Alanna looked at her reflection in the full-length mirror as Rispah continued to fuss with her hair. She was no longer surprised by the image of herself in a gown and cosmetics, but she couldn't shake the surreal feeling of seeing herself dressed as a bride.
When she was eleven, marriage was her greatest fear - a trap she desperately wanted to escape. For years after that, it was an impossibility - who would want to marry her? Then it became a means of giving up that she refused to accept. Now, here she was, ready and even eager to wed a man who truly knew and loved her.
Eleni handed Rispah another pin as Annabella offered her a glass of water. That was surreal too. She had always had males that she was close to, but these three women had become the mother, sister, and best friend she had never had.
"You sure you don't want a bladed pin in here too, just for tradition's sake?" Rispah asked.
"George specifically asked that just this once, I go weaponless. He didn't want to have to fear getting poked when we celebrate our marriage privately later this evening," Alanna explained.
Annabella gaped. "Has that been an issue in the past?"
"It was only once, and it was just a scratch. I even healed him, but he's been such a baby about it ever since. Well, maybe twice, but that's because he started -"
"I really don't need to hear details," Eleni said.
Alanna went a little red as Annabella giggled, and Rispah let out a hearty guffaw.
When the time came, Alanna entered a small chapel in the temple of the Great Mother Goddess, where George was already waiting for her. Their friends were already seated.
"Lass," George breathed when he saw her, "Is this real? Or is it my dreams taunting me?"
"I've never been this happy in a dream before," she replied, "so it must be the real thing."
They stepped up to the altar, and a priestess began the ceremony.
Thom and Myles both gave their approval as heads of their respective house. Jonathan and Annabella served as official witnesses to the union.
Just as the priestess finished symbolically tying their hands together with ribbon, Alanna suddenly began sneezing, and the room went hazy for a second. Then time seemed to stop for everyone except George and Alanna.
The Great Mother Goddess stepped smoothly out from behind the altar and took in the scene before addressing Alanna. "My daughter, your path has taken many turns that even I had not foreseen."
"It has, Mother," Alanna said shakily.
"And yet you have remained undeterred and continued as few would have. You have heeded my warnings and taken my council. I could not have chosen better."
Alanna bowed her head, speechless at receiving such praise.
"Any you, George, born Cooper, but now a son of House Olau, you believe yourself worthy of her?"
"As much as any man can be, Mother," he said.
"Hmmm, you are god-touched as well. Perhaps you are worthy, but know that she is my daughter whom I watch over."
"I'll not forget it," George said.
Suddenly the others in the room unfroze and saw the too-perfect woman standing before them.
"My blessing I give to this union. What is sealed this day, may no man or god put asunder."
She was gone as quickly as she had appeared.
Alanna's thoughts cleared just enough for her to wonder about George being god-touched, but she could ask him about that later. Everyone else, except perhaps Faithful, seemed to be in a similar state of shock, but eventually, the priestess regained her composure enough to lead them through the vows.
As the ceremony drew to a close, it came time for their first shared kiss as husband and wife. Alanna had always enjoyed George's kisses, and the familiarity of his lips and his scent were there. Still, there was something new as well - his kiss claimed her and communicated his desperation to confirm that this was real, that she was his.
"I'm yours, and you're mine, Lord George of Olau," she whispered in his ear when they broke, causing him to kiss her again even more fiercely, which elicited whoops and cheers from their friends.
"So mote it be," the priestess proclaimed when they finished.
"So mote it be," everyone echoed.
They all gathered for dinner and a celebration at Myles' home.
Myles couldn't stop beaming the entire evening as he kept surveying his brand new, hand-picked family. Eleni seemed to share some of George's disbelief that all of this could be real, but her joy shone from her eyes as she thought happily of her son's future.
"You're my daughter now in truth," she told Alanna warmly.
"Twice over!" Myles added.
"Yes. What am I now? Your daughter-in-law and your stepdaughter-in-law?" Alanna asked.
"I think I'll stick with calling you just 'daughter,'" Eleni said with a smile.
Coram and Rispah both seemed to feel slightly uncomfortable at being so thoroughly included in a celebration that was otherwise all nobles, but they delighted in each other's company. Rispah was clearly wholly in favor of the match and teased the newlyweds mercilessly.
Coram pulled George aside when the chance arose and offered him his hand. "Ye have the regard of many people I respect, so I guess I have to respect ye too, m'lord."
George took the offered hand readily and shook it. "You've always had my respect, my friend."
"If I ever hear that ye've done anything to hurt her though-," Coram began.
"Then you have my full permission to harm me in any way you see fit," George cut in, "but apparently, you'll have to race a goddess to it."
Coram couldn't help but smile at that. "Then ye have my blessin' for whatever it's worth."
"Worth more than if her father himself popped up from the grave to do the same," George replied.
The other nobles toasted them and gave them gifts.
Jonathan's gift was a beautifully painted portrait of a short young redhead and a tall sandy-haired teenager smiling at each other over a horse that vaguely resembled Moonlight.
"I didn't think you would want something that looked too accurate," Jonathan explained, "but I hope it captures the moment anyway."
"It's perfect," Alanna replied, fighting back unexpected tears.
Finally, everyone except Myles, Eleni, and Rispah left to escort Alanna and George back to the palace, where they would spend the night in the rooms they had just been granted.
When Eleni and Rispah had gone upstairs to begin to prepare for bed, Myles poured himself a glass of his finest brandy and congratulated himself on a job very well done.
