The Forsaken Hero
Chapter 283: The Wedding

Chapter 283: The Wedding

The village positively glowed with excitement. Colorful ribbons, streamers, and banners flapped in the icy breeze, strung from every house and fixture. Children ran to and fro, laughing and playing together, ignoring the irate calls of their parents in the energy of the day. Even the adults’ eyes shone with enthusiasm, each dressed in their finest. Over it all, the church bell continued to ring, summoning the village to its halls.

It was shocking to see so many out in such a remote village, it must have been over half the town, several hundred at least! Weddings and other similar celebrations were always community events in rural areas, but this felt much more than that. But, after some thought, it became obvious such a reaction was only natural in the face of our accomplishments. The Glory Chasers had saved this town time and time again, and were responsible for personally freeing and escorting many of the beastkin from the Circle’s clutches. But, judging from the sincerity of the smiles and enthusiasm, their enthusiasm went deeper than a simple act of gratitude. These people were genuinely happy for Sorrin and Tana, going to great lengths to make this an occasion to celebrate and remember them.

"Come on!" Korra said, grabbing my hand. "It’s going to start soon!"

Wide-eyed and feeling more than a little nervous, I allowed her to drag me through the streams of people, many of whom parted respectfully to let us pass. Before long, we ran into Rasce and Dyson, standing patiently before the church’s closed doors. Sorrin and Tana were nowhere to be seen, but a Rabbitkin girl stood beside the thief, nestled against his side with her arm laced through his.

Rasce noticed us first, turning to greet me. "Ah, Starlight, It’s been awhi–" As his eyes fell upon me, his voice died in his throat. He stared at me until I flushed in embarrassment, only then coughing awkwardly and looking at his feet. "You’re...looking nice."

Dyson had a similar reaction, earning him a glare from the girl on his arm, but quickly deflected it by asking, "And who is this fair lady at your side?"

Still blushing, I flinched, startled by the sudden question. "T-this is Korra. My friend."

"Friend?" Rasce raised his eyebrow, then, still bitter about being caught staring, muttered under his breath, "I didn’t know you knew that word."

"It’s a pleasure to meet you," Korra said, dropping a polite, if shallow, curtsey. "I’ve heard a lot about you. Thank you for looking after Xiviyah all this time. I know it can’t have been easy."

"You got that right," Rasce said, "but it’s well worth it, especially seeing how beautiful she looks when she actually tries. And, well, she’s one of us. There’s no way we could abandon her."

My tail curled around my ankles, my cheeks growing even redder. "Please, don’t tease me like that," I whispered shyly.

"Ah, there’s the face," Dyson said, chuckling. "I don’t know if I’ve had a chance to formally introduce you yet. This is Bell, from Eastfall Village. We rescued her from the circle, and..." he gave her a tender smile, which she returned with warmth.

"I remember," I said, nodding, a faint smile making its way onto my lips. Dyson was certainly charming, but I was grateful he finally found someone real to flirt with. He once mentioned he was just waiting to save a girl in a dungeon but to think it actually happened...and she liked him back.

Korra fell naturally into conversation with the three, answering their questions about her rather sudden appearance. I turned my gaze to the old church, eyes wandering over the ancient, carved stone walls. It was fairly large, easily the greatest structure in town, the main tower nearly a hundred feet tall. Compared to the simple village homes and businesses, it was like a grand cathedral. But, when referenced against the sheer grandeur and wealth of the Divine Throne, it was a simple, humble church.

The church had fallen into disrepair, the mortar cracked and stained glass dull. In preparation for the wedding, the villagers had swept the stone courtyard, brushed the cobwebs from the stained glass windows, and polished the faded light crystals until they shone brightly again.

For some reason, most of the villagers moved past the church, only a few familiar faces waiting with us at the doors. I followed the flow of excitement to a large grassy meadow, framed by ancient, gnarled trees just without the boundaries of the village. Tables and chairs, decked with bouquets and streaming ribbons, were scattered about the field. A group of women were gathered around a few tables on the far side, busily working on something.

"What are they doing over there," I asked, pointing.

Rasce glanced over, following my finger. "According to village tradition, only those closest to the bride and groom can attend the marriage. There’s not much room in the church, anyway, so I imagine most everyone is preparing for the feast and celebration afterward."

We waited a bit longer, and then the doors opened, allowing us to enter. I stuck close to the others as we filed inside, arriving in a spacious chapel. As with every church, alcoves dotted the walls, filled with the glaring visages of the gods. I found a small shrine to Fate in the back, looking more dilapidated than the rest. The mysterious aura that emanated from the other statues was absent, her eyes looking hollow and dead. I felt a small pang of sorrow, and turned away, my tail dragging across the stained wood flooring.

In the front and center, in place of the Shard of Omniscience–-this village was far too small to have one–there was a carved stone altar. An old, disheveled priest stood before it, hands clasped patiently behind his back. His gaze swept evenly over human and beastkin alike, filled with a familial fondness, like a shepherd watching his sheep. I took a shallow breath, heart stuttering, as he found me, but his expression remained peaceful, devoid of any sort of hostility.

We found seats at the front, beside Bilev and his mother, the owner of the inn. The innkeeper flashed me a smile, eyes wandering appreciatively over my dress, before the older woman’s elbow slid into his ribs. Grunting, he started to protest, but withered before his mother’s glare, finally dipping his head to me in apology.

Tana and Sorrin knelt together before the altar. Sorrin was dressed as Dyson and Rasce, in a sharp, pressed coat with neat leggings. Though he kept his composure, his eyes sparkled in excitement and his tail swept side to side every time he looked at Tana. For her part, the half-elf wore a pure white gown. Unlike the world I came from, she wore no veil, her shining brown hair held back by a wreath of white flowers. Her dress had a high neck and long sleeves, the skirt was a cascading waterfall of silken layers. Thick, flowery embroidery crawled up the hem of her skirt, weaving up her legs and torso, culminating in a large, detailed rose on her chest.

"We have gathered together for this most joyous occasion to celebrate the union of our beloved protectors. But first, let us remember the benevolence of the Divine, who have..."

The priest sounded as dry and aged as he looked, his voice grating over every word. I’d never seen him before, but he seemed perfectly at ease before the patient eyes of the assembly, slowly working through what seemed memorized ritualistic content. It was slow and tedious, taking nearly twenty minutes to pay homage to the gods alone before even considering discussing the joys and merits of marriage. Another twenty minutes passed, and he began giving relationship advice, extolling the virtues of love, respect, trust, etc.

I tried to pay attention. I really, truly did. But the priest was drier than a spellbook and less interesting than a brick wall. Before long, I started dozing off, my head oscillating up and down as I continued to force myself awake. If only Fable were here, then I could at least pet him, or worst case, use him as a pillow...

Korra nudged me with her shoulder, snapping me from the pleasant comfort of a daydream. Blinking groggily, I looked up directly into her smile, having rested my head on her shoulder. Suppressing a yawn behind my hand, I straightened, murmuring an apology.

"It’s fine," she whispered, eyes dancing with mischief. "You’re hardly the only one."

She gestured with her head, and I looked around, trying to keep my motions subtle. I needn’t have bothered; every other head in the church bobbed unsteadily too. Even Sorrin and Tana drooped a little, shifting restlessly to relieve the constant pressure on their knees. The church had placed a cushion for them before the altar, but if it were anything like the priest, it might have been preferable to just kneel on the floor anyway.

Fortunately, before I could fall asleep again, the priest’s monologue came to a close. He invoked the name of the gods and clapped his hands together, subtly casting a spell. I sat up, alert, but the magic was harmless, a simple light spell to emphasize the following moment.

"In the name of the gods, I sanctify your union, and pronounce you husband and wife."

I blinked, looking at Korra. That was it? I wasn’t familiar with weddings, but I’d at least heard of an exchange of vows, and something about them having to say "I do."

Korra only shrugged, giving a wry smile. "Guess they do things a little differently here. At least they’re happy."

As the final words left the old priest’s mouth, Sorrin reached out and took Tana’s hand, standing as one. They gazed longingly into each other’s eyes, slowly drawing closer together until their lips met in a long, passionate kiss. The chapel erupted into a startling round of claps and cheers, cheering the new couple on.

"Finally," Rasce muttered. Despite his dour voice, he wore a wide smile, clapping as loudly as the rest.

I pressed a hand to my breast, feeling a surge of warmth, as Tana and Sorrin broke away breathlessly. Their eyes shone with light, their faces practically glowing with joy. Amid the cheers, Sorrin wrapped his arms around her and drew her in another kiss. Tana’s hand rose to clutch his neck, pulling him close.

The light caught on a simple band of gold around her finger, and my lips twitched into a gentle smile, my eyes growing wet. Their pure, simple happiness brought a small smile to my lips, and my eyes grew wet. Somehow, knowing I had been there, helped them reach this point in some way, filled my heart with joy.