Her heart seemed to threaten to explode with the speed it gathered as each second passed. Oh, God, help me… okay, it’s almost time… almost time… After this, she would be raiding heaven, fighting her own father, who should be here with her. For a moment, she felt a pang of jealousy towards the girls of normal weddings. They had fathers to walk them down the aisle. No matter… her father was probably preparing the army with her thoughts now. She would return to heaven after this… and she would set things straight.

She could hear the low chattering of anxious souls, in fact, she could almost feel the tension and joy bursting inside the sanctuary. Her gloved hands wrung about the white ribbon tying the huge bouquet of deep, blooming, red roses together. Her teeth chattered behind the forced still lips as she left the small room, her chest heaving as she inhaled and exhaled. Time slowed immensely with each step closer to her future, her love and her life. She stopped before the doors, two ushers beside one another to open them in the next moment. The veil hid details from her view, but it could not hide the fact that there was an immense amount of people inside, all waiting for her appearance.

The music began. The sweet, uplifting notes of the wedding march wafted through the building. The doors were pulled back, revealing the bride clad in her pure white dress, standing before the multitude of people, whom all also stood, watching her. It was at this moment she was glad her feet instinctively moved forward. Two steps… stop. Two steps… stop. He remained there, at the front, hands clasped in front of him, shifting only slightly, that characteristic smile on his face. She briefly wondered if he really felt as calm as he always looked. Her graceful angelic posture was never more visible than at this moment, her movements as swift and beautiful as a river flowing down the carpeted aisle.

Almost there…

She kept her eyes on him. Never did they falter… but once. Only once, when she neared him, to the one figure on her side of the church. She doubted anyone would notice, but her cheeks turned a brief pink beneath the veil. So… he had come as he promised. The rest of the people she did not really recognize, yet she never seemed to fail to keep her lovely smile. She was sure they would all congratulate her after the ceremony and she would learn their identities then. Her side of the church was not empty. Her heart soared with the knowledge that everything was perfect now.

She passed him as she reached the end her walk, turned, allowing Cadenza, one of the few she knew, to help her remove her veil, her glowing, radiant face becoming visible to all, and her mascara running with a tear or two. She blinked repeatedly, stopping the tears for the moment. She had to wait to cry, at least until after the deed was done. The music came to a soft, trailing, halt. She somehow wished it had lasted longer, despite the time it took her to reach her destination, mouthing thanks to the bridesmaid with her help at moving the veil’s trailing out of the main hall. His hand reached out. Hers took it. She turned in perfect sequence with him to face the many guests and swallowed, beginning her speech, one she had rehearsed for so long, it was as if she had known it all her life. Her free hand continued to wring the stems of the roses. She hoped her voice would carry well, despite the tendency for her to be timid. She was deathly afraid of giving a speech in front of such a large audience, but she was determined to do her best, even with the absence of a priest.

“Thank you for all attending this wondrous occasion as both Zorlo and I exchange vows and become no longer two separate individuals, but take a new path, one that links us together though a common bond of love. We can only pray that our marriage bring us peace, joy, and comfort that is known solely through the linking of our hearts.” She paused, blushing a bit, but dimming it quickly. “You may all be seated now.” One little mistake would not ruin her day. No, her wedding day would never be ruined, not by anything.

“An essential requirement of a good marriage is a strong, personal bond of real friendship and trust. Zorlo and I love each other and it grows deeper with each passing day, but it is important, especially in times like these, that it stands on a foundation of genuine, mutual affection and respect towards one another…” she trailed off for a moment, her mind wandering to memories, specifically ones she did not find pleasant to remember now when she should be continuing her speech. She smiled and continued flawlessly.

“To truly love another person, it means to be willing to accept both their strong points and their weak points, with equal measures of understanding and respect. The vows we are about to exchange, they will serve as a verbal representation of the non-verbal emotions that are as real as anything that can be seen, heard, or touched. You are all our witnesses as to these words. But recall that it is not these words which bond us together as one today, but the strength of the love and commitment found deep within our souls.”

She paused after this, turning to face Zorlo, her eyes surrounded by a soft glow. "Do you, Zorlo, take me, Selene Vlaxen, to be your lawful wedded wife? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, until death do us part?"

She took note of how he answered, the warmth in his smile, the way he squeezed her hand with his answer. "I do." He returned the speech back to her, the same words, but with husband.

"I do." She took a deep breath. Now came the last part of her speech, leaving the actual ring exchange to Zorlo. At least he would do something, for heaven’s sake. Although with him, she felt lucky he showed up to his wedding on time. Her heart began to quicken. Surely no one would speak up with this, especially if the bride herself spoke these words. Still, it had to be done. “If there is any man who has any reasons why we two should not be joined in Holy Matrimony, let him speak now or forever hold his peace.” Her eyes seemed to look not at her soon-to-be husband’s, nor the guests, but at the ground. It was all she could do to keep a clear mind.

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Selene, Arlen and Kate