The Wedding
A few days later, Lina and Gourry gathered with their friends at Domina's church. It was a nice sunny day, the perfect atmosphere to hold a wedding in. Leon and Rooks were going to be ushers, Rutee and Teefa were going to be the bridesmaids, and Jerin and Jared were to be the flower girl and ring bearer. As expected, Nuevelle was the preacher.
Everyone watched in awe as Lina ascended to the alter on the arm of Gourry. There were tears in they eyes of a few of the more sensitive members of the audience. As she arrived at the alter, the young sorceress gave her beloved a small smile.
"In the name of the Goddess, we are gathered here to join this man and woman in holy matrimony," Nuevelle began, "May her benevolent hand guide them as they search out their future together in this uncertain world of ours."
"May the Goddess bless," everyone in the church echoed.
Nuevelle continued, "Do you, Gourry Gabriev, promise to love this woman, Lina Inverse, for the rest of your life? In sickness and in health? In good times and bad? In times of wealth and times of poverty? Until one of you succumb to the eternal sleep?"
Gourry looked blankly, he had forgotten what to do. Lina just sighed, and whispered the words in his ear. "Oh, that's right! Thanks Lina. I do."
"And do you, Lina Inverse, promise to love this man, Gourry Gabriev, for the rest of your life?" inquired Nuevelle, "In sickness and in health? In good times and bad? In times of wealth and times of poverty? Until one of you succumb to the eternal sleep?"
"I do," replied Lina.
Nuevelle motioned for Jared, who handed him the rings. He then gave them to the two, who placed them on each other's fingers. The priest then exclaimed, "I now pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss the bride."
Gourry put his arms around Lina's slim waist, as she put hers around his neck. Then, he put his lips to hers, and gave his beloved a kiss. Lina was more than happy to oblige him, she'd waited a long time for this moment.
When that was over, they began to walk out. Everyone began to throw bird seed - - courtesy of Gobi - - in the air like confetti. They then went to the field in West Domina, where the reception was going to be held - - on account of it being the biggest place around.
* * *
There, they found a huge feast waiting for them. It was so huge, that there would be enough for Lina and Gourry, and the other guests would still be able to get a decent size meal. That's where Lina had put all of the money they had earned from their little treasure hunt with the pirates, into the caterers. After all, it wouldn't be a wedding without a feast.
As she looked around, Lina saw Rooks and Teefa drinking a milkshake with two straws in the glass. Just then, a monster wandered onto the grounds and began to bite Rooks's ankle. Teefa - - in a rare moment of anger - - lost her temper, transformed into Tefoneus, and killed it. Then she changed back and continued eating. But not many people were very hungry after that incident. All Lina was thinking was that there'd be more food for her to take home in a doggie bag when it was over. Heck, a person could never have too much to eat.
At another table, Leon and Rutee were getting into an argument over something that happened before the Kronos incident. They were practically bearing their fangs at each other - - literally. It took Atwight's spirit form to calm the siblings down.
Lina could see Gobi trying to hit on Katt without success near yet another table. He finally gave up after getting hit in the head with a ninchaku. The young sorceress began to laugh at how pathetic the merchant was at romance.
Near the entrance to the park, she spotted Jerin and Jared talking to Nina about a Siren's magical power. Dies and Mina were adding their own comments to the situation, while Gilbert serenaded the girls from his spot down by a tree. He was ignored.
* * *
After dinner had ended - - and the leftovers collected by Lina - - the unmarried women began to form a circle in the center of the park. Lina then got up on a chair, and tossed the bouquet in the air. At once, all of the women dived for it. In the end, Jerin came up triumphant, after Fireballing several people to get to it.
Lina sweatdropped. 'And I thought that kid hadn't learned anything under my guidance.'
"Lina?" Gourry asked, "What comes next?"
"You take the girdle off my leg, and toss it to the unmarried men. The one who catches it is said to be the next to marry, " answered Lina.
Gourry looked like he still didn't get it. But he proceeded to take the girdle anyway. He then stood up on the chair and tossed it, and fell to the ground in the process.
All of the men ran for the girdle. It ended up landing on top of Gilbert, of all people. He then turned his eyes to the girls in the party.
Lina began to laugh. "Heh, how lucky can you get?"
Suddenly, a ominous black cloud blocked out the sun. Lightning began to crash, and people were afraid. The storm lasted only a few minutes. When it ended, a huge tree stood in some desolate land not far from Domina.
"The Mana Tree," exclaimed Lina, "I guess we have to call the party on account of having to get our butts in gear and head for home."
"Will you ever come back?" Jared asked.
Lina told him, "Probably not. We're not even sure how we came to be here in the first place. But I know you can take care of yourselves. Promise me you'll take care of the pets and Golems for us. I'll never forget you guys and the adventures we had. Goodbye."
The people gathered there then watched as the duo headed to the location of the tree - - still in their wedding clothes. Everyone there knew that they would eventually leave this world for their own. But they had hoped it wouldn't have come so soon.
- - - -
Well, they're meeting with the Goddess next chapter. You'll see why they have come to this world then.
A few days later, Lina and Gourry gathered with their friends at Domina's church. It was a nice sunny day, the perfect atmosphere to hold a wedding in. Leon and Rooks were going to be ushers, Rutee and Teefa were going to be the bridesmaids, and Jerin and Jared were to be the flower girl and ring bearer. As expected, Nuevelle was the preacher.
Everyone watched in awe as Lina ascended to the alter on the arm of Gourry. There were tears in they eyes of a few of the more sensitive members of the audience. As she arrived at the alter, the young sorceress gave her beloved a small smile.
"In the name of the Goddess, we are gathered here to join this man and woman in holy matrimony," Nuevelle began, "May her benevolent hand guide them as they search out their future together in this uncertain world of ours."
"May the Goddess bless," everyone in the church echoed.
Nuevelle continued, "Do you, Gourry Gabriev, promise to love this woman, Lina Inverse, for the rest of your life? In sickness and in health? In good times and bad? In times of wealth and times of poverty? Until one of you succumb to the eternal sleep?"
Gourry looked blankly, he had forgotten what to do. Lina just sighed, and whispered the words in his ear. "Oh, that's right! Thanks Lina. I do."
"And do you, Lina Inverse, promise to love this man, Gourry Gabriev, for the rest of your life?" inquired Nuevelle, "In sickness and in health? In good times and bad? In times of wealth and times of poverty? Until one of you succumb to the eternal sleep?"
"I do," replied Lina.
Nuevelle motioned for Jared, who handed him the rings. He then gave them to the two, who placed them on each other's fingers. The priest then exclaimed, "I now pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss the bride."
Gourry put his arms around Lina's slim waist, as she put hers around his neck. Then, he put his lips to hers, and gave his beloved a kiss. Lina was more than happy to oblige him, she'd waited a long time for this moment.
When that was over, they began to walk out. Everyone began to throw bird seed - - courtesy of Gobi - - in the air like confetti. They then went to the field in West Domina, where the reception was going to be held - - on account of it being the biggest place around.
* * *
There, they found a huge feast waiting for them. It was so huge, that there would be enough for Lina and Gourry, and the other guests would still be able to get a decent size meal. That's where Lina had put all of the money they had earned from their little treasure hunt with the pirates, into the caterers. After all, it wouldn't be a wedding without a feast.
As she looked around, Lina saw Rooks and Teefa drinking a milkshake with two straws in the glass. Just then, a monster wandered onto the grounds and began to bite Rooks's ankle. Teefa - - in a rare moment of anger - - lost her temper, transformed into Tefoneus, and killed it. Then she changed back and continued eating. But not many people were very hungry after that incident. All Lina was thinking was that there'd be more food for her to take home in a doggie bag when it was over. Heck, a person could never have too much to eat.
At another table, Leon and Rutee were getting into an argument over something that happened before the Kronos incident. They were practically bearing their fangs at each other - - literally. It took Atwight's spirit form to calm the siblings down.
Lina could see Gobi trying to hit on Katt without success near yet another table. He finally gave up after getting hit in the head with a ninchaku. The young sorceress began to laugh at how pathetic the merchant was at romance.
Near the entrance to the park, she spotted Jerin and Jared talking to Nina about a Siren's magical power. Dies and Mina were adding their own comments to the situation, while Gilbert serenaded the girls from his spot down by a tree. He was ignored.
* * *
After dinner had ended - - and the leftovers collected by Lina - - the unmarried women began to form a circle in the center of the park. Lina then got up on a chair, and tossed the bouquet in the air. At once, all of the women dived for it. In the end, Jerin came up triumphant, after Fireballing several people to get to it.
Lina sweatdropped. 'And I thought that kid hadn't learned anything under my guidance.'
"Lina?" Gourry asked, "What comes next?"
"You take the girdle off my leg, and toss it to the unmarried men. The one who catches it is said to be the next to marry, " answered Lina.
Gourry looked like he still didn't get it. But he proceeded to take the girdle anyway. He then stood up on the chair and tossed it, and fell to the ground in the process.
All of the men ran for the girdle. It ended up landing on top of Gilbert, of all people. He then turned his eyes to the girls in the party.
Lina began to laugh. "Heh, how lucky can you get?"
Suddenly, a ominous black cloud blocked out the sun. Lightning began to crash, and people were afraid. The storm lasted only a few minutes. When it ended, a huge tree stood in some desolate land not far from Domina.
"The Mana Tree," exclaimed Lina, "I guess we have to call the party on account of having to get our butts in gear and head for home."
"Will you ever come back?" Jared asked.
Lina told him, "Probably not. We're not even sure how we came to be here in the first place. But I know you can take care of yourselves. Promise me you'll take care of the pets and Golems for us. I'll never forget you guys and the adventures we had. Goodbye."
The people gathered there then watched as the duo headed to the location of the tree - - still in their wedding clothes. Everyone there knew that they would eventually leave this world for their own. But they had hoped it wouldn't have come so soon.
- - - -
Well, they're meeting with the Goddess next chapter. You'll see why they have come to this world then.