RP:Elope
Summary: Irenic and Valrae elope in her garden with a small ceremony this is officiated by Joanie.
Behind a Hemlock Grove
You begin to hear the soft sounds of water again, though you are far beyond the waters of Vibrance. Curiosity urges you forward, towards a particularly dark part of the forest and to a strangely well-tended grove of tall hemlock trees. A small path, one worn through the forest by travel, leads behind the grove and to a wide glade. Wildflowers and sweet grass grow hip-high in some places here. A stallion, easily twenty hands high and black as pitch, grazes lazily, unconcerned with his surroundings. A stream runs along the eastern edge of the glade and a well stands close to it. A stable of stone, the word 'Fury' carved above the wide open doors, rests between the well and the cottage. Standing tall in the west of the glade is a two-story cottage of the same stone. Smoke, white and wispy, floats from the chimney and the pointed top of the curiously crooked tower that seems to be attached towards the back. The wooden arched door is bold, berry stained red with a heavy owl carved doorknocker of iron. The windows are wide, with diamond patterned muntin work and stained glass. A small pebbled pathway winds between flower beds, shrubs, and droopy branched willow trees. It leads behind the home and to a fenced garden. A fat, long-tailed inky black cat can be found resting drowsily on the fence in a patch of golden sun and watching you with heavy-lidded emerald eyes. Here, the heady scent of herbs and flowers in bloom greet you. The garden itself boasts plants of all types, both useful and purely aesthetic, in full and clearly enchanted bloom. The herbs and flowers are arranged in spirals around a bubbling fountain. The carved image of a woman stands in the middle of the water with hands cupped around a crescent moon and raised above her head. Cool and clear water tumbles from her fingertips into the wide fountain's base. The forest presses close behind the garden's fence, the tall trees casting long shadows. The rounded and slightly crooked tower is seen more easily from here. Its odd shape boasts a lower oriel window and a balcony on it's highest floor. Ivy climbs and covers the beautiful stone face.
Valrae || The garden is alight with twinkling white and gold candles. They float in the little goddess fountain and along the path, dotted generously on every surface and silk clothed table. Near the white fence, in the center most part of the west edge of Valrae's garden, a tall Rowan tree stands, it's trunk surrounded with strings of gold-glowing spheres of witch made light. A small white marble altar stands before it, a silk ribbon of white and another of gold, with charms of the moon and sun respectively, draped carefully on it's face. A handful of chairs with golden ribbons tied to the back are set in a loose crescent shape in the spirals of lavender and other herbs. Eight for Valrae's closest coven sisters, most who were currently huddled around the champagne table next to the rose bushes. A white petal-lined path leads to the altar from the kitchen door. Someone has bespelled a harpsichord to play delicate music. Inside, Maude and Crystal are fussing with Valrae's hair, who looks as if she is going to faint.
Hudson | Joanie has agreed to perform this ceremony for Valrae and Irenic, and she is here in a simple navy shift dress that contrasts against her pale skin. Her hair is unbound. At the right moment, she begins to walk a slow circle around the space where the ceremony will be held. She is carrying a small bell that rings with the gait of her movements. It is a musical sound and the harpsichord quiets, so that it is not lost. Joanie is blessing the space, and also letting the wedding party know that it is time to process to the altar.
Irenic is already standing at the altar and dressed formally in a black tux accented in gold, but with a deep red and gold diagonal striped tie. Irenics hair was cut into a gentleman's style and parted neatly off to one side and a hint of gray at his temples, but in attempts to mask it those are slicked back a little with whatever Hollow’s version of pomade is. Mismatched eyes glance down at his black formal shoes and he bent down to wipe a smudge off them quickly before pulling free a pair of square narrow rimmed spectacles and a piece of parchment. Eyes quickly scanning over the parchment which looks to be scribbled by a chicken’s foot, but apparently he was able to read it somehow. After stowing the parchment and glasses back away he went for more subtly nervous fidgeting by adjusting his gold and ruby cufflinks. Some friends of Valrae’s were already seated in wait for the ceremony to begin and Irenic gives a smirk with a nod, but this sent them into a quiet giggle and whispering gossip of ‘I can’t believe that worked’ and ‘must’ve worked wonders on Valrae too, we haven't seen her in a week or so.’ They obviously don’t know the avian can hear them and he just averts his gaze to the kitchen door.
Valrae | Maude tucks the last errant strand of golden hair away from Valrae's brow and her dark eyes shine. "I have a gift," She tells her, and waits for Crystal to reappear in the room. Through the vanity mirror Valrae's dark eyes follow the other woman as she presents a little hat box wrapped in ivory and silver gift paper. "Maude! This-" But the older woman shushes her and urges her to open the box. Val lifts the lid and moves back the thin gift paper. Inside is a rosemary and holly berry flower crown delicately woven with scarlet silk ribbon. Valrae's eyes tear up, but the other women quickly warn her not to ruin the soft barely-there makeup look they've painstakingly perfected on her face. Joanie's bell rings, the signal for the ceremony to start, and the three of them share one final hug before Crystal leaves them to take her seat. Maude tells Valrae how proud she is of her, how much she wishes this union be blessed, and tries not to cry herself before linking arms with her and walking her through the kitchen and into the garden. The flower crown rested atop Valrae's half-done, honey and wheat waterfall of hair. The mass of golden waves tumbled over her lace covered shoulders to the curve of her back. Her ivory mermaid gown has delicate lace and embroidery, the sheer sleeves long and patterned with little ivy spears and gold shining beads at the cuff. The back was low, the train medium length lace that trailed behind her and carried some of the rose petals with her. Her shaking hands clutched a bouquet of white peonies and holly berries. Her eyes found Irenic and she grasped onto his image as if the ground would open beneath her and swallow her whole if she lost sight of him. Maude walked her to the altar and kissed the palm of her hand and took the bouquet before taking a seat. Suddenly, Valrae was standing alone, across from the man she was going to promise her life too, and hoped she wasn't going to faint or pee on herself.
Hudson | Joanie completes the circle and poses the bell upon the altar, taking her position beside it. Her expression of concentration softens into a smile, first directed at Irenic, and then at the kitchen door. Everyone is looking at the kitchen door, and an audible gasp rises from the intimate gathering here as Maude and Valrae appear, arm in arm. As they process down the path, Joanie is still, her hands clasped, her expression one of peace and affection for this couple. As Valrae finally takes her place facing Irenic at the altar, Joanie addresses the group warmly: "Merry meet and blessed be. We are gathered here today to witness the hand fasting ceremony of Valrae Ivy Baines and Irenic Older to symbolize their entering into the bonds of marriage." She pauses before explaining further, her gaze fanning out over the attendees, connecting with them one by one: "In the hand fasting ceremony, the hands of the bride and groom are bound as a sign of their commitment to one another. In many times rings were only for the very rich, while love knows no such bound." Joanie reaches to take the white and gold ribbons from the altar, displaying them against her palm for all to see. "These cords are not permanent but perishable as a reminder that all things of the material eventually return to the earth, unlike the bond and the connection that is love which is eternal." She looks from Irenic to Valrae, now addressing them: "Irenic and Valrae. I call upon the goddess and spirits to bless your union. Please join your right hands at the wrist." She waits for the couple to do so before beginning to loosely bind their wrists together with the ribbon in a figure-eight. As she wraps the ribbon around their wrists, she reads a series of vows, pausing between each: "May you know nothing but happiness from this day forward. May the road rise to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the warm rays of sun fall upon your home. And may the hand of a friend always be near. May green be the grass you walk on. May blue be the skies above you. May pure be the joys that surround you. May true be the hearts that love you." After the last of these, she looks to the couple, inviting them to add their own vows, if they wish.
Irenic became distracted by all the pretty lights illuminating the garden until he heard the sound of a bell coming from the kitchen and his attention snapped back over to the doorway for he didn’t want to miss one bit of this. Side note, when did Irenic become such a sap? Immediately his expression softens on the rough terrain of his scarred up and tawny visage, but it was an odd mix on the man even though it was very sweet and an impossibly wide grin takes over his whole face with joy. When has he ever smiled like that? Mismatched eyes travel along all of the details starting at the flower crown, the perfect fitting dress, the flowers in her hands until his eyes lock to her own and his tattooed hand placed over his chest as if his heart was beating impossibly fast and hard, but at the same moment his eyelids rimmed with the hint of tears… Okay an actual tear falls that is soon wiped away by the back of his hand when she is finally standing before him and he whispers between the two of them, “you look gorgeously perfect.” Is that even a thing? If not she makes it a thing tonight. His hands reach out to her’s, but he stops himself for he’s unsure what he’s supposed to be doing yet. He just wants an excuse to touch her! Almost right after he told Valrae she looks so good tonight Joanie starts, but try as he may to look at the woman to prove he’s concentrating he can’t take his eyes off Valrae. Aw yis, he gets to hold her hands and almost too eagerly he does so. Their tan skin contrasting the other and his intricate patterned tattoos accented moreso and he’s grinning at the beautiful words while looking down at Valrae, but when there is an awkward pause of Joanie looking at him to say something he finally glances to the woman, “oh!” He gently cleared his throat to attempt a softer timbre to his low gruff voice, but it probably didn’t help much, “Valrae Baines… You’ve been a wildfire in my life and it matches your wildheart. Where I am more calculated and cautious you’ve shown me to drop the tough act sometimes and be real. Bringing an avian to be down to earth is a challenge you met head on even though it’s always been fun flying,” at this he wiggles his brows a bit when his lips smirked deviously. “I know from what you’ve told me over the past few weeks that things weren't always easy for us and definitely not for you, but I will always take you as you are and you can always expect me to just be there. I love you Valrae Baines and even though I miss the heck out of Quizzical no matter what form he was in, I am always thankful he brought be back to you… That was his purpose. He kept telling me to find that nice blonde lady and he did it.” He got a little choked up at the end and maybe his voice cracked a bit, but Valrae’s friends were drying their eyes long before then.
Valrae || Irenic takes her hands and some nameless, bittersweet emotion stirs in her chest. Tears spring to her eyes and she blinked them away. Her nerves fall away, drown by the sea of love and a little panic that fills her. Joanie begins her ceremony and Valrae's dark eyes find Irenic's. The ceremony was lovely, Joanie was lovely. Her friends and family surrounding her, no matter how little of them, were more than she could have ever imagined as the lonely girl in the streets of Cenril. The man before her was more than she'd dared wish in her most private, secret dreams. The ritual finishes and as Joanie makes the last tie, Valrae could swear she felt the twinge of magic flow through their entwined hands and down her arm. . Irenic's vows, cause the tears that had brimmed her wide eyes to flow over and down her cheeks. When it's her turn she takes a long, steadying breath. "Irenic," Her voice shakes, "From the first moment I saw you, sitting in the sand reading, I knew you were someone special. I trusted you enough to take your hand before and today I trust you enough to take your hand always. I promise to try. No matter how tired, no matter how long the road is ahead of us." The witch has to stop, take a breath and calm herself again. "Because you see the best in me, even when it's hidden under all the sharp edges. And because you make me a better person. And because no matter how selfish or confused I can be you put me first, you love me without conditions or reason. So I promise to love and cherish you for the rest of this life and any that may follow it." The witch leans up to the tips of her toes to kiss her new husband, the perfect punctuation to her stumbling vows.
Hudson | Joanie's smile is unfaltering as Valrae and Irenic speak to one another. These vows stir in her a youthful optimism, a belief that there is beauty still in the world, a beauty that is ageless and transcends the brutality of organized crime and the hideous rise of fascism alike. "Valrae and Irenic," she addresses them again, once they are finished. "Just as your hands are now bound together, so too, are your lives. Because you cannot always be physically joined together, you will each give to the other a wedding ring to symbolize that connection. It will be worn on your hand as a constant reminder of the bond shared between you as a married couple." She inclines her head to them, indicating that they are to exchange rings. Once that is complete, she raises both hands and speaks again: "Valrae and Irenic, by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife." Lowering her arms, she beams at the couple. "You may now kiss the bride," she tells them. The ribbons remain tied around their wrists. The knot is for them to remove, at their discretion. Joanie waits for the kissing to cease before addressing the gathering: "Everyone! I present to you the newly married couple!" Applause rises from the attendees. The harpsichord on cue begins to play the processional music that carries them back down the path, now as husband and wife.
Irenic felt the magic on his hands and it was foreign to him as he’s never been good with magic. Her own words made that joyous grin nearly permanent upon his face showing off all of his white, but slightly crowded teeth. He bent down at the waist to kiss Valrae back seeing as he’s six eleven and she’s only five one… The kiss is lingering and tastefully orchestrated in love and passion as to not gross out their guests. Almost immediately he was feeling what Valrae was feeling, the excitement, the nerves and the love, but they were equally returned. This was so new and with confidence he accepts this union. His hand curves around her waist after they gently remove the knots from their hands and exchange braided-gold wedding-bands while thinking to himself, ‘that makes sense now.’ Leading them back down the aisle as one while the guests toss rose petals to shower them in before they may all retire to Valrae’s kitchen and pop open some wine bottles. After everyone gets drinks Irenic helps move all the chairs out of the way and they all share in food, cake, drinks and dancing until questionmark time in the night. The rest of the night he spent whispering cute things down to his new bride and getting used to the way he made her feel as he was feeling it as well. Her friends couldn’t get enough of the two and clink their champagne glasses to make them kiss, like, tooo much, but Irenic doesn't mind. A few of them ask Irenic to hook them up with some hot avians and saying how lucky he is, also, don’t break her heart or we ill jinx you! Ha-ha, kidding! But not really, buddy. At one point Valrae might catch Irenic just simply watching her and a soft grin on his lips to which she will ask ‘whaaat?’ just like any woman would. A shrug would be given and he’d answer, “nothing. Just thinking about this woman here by the name of Valrae Baines-Older.” Then he’d sweetly kiss the top of her hand that he was surely holding onto.