Author's note: I do not own Trinity Blood or its characters. This is set five years after the end of the anime.

In Which There Is a Stag Party, a Hen Party, and Several Hangovers

Abel bit back a laugh as Leon began yet another story. He wasn't sure why he had been included in the bachelor party, but he wasn't going to complain. As it was, the party seemed to be doing wonders for the groomsmen getting along. The tensions that had existed among the various races were disappearing under the weight of alcohol and story of past exploits. Leon had undertaken most of the planning for the party, and Abel had to say he had done a good job.

The Green Dragon was a cozy little pub on the outskirts of Londinium. It had a homey feel that set people at ease. There had been no strippers or ladies of negotiable virtue which was really just as well. It was simply food, drinks, games, and lots of stories. The only thing that worried Able was the amount of drinking games and alcohol being consumed. The next morning was not going to be pleasant. It was good thing that the bachelor had been scheduled several days before the wedding. That should give everyone time to recover.

Still, Abel was having fun, and it looked like Ion was pretty relaxed. That was a good thing. There had been a few more incidents which he and Caterina had to interfere in to keep the groom calm. For the most part though, Ion had done pretty well. However, there had been issues with the groomsmen. And it didn't help that best man didn't feel up to the task of managing them. Add to that the tensions that still existed between the humans and Methuselah, and it made for some very uncomfortable situations. Abel had found the best thing to do was try to find common ground between the groups and to keep them from forming their own little clichés.

Tonight was going quite well. Most men could find something in common when it came to drinking.

"Hey, Abel. Tell them about the time you and Hugue had to dress in drag to escape that mob of angry fathers."

He groaned. "Do I have to?"

Ion laughed. "It can't be worse than when we had to flee those matchmaking mothers in Rize."

Abel sighed, but he knew he wasn't going to get out of this. "All right."

Another round of drinks was ordered, and Abel recounted the story. It really hadn't been there fault. The village in question had about twice as many young women as men, and most of the women were of marriageable age. It would have been an understatement to say that competition for a husband was fierce, and when two handsome, eligible men had walked into town, it had been a recipe for disaster.

By the time he was done with his story, they were on third round of drinks. Someone suggested a drinking game, and before he knew it, Abel found himself taking shots every time anyone said the words wedding or groom. Things got progressively sillier. Soon Ion and the groomsmen from the Empire were teaching them all popular drinking songs from the Empire. Once they started singing, they couldn't seem to stop. One of the Albion groomsmen starting teaching them all drinking songs from that island, and then Leon jumped in.

Abel hoped the bar was getting well paid for this. He wasn't drunk yet, but then it took a lot to get him drunk. However, the rest of the group was clearly in various stages of intoxication. At least most of them appeared to be rather happy drunks. They did not need a drunken brawl right now. Thankfully, everyone appeared to be getting along. The party continued, and the drinks kept flowing. It was well past midnight when they were finally kicked out of the pub.

The group weaved its way back to the palace where they were all staying. It took them awhile. Not everyone was very steady on their feet, and directions were difficult at times. People also were prone to wandering off to serenade lampposts or confess love to post office boxes. It was a relief when the palace gates finally came into sight. Abel managed to get everyone inside and put to bed with some help from the guards. He collapsed into his own bed feeling exhausted. Tomorrow morning was going to be interesting.

Caterina hid a smile as Seth began her fortune teller routine. The empress of the New Human Empire had been thrilled at the idea of playing the fortune teller for the hen party. Caterina had decided that what everyone really need was a chance to just be silly and girly. So she and Seth had set up a fortune telling party. Seth would act as their fortune teller and do Tarot card reading, and there were plenty of comfort foods like chocolate and ice cream. Caterina had commandeered a large room in the palace for the event, and under Seth's direction it had been turned into something that was a cross between spa and a bordello. It was an interesting effect.

Right now everyone was pretty relaxed. They were taking turns getting their fortunes told, and the girls seemed to be having a good time. Esther was curled up in the seat of honor, a large bean bag chair, and watching with amusement. She was the only one besides Caterina who actually knew who Seth was. Currently, one of the bridesmaids from Albion was up. Elena was one of the human bridesmaids, and she had been on of the remarkably helpful ones. She sat crossed legged in front of Seth as Seth explained what the various cards she had picked meant.

"The first card represents you right now. It's Strength reversed which indicates you lack confidence in yourself," Seth explained. "The second card is the kind of love you need. The Four of Rods symbolizes a partnership that compliments and benefits you. You chose the Queen of Cups as your third card. This means you must express your emotions in order to find love. The fourth card is what you must give to your love. The Two of Swords shows that you must provide them with balance and stability. The fifth card talks about what you will take from your love. The King of Swords indicates that he is analytical and tactical in thoughts and actions. The last card shows where you will find love. You chose the Five of Pentacles meaning that you've already found your love and just need to open your eyes to it. All together this reading suggests that you have found someone who will be a true partner to you, and you simply need to let go of your fears and take the chance."

Caterina smirked to herself. Seth had probably stacked the deck. The 'fortune telling' was little more than observations about how Elena acted, especially with one of the Methuselah groomsmen. Caterina wouldn't be a bit surprised if something happened between them during the wedding reception. Seth was good at this though. She had dispensed quite a bit of good advice so far this evening all under the guise of 'fortune telling'. And everyone seemed pretty relaxed and happy. Caterina was willing to call the hen party a success.

Seth beckoned to her next victim. Most of the ladies had already gone. Esther had been the first to since she was the bride. Sister Integra took her seat across from Seth as Seth began to shuffle the deck of cards. She had Integra cut the deck and then began to have her choose cards.

"Very good. Let's take look at what you've chosen." Seth began flipping over the cards. "The first card is the new moon, where you are beginning. You chose the Queen of Swords. That indicates you are moving on from a position of grief and sorrow, some sort of loss. The next card is the waxing moon, what you are starting to understand and get feedback on. You chose Death. Which isn't literal, by the way. It actually means that you are in a period of change and transition. The third card is the full moon or what is currently at its peak. As you chose Judgment, it suggests that your soul searching will lead to a new beginning for you. The harvest moon is the fourth card, representing what you are receiving right now. The card you chose is the Two of Swords which indicates balance. The following card is the waning moon or what you are letting go of. It is the Eight of Swords. This shows that you are no longer ignoring a difficult situation. The next card is the dark moon, what is resting and what is to come. The Four of Rods was your choice which indicates there is harmony and a partnership in your future. The final card is what is at the heart of all this. You chose the lovers. That card suggests love, friendship, and partnership. Taken all together, I would say this means that despite what you have been through recently, you should trust your instincts and go for the relationship you are considering. It is the partnership you are searching for."

This time Caterina had to bit her lip to keep from laughing. Sister Integra had transferred to the AX from the Inquisitorial Squad due to philosophical differences. She had also struck up an adversarial but friendly relationship with Vlad, one of the groomsmen from the Empire. The two had great chemistry together, but it had been clear Integra was a little unsure of whether to let herself get any further into a relationship with a Methuselah. Caterina thought the two made a good pair and that their relationship would probably help the diplomatic process along.

"Lady Caterina, I believe you're next."

Caterina did a double take. Seth was grinning. There was no way she was going to do this. Unfortunately, Caterina quickly found that she didn't have a choice. Between Esther and Asthe, she didn't have a chance. With a sigh, Caterina took the seat across from Seth and began to choose cards. She was never going to live this down.

Setting a pitcher of water on the table, Abel tried to muster a sympathetic expression. Not everyone had survived the night without consequences. At least half the groomsmen had hangovers, and that included the groom. Abel was doing his best to make sure everyone was surviving the morning after. So far, it was going all right, and thankfully, there were large stocks of aspirin and toast around, and no one was suffering too badly.

He hoped that Caterina's hen party had gone as well as the bachelor party. From the sounds of things, at least the ladies wouldn't have to worry about hangovers as well. Abel heard the sounds of someone throwing up and sighed. At least they had three more days before the wedding.