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“Anndddd… done!” Shionne stepped back, the hot metal wand still in hand. “What do you think?”
Rinwell looked at herself in the mirror, the mid-afternoon light pouring in from the singular window to her right. Her naturally dark straight hair fell in loose ringlets right above her shoulders. On either side of her hair, intertwined within the dark locks, were thin strands of shiny gold ribbon, glinting in the sun.
It’s—
Rinwell's smile touched the corner of her eyes.
“I love it, thank you!” She rushed the pink-haired Renan, wrapping her arms around the woman’s torso. Her face pressed against the red fabric of Shionne’s dress.
Shionne placed the heating tool down before returning the hug, her cheek pressed to Rinwell’s forehead.
Shionne. To think Rinwell used to gaze at the woman in front of her with such animosity, her young eyes shot in the woman’s back like bronze daggers. Back then, Rinwell only saw the world in black and white. Shionne was Renan, and Renans were the people who killed her parents. The people who enslaved her kind for three hundred years, a tyranny that started way before either of them were born. But throughout their travels, Rinwell grew fond of the pink-haired Renan, their friendship blossoming into something neither of them knew they needed at the time.
Shionne taught Rinwell to find purpose outside of her revenge. And for that, the young mage was grateful.
Back then, Rinwell only saw the world in black and white, her vision clouded with hatred.
Now she learned what a beautiful color gray was.
Hardly a second later, another familiar female voice entered the room. “It’s here!”
The former captain of the Menancia guard stood in the doorway, her blonde hair tousled around her broad shoulders. She was wearing a deep purple gown that hugged her curves. And in her arms — a long white dress.
Kisara. Rinwell recalled how horrified she was to hear that the Dahnan woman served a Renan lord willingly . The young mage knew something about Menancia was off, and she was unfortunately right. But throughout their travels, Rinwell came to understand the reason for the woman’s fierce loyalty. She fought for a world she believed in, a hope that Rinwell never knew until then.
Kisara taught Rinwell that caring for others wasn’t a weakness. And for that, the young mage was grateful.
“Well…” Rinwell placed her hand on her chest, her heart fluttering beneath her rib cage. “I guess it’s time.”
The two women helped Rinwell slip out of her robe and into the gown. In front, the white cloth had been hemmed up to her knees, the back trailed down to her ankles. The top was short sleeved, the fabric stopping halfway down her upper arm. The mid section synced around her waist. And—
She gasped when she saw the finishing touches the seamstress from Viscint had done. On the front of the dress, embroidered in the white tool, were small golden and blue butterflies.
“It’s—” Rinwell felt tears form on the corners of her eyes. “It’s perfect!”
She turned to Kisara and gave her a hug, the older blonde woman squeezed her tightly.
Oh, and another thing about Kisara, she gave the best hugs.
“Law will for sure cry when he sees this…” Shionne nodded, her own icy blue eyes had a glassy sheen to them.
Before the mage had a chance to respond, all three heads turned when they heard a knock on the door.
“Can I come in?” Another familiar voice, deeper in register, yet the question was timid.
“Depends…” The pink-haired Renan responded. “Are you alone?”
“Of course I am.”
“All right,” Shionne relinquished. “You may enter.”
The silver-haired Dahnan entered the room. He was wearing a dark blue two piece suit, no doubt picked out by his wife Shionne.
Alphen. He was the reason Rinwell traveled from Csylodia to Calaglia, from the icy tundra to the barren desert. He was one Rinwell sought out to free Csylodia from their Renan oppressor, Ganabelt. And he did just. But he did so much more. Throughout their travels, Alphen was the glue that kept their group together, which quite frequently meant keeping her in check when it came to their Renan allies.
Alphen taught Rinwell not to judge someone for their race. And for that, the young mage was grateful.
After Shionne was content with the way Rinwell's hair and makeup, the four of them made their way outside to the stables.
They were at none other than Phaira Ranch. Rinwell remembered Shionne’s look of disgust when they announced the location. But the mage had to hand it to her, the place was almost unrecognizable. The wooden beams of the stables were wrapped in string lights and hanging greenery. Bouquets of white flowers and candles in cylinder glass casings covered every corner.
And the usual barn smell was replaced with the fresh scent of flowers.
“Are you ready?”
Rinwell turned her head to the second familiar male voice today. Dohalim waltzed up to her side, the former lord was wearing a black two piece suit with gold embroidery.
“Not really.” She admitted. The butterflies in her stomach were doing laps at this point.
“I don’t think anyone ever is.” Dohalim chuckled. “To think the youngest of us, now getting married.” He looked off in the distance wistfully, his hand cusped his opposite shoulder.
Dohalim. He was the second Renan to join their traveling group, although she might’ve hated him more than Shionne. He was a Renan lord, cut from the same cloth as the woman who killed her parents. But throughout their travels the two grew close, bonding over their love of history. He even allowed Rinwell to stay in Autlina Palace, where she continued studying Dahnan history and astral artes.
Dohalim taught Rinwell that her past didn’t define her. And for that, the young mage was grateful.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of violins, the soft whine of the string instruments trembled through the open wooden structure.
“It’s time.” Dohalim uttered.
Rinwell took a deep breath, squeezing the older Renan’s hand. After a couple more deep breaths, the two made their way around the corner.
And there he was.
Beyond the rows of white chairs, seated with those she loved most. Underneath the beautiful wooden arch decorated with blue, purple, and white flowers.
The person she had grown closest with throughout their journey.
Her other half.
Her soon-to-be-husband.
Law.
Since their travels, the most noticeable difference in Law was his height. Rinwell had grown about an inch, but that didn’t compare to the eight inches Law grew. His hair was a bit longer now, slicked back with gel at the nape of his neck, and on his chin he had the softest semblance of scruff.
Today he was dressed in a black suit, with a crisp white undershirt and a lavender colored tie. And he looked… handsome was an understatement.
But he was so much more than just handsome. He was—
He was standing directly below the late afternoon sun, and somehow was the sun himself. Bold, bright, blindingly beautiful.
The violins changed their melody as Dohalim escorted Rinwell down the aisle. The music came from none other than the former lord’s quartet. The group sat behind them, setting the pace of their footsteps.
And, like Shionne predicted, Rinwell could see tears stream down Law’s cheeks, the sun’s rays glistening against the clear streaks on his face.
Law wasn’t the only one at the altar. Perched next to him was the other leading man in her life, Hootle . Hootle was no longer the teeny white fluff-ball he was when she first scooped him up in Csylodia. He was double the size, the tips of his white feathers were a kaleidoscope of colors, gained from his travels throughout the realms. But despite his growth, he still had the same innocent gleam in his eyes.
She remembered when Hootle couldn’t stand Law. The two would constantly fight, a flurry of wings and fists jabbing at each other. Now they were both waiting for her, side by side.
Rinwell followed Dohalim’s lead, keeping pace with the former lord. Her short heels fell gently against the soft grass.
But in that moment, all she wanted to do was run into Law’s arms.
As they reached the altar, Dohalim extended Rinwell’s hand toward Law. Law nodded at Dohalim as the younger man laced his fingers with hers, and the crimson-haired Renan took a seat in the front row next to Kisara.
Rinwell gazed into his turquoise eyes. When they first met, his eyes were like an ocean. She didn’t know which way to swim, she didn’t even know how to swim. Sometimes the white tops of the waves would swallow her completely.
Now his eyes were an oasis. Warm crystal waters lapping up against a sunny shore.
An oasis. A paradise of her own.
Up front with Rinwell and Law, Drashion spoke. “We are gathered here today to witness the union between Law and Rinwell.”
“Law,” Drashion turned his head to the younger Dahnan man. ”Do you have a few words you’d like to say?”
Law nodded and took a folded piece of paper out of his pocket.
“Uh first,” He cleared his throat. “I want to thank you all for coming.”
“My dad told me to find someone worth fighting for. And, as you all know… I had a complicated history with my dad.” Alphen let out a soft chuckle, which was followed by an elbow in the ribs from Shionne. “So it… took me a while to heade his words. I fought because I was angry, angry with the cards I’d been dealt. But once we completed our mission, the anger had nowhere to go. I didn’t know what to do with myself.” He looked up from the paper he was holding, his eyes locked with hers. “It was then I realized I wasn’t fighting for anger anymore, I was… I was fighting for you.”
“Through all our travels, I always found home in you. And once I was able to move past my anger, I knew.”
“I love you Rinwell,” he continued “and I vow to never stop fighting for you. For us.”
The feeling in her chest felt like it was going to swallow her whole.
Law.
Rinwell sniffled, waterfalls of emotion threatened to burst from her eyes.
“And you Rinwell?” Drashion’s words cut through the flurry in Rinwell’s chest.
“Oh… right.” The mage chuckled nervously, removing her own folded piece of paper from the pocket in her dress.
“Law…” She started. “Before I met you, I was alone for a long time. It was me and Hootle against the world. Even after I met you, and all our friends,” she smiled at the front row before continuing “I had my walls up. Refusing to trust anyone. For a long time, only Hootle knew how much I liked sweets, and how much I hated bugs. And for so long, I convinced myself I was okay with that.”
“And now, while Hootle can still kill bugs for me,” she reached up and petted the owl, causing the winged-creature to trill happily. “I have you to bring me sweets after a long day of studying.”
Law smiled. His cerulean eyes had a flicker of gold in them, like warmth from a fire.
“I thought I was destined to a life of loneliness as the last of my kind. But you changed that. I…” she choked.
“You taught me I didn’t have to be alone anymore. And for that, I’m grateful.”
“I love you Law,” she continued. “and I vow to always stand by your side.”
Law smiled. The softest, warmest smile. Like crawling into bed after a long day..
Like coming home.
Drashion said a few more words, but Rinwell’s focus was entirely on Law. They stood face to face, joining hands while Drashions words washed over the crowd like a wave. The sun was high in the sky, the warm rays enveloped the small outdoor space.
“Now—” Drashion’s voice raised, jolting the young mage. “You may kiss the bride!”
Law grabbed Rinwell's waist and dipped her, leaning down so his lips met hers. The sound of the applause behind them was faint, like the sound of the ocean just outside the Thyistlm inn. It was there. But the only sensation she could focus on was her husband.
Her husband.
Law pulled her back up and the two held their hands up to face the crowd. Another round of applause roared from the row of white seats.
After the ceremony, they spent the rest of the evening eating Mabo Curry, drinking wine, and dancing as Dohalim’s quartet played melody after melody. Rinwell experienced true transcendence when she tasted the first bite of fancy parfait, the strawberry flavor danced across her tongue. Law feigned annoyance when he asked her what she was more excited about, marrying him or eating parfait.
At some point the mountain tops above them vanished from view, swallowed up by the night sky. The twinkling lights above them shone like their own personal constellation.
Rinwell glanced over at the table where her friends sat. Alphen handed Shionne the rest of his Mabo curry, to which the pink-haired Renan took without hesitation. Kisara rolled her eyes at Dohalim as he poured himself yet another glass of wine.
Law came up to meet her, his arm snaked around her waist. “What are you thinking about?”
What was she thinking about?
The past, the present, the future. Her friends. Her husband. The warmth coming from his body. His cheeks flushed from a few too many glasses of wine.
Hootle, who was perched on one of the wooden beams above them, trilling happily.
She was thinking about how tasty the parfait was. And how she wanted more.
“Nothing... And everything.” She admitted. “Mainly, I’m just thinking about how grateful I am.”
Law leaned down to kiss her. It was a short, caste kiss. It held a million words, but was weightless against her lips.
“Yeah, me too.”