had this mostly done for a month now and just needed a kick in the shebs to finish it up. thanks for that, LS! now i present to you the wedding of Talya Harkon and Yutton Bralykburn!
After Yutton had left and before the bartender could fulfill Sanya's request Jak placed his hand over the top of her mug. "Maybe we should wait till after the blessed event to continue the celebration?"
"If you say so," she grumbled.
Really though, Sanya was glad of the excuse. Maybe it was still the concussion playing havoc with her constitution but the alcohol didn't seem to be sitting as well on her stomach as it normally did. She wouldn't be seen in public turning down a drink but if her quartermaster suggested it as a consideration for her sister, then that was alright.
She let Jak ask directions to the dressmakers where they could find Talya and they made their way there through the maze of streets. She wasn't prepared for the emotions that welled up inside her at the sight of Talya in that white gown smiling and ready to go out and meet her groom.
Thankfully the twins were alone in the dressing room of the shop when Sanya's chin started to wobble and her eyes filled with tears. She grabbed her sister and pulled her into a rough hug so even Talya wouldn't see her weakness.
"You look beautiful," the younger twin croaked. "Course you always do, in whatever."
"Nya?" Talya held her back at arms' length and quickly Sanya quickly wiped her eyes and nose on her sleeve.
"Guess he's not so bad." Sanya still didn't like Yutton as far as she could aim one of her knives at him but that didn't mean he'd be a bad husband to her sister. "He apologized for this." She gestured toward her bruised eye with her bandaged hand.
"That was very kind of him," Talya didn't mention that she had asked him to, but she would thank him for it later. She wanted to ask if Sanya had also apologized for her own behavior as she had been strongly urged when Talya had a captive audience in the captain's cabin of the Bloody Galia but she chose to save that conversation for another time.
"Aye." Sanya nodded. The kriffing tears were still threatening and though it might not be so bad to let them flow here, once they left this room she absolutely would not show such girly behavior. "So, you really wanna go through with this?" She asked.
Talya smiled compassionately grabbed a tissue from the table that was obviously put there for emotional brides who might need them but worked just as well for overwrought sisters. She wiped away Sanya's tears being extra careful around the bruising. "Aye."
Talya thought she might know what this was all about, having seen the way Jak doted over Sanya through the recovery of her injuries and the way she trusted him to keep the crew in line and everything running smoothly on her ship. It was as she always expected. They were obviously meant to be together. And… seeing her sister finally going to the salt formation maybe Sanya was starting to have thoughts about making things official with her love?
As if reading her thoughts Sanya gestured with her thumb towards the front of the shop. "Jak's waiting out there for us. We're gonna walk you out to… you know."
"Aye." Talya took a deep breath waiting for a sense of trepidation that never came. How was it that she had become the strong one today? Well, she was still to be the first married woman of the two of them. Maybe that counted for something. Or maybe it was just a different kind of bravery. "I'm ready."
Sanya went to get the dressmaker for one more check of her creation but when Talya finally emerged in her wedding gown she was amused to see that Jamos Blackwell still only had eyes for the scruffy pirate.
Talya smiled at them both, "Will you please escort me to the salt formation?"
Sanya looked somber, her hat pulled once again down over her eyes, whether to cover her bruises or her tears, Talya wasn't sure. She stood on one side of her sister while Jak nobly took up his place on the other side and offered his arm to the bride.
"I'm glad you're both here with me." Talya told her silent guardians while they walked. The crowd had lined the streets to see their future Lady make her processional. They never had to ask which way to go because the way was marked out for them.
When she didn't get a response she spoke again quietly so that only Jak and Nya could hear her. "And I'm glad that the two of you have each other rather than me being the one to meet you at the salt formation, Jak."
He looked up at the use of his preferred moniker and glanced across her toward Sanya but Sanya looked away before they could make eye contact.
To Talya's surprise, when they left the town proper there was still a steady line of watchers on either side of the path and when she looked down at her feet she saw that flower petals had been strewn over the cobbles. It was beautiful and would have taken some forethought on Yutton's part. But he had also picked out her dress and had it ready for her arrival.
Still Talya didn't react emotionally, though she heard a sniff from beneath the brim of the hat next to her. She also felt the arm holding hers tense on her other side. She was fairly sure that Jak would rather be escorting Nya to the salt formation for their own saying of vows. She would definitely have to see about arranging something after the prior event.
And then all thoughts of matchmaking flew from her head like so many mollymauks. Yutton was waiting for her, standing atop a newly constructed stone bridge.
Jak let go of her arm and stepped back so she could walk the rest of the way on her own.
Yutton held out his hand to lead her the rest of the way and she took it without hesitation. She was still amazed at how natural it felt for his large calloused fingers to close tightly around her smooth smaller digits. "You did this all for me?" she asked him, amazed.
"It's what you deserved, and much more." He laid her hand on his arm and covered it with his own, drawing her as closely as he could to his side. "I only wish we could have done the planning together and that the rest of your family could be present."
"At least I have Sanya here." Talya looked over her shoulder at her sister. "After being apart from her for so long, I never dared hope that she would be with me on my wedding day."
"I would have of course gotten a cousin or something to witness our vows if she couldn't be here." Yutton assured her. "I wouldn't have allowed our ceremony to be unlawful."
She smiled back at him sweetly. "You thought of everything."
When she looked at him that way his heart constricted in his chest and he couldn't help but think of the other matter that would truly seal their vows. They must become one in the light of the salt gods soul and body. She was beautiful and he wanted her but he would never force himself on her. If she wasn't ready, they would wait. But salt gods when she looked at him that way, he was sure he could win her heart as she had already won his.
"Ah here they are." A gruff voice disturbed the moment of silent passion that seemed to be passing between them. "And all the proper witnesses." It was Lord Bralykburn waiting at the salt formation with the minister. "What ho? Do I spy even a Blackwell? Did the Lord of the whole kriffing north decided to grace us with a representative?"
Jamos opened his mouth to speak but Sanya beat him to it. "Shut your kriffing face Bralykburn. We're here for my sister not for you."
"Ah the wench." Lord Bralyburn was not one to refuse a challenge on his own island. "Washed up with the flotsam onto our shores."
She wanted to shut him up personally but Jamos threw out a hand to hold her back. "Let's not spill any blood on Talya's special day."
It was that and for no other reason that she didn't claw his eyes out with or without a functioning knife throwing hand.
But Talya and Yutton ignored every one of the guests. They turned to the minister side by side and held out their hands to be wrapped together while they spoke the binding words.
As soon as the words were spoken and the bride and groom kissing in each other's arms Sanya lightly smacked Jak's shoulder. "That's all they need us for. Let's go."
"Don't you want to -?"
"Stick around and think about Bralykburn kriffing my sister?" She grit her teeth. "Not likely."
"Don't," Lord Bralykburn spoke again even though no one wanted to hear him. "The reception has been prepared back at the Keep. I'm sure we can find a couple of rooms for you and your companion, Miss Harkon."
"It's Captain!" She snapped. "And we don't need two rooms. One is plenty."
Talya turned from her new husband with a sigh. "Nya it wouldn't be seemly."
"I've had to share with you the whole way here."
"News of it will get back to Blackhold…" Talya may have been trying to keep her voice low but her sister saw no need.
Sanya snorted. "Well if you're so worried about appearances we'll just go back to the ship!"
She grabbed Jak's hand and started to pull him in the direction of the docks but before they could turn around a gauzy object settled over her head and Sanya was so startled she actually stopped. What in - it was the binding cloth which had been wrapped around Talya and Yutton's hands!
"Or," Talya said in a more authoritarian voice than Sanya had ever heard her use. "You could just get married here and now?"
Sanya tore the net from her head and tossed it back at her sister. "Thanks, but no thanks."