I dont own any of the Tamora Pierce characters

I'll tell you now: I know nothing of medieval weddings, so just bare with me on this yeah? Thanks.

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A year later, Matthew lay in his bed, smiling to himself. It was the night before he and Ivy's wedding. The war was finally over. In retrospect, it had been over since the Carthakian people found that their leader Rageo was dead, and realized that they would not gain the riches they had been promised before the war. It had taken several months to find Kaddar - he had been locked in a dungeon in his own palace - and several more to find Kalasin. Matthew smiled. Kalasin's return had been he and Ivy's doing. Disguised as servants, the two had snuck into the palace to find Kalasin tied most viciously to a bedpost. She had been there for most of the war, and if Rageo had won, he had planned to kill Kaddar and the reigning monarchs of Tortall, and take Kalasin as his wife. Matthew was thankful no such thing had happened.

He sighed and looked up at the ceiling to his room. This time tomorrow, he and Ivy would be married, and then nothing could come between them. They'd be together forever. Matthew felt his heart skip a beat at the thought. If any other men knew her, if any other men had spent time with her enough to see the real Ivy behind the brave, fighter mask she wore, most would have given everything for just a night with her. And here he was, about to enter into a lifetime with her... an endless string of countlessly amazing nights... he was the luckiest man alive. And he knew it.

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Ivy looked across at her dress, smiling slightly. It was white. She didn't care what Matthew thought of her going in white when she was no longer a virgin. It was her special day, and she was wearing white. She smiled. Of course, Matthew didn't know that. He thought she was wearing blue... well, she'd surprise him. He needn't know everything that would happen on their wedding day. Some things were meant to be a surprise... she smiled. This was one of them.

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Matthew looked around at the chapel. It looked more beautiful than ever. Red and white roses were entwined at the end of each of the pews, as well as one pair being placed delicately on the altar, facing the seats where, in a few hours, more than a hundred people would be sat. Matthew grinned slightly. Until the week before, Matthew hadn't known the majority of Ivy's family even by name, now he was about to be part of their family...

"Matthew?"

Matthew turned to look at Numair. "Morning..." Matthew said, nodding slightly.

"You... alright?"

Matthew nodded. "Fine... perfectly... perfect..." he murmured.

Numair frowned and walked down to stand next to him. "You sure?"

Matthew nodded, then shook his head. "No... you ever had that feeling in your stomach? The one where you're so happy you feel like you're going to bring every thing you've ever eaten back up again?"

Numair grinned. "Of course I have. I had it when I married Daine... all men who truly love the person they're marrying get it... just relax, drink lots of water, and stop worrying."

Matthew smiled. "Relax. Water. Stop worrying. Got it." He smiled, then stayed silent for a second. Suddenly, "are you sure I should drink anything? Because I really don't think it's..."

"Matthew..." Numair interrupted. "I'm best man. It's my job to know these things."

Matthew sighed. "Alright... I guess you're right..."

"I'm always right Matthew." Numair said cockily. Matthew swiped at his head and hit, making Numair dizzy.

"Oh... Goddess, Mithros... I swear I didn't mean to do that! I swear it wasn't..."

"Matthew I'm fine." Numair said firmly. "Now don't stay down here too long or you'll be late for the wedding. You need to get changed." He walked off, rubbing the back of his head.

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Matthew stood in the middle of the chapel for several minutes, then felt a sudden chill down his spine. He spun round to see Pyroma walking towards him, blonde hair shimmering. Matthew stared, then knelt.

"Oh, my dear boy, no more of this silly kneeling business or I might blush!"

Matthew frowned then stood up, unsure what to say.

"So..." Pyroma said quietly. "Today is your wedding..."

Matthew nodded. "Yes... that's alright... isn't it?"

Pyroma smiled and nodded. "Oh yes... I just have to warn you of some... complications..."

Matthew straightened. "What kind of complications?" He asked quietly.

Pyroma smiled at him. "Oh, nothing to worry about really, just some things that you and your... wife-to-be... might need to know about."

Matthew stared at her. "You mean... something... important...?"

Pyroma nodded with a smile. "Indeed. Of course, it would be much easier if you were both here... it saves me telling it twice." She snapped her fingers. There was a crack. Matthew turned away at the flash of light.

"We aren't supposed to see each other before the wedding!" Matthew argued. "Can't you just tell me and I'll explain it later?"

Pyroma laughed. "Don't be silly dear boy! And currently, there is no time. Ever since your friend Numair Salmalin left the room, time has been stopped, so you won't have seen each other at any time before your wedding."

Matthew heard Ivys familiar cough and looked round. "Matthew... what's going on?"

"Oh enough! Darling I'm Pyroma, Goddess of Fire and Love, now if you don't mind I have some explaining to do about this wedding!"

"But.."

"Silence young lady. Just because you are Lord Goldenlakes daughter does not mean I cannot use my divine power to shut you up!" She smiled at Ivy, then looked at Matthew.

"Well... as I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted..." at this point she looked accusingly at Ivy, who was, at that moment, wondering what had possibly earnt her the right to the title Goddess, "this wedding shall... well... putting it plainly... it will bring around some changes for the both of you... now.. I have no idea if you know this, but you are the first Pyro and Soulmate to actually join in marriage," she smiled reassuringly, "and this will be rather new for everyone here and the divine realms..."

"Can we get to the point, please?" Matthew said firmly. Ivy smiled with satisfaction. Perhaps Pyroma wouldn't mind yelling at her, but she wouldn't want to be on bad terms with her precious Pyro.

"Indeed..." Pyroma said. "Well... first of all, expect a very large amount of fire at your wedding. Secondly..."

"Whoa!" Matthew interrupted. "How much fire?"

Pyroma shook her head dismissively. "Never mind darling, you'll find out later. Secondly... your children shall either be Pyro's or Ice Mages. Generally, as far as I am aware of the divine plan, Ice Mages are girls and Pyro's are boys..." she smiled at Ivy. "Unfortunately you will have your hands full!"

Ivy and Matthew stared at her. "Pyros?" They said together. "Ice Mage's?"

Pyroma nodded. "Indeed." she looked up at the cieling as if expecting to see something of interest. "Best hurry and send you back... almost time for the wedding..." there was a loud crack and Ivy disappeared, along with Pyroma.

"Mithros..." Matthew whispered. "I don't think kids are on the to-do-list just yet.."

Pyroma's voice sounded in his head. "By the way.. your Pyrotic children will be Pyrotic from birth, but may lose control once they find their soulmate."

"What?" Matthew gasped. Silence. "Come on! You can't just say that and not help me out!" He waited. Silence.

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Two hours later, Ivy was being walked down the aisle of the Chapel by Raoul. Matthew could only stare as he looked at her. Her dress was white, shot with diamonds, trailed behind her gracefully. Her veil came down to her chin, and was a thin sheet of almost see through fabric. She looked more beautiful than he had ever seen anyone... without thinking, he walked forwards to meet her, holding out a hand. Raoul seemed to hesitate, then kissed Ivy's cheek before releasing her arm and nodding to Matthew. Ivy placed her hand in his and smiled at him. He walked her the rest of the way to the altar, where the Mithran priest looked at them carefully.

"Dear people, we are gathered here today, in the eyes of Mithros, the Goddess and all others in the Divine Realms, to join in matrimony Sir Matthew of Tirragen, and Lady Knight Ivy of Goldenlake and Malories Peak..."

Matthew wasn't listening to a word that was said. He merely looked at Ivy, glowing with warmth as she looked back at him. He ignored the priest and mouthed "I love you" to her. Ivy smiled. "I love you too" she mouthed.

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"Do you, Matthew of Tirragen, take Ivy of Goldenlake and Malories Peak, to be your wife, to live together after the Gods ordinance, in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love her, comfort her, honour and keep her, in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, for better, for worse, in sadness and in joy, to cherish and continually bestow upon her your heart's deepest devotion, forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto her as long as you both shall live?"

Matthew smiled at Ivy, and, not taking his eyes away from her, said, "I will."

"And do you, Ivy of Goldenlake and Malories Peak, take Matthew of Tirragen, to be your husband, to live together after the Gods ordinance, in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love him, comfort him, honour and keep him, in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, for better, for worse, in sadness and in joy, to cherish and continually bestow upon him your heart's deepest devotion, forsaking all other, keep yourseld only unto him as long as you both shall live?"

Ivy nodded, tears in her eyes. "I will..." she whispered, smiling through her watering eyes.

"And what token of love do you offer?" Someone handed the rings to the priest, Matthew wasn't quite sure who. He couldn't look away from Ivy. The priest continued. "May these rings be blessed as the symbol of this affectionate unity. These two lives are now joined in one unbroken circle. Wherever they go – may they always return to one another. May these two find in each other the love for which all men and women yearn. May they grow in understanding and in compassion. May the home which they establish together be such a place that many will find there a friend. May these rings on their fingers symbolize the touch of the spirit of love in their hearts." The priest held the ring out to Matthew, who reluctantly looked away from Ivy to take it from his hand, then looked to Ivy, who offered her left hand gracefully.

"Matthew, in placing this ring on Ivy's finger, repeat after me:" The priest took a deep breath and looked at Matthew, who nodded. "Ivy, you are now consecrate to me as my wife from..."

"Ivy, you are now consecrate to me as my wife from this day forward, and I give you this ring as the pledge of my love..." he looked apologetically at the priest, then carried on, "even though a metal circle is a pretty pathetic comparison, and could never show you how much you mean to me. With this ring, I thee wed."

Ivy bit her lip to stop herself laughing, then let Matthew slide the ring on her finger.

The priest, now looking slightly annoyed, looked at Ivy, "Ivy, in placing this ring on Matthew's finger, repeat after me: Matthew, you are now consecrate to me as my husband from this day forward."

"Matthew, you are now consecrate to me..." she grinned, "-and only me- as my husband from this day forward." Matthew grinned, and mouthed "Only you" to her.

The priest took a deep breath then continued. "And I give you this ring as the pledge of my love, and as the symbol of our unity."

Ivy smiled, then said quietly. "And I give you this ring as the pledge of my love, and as the symbol of our unity." Matthew couldn't resist mouthing something else. "Calm down, union comes later." he winked. It seemed the priest saw as he shot a rather filthy look at Matthew before carrying on.

"And with this ring, I thee wed." He finished, sounding agitated.

"And with this ring, I thee wed," Ivy smiled, sliding the ring onto Matthew's wedding finger.

"May you always share with each other the gifts of love, be one in heart and in mind, may you always create a home together that puts in your hearts, love, generosity and kindness." The priest looked, somewhat hurriedly, away from Matthew and Ivy, disguising his agitation. "In as much as Matthew and Ivy have consented together in marriage before this company of friends and family and have pledged their faith, and declared their unity by giving and receiving a ring, are now joined."

Matthew smiled. "Just you wait," he murmured, leaning forward to whisper in her ear. The priest seemed to be trying his best to ignore their talking and looked at them again.

"You have pronounced yourselves husband and wife, but remember to always be each other's best friend." Matthew met Ivy's eyes, smiling.

"What, therefore, God has joined together, let no man put asunder." The priest raised his hands as if in blessing.

"And so, by the power vested in me by the Almighty Gods of the Divine Realm, I now pronounce you man and wife, and may your days be good and long upon the earth." He paused then nodded at Matthew. "You may now kiss the bride."

Matthew grinned. "Her name is Ivy..." he murmured, then turned to lift Ivy's veil from her face. He leant forwards, put his arms around her, and kissed her gently, finding her mouth open to allow his tongue to enter. Almost instantly after their tongues met, fire gathered around them, forming ropes of fire, which sank into their skin. Matthew pulled away and looked at Ivy.

"What just happened...?" Ivy asked quietly.

Matthew shrugged. "I got hot on you... again." he winked and kissed the corner of her mouth. "I love you."

Ivy smiled and stroked his cheek. "I love you too..."

"Think you can spend your life with me?" Matthew asked quietly.

Ivy smiled. "I think it might be a possibility..." she smiled as his mouth met hers again.

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I dont know about it... but ah well... comments would be nice, one more chapter I think...

Mage Of The Heart