faderift | [Open] I Look At You

WHO: Aleron Darton and Bethany Hawke, Malcolm Reed, Nathaniel Howe, The Grey Warden 2LiveCrew (even you Teren), The Seeker Trio, and YOU.
WHAT: A Noble Wedding Between Two Great Houses.
WHEN: Backdated to the first of Bloomingtide
WHERE: Endridge, outside of Kaiten in the Free Marches.
NOTES: Warnings for Exceeding Sappiness and Happiness. What is that? Why is this in this game? That's just weird.EDIT: I've put in headers if you want to tag under those, but please feel free to put in your own top levels!

It's a far distance to Endridge from most anywhere, situated five miles outside Kaiten. But the destination is well worth the journey. The roads are even and in good repair as they stretch out through gently rolling hills of green. Picturesque. Tranquil. This is precisely what Bethany had wanted for her wedding: somewhere outdoors under the Maker's sky.

The pastoral setting truly is breathtaking for anyone moved by nature. Lush pastures stretch out almost to the horizon, dotted with fleecy ewes and their bouncing new lambs. Gentle breezes dance through the trees, the rustling sending gusts of fruit blossom petals scattering to the winds. Within those branches, twittering birds in joyous song cover the backdrop of baaaaaahs arising from the sheep. Behind the birdsong, the burbling of the creek sings out as it trips along its way to the lake. The warming new summer air coaxes perfumes out of the flowers, filling the air with their mingled scent. Behind the bounteous gifts of nature looms a stone edifice, seat of the Darton family, an imposing but not ungainly castle. The house is the work of the first baron, built to be a stronghold against further Nevarran incursions and a sign to legitimize the new title.

Never let it be said that Ravonild does not know how to throw a party. She's graciously offered the house and the grounds for the wedding, but has had her hand in all the preparations. Every inch of the ballroom has been polished and shined. The great hall transformed into a banqueting hall large enough to accommodate the guests, which includes every far-flung Darton relative crawled out of the woodwork. Where she has not worked her magic as a hostess is in the location of the ceremony proper. It is arranged within the formal gardens, which were a gift from Aleron's father to his new bride on her arrival from Orlais. Holding the wedding there, instead of in the wilder walled garden with its riot of variety and colors was a conciliatory gesture to appease Mama for not having the wedding in Orlais. Regardless of the behind-the-scenes bickering beforehand, everything is now the very picture of hospitality and celebration. The music is unending, the wine is free-flowing, and the dancing will last until dawn.

The simplest portion of the wedding is the ceremony itself. The Darton and Hawke coat of arms have been placed on display within the gardens, but that is the extend of excess and showmanship. Nathaniel Howe gives the bride away, Aleron's sisters are the bridal attendants, Malcolm Reed standing guard as a groomsman. In a break from tradition, youngest sister Layla carries a bouquet in one hand and her newborn baby in the other arm. (The tiny one was fussy, you see.) Oh, and yes, the bride's maiden of honor is an elf - but considering it is Merrill of the Champion's Tale? It is given a pass for the excitement of seeing one of Varric Tethras's heroes in the flesh, next to the bride.

Beyond that, it is a traditional ceremony performed by the Revered Mother who blessed all the Darton children as babes. Portions of the Chant are sung. Vows and rings are exchanged. Though behind the flowers Aleron and Bethany are holding hands and making eyes at each other. In fact, it seems miraculous that they're able to respond as required since they appear already lost in each other and not at all attentive to the ritual they are engaged in.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Nathaniel is in his dress uniform, turned out every lint (and pet hair) brushed away and every button polished. He hasn't attended such a posh event in some time, and he's not entirely sure how he should feel about it. Except happy, for Bethany. Nathaniel didn't have the chance to see Delilah married off.

He peeps through a curtain separating the bridal party from the guests, then turns to give her a smile, walking toward her.

"Are you ready?"

"Just a moment - "

Bethany is smoothing down the last little wrinkles from the bodice of her gown, down over the light feathers that cling to the skirt. She looks at herself in the mirror, exhaling, before she looks at Nathaniel's reflection in the mirror, her dark eyes bright with happiness -- and of course a touch of worry.

"How do I look?"

Nathaniel almost never cries. It's just the sort of family he grew up in, the non-crying sort. But now his eyes mist, and his smile wavers.

"A vision. Radiant. Confident. Joyful." He reaches for her gloved hands to hold them for a moment, his grip just a bit tight.

"When I first met you, about a decade ago, I saw so much of myself in you. You were so angry. Forced from a loving family into a life where you had no home, no nation, no friends. Your family wasn't even allowed to know if you were alive or dead, for so long. You were really just as orphaned as I was. And I took it very personally, somehow. I used to think I was teaching you how to accept your new life and become happy as a Warden, but that isn't how it was. All I ever did was give you a perch to land on. You took off flying on your own. You taught me happiness."

Nathaniel Howe, don't you dare, oh. Now Bethany is tearing up as well, before she folds her fingers around him. Holding on tight to him, as she had for ten years.

A tear trickled down her cheek, and then the other, before she let out a soft choked noise.

"You know - you know I love you, so much. You've been the older brother I always wanted, but probably never deserved. Whatever I've taught you about being happy - well. You should know that you taught me everything I ever needed to know about being strong, being able to stand on my own two feet. For once - for once in my life ... unafraid."

She leaned in, and kissed his cheek, hard.

"Thank you. Thank you ... for making sure I saw this moment." She sucked in a breath, unsteadily, tears still rolling down her face, "Thank you for being my family."

It's the first time in years that actual tears have escaped Nathaniel's eyes and rolled down his face. First things first, he returns that kiss to the her glowing cheek, then takes out a handkerchief and dabs those tears away.

"We will always be family." His tone lightens. "I'm only giving you away in a symbolic sense, after all--I have to make sure Aleron doesn't bore you into a stupor."

She is still smiling at him - a smile that is surprised into a laugh that bubbles out of her. She lets go of his hand, so she can give him a swat, her cheeks still curved into humor.

"You are horrible! Aleron is not boring. He is just quiet." She informed him, with mock primness, before her dimples reappeared. "Besides, we can't all have the dashing mage roguish ones. Some of us have to take the darkly intense knightly ones. Like you."

She wrinkled her nose at him, smiling brightly, before she squeezed him again. "But you're right - we will always be family." Blood made no difference. "And I will always be here, to help lift you up again."

A smile and a faint blush. "Comparing me to Aleron is high praise. I would say I will always be there to protect you, but that's his job now, and he'll do well at it."

He turns slightly and offers his arm. "Your perch, my lady."

"Good, because I plan on giving you high praise as long as we are alive." She dimpled at him, before she goes to take his arm. She let out a long, and shaky breath, before she smiles at him.

"Always my rock, my lord." Her gloved fingers squeezed his arm gently, "Shall we go and face the throngs of darkspawn - I mean. Gentry?"

"With that smile?" The corners of Nathaniel's eyes crinkle. "They won't stand a chance against us."

Dimples flaring to life with a brilliance rarely seen, Bethany plants another kiss on his cheek, before holding up her bouquet. "Then let us go meet the enemy, head on."

[Open] I Look At You

Just before the procession | closed to Bethany

Re: Just before the procession | closed to Bethany

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject