[Open] I Look At You

[sunshinethroughgrey]

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.

Comments

[tactical_alert]

"I don't think that's going to be a problem for you." He's oh so very fond of Aleron--and of course the other way around must be true, or he wouldn't have been so integral to the wedding. "He's not easy to get to know, and yet...somehow also easy, does that make sense? Sometimes I envy him, admittedly, but we should all be so blessed to know a man like him."

[lifeofendurance]

"You are right in that. Having her support and comfort makes the toils of life that much easier to bear."

Already Bethany has lent her aid and companionship to his life and made it all that much better for her presence, and this without them fully wed yet. It bodes well for their union and for their futures, that they are both willing and eager to be a helpmeet to the other.

It hasn't quite escaped Aleron that his little cousin is avoiding matrimony herself, like a champion escapee in the game of Tag. For people of gentle birth, it's inescapable, short of taking Chantry vows. Eventually the matter will be pushed upon her where she cannot avoid it and when it does...

"It is a good thing to have a life companion who brings completion to you. A friend and not merely a romance. I have been blessed thus."

[sunshinethroughgrey]

"When he shows you what's under the mask, he shows you everything. It's a moment of absolute trust." She tipped her chin, to show she understood what he's talking about. "I think we all are - I know he feels the same about you, though. You're his dearest friend."

[elegiaque]

Marriage has been pushed on her before, and hard; better Aleron not know too many of the details as to how she extricated herself from that, the last time. Her mother had been desperate to see it done before she died, knowing as she did that in her absence Emeric would never make himself the villain - there's no one now to press the issue with her, not when he won't, when she's no other family who could and would.

And she knows it.

She's won, for now; if she finds herself forced into marriage later, it will be the result of having much larger problems than only matrimony. At least a benefit of her lack of ambition is that it's always seemed unlikely she might come to the attention of those in a position to barter her freedom for their own gain. The Inquisition complicates that every day - but so does the anchor-shard in her hand. Hardly a promising seeming bride when they don't know how long she can live with it.

She tries not think of it. If he means to be pointed in his observation, she particularly tries not to think of Alexander, who is gone without promises.

"You're very lucky," she agrees, tucking her hands at his elbow. "My lord must envy it. You know he still doesn't set foot in my mother's wing." And her dead some years.

[justice_is_blond]

It must be nice to be in a position where you lose nothing and where there are no downsides. Anders is a bit jealous. He's never had those luxuries, and he's most definitely never had money or position enough to not be afraid.

He takes a breath, working to push down those feelings. The Seeker lives in a charmed world, but at least a friend of Anders is benefiting from it.

"Right. That's what I wanted to know." He doesn't miss the emphasis on choice and given, but he's not going to go into that. Not when he's quite certain that the Seeker wasn't deprived of meals on a whim or treated harshly for the fun of it; their positions were quite the opposite as one was headed for power and one was nothing. Bethany will be taken care of. That's all Anders needed to find out here.

"Well. Congratulations again, and good luck."

[lyriumcarved]

"Very rare indeed." He's not so sure he'd be able to... quite hold back if he found someone like that. But at the same time, making that much of a connection intimidates him a little. It's one thing to have a casual arrangement like with Isabela. Another thing entirely to... commit to someone so closely.

"It seems he's enjoying himself here." Well. Despite their serious moment. Fenris takes another sip of his wine. "I can't blame him... the wine and company are both worth it."