Souls of the Night Vol 3

by Quinn Taxon

Souls of The Night Book 1 and 2 included in the normal Souls of the Night. Lexington and Nathaniel's relationship is only superficial from a strong foundation even after Nate has overcome his "illness". Can the clan and new and old allies and "enemies" help him decide whether to live as a human or a gargoyle and come to terms with his past?

75. 75 - Wedding

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Souls of the Night – Vol3.

75.

I was quite relieved when it became apparent that Nora would not be at the wedding. Not that I was not convinced she was a good person (she had to be, being a close familiar of the clan... "Clan by sacrifice", as Goliath put it.) But I was already on the edge with everything else and was grateful for any reduced factor. Labyrinth and Manhattan Clan were simply two independent structures and not every occasion was celebrated together. It was probably also related to the problems of the mutants with Xanatos. They all knew that Alexander was not responsible for his father's moral transgressions or ethical indifference back in the day, but spending time with the Xanatos family was simply not on their list of go-tos.

Warren and Zoey, Coldstone and Coldfire were welcomed with joy from all sides and settled into clan structures as if they had never been away.

In the end, the wedding took place without any negative incidents. No commitment ceremony because that had already taken place on Avalon – but an almost traditional human wedding.

Judge Roebling and the priest stood at the front, at the end of the golden shimmering carpet, in the wide entrance of a magnificently illuminated iron pavilion. A real Greek priest in flowing robes flown in from Greece but acquainted with the Greek clan and therefore not repulsed by a union forged in love (and certainly not repulsed by the generous donation to his actual community).

The air, although so high up in the innermost courtyard, was heavy with the scent of hyacinths, which - a new, biologically impossible creation of Flora - entwined the pavilion and adorned it with blue, porcelain-like blossoms. The small white lily bud that Alexander had stuck in his buttonhole also looked utterly perfect, as he waited there with the priest and Goliath as his best man. His suit was exquisitely tailored, his orange hair was slicked back and he looked cool and smug, like the Xanatos he was, but this lone lily puzzled me, as did the arrowhead pendant that hung close to Alexander's neck.

As if he could read my mind (and maybe he did have that setting), Coldstone leaned in towards me and I shuddered as his deep voice, without a breath of air, sounded close to my ear.

"The lily is a symbol of the royal monarchy, friend Nathaniel. Pure, royal, deep, genuine feelings, but also fertility due to its rapid reproduction are symbolized by it."

A little perplexed, I turned to the gargoyle-machine hybrid, who really didn't look like he was an expert in the language of flowers. But then again – he didn't have to be a cliché – like none of us.

"Thank you, um, Lewin," I said quietly, still a little flustered by the name, and leaned gratefully to the other side as Lex slid into the empty space there and kissed me on the cheek.

"You look wonderful," I whispered truthfully because his work suits had suited him well but even a philistine like me appreciated a tuxedo. My friend whispered the same back, his hand subtly gliding over the small of my back, an inspiring blush on his cheeks that... triggered feelings in me, but not too indecent ones. There was probably some truth to it - clothes make people. Lex looked like upper class (sexy inhuman upper class). Everyone looked fantastic and it was clear that Tachi had gone all in, knowing that anything the groom's mother approved of could not be rejected with a sour face and a suffering sigh.

We all wore suits or dresses, even the not-quite-flesh members of the family, which looked really strange. But I remembered my first impression of Lexington (passed out on my couch) and my first impressions of the other clan members. They had seemed so foreign, exotic and otherworldly to me. But only because I wasn't used to them. I was convinced that I would feel the same way about the four old but new clan members. Katana had said that I had a tendency to have stranger danger.

Everyone was thrilled that Lewin, formerly Coldstone, and Phytia, formerly Coldfire, and Elisa and Goliath's children had made it. I hadn't pried much into their history and nothing was known about them publicly. I had known that the children (they were adults, but if everyone called them children, I just went with it) were somehow shape shifters. But because little was talked about them (not out of avoidance or discomfort but simply because everyone knew they were fine if you didn't hear otherwise) and they were never in the family Halloween photos, I had probably subconsciously resigned myself to thinking they would morph into chairs or lamps. Seeing them as both humans AND gargoyles was something I had to get used to, even though I had experience with this back and forth myself, though it wasn't part of my biology. What I also had to get used to was talking to Lewin and Phytia as if it were normal. It WAS normal – they were a clan, they had souls, just no fleshly bodies. Maybe as a little confrontation therapy I sat in the second row with Lex next to me in the aisle but the massive figure of Lewin on my other side. However, none of this mattered anymore when delicate violin music sounded.

I - very Gargoyle-like - didn't waste another thought on how expensive the bribes for the borrowed musicians were, that they had left their places in the New York Philharmonic for this occasion and would overlook what this night had to offer.

A small figure emerged from the darkness of the castle entrance. In her cream-colored dress with the flared skirt and the white bow at the side, Heather was the sweetest fang-toothed flower girl the world had ever seen. A dozen mouths whispered and sighed in the best of ways. Never before had I seen Heather walk so purposefully, slowly and upright, her gaze concentrated, her eyes darting back and forth between the wicker basket of daisies (standing for naturalness and all that is good and pure – thank you, Lewin) and the path in front of her, making sure that the perfect number of petals lined the ground. She took her task seriously, even though it was difficult for her not to let the broad grin on her face take over towards the end. Could you blame Broadway for suddenly holding a camera in his hands to capture this proud moment? And of course, when Heather walked past the rows, most of us smirked because, as cold, rude and demanding as Tachi often appeared, especially in relation to her art, Heather had now My Little Pony barrettes in her hair.

With a rustling skirt, the hatchling finally scurried to Katana and Nashville in the second row as everyone looked up at the archway again with the swelling music. I took a second to glance at Alex, whose face radiated pure love and almost overwhelmed awe at the sight.

Flora – in the absence of a father of the bride – was led down the aisle by Xanatos, his hand on hers at his elbow, both exuding a calm and confidence a hundred miles away from my own tension. Now, there was no whispering apart from the occasional gasp. For Flora was – a stunner. She in her human form, her skin color trimmed as humanly as possible, with that dress. It was obvious that she loved it. A wedding dress not made by herself – by her abilities. But by others – just for her – for this occasion. And it was worthy of a prince's marriage. It was a tribute to royal glamour and romantic enchantment. The heart-shaped neckline of the corsage embroidered with white and silver floral ornaments emphasized her feminine charms without being too revealing. The semi-transparent top layer of the glittering sequin tulle skirt created a dazzling sparkle with every step she took. Her blonde free-flowing hair was dotted with small blue hyacinth flowers – she was unquestionably a princess in her own right, even without train or veil. And where Flora had her Cinderella moment, Ares, who was led over the carpet by our Rhydderch, probably had his too. Seeing Ares on Brooklyn's arm could have seemed strange, even silly. But if either of them or any of the onlookers thought more than "wow" about it, everyone kept it to themselves because it looked so picture-perfect. Ares was no less stunning and his pride visibly recovered from his earlier misdeeds, he could now hold his head high again. I was devoted to Lex, but the tall gargoyle could make you swoon and a glance at my friend with his mouth open confirmed that I was not the only one with this assessment.

Ares wore trousers whose top layer was made of the same translucent glittering sequin tulle and over a black shirt with flowing sleeves a vest with the same rich flower embroidery pattern as Flora's corsage, snugly fitting his lithe figure. Ares wore his otherwise wild black hair in an elaborate braid, the end of which was held together by a bow in the same blue as the hyacinths in Flora's hair. His head was adorned with a crown made of intertwined stalks with indefinable, delicate white and blue buds.

The mixture of elements from Alexander's suit and Flora's dress gave him something royal and fay-like, and I was perhaps not the only one who thought that Flora and Alexander had deliberately created the impression that Ares was not only their unifying element but also the star of the show.

The doorway and the aisle were wide enough for Ares, Flora, Brooklyn and David, and no one had to take a step back. That was fitting. Everyone in this trio was equal, no one came first or second.

Brooklyn and David retired to their places after they had both handed over their precious charges. And Alexander – mighty in possession and spirit and talents more than I had been able to fathom so far, got his mouth shut – his jaw still slack and reverently rigid and mute like a teenager seeing a girl in a bra for the first time – with a gentle claw-tap from Ares, accompanied by a quiet giggle from Flora. We all laughed quietly as Alex bashfully but with moist eyes lowered his gaze to his hands – one clasped by Flora, the other by Ares, as if he had only been born with two because these hands would eventually be claimed by both of them.

As the orchestra music faded and the priest began to speak – his voice heavy with dialect and yet dignified – a knot in me that I had not thought would ever disappear, that I had thought was part of me and had always been there, loosened with a quiet sigh of mine. But it was just happiness. I was happy. Not just here at the moment, but in another way too. Without the impending drama that I had shied away from and without the acute dangers that threatened those I had come to love.

The priest's speech didn't last long and to be honest I was too focused on the trio even though we could only see them from behind. It was about love that transcended boundaries, it was about worlds that seemed irreconcilable and yet somehow magically (pun probably not intended) slotted together. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Nashville – on the other side of the aisle and half hidden behind Katana, bowing his head and clasping his hands in his lap so that they wouldn't tremble. They did nevertheless and his Claws dug into his skin. His eyes were tightly closed, as was his jaw, as if he were in pain. Something I knew I would have to address later, because such a joyful occasion might be difficult because of Nashville's past and bond, but I also knew almost as well that I didn't want to have that conversation at all and would try everything to weasel out of it so as not to cast a shadow on the occasion for me as well. Maybe i was a mighty "Djinn" but i was at the same time a chickenshit.

Judge Roebling's words were friendly and civil, where the priest's had been almost pathetic. The man, who was now almost eighty years old, still had a firm voice and a sun-kissed look from his life on the island that Xanatos had "donated" back then. He did not speak of magic and not of hearts that beat in unison. He spoke of unusual unions and of a future that needed these unions, that was inspired by them, and that he regretted that the present was not yet officially ready for them, but he knew that the future would be.

Finally, the priest and the judge asked at the same time whether the three companions would love and honor, protect, nurture, and strengthen their partners, but also ground them at all times. All of them answered in the affirmative. Goliath touched each of the three on the brow or the forehead.

With that, the bond was also sealed in this world and the mates now stood in a tight circle so that they did not show their backs to anyone. All three looked a little overwhelmed by their feelings and if Flora's tears of joy were not tears like ours, you couldn't tell when Ares and Alexander both bent down to her and kissed her on each cheek, close to her mouth.

What made the hyacinth buds in her hair burst into full bloom. I was already raising my hands to applaud when Lex pressed them down without taking the beaming look from his first hatchling entrusted to him. Because of course Ares and Flora now kissed Alexander at the same time and when they leaned back, everyone could see that the bud in his breast pocket had now blossomed into a magnificent white lily and the arrowhead around his neck was glowing softly. A commitment ceremony gift from Ares, as I now understood from one second to the next – although I didn't know much about Gargoyle culture.

And finally, as a grand finale, Ares was kissed by Alexander and Flora and suddenly the white and blue buds in his headdress blossomed into fully developed lilies and luscious hyacinth flowers, trailing down his back to his tail, making it look as if he were wearing a living veil which was merged with his lush braid. The effect was mind-blowing, breaking the spell of rapture on all present, eliciting delighted, almost overwhelmed exclamations from us all. Ares bashfully lowered his lids, undoubtedly overwhelmed himself and on the verge of tears. Before a broad grin broke out on his face, as it did on the faces of the other two of the liaison- at the same time as a whumm of fast, cheerful music blared out of hidden loudspeakers. And the three mates began to laugh, where the priest and judge stepped back, smiling in bewilderment, as the mates broke out in euphoric laughter.

And heaven- ALL began to laugh, and Owen's mouth corners twitched upwards in barely concealed puckish pride. Xanatos and Fox giggled benevolently, even Goliath, Brooklyn, Elisa- all, even Nash, because of THAT song-

If you see a faded sign at the side of the road that says
Fifteen miles to the, love shack, love shack yeah...

"That's crazy!" I exclaimed, laughing, and Lex pulled me to my feet because everyone was suddenly on their feet. I had programmed the music with Lex, but I hadn't realized that THIS would be the first song. But how could I have expected anything less from Alexander Xanatos than the most unorthodox, the most uplifting, the most hilarious after such a emotional ceremony? With a flick of Alexander's hand, the abandoned chairs flew away, the carpet melted into the floor and the lighting became colorful and glowing, transforming the area in front of the pavilion into a dance floor.

Warren grabbed Tachi, who took off the long skirt of her dress to dance in chic trousers, and Zoey danced with Heather and the beasts, who had so far kept their places at the side, which basically meant that everyone jumped around each other. Like we all did. Nashville, obviously forgetting his sorrow, managed to cut the best figure with Fox as he whirled her around. The bridal trio danced, almost uncoordinated but with joyful, swirling arms and legs and tails and wings. Suddenly Alex and Flora were in their gargoyle forms, because of course the clothes were as they were and by Allah, I hadn't danced for decades, but no one cared what a figure I cut, and it was easy to move just as wildly and enthusiastically to the beat and to sing along at the top of my lungs like everyone else:

"Love shack baby

A love shack baby

Love shack, baby love shack

Love shack, baby love shack

Love shack, baby love shack

Love shack, baby love shack..."

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Ahhh, I had a million great love and wedding songs in my playlist for such an occasion, fast and cheerful and/or full of feeling, and they would all have been perfect. But... would that have done justice to Alexander with his unusual life and upbringing (by a trickster)? I didn't want a song where everyone says, "Oh yes, that was obvious" - because nothing is obvious with Alex. Sparks fly by Taylor Swift would have been cool (I'll get something in for the Swifties sometime - I promise) or Marry You by Bruno Mars or Firework by Katy Perry or Happy by Pharrell Williams - and then it would have been the 50,000th wedding with the same fucking opening song - thanks, but no thanks -..-

I deliberately didn't mention the song at the beginning of the chapter, so that it would be a surprise.

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And now – because I'm a romantic slayer and have to rant about it!

The names! Explanation Please – of course. I HATE that in the outline /the blueprint or whatever of the show Coldstone has the working name Othello, Coldfire Desdemona and Coldsteel Iago. So basically I don't hate that, but that people assume at some point these two (Coldstone and Coldfire) would call themselves that. Of course I understand their working names in the scripts, which refer to their background, namely that Coldsteel (Iago) played everyone off against each other at the gargoyles, as in Shakespeare's play, and that Coldstone (Othello) had doubts about his mate (wife) Coldfire (Desdemona). It's clear that it's basically the same story. But that Coldstone and Coldfire would choose these names at some point! – folks! No! That's even worse than the children of Broadway and Angela being named Arthur, Guinevere and Lancelot – Guinevere cheated on Arthur with Lancelot – heaven forbid cuckolding with the siblings, no thanks! And Othello strangled his wife out of jealousy! I don't want these thoughts in my head when I read names, and at the latest Goliath would have taken Coldstone aside with his erudition and said: Do you really want these associations?

So. Lewin = an allusion to the old gargoyle way of addressing each other as brother or friend because it means dear friend, and Pythia - the priestess of the oracle of Delphi, who provided prophecies but was mainly known for wisdom - and Coldfire learned as a priestess under her older clan sister. I'm on the nose, but at least I don't punish my characters with incest- or murder-jinxing names. That would be bad ju-ju.

THANKS for reading, Q.T.

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Lyrics: Love Shack by The B-52's on Spotify or Youtube

If you see a faded sign at the side of the road that says
Fifteen miles to the, love shack, love shack yeah
I'm headin' down the Atlanta highway
Lookin' for the love getaway
Headed for the love getaway, love getaway
I got me a car, it's as big as a whale
And we're headin' on down to the love shack
I got me a Chrysler, it seats about twenty
So hurry up and bring your jukebox money

The love shack is a little old place where
We can get together
Love shack baby
A love shack baby
Love shack, baby love shack
Love shack, baby love shack
Love shack, baby love shack
Love shack, baby love shack

Sign says, woo, stay away fools
'Cause love rules at the love shack
Well it's set way back in the middle of a field
Just a funky old shack and I gotta get back
Glitter on the mattress
Glitter on the highway
Glitter on the front porch
Glitter on the hallway

The love shack is a little old place where
We can get together
Love shack, baby
Love shack, baby
Love shack, that's where it's at
Love shack, that's where it's at

Huggin' and a-kissin', dancin' and a-lovin'
Wearin' next to nothing 'cause it's hot as an oven
The whole shack shimmies
Yeah the whole shack shimmies
The whole shack shimmies when everybody's movin' around
And around and around and around
Everybody's movin', everybody's groovin' baby
Folks linin' up outside just to get down
Everybody's movin', everybody's groovin' baby
Funky little shack
Funky little shack

Hop in my Chrysler, it's as big as a whale
And it's about to set sail
I got me a car, it seats about twenty, so come on
And bring your jukebox money

The love shack is a little old place where
We can get together
Love shack baby
A love shack baby
Love shack, baby love shack
Love shack, baby love shack
Love shack, baby love shack (oh baby that's where it's at)
Love shack, baby love shack (baby that's where it's at)

Bang bang bang on the door baby!
Knock a little louder baby!
Bang bang bang on the door baby!
I can't hear you
Bang bang bang on the door baby!
Knock a little louder sugar!
Bang bang bang on the door baby!
I can't hear you

Bang bang bang on the door baby, knock a little louder
Bang bang on the door baby, bang bang!
On the door baby, bang bang!
On the door, bang bang!
On the door baby, bang bang!

You're what?
Tin roof
Rusted!

Love shack, baby love shack!
Love shack, baby love shack!
Love shack, baby love shack!
Love shack, baby love shack!