For all of my awesome reviewers who wanted more:
Chapter 12
Preparations
The next day, Kel and Dom went and told Kel's parents of their upcoming wedding. "Why Kel, that's wonderful!" Ilane explained once her daughter had settled down and had told her parents about Dom's proposal.
"Congratulations," Piers said gruffly to his future son-in-law, tears wetting his eyes. Ilane escorted Dom and Piers out of the room with a simple explanation.
"Time to make wedding preparations. You two should go out and talk for a while. You may be bored by our talk." Piers and Dom walked out of the room, discussing hunting techniques.
"First, we need to put together a list of guests so we can send out the invitations."
"Dom and I did that yesterday. It took us about 7 hours, but we finally finished." Kel explained as she handed her mother the list of guests.
"There are about 100 people on that list!!" Ilane exclaimed, surprised, as Kel shot her an apologetic look.
"I'm sorry for having so many relatives and friends!!" Kel replied tartly
"Don't talk to me like that." Ilane said curtly, then surprised by her own words, meekly said, "We need to make sure there are refreshments and seating for everyone."
Ilane and Kel finally decided that the wedding meal would be suckling pig, roast goose, bread with preserves, and most importantly, lettuce salads. "To make sure Neal eats his vegetables." Kel explained at her mother's questioning look.
After about two months of planning, they finally went to Lalasa to design Kel's wedding dress.
"It must be something simple but dazzling, something that will draw the eyes to her, but not shining enough so that people only focus on the dress itself." Ilane told Lalasa, who, with small nods, agreed with Kel's mother.
Kel suddenly had an idea. "Because the only part of the ceremony itself will be on horseback, the dress should have a cape that trails to the hindquarters of the horse, to give the idea of a flowing lengthy dress."
"Good, milady." Lalasa answered to her old employer, a little surprised at Kel's quick thinking.
Three months later the dress was finished. It was a white, milky full-length dress, skin-tight until just below the hips, where it flared out to accentuate Kel's feminine curves. Around the dress, pearls were sewn into the fabric, in the design of flowers, to represent spring and a new life. The sleeves went about three-quarters of the way down Kel's arm then tapered out, just barely brushing the floor. The neckline was inlaid with diamonds; showing a little more than was modest. As much as Kel protested, Lalasa and Ilane persisted in leaving the neckline at that length. Kel had a veil, made of silky white lace, and embroidered with the same flower pattern that the pearls created on the dress. Fully over her face, the veil reached Kel's waist, the back ending just below the back of Kel's knees. Along with the dress was a flowing cape that dragged about two feet behind Kel, the edge inlaid with the same size and quality diamonds as the neckline of the dress. It was meant to be laid upon the back of a horse behind the saddle. The horse she was riding for the beginning of the ceremony, rightfully named Snowdrift for her snowy color, was gentle tempered and sweet.
Dom was to walk down the aisle in his King's own uniform (A/N: do they actually have uniforms?? I thought I remembered reading about them, but I could be wrong.. and if so..what did they look like??) and wait as Kel was escorted by her father, while riding Snowflake, up to him. Dom would help Kel dismount and the ceremony would begin.
As the wedding crawled closer, Kel started to count the days and finished some last minute preparations. Three days before the wedding, the men set out to hunt for the exquisite animals that would be sacrificed and eaten for the wedding dinner as the women harvested the lettuce and started their fires to bake the bread and meat the hunters would bring home.
Everything was ready, and Dom was in place. Kel sat upon Snowdrift and looked at the crowd of people she and Dom had invited to the wedding. The music started up and Piers took Snowdrift's reins. He walked slowly down the aisle towards Dom, whose mouth was wide open at the shock of seeing this beautiful creature, his wife-to-be, ride down the aisle, all eyes upon her.
Kel's hair was unbound under her lace veil, diamonds strategically placed all over her chestnut colored hair. Everyone noticed that she wore only a slight touch of lip rogue and such a faint trace of cheek paint, so that it seemed as if she were blushing. Dom took Kel's hands in his and gently placed her on the ground after lifting her off of Snowdrift. They took hands and waited for the long ceremony to end. Finally, after what seemed like hours to both the bride and groom, came the ending words of the ceremony. "You may now kiss the bride." Dom carefully and slowly lifted Kel's veil, heart pumping loudly and wildly, and gently eased his lips upon Kel's. She returned his kiss with such passion, he found it hard to think, and harder to constrain any thoughts he shouldn't be thinking at this time. They finally broke, taking a deep breath and the crowd broke into applause. Dom announced, "Let the festivities begin!" After hours of feasting, playing games, and much drinking, Kel and Dom retired for the night, the guests applauding them as they climbed the stairs to their new chambers.
There's chapter 12 and I think that just about sums up the story. Do you want me to keep rambling on about their married life?? Or write an epilogue about it?? Or even write a sequel about them?? Or should I write a sequel about their children?
Anyway, please review with any ideas, and as always, compliments, advice, criticism, and flames are welcome!!