Henrik looked over at David, giving him a small smile as he tugged on his waistcoat, trying to cause the butterflies in the pit of his stomach to take flight. This was the culmination of everything he and Roxanna had been working towards in their relationship, and now, only moments from the ceremony starting, he was starting to wonder if Roxanna would come to her senses and realise that he was not the best choice for her. Not when she could have had someone handsome like David, someone whose natural expression was a sunny smile. "Smile, Henrik, you look like you're about to be ill," David said lowly in his ear, and he nodded as he took a deep breath, straightening his shoulders and trying to find a placid smile to place on his lips. It was a little difficult when he felt so nervous, and he hoped that it didn't appear as if he was grimacing.
The organist began to play and Henrik felt his posture become even straighter as he turned to watch the aisle, seeing everyone gathered in the back of the sanctuary. That made this all the more real to him, and he drew in a deep breath to calm himself as he watched the first set of people started down. Somehow, they had each found four people to be part of their bridal party besides their best man and matron of honor, and he felt his pulse race a little as the next set of people start down the aisle. It wasn't until Serena started down the aisle, a sultry grin on her lips, that he felt himself relax a little.
As soon as she was in place, the music shifted a little as his eyes focused on the fact that his Fredrik was starting to toddle down the aisle, a serious expression on his face as he stared at the pillow holding the wedding rings. Henrik turned his head a little, looking for Maja, and once their eyes met, he dipped his chin, feeling so grateful that she had relented to allow Fredrik to be there after all. Blinking back tears, he cleared his throat lowly as Fredrik reached his side, standing as close to him as possible. "Hej, Papa."
"Hello, Freddy," he said, letting out a little sigh as his son grabbed hold of his trousers. And then, the organist began to play "Elsa's Procession To the Cathedral", and his strained smile broke into a true, pleased, grin. This was a great surprise, as she hadn't told him the music she had chosen for her entrance. There was a small pause before Roxanna appeared at the back of the sanctuary, and Henrik felt his breath stolen away by how beautiful she looked. The radiant smile on her lips filled him with a similar level of joy, and he was hard pressed to keep from humming along with the song as she made her way towards him.
Graham seemed more of an afterthought, though Henrik did nod at his mentor a little as he slipped Roxanna's hand into the crook of his elbow, and then they were turning to face the pastor. Roxanna handed her bouquet over to Serena as their attendants took a seat on the front pews. Graham tapped Fredrik's shoulder and pointed towards the seat next to him, and his son nodded exuberantly as he allowed the older man to help him up onto it before Henrik focused on the pastor fully.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today before God and you, to join these two people in holy matrimony. They have decided to take this step forward in their lives, trusting each other to take care of one another until the end of their lives." As the pastor continued to speak, Henrik found that he couldn't keep his attention on the words, instead his eyes kept darting towards Roxanna, looking at her and drinking in her beauty. Someone had expertly done her makeup, accentuating her large, lovely, eyes and the sweet curve of her lips. Her dress was modest, but the neckline dipped low enough to hint at her cleavage. "And now, Roxanna has asked me to say a few words on love and marriage and finding the person who matches your soul. Marriage is a topic that is brought up multiple times in the Bible, and while I could be obvious and choose to speak about the first couple, I want to focus today on the marriage of Jacob and Rachel…"
Henrik listened to the short homily about how, despite having to work fourteen years to be allowed to marry the woman he loved, Jacob found it to be nothing, since that meant he would be with the woman he loved. There was something inherently romantic about that story, and then he was brought back to awareness by the pastor clearing his throat. Roxanna smiled at his as she waggled her eyebrows, and he took a deep breath as he brought his attention back to what was going on around him. "And now, the vows. Henrik, if you would repeat after me?"
He nodded and parroted back the traditional words that would bind him to Roxanna, finding himself choking up as he spoke. Then it was her turn to say those words, and her quick tears caused his own to start flowing down his cheeks. An understanding look spread across Roxanna's face, and he tightened his hold on her hands as he nodded. Finally, it was time for the rings, and Fredrik was bounding up between them, holding up the pillow containing the rings.
Giving his son a warm smile, Henrik plucked the thin gold band off the satin pillow and took hold of Roxanna's left hand as he brought the ring to the appropriate finger. "With this ring, I thee wed," he said softly, sliding the ring home. She let out a soft sigh before picking up his ring off the pillow and taking hold of his left hand.
"With this ring, I thee wed," she whispered, the tears making her voice a bit rough. Henrik waggled his fingers a little at the unaccustomed weight, and Roxanna stifled a giggle as she copied the movement. The pastor just let out a light breath of exasperation as he looked between the two of them, and Henrik shrugged as small as he could before turning his attention back to Roxanna as the pastor gave a final blessing to them.
"And now, I would like to present to all those gathered here today – Mister and Mrs Henrik Hanssen. What God has joined together, let no man put asunder." He looked at them both before giving them a knowing smirk. "Henrik, you may now kiss your bride."
He nodded as he lifted the veil from her face, revealing her in her full glory to him. Relaxing, he bent a little to capture her lips with his. Roxanna decided to be the aggressor in that moment, taking the kiss deeper as she wrapped an arm around his waist, holding him close. Serena chuckled lowly, which seemed to break the spell around them, and he pulled away to take a deep breath, giving Roxanna the most joyful smile he could muster from the ebullience that was frothing in his heart. She returned the grin before taking the bouquet from Serena's outstretched hand and then they took hold of Fredrik's hands and began to make their way down the aisle as all who were gathered rose to their feet and watched them leave. And for the first time in his life, Henrik felt like he finally had the family he had always desired.