songerein | Out of your whole life, give me but a moment!

Entry tags:

Out of your whole life, give me but a moment!

Who: Clive and Jill, Joshua, and all of you lovely folks
Which: Open log
Where: A venue at the flower festival
What: We cordially invite you to the wedding of Marquess Clive Rosfield and Princess Jill Warrick
Warnings: Rated R for Romance

I. Feasts and festivals - Reception
[ Of all the seasonal celebrations upon which the date of a wedding might coincide, none could feel more serendipitous or meaningful to the couple in question than a flower festival. Clive hadn’t planned for this when he’d proposed to Jill—hadn’t planned on anything, really, save that he wanted to marry the girl he’d loved since he was a teenager, who had stood by him with unflinching devotion through thick and thin.

As guests begin to arrive, they will be greeted by Torgal, who has been dressed for the occasion with a red scarf tied around his neck. He barks, tail wagging, as he leads them into the venue. The customs of Rosaria dictate that it is not the wedding ceremony itself that comes as the first order of business, but instead a welcoming feast. For what is in fact a royal wedding, the atmosphere is surprisingly casual; the venue, a blossoming meadow, has been ringed with garlands and fairy lights, while a long buffet table is laden with a variety of foods that might be found in the dining halls of Valisthea—a fine selection of roasted meats and vegetables, loaves of warm bread and pastries both sweet and savory, little cakes and bread pudding, fruit and cheese. Pitchers of water, spiced wine, juice, and tea are all available for guests to drink.

Each place setting is topped with a favor from the bride and groom: a daisy and a dandelion handmade by the happy couple from ribbons and wire, a charm that can be worn as pin or pendant. Each one is imbued with the warmth and love of the hands that crafted them. At the head table sit the lord and lady in crimson and blue, crowned with flowers and smiling with unreserved love at one another.

Once their guests have all taken their seats, Clive rises to address the those who have assembled for the occasion. There’s a softness to his voice, and yet it still projects over the crowd; he is accustomed to commanding an audience, after all, but it has never pleased him more to do so than it does now. ]

Friends and honored guests, it is with utmost gladness that I bid you welcome to our wedding feast. This is a day that my beloved and I have long hoped for, through many years of war and hardship—a day we feared may never come to pass; a day for which we are that much more grateful. We entreat you all to partake of this feast and of these gifts which we have prepared for you, to share in our joy on the eve of our nuptial celebration. May the Phoenix bless those upon whom his light shines.

[ Clive sits and Jill stands. Warmth abounds in how she carries herself; comfort, too. Both serve as an adequate cover for the excited nervousness that she feels above all else. It wasn't long ago that she struggled with guilt over wanting some bread and pies. That she's having a wedding now feels so surreal that she can't stop beaming as she speaks. ]

Even if this is but a dream, it's one we've held since we were children. Seeing it realised is everything to us. We may not have been here for very long – or had the opportunity to get to know you as well as we'd have liked – but that makes us all the more grateful that you've joined us tonight. Time makes no promises, so thank you for helping us dream with our whole hearts while it's still ours to claim, and may we one day be able to return the blessing.

[ It’s a relatively short speech, but there will be more to say later in the evening. For now, everyone is invited to eat and be merry. A delightful band of adorable NPC musicians led by Venti the Bard on his lute plays delightful music for the assembled guests, and everyone is invited to dance in the clearing. As the sun sets and the moons rise, flickering flames of Phoenix fire appear over each table, casting their ruddy light so that the guests might continue to enjoy themselves while the night grows long. ]

II. Two hearts beat as one - Wedding
[ At some point in the evening, the bride and groom slip away for a wardrobe change, and shortly before the clock strikes midnight, all the guests are ushered from their tables to a separate seating area. There is no central isle here, but Joshua stands behind a carved wooden altar in vestments of crimson and black. He smiles beatifically at the assembled people before him, lifting his hands to call for silence once it's time for the ceremony to begin. ]

Dearest friends, family, and guests, we bid you our most heartfelt welcome. Today we bear witness to the union of two souls, bound by love and guided by destiny. As we embark on this sacred journey, let us invoke the wisdom of the Founder and the resilience of the Phoenix. The Founder built our home so that we may thrive. We pray for their comfort. The Phoenix’s flames protect us, fierce and bright. We pray for their strength. The Founder paved roads so that we may grow in community. We pray for their bond. The Phoenix’s wings bear life and rebirth. We pray for their health.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Jill Rosfield. His heart sings at the name. All the hardships they've endured have prepared them for this moment, for this promise, even though it's simply the more official version of one they've been making to each other for a long time now.

Taking his end of the cord from Joshua, Clive wraps it around his hand. ]

If I am your home, then you are my peace. The would could crumble to dust, but so long as you are beside me, I know I can persevere, for I am sheltered by your love.

[Once Clive's wrapped his hand, Jill takes hold of his wrist. To be bound has meant many things to her over the years, few of them good, but it's only in his company that she's been bound by her own choices. There's freedom in how she wraps her end of the cord around both their hands together – a quiet sense of ownership, too, that's found her needing to eschew tradition and do this herself. It's a statement as firm as any other she's made tonight.]

Yours will always be the ties that bind me to the truth. They're a reminder, too, aren't they? That the sun always rises and you will always be here for me, whether in my arms, in my heart, or in the dreams we've dreamt together since we were but children.

[With that said, and with the wrapping done, she offers her end of the cord to Joshua as Clive follows suit.]

[Joshua dutifully takes each end of the proffered cord and weaves them together. Satisfied with the knot, he tightens it, not uncomfortably, but enough to keep it secure. It's his own silent promise: just as Clive and Jill have fought tooth and nail to make it to their wedding day, he will fight just as hard to protect their union, all it represents, and all of the wonderful things their future holds.]

[With a hand over the knot, he proclaims the next leg of the rite.]

Let the fire of your love burn bright within your hearts. May it be a beacon in the darkness, a source of comfort amidst life's trials, and the warmth that sustains you forever.

[As Joshua speaks, he allows a spark to lick the edges of the knot until it becomes a full tongue of flame, and although it glows bright, the threads don’t burn.]

As you stand here today, surrounded by family and friends, know that through every trial and tribulation, you shall emerge victorious, united in love and purpose.

[He raises his arms, palms alight with dancing fire, so that he can place them over Clive and Jill’s heads.]

Edited 2024-04-27 20:08 (UTC)

[ The knot around their hands is firm and secure, but this is not the tie that binds them. Clive squeezes Jill's hand as he tilts his face up slightly to be bathed in the warm light. Even though he's lost much to the flames over the years, he knows that the Phoenix's fire will never hurt him.

Closing his eyes for a moment, he thinks of all that lay behind him--all the fights and the fear and the pain--and he resolves to let them go, here and now. He did what he had to in order to survive, and that brought him here in the end. Now, he can finally be at peace; it's time to let the past go, to grasp his future. Their future.

When he opens his eyes again, they are filled with a determination to live this new life to the fullest. He's ready. ]

[Jill's never received the Phoenix's blessing before, and she's taken a bit aback by how it warms her like nothing she's ever experienced. Though Shiva still lays dormant, Jill can feel her curl up alike a cat in a sunbeam all the same. Idly, she wonders if she'd have known about her sooner had she been blessed as a girl, but it's a pointless thought, meandering in directions she doesn't want to travel down, and so she brushes it aside and basks in the warmth of rebirth's flames.

Like the sun peeking above the horizon, they speak of a tomorrow that she's eager to embrace.

At the end of the blessing, she grasps Joshua's hand in her free one and rests it atop the heart of the cord. Rosalith may not have been the home she chose, but the two brothers standing before and beside her are the family she claims, and she couldn't have asked for better.]

[Jill’s grip is nearly as warm as the fire Joshua embodies. When she guides his hand and allows it to rest on both hers and Clive’s, time stands still. For a few precious seconds, only the three of them exist. Just like in their childhood, dashing through the castle halls and, when Joshua could sneak out of doors, through the gardens. A time when cares were few and whatever troubles came their way were upended with games and giggles they knew would bring one another cheer. Now they have a chance to rebuild that bond. Childhood fancies lay far behind them, but those lessons remain. Their family, despite all odds, remains.]

[It’s been silent for a breath too long, and Joshua blinks himself back to the present.]

With the Phoenix’s blessing, I now pronounce you husband and wife.

Blessed be your marriage, forevermore.

[He did his best, in all senses of the word. Joshua put all he had into holding back the deluge of emotion beating against his hastily built barricades. So, when the tears start falling, and a quiet burst of laughter escapes him, he allows himself some grace.]

[The little brother in him won’t allow any less than a wild grin, a pat to Clive’s shoulder, and a squeeze of Jill’s hand.]

Now go ahead and kiss!

[ With a smile that lights up his face more than any firelight ever could, Clive bows down and kisses his new wife with all the tenderness and love that he holds in his heart for her, mindful, of course, of their audience, and the fact that there is more yet to come.

When he finally pulls back, just slightly, he reaches over to pull Joshua into a one-armed hug, kissing his little brother's forehead before he turns and scoops Jill up into the crook of his arm. The knot will remain tied until dawn, so they might as well get used to navigating it now.

With that, they're off! ]

Our carriage awaits, my lady.

[ He walks them to the edge of the venue where a garden path will take them home, whistling for the chocobo-drawn carriage for two he'd arranged for the event. ]

[They've had a great many kisses since that night on the beach, kisses of all kinds, yet this one still feels new, somehow. Like the first of many dreams to come true, maybe. Or like an act of defiance and the realisation of the fate they've been crafting together for 24 years.

After pressing her own kiss to Joshua's forehead, she maneuvers herself into place at Clive's -- her husband's -- side and walks with him, her smile ever broadening as they go.]

Not only our carriage...

[Which could mean a great many things, she knows, but leaving Clive with those few moments to wonder is part of the fun. Besides, the mystery doesn't last for very long before the carriage turns the corner, led by a brilliantly white chocobo wearing a patch over one eye.]

... But your gift as well, Clive.

[ However many kisses they’ve shared (and it has been a great many, stolen at every opportunity and with all the relish of a man and woman starved for affection their entire lives) there are still many more in their future, awaiting just the right moments to spring to life between them.

One such kiss is pressed to her temple after he laughs in overjoyed delight at the sight of his faithful steed emerging from the brush, drawing a cabriolet decked with flowers to match their garlands, with ribbons of blue and burgundy and gold.

Upon spotting her master, Ambrosia cries out in equal delight, flapping her little wings and running up to meet them. She lowers her head to bump her beak gently into Clive’s waiting hand. ]

Look at you, old girl. When did you get here, eh?

[ He knows the how, of course, because… well.

After a moment spent fussing over Ambrosia, he turns to kiss Jill again before he helps her up into the carriage. There, she’ll find a large wicker basket, held shut with a blue silk ribbon. ]

And your gift as well, Jill.

[ But she’ll have to wait to open it until he’s climbed up into the cab beside her, taking Ambrosia’s reigns and urging her forward toward their new home. ]

[It's not just the kisses, it's the laughter, too, and as Clive gives in to unbridled joy, Jill's heart swells with anticipation of many moments just like this one as they embark upon this new journey together. A journey of freedom. Of ease. Of coming to know happiness as something other than a luxury.

She can't help but laugh herself at Ambrosia's enthusiastic flapping, though her focus is divided between the reunion and the cabriolet, so perfectly decorated that she can't stop staring. Their lives have, for the most part, been a series of big things, and she's liking this new normal where they get to partake of the little ones instead.

It's beautiful. Clive's beautiful. The night has been beautiful.

When Clive asks Ambrosia his question, Jill's smile grows a bit mischievous.]

A few days ago. Joshua's been minding her in the meantime. I've never kept a secret so difficult before. Every time Torgal tried to drag you away, I was sure he meant to guide you to Ambrosia.

[Jill has always been patient. She can, of course, wait a few extra moments for Clive to get settled before sparing the basket more than an eager glance, but still she finds herself feeling a little antsy, a little eager. Once their carriage is in proper motion, she leans to give him a kiss on the cheek, says her thanks, then begins working the ribbon loose with her free hand.

She doesn't need to lift the lid; as soon as the ribbon is loose enough, a fluffy snow leopard kitten does it for her, its blue eyes wide with recognition. It takes Jill a bit of time to catch on to who, exactly, is looking up at her now, but when the kitten lifts itself to place her paws on Jill's shoulders, then gives her a kiss on the nose – a heartbreakingly familiar gesture – Jill knows what Clive's done. She knows what the magic here has done. A quick examination of the kitten's collar only confirms it: this is Gnistre, the kitten she'd had to leave behind when she was taken from the North, no older that she was when Jill last saw her.

Speechless, all she can say is:]

Clive...

[Gnistre keeps trying to lick Jill's face, but Jill holds her back, staring at her like she can't believe she's real.]

[ Jill's reaction is exactly as he'd hoped it would be. Clive looks incredibly pleased with himself--incredibly pleased in general. ]

Oh? Looks like you aren't the only one who can keep a secret.

[ Although Joshua is really the one who'd kept the seret for the both of them (and he can scarcely imagine what a hassle that was) it'd been agonizing trying to keep his lips sealed when all he'd wanted to do was give Jill a gift that he knew would please her so much. He was right, at least, if her expression is anything to go by. ]

She's a feisty little thing. She suits you, I think.

[Jill can feel Gnistre purring. Can hear it above the sounds of the carriage. She can hear Clive speaking to her, too, but it takes her a moment longer to find the words to respond. In the silence, she draws the kitten into a one-armed cuddle until she starts to squirm; then, she'll slip her fingers through her collar, holding her in place else she decide to leap out of the carriage or find some other form of mischief to get into.

When Jill does speak, her voice is quiet, her tone still disbelieving.]

My father meant for her to be one of his war beasts, but he saw what you see: she's too feisty for that. He and my mother gave her to me so that we might temper each other. I... didn't quite succeed, but I didn't want to, either.

[Here, she finally looks back towards Clive, and she casts him a smile so fond it almost veers towards being shy.]

Thank you, truly. I don't know how you keep finding second chances to give me, but you always do, don't you?

[ He doesn't need her thanks, because he loves her and would do anything for her, but he doesn't deflect or downplay what he's done, just as he wouldn't wish for her to make light of her gift of Ambrosia to him. ]

If she's anything like you, then I expect we'll both have our hands full until she settles down. I think I'm prepared for the challenge, though. She'll be your companion, and never feen to soil her paws with combat the way we have. She also deserves a second chance, does she not? And we the chance to bring her up, the way we could not do for Torgal.

[ Which, in truth, is a thing he's always regretted. It's a marvel that pup would grow into such a loyal hound, even after so many years of separation.

Leaning over, Clive kisses Jill's cheek, and he would pet the kitten as well if his hands weren't otherwise occupied. There will be time for that later. ]

Our little family keeps growing. I wonder who might come along next.

If she's anything like me? Come now, was I really that much as a child?

[There's an air of indignation to Jill's tone, but it's all pretend. She may have been very young when she was brought to Rosalith, but she remembers those early years when she was still a Northern princess and the governesses oft reminded her that she had a ways to go before she would become a proper Rosarian ward.

She doesn't suppose that's really what happened. Rather, she just fell into a natural step alongside Clive and Joshua. They made it impossible not to. They still do, she thinks, as she feels her heart warm while Clive speaks of second chances for their furry friends, too.]

Though I should warn you, it won't only be a second chance she's after, but a second serving of dinner. A third as well if she thinks you distracted enough to sneak another piece of meat off your plate.

[Which is a nice problem to have. Back at the Hideaway, rations were often on the wrong side of meagre. Here, though, there's plenty of food. It'll be fine to spoil them, at least a little.

Fine to add their menagerie, too.

Where Clive wonders who, Jill knows – or, at least she thinks she does. Playfully, she bops her shoulder against his, then smiles.]

What of the... potatoes with legs, were they?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Out of your whole life, give me but a moment!

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject