Chapter 17: Marriage.

Yuna stared at the mirror, her heart doing summersaults in her chest.

She was wearing a wedding dress. She never thought she would wear one, if she had summoned the Final Aeon she wouldn't have, if he hadn't have come to her.

"Come on! We want to see!"

"Rikku!" Yuna laughed as her cousin got scolded by Lulu. She felt shy. When she stepped out of the hut, everyone would be looking at her. She never liked that. They had only invited a few people, but she still hated being at the centre of attention. She slowly stepped out of the bedroom to the small lounge where the others were waiting. She heard them gasp.

"Awwwwwwww!" Rikku leapt up and clapped her hands, nearly ripping the hem of her own dress. "You look beautiful Yunie!" She cried and threw her arms around Yuna.

"Our little girl is all grown up and marrying a mad man!" Yuna giggled. Her three maids were wearing white dresses, each one personalised to suit them. Paine wore a strapless dress with a strait skirt. Rikku was wearing a similar one but with a frothy skirt with many layers of netting and lace. Lulu had a white dress with a low back and a slit up the side, which Yuna had persuaded her not to put buckles on.

Yuna wore a dress which all three of her maids had designed. The back was low but it had fine netting wings attached.

"Everyone insists that you are an angel!" Rikku had told her when they had shown her the design.

Tiny straps held the dress up and the skirt had a large section of the front missing so it looked like she had tied a silk shawl around her waist. Over that was a fine netting over skirt and on her head was a small band of silver which had been carved to look like roses. Her hair was up at the back of her head, beautiful tendrils cascading from the loose bun she had pinned. Over her face was a soft veil which reached down to her white, almost ballet, shoes.

Lulu handed her posy of white, green and blue roses mixed with abit of ivy. Rikku had one of peachy roses, Paine had red roses and Lulu had light pink. As the maids trooped out to walk in front of her, Rikku hissed in her ear.

"Aim that posy at me! I want to catch it!" Yuna giggled. She followed her friends to the entrance of the temple where the service was taking place in the Chamber of the Fayth, where she had first laid eyes on him.

She could hear the Fayth singing for them. The beautiful song that had never been sung since she had destroyed Sin.

They all squeezed onto the lift, trying not to crumple their dresses. When it landed the singing got louder and she could hear the murmuring of the people. Rikku began to fuss over Yuna, straitening her dress and tucking her hair into place.

"You ready?" Asked Paine. Yuna nodded. The maids got behind her. Wakka was waiting by the doors to lead her in. By his side was Chadus who giggled at his 'Aunty Yuna' and said,

"Aun'y Yuna look vewy nice!" Yuna pecked his cheek and he went to hold hands with his mum. Yuna felt the child in her stir a little. She held her stomach.

Another month and Chadus would have a new play mate. Wakka offered her his arm which she took, he opened the door.

'Breathe, just breathe'

Everyone turned to look at her. She took no notice of them but looked up at the aisle that had been made by golden ropes with petals scatered on the floor. Tidus stood at the end, wearing a traditional wedding robe of dark blue. He had put up a large fight against wearing it with Wakka who had wrestled him into it.

Now, as he stared at Yuna he didn't care if he wore a moogle costume. She was marrying him and that was all that mattered.

People 'ahed' as she walked towards him. She refused to look at them, she kept her eyes firmly on Tidus, She wanted to run to him and hold onto him tight, but some of her wanted to run away. She didn't want to be made vulnerable, she didn't want to go through the pain again. She clung onto Wakka's arm, he gave a small grunt as the circulation to his arm was nearly cut off. She finally reached him.

"You look beautiful," He whispered as he took her hand and led her to the priest who was conducting the service. Her maids, Wakka and Gippal and Barali, who were Tidus' best men, waited at the aisle. It was tradition for the bride and groom to step away alone together to show they were in the marriage together.

The priest began the service. He was old and his knees, kept knocking whenever he said 'Lady Yuna'. They finally reached the vows, after a lot of coughing , spluttering and re- reading from the priest. They placed the rings on each other's fingers and repeated what the priest told them to say. "Tis my gr-great pleasure to announce you man and wife. Praise be to Yevon,"
"Praise be to Yevon," Chorused everyone. The temple erupted in cheers. Yuna turned to see evryone clapping wildly. Lulu was sat trying not to cry, Rikku and Gippal were whistling they way Tidus had taught her to. Tidus was grinning at them,

"Go on! Give her a snog!" Yelled Gippal. Tidus laughed and faced Yuna, eyebrows raised. Yuna lifted her face upto his and kissed him.

The cheering grew louder. They grinned at each other. They walked back down the aisle hand in hand. People threw petals and rice over them for good luck as they went. The reception was being held outside. Tables laden with food and drink had been placed in front of the huts. The Macalania Musicians were stood near the temple, playing beautiful music. Yuna kept her wedding dress on while Tidus scurried away to get something more comfortable on. He returned in a long sleeved shirt and his normal Zanarkand shorts. She laughed at him. "Care to dance?" He asked her. People were already dancing around them. Rikku had insisted on dancing with Kimari, who was having trouble to keep up with her.

"With you looking so scruffy?" She replied with mock horror. She took his hand and gently put her arms around his neck. They began to sway in time with the music.

"I always hated slow dancing," He muttered in her ear. She giggled.

"Why?"

"It always makes me feel sea sick," She laughed and undid her arms.

"So no wedding dance for you huh? Guess I better ask Gippal to stand in for you," She began to walk away, but he caught her hand and pulled her back to him.

"Okay, but don't cry when I barf on your dress," She gave him a look as if to say you-do-and-I-kill-you but ended up giggling which didn't give the desired effect. She snuggled close to him, his head resting on the top of hers.

"What's it like then?" He asked as they lay with their arms around each other. Most of the guests had left, some camping out in the temple. The wedding dance had been wonderful, Tidus had not spewed. It had been magical with everyone looking them being so tender and loving. After a while Yuna had felt uncomfortable so Rikku had jammed Gippal's hands on her hips and pushed him around them so everyone else would start dancing too.

"What?" She mumbled, lost in his sent and the joy of having his arms around her.

"Being my wife," She thought for a moment.

"What's it like being my husband?" He chuckled.

"Well," He rolled her on top of him, "I felt like your husband anyway. But it's... official now. Everyone knows that I want to spend the rest of my life with you," He grinned mischievously at her, "And now we don't have to feel guilty about that promise we made to Lulu," She smiled and sat up, not wanting to lie on her baby. They had been so happy when they found out she was pregnant. Lulu had given them a stern look when they had told her but she was pleased for them, as she couldn't really judge them herself. Rikku had been ecstatic that she had forgotten to tell them of her engagement to Gippal. She demanded that she would be an official un-biological aunty along with Paine and Lulu. Paine had been delighted and said that the birthing ceremony had to held in Bevelle. Yuna had agreed, knowing it was a big step for Paine. Paine was barren herself and could not bear children to Barali. Yuna's baby would be heir to Bevelle and be able to be chief priest if it wanted. Yuna had been grateful to her but wanted to give her child the freedom to become what it wanted. Tidus planted a kiss on her round stomach. Another month till it was due.
"You didn't answer my question," She smiled down at him and caressed his face.

"It's delightful hell," He gave her a confused look. "I guess I'm more vulnerable now. If you go, it will hurt more. I love you more now, if that can be possible. And if you go, I'll know you love me but that might make it worse, you know," He touched her cheek. "But it's wonderful because your part of me now and I have you inside me," She hugged her stomach. "And that will never go. I won't let it. It will give me a reason to live if you disappear," He smiled at her and placed his hand on her belly.

"It's going to be a star Blitzer the way it's kicking," She laughed, then wished she hadn't. The baby landed a scoring goal in her bladder. She leapt up and ran to the toilet.

"Oh shit!" She cried. Tidus ran to her.

"What?" He looked at her red face.

"No! It's too early!"

She screamed as a contraction rocketed through her.