Eratos
Part Seven: Black Lilies and White Roses





"Can't believe that Colonel Schubaltz is getting married." Van Flyheight entered the cathedral in a dress uniform, beside him in a peach gown was Fiona. Zeke tromped behind them, wearing a larger-than-life bowtie. "I always knew there was something going up between him and his new second-in-command."

"It is exciting, right, Van?" Fiona smiled, hugging his arm tightly. "Everyone deserves to be happy."

"Yeah, true. But.... I dunno... something about Leon just kinda... Well...."

"But Van, you do remember that Mr. Aethelwulf has saved your life twice during the Death Saurer fight."

"True." Van sighed, then signed the guestbook, he handed Zeke the pen. Zeke wrote some scribbles and growled playfully, then frantically adjusted his tie. Fiona signed the guestbook under Van's name and smiled, setting the pen down. They walked into the altar room to sit down.

Irvine and Moonbay were next, Moonbay turned to adjust Irvine's tie.

"I look like a penguin." Irvine groaned, then allowed Moonbay to comb his hair back.

"You look handsome, Irvine. Don't sweat it."

"I do?"

"Yes." She laughed, but they were joined by Fiona as she left for the bathroom. "Hey, Fiona."

"Hello, Irvine. Moonbay." Fiona smiled, the girls wandered to the bathroom. "Tell Van we'll be right back."

"Girls..." Irvine groaned, then tore the bowtie off.

The last to enter was Thomas dressed in his Imperial uniform and next to him in a beautiful red gown was Nancy. Nancy powdered her nose, almost covering the small blue mark under her right eye. "This is it. I'll be getting a brother-in-law."

"You sure are, cowboy." Nancy smiled, applying her lipstick. "I'm proud of your big brother and his new beau."

Thomas signed the guestbook, then adjusted his pins. Nancy signed also, she gave Thomas a kiss to the nose and smiled. "I'll take my seat. I'm sure as your brother's Best Man, you'd like to spend some brotherly time together."

"See you at the reception." Thomas smiled then kissed her cheek.

"So long, cowboy." Nancy winked and entered the room, sitting down next to her younger brother and O'Connell. Hermann looked at her and grinned.

"I could smell you a mile away. Took another perfume bath, Nanc?"

"Puh-lease... gotta look nice for my squeeze's brother's wedding."

"You look nice either way." O'Connell smiled at her, getting a smile in return.

"Like my little DiBison pilot, a man with manners. Why can't my little brother be as courtious as his flame?"

"Hey..." Hermann looked at her, flustered.

Thomas knocked on the door to Karl's dressing room, then opened the door to enter. Karl was getting dressed in his ceremonial uniform, there was a small bouquet of white roses and black lilies on the vanity, tied together in a lavender ribbon. The lovely colonel turned to face Thomas, there was no mystery of his true happiness.

"Hey." Thomas stepped inside the room, smiling. "Look at you, finally tying the knot. I always knew that you'd be the first to marry. I am so proud of you, Karl."

"Thank-you, Thomas." Karl slipped his arms around Thomas, tearful. The younger Schubaltz wrapped his arms around Karl tightly, also tearful.

"My big brother's finally getting married. I dunno how to handle having a 15,000-year-old brother-in-law." Thomas laughed, but still tearful.

Karl laughed also, but it was half-hearted and tearful at best. Thomas wiped the tears from Karl's cheeks and then wiped his own. "Well, I'll go congratulate the lucky groom."

"Alright, Thomas."

Exitting the room, the lieutenant wiped more tears from his eyes and headed across the hallway to talk to Leon. Sitting in the sunlight, meditating, Leon's concentration was deeper than ever. Many things flooded his mind right now, even more so during this happy occassion.




"Gravity cannon armed, sir." The female assistant spoke, looking at the panels.

"Ready..." Karl put his hand on the firing mechanism. "Aiming..."

"130.997 to the left.... 334.761 higher.... ready, sir."

"FIRE!" Hermann commanded over the loud speaker.

Karl fired the gravity cannon, the Death Stinger met its' end. The Blade Liger, the Lightning Saix and the DiBison were escaping the shockwave. From the ashes, the Death Stinger's tail fired at the DiBison, knocking Thomas out of the game. Van and Irvine turned around, watching the shockwave creep up on the DiBison.

"THOMAS!!!! THOMAS!!!!!"

Karl opened his eyes to see the shockwave approaching on Thomas, terror paled his already procelain features. Leon ran out of the Ultrasaurer and casted a spell to get him to the DiBison immediately. When he appeared on top of the iron bull, the shockwave was too close to cast a teleportation spell. Instead, summoning all he could, Leon chanted: "Mighty Aegis, strong and noble. Summon me a shield to protect us from the void that ensues!"

A circle of runes appeared around the DiBison right as the shockwave consumed them. Leon screamed in agony as the shockwave blasted him off the DiBison. Landing on the rocks with a LOUD, bone-crunching THUD, Leon's broken body rolled in the ground for a few minutes. The DiBison however was safe from harm, the runes were still around it, protecting it. Van and Irvine rushed to Thomas's side when the shockwave ended, but they saw the quintessense skid leading to Leon's battered body.

"Major Aethelwulf!!!"

Leon slowly and painfully stagged up, his arms fell loosely against his battered torso. His uniform was stained and saturated with quintessence and his hair was a mess. With bones in his arm cracking and grinding together as he raised it, the handsome arch-mage gave Van and Irvine a thumb's up and a bloody smile.

"Leon.... you idiot..." Karl sat in the seat of the gravity cannon, shaken to tears. "T-thank-you for saving Thomas.... but don't put yourself in harm's way. I love you too much."




"Leon?" Thomas opened the door and crept in the room, closing the door behind him. "Hey..."

Snapping out of his meditation, the Imperial bishounen stood up to face his soon-to-be brother-in-law. He smiled almost sadly, but also very enthralled.

"Hello, Thomas."

"I know that there's a few things we don't agree on. But I just want to tell you... take care of him." Thomas leaned against the door, looking Leon in the eyes. "I never seen my brother this happy, this content except when he's with you."

"Awww... Thomas. I..."

"You deserve Karl, I was always blind to that until recently, before the proposal. You give out hope and happiness like it was candy from your pocket. I never seen Karl so amored over anyone, but I know that the love is true. Karl doesn't believe in one-night-stands."

"Neither do I. But thank-you... for having faith in me." Leon smiled, finishing pinning his badges on, then patting Thomas on the shoulder. "I will do anything in my power to make Karl happy. If a frown is ever on his face, I will climb Mt. Erebus to make that frown turn into a smile again."

"I know you will, Leon. I know you will."




The priest of the wedding was none other than Emperor Rudolph himself. Stepping out into the aisle in a black version of his Imperial Major outfit complete with badges of nobility and rank and honor, was Leon. There was a white rose pinned on his uniform, his long slate-blue hair was in a baid. The braid was tied together by a royal blue ribbon tied in a bow. Leon's monocle was gold, not gold-plated and the glass was crystal, not glass. The Best Man behind him was a young Cadet under his care, but also one of his most loyal. Leon's best man was a girl, a nice looking young lady with short, spiky black hair, Oriental eyes and olive skin. She held the pillow with the ring on it, and she was also wearing a white rose on her uniform.

The music began and from the back, Karl stepped into the aisle. His hair was slicked back and he was wearing a black lily instead of a white rose. His bouquet were of white roses and black lilies, tied together by a lavender bow. Walking up to Leon, Karl smiled at his groom, then they put their hands together.

"The rings." Rudolph smiled at the Oriental girl and Thomas, they handed Leon and Karl the rings, smiling.

Sliding the ring on Karl's finger, Leon spoke in a deep, amorous voice. "I promise to you to be faithful, loyal, loving, and compassionate. I will fight the wind for you, I will walk in the fire for you. I promise the world to you, and all I ask is for you to be by my side until I die."

Karl let out a small, flattered chuckle, but slid the ring on Leon's finger. "I promise to you to be faithrul, loyal, loving and compassionate. I will fight the wind for you, I will walk in the fire for you. I promise the world to you and all I ask is for you to be by my side until I die."

Leon leaned forward, their gaze met and held fast. "You are my lover, my best friend, my brother, my husband and my confidant and I wouldn't have it any other way."

"I have faith in you." Karl responded softly, but the whole cathedral heard. "I always have, I always will."

Rudolph cleared his throat and smiled, clasping his hands together. "I now pronounce you by the Great Guylos Empire and the Imperial Royal Court, true lovers for life. You may now kiss the bride.... let's see that kiss."

Leon and Karl kissed deeply, getting the cathedral to kiss and clap. Zeke's loud hurrays were heard the loudest, his metallic body clanged against the wooden pews. Leon and Karl rushed out of the cathedral, and into Leon's König Wolf. The well-wishers gathered to watch the König Wolf take off at good speed.

Thomas smiled and wrapped his arm around Nancy, then stretched. "Ahh, Leon Nygel Schubaltz... that does kinda sound nice."

"Yes, it sure does, sugah." Nancy smiled, her arm around Thomas.

Moonbay wiped a tear away, and turned to Irvine, seeing the bowtie was gone. "Irvine! Where's your tie!?"

"Uhm... but I look like a dork with it on, Moonbay!"

"ERGH!!!"

"Wonder where they're going for their honeymoon." The Oriental cadet asked, then looked at Hermann.

"Dunno, Jinx." Hermann smiled, patting her on the head. "I'm sure your Major will send a postcard."

"Hey!" Jinx shouted playfully, then play-punched Hermann in the ribs.

"Wherever it is, I'm sure one thing's going to be consistant." Thomas grinned slyly, looking at everyone. "The sex'll probably be even more wild now."





-Continued?-



Author's note: Shall I write a honeymoon lemon chapter? Or shant I?