A Full Rich Life

Chapter Five: Double Wedding, Double Grace

The day of the double wedding dawned bright, clear, and beautiful. Helen, despite the disease that was ravaging her, was the first to awaken. She eased her way out of bed, and after a brief moment to make sure she wasn't going to start coughing, walked over to the washbasin, splashing the cool water on her face. She swallowed a few drops, reflecting that Underland water had a rather sweet taste that she found quite enjoyable.

After she toweled herself off, she pulled on her dressing gown and walked into the kitchen, which was rather quiet this time of morning. Helen knew where things were, having visited Alice many times. She found a teapot and a tin of something called 'Frizzleberry Tea.' She opened the tin, taking a sniff, and smiled. The tea had a lovely scent-smoky and fruity at the same time. She filled the teapot and set it on the stove to warm up, then began to look for something to eat. Her appetite had thankfully not been affected.

"Helen, what are you doing up so early?"

She turned and gave Tarrant a half smile. "Force of habit, I suppose. Even when I'm at Death's door I get up before cock crow." She swayed, and began coughing, her face pale except for two red spots on her cheeks. She clamped a handkerchief to her mouth, and droplets of blood sprayed onto it as her body trembled.

Tarrant came forward and gently took her arm, leading her over to the table and helping her sit. "Now, you sit right there, and I will bring you your tea and a bite of breakfast. I don't want to hear any arguments from you." Helen smiled at him in gratitude, and Tarrant pulled a tray of tarts from the cold cupboard. "Alice made these the other day. Raspberry lime tarts. They go perfectly with Frizzleberry Tea, which by the way was made by Vicki. It's one of her most popular teas." He popped the tarts in the oven to warm them.

Helen smiled. "Well, if it tastes as delicious as it smelled, I'm not surprised. I meant to ask her how business is going."

Tarrant grinned. "It's going well. Every time I go into Tramalin there's quite the queue in her half of the Shop. Her Mum is doing a brisk business as well." The teapot whistled, and Tarrant poured two cups of tea before coming to sit at the table, passing one cup over to Helen. She took a small sip, then beamed and took a long drink.

"Delicious! It's both sweet and spicy at the same time!"

Tarrant took a long sip of his tea, and then fixed Helen with a serious stare. "Alice and I were up half the night last night, talking. We both agreed that you should be the one to tell the children what's wrong. Although I won't be surprised if Vicki and Rina have already figured it out. After all, their mother is Court Physician."

Helen stared at him over the rim of her teacup. "You don't think Alannah told them?"

Tarrant shook his head in reassurance. "Oh no, but they both know quite a bit about ailments and their treatments. Alannah made sure that they had basic training in the healing arts. Also, they've known you for their whole lives, and I'm sure they realized that you looked less than hearty when you arrived the other day." He stood and retrieved the tarts from the oven, placing them on a plate and bringing them over to the table. Helen took one, biting into it.

"Quite good! Alice's cooking skills seem to have improved from when she was a child." She suddenly laughed. "You know, I feel happy and excited for some reason, but I couldn't imagine what it could be."

"Perhaps it's the fact that today is Saturday?" Alice entered the kitchen and gave Tarrant a quick kiss on the lips before sitting at the table. "Something smells lovely. Tarrant, would you mind pouring me some tea?"

"Not at all, my love."

Helen laughed. "Well, no wonder I'm so happy! When and where is the ceremony?"

Tarrant grinned. "At noon, in the Staynes' Garden."

The door to the cottage burst open and Josiah came running in, tie in his right hand, top hat in his left, and his hair and clothes askew. "Da, you have to help me! I can't seem to get anything to stay right! I want to look perfect for my wedding! Are those tarts? Hi Mum, why doesn't my hair stay flat? Hi Gran, I'm so glad you're going to be staying here, Da, help!"

Tarrant burst into laughter, and Josiah frowned at him. "Da, it's not funny! I'm getting married in…three hours, and I look a mess!"

Alice took pity on her rather flustered son. "Josiah, calm down. First of all, why don't you have something to eat? You must be starving after sleeping in your shop. You could have come home last night, you know."

Josiah shook his head. "No, I had to finish my hat. It took me all night, but I finally finished!" He handed Tarrant the hat. "What do you think, Da?" Tarrant whistled in appreciation as he turned it over in his hands.

"A masterpiece of millinery, my lad."

The hat was a deep blue, with a ribbon of black wrapped around it in a zigzag pattern. The inside lining was a deep purple, and a diamond pin was fastened to the brim. Tarrant ran his fingers over the hat and the brim. "You used the silver worm silk?"

Josiah took a bite of a tart, and then spoke. "Mmm Hmmm. I hadatuf..." he swallowed, and then spoke more clearly. "I had a devil of a time making that pattern, too. I nearly gave up in frustration five times. But I was determined, and I think it came out nicely. But I just wish I wasn't so…so…"

Tarrant smiled. "Scared? Nervous? Excited? Flustered?"

"Yes, exactly. I'm also overjoyed, ecstatic, excited, eager, and ever so ready to be a husband! Da, were you this nervous when you and Mum married?"

Alice laughed. "Your father was more nervous than I have ever seen him. I do believe he rambled for a good ten minutes about how my dress looked before I was able to interrupt and remind him that we had wedding vows to exchange!"

Helen laughed. "Well, your father wasn't any better. He nearly dropped the ring! And he could ramble as well. I remember that he spent almost a full minute complimenting me on my perfume, and I wasn't wearing any!"

Josiah laughed, and then gave his mother a pleading look, and she smiled, walking over to him. "Come with me, lad, and I'll see what I can do about making you look presentable."

Meanwhile, at the Stayne home, chaos was also the order of the morning. Vicki had awoken before sunrise and ran into her parents' room, shaking her mother awake. "Mum, you have to wake up, today's the wedding, and I can't find my blue ribbon!"

Alannah gave her a sleepy glare. "What does one have to do with the other?"

"Because I was going to wear it! It will go so well with my dress, and I can't find it, and I've looked everywhere! You have to help me look, please! I want to look perfect for Josiah! Oh, what if I don't find it? ! I'll just be devastated!"

Alannah sat up and patted the bed, and Vicki sat next to her, leaning into her embrace. "You listen to me, Victoria. Josiah is not going to care if you wear a blue ribbon, a red ribbon, or if you simply tie a piece of butcher's twine in your hair. All he is going to care about and notice is the beautiful young woman that he is going to marry. So take a deep breath, and stop fretting over the small items. Tell you what. I'll make us some breakfast, and then after we'll look for your ribbon, alright?"

Vicki nodded, and Alannah kissed her. "Good girl. Why don't you get down the raspberries for me?" Vicki exited the room, and Alannah giggled at the sound of her husband's voice, still groggy with sleep.

"Issit time to ge' up?"

"No love, you can sleep for a bit longer."

"Good." He snuggled down into the pillow and was asleep in minutes, snoring softly. Alannah chuckled to herself and headed for the kitchen. Vicki had gotten down the berries and eggs and was breaking them into a mixing bowl. Alannah got down the tea. "You make the tarts and I'll make the tea. How's that?"

"That's fine. I just hope I don't get too dirty!"

Alannah laughed. "If you do, you know where the bathroom is." She looked out the window, grinning. "Your sister is here."

Katarina came bursting into the cottage. "Morning Mum, I can't believe today's the day! Vicki, I can't wait, are you excited as I am? Erik left this morning to get his uniform, and I keep thinking about how handsome he's going to look, and I'm sure Josiah will look just as handsome, and we're both so lucky!"

Vicki laughed as her sister hugged her. "Yes, Rina, we are lucky! We are both marrying men we love and that love us! Of course, our Mum did the same."

Alannah looked up and smiled at Ilosovic, who had been awoken by the noise. "I certainly did, and I can tell you that it is a wonderful feeling to know that you are loved so utterly and completely. You both are in for the greatest moment of your lives."

Ilosovic hugged and kissed his wife and daughters. "Your Mum's right, my lovely lasses. You are both going to make wonderful wives, and Erik and Josiah will be speechless when they see how beautiful you look. I know I was when I saw your Mum in her wedding gown."

Alannah wiped her hands on her apron. "Speaking of wedding dresses, yours are in the closet. Ari bought them by yesterday, and they're quite lovely. And Vicki, I found your ribbon."

Vicki grinned. "You did? Where was it?"

Alannah held up her hand. "Behind the sugar bowl, for some reason." Vicki blushed and took the ribbon. "I'm waiting for an explanation."

"Ummm…I hid it there so I could find it quickly, but I guess in my excitement I forgot. Sorry." She tied it in her hair, grinning at her parents and sister. "Well, I'm starved, and the tarts smell about ready! Shall we eat?"

Ilosovic chuckled at his youngest. "We shall. I don't know about you, but I am starving!"

After breakfast, Vicki and Katarina disappeared into their room to get dressed while Ilosovic carried the dining table chairs out to the Garden, setting them on either side of the carpet that ran from the porch steps down to the pond, with a tent at the end. Lanterns hung in the trees, and primroses had been tied to the open tent flaps. The entire effect was that of a fairytale grotto.

Alannah came out, beaming at the sight. "You did a wonderful job with this, love."

Ilosovic rolled his eye. "I should hope so, it took me all night. I do wish I could have slept a bit longer, though." Alannah walked over and kissed him.

"I know, and I am sorry about that. But I would have woken you shortly anyway. Now, I've got plenty of food ready to be popped in the oven, there's a whole cupboard full of cordials, and Mirana should be here in about an hour."

Ilosovic sighed. "Alannah, remind me again why we're having the weddings here?"

She laughed. "Because you cannot resist your daughters, that's why. They seem to have inherited that ability from me. Now, stop looking so gloomy. This is a happy occasion, after all. And our daughters look absolutely gorgeous."

Ilosovic turned around, beaming. Vicki and Katarina were standing on the porch, and to his mind his lasses had never looked lovelier. "I…you two look absolutely gorgeous." They ran to him, pulling him into a tight embrace. Katarina spoke for them both.

"We love you and Mum so much, Daidi. Thank you for being such wonderful parents."

Ilosovic kissed them. "And we love you, our darlings."

Alannah hugged and kissed them in turn. "No mother could ever be prouder of her daughters. You are both the most remarkable and wonderful young women I could ever hope to know, and I love you both. And now you are going to be wed. It's nearly overwhelming."

Vicki smiled. "It is, but it's also so exciting, since we're both marrying men that we love and love us. That's really all that matters, after all. Well, that and the honeymoon after." Katarina giggled.

"Oh, Erik and I have already had a honeymoon! Quite a few of them, actually!"

Victoria gave her a wicked grin. "So have Josiah and I, but it was only once. That's one of the disadvantages of living at home still." She giggled. "Not that Mum and Dad would notice, since they're quite vocal at times!"

"VICTORIA!"

Vicki giggled at her parents. "What?"

Alannah glared at her. "You and your sister are both devil children, and your brother is not any better. That you get from your father." The women all laughed at the indignant look on Ilosovic's face.

He huffed. "Well, at least they got some of my good looks." Alannah smiled and kissed him.

"Very true. The guests should be arriving soon."

Margaret, Thomas, and Adrian were the first to arrive, and Meggie beamed as she looked around the Garden. "Oh, it's so lovely! I feel like I'm in a fairytale! Vicki, Katarina, you both look lovely!"

Adrian grinned at his cousins. "You look nice. Do you like my hat, Vicki? Josiah made it for me." The hat was a deep green and complimented his brown hair and eyes nicely. He was dressed in a light brown suit, and his face was freshly scrubbed. Vicki beamed at him. "You look quite handsome, Adrian. Thank you so much for coming."

Adrian grinned. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

The guests began to slowly trickle in, and Katarina and Victoria were kept busy greeting them all. Mirana arrived precisely on time, and grinned at the two brides to be. "You had best hide, I saw Erik and Josiah heading up the walk, and I do believe that it is bad luck for the grooms to see the brides before the weddings." Vicki and Rina giggled before retreating into their room to wait for their father to walk them down the aisle.

Erik and Josiah entered the cottage, looking very handsome and extremely nervous. They were both dressed in their finest clothes-Erik in his uniform and Josiah in his finest purple tuxedo and Hat. Alannah grinned at them. "You both look very handsome. Now that everyone is here, we can get started. Josiah, Erik, go stand in the tent. The rest of you, go on and sit outside. The father of the brides will be escorting them out in a few moments."

Everyone went into the Garden, and Josiah and Erik stood in the tent, facing the cottage and feeling butterflies in their stomachs. Mirana nodded to the musicians, and they struck up the Wedding March.

Ilosovic came walking down the aisle, his daughters on either side of him-Katarina on his left and Victoria on his right-and Erik and Josiah stared at them in slack jawed wonder.

When Ilosovic reached the end of the aisle, Mirana spoke. "Who gives these women away?"

"I do so give." He released their hands, and gave their grooms a soft smile. "They could not have picked better."

Mirana smiled at them, than began the Ceremony. "We are gathered here today to join in Matrimony Katarina and Victoria Stayne with Erik Rogers and Josiah Hightopp. Theirs is a love worthy of many books." She faced the couples. "Katarina Stayne, will you take Erik Rogers to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love and cherish, to have and to hold, to honor and obey, from this day forward until death do you part?"

Katarina beamed. "I do."

"Erik Rogers, do you take Katarina Stayne to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love and cherish, to have and to hold, to honor and obey, from this day forward until death do you part?"

"I do, with all my heart."

Mirana then turned to Josiah and Victoria. "Victoria Stayne, will you take Josiah Hightopp to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love and cherish, to have and to hold, to honor and obey, from this day forward until death do you part?"

"I do."

"Josiah Charles Hightopp, will you take Victoria Stayne to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love and cherish, to have and to hold, to honor and obey, from this day forward until death do you part?"

"I do."

Mirana beamed. "Then by the power vested in me as Queen of Underland, I pronounce these couples wed. You may kiss your brides."

And with that, Erik and Josiah bent their wives back and kissed them to loud applause.

Katarina held up a hand, and the applause quieted. "I have a song to sing, if I may. It's one I wrote especially for today, and for my jolly sailor boy."

Everyone fell silent, and Katarina began to sing. "My heart is pierced by Cupid, I disdain all glittering gold,
There is nothing that can console me but my jolly sailor bold.

Come all you pretty fair maids, whoever you may be
Who love a jolly sailor bold that ploughs the raging sea.

My heart is pierced by Cupid, I disdain all glittering gold,
There is nothing that can console me but my jolly sailor bold.

My heart is pierced by Cupid, I disdain all glittering gold,
There is nothing that can console me but my jolly sailor bold."

Helen swiped the tears from her eyes, grateful beyond measure that she had been able to see such a beautiful double wedding. She felt truly blessed.

Author's Note: The next chapter will be quite sad. Have tissues handy.