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yzeltia · 1 year

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The Wedding

Part: Y'zel Characters: Y'zel Tia, Y'shtola Rhul, Y'mhitra Rhul, @driftward 's Zoissette Vauban, Lady de Ouraux, Leonnioux de Ouraux, Salah Nbolo, Deleh Nbolo, Sassi Nbolo, Saru Nbolo, Keith Summers, Khloe, G'khenna Summers Rating: T for Melancholia Notes: 6.3 Spoilers

A lie in silver. Not the ring, but the hairpin. An attempt made to be bonded for that day forward, stained by blood and a lost year of what could only be assumed as torture upon torture. This time would be different. The groom was across the estate, in his room with his men. The world was at peace, at the very least Eorzea was. History could not repeat itself…and yet despite knowing so, the hairpin was found wet with tears.

“Is something amiss? Or have you been inundated by all the pomp and circumstance one could muster between here and home?”

Y’zel jumped as he found Y’shtola standing over him, looking quite unamused. He wiped his eyes before he stood, setting the old trinket aside before standing to let her adjust his tie.

“I was thinking of U’noloh, a bit.”

“Leonnioux is fine. Everything will be fine.”

“I know that. It’s just, I can’t help but feel something is going to go wrong?”

Y’mhitra cut in, shooing Y’shtola away as she started to play with Y’zel’s hair, making him turn to face the mirror. “As your maid of honor, I’ve ensured every detail has gone over. Short of the Final Days repeating itself, nothing will stop this wedding.”

“Come Mhitra, I don’t think you’ll be beaten down the aisle thrice over unless my research heats up quite a bit faster.”

Y’zel looked to his elder cousin then to Zoissette in the back who seemed to be fussing with the dress Y’shtola had picked out for her. He smiled lightly then let his attention return to the mirror, staring at himself. Even as G’khenna came in with Khloe in tow, he did little more than glance into the mirror to see them start to jump in front of her.

“Ser Vauban, could you please help me put on make-up! My daddies said it was okay but they don’t know how. Only daddy Raha can! And he only knows how to do mascara!”

“Khloe too! Khloe too!”

“Me? I’m, uhm, I am not sure why I should get this honor? Would you not prefer the lovely Archon Y’shtola or Lady Y’mhitra?”

“Daddy says Miss Y’shtola cakes it on too much to hide her scowling lines,” G’khenna answered.

“And which of your Daddies might that have been,” the Archon asked brusquely while her sister giggled madly behind her.

Chasing in after the girls, Keith stumbled in, met Y'shtola's eyes, then backed out of the room. Y'zel sighed then wandered out of Y'mhitra's grasp.

"I need air," he said before letting himself onto the balcony, closing the doors behind him.

Exhaling, he closed his eyes, letting his breath fog in the freezing air. He hadn't expected the wedding to get so out of hand, especially with dismal turnout of his first attempted union. Inhaling, he wandered to the balcony's edge and held on tight, looking out across Ishgard.

"Would you like a glass of Merlot dear?"

Y'zel jumped, tail and ears hiking high as his bemused soon-to-be mother in law shook an empty wine glass at him from her side of the balcony. In his wedding gown, the Miqo'te curtsied, finding it a bit easier than bowing proper.

"Thank you, Mother Ouraux."

"Just Mother will do. Come, sit," the woman ordered as she poured, "Please relax dear, Leo isn't going anywhere."

"I…I'm not worried about that. I feel overwhelmed is all. Something doesn't feel quite right," the bride explained as he took the wine and drank deep.

"Between the Ouraux and Nbolo coffers and your younger cousin, in charge of it all, I doubt you'll find anything to worry over," she assured him before standing.

Y'zel perked his ears as she passed behind him, draping a fine silver necklace about his neck. He swallowed, arching his head back before getting a small peck on his forehead.

"Mother Ouraux?"

"A snowpea necklace. A tradition from my family for good luck for the bride to be from their mothers."

Y'zel clutched the trinket gently, ears folding a bit. "I'm not exactly a traditional bride."

"But the bride I've been prepared for since you were both lads pretending to be Templar Knights."

"I'm sorry?"

"Oh Zel dear, anyone with eyes could see how Leo fancied you. Butler and I knew very well his intentions upon you from the start. He'd carry on and on about you after school. Lord Ouraux himself was absolutely giddy with delight that our son's affection for would likely get your late father's suspicions off him. If you'd have come around sooner perhaps his little plan would have worked."

Y'zel swallowed. Lady Ouraux seemed content with the circumstances that had led to her husband's arrest and eventual sentencing for his part in the chocoblight. He'd long worried how much was an act on her part, but her continuing affection over the recent days had almost assuaged any guilt on his part.

"It's hard to imagine Lord Ouraux approving of such a thing."

"Well, his inclinations were to have you at Leo's side as a retainer and marry him off after; however, Butler and I knew better. My son would not settle for anything less than to have you. Lord Ouraux would have, of course, caved. He loved little Leo more than anything. Perhaps his only regret is his part in unwittingly seeing you removed from Ishgard."

"I see…though, I don't think anyone counted on my Seeker's heart."

"You are quite determined to be a villain of some sort in my eyes. Zel, dear, I assure you that I have and will continue to love you as a son. Fury and Maiden know my heart has had its share of atypical endeavors.

"Now then. You're dressed and your aunties have prepared a light meal to keep you from letting your nerves get to you. Up you go. Come on now.”

Y'zel jumped as he was bade to return to the dressing room, quickly finishing his wine before his departure. Returning to his half of the party, he gave a light smile, touching the gift around his neck as he looked on to his cousins observing Zoissette trying to teach the two Miqo'te flower girls how to powder, more stuck on the importance of matching shades and the production of the pigments than practical application. He then excused himself to the kitchens, moving into the hall and toward the grand staircase. Looking down the other wing, he spotted his groom, in a tight embrace with Butler, both men awash in tears. His ears perked to listen, but thought it best just to not intrude and ask later.

Greeting the aunties in the kitchen, he was promptly sat down and given a large bowl of plain oats and a slice of archon loaf.

"It took all of Sasi's will power not to toss these in a bin," Sahla hummed.

"And they say Old Sharlayan is where taste goes to die. Ishgard did you dirty long before I could teach you what real cooking is like,' Sasi yelled from deeper in the kitchen.

"Thank you auntie," Y'zel sighed before eating quietly, "Where are the twins?"

"Bullying the groom to be no doubt. They insisted on being groomsmen."

Y'zel frowned, "Did you want to stand with us too? I'm sorry. I didn't think-"

"Oh no. We're all far too old to be maids" Salah laughed.

"Speak for yourself. I'm a young vibrant twenty-nine," Deleh interjected as she joined them, apron coated in flour.

"So strange that you're not a year older than our sweet baby nephew," Salah hummed.

Y'zel choked down a laugh as his elder aunt flattened her ears and thrashed her tail. Attention returning to the bride, she smiled, "Can you believe it? Me? In the kitchen making hors 'd'oeuvres like a common maiden. Anything though for my darling nephew. Though don't expect this for the researcher or the rogue as well. The Ivory Chapel will have to suffice."

"Common house maiden," Sasi huffed, smacking her wooden spoon on the table, "This common house maiden would like to have her dear, older, sister back in the kitchen before the things she was working on go up in flames."

Deleh glowered then turned heel, marching back to man the oven with Sasi close behind, leaving Sahla and Y'zel to talk. The remaining aunt offered her increasingly inundated nephew a smile, stroking one of his ears affectionately

"You look so much like your mother. She'd think you a mix of beautiful and handsome and be happier than I can put into words of the Miqo'te you've become."

"Rrreally?"

Salah nodded, "She too was a bit nervous on her wedding day. Both the Jaguar Tribe and Nbolos all in one spot. She wasn't much for large crowds, but of course Deleh was her bridesmaid and Y'lem was no less fussy than her. But when she was on stage with your father, she looked so in love. They both did…"

Y'zel smiled softly, pushing the picked bowl of oats away. Looking to a chronometer, he stood then headed for the door. "I'm going to head to the cathedral."

"Right then. We'll see you there," his aunt cooed.

And so he made his way from the estate and up the high bridge toward his destination. Entering the cathedral, he was greeted by his Granny Saru; however, whatever words she had for him fell in deaf ears as he entered the chapel. Even now as a grown adult, the statue of Halone seemed larger than life. Kneeling down, he kissed his grandmother's cheek then moved to the stairway to wait.

As people filed in, he searched for Claudien, ambivalent as his bridesmaids filed in front of him by height. Without the researcher, the music started and his attention pulled to his husband to be.

Descending the staircase, the two met before the priest and took one another's hands while their wedding party moved to stand behind them.

"Is everything okay," Leonnioux asked softly.

"Yes. Sorry," Y'zel answered, smiling back.

"I am worried for him too. I sent my retainers this morning. For now, spare yourself worry. For me?"

Y'zel nodded, pushing Claudien to the back of his mind, for now. The ceremony lingered on. People were made to stand, kneel, and sit over and over in reverence to the Fury as the Enchiridion was read and sang from until the couple was allowed to speak their vows.

"Right then. I'd say…most everyone that saw us when we were boys knew that I was in love with you well before I did. There are, so many things I regret saying and doing trying to get your attention. I wanted to be your white knight rescuing you from your circumstances…and it was when I had lost you completely that I perhaps needed you to pull me from mine. Fury knows that I mourned you when the calamity came, and rejoiced when we were brought together again.

When we were reunited, I was heartbroken to find you didn't remember me as fondly or rather at all…and you were taken up with, now my best friend and would be best man, er, if he hadn’t been otherwise detained today.. And then on Starlight you came to me and I was overjoyed. While I didn't expect this relationship for myself, I am happy in it. Happy to see you loved. Happy that you've indulged my painfully Ishgardian ways. And happy to be united before Halone and all our friends and loved ones. By the Fury and light of the Moon, I pledge myself to thee."

Y'zel swallowed, looking to the crowd then back to Leonnioux before offering his hand for the ring. Palm to his chest, he looked at his fiance and smiled.

"It is true. We got off to an icey start. Yet, looking back I know your actions came from a place of love. And despite my grumblings, you occupied such a big part of my heart. You were persistent in trying to be my friend when I pushed all else away. I-"

Y'zel's ears perked a moment.

"I ask the Kami to bless our union," he heard his voice echo in his ears.

Leonnioux stared, brow raised before kissing Y'zel's forehead. The Miqo'te swallowed, looking around for a moment before blushing.

"Apologies. I mean to say…by the Fury and the light of the moon I pledge myself to thee and take the name Ouraux."

Y'zel took Leon's ring then slipped it on his long finger. Unprompted, they kissed and let the crowd applaud their union as they stepped down from the altar and kneeled before the Fury then made their exit.

In the hall, Y'zel exhaled hard then turned to put himself in Leon's embrace. The Elezen smiled, stroking down the back of the other's head.

"Come, let's get a head start. I imagine we'll have little time to eat before paraded about for the rest of the evening," the man cooed to the Miqo'te before starting out of the cathedral.

"Leonnioux…," Y'zel started, frozen as he avoided his gaze, "I'm…"

"No apologies. I know your heart. Come, maybe there is word for you about him."

Y'zel nodded then followed, holding the other's arm with a small purr. As predicted, they barely had time to sample their hors 'd'oeuvres before being pulled about, greeting everyone and talking. On occasion Leonnioux would give Y'zel a slight hand squeeze or kiss to bring about his focus, and yet he wound up drifting on. Eventually getting a break, Y'shtola dragged him aside with Zoissette while others gathered around a table to listen to someone's story.

"You're scattered. Even more so than to be expected," his cousin asked.

"We're…er, we are a little worried Zel," Zoissette said, towering behind Y'shtola nervously.

"It's Claudien. He didn't make it. This was all his idea…and yet I fear he couldn't handle it in the end…And then during the ceremony I had the strangest Echo…like I'd done this all before…I…"

Y'zel clutched his chest before moving to push out onto the balcony, leaning over the edge as he gasped for air. Y'shtola let Zoissette do the back petting.

"There is little you can do about your other beau missing. Focus on your husband that's present. I did warn you about researchers…"

Y'zel folded his ears while Zoissette offered a forced smile. Lifting up, he turned then leaned against the stone railing.

"You're right…I should…," he said before finding Leonnioux emerging from the reception to join them.

Y'shtola and Zoissette made their way inside as Leonnioux handed a paper over, a soft smile on his face.

"I received word. Claudien is well, but poor aetheric currents are likely keeping him from returning to us. As such, he said he'd send for you after our honeymoon. Does this ease your anxiety?"

Y'zel held himself then nodded before walking into the other's arms.

"I want to dance…and to eat cake…aot of cake," Y'zel mumbled, nodding.

"Right. We'll get cake in you then move to the floor together and dance until I have to carry you off the floor."

"Thank you…for all this today…," he mumbled gratefully.

"Of course my love…come. Let's go inside…I think I should introduce you to your father-in-law properly…"

Y'zel blinked, tilting his head before following the other inside curiously. As promised, he had his fill of cake and then danced with Leonnioux, friends, and family well into the early hours. It was enough to distract him from the sense of dread…and enough to drown the sinister, ancient laugh of a woman at the back of his mind…for now.

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