An indistinct, hazy commotion bustled outside the window, the only noise in an otherwise silent room. It was strangely comforting in its turmoil, dozens of sounds indistinguishable from each other and yet somehow humming together into a chaotic symphony. Perhaps it was a bit odd that such a racket was soothing, especially as accustomed as he was to quiet and calm, but the thought came and passed too quickly for him to dwell on.
Anubis took a deep breath as he stepped in front of the mirror. A black silk collar folded boldly over his chest, layered with a black haori and striped hakama pants. While he had never given much thought to his own attractiveness, if any at all, he could not deny the allure that accompanied such attire, and he found himself scrutinizing the details of his presence. He quietly drew his hair into a bundle the nape of his neck, and after a moment of consideration released it; he had never liked his hair drawn back, and clearly today was no different.
But it was different, wasn't it? He stared into the eyes of his own reflection. This was a day he had not dreamt of in ages. In fact, he was not entirely sure he had ever dreamt of it. Centuries ago, he had been a wild spirit, untamable and insatiable, and of all the things he imagined for himself, his nuptials had not been among them. He frowned at the realization.
That was not to say he had not imagined his bride beside him in glory; he could, at least, assure himself of that. But now as he ruminated on it, he could not quell the nagging feeling that it had simply been yet another selfish desire of an avaricious young man, or that he had not changed as much as he wanted to believe.
He took another deep breath, settling the tremble that crawled through his stomach. Today was different: he was absolutely certain he had never felt so uncertain before.
"Does it really count as eloping, though?" Kento shrugged. "I mean, they're really just picking up where they left off, aren't they? Dude should have done this centuries ago."
"I guess that is one way of looking at it," Mia said. "It just seems very impulsive."
"Well, it is impulsive," Kento agreed, "and I know impulsive. But this is a logical sort of impulsive."
"Kento, there is no such thing," Sage remarked.
"I don't suppose it really matters what we think, now does it?" Cye chimed in. "All of this happened way before we came along, after all." Rowen offered a half-nod of agreement as he struggled to straighten his tie.
The sitting room door slid open, drawing their attention toward it. Anubis emerged wordlessly to their collective gaze, and Ryo got to his feet to greet him.
"There's the man of the day," he said cheerfully. "Howya feeling?" He noticed the nervous look the Warlord offered him in response and he clapped a hand on his shoulder firmly. "Hey. You look great."
"Man, you're finally getting the girl," Kento added, "that's something to celebrate." Anubis managed a small chuckle, but its heavy tone betrayed the weight he was feeling, and a frown crossed Hardrock's face.
"You don't sound nearly as confident as we do," Rowen said semi-jokingly.
"You're not getting cold feet, are you?" Cye inquired, a tinge of genuine concern in his voice. Anubis furrowed his brow a bit and looked to Rowen.
"Means you're having second thoughts," he clarified.
"No," Anubis replied, but then his voice quieted as he conceded, "at least, not about her."
"Then what about?" Sage's stoicism reflected the seriousness that had come over the company.
"We are on the brink of war with the Dynasty," the Warlord acknowledged. "I fear I am marrying her only to leave her a widow."
"Hey, whoa." Kento put his hands up. "Dynasty's off-limits today. I don't want to hear about Talpa or Warlords or anything else. You already screwed this up because of them once, and that's one time too many." Insensitive as the remark may have been, Anubis could not help but laugh.
"Come on," Rowen encouraged, "let's get moving. Can't be late for your own wedding."
As he followed the warriors to the door, Anubis stopped in his tracks. He turned back into the dressing room to a few confused protests, strolling back to the dresser. A few soft sprays of lilacs lay on top of it; he had carefully selected the blooms that morning, and in his apprehension, had nearly forgotten them.
He swept back out of the room to join them again, confidence renewed and spirits lifted. Cye glanced down to the sprigs of purple clutched in the man's hand and smiled a bit, quickly looking ahead again to avoid drawing his comrades' attention to the blooms.
This cottage was much deeper into the woods than the caretaker's house, tucked in an area of the abandoned town that had been largely overtaken by wildlife. Where the cemetery was surrounded by reverent, quiet wilderness, the town had been infiltrated by boisterous life, slowly succumbing to nature. Only a few structures remained, those it appeared Iris had attempted to preserve, and the men had graciously agreed to dress here at her request. Something about tradition, she insisted, and while Anubis had not understood entirely what the purpose of such a custom was, he had gathered from Mia that he should oblige.
As they entered the characteristic cedar grove, the Warlord's stomach fluttered. The golden light of the late afternoon sun cast majestic rays through the trees, and a gentle breeze caressed the air. He caught a glimpse of silky, ivory rose petals scattered on the leaf-strewn ground, a distinct path winding through the woods.
"You ready for this?" Sage's voice was grounding, and Anubis looked up from his feet to allow his eyes to wander down the petal pathway.
The footpath trailed over the forest floor and through the cedars to a robust, solitary oak. Lush clusters of cream roses crept up its trunk, winding and swirling around the ancient tree. Elegant in its simplicity, the site was uninterrupted by chairs or other seating, unnecessary for the intimacy of the occasion.
It took Anubis several minutes to notice anything amiss. But as his company's footsteps slowed, his pace declined with them, and he looked ahead to find what they had already discovered. Only three people stood in the clearing now: Dais, dressed in a slate grey kimono, Yuli standing sheepishly near his side, and an older man Anubis recognized from town. Mia exchanged an uneasy glance with Ryo behind the Warlord's shoulder. Dais nodded resolutely to himself, stepping forward to greet them.
"Where is Iris?" Anubis asked carefully. He searched Dais's face for an answer and, finding none, his heart skipped a beat.
"She is not here," he replied dutifully, bowing his head a bit.
"She is not here," Anubis repeated. His lips and fingers tingled as if going numb.
"She's not here yet," Kento corrected.
"Someone saw her today, though, right?" Sage asked, his voice quiet. Mia chewed her lip a bit and gave him the slightest headshake, trying to avoid Anubis's sight. The motion did not go unnoticed by the groom; he took a deep, tense breath.
"Look, I'm sure she's got a good reason." Rowen assured him.
Yes, she did not want to get married, Anubis thought. That would be a damn fine reason.
"The bride is always a bit late," Cye added, "she'll be here."
The passage of time seemed to suddenly grind to a screeching halt. He felt the beat of his own heart like the ticking of a clock, each tock more excruciating than the last. His thoughts took a grim turn and his breath hung painfully in his chest. Perhaps this was payback.
She was not late. She was not coming.
A loud, thundering roar tore through his thoughts. He was slow to move in his daze, his company reacting long before he had even turned. A relieved smile crossed Mia's face first, and Kento heaved a grateful sigh. Finally, Anubis's gaze followed and met theirs.
Iris emerged at the foot of the path now, White Blaze standing proudly at her side. He roared into the trees again as if announcing their arrival, an action met with an amused grin from the caretaker as she took her first step into the grove.
She was breathtaking. Dressed in a simple gown of soft silk, she carried a diminutive bunch of hand-picked peonies, lilies, and roses in a bright palette of pink, fuchsia, indigo, and violet. A long drop veil flowed over her, hair set in dark curls cascading down her back. For a moment, Anubis was sure he was dreaming, a reverie to console his aching heart, but as she drew nearer he noticed the off-shoulder neckline of her gown had been carefully placed to conceal the chest wound she still bore, planting her firmly in reality.
After a tense moment of arrested breath, the Warlord walked to greet her. Iris smiled up at him as he approached, her eyes glimmering gold in the sunlight and cheeks touched with peachy rose. He stood there for several heartbeats in a stunned silence.
"These are for you," he finally managed clumsily, offering the sprigs of lilacs. His voice lowered to avoid being overheard, "I did not know if you would—" She tittered a bit and tenderly collected the sprays from his hand, tucking them gently amid the blooms clutched in hers.
"They're perfect," she assured him. She placed her hand gently in his open palm, and only as Kento cleared his throat did Anubis remember they were not alone. He turned to take her to his side, delicate fingers clasped tenderly in his, and led her down the aisle toward the great oak. Meeting the joyful faces of their witnesses as they passed, he smiled; even Dais offered a reassuring half-smirk and nod.
They approached the older gentleman standing beneath the oak, who had ever patiently waited in solemn quiet. His was a kind face, marked with the lines of a well-lived life, and his eyes sparkled from under his greying brows. He was dressed in a grey kimono and black hakama pants topped with a muted lavender haori jacket. Taking a moment to observe Anubis and Iris in turn, he smiled and raised his chin to speak.
"Today, we bear witness to the union of two spirits," he declared, "those of Koma Toshitada and Iris de la Rosa."
Anubis's eyes shifted from the man briefly as he caught glimpse of movement. He found Iris's head tilted almost curiously at him, the ghost of an inquisitive smile perked on her lips, and he could not resist the smirk that he returned.
Mia stepped forward and offered her hands to Iris, who gratefully passed her bouquet into them. Her own hands now free, she brought both to rest in the Warlord's palms, and he closed his fingers around them.
"Toshitada, do you come to this place willingly," the man asked, "and give yourself to this woman freely and without reserve?"
"I do." Green eyes had not moved from his bride, his voice firm and masking the tremble that fluttered in his throat.
"And do you, Iris, come to this place willingly, and give yourself to this man freely and without reserve?"
"I do."
"Then you may recite the vows."
Seeing the smile that cracked on Iris's face now made the Warlord's chest swell with warmth and he struggled to take a breath over the pounding of his heart. Somehow, he managed to draw just enough to join her as she spoke.
Today, I make a promise
That whatever happens, you will not walk alone.
I will be the sun for your brightest days,
And the stars in your darkest night.
I am your shelter in the storm,
In success and in sorrow,
From this day, until the end of my days.
Satisfied, the older man smiled and announced again to the small gathering, "with the declaration of commitment, and exchanging of vows, I now pronounce you man and wife." He offered a cheeky grin to Anubis, taking an agonizing moment to appreciate the palpable anticipation lingering in the air. Finally, he bowed his head. "You may kiss your bride."
Anubis reached under the edge of the veil and gently lifted it up and out of her face. His arms coiled around her waist to draw her against him, and finally, their lips met. He felt her grin against the kiss as Yuli erupted into an enthusiastic cheer behind him, interrupting the polite clap initiated by the warriors. It was enough to spark a greater commotion, with Kento's hollering joining in first, and White Blaze promptly roaring into the pandemonium. Laughter trickled into the merriment now, and as their kiss parted, the Warlord rested his forehead tenderly against hers. Iris brought her arms to rest on his shoulders, hands folded behind his head as she took a moment to meet his gaze.
The groom abruptly knelt and hooked his arm under her knees, sweeping her effortlessly into his arms as she managed a small squeal.
"Yeah!" Kento cheered, pumping his fist into the air. "Now that's how you do it!"
"You are ridiculous," Iris declared over Anubis's shoulder.
He turned first to acknowledge their company, nodding respectfully. Doing so, he saw the scattering of handwaves urging them off, but an undeniably suggestive smirk from Dais drew a chortle he fought to stifle. Mia stepped closer to return Iris's bouquet before Anubis's grasp on his bride tightened and he started on the path away from the gathering.
"You are not carrying me all the way back like this," Iris said.
"Is that a challenge?" Anubis's lips curled into a smirk, and the caretaker simply laughed and shook her head, resolved to her place in his arms. As the distance between them and the congregation widened, his smile faded, and when he spoke next his voice was soft. "I feared you were not coming."
The joyful expression on her face tempered and her dark eyes met his, her brows furrowing lightly as she found the utmost seriousness in his gaze. "Why?"
"I thought perhaps you had changed your mind," he confessed.
Iris coiled her hand around the back of his neck, her fingers tracing loving circles against his skin. "I've had four-hundred years to change my mind about you." She gazed at him tenderly for a long, silent moment before speaking again. "So should I start calling you Toshitada again?"
"You may call me whatever you wish." The Warlord offered earnest eyes as he returned her gaze. "I prefer 'husband'." She smiled and her face softened to something tender, almost awestruck by the word.
"Me too," she admitted.
"You guys ready to head out of here?" Ryo gestured his thumb over his shoulder.
"I'd rather get over that river before nightfall," Cye stated with a nod.
"Wait, we're not going with them?" Yuli asked, perplexed.
"No, we're going to stay in town for the night," Mia answered.
"Gotta give the newlyweds some alone time," Kento added.
"Alone time? Why?" The boy's confused blue-grey eyes looked up and around at the smattering of stifled chuckles and snickering. "Guys."
"Remind us to explain it to you when you're a little older." Rowen reached down to scruff the boy's hair playfully.