germaine turned to Miriam and asked, "Do you Miriam take Jesus to be your husband?"

"I do," she said.

"Do you promise to love, cherish and protect him, whether in good fortune or in adversity, and to seek with him a life hallowed by God?" Abbess Germaine asked.

"I do," she replied.

Abbess Germaine looked out over the audience, "I have heard it said that when a creature marries another creature that they also marry the other creature's family." She turned her attention back to Jesus. "So now I have some questions for the groom regarding a certain special member of Miriam's family. Her son, Isaac, who Jesus is adopting today with his marriage to Miriam. Will you, Jesus, help Miriam to raise her son Isaac in a way that brings glory to God?"

"I will," Jesus said.

"Will you guide Isaac by your own example of a good life?" Abbess Germaine asked.

"I will," he replied.

"Will you assume all the responsibilities of fatherhood, and help Miriam in providing for the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of her son?" Abbess Germaine asked.

"I will," he said.

Isaac got out of his seat and walked up to the tent. In his paws were two plain gold pawrings. He held out the smaller one to Jesus, who accepted it. "Jesus," Abbess Germaine said, "As you place this pawring upon the paw of Miriam, speak to her these vows: With this ring, you are made holy to me, for I love you as my soul. You are now my wife."

"With this ring, you are made holy to me, for I love you as my soul," Jesus repeated as he slid the pawring onto Miriam's paw. "You are now my wife."

Isaac then gave the larger one to Miriam, smiling as he did so. "Miriam, as you place this pawring upon the paw of Jesus, speak to him these vows," Abbess Germaine said. "With this ring, you are made holy to me, for I love you as my soul. You are now my husband."

"With this ring, you are made holy to me, for I love you as my soul," Miriam repeated, sliding the pawring onto Jesus' paw. "You are now my husband."

"I now declare you husband and wife," Abbess Germaine said. "You may kiss the bride." Everybeast applauded as Jesus took Miriam in his arms and kissed her.


It was like the world had stopped to admire them.

When Jesus and Miriam walked paw in paw into Great Hall for the celebration, everybeast turned and burst into applause. Miriam curtsied, Jesus bowed, and the two of them went to the head table and sat next to Abbess Germaine so the feast could begin.

"I believe Jesus and Miriam have asked his mother and her father to speak the blessing today," she turned to the newlyweds. "Is that right?" Both mice nodded. Mary and Micah stood up.

"For food in a world where many walk in hunger," Mary said.

"For faith in a world where many walk in fear," Micah answered.

"For friends in a world where many walk alone," Mary answered him.

"For family in a world where many are without," Micah said.

"For the love that Jesus and Miriam have for each other," they said together, "We give you thanks, O Lord."

"Amen," everybeast said and began feasting. Everybeast laughed, talked, and shared the feast with each other.

When the feasting began to slow, Jesus and Miriam stood up. "We'd like to propose a toast," he said, raising his goblet. "To our families and friends, who were all able to be here to celebrate with us today."

"To Jesus and Miriam," Martin called out, toasting his friends.

"To love," Rose said.

Miriam turned to Jesus. "What do you think? Should we..." she glanced towards the space that had been cleared for dancing.

"I don't see why not," Jesus took her paw.

Miriam looked at the guests and said, "To the dance floor!" then she and Jesus went over.

Lucia stood up, pulling a flute out of a pocket in her dress. She looked at Miriam and smiled. Miriam smiled back. Lucia then put the flute to her lips and began to play a lively tune. Jesus and Miriam began to dance, other couples joining in about halfway through.

Jesus held Miriam closely and then whirled her around. Facing him once again, she looked into his eyes--so beautiful and full of love for her--and within seconds, she was lost in them.

Jesus gazed at his new bride, feeling his love for her overflow. He pulled her closer. His paws twirled the ends of her headfur under her veil, and her head rested on his chest. He admired the way she moved with grace on the dance floor.

They were so close to each other their whiskers were touching. It felt to both of them like they were the only ones on the floor, though they both knew otherwise.

The spell was broken when Miriam looked up and stifled a laugh. "What?" Jesus asked. Miriam simply pointed behind him. Jesus looked over his shoulder and spotted Mary dancing with Isaac...sort of. She was holding him in her paws and twirling him around. Both seemed to be enjoying it. He stifled a chuckle of his own and turned back around.

The dance ended all too soon. Jesus led Miriam off the dance floor and back to the tables. Finding an empty chair, he swept Miriam into his paws and sat down, holding her on his lap.

Jesus and Miriam danced, sang, and celebrated with all the creatures they loved long into the night.


A/N: I did the same with Miriam's dress that I did with Rose's dress. The link to the picture that I used for inspiration will be on the profile. Right now fan fiction dot net is being grumpy and not letting me add it.

Also, if anybody wants to hear the song Lucia played (I know I didn't describe it very much, but I did have a particular song in mind), it's called "Mary Of The Gaels" and it's by Maire Brennan. There will be a link to it on the profile.