By: Entrias Pavok

My eyes snapped open, her eyes boring into mine as if she had been willing me awake. I couldn't help but smile back at her, my Ihui.

"Today is the day." she whispered, soft-spoken as ever. "Are you ready?"

A grin flew across my face as I collected my thoughts. We had waited for our wedding for so long; designs to be accepted, cakes to be baked, formal-wear to be both forged and woven, people to be invited, places to be arranged. The day which I had both dreaded and waited for had finally arrived, my joining to the Onz'Verheu family in exchange for the family pledging itself to mine, House Pavok. A political arrangement for most, but a marriage of love and mutual respect for myself and Ihuicatl.

I brushed a feather out of my eyes, and it promptly fell back into place, Ihui giggling at my attempt. Her hand brushed the feather away again, and it stuck in place this time. I glared at her half-serious before breaking down in my own soft chuckle, brushing my lips across hers before pulling away and rolling out of bed. She grabbed for me but missed, almost rolling off of the bed herself.

Ushaara - :Entrias, are you awake?:

Ushaara - :Entrias? It's father. Are you awake?:

:Yes, father. I'm up. Give me a moment to get dressed, and I'll be out.:

Ushaara - :And Ihuicatl?:

I looked over at her, still wrapped up in the blankets and grinning up at me with both love and mischief.

:We'll be out as soon as we can be.:

A mental hug and laugh is all the response I received  as I dove back into bed, wrestling Ihui down as she wrapped her arms and wings around me in a tight embrace. "I'm ready." I murmured to her, rubbing my nose on hers before hugging her. "Let me get cleaned up and put my plate on. Ush wants us outside for his fatherly inspection before the wedding, I suppose."

She nodded curtly to me before rolling from underneath me and out of bed, her chocolate eyes bright as she started pulling clothing out of the nearby armoire. She was even more eager for this than I was, though we both knew I was getting the better end of the deal. Humble but hard working, attractive and smart both at once, Ihuicatl Onz'Verheu was quite simply amazing. I wasn't sure what I had to offer her besides a home and someone who respected her, but I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. Today, we would both cement that bond before friends and family in the Clarramore Gardens. Ringing the nearby bell, I summoned a pair of maids to assist Ihui with her dress and makeup before I started shrugging into my formal black platemail. I glanced back at Ihui one last time before stepping out of the manse, finding myself in Hallifax's aetherportal with a swarm of citizens, servants, and other people circulating around me. 

:Father? Where are we supposed to meet you?:

Ushaara - :I'm at the Matrix. Bring Ihuicatl with you.:

:She's getting dressed, it may be a while.:

Ushaara - :Fine, come alone. I'll chat with her later on.:

I made my way to the Matrix, weaving my path through the lower wards and working my way up the bridges to the nexus where my father stood guard next to Fraesic. His stony demeanor softened ever so slightly as he spied me coming close, and he moved to clap me on the shoulder; as close a sign of affection as the adamantine lucidian allowed himself to show in public. 

"Morbo would be proud of you this day." he said in a low voice, glancing at the nearby citizens before turning back to me. "I know you love her, but this marriage will help both of our families politically and economically."

I shrugged, giving a nod before turning to glance at the people around us. "Will he show up for this?"

"Probably not. You know he's not one for big groups or fancy parties after he decided to retire."

A small squad of commissars marched by, saluting Ushaara and I before continuing their patrol of the city. Illuminati raids had increased threefold lately, and a string of thefts in the lower wards had been attributed to them as well. A day in the life of Hallifax, I suppose. Feeling a presence behind me, I turned about to see the Magistrate standing nearby, his draconic form defined sharply by the light of the Matrix. He turned to me , inclining his head as I acknowledged his presence.

"All is well, Chief Superintendent?"

I forced a smile as I nodded my head. "The city is busy as normal, but it is midday. It's to be expected, what with the festivals coming up and...."

He interupted me, odd for him. "I meant with the marriage of my daughter, of course. How are things coming along? Are you two ready for the ceremony?" 

A gulp escaped me as I nodded to him. Nodding seemed to be the only thing I was doing today so far, as Ihui -still- hadn't shown up yet. Where could she be?

"She's currently getting dressed, Magistrate, and will be out soon. I promise." I said, bowing to him.

He sniffed irritably and turned away, examining a tablet in his claws with interest as he dismissed me. I internally sighed and turned back to Ushaara, a look of worry sneaking slowly across his face.

"He means well." Ushaara murmured to me from the corner of his mouth, eyeing the Magistrate's back. "He's just anxious to get this over with and our pledging done to assist his house. You two did take a long amount of time from your proposal to say you were ready."

I could say nothing against that, so I nodded yet again. Massaging the back of my neck with one hand, I peered out over the crowd, searching for that familiar set of gold and silver wings. Nothing. What could be taking so long?
 
"Sir?"

I turned around, a pair of trill confectionists bowing and scraping before me.

In a pair of odd, reedy voices they spoke together as one. "Sir, we need your signature on this wedding cake to accept the cost of designing and baking, along with the aforementioned cake's transportation to the event in regards to the ceremony as is designated by Section IV of the Hallifax Matrimony Rules and...."

I cut them off, taking the tablet and etching my name across it before tossing it back. Soon, I wouldn't be signing it Pavok anymore. A somber thought, and sobering to boot. Was I really ready for marriage so soon after my last one ended? Zyphora and I were on good terms, I suppose. We shared a pair of children, and Maerad would likely be serving as a witness and maid of honour at the wedding. Tisianna had things she worked on often and wouldn't be able to make it, but had sent me a card wishing me well with my new wife.  Ever since my divorce, I had felt... incomplete, missing something as if a limb had been removed from me. I felt it now, looking around once more to find my fiancee and failing. Was something wrong?

I saluted to Ushaara and stalked off, walking to the connecting portal to my manse. Entering through the front door, I found the door to our bedroom locked.

"Dear? Are you coming out?" I called, knocking at the oaken door with my gauntleted knuckles.

From inside, I heard a loud commotion and some clanging, metal hitting the ground. "I'll be right out!" she called. "I'm just having trouble with my dress is all. Go on without me, and I'll catch up!" 

I couldn't help but frown. Her dress wasn't metal at all. What could she be doing?

"Is everything ok in there?" I called out, leaning against the door and listening. More grunting and panting came from behind the door, and then an exasperated groan. The door opened, pulling me offbalance for a second as Ihui caught me leaning on it. 

"It. Doesn't. Fit."

I blinked for a second, not understanding. I looked behind her, the maids wringing their hands and drywashing them nervously as I thought about her words.

"What doesn't.... oh." I replied, looking at her closely. Her dress was apparently three sizes too small, as she had never tried it on after it was woven for her. "Uh... spoke to your father. He's not in a good mood either."

She scowled at me and slammed the door in my face, leaving me to speak to a wooden plank. I retreated from the manse, making sure to lock the door behind me again as I left. At least I found out why she was taking so long, right?

Ushaara - :Entrias, it's about that time. Are you ready?:

I cursed under my breath, drawing  a sharp glance from a nearby custodian of justice. Shrugging at his disapproving look, I worked my way back to the Matrix and my father. He glanced at me, and then behind me, noticing my lack of fiancee with me. 

"Having issues?" he asked, his body turning a hazy grey as he frowned at me. I couldn't help but shrug at him.

"Nope, everything is fine!" Ihui calls as she walks out of the crowd, fully armoured in her plate and  bearing her helmet under her arm. I catch Ushaara's gaze and shake my head quickly. 

:Not the time to ask, father.: I thought quickly at him before he could bring it up. His body lit up in a cheerful cerulean as he beckoned to her. 

"Is everything well?" he asked her, his crystalline eyebrows lifting at her attire.  

Shooting me a glance, she responded to him. "Yep, just decided to have the wedding in my armour."

He shrugged, beckoning to me as well. We followed him along the path and out of the city, taking a carriage to near the Clarramore Gardens where our party awaited. Friends and family gathered in small groups near longtables, each one covered in fingerfoods and aperitifs for those who wished such things. Pulling me by the arm, Ihui walked to the tables and our wedding cake. Well, where our wedding cake should have been.

The monstrosity before us was a horrid shade of chartruese and olive green, and had "Happy Birthday to Regula and Trunos!" emblazoned across the front of the cake in a horrid fondant which looked like it had been chewed on by gap-toothed beaver furrikin. As the confectioners were there to serve the cake, I approached them.

"This is definately not my cake." I murmured, eyeing the people around me before turning back to the trill. "We wanted gold and silver, with platinum knotwork around the edges."

"This is the cake you signed for earlier, sir. See here?" they shrilled, showing me the crystal tablet from earlier. I suppose I should have thought to read the tablet before I signed it. Rest assured, Regula and Trunos' birthday would be a smashing success with a lovely cake.

"Today is not going at all like I expected." I muttered to myself, sparing a glance at Ihui. Her face was impassive, but I could tell she was disappointed in the day so far. I squeezed her hand affectionately and she squeezed back, giving me a soft smile as we walked to the front near the podium.

Maellio took his place at the podium, staring down at his tablet and tapping it with a talon before peering at us both. "Are we quite ready, or are you going to delay us for another few months?" he asked in a low voice. I grimaced, motioning for him to proceed.

"Citizens, we are gathered here today to witness the ceremonial and contractual bond...."

I dazed off, almost falling asleep until Ihui spoke to me. "Love you." she whispered.

".... by subsection thirty-two of Section IV of the Hallifaxian Matrimony Rules...."

Blinking, I nodded at something Maellio had asked me before whispering out of the corner of my mouth, "Love you too, dear heart."

"......in regards to the sharing of community property, primary person shall disregard part twelve of section...."

I thought to myself as Maellio droned on, reading from his tablet as Ihuicatl and I stood there. Today had gone so horrible, and here I am about to fall asleep on my feet. I could see the reactions from the city in my mind, frowning trill matriarchs glaring at me over fans and lucidian manservants snickering behind their hands as they gossiped about the Sentinel who fell asleep during his own wedding. 

".....mutual sharing of token wedding baubles?"

I snapped back to reality, and found both Maellio and Ihuicatl waiting for me to respond. "Yes, I've.. uh... right here. I think." I murmured, patting down my nonexistant pockets for the ring I had probably left in my other plate, if today was any indication of how this was going to go. Luckily, I found it in my undershirt pocket, covered in lint and caramel scone crumbs from an earlier breakfast.

Ihui smiled softly at the sticky ring I presented to her, handing me a shining platinum ring in return. "Read it before you wear it." she whispered before putting my ring on her finger, the crumbs only slightly sticking to her skin. 

Nodding at her, I examined the ring as Maellio droned on. The inscription inside read, "No matter how dark the day, I love you." in her own handwriting. I thought back to the last few hours; the worrying about her gown, the irritation of my soon to be father-in-law, the cake.....

A single drop of rain fell on my head, then another. I glanced upwards just in time to catch a torrent of cold rain in my face, stealing my breath for a moment before I was smart enough to close my mouth and look down again. I couldn't help but chuckle to myself and shake my head sadly as the heavens opened and my marriage party scattered to the four winds, running for cover. A cadre of trill servants dashed over with a canopy for Ihui and I, and a smaller one for Maellio.

"I do." Ihui said, turning from her father to me with an expectant look on her face.

He frowned  at her. "We aren't to that part yet. We still have twelve pages to go, and six...."

She turned back to him,  fuming at him as leftover raindrops dripped from her crest. "I said, I do."

Giving an odd smile, the Magistrate turned to me. "Do you take Ihuicatl to be your wedded wife in accordance with...."

I nodded quickly, noticing Ihuicatl's glare turning to me. "I do, wholeheartedly."

"I pronounce you legally husband and wife." said Maellio, snapping his tablet shut and motioning with a talon. "You may kiss your bride."

She seemed as relieved as I was as we kissed, her hands cupping my cheeks and the gloomy, rainy world around us forgotten. The worries of the day seemed to melt away as we were finally one, a lifetime of working together and helping each other through our trials ahead of us. It was all worthwhile at that point. 

No matter how dark the day in the Basin of Life, we all have each other to hold and cherish. No matter what sort of monstrosity or horror beseiges us, or perhaps even the wrong cake, we are all able to pull through it in the end.