"Between the passing seasons, my heart I know, it doesn't change."
-Taeyeon, All About You.

**

Nothing at the moment could relieve Kieran’s inflated levels of stress and anger. Even beating Rafa Thysir Zamlthat nearly to death was useless to him.

The man grinned at his accomplishment even with a mouth full of blood and a missing tooth; his accomplishment being crashing Kieran’s bachelor party, drugging and kidnapping both Kieran and Lukas so he could bring them to the bachelor party he had thrown in the county Ridian, east of Rievelt.

“I also wanted to throw my friend a bachelor party,” was his excuse.

Kieran threw a fit about them not being friends, nay, about him despising Rafa’s guts and gave him an earful for messing with his wedding schedule.

Rafa’s disillusioned yet relaxed nature after that confirmed Kieran’s suspicion about him being a masochist.

Rafa’s party the previous night was a blur to him. All he remembered was drinking and dancing with strange men in white dresses and leaf crowns. And lots of laughing. All courtesy of the deranged lord’s drug.

“It was the only way to get you to loosen up and have fun,” was his excuse.

The only thing Lukas seemed worried about in the whole situation was not their lack of attire or transportation, or the fact that they’d been kidnapped and made to dance to somebody else’s tunes. He was worried about Rafa’s lack of genuine friends.

“I mean, he went through all that trouble just to hang out with us.”

Kieran rolled his eyes at the statement. Before Rafa lost consciousness from his blows, Kieran had forced out the location of their clothes. He now searched through the trunk hidden under the floorboard of the small house as Lukas searched for gold coins under the chairs.

They were also temporarily poor.

“What I do not understand is how he knew we would be at that tavern for my party.” Kieran seethed, flinging a way too big pair of trousers behind him. “Or how I am getting married today.”

“Yes, that is quite the mystery.”

“Should have beaten that answer out of him too.”

“Well he’s unconscious now, so you can’t get it out of him. Bummer.”

There was no clean water anywhere near or inside the cottage, so the only solution was to find an inn as soon as possible. Kieran and Lukas got their clothes, but there was just one problem – they didn’t have any money. And without money, they couldn’t afford an inn to eat and have baths in. Couldn’t afford to buy horses or rent a coach.

Couldn’t. Buy. Wedding. Suits.

There was no way Kieran would be able to make it home in half a day and still have time to groom himself and wear his suit, which was already waiting for him in his bed-chamber. There also wasn’t any time to head to the Count’s palace and seek assistance – it was too far inside the city. He and Lukas were in one of the smaller towns, where kindness was something that was to be bought.

“Relax,” Lukas cooed from beside him as they walked in the town streets. “We still have a couple of hours. We can make it. Once we get some money, everything will sort itself out.”

Kieran cracked his knuckles – a habit when he was on edge. “And how do you suppose we just ‘get some money’, huh?” he snapped. “Do you think we have time to be doing odd jobs right now?”

Lukas was about to retort, but a chorus of manly shouts and hoots overwhelmed them both. They walked towards the noise, where plenty of townsfolk were gathering around in a crowded circle and cheering. Kieran and Lukas pushed through the excited mass and right in the middle, found a wrestling match between one giant of a man and a lean smaller one.

The giant was shirtless, showing off his globes of flesh and mass that could flatten a full-grown man if he sat on him. Kieran watched as the giant rained punches on the smaller man before lifting him by the trousers and slamming him into the dirt.

The crowd erupted into cheers. The smaller man didn’t move, and an older, short man walked into the ring to lift the victor’s arm and declare him the winner.

Since the fight was over, Kieran lost interest and turned simultaneously with Lukas so they could leave.

“Fifty gold coins to anyone who defeats the champion!”

Kieran and Lukas froze in their movements and whipped their heads to each other, sharing a knowing look.

*****

Ray was restless.

He should’ve listened to Aira when she’d said something was up. Now the sun was soon setting beyond the meadow, all the guests had arrived and filled up the rows of pews surrounding the gazebo, and the Oracle stood at the altar in the gazebo, ready to commence the wedding ceremony.

Except it wouldn’t be a wedding ceremony without the groom now, would it?

Although he sat in his dark red suit in one of the front pews pretending that everything was okay, nothing was okay.

Two of his brothers shared the pew with him, all dressed in dark red suits, all pretending that everything was okay. They drummed their fingers anxiously on their knees and occasionally looked at the sun to silently beg it to set slower.

They had gotten through the day by feeding lies about the groom’s whereabouts to whoever asked, and had assured them the wedding was on; that the groom would be at the venue by sunset, even though they had no idea where said groom was, or what he was doing.

He was supposed to arrive first before the bride and take up the front pew as he waited for the twilight. It was The Oracle to recognize the auspicious time and call forth the groom right before the bride walked down the aisle.

There was no groom to be called.

At this point, the bride would have to marry herself.

Ray tried not to think of poor sister-in-law Elena. Per tradition, none of them had seen her yet, since she was to be kept in female company until it was time to walk down the aisle. Did she know about Kieran’s disappearance? Ray couldn’t tell which was worse – not knowing and showing up only to be stood up at the altar or knowing and not showing up at all.

Either way, the wedding would be cancelled.

Sweat formed on Ray’s brow and he wiped it with the sleeve of his coat.

Dammit, where on earth was Kieran?

Thunder rolled in the distance; only it wasn’t coming from the sky but the ground below, and the air all around him. It shook up the ground as it rumbled, letting Ray know something big was coming. From the way he and his brothers glanced at each other, he knew he wasn’t the only one hearing things.

“Do any of you hear horses?” Aaron, settled betwixt Ray and Joshua asked, glancing at either of them.

Come to think of it, it did sound like the rumbling was accompanied by neighs and…shouts?

At once, they all turned their heads to the upper lawns and Ray’s jaw dropped when two mighty black stallions leaped into the air, their powerful forelegs rearing as they soared over the slope to the lower garden.

A chariot followed in the air behind them with two persons. One – the driver, tugging on the reins in a most fierce and eager grip and two – the shorter blond passenger being thrown around in the chariot as he struggled to hold onto the edge for dear life.

What the-

The wheels came crashing down hard on the last stone step, nearly toppling the chariot over and throwing Lukas right onto the lawns. He screamed out profanities as he gripped onto the edge to balance himself and keep him steady in the bumpy ride.

“Easy!” he yelled at his best friend, who only had his sights on the rows of pews, aisle and altar up ahead – which they would soon crash into if he didn’t stop the horses.

“Whoa!” Kieran hooted and whistled, tugging onto the reins to command the horses to halt.

They did, but so abruptly that the chariot swung and swayed to the side, digging up grass and dirt with the coarse friction from the wheels. With the chariot about to inevitably crash, Kieran and Lukas had no choice but to flee from it. The Gusty Duo leaped out of the chariot and into the air before meeting the ground and rolling right into the main carpeted aisle.

Both stoop up swiftly and continued their march forward, straightening their doublets and tracing the lapels of their pristine maroon swallowtail coats.

Lukas flashed a dimply grin at the startled and gaping guests seated on either side of the aisle as they passed by. “Hey there. Lovely to see you, Lady Evelyn. Even with that mouth ajar, you still look marvelous, Lady Alice. Good evening, Captain Harvey.”

Kieran picked out a white peony from one of the flower stands in the aisle and placed it in his outer breast pocket as he walked to the gazebo while Lukas took up his seat next to the stunned King and Commander, at the front pew.

Kieran strode up to just outside the gazebo. The Oracle was inside, standing behind the altar. He tried to look as natural and composed as he could, like he hadn’t just come crashing into his own wedding.

“The arrangements are lovely,” was his form of greeting.

The dark skinned old woman dressed in a long flowy green dress smiled. A necklace of small sea shells adorned her throat, and she wore bracelets of the same make. A green cloth was on her head in a stylish head wrap. “Flashy entrance, General,” she noted. “And in the nick of time, too.”

Kieran exhaled a long one at that, clasping his hands infront of him and straightening his back.

“Elena, wait!”

At his sister’s voice, he swiveled on his heel just as everyone’s heads turned to the back.

Aside from the men struggling to lift and push the chariot out of the way, three women were running towards the aisle. A frayed Maruja whose unruly red hair had somehow been forced into a puffy ponytail, his sister Aira, who was waving a pair of white shoes in the air, and his soon to be wife Elena, who seemed to be the object of the other two ladies’ chase.

With a bouquet of white roses in one hand and the other clutching the skirt of her sleeveless wedding gown, Elena ran across the lawns in her bare feet. If her hair hadn’t been styled into a chignon, it would have been flying all over the place with how energetically she ran.
Her face was so vibrant and ecstatic, the ear to ear beam evidence of unabashed excitement.

She came to a stop right before the white carpet in the aisle, and Kieran could see the sparkle of devotion in her blue eyes as clear as day when she looked at him. It shone brighter than the gold and emeralds adorning her neck. He was certain her heart was pounding just as fast as his, and not just from the exercise they’d both just had.

She rushed forward onto the carpet, but was yanked by Maruja who seemingly gave her a short scolding before handing her arm to Lord Rivera. Kieran hadn’t even noticed her father standing there the whole time. Aira attempted to make Elena wear the shoes, but she was already stepping onto the carpet on Lord Rivera’s arm.

“The bridal song!” someone viciously whispered and that is when the horde of harpists remembered to play their instruments.

What a mess.

He had imagined his wedding day differently; without interruptions, with the smoothness of butter, with perfection. But this wasn’t any less perfect merely because it didn’t go the way it was supposed to. It was perfect as long as it was Elena walking towards him in the end.

His beautiful, bubbly, surprising, brave corporal Elena. His only beloved.

Watching her walk down the aisle was like taking a trip down memory lane, reminding him of all their moments and the feelings attached to each one. It started with a little bit of horse dung and a pair of captivating blue eyes.

It progressed to pleasant meetings in the flowers, and happier experiences in dance and performance. Then to sharing feelings through letters, through verbal conversations and small arguments – whether it centred around jealousy, insecurity or the desire for attention. It didn’t matter if these took place within their homes Rievelt or on secret missions in Elgarthar. Every moment with her was magical.

It progressed into something deeper; a physical attraction sparked off by the increasingly magnetic bond between them. Dreams and urges only recently made to come true. Her kisses were the elixir of life itself.

He could see it all in her; his life made more at peace, brightened up simply by her presence. His future filled with even more light, more love, more kisses.

He was staring. He surely was, but how could he not when he had the most incredible woman in the universe ambling towards him, choosing to become solely his forever? At that moment he felt insanely lucky – blessed even.

Kieran’s eyes never left Elena’s as her father handed her over to him, and the two faced the altar.

“We have gathered here today between the sunset and the night rise, to witness the union of marriage between General Kieran Hammedatha and Lady Elena Rivera,” The Oracle commenced the ceremony. “You may take your vows.”

Elena placed the bouquet on the table and faced Kieran, just as his nephew brought forth the diamond rings on a green satin pillow.

For a moment, Kieran forgot how to breathe, or what to do next for that matter. Elena jerked her head towards his nephew and Kieran remembered to pick up a ring. They both chuckled.

“My beloved Elena. It is with impatience that I have looked forward to this day, and even more to have you to myself with the universe’s blessings,” Kieran began. “I do not know for how long I have loved you, but I am sure I love everything about you. When your speech catches and when you ramble, when you care for me sweetly and when you scold me, when you laugh or giggle and make me experience a joy in my heart I never felt before you. In you I have found a calm, a happy place. An absolute utopia that only existed in my wildest dreams until it materialized into you because in my eyes, you are perfect.

“My beloved Elena. I will always love and respect you; through the day and through the night. Through all forms of darkness and all forms of light. Through the rain, the sunshine and the through the snow. Through the easy times and through the difficult times. And I shall honor this relation and this commitment towards you as your devoted husband, until death. This I vow, with this ring.”

He placed the ring on her finger. Elena then picked up the other ring from the pillow and looked into his eyes.

“Kieran, my love. I beg to differ, for it is I who has grown weary with impatience to marry you with the universe as our witness.”

He chuckled at that, and so did the guests.

“You are the only man I have loved so fiercely, so selflessly, and I must have done inscrutable wonders in my past life to have you as my first and only love,” Elena continued. “You are my courage as you are my anchor, and it is through you that I have realised an inner strength I never thought I could have. In you, I have found a beacon and a safe place. My heart and soul are guarded by your passionate and inextinguishable flames, and I know that with you by my side, I am invincible.”

“That together, we are invincible,” he whispered.

She beamed at him and he grinned back.

“Kieran, my love. I will always love and respect you; through the day and through the night. Through all forms of darkness, and all forms of light. Through the rain, through the sunshine and through the snow. Through the easy times, and through the difficult times. And I shall honor this relation and this commitment towards you as your devoted wife until death. This I vow, with this ring.”

She placed the ring on his finger as the air filled with cheers and applause.

The Oracle then picked up the white cloth on the table and wrapped it around both of their left hands.

“We shall now proceed to the elemental rituals,” she announced and picked up the bowl of water on the table.

“Water,” she stated and dipped her fingers in the bowl. She then sprinkled some over Kieran and Elena, before picking up the bowl of soil.

She announced, “Earth,” and sprinkled some onto them.

“Air,” she said, and the couple inhaled deeply, closing their eyes to appreciate the value of life.

The Oracle then picked up a stick from the table, and raised it to the lit torch bracketed in the upper corner of the gazebo, where it picked up a flame. She used it to light the candle on the altar, and the couple picked it up with their right hands.

“Fire,” The Oracle announced.

Kieran and Elena smiled at each other and jointly blew out the flame.

Kieran could barely hold in his excitement as their hands were unwrapped. It was steadily getting dark, and the stars were beginning to show up, but the sun’s rays still shone beyond the meadow. All that was left was for The Oracle to declare their union and for it to be sealed with a kiss.

The Oracle spoke. “Under the night sky and under the daylight, with the four earthly elements, the universe has bless-”

“Hold it!” cried a loud male voice, followed by shocked gasps and murmurs.

Kieran and Elena spun their heads to the main aisle, where a man dressed in a black jumpsuit limped onto the carpet, clutching his side. A bandage was wrapped around his head while his face was swollen and a dandy mix of black and purple against his fair but bruised skin.

Shock shook Kieran to the bone before hot anger replaced it.

“I will not let this union be sealed!” the man declared, waving his free hand in the air. He sounded like he had a terrible lisp, but Kieran knew it was because of the swollen gums from the tooth he’d knocked out earlier in the day. “I throw you the best bachelor party you could have and you don’t even call me to the wedding, huh!”

Kieran quickly found his brothers’ gazes amongst the guests and ran his hand across his throat repeatedly.

The three of them got the message and stood up at once, ready to oust the intruder.

“You didn’t even give me the date. I wouldn’t have known had Lukas not told me!” the cretin Rafa spat.

Kieran’s lips parted in shock just as his brothers froze in their tracks. He cast his angry eyes to Lukas, who was already shielding his face with his hand and looking away.

Kieran didn’t know who to strangle first. The psycho who was ruining his wedding or the maggot prince who’d invited him. His hands itched to grab them both by their throats and choke them simultaneously.

Rafa tossed his head back and laughed loudly. “I object to this wedding and refuse you to marry, General Kieran!”

“And you have no right!”

Kieran would have uttered the statement himself, if Elena hadn’t beaten him to it. With her fists clenched at her sides, she pranced down to the intruder and gave him a scathing glare.

“You are Rafa the cretin, right?” she asked.

The J’belian lord opened and closed his mouth repeatedly, seemingly speechless from surprise.

Elena thrust a threatening finger to his face. “Listen carefully, vermin, for I will say this only once,” she hissed. “You have two options. Either remove yourself from my wedding venue with your lips clamped shut this instant or sit your infernal arse down and watch me get married to the man of my dreams with your lips clamped shut. There shall be no objections to this union. Do you understand me?”

Kieran instantly got hard.

Everyone watched in astonished silence as Rafa slowly and cautiously lowered himself onto the nearest pew with a whimper and kept quiet. Joshua, Aaron and Ray all sat down since their job had been handled.

With a huff, Elena walked back to the altar and gave a wave of encouragement to the more or less shocked Oracle. “Let us wrap this up.”

The Oracle cleared her throat while Kieran’s eyes remained transfixed on the dark haired wife smiling adorably at him, already switched back to giddy Elena. He had the urge to just take her right there and then on the altar.

“Under the night sky and under the daylight, with the four earthly elements, the universe has blessed this marriage. You are now husband and wife. You may seal your union with a-”

Kieran slammed his lips to Elena’s, cupping her face.

‘Finally,’ screamed his mind. It was supposed to be a chaste kiss, yet it wasn’t. She’d made it impossible for it to be. He kissed her hungrily and she kissed him with as much fervor. Both had long forgotten they were in the company of other people, and only came to when The Oracle herself detangled them from one another.

“Write your names in the marriage register,” the elder drawled with a weary sigh, like she’d had enough drama for one evening.

Kieran and Elena did as they were told while the guests cheered. When they turned to face the crowd, Kieran found his mother standing before him. In her hands was a bow and arrow, which she presented to Elena.

Kieran’s heart dropped to his stomach. He had been so swept up in the theatric events of the day and his impatient love, he had forgotten all about the Hammedatha ritual. Whenever a new member was welcomed into the family through marriage, he or she had to light up a wreath by firing a flaming arrow at it.

He’d already told his mother days ago that Elena wouldn’t do it, so why was she presenting to her the required apparatus?

Kieran growled, “Mother, I thought I told you-”

Elena encircled her small hand round his forearm, silencing him. She flashed a sanguine smile his way. “I can handle it, and I will.”

She spoke like she was certain of herself, and Kieran couldn’t find it in him to argue.

The wreath had been hung on a twenty foot tall easel near the far side of the lake, about twenty-five yards from where they stood. How could he have not noticed it standing there before?

He frowned with unease as he measured up how far the wreath was from the gazebo, and how high it was. Elena took up the bow, and his mother lit up the arrowhead.

Kieran cracked his knuckles as Elena drew the bow, aiming the flaming arrow at the wreath. Her form was perfect and confident, like she’d done this before.

Had she?

His eyes widened in realisation when she released the flaming arrow right into the wreath, and it began to burn. Kieran drew his eyes away from the fire and onto his wife, who had a satisfied smirk on her face. Her mother-in-law took the bow from her and gave Kieran a wink before walking away.

Kieran immediately reached for Elena’s hands, his thumbs caressing her palms. “It is why they got a bit rough…” he muttered. “For how long have you-”

“Last winter. Though I took a break in the spring, only to resume once you came back. Your mother’s a wonderful teacher,” Elena said. “So, husband. Did you like my wedding surprise?”

Kieran flicked his gaze to her face and she wiggled her eyebrows, biting her lip.

“You never cease to amaze me, wife,” he murmured and without warning, swept her off her feet so he was carrying her in his arms.

Her hands held onto his neck as she looked at him in surprise. Their family and friends had already started showering them with flower petals amidst hoots.

“And I will never cease to love you,” he added and kissed her on her sultry lips.

Author's chatter:

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I admit it; I teared up a bit on the wedding. Of course I wasn't going to make it normal😑

I thought of making this the last chapter, but.....stay tuned😊 I don't know when the next update will be.

And don't forget to vote⭐!!