The Wedding
"These tattoos were put on me by own grandmother on the first day of the three days until my wedding," Queen Romualda told Xena as she wrote symbols of fertility and blessings for daughters all over Xena's naked form. But most importantly the ones done around her navel and neck were for Drake. It was to create sex appeal to entice the man into consummating the marriage with his bride, everyone knew if the male wasn't up than the marriage would never be consummated.
"Remember when I put these tattoos on you, on your first wedding day just like my mother did for me?" Cyrene asked Xena. In Glacial each family had on their own set of symbols passed down. Related families could have the same symbols.
"Yeah, but it was never this cold," Xena commented.
"That's because they're the real thing this time, though of course they come off. They complicate your grandmother's tattoos well." Xena nodded looking in the mirror. On the third day the tattoos were set in and a huge feast was thrown, as it was to be her last meal with her family as an unmarried woman. Afterwards that night she was taken to be bathed in the sacred river which took away any impurities. Her tattoos remained on.
"Oh Xena you look gorgeous," Cyrene commented the day of the wedding. She was happy that she had convinced Xena to go through with the wedding rituals and now the wedding though Drake still hadn't arrived yet.
"Yes, but the question still remains on whether or not I'll get married tonight," Xena replied sadly as she looked in the mirror admiring her slim figure. She had lost the ten pounds easily enough by returning her morning routine. While she was absolutely stunning she was sad because they had heard nothing from Drake at all.
She had every intention of marrying him if he fixed everything. She feared the possibility of the night passing with no wedding. She remembered her first wedding, which had taken place during the day, on the same day three years earlier. She had been so happy except when Fiona had stolen so attention away from her by showing up in white as if in mourning on this particular day. Now though her dress was red and gold for the ceremony and for the reception she planned on wearing her first wedding dress to honor all three of her countries. In Arcadia you wore blue and Glacial you wore white.
"He'll come dear, don't give up yet."
"It's an hour until the wedding is suppose to start though."
"Xena you forget he has to come from very far away, he'll make it." Xena nodded.
"I hope that's the only thing delaying him and not what I think."
"Its just pre-wedding jitters," Cyrene laughed. "The fact you still have them after three years is a good sign." Xena chuckled a little too lighten her mood.
"Yeah I guess so." Cyrene wanting to keep her lightened mood up spoke again.
"Now Xena as your mother I must inform you that on your wedding night your husband and you must consummate the marriage." Xena started laughing, but decided to play along and play the part of the innocent bride. After all at her first wedding she had brushed her mother off and told her she knew all about what was suppose to happen even if she hadn't done it.
"Oh, and how exactly do I consummate the marriage?" Cyrene laughed a little too as she put the final touches on Xena's hair and placed the veil on her head leaving her face exposed.
"Well there are several if not hundreds of very well known positions." Instead of laughing Xena's jaw dropped at her mother's extensive knowledge of some positions that she had never heard of and thought Drake and her would get hurt trying.
"Oh and my new favorite, but simple one."
"Oh my God no, no, no, no more, I'm good I got it loud and clear." Xena held up her hand.
"Oh come Xena, you have to hear this one…" Xena was relieved when she heard Eve calling her.
"Saved by my daughter," She whispered in relief.
"Mommy, mommy!" Eve called running into the room in a beautiful red dress with a blue sash and her basket full of fire rose petals. "Mommy, Mommy!" Melody followed her in wearing a blue dress with a red sash and basket full of ice rose petals.
"Mommy!" Melody yelled more than called. Llyr also came in wearing a suit and carrying a pillow from Arcadia. It had been used in her first wedding. He would carry the rings and such.
"What's wrong?" Xena asked them.
"Daddy's here!" Eve exclaimed in excitement before they all hurried out to see him. When they confirmed it was Drake. They ushered Xena back into her room. It was bad luck to see the bride before the wedding. She could only listen in vain as he greeted the children while she was ushered back to her room.
"Cyrene where's Xena I have to talk to her."
"You can talk in a moment right now you have to get ready just in case like the rest of us." Drake sighed knowing he wasn't going to win. He was given a fine silk white shirt, a red jacket he knew Xena picked out in his style and a gold sash put over it. He wore black pants and shoes.
"Awe now you look like father and son," Cyrene told him as she straightened Llyr's jacket and sash even though his sash was blue.
"Now may I speak with my wife to be?"
"Put on your gloves, and Drake for God's sake do not wear your hair blue everyone will think your sad remember the rumor's last time."
"But I am sad."
"But today is my daughter's wedding and you will not ruin it with blue hair, there's a lot of blue in the wedding, but my God on you she'll think your sad. Do you want to see your bride cry?" Drake rolled his eyes as if Xena would cry she'd hit him until he told her why he was sad and he'd be in more physical pain than he was emotionally.
"No, and she wouldn't cry she'd hurt me if she interpreted my hair to reflect my emotions. Besides the whole point of blue being the color theme in Arcadia especially on the bride is to convey that she is sad to be leaving her family."
"Yes the bride, and on the husband in this wedding that says, I'm sad I have to marry her."
"Fine is red okay?" Drake asked. "It matches the suit he said." He had to concentrate hard and think angry to get his hair red. He usually couldn't control it, but every now and than if he concentrated.
"No stop it, black hair, that's the color Xena likes best on you though Red would be appropriate black is what she likes." Drake nodded. It was harder getting to black or blond even purposely because they weren't connected to a particular emotion but the indecision of looking more like his mother or father from his birth that had been never solved. Llyr led him to Xena's room where she was pacing impatiently. He knocked.
"Come in," She answered. She turned towards the door and saw him before he did her as the door opened. "Stop its bad luck to see me!" He stopped and turned around walking backwards into the room as she turned around too so as not to see him as she covered the mirror. They stood back to back. "You came."
"Yes, today's the day we get married isn't it."
"Yes, provided that I be allowed to love you."
"My mother and I talked and I gave her an ultimatum. I can't make promises of her being nice and no arguing…"
"Drake I won't marry you if you told her not to argue with me, you would make me so unhappy."
"No, no I didn't tell her that, she'll always argue and hate you…"
"Oh thank God you had me worried there, but what about the problem I wanted fixed." Drake grinned at his wife and shook his head. She hit him and he knew he was caught, so he chuckled out loud.
"Sorry, but yes that problem is fixed, she's promised not to intrude on our alone time."
"Good, than I didn't waste my time getting dressed tonight, you don't know how relieved I am."
"I think I do," Drake told her relieved that she had, had faith enough in him to get ready like the others.
"I'd kiss you, but we can't look at each other."
"I was thinking the same thing." They laughed.
"Great minds think a like."
"We're two peas in the same pod," Drake told her.
"Always and forever now go you've made me smear my massacre knowing I have to look beautiful and don't you dare sneak a peak." Drake grinned.
"I wouldn't dare, I like surprises." He squeezed her hand before he left out. When the door clicked shut Xena wiped her tears of joy away and fixed her make up. Today was once again turning into the fourth happiest day of her life. The first two were the birth of her daughters however the unconventional way Melody's birth had come about. The third was the day Llyr made it known he was staying with her. The fifth day was the day she first saw Drake and knew that she loved him.
Queen Romualda cast the spell connecting the three lands and Monarchs and nobles poured in most getting the seats set up because they got a physical invitation to the wedding. Amazons who had moved to Glacial and Sultry could be seen by their distinctive new clothing to adjust to their environments from the ones who had stayed in Glacial. Her nieces were dressed in blue dresses with white sashes around the middle. The white no longer symbolized death in the wedding but Glacial. Her nephews wore white coats with gold sashes since red being the dominate color for the bride and groom.
"Xena we have a problem," Cyrene told Xena before the wedding started.
"What's wrong?" Xena asked. Leah, Diana, and Meg walked into the room with their husband or lover in Leah's case.
"They're what's wrong, they look like you and well they're hot," Gabrielle said. She had been standing next to Xena trying to break the news, but she couldn't so Cyrene did. Xena looked at Meg, Leah, and Diana who looked at her wondering what to do.
"Well it's my wedding day and I have to be the most beautiful woman in the room and now I'm three times more beautiful. This is not a problem just awesome." Everyone let out a breath the fear of bridezilla diminished greatly. No telling the beast would rear its ugly head if something went too wrong. No wedding day true enough went off without a hitch, but there were just some things that would never be tolerated.
"Come on we have to be at the portal," Lady Clara said ushering everyone out of the room."
"Xena we have another problem," Cyrene told her as they waited to exit the portal, her bridesmaids were already going through. Sarah and Naomi looked on alarmed. Xena was definitely going to be angry especially now that the procession had started. Cyrene hated to tell Xena, but she would be angry with her if she didn't tell her.
"What?" Xena asked. "What could possibly be wrong now?" Fiona walked into the room wearing red no one except Xena, Drake, and the children should have even a little red on not even a stain.
"Fiona what are you doing, you're not suppose to wear red."
"Oh my bad I thought you were wearing blue dear." She walked out completely out of order to Xena's horror creating shocked gasps.
"Don't you dare let her ruin your wedding you walk out there with your head held high you're a Sultry Princess and we've never let a mother in law stand in the way at our wedding before." Xena nodded as her nieces and nephews walked out after Naomi and Sarah brought up the rear of the bride's maids and grooms men. Gabrielle silently comforted her before whispering into her ear.
"You're gorgeous Xena and you'll outshine her by a mile though I say your problem started with your look a likes, you really keep forgetting how hot you are." Xena laughed. She had, had a problem dulling her own beauty on her look a likes, but she dimmed it enough that in a sense she couldn't outshine herself. But at the same time they were still hot and as she had said earlier it would add to her beauty.
"Okay maid of honor it's not proper to hit on the bride," Xena chuckled before they hugged.
"Don't make a fuss sis, because once you walk out there all eyes will be on you and Fiona is going to fail in her little attempt to somehow make you less special at your own wedding." Xena smiled.
"Thanks Torres I needed that."
"No, thank you for not becoming a total bridezilla you've had us on egg shells for months and its finally over." Xena laughed as Torres escorted Gabrielle, who walked out dressed in a lovely dress that could be worn again. It was a slightly darker blue than the other bride's maids were and after Gabrielle went Cyrene and Queen Romualda followed.
"Okay girls, Llyr you're on. Remember heads up shoulders back throw the pedals on the floor. Llyr hold the pillow straight and don't drop anything." They went through.
"You look gorgeous darling, and I'm so happy I get to give you away."
"Thank you Daddy," Xena told him. He was wearing black as customary for the father to wear. He kissed her forehead.
"I love you."
"I love you too Daddy." He placed her veil over her face before they both stepped through the portal as the music played. Everyone was standing now and all eyes were on her. She however was only looking at Drake. She kept her head up and walked gracefully. No one cared that Fiona had tried to draw attention to herself. They stopped at the steps and her father took off her veil. A symbol that she was being in essence given away, but Xena didn't like that idea of being given away like property. So it was now a symbol that she was leaving.
"Who blesses this union?" The priestess asked.
"I bless this union and trust this man to protect my daughter as she protects him," Cyrene said kissing both of Xena's cheeks and placing her crown on her head.
"I bless this union and accept my daughter as a woman. I trust this man to protect her as she would him and all their children. As I have protected her all her life." King Rodrigo kissed her cheek and took his seat next to Cyrene.
"I bless this union and trust this man to love and honor my sister and protect her as I always will," Torres said hugging her. He had directed the last bit at Drake to let him know his warning still held ground. Drake gave him a slight nod.
Drake stepped down and took another veil from Gabrielle covered her with it face and all. The first veil symbolized her as being unmarried and still living at home. The new veil symbolized her creating her own family and raising her own brood.
"I bless our union and trust you as you trust me." Xena took his crown from her brother, who was his best man, and placed it on his head.
"I bless our union and trust you as you trust me." He led her up the steps under the canopy, which symbolized their home. There was a sacred fire burning in the middle taken from the flame in the temple in Sultry that continuously burned.
The priestess spoke, "In the beginning of time man and woman were one. Than one day they split in half and torn apart. Nurtured by nature they learned to live apart, but longed for their other half. When nature directed man to woman they became one again spiritually. They could no longer survive without each other. They drank together, they ate together, they slept together. On this day you become one."
"Iolaus she's telling my story about soul mates," Gabrielle mouthed him.
"I know they even have a version here weird," Iolaus mouthed back. Xena shot them both a glare that only they saw and they turned their attention back on her fully.
The priestess handed Xena a small glass cup full of the wine they had both made months ago together. Xena than passed it to Drake and he drank than they had to walk around the sacred fire with Xena leading rather than Drake.
Next she spoke again, "Listen, always listen." They drank some more this time Drake drank first and led her around the fire.
"Once woman ruled and than man had its turn. Now we have reached equality in marriage. As you take your next drink you promise the other equality and never shall one rule the other more." They used wooden tubes to drink at the same time, and than walk together with neither of them leading.
"You're not Diana are you?" Drake whispered to her as they walked.
"Oh ha ha very funny and it's a little late to be asking that isn't it?" Xena whispered back. Drake looked at her through her veil than at Diana, Meg, and Leah assured that his wife was next to him, but at the same time unsure.
"Yes, but I'll know for sure when I get to kiss you." Xena didn't replied.
"Blessed are the children from the womb and just as blessed are the adopted," The priest spoke as they brought their children to stand before them. She wondered what was keeping Melody in particular so quiet. She wasn't exactly a quiet child like Eve could be. Eve was observant and only went into action after carefully reviewing a situation most of the time more than she was impulsive and talkative. Like Xena she didn't display her emotions for the world to read often.
Melody however displayed her emotions all the time, but was learning to hide them when necessary like Drake. She could be loud, impulsive, and talkative. She hardly ever gave a thought to what the outcome of her actions would be. But she was one that was expected of her. That worried Xena she was usually getting into things, she should of made a disturbance. Than she saw the candy in her mouth that would have repercussions at the reception when she finally unstuck it from the roof of her mouth and the sugar set in.
"Blessed is the father in his role in creating beautiful children in the future or past now too in this case." Everyone chuckled. There were also some people making noises of shame that they were just now getting married.
"Oh hey there'll be none of that," Drake said turning slightly. "As far as we knew we were legally married." That shut the annoying spectators up while others laughed. He drank from the wine cup.
"I still say you're a slut!" He told Drake. Men were called whores in Sultry not women. Xena turned to face him, her eyes turned red for a brief second and the man found himself on fire.
"You should really be more careful of the flowers," Xena commented. While it was possible for the roses to set people on fire he shouldn't have. Everyone else gulped knowing that Xena would not tolerate a disturbance in her wedding as she had already chosen to overlook Fiona's color of dress and even she was behaving aside from the dress to express her displeasure. All the women of Sultry smirked, they would have done the same thing to the man at their own wedding and a few of them had done it to someone. Today was a day of blessing and happiness no one should ruin that for them.
"Blessed is the mother for breathing life into the child and nourishing her in her womb and at her breast." Xena drank from the cup.
"Blessed are the daughters for filling your lives with more love and happiness than you could ever imagine." Eve as the eldest drank next and than Melody who Xena helped. She still had trouble successfully using a cup without spilling Xena didn't want her dress ruined.
"Blessed is the son as he provides protection and male companionship especially when the father cannot."
"Oh thanks make me feel even worse," King Rodrigo told the priestess it was all part of the ceremony as everyone laughed and Llyr drank before giving her the cup back. No one commented that he did not drink, as they would call civilized even though he was perfectly capable of drinking quote on quote civilized. Xena and Drake led their children one at a time around the fire and than one more for all future children, which they walked together as a family.
"And if I'm not Xena, than what would you do?" Xena asked as they all walked together on their fourth walk.
"Halt the wedding and kiss every last one of you until I found you." Xena chuckled. "Oh yeah you're my wife." The Priestess put the cup down before the priest who had married them first took over.
"You will now make your vows to each other. These vows will be held sacred and followed for eternity as long as you both shall live." Xena and Drake turned to each other. "Before they begin does anyone have any objections, ill wishes, curses, or plans for ruining the wedding. If so please speak or act now or forever hold your peace." Xena and Drake along with others in the front row looked around. No one moved though there was some coughing before everyone turned to Fiona.
"You have nothing to say?" Xena asked. Fiona started to sneer, but than smiled at her.
"I love you Xena," Fiona told her. Xena's mouth nearly dropped open as she studied Fiona for a moment.
"Thanks you've just created the low point of my wedding day that hurt deeply."
"Mother," Drake said.
"Okay, okay sorry, Xena I hate you, matter of fact I absolutely loathe you."
"Thank you Fiona that's all I wanted to hear, I loathe you too."
"Is there anyone else?" The priestess asked. "Because seriously, this ceremony is a lot of work disturb the peace now while we're halfway through. Because no one likes an ending to be disturbed." Nothing happened.
"Okay than now the vows, Drake."
"I, Drake, King of Arcadia, take you, Xena, Princess of Sultry, Archduchess of Glacial, into my heart as my wife and rightful Queen." He turned to Llyr and picked up a beautiful necklace made from fire it seemed, but his gloves protected him while she lifted her veil to help him out. "Fire for our burning love." He took ice-cold earrings off the pillow. "Ice so that time will freeze every special moment we share together." He put them on her ears. He noticed they weren't ice at all, but diamonds. While the necklace which were not hot coals, but pearls of a fiery color shaped like roses. "And with this ring I thee wed and give you a representation of my never ending love. A promise that I will love, honor, trust, respect, and cherish you every precious moment in life and in death."
"I, Xena, Princess of Sultry, Archduchess of Glacial, take you, Drake, King of Arcadia, into my heart as my husband and rightful Archduke and Prince." Llyr moved closer to her. "Fire for our burning love." She place a pendant of a fiery rose on his sash before grabbing a ice-cold diamond earring which she made warm enough for him to bare. " Ice to freeze every moment we share together good or bad." He grimaced a little when she pierce his pinna. "And with this ring I thee wed and give you a representation of my never ending love. A promise that I will love, respect, honor, trust, and cherish you every precious second in life and death. "
"And apparently out do me in every expression of love." Everyone laughed.
"Always and forever."
"Always and forever," He repeated words that meant something deeper to them than the people around them.
"The couple will now take the seven sacred vows."
"May we be blessed with an abundance of food."
"May we be strong and complement one another."
"May we be blessed with prosperity."
"May we be eternally happy."
"May we be blessed with children."
"May we live in perfect harmony."
The priest and the woman priest said the last one together along with everyone else, "May Xena and Drake always be the best of friends."
"May we always be the best of friends," They said while staring into each other's eyes as they finished the last walk. Drake lifted her veil and they kissed keeping G rated knowing if it was something more they'd scar the entire wedding party for life including their children. Fiona stood up and joined them at the altar.
The glass they drank wine from was put on the floor and Fiona broke it to symbolize her acceptance of the marriage and well wishes before taking her seat as everyone clapped and cheered. They weren't expecting her to break it, rather refuse.
"To many more arguments between us Xena, and to watching my grandchildren grow up." Everyone clapped. "Son I warned you."
"And thank you mother," Drake replied happy she had broken the glass.
"I join you two together with two separate cords." Both of there hands were tied together to show the unity of their marriage. "Now tie a knot into those separate cords and put it around your partner." They both tied a knot on one of the two separate cords that bound them before they tie it onto the other's wrist.
"In the beginning woman and man could not speak. To show woman that she was the center of his very existence his core, he walked around her three times," The priest recited. Drake walked around Xena three times.
"Woman knowing no other way to communicate the same thing walked around man three times to show she understood and that her feelings were mutual." Xena walked around Drake three times. The Priest and Priest than spoke together.
"When the first child was born man and woman walked around their child to show that a new center had been born and kissed that child when they realized their feelings were mutual." Drake and Xena walked around their children and kissed them. Eve was super pleased to have a more active part in the ceremony even though Cyrene had been repeating over and over that the day was to be all about her mother. Which prompted her next move. Eve walked around Xena.
"Well I guess the Princess has said my next line," The Priestess commented with humor as everyone said awe that little Eve was saying her mother was the center of her world, which was true even if she didn't quite understand what walking around her mother meant. Melody naturally followed suit, she was always following Eve. Llyr did also thinking it was the right thing to do.
"Daddy gets no love," Drake commented.
"Get use to it brother in law," Torres told him. "They will never love you as much as they love Xena. Daddy's useful, but he's not mommy."
"I know," Drake said hanging his head. "Oh how I know." Xena chuckled.
"Well I love you."
"Yeah only because somebody has too." They laughed before she kissed her children again because they deserved it for making her day more special.
"Now to really tie the knot. The knot that will hang above you marital bed when you sleep and make love and create your beautiful daughters." Xena refrained from looking at anyone especially Drake and was grateful that her veil was covering the sides of her face from veil of everyone except the priest and priestess as they faced them again. The priestess and priest took a longer cord and tied them together around the waist in a knot. They could take it off at the reception. They walked around and than through the fire to show that their marriage could and would withstand anything thrown at them. As it had already survived the hardships thrown their way. All that was left for them to do was jump the broom and for fireworks to fill the sky as their soldiers lined up down the isle their swords creating an arc over head.
"I now pronounce…" They started, as they were about to jump the broom. A huge explosion went off sending everyone flying or on their butts in shock as several more followed in its wake.