Second chapter today.
The wedding
Some days later, while Siegfried was putting his elegant clothes for the wedding, he told Raphael who was helping him:
-You know what? My cousins now want to see me…
-Cousins… From your father's side?
-Yes. I will marry a princess, so suddenly, I'm worth something…
-Humpf! Despicable aristocrats!
-I invited my family on my mother's side but I did wonder if I should invite my paternal side… But they sent me a letter saying they learnt about my wedding and were proud of me… So finally, I decided to invite them too.
-Why didn't you let them rot?
-Well, you did make peace with your brother… You wrote to him, nein? Maybe I should with my family…
-… My brother made some efforts… But maybe… Do as you feel.
-Well, I don't intend to become best friend with them… They'll only come to the marriage then we won't see each other anymore… But we'll be on good terms… Even if I don't see them… and maybe we could get along better than I think…
-Very well, do as you wish.
And Raphael began taking care of his own clothes. He told Siegfried:
-I hope you all won't be too jealous of my stunning looks. I did put my most elegant clothes…
Siegfried chuckled. He was glad Raphael was coming.
-I'm ready. Said Zwei who came into the room wearing some clothes for the wedding.
Raphael gazed at Zwei then shook his head in desperation. He suddenly picked the younger man by the sleeve and began to take him with him.
-What? What did I do? Asked Zwei.
-Among many things, you dress horribly. Since you are almost my son-in-law, I have to protect the family honour and take care of your looks. You can't humiliate Viola like this. Beside you are the best man, I cannot let you humiliate Siegfried either.
-Best man… Damn, I'm nervous as hell… What do I do?
-Well, first, you don't swear… and try to speak well… The use of damn, hell, and such, should be forbidden.
-Okay. And what is so bad about my clothes?
-Soo many things… At least, you buttoned your pants this time… To enter a church with unbottonned pants would have been so… I cannot dare think of it. So second, you don't wear clothes that revealing for a wedding. Button your shirt. Third, your boots look like you are about to make some long trek, not attend some formal event. Forth…
Raphael sighed.
-Little boy, you have much to learn about good manners and dressing style…
-Little boy? … Okay, papa. answered Zwei with a mischievous smile.
Raphael looked at him with a surprised look.
-Do not call me like that.
He took an offended air but Zwei could guess Raphael was not as offended as he looked. With all the time Zwei left Viola alone with him, Raphael felt less threathened in his place in Viola's heart, so he was more able to accept Zwei even if only to some extend… and not always…
-Well now you're my father-in-law…
-… Only if you get married to my daughter… Remember that… I did say almost son-in-law. Don't get too excited over it…
-But I got your blessing?
-… Non. I am glad you seem to like my daughter and care for her… I appreciate that. I think you really care about Viola… She told me you saved her life… You helped her when she was in need… She also told me you have always been kind to her… I accept you as long as you are kind to my daughter… Treat her kindly and you shall have my friendship but hurt her and I shall kill you. And a wedding is still out of the question.
-I'll never hurt your daughter. I love Viola. You have nothing to worry about. But I suppose that as a father, you'll always worry… I understand.
For a second, Raphael's haughty air changed for a more surprised one before he turned haughty again.
-Indeed. I shall always worry for her. So like I said, you better be good to her or I'll kill you. But to be honest, I do trust you enough to know you care for her. I think I won't have to kill you.
-Good relations begin like that: By not killing each other…
-Indeed… Bon, I think you look more acceptable now… said Raphael as he finished arranging Zwei's clothes.
After Raphael finished with Zwei, they went to see Siegfried once more. The future husband was now with Maxi, Kilik and Xiba. Kilik and Xiba were both dressed in some elegant Chinese clothes while Maxi had his own elegant style, white as always. When he saw Raphael, the pirate exclaimed:
-Hey man! You got black hair! Like me! And you combed them like me! That's too cool! We look like brothers! Hi five, man!
Raphael only lifted his hand and Maxi clapped in it. He didn't really do these Hi five things… but to please Maxi, this time, he half did it…
-Yes, look like brothers… In fact, it is for more discretion… I put your hair style so if they recognize me as Graf Dumas I shall tell them I'm you instead.
Zwei had also dyed his white hair black to not look too malfested, mostly since he will be the best man and will be seen by many.
Sometimes later, the men were all ready and Raphael and Zwei went to see Viola. She was wearing a very pretty long lilas dress, not showing her legs because unlike Zwei, she knew how to dress for formal events. So her dress was not offensive like most of her normal dresses were. Viola had dyed her hair red to look more normal and since she liked her real hair color. The seer was surprised at the sight of her boyfriend looking all elegant.
-Wow! You're… different but you are very handsome! You look great!
-You think so? I feel silly… answered Zwei while blushing.
Suddenly Raphael told him:
-What did I tell you? You look great but now kept your carriage high! Your posture is important! You're the best man! Honour your position!
Zwei began to breathe faster. Somehow he was flattered Siegfried had chosen him but the part was making him feel really nervous. Each times Raphael or anyone mentionned about it, he was becoming nervous.
Viola then adressed her father.
-Papa… You look strange with black hair but you're very handsome… though I prefer you with your blond hair. But any way you are, you are handsome.
Raphael blushed.
-Merci, Viola. And you are very beautiful.
-Yes, you look like a princess, said Zwei.
Viola blushed at both the compliments.
Then Raphael went to the All Saint's Church with his daughter and Zwei.
As he gazed at the Lutheran church, Raphael wondered since how much time he didn't enter a church. He never entered a Protestant one before but even Catholic, it has been a long while… Oh. Suddenly he remembered. He entered one not long ago… as Graf Dumas… Those were very faint memories since he was controlled by Soul Edge but, to please the Emperor and Catholic side, he did go to the church sometimes… And he was actually scared to go inside as a vampire… He went inside as much worse not long ago and no lightning hit him… So feeling a little less worried, Raphael went to sit with Viola. Meanwhile Zwei went to see Siegfried since he was the best man after Viola wished him good luck.
Raphael and Viola were sitting more in the middle of the church since at the front, it was all those royalties and nobilities invited for a princess' wedding. Since Hilde was a princess, she was part of the royalty, so many wanted to come. The Emperor Rudolf wasn't there as Siegfried told Raphael but technically Raphael was not a too important guest since he did not come as an aristocrat so he was not close to the nobility who may recognize him and because of this reason, Hilde and Siegfried didn't try to give him a good place since he didn't want to be seen. But still even at this more discreet place, Raphael tried not to get too noticed by anyone. He mostly only came because Siegfried and Hilde invited him and insisted on his presence.
Observing the aristocrats, Raphael noticed many persons he knew were presents. Some who had been malfested by him and were now purified… Like the haughty looking Baron Von Hohenwald, General Schmitz and his wife and some others… The Baron of Falkenbach who always had good sentiments toward malfested without being one himself and who sometimes dared argue with Graf Dumas was there… The knight of Lorentz was there as well… Gazing at his beautiful daughter, Raphael wondered if the womanizer knight would try to flirt with her and not only would annoy Viola but may recognize him by her side… Countess Valentine was there of course and Raphael hoped she would not see him. He didn't really know if he could trust her even if Siegfried told him she was on their side… Like that Cassandra Alexandra, who was sitting almost at the front row as maid of honor… Patroklos and Pyrrha's aunt… She was invited since she was friend with Hilde… At least her nephew and niece didn't follow but still Raphael didn't want to be seen by her…
Then after a while, the groom to be and wife to be entered the church as the organ played some wedding music. All eyes went on them and Siegfried tried not to blush while Hilde was perfectly used to this kind of attention. They went to the altar and pronounced the I do then as the wedding was declared, they kissed under everybody's applauses.
Then sometimes later it was the celebration and the bal. A table was dressed with many choice of delicate food. Kilik was trying to tell Xiba to not eat too much while Maxi was laughing. Leixia was whirling around in her European dress. She thought that with her Chinese combing and her frilly dress, she looked great and was excited to be at a bal. Though she was sad Natsu wasn't here since she left so fast with her sensei but Maxi promised her to take her to Japan to visit Natsu soon. Raphael was standing in some corner with Viola when suddenly someone said:.
-Tiens, tiens, I know that black haired young man…
Raphael turned his head and saw Le Bello with Gisele by his arm. Dampierre was here with an elegant but flashy suit with a big bow and of course, his top hat and crazy mustache. When Le Bello noticed Raphael, he could not believe it. He thought his friend had died but he was there, with Viola, the girl Ludovigo recognized as Amy and only told him not long ago.
Sometimes ago…
Ludovigo, who was recovering finely was talking of anything with Alphard while entering Venice.
-You know, that white haired girl who took care of me?
-Yeah, she looked strange… I think she was malfested.
-Yeah, she was, she told me. But I was not talking about that. I mean I met her long ago…
-Really?
-Yeah. I met her in Venice when she…
He suddenly remembered something and turned to Dampierre who was gazing with interest at a lovely woman passing by while stroking his mustache.
-She knew you boss…
Dampierre turned to him.
-Huh? What?
-That bambina… I forgot to tell you… She was looking for her father… and she said he was your friend… I don't remember his name…
He added on a pitiful tone.
-And I forgot to tell you… I mean you were gone for so long…
-Wait… What are you talking about?
-I mean the little girl I met in Venice many years ago… I helped her against some men pursuing her. She was the one who took care of me now… She looked like her though she had white hair and red eyes but she was malfested, she told me…
Not really understanding Ludovigo's rambling, Dampierre asked for more details.
-Wait, you met a girl many years ago who lost her father and you saw her again now?
-Yeah, but she had red hair and green eyes, now she had white hair and red eyes…
-Are you sure it's the same?
-Yeah. Almost.
-A girl with white hair… white hair… Wait… Raphael was looking for a girl with white hair… Amy had red hair… What the… ? What was her name? She was in the other camp?
-I don't know her name… She told me many years ago but I forgot. I have a good memory with faces but not with names…
Dampierre was thinking about all this : If that white haired girl that Raphael was looking for was Amy and that girl was with Siegfried and Hilde, it could make sense… It may be the reason why Raphael didn't want to talk about her… She was on the other side…
Maybe he missed an occasion to make money… and help Raphael… and Amy… If only he had known about Amy's presence in Venice many years ago… Maybe he would have had taken her by his side, have taken care of her and Raphael would have been happy and grateful… He gazed a little annoyed at Ludovigo for not telling him before but his henchman didn't know Amy was so important and now it was too late… Raphael was dead. Whatever. It was done and they were now in Venice…
Somehow Dampierre regretted Ludovigo had forgot about it since they could have received bigger gifts with this deed… Now Raphael was alive but completely broke… No time to ask him anything valuable… except his friendhip…
But now that he knew his friend was alive and even invited to the wedding, Dampierre also wondered if Raphael was angry to have been abandonned during the battle but he was Nightmare then… But still Dampierre wanted to make sure Raphael wouldn't talk.
-You don't know how glad I am to see you! Someone told me you were dead. But it seems you had something to do with Nightmare's death…
-Hum… Yes…
Noticing Raphael's trouble and making some ties with the fact the Frenchman had dyed his hair, Dampierre assumed he did not want to be recognized so somehow, he won't accuse him as well… Then always acting theatrically, he exclaimed while looking at Viola.
-Ah, So you are Amy! The beautiful Amy!
As he said that, he bowed, took her hand and gallantly kissed it. Viola was surprised by the gesture and blushed.
-You recognized me? Monsieur Dampierre you haven't changed…
-Ah-ha! Le Bello has wonderful beauty tricks to keep young and handsome!
He did lose some hair at the top, thought Raphael who saw him without his top hat during the many evenings they spent together in his salon but he would not say to humiliate Dampierre.
-But you Amy, have changed… You've blossomed into a beautiful flower named Viola… continued Dampierre who kept staring at her with an admiring gaze before he added:
-You… definitively are gorgeous!
Viola blushed. She then noticed the woman by Dampierre's side, looking slightly cold. Gisele was wearing her red hair in a toupet hiding her eyepatch since it may not look too elegant in this place yet her other eye was staring at Dampierre complimenting Viola. The seer asked her:
-Hum… Are you his wife?
-Yes. Answered Gisele with a half smile before Le Bello could say they weren't married in fact. Beside they came as a couple here…
-You look like Princesse Hildegarde. continued Viola.
Gisele laughed. This remark sent her in a good mood.
-I know! Someone else told me a little sooner! That's funny! I can say I'm her long lost sister! Hahaha!
Noticing the women now seemed to get along, Dampierre grabbed Raphael and brought him a little further away.
-Let the women speak together for a while, I have something to ask you, Raphael.
As they were quietly alone in some corner, Dampierre continued.
-Princess Hilde invited me at her wedding but she doesn't know the role Le Bello played in this story. Me and my associates did a lot of effort to hide any… Hum… embarrassing evidences… So if you could remain quiet about it, it would be greatly appreciated, mon ami… And about the way we parted… In fact, euh… We left because, hum… You… You were not yourself… You were… Well, you know…
-Indeed… I am sorry… for the things I have done… And I won't speak about you.
-Merci! You're a great friend and I want to reasserted my friendship to you! To you, really, not Nightmare.
-Fine. You don't speak about me to anyone and I won't about you.
-Okay. Deal.
Then both sides being reassured as to the silence of the other, Dampierre and Gisele left to go eat some cake. Then it was the dance. Siegfried and Hilde opened the ball and gracefully danced together. Hilde had really taught Siegfried well since her knight didn't make any mistake as they danced in front of everyone. Then others came to dance as well. As much as he would have loved to dance, Raphael didn't do it. He had to keep a low profile to not be recognized… Then Viola came to him.
-Papa, do you want to dance?
-Non, I don't feel too good.
-Are you okay?
-Yes, don't worry, ma chérie. But I just don't want to dance.
Viola gazed at him with some surprise. Raphael not wanting to dance? She leaned on him and whispered to him:
-Is it that you're scared someone will recognize you?
-Yes.
-But people barely look at the others, they are all too busy for it. You dance perfectly, you should come.
Raphael smiled as Viola told him he danced perfectly.
-Merci ma chérie. But don't worry about me. There will be other occasions to dance. Why don't you dance with Zwei?
-He's too shy. He says he learned some steps but he just can't go on the dance floor.
Raphael smiled in amusement as he imagined the poor werewolf all troubled in front of the dance floor. Maxi who was dancing with Ivy previously then came to see Viola.
-Hey, Viola, are you dancing with someone?
-As you can see, non.
-Do you want to dance with me?
-Euh, non merci. Answered the seer as she gazed at her father and Zwei.
-Okay.
And Maxi left. Dampierre came.
-Viola! Do you want to dance with Le Bello the magnificent?
-Non merci.
-Are you sure? Such a beautiful creature like you should not waste her time not dancing. Someone should ask you, continued the con man as he gazed at Zwei. And if that someone doesn't, others will.
-Non, I'm fine, said Viola as she sat down.
After some times, Zwei came before her.
-Hum… Viola… Do you want to dance?
Viola shyly smiled.
-Okay…
And she got up to go dance with Zwei. Raphael looked at them and noticed that Viola was dancing as gracefully as before. He was so proud of her! Zwei was dancing not too badly… Though he wouldn't win any contest… He lacked grace… Though they did look good together on the dance floor… even if Viola danced so much more gracefully than Zwei…
-You do not dance? Suddenly asked some feminine voice taking him out of his thoughts.
Raphael turned around and noticed Ivy. He did not look very pleased to see her.
-Oh, Comtesse Valentine… What do you want?
-Mostly I wanted to scare you… To see your face as you feared being discovered… answered Ivy with a smirk.
Raphael's face hardened.
-Will you denounce me?
-If I denounced you as a malfested, you would denounce me as well. There are too many malfested around here… If I denounced you as Graf Dumas, there would be some chaos and too many troubles would ensue…
-So you won't?
-No. It is a wedding, not a battlefield.
-Will you kill me another day?
-You want me to be perfectly honest with you?
-Yes or else you may not bother talking.
-Alright. The truth is… I do not know. Since you are not that evil, I shall probably not but if I hear you just made one minion or caused one innocent death… I'll come and kill you.
Raphael suddenly seemed more relieved and answered with a smirk:
-That seems reasonnable… Since you are not killing me, I was wondering… Princesse Hildegarde told me you got all your books back, even the one with the soul repair thing that you got back in my castle…
-The soul repair thing… Oh yes… and?
-I was wondering if you could lend it to me for a while…
Ivy was so surprised at the unexpected request that she somehow got confused and didn't know what to say.
-Huh… You already had it since a while… I need my book… What do you need in it? The soul repair thing as you said?
-Yes.
-I won't give it to you. Yet you can come one day to study it. But I shall keep it at home. You're not really reliable to not lose them…
Raphael smirked.
-And… you will kill me when I will come?
-Probably not… answered Ivy with a smile.
-This will be interesting… trying to read and understand a book while watching for my back…
-Indeed… I do not think you'll be bored…
-But I am agreeably surprised by your answer… I shall come one day, Comtesse…
And Raphael gracefully bowed to her before he left. Maybe he had to be even more discreet… It went well with Ivy but it won't go well with everyone… Yet what a good news, if he could repair his soul, he may be free from Soul Edge one day…
Hilde and her new husband Siegfried came toward Raphael. They were accompanied by Hilde's children who seemed to really accept Siegfried as their new father, the little girl always insisting to be in his arms and the young boy addressing him very respectfully but also familiarly.
-You should come to my duchy, Raphael, said Hilde. My friend Cassandra will stay for some days and we could organize some Jeu de paume… Have you met her yet?
Raphael was embarrassed; he did not want to meet Cassandra.
-Ah… That is very kind of you, Votre Altesse, but I promised my daughter I would go visit my brother with her and Zwei after the wedding. I already wrote to him about it. I have a lot of places to go… Me, Amy, euh, Viola and Zwei will also be going to visit some other friends in many places…
-Fine. Well then we shall wish you a nice trip and come back anytime you wish, you shall always be welcome here. All of you…
-Take care, said Siegfried. Please come back soon, I'll miss you all…
Somehow Siegfried knew he would miss his two Schwarzwind members, whom he considered almost like his kids, and Raphael that he really appreciated, almost like a brother. They were all family.
So sorry for the lame description of the wedding. I never been to a protestant wedding. Even less one at the Renaissance period involving royalty and I couldn't find any information.
By the way, the church is the one where Martin Luther put his Ninety-five These, protesting against the sale of indulgences by the Catholic Church and thus began the Protestant Reform.
