A Wedding!

Writers: AL, Cymiri, Miriah, Suzee
Date Posted: 8th February 2014

Characters: Loella, Benani, Karhal, Daimhin, Crolarin
Description: Karhal takes a wife
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 5, day 20 of Turn 7

Loella

Benani

Karhal

Delicate music played over the small assembly of people as Crolarin
plucked on his guitar with careful fingers. The Harper sat back away
from the group of people, but kept a slight smile on his unremarkable
face. A clear sky, pleasant breeze and today would mean the joining of
two people that were meant to be together. A wedding to remember.

Karhal looked at Zathris and Daimhin, the man that stood at his side
as he carefully adjusted his shoulder sash. He'd not worn his formal
uniform in ages it seemed, but today was an occasion that certainly
called for it. He glanced about at the small gathering of witnesses,
keeping his back straight. He'd done this before so many turns ago,
but this time it was not about duty; this time, it was about tying
himself to a woman he could no longer live with out.

Loella smoothed her hands over the bodice of her dress. She and her
mother had spent many hours on embroidery of the skirt's front panel.
Her father had even gone to a gather to find some tiny glass beads to
highlight the flowers in the embroidery. The cloth was nothing special
but the color was a beautiful rich garnet. Fitted from a square
neckline, stays helped nip in her waist into an hourglass shape for
her figure showed nothing of her condition as yet. Below the V of her
waistline the garnet cloth split to reveal a pale rose underskirt. the
sleeves were tight to her elbow then flared to the wrist.

Out of sight of the guests and Karhal she sat while Lady Benani's maid
finished the final touches on her hair. Both garnet and rose ribbons
threaded her curls and her mother's eyes misted behind her. She smiled
into the mirror and patted her mothers hand."Go to your seat mama,"
she said.

"I have something for you to wear today," Benani said behind her.
"Don't get too excited," she smiled. "This is a loan." Then from a
small box she took a necklace of pearls with an ornate garnet pendant.
"This was my mothers," she smiled. "I thought it would be nice for you
to wear it today. She much appreciated your mother's service before
she wedded your father."

Loella blinked and gasped as the necklace was draped around her neck
and fastened by the Lady Holder herself. "Ma'am," she breathed. "I
don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything," Benani smiled. She'd been careful to
dress a little less ornately than the bride as she was an honorary
attendant. Her own dress was the color of the bride's underskirt
though it was made of a much finer fabric.

The music changed slightly and Benani smiled turning to step out from
behind the screening greenery and process down the center toward where
her husband awaited to officiate the wedding. She smiled at many of
the audience and the Harper as she made her way to the front.

Soon it was Loellas turn and they walked slowly to the beautiful music
her eyes blissfully fixed on Karhal.

It wasn't his wedding, but Zathris couldn't help but glue his eyes to
the beautiful woman who was not the bride. A broad grin split across
his face as Benani glided toward them. As she drew close, he winked at
his wife, then turned to face the actual bride of the day. He had to
admit, she was lovely. Not as lovely as Benani, but lovely.

When Loella arrived, Zathris glanced around and chuckled. "Oh, I guess
this is my bit in the ceremony, eh?"

Daihmin was even more immaculate then usual. Karhal, after all, had
earned that respect. If anything else- like his wistful yearning- showed
in his beaming face, it wasn't from lack of trying either. With a quick
wink, he squeezed the man's shoulder in quiet encouragement.

The moment Loella appeared, Karhal's eyes widened and his jaw dropped
slightly. While his gaze flicked over her dress quickly, his eyes found
her face just as quickly, soaking in her glow, her beauty....and his
eyes softened. Adoration for the woman shone in that single expression
and he stood a little straighter, the hard lines of his face gentling as
she made her way towards him. He had never seen anything so lovely as
Loella in that moment. As she approached, his hand reached for hers; she
stepped beside him and he lifted her fingers to his lips in a gentle kiss.

He was quite ready to take the kiss to her lips when Zathris spoke,
distracting him and forcing him to pull his eyes away from his intended
bride. He blinked, cleared his throat and nodded."Yes, my Lord, that
would be you."

"Well now, let's get this started. Karhal, you've come to make a
promise to Loella. It's a promise not meant to be broken. You promise
to love her, cherish her, to take care of her, whether in good times
or bad, until death takes you from her or she from you. Is this a
promise you are willing to make and keep?"

"Yes. Always. Until my death." Karhal's gaze never left Loella's face.

Her eyes glowed up into his as she waited to make her own promise to
him for always.

Zathris nodded, then turned his gaze to the woman. "Loella, you've
come to make a promise to Karhal. It's a promise not meant to be
broken. You promise to love him, honour him, to care for him, whether
in good times or bad, until death takes you from him or him from you.
Is this a promise you are willing to make and keep?"

"Yes," Loella couldn't keep the tremble out of her smile as she looked
up into his eyes. "Always, Until my death."

Grey eyes warmed and his hands tightened slightly on hers in response.
**May mine come first before yours.** He'd dealt with the death of one
wife, but the thought of losing this one was not one he would ever want
to entertain. He glanced at Zathris, eager for him to get on with the
blessing. He had a wife to kiss.

"Well don't just stand there, kiss your wife, Karhal!" Zathris
exclaimed when the guard cast a gaze over toward him.

Karhal flashed a jubilant smile at Zathris. "As my Lord commands." He
turned to Loella and with care, cupped her face with callused fingers.
He bent and pressed his lips tenderly to hers. She was his,
officially.

Loella surrendered to the kiss and wrapped her arms around him in
front of everyone who mattered in her life. She was finally his wife!

Last updated on the March 15th 2014

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