It was a very nervous Li Tai who sat in front of her window that night. The sky was clear and the moon shone brighter than she ever had before. The light poured in through the open window and onto the floor. From behind her, Li Tai looked like the moon goddess herself, a rim of light around her pale features. Her red dress seemed on fire from both the moon and the many candles lit all around her. Despite the very calming and serene atmosphere, however, Li Tai wrung her hands under her dress in an effort to keep the others from noticing. Although she was a warrior at heart, Li found herself acting more like a little school girl. A smile crept up on her, quickly disappearing as the door behind her opened.
Lady Sun came in with a handful of Li's servants, also very richly dressed in red. In Shang Xiang's hands was a beautiful comb of ivory. Although it was old and worn, Li knew it held a wealth of memories and history in itself. And now she would be able to add her own story to it. Her story of hardships and trials, of betrayals and nightmares, of love and friendship. It was a great honor.
Two of the servants lit incense and placed the sticks on either side of Li Tai. The slight breeze coming through the window made the smoke curl and twist into different shapes and designs. Lady Sun made her way over to Li and sat behind her. "Well, shall we get this over with, Li?" She nodded to begin the ceremony. Lady Sun reached up and undid the tie that held up Li's hair. It tumbled all down her shoulders and pilled on the floor, the curtain of black almost completely covering Li. Taking the comb, Lady Sun began to run it through her best friend's shiny hair.
"I comb your hair once. From beginning to end may your life be filled with happiness." Gently, Sun Shang Xiang ran the comb through Li's black hair. After a few minutes it was complete. Li bowed from her sitting position and said a silent prayer to her ancestors for happiness. Behind her, Lady Sun had taken the comb once again.
"I comb your hair twice. May you live in harmony from now until old age." She repeated the combing, once again running it through Li's long hair. As she finished, Li bowed once again and prayed to her ancestors for harmony until she was old.
"I comb your hair thrice. May you be surrounded by many children and grandchildren." Again, Sun Shang Xiang repeated the combing with Li bowing at the end to pray to the ancestors.
"I comb your hair for the final time. May you be blessed with wealth and a long lasting marriage." As Lady Sun finished combing her hair for the final time and Li had finished bowing, the two women got up and the servants left. Li saw that her best friend was also having trouble keeping her emotions in check. Shang Xiang smiled and embraced her friend. No words needed to be said. Each one knew what the other was thinking. Tonight was a very exciting night for both of them. Finally, Lady Sun bid her friend goodnight and left the room. As Li blew out all of the candles, she said another prayer for each of her friends and family, asking the gods to bless them for her sake. As she crawled into bed, Li could not help but smile. For tonight was the last night that she would have to sleep alone.
As soon as the first light touched the land of Wu the commotion began. Li awoke with her heart beating faster than ever before. The excitement, she decided, was going to drive her absolutely insane. As soon as the sun finished his assent to the top of the sky, the ceremony would begin. Everything that Li Tai had been doing for the past few months had finally led to this moment. Soon, her place in the Sun family court would be cemented. Soon her memories of the past would slip back into the deepest depths of her mind. Soon, everything would change.
She had not even put on her robe yet when an overly excited Sun Shang Xiang burst into the room, spinning around in circles. Behind her, Xiao Qiao was jumping up and down, giggling furiously. Da Qiao followed them into the room silently, but the smile on her face was unmistakable. Li grinned as Lady Sun ran over to her and crushed her friend in an embrace.
"I can't believe this day is finally here!" the princess cried. Da Qiao took a seat on Li's unmade bed while her sister shut the door and hurried to Li's other side. "The whole kingdom is going to be there, Li!"
Xiao giggled again. "I know. Even mine and my sister's weddings didn't turn out a crowd like this! Oh, Li! This is going to be the best day ever!"
Da got up and positioned herself in front of Li. "You are going to make a beautiful bride, Li. Lu Meng is a very lucky man."
"I know. It took him long enough to find himself a woman. But I got to admit, he made the best choice." Li Tai elbowed Sun Shang Xiang in the stomach, and the princess responded by sticking out her tongue. Then she turned around and walked over to Li's wardrobe and opened it. "Well, I guess we should start getting you ready. Chinese custom would normally have your husband's family coming to receive you at your house. But since we are all one big happy family and live in the same house, a procession will come here to get you in a few hours. Since Lu Meng does not have any family here in the court, save for a few cousins, most of the procession will be his friends and members of my family."
Li nodded and joined Lady Sun in front of the wardrobe. "Will Zhou Tai be at the main door as well?"
"He will not be a part of the procession, but when we get to the doors of the Great Hall, he will join us." Sun Shang Xiang reached up into the wardrobe and pulled out the only garment inside of it. The seamstress had somehow managed to create a masterpiece with the beautiful fabric that the girls had bought in the marketplace. It was styled in the latest fashion, with long flowing sleeves, a long train, a high collar. The swirled designs on the dress looked like fire curling and twisting among the threads, making Li Tai look like the fire goddess herself. The best part was, no one had seen her with the dress on except the seamstress. This would be the first time that any of the girls would see it on her.
Li Tai and the girls moved into an adjoining room, where a bath had been drawn. The girls helped Li get into the tub and wash herself with perfumed water and many different scented oils. After she got out, she dried herself and slipped into her undergarments. Da Qiao had washed and dried her long hair and was busy combing the knots out. Sun Shang Xiang was helping Li with her makeup and her jewelry. Xiao Qiao kept herself busy by getting whatever the other two girls needed, bounding back and forth across the room until she was out of breath.
The dress was the last thing she put on. As Da Qiao helped her fasten her sash around her waist, Li caught a glimpse of herself in the long mirror. She had to look twice to make sure it was indeed her. The mass of hair that was normally flapping around in the wind was now shiny and smooth, done up in an elegant pile atop her head. A single comb was fastened in place to keep the hair up, a gift from Sun Shang Xiang herself. Her face was pale as the moon, powdered to perfection. Deep blue shadow covered her eyelids, and there was a hint of red in her cheeks and lips. A single chain was wrapped around her neck, an addition thanks to the Qiao sisters. The dress fit her perfectly, showing every curve of her body and making her movements glide as if on air. Li Tai did not recognize the woman in the mirror. Yet, she knew her. The woman on the other side of the glass smiled, and somehow it made Li smile back.
"As I said, you make a beautiful bride, Lady Tai." Da Qiao's smiling face appeared next to the woman in the mirror. Soon they were joined by Xiao Qiao and Lady Sun. All four women had tears in their eyes. It was indeed a magical moment for all of the women in the house. Underneath her sleeves, Li Tai twisted her rings around her fingers, the only gifts that could not be seen in the reflection. The one on her left hand was simple, a sliver ring with a blood red stone in the center of it with a small band. On the inside of the band was the initials "ZT LT". Zhou Tai and Li Tai. It had been given to her by her brother the day before, without any exchange of words. But none needed to be said. Li had accepted the gift before he had bowed to her and disappeared into the shadows once more.
The other she twisted around the fourth finger of her right hand. A much more intricate design wrapped around her finger. In the center was a red stone flanked by purple gems on either side. Symbols of royalty. The band was a woven pattern that laced together under the stones in the center. The gift had been presented by a messenger boy, but Li knew who had really sent it. The thought brought a smile to her face even now. She couldn't wait to see him today.
There was a loud knock at the door, and Li opened it to see a smiling Lu Xun, richly dressed for the day's events. He bowed low to her, offering her a hand. "My lady, it is time. Would you do me the honor of escorting you to your destination?"
Li bowed in return and took his hand. "I would be honored," she answered. He grinned and led her outside into the hallway. Outside, many people were gathered. Some were officers and good friends of Lu Meng. Li recognized some of his cousins also among the crowd. There were also servants there, holding drapes and various noisemakers for the procession down to the Great Hall. Li remembered some of them from when she had been a servant, and she greeted them all with a smile and a bow.
Once the other girls had left the room and shut the door behind them, the procession began. Lu Xun walked Li Tai down the long hallway while all around her the servants and officers were making a scene, banging instruments together and generally making as much noise as possible. Lady Sun walked on Li's other side while the Qiao sisters walked behind her, carrying the edge of her robe. Li did her best not to cry, for the moment was becoming more and more emotional by the second. Lu Xun patted her hand reassuringly, and Li took in a deep breath and tried to remain calm.
She almost lost it completely when the reached the doors to the Great Hall. Standing outside was Zhou Tai, his normally menacing figure trying desperately to remain in control. As it was a formal occasion, he wore his best armor, the light from the sun making it burn like fire. Nest to Li Tai, the two of them looked ready to burst into flames at any moment. He had also decided to forego the helmet, letting his long hair flow freely down his back. He grinned as his sister made her way towards him, trying hard not to cry.
Lu Xun bowed to Zhou Tai and offered her Li's hand. He took it in his own, eyeing the ring that Lu Meng had given his sister. He gave an approving nod when he saw it, and Li let her other hand rest on top of his for a moment to show off his own gift. His grin broadened at this, and raising his arm, knocked loudly on the large doors.
There was a collective gasp as the procession entered the room. All eyes were on the bride and her brother as they made their way down the long walkway to the alter set up opposite them. The procession had stopped making noises in favor of a calm and collected walk down the aisle. The whole room seemed to light up as the large group grabbed everyone's attention. But no one shone more brightly than Lady Tai. With her red dress and glittering jewelry, she was easily the brightest gem in the room.
When they reached the alter, the procession dispersed into the crowd. The Qiao sisters when to join their husbands near the front of the room, while Lady Sun went to join her father and brothers. Zhou Tai, however, remained next to his sister. On the other side of the alter was one of the priests from a nearby shrine. To his left stood Lu Meng, also richly dressed. He gave Li a wink as he made his way over to the other side of the alter and stood in front of Zhou and Li Tai. Without a word the two men bowed to each other, and Zhou took his sisters hand and offered it to Meng. Then he melted back into the crowd, taking his place opposite Lord Sun Jian.
Lu Meng led Li Tai to the alter and, after both had bowed to it, helped her sit on a cushion in front of it. The priest lit incense at either end of it, and after the smoke began to rise he also bowed and opened his arms to the crowd.
"My children, let us begin this joyful ceremony, the marriage of Lady Li Tai to Lord Lu Meng."