A White Wedding

Delilah Pelogia: [i]In the section dedicated to Huhana, in one of the private rooms, the silver-blonde haired priestess, better known as Delilah, prepared for the incoming ceremony she had been asked to host. It was no ordinary ceremony for her either, it was the wedding of one of her dearest friends - to her sister. This thought had troubled her at first, but in the end she accepted the sibling love as something more intimate and kept her attitude regarding the wedding as strictly business. With the ceremonial dress on, which was a white robe that covered her entire body from neck down to her ankles, having plenty of abstract symbols and patterns that hinted at the goddess Huhana as well. Around her neck there was also a necklace with the crest of the Goddess herself. The 'woman' appeared clean and recently bathed, with silky hair flowing down to her shoulders and light make-up covering her already bright and beautiful face.

Soon, the priestess made her way out of the private room and gently walked across the temple's halls to reach the entrance to it, clutching a green book lacking a title on it's cover in her arms which she held against her chest, eventually reaching the stairs that marked the exit of the temple, before making her way down towards the beach, where the ceremony would be held. She'd get there on time - like the priestess was supposed to - before the couple that were to be married would get there. With the Sun going down and the gentle breeze and the lazy waves lapping the beach's sands, the atmosphere was rather romantic on the beach and symbolic; perfect for a wedding such as this.

She reached the spot which she had picked and forwarded to Skalna earlier and stood silent at the spot. There was very little actual decorations around it due to the wedding not being a public event, but the scenery more than made up for it. Slowly, the blonde haired priestess turned around and closed her eyes, keeping the book against her chest as all she now had to do was wait.[/i]

Svanhylde: Marriage. An event to be cherished for all of its symbolism of a bond between two or more individuals ever on the struggle through life's hardships, regardless of their actual presence or otherwise. Many would say it was a time to be rejoiced and remembered fondly throughout the passing of the winters as a sign of positive change. Yet, not every individual felt comfortable with these kinds of changes, perhaps to a point of avoidance of the act as if it stood the plague itself.

Svanhylde stood one such individual, for the truth of the matter was the dame's contrast between her desire for a home and freedom battled one another in endless inner turmoil, with no signs of an obvious victor in sight. She was nervous, scared, and overall quite unlike the knight she attempted to be, worthy of song and praise. She was clean today, something she too struggled with, with her long, carefree silken locks of hair caught in a ponytail of a loose, low hanging nature and held in place by a black ribbon strap of leather, with her long sideburns braided into slightly shorter and much more intricate versions of themselves. She was clad in a formal outfit rather than her usual armoured self, with a grey coloured doublet underneath a high collared black leather jacket with several obvious extra paddings of fabric both for style and protection alike, decorated with golden line flown into a winged creature upon its back all the way down to the lower end of its fabric, reaching as low as the middle of her shins. Multi purpose pants adorned her muscular legs, following in the same colour schematics of her coat, form fitting in their making, with knee high riding boots protecting her from the grime of the streets of Dawnport proper.

She placed herself by the exit of Tyra's very Longhouse, her behaviour anxious and utterly hesitant, with her gloved left palm atop the pommel of Lifeward itself, an ever presence about her which one would find themselves hard pressed to see her absent of, right hand adjusting the matching tricorne atop her white haired mane, fingers occasionally following along its lines as a means to distract herself. When Skalna herself stood at the ready, the knight would offer her the brightest smile that she possibly could offer at a time such as this, along with the crook of her right arm for the white haired woman to take.

Dawnport: Skalna had spent half the day or so more or less in her private quarters. She had taken a bath, cut her hair, painted herself in pretty colours and touched herself with perfume. Everything had to be perfect. She wanted to be as pretty as a princess, she had decided, and had insisted to Svanhylde that you only got married once, and ought to make it as magical as possible. Her hair, silky and ivory, was braided up in a multitude of braids, woven into an intricate pattern. It had taken half the evening to get that sorted out, and that was with the help of a servant. Her dress was as pure white as her hair, made from silk and clinging loosely to her curvy form. Around her neck hung a long silver chain, dangling the gryphon insignia of the von Lyaxann family deep into the cleft of her breasts.
Lastly, she wore a pair of slippers, realising that sandals would be far kinder to her feet in the sand than a pair of traditional boots.

By the time she caught Svanhylde's arm she was as splendid as she was ever going to be, and she had been made quite the beauty. Not that she wasn't beautiful before, but with all the aid and tricks she had happily resorted to, she was pretty enough to be a princess in the court indeed. She was smiling from ear to ear, although she did her best to suppress it, not wanting to start laughing. For she was overjoyed. She had waited for this day since she was little, when she had come to understand marriage, and who she wanted to marry. For her, there had ever only been Svanhylde as a possible option. Others had approached, both her and her grandsire for approval, but in her mind, it was only Svanhylde's arms she longed to be in. And now it was to finally happen! She had hoped that it would happen at home, perhaps, and with some more people to witness it. Maybe a feast for the commoners and a tournament to their honour, where she would be crowned the beauty of the tourney. She would happily take this however.

Once in Svanhylde's arms, they marched their way down to the beach, taking a bit of a slower path, which avoided the main streets of Dawnport, and gave them some freedom of the walk from the prying eyes of the city. Still, time seemed to float for Skalna, and she could not remember what path they had really taken on what she and Svanhylde had talked about during their walk to the beach. Suddenly she was just there, feeling warm sand slipping into her sandals, and looking over towards Delilah with a broad smile. A fierce blush started burning over her cheeks, and she felt her lower lip tremble before biting into it. 'I must not cry....!', she thought to herself. 'I must not!'

Delilah Pelogia: [i]The silver-blonde haired priestess kept her blazing orange eyes closed at all times. The wind that gently struck her caused her hair behind her back to gently float with it, granting her a rather enigmatic, yet beautiful look. Though she didn't put much attention to her appearance overall. She didn't want to steal the show from the two who were to be the most important in this ceremony; Skalna and Svanhylde. Her breathing was slow and gentle as her mind adapted to the incoming situation. She had done this before, many times. Binding two people together for a life of marriage. Yet for some reason there was a lingering sense of uneasiness, deep in the back of her mind that she could ignore rather easily, but it troubled her to the bone.

Even as she heard footsteps on the sand as the two who are to be married approached, Delilah's eyes remained closed, though she couldn't help but to feel her lips curling into a small, yet positive smile. Overall her expression was the same as always in nature, much like the smile she adorned, yet there was a certain kind of business-like attitude. She didn't wish to be the friend who was over-excited regarding something like this. In this moment, she was a priestess of Huhana, ready to form a marriage-bond between two people.

Once she felt the two settling into their positions, Delilah's eyes opened, her blazing orange eyes staring forward for a moment before she looked at the two, one by one, absorbing the little details on them, including their choice of attire and the expressions on their faces. Then her lips narrowed open as she now lifted her right hand in the air gently, while holding onto the green book she had been holding with her left;

"In this sundown, with Huhana's blessings, I am here today to bind these Mara together for a life of marriage, a once in a lifetime situation where the two will live their life together until their deaths!" Her voice was calm and collected, radiating a certain kind of happy positivity; her usual voice. "In the absence of spectators and only in the gaze of Huhana, you two are to be married together. We shall start with a simple verbal prayer. If you two would hold together your hands, look into your eyes and listen as I talk," she'd state, waiting for the two to do what she had requested before flipping open the book and reading straight from it;

"O Huhana, the mother Goddess, the life-giver, the mother of us all; we thank you for your existence and for our birth. Another day without your gaze would be a day not worth living. Grant us your strength as we proceed with the ceremony ahead; let us feel your touch to allow us to go on, and help us spread your love, your guiding words, your knowledge, your known existence," she'd state, with a strong, devoted voice. It was a rather simple verbal prayer coming from her. She'd do a momentous pause after finishing, to signal that the prayer was done.[/i]

Svanhylde: The very instant the dame stood out the front door of their mutual childhood friend's home, her features filled themselves radiant with joy, an obvious social mask for her sibling to her side, yet convincing enough to any and all who passed on by the betrothed ashen haired duo, her steps calm and short, in no hurry to arrive at the destination designated by Delilah herself. Within, the white haired hunter's heart kept on rising closer to her very throat, with what little that could be seen of her jugular palpitating with vivid, rhythmic detail from the added blood pressure. She focused herself on her own feet, forced as she was now to abandon the ingrained theatrics of predatory walk, replaced with a much more natural and dignified version of what must have once been the way she was taught to walk as in court. She would not faint this day. She could not fall victim to such degrading reactions which ruined her ladyhood, even if such would only be in the eyes of the priestess herself and her sister's. Quite in fact, these two individuals stood just about the only people she must maintain composure around of at all times from this point forward. At least for the last remains of the day. Skalna was beautiful beyond measure this day, and she was undoubtedly the one person in the entirety of all of Zamin that she longed to stand side by side with, yet the thought of having to perform an act she herself considered to be of tremendous intimacy with a friend of hers overseeing it felt strange. Would her friendship with Delilah remain the same after this turn of marking events? Only time could tell.

Upon arrival to the location chosen by the priestess herself, Svanhylde's features grew their smile in intensity for a smile second towards Delilah's own, her painted eyes gently squeezed together with fondness. Inside, however, she could barely contain herself where she stood, the desire to pace around the location great enough to make her squirm in place, even if only on occasion. She took the time to regard her surroundings now, with Delilah's very words audible to her ears, the blue of her orbs of sight focused primarily on the setting sun's rays as they slowly began to disappear on the horizon. Skalna bore good taste in her choice, as it was usual of her.

Peace soon began to settle into her mind when this line of thought took over her. It was not a ceremony to imprison her, at the very end. Skalna bore no fault in this whatsoever. She remained an innocent individual in her eyes, even if in private the woman of her childhood and dreams could take on a different side which she refused to display in public. Her head turned towards the ashen haired bride with all shrouds of doubt now cast to the side, even if ever present to her peripheral vision. She squeezed her sister's arm with hers now, the gesture gentle, fond, and her right hand abandoned her own side in order to drape itself over the white haired individual she was to share life with until death parted them. She would cast her fears to the side, for Skalna alone. It was her duty to protect her sibling from everything and everyone, including the worst, darkest side of her own personality if need be.

Dawnport: With the moon slowly rising over the trio, and the rest of Dawnport, it bathed them in its pale light. Their fair hair and skin all turned visibly paler, giving the area an almost magical touch to it, as if they were a group of water nymphs, who had just danced up on the beach. Skalna was smiling happily to Delilah as she welcomed them, bowing her head deeply to her in a sign of outmost respect. Even nobles were humbled before the servants of the Gods, after all. She then listened closely to what Delilah said, her eyes downcast for a few seconds before glancing over to Svanhylde. Her gaze lingered there, and she smiled that broad smile which threatened to burst her into a childish giggle, but she reined it in, as best she could. She blinked a bit, and then quickly lifted a hand to stroke over her eyes, gathering up some tears in the making. She had tried to promise herself that she wouldn't cry at her own wedding, but here she was... Gritting her teeth a bit to compose herself, she held further tears back, and instead shifted position from one foot to the other. Her eyes moved from Svanhylde to the priestess. Looking at Svanhylde only served to make her heart flutter, and it would be hard to stay as calm as she had wanted to be. She had heard that her mother sniffled and cried during her wedding too, so perhaps she had gotten it from her? Soon enough, her beautiful eyes locked with Delilah's gaze, refusing to let her away, at least for now. Her breathing was controlled at least, but she could feel this surge of excitement growing from inside of her.

Delilah Pelogia: [i]Then, she proceeded to close the book, once again holding it against her rather enormous chest as she took a brief moment, allowing silence to linger between the trio. In moonlight her silver-blonde hair took a drastic change in beauty, becoming oddly more bright in color than usual, more silver than blonde.

The silence was cut short when she opened her blazing orange eyes that looked like two suns in the slightly darker setting and she spoke out; "Should you two have prepared vows for each other, it is time for you to speak them," she spread her arms to the sides, while holding onto the book with her right hand. "Your vows to each other, that is but one of the many necessary events needed to occur before you to are to be bound together. Dame Svanhylde, if you were to be the first to speak it out... Then you, Miss Skalna."[/i]
[18:16] Svanhylde: /me A single moment of apprehension tainted her otherwise visage of sheer confidence, the blue of her eyes brought shut along with the brief dispersal of her social mask of happiness. She was nervous, this was obvious. Very much so to a point her composure faltered to a fraction of where it once was.

In a flash, this all changed, the dame's renewed vigour present upon her face the very instant that mask recovered its intensity. After all, how bad could marriage life truly be? Certainly it stood the same as it has for the entire duration of the week past, with the difference they would no longer be siblings. Not only, at the least. She faced the white haired individual upon Delilah's very instructions after a gentle, respectful nod of her hatted head to the priestess. Blue eyes were not keen on Skalna's, who by all means did not stand all that much smaller than she herself was. She allowed her sister's arm free, favouring the holding of her hands with a gentle pull upon them to her own side. "Much has transpired in my life and yours, some of which was decidedly not pleasant. Parting from your embrace all of these winters ago brought damage both to myself and you in specific."

She rose her own hands with Skalna's along for the proverbial ride, seeking to place them close to her own heart over the grey doublet of her clothes, the light, frail smile upon her pale face seeming grim indeed, yet there was radiance upon her features which appeared unnatural in itself, a near angelic like grace which was not unlike Skalna's own, grander than the knight's and innocent in nature. "This heart still yearned for your return, and I am certain that you can feel just how anxious it stands. It has always skipped a beat in your wake, and such has not changed, even if the individual who owns it has."

She lowered her height all of a sudden, sinking her right knee upon the sands whilst her hands were held high, allowing Skalna's to rest loose and stretched down, her chin lifted in order to maintain eye contact with the ashen haired beauty herself. "I possess no land of my own, no true property to speak of, and no renown worthy of someone meant to walk by your side. Yet, you possess something I grant no one other than those I value the most. I present you with my undying loyalty, a sign of utmost trust which I hold sacred above all other vows that I have taken as a knight. Weary from the roads I may be, yet the sight of you brings life upon a tired, struggling soul." She allowed her hands free from Skalna's then, her head lowered in deference, submission even, whilst she drew her blade into her own hands, the sapphires upon its pommel shimmering in the low light for a few moments in time. She held it high, presenting the blade to her sibling in a symbolic sign of vassalage. Her next few words were deep, both in their meaning and their pattern, truly spoken from the very depths of her heart. "With this blade I present you with my life, for you to do as you desire. I would die for you, my dearest sister, if I must. I am the moon to your Sun, the Wrath to your Tranquility, War to your Peace. Without you in my life, nothing else exists. You complete this poor knight's existance.."

Dawnport: She kept on looking towards Delilah for some time, until Svanhylde took a breath to prepare her vow. Skalna had prepared her own vow ever since she was young, and changed it, altered it, tore it apart, made a new one, and then done it all again more times than she could count. When she listened to Svanhylde's oath she felt another flush upon her cheeks, and she had to take a deep breath herself to stay calm. She was so excited that she could've jumped down into Svanhylde's arms and hung to her body for the rest of the night, but just as the priestess had told her, there were certain things she had to do first. Her chest heaved up and down as she took a deep breath through her nostrils, and then started reciting the words she had prepared so long ago. She wanted to shake her head, and tell her to rise right away, but she also knew that it had be done correctly. Until the marriage, Svanhylde was a landless noble at best, a commoner at worst. She felt like a Queen of old, with a knight by her feet, swearing loyalty as a vassal rather than as a lover. But couldn't it be both?

"I need not only your loyalty, nor only your blade. I need not only your love, nor only your vassalage. I need all of it and more. I need a dame to sire my children, to protect my home and hearth, to heed my wisdom and to treat me with care and kindness. In return, I'll grant you strong ladies and fair girls, I'll obey your word and love you eternally, in this life and the next." She reached out with both her soft hands, sliding them through Svanhylde's hair and then leaning down, slowly, carefully planting a kiss upon Svanhylde's head. Her voice was but a mere whisper. "I'll honour you, please you and treat your friends as if they were mine own. I'll always be true to you. All this I, Skalna on Lyaxann swear to you, Svanhylde on Lyaxann." She smiled softly, and then touched the blade, and then the hilt, of Svanhylde's sword, before moving to stand up straight again. She glanced sideways to Delilah, like a nervous child, wondering if she had done it right or not. At least she had managed to make her voice stable and clear, avoiding stuttering and mumbling.

Delilah Pelogia: [i]Delilah's eyes were closed during the vows. With ears perked and head held high, she absorbed every single word the both of them uttered, but she didn't need to memorize them all. All she had to do was wait for the silence that would occur when the vows were done; and when that silence occured after Skalna's vow, Delilah's blazing orange eyes revealed themselves once she opened them and looked at the two with a fond, content smile. She pulled out her green book again and opened it in the middle, seemingly knowing the exact page she'd need to be on as she opened it on the first try. She regarded the page for a moment, before turning towards Svanhylde.

"Will you, Dame Svanhylde, accept the hand of Skalna von Lyaxann and be wed together forever, love each other eternally, support each other, until the day of your death?"

This is what she'd say, in a bright, yet calm tone, and should Svanhylde answer properly, she'd ask the same question from Skalna after turning to her.[/i]
Svanhylde: The knight stood silent throughout the entire declaration of Skalna's very vows, the turmoil of her inner self much more calm as things made the turn for the ritual, something the dame could very well improvise on her own. She never practiced her own vows, having spoken them from the very core of her heart as it all came through her lips, straight towards someone she genuinely held feelings for. The last of Skalna's actions made her smile return to her damaged, pale face, a trembling, yet hopeful display of happiness. She did not know if she could make Skalna happy over the passing of the years, or even stand up to her own vow and meet the expectations of her lover. She would try, however, to the best of her ability.

She slowly sheathed her blade back into its confinement, her hands reaching out for her sibling's, holding them gently and loose with her gloved own, the blue of her eyes never losing track of the shorter ashen haired individual's when she spoke, true and firm. "I do." It was a simple, yet meaningful answer even to herself, her gloved fingertips squeezing Skalna's for the slightest, briefest of moments. The days of the Hedge Knight finally came to an end today, and they were unlikely to return. Skalna was her home, she realized now, even when no location in particular could stand such.

Dawnport: For Skalna there wasn't much hesitation at all. Hearing the priestess say those words, and then waiting for Svanhylde to reply filled her with a pleasure she had not imagined possible. When Svanhylde had given the short, clear answer, the question was given to her, and the woman used both hands to smoothen her dress, wanting to look her absolute best when she returned her own answer. Her lips parted, and it came out as a whisper, her eyes looking deeply into Svanhylde's gaze. "I do." She reached out with her hands, grasping Svanhylde's palms in her own, squeezing them tightly as she did her best to fight the urge to just pounce on her there, right on the beach. There was a certain glimmer in her eyes, the spark that led to a fire, something which Svanhylde had probably not seen in many, many years. It wasn't ecstasy, but it was damn near it.

Delilah Pelogia: [i]With a brief nod of her head, Delilah stated a simple; "I proclaim you spouse and wife; you may kiss the bribe," she stated solemnly and slowly, for more dramatic effect on her part. It appeared to be intentional to some degree, but Delilah didn't seem to mind. She lifted her head for a moment as she allowed them to kiss each other, if they would, before moving on with the last remaining part in the ceremony.

Indeed, once the two were done with the kiss, Delilah would continue; "It is time for the last part of the ceremony. A proper prayer to Huhana. As per your request, miss Skalna, it shall be held in private, with only myself supervising it. I have made arrangements in the temple for a private room to be reserved for us, proper for a married couple for this to be made legitimate. Whenever you are ready, please follow me."

With those simple words, Delilah strode across the sand, towards the way she had came to the beach; towards the temple. Should the two follow, they all would find their way to the section dedicated to Huhana. The erotic imagery making it rather obvious. The silver-haired priestess was approaching a rather lone room towards the corner...[/i]