Sigrun rose from her kneeling position in front of the altar when she heard footsteps. It was a large cathedral and there were echoes everywhere, but she was fairly certain they were coming from somewhere behind her. When she turned around, Sigrun suddenly felt her breath hitching in her throat.

Sanaki stode down the aisle, veiled and dressed in her magnificent bridal dress. But whereas this afternoon, this had made her Empress look beautiful and radiant, now that the cathedral was dark save for a few candles fighting a losing battle, her beauty took on a strangely eerie quality.

Sigrun fell onto her knee and bowed her head. "My Empress."

"Rise," said Sanaki's approaching voice, "You're off duty."

Sigrun stood up again, but dared not look at her Empress. Right now, it hurt too much. "I did not expect to see you now."

"Why not?" Sanaki asked. "You're here."

"Exactly," Sigrun said to the tiles around her feet. "Should you not be with your new husband?"

"On my wedding night? I really think not. I think I should be with the one I love, don't you?"

"Then why..."

The words had spilled from her lips before Sigrun could restrain them. Now their echoes filled the cathedral, louder even than her Empress's still approaching footsteps.

"You know it was politics," said Sanaki. "This marriage will help repair relations between Begnion and the bird tribes. You know that."

"Of course, my Empress."

"Then look at me."

After a few moments during which Sigrun fought with herself and won, she looked up. Her Empress was a lot closer now. She was also a great deal more... exposed. She still wore her elegant white shoes, her white stockings and her long white gloves, but her veil and her bridal gown were strewn about on the path behind her. Now the darkness of the cathedral didn't make her look beautiful but eerie. Now she was simply beautiful.

"You can't," Sigrun said.

"He has my hand and nothing more," Sanaki said as she closed the distance between them. "That means my body and love are still mine to give away. And I'd like to give them to you."

"It doesn't work like that," Sigrun said.

"I still happen to be the Apostle in this cathedral. So I think what I say goes. And I say I love you. What do you say?"

Sigrun looked at her Empress, who had grown so much in so few years. Then she pulled her lover against her and kissed her.