Usual disclaimers... darn!
Last new chapter girls... sob!
###
The morning of the wedding dawned fair and sunny and the Groves' household was awake early, bustling with activity. Theodore had been banished from the house and had spent the night at the Commodore's home. It had been decided that James would escort Kasia up the aisle as she had no family in the Caribbean and that Jack would have the dubious title of best man. Theodore had smiled to himself when he had told him, thinking how nice it would be to have his two brother-in-laws standing with him at his wedding... even if he could not openly acknowledge James as such.
Will, Elizabeth and the children left early for the church, Eilis and Billy almost uncontrollable in their excitement. James arrived to escort Kasia and Jack and Catherine walked up to the Commodore's house to meet with Theodore.
"Yer look nervous mate!" Jack teased.
"Are you sure you have the rings?" Theodore worried.
"I've already said yes six times... I doubt m' answer will change fer th' seventh!" He paused as Theodore stopped to accept the good wishes of one of the townswomen before continuing to the church. "Yer'd best get a move on though," Jack cautioned. "It's th' bride that is meant t' be late, not th' groom!"
Theodore chuckled ruefully, increasing his pace and nodding to the increasing number of well-wishers. He had been a popular Captain before he had left Port Royal, and it appeared even more so since he had returned.
At last they reached the church. Jack looked around at the number of uniforms already sitting in the pews, relieved that he was no longer a wanted man. He did not doubt though that there were still a few in Port Royal that would like to see him hang, but those were not Theodore's friends and they had not been invited. A large number of Black Pearl crew filled several rows of pews at the rear of the church and Jack was relieved to see that his orders for them to be washed and clean had been obeyed. He squeezed Catherine's hand reassuringly, walking confidently up the aisle to where the priest was waiting and the Turner's were sitting. Will smiled and Elizabeth rose, hugging Theodore warmly. "You look nervous!" she whispered, smiling as he glanced towards the doors, but Kasia had not arrived, merely more guests.
"Yer'll know she's here when th' music starts," Jack chortled, jumping as the organist started to play. "Eye's front mate!"
Theodore looked towards the altar screen, fighting the urge to glance back down the aisle with everyone else. Catherine put her hand on his arm, squeezing gently. She had helped Kasia dress earlier that morning and did not need to gasp at the dress with everyone else – she knew it was stunning even without Jack's additional surprise.
###
Kasia paused, waiting for the music to start, her hand resting nervously on the Commodore's arm. Her dress was made of creamy silk that rustled as she moved, it's bodice embroidered and beaded with pearls, her veil of the finest lace that she had ever seen and was weighted with yet more pearls all of which Jack had given her. An ornate tiara held her veil in place – gold, diamonds and pearls and a matching necklace and bracelet adorned her neck and wrist respectively. She had not asked where he had obtained such expensive items – there were just some things you did not ask a pirate even if he was about to become your brother-in-law.
The Commodore nodded to the organist who started to play, smiling to Kasia as he slowly led her down the aisle until she stood beside Theodore before the elderly priest. The music faltered and then stopped and the priest cleared his throat. Jack handed the priest the rings, grinning to Theodore as he did so before sitting down next to Catherine.
"We are gathered here," he began, "to celebrate the marriage of Captain Theodore Groves to Miss Kasia Thiago with the formal ceremony of the giving of rings. These rings are a symbol of the unbroken circle of love. Love freely given has no beginning and no end, no giver and no receiver for each is the giver and each is the receiver. May these rings remind you of the vows you have taken..."
Theodore fidgeted, not noticing as Jack turned to smile to Catherine, squeezing her hand affectionately.
The priest continued speaking. "Now, if you will please repeat after me Captain... I Theodore, take you Kasia, to be my wedded wife..."
Theodore glanced across at Kasia, grinning, his voice firm and assured. "I Theodore, take you Kasia, to be my wedded wife..."
"To have and to hold from this day forward..." the priest said.
"To have and to hold from this day forward..." Theodore repeated.
"For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer..." he continued.
"For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer..." Theodore was grateful it would not be for poorer. He still had a large amount of his money from the trip to the Amazon with Jack, despite Mary's best attempts to spend it all.
"In sickness or in health, to love and to cherish 'till death do us part..." the elderly man intoned.
"In sickness or in health, to love and to cherish 'till death do us part..." he said, fidgeting slightly in the heat of the church.
"And hereto I pledge you my faithfulness," the priest said.
"And hereto I pledge you my faithfulness," Theodore repeated, smiling as he finished his vows and turning slightly to Kasia as she repeated the same vows as he had just said. She looked nervous, but her voice carried clearly to him, level and calm. He realised that this was the woman he should have married before and that he should not have allowed himself to be swayed by the Spense family.
He blinked, realising that the priest had finished. "I now declare you man and wife," he repeated. "You may kiss the bride."
Theodore lifted her veil, for the first time spotting the additional jewellery that adorned her. He leaned forwards, kissing her, jumping as the crew of the Black Pearl burst into ribald cheers at the back of the church, laughing as the marines joined in. Kissing her again he offered her his arm, leading her out of the church beneath the raised swords of the honour guard, the guests slowly following. He glanced back, surprised not to see Jack, grinning as he spotted him still embracing Catherine as they stood in the front pew, kissing her, oblivious to the world. For a moment he considered shouting to them, but decided to leave them there, reckoning that they would join in the celebrations in their own good time. If he was half as lucky as they had been with their marriage then he would be a happy man indeed.
He laughed as Kasia threw her bouquet over her shoulder, hitting a very startled Oran in the face who caught it by reflex. Theodore frowned at Kasia, wondering if she and Sanchia had planned this between them and whether another wedding was in the air. He chuckled as Oran was ribbed by his shipmates... perhaps there would be another wedding indeed.
###
Jack held Catherine back as the congregation left the church, waiting until they were alone together. Theodore's wedding had reminded him of the two times that Catherine had pledged herself to him and he did not want to be around so many marines when he was feeling so emotional. He wrapped his arms about her, hoping that they would not be missed for a while. "I luv yer Kitty," he said softly, smiling as she kissed him back.
"I love you too Jack," she whispered. "Always have and always will..."
Jack grinned, continuing his kissing, thinking to himself how fortunate he had been from the moment that Joshamee had rescued her from the drifting boat. He hugged her tightly... feeling very fortunate indeed.
The end!
Last new chapter girls... sob!
###
The morning of the wedding dawned fair and sunny and the Groves' household was awake early, bustling with activity. Theodore had been banished from the house and had spent the night at the Commodore's home. It had been decided that James would escort Kasia up the aisle as she had no family in the Caribbean and that Jack would have the dubious title of best man. Theodore had smiled to himself when he had told him, thinking how nice it would be to have his two brother-in-laws standing with him at his wedding... even if he could not openly acknowledge James as such.
Will, Elizabeth and the children left early for the church, Eilis and Billy almost uncontrollable in their excitement. James arrived to escort Kasia and Jack and Catherine walked up to the Commodore's house to meet with Theodore.
"Yer look nervous mate!" Jack teased.
"Are you sure you have the rings?" Theodore worried.
"I've already said yes six times... I doubt m' answer will change fer th' seventh!" He paused as Theodore stopped to accept the good wishes of one of the townswomen before continuing to the church. "Yer'd best get a move on though," Jack cautioned. "It's th' bride that is meant t' be late, not th' groom!"
Theodore chuckled ruefully, increasing his pace and nodding to the increasing number of well-wishers. He had been a popular Captain before he had left Port Royal, and it appeared even more so since he had returned.
At last they reached the church. Jack looked around at the number of uniforms already sitting in the pews, relieved that he was no longer a wanted man. He did not doubt though that there were still a few in Port Royal that would like to see him hang, but those were not Theodore's friends and they had not been invited. A large number of Black Pearl crew filled several rows of pews at the rear of the church and Jack was relieved to see that his orders for them to be washed and clean had been obeyed. He squeezed Catherine's hand reassuringly, walking confidently up the aisle to where the priest was waiting and the Turner's were sitting. Will smiled and Elizabeth rose, hugging Theodore warmly. "You look nervous!" she whispered, smiling as he glanced towards the doors, but Kasia had not arrived, merely more guests.
"Yer'll know she's here when th' music starts," Jack chortled, jumping as the organist started to play. "Eye's front mate!"
Theodore looked towards the altar screen, fighting the urge to glance back down the aisle with everyone else. Catherine put her hand on his arm, squeezing gently. She had helped Kasia dress earlier that morning and did not need to gasp at the dress with everyone else – she knew it was stunning even without Jack's additional surprise.
###
Kasia paused, waiting for the music to start, her hand resting nervously on the Commodore's arm. Her dress was made of creamy silk that rustled as she moved, it's bodice embroidered and beaded with pearls, her veil of the finest lace that she had ever seen and was weighted with yet more pearls all of which Jack had given her. An ornate tiara held her veil in place – gold, diamonds and pearls and a matching necklace and bracelet adorned her neck and wrist respectively. She had not asked where he had obtained such expensive items – there were just some things you did not ask a pirate even if he was about to become your brother-in-law.
The Commodore nodded to the organist who started to play, smiling to Kasia as he slowly led her down the aisle until she stood beside Theodore before the elderly priest. The music faltered and then stopped and the priest cleared his throat. Jack handed the priest the rings, grinning to Theodore as he did so before sitting down next to Catherine.
"We are gathered here," he began, "to celebrate the marriage of Captain Theodore Groves to Miss Kasia Thiago with the formal ceremony of the giving of rings. These rings are a symbol of the unbroken circle of love. Love freely given has no beginning and no end, no giver and no receiver for each is the giver and each is the receiver. May these rings remind you of the vows you have taken..."
Theodore fidgeted, not noticing as Jack turned to smile to Catherine, squeezing her hand affectionately.
The priest continued speaking. "Now, if you will please repeat after me Captain... I Theodore, take you Kasia, to be my wedded wife..."
Theodore glanced across at Kasia, grinning, his voice firm and assured. "I Theodore, take you Kasia, to be my wedded wife..."
"To have and to hold from this day forward..." the priest said.
"To have and to hold from this day forward..." Theodore repeated.
"For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer..." he continued.
"For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer..." Theodore was grateful it would not be for poorer. He still had a large amount of his money from the trip to the Amazon with Jack, despite Mary's best attempts to spend it all.
"In sickness or in health, to love and to cherish 'till death do us part..." the elderly man intoned.
"In sickness or in health, to love and to cherish 'till death do us part..." he said, fidgeting slightly in the heat of the church.
"And hereto I pledge you my faithfulness," the priest said.
"And hereto I pledge you my faithfulness," Theodore repeated, smiling as he finished his vows and turning slightly to Kasia as she repeated the same vows as he had just said. She looked nervous, but her voice carried clearly to him, level and calm. He realised that this was the woman he should have married before and that he should not have allowed himself to be swayed by the Spense family.
He blinked, realising that the priest had finished. "I now declare you man and wife," he repeated. "You may kiss the bride."
Theodore lifted her veil, for the first time spotting the additional jewellery that adorned her. He leaned forwards, kissing her, jumping as the crew of the Black Pearl burst into ribald cheers at the back of the church, laughing as the marines joined in. Kissing her again he offered her his arm, leading her out of the church beneath the raised swords of the honour guard, the guests slowly following. He glanced back, surprised not to see Jack, grinning as he spotted him still embracing Catherine as they stood in the front pew, kissing her, oblivious to the world. For a moment he considered shouting to them, but decided to leave them there, reckoning that they would join in the celebrations in their own good time. If he was half as lucky as they had been with their marriage then he would be a happy man indeed.
He laughed as Kasia threw her bouquet over her shoulder, hitting a very startled Oran in the face who caught it by reflex. Theodore frowned at Kasia, wondering if she and Sanchia had planned this between them and whether another wedding was in the air. He chuckled as Oran was ribbed by his shipmates... perhaps there would be another wedding indeed.
###
Jack held Catherine back as the congregation left the church, waiting until they were alone together. Theodore's wedding had reminded him of the two times that Catherine had pledged herself to him and he did not want to be around so many marines when he was feeling so emotional. He wrapped his arms about her, hoping that they would not be missed for a while. "I luv yer Kitty," he said softly, smiling as she kissed him back.
"I love you too Jack," she whispered. "Always have and always will..."
Jack grinned, continuing his kissing, thinking to himself how fortunate he had been from the moment that Joshamee had rescued her from the drifting boat. He hugged her tightly... feeling very fortunate indeed.
The end!