Chapter 516: The Wedding III

Chapter 516: The Wedding III

My cheeks burned as we kissed in front of everyone, the crowd cheering and clapping at our display. Iona fearlessly pulled me in closer, heedless of Auris flames, to get a better grip on me as she kissed.

One of the Valkyries shouted out a crude suggestion in Sanglo, and the soldiers of the Sixth got the tone, even without understanding the words. They immediately tried to one-up the Valkyries, shouting their own suggestions in High Elvish. A harsh glare from Night and Sigrun quieted them, but didnt dampen the enthusiasm of the crowd.

Our kiss was deep and thorough, and I never wanted the moment to end. I tried to stretch it out, splitting up my thoughts and having them all focus on the moment, on my love.

Alas, it had to end.

Iona picked me up and twirled me around - the quick way for getting around with our hands tied together - and triumphantly raised her hands in front of everyone. In a stunning display of wedding guest coordination, they shifted over, making a new aisle for us to walk down and out of the temple hand in hand, Amber and Goblin Slayer trailing behind us. The palanquin was waiting for us outside, and the two of us got in, our maids of honor and a much-argued over mix of other guests lifting us up. A sized-down Fenrir flapped after us, circling around.

Hed been shrunk down size-wise, but he still weighed the same. I was pretty sure hed break anything not super specially reinforced. Even if the palanquin was somehow reinforced, the spines of our bearers were not that buffed.

Brrrpt! Auri quietly tweeted her congratulations from my tiara.

Youre doing great. I told her, without tearing my gaze away from Iona. She just looked so happy. Her pupils were gigantic as she stared unblinkingly at me, a goofy grin plastered across her face. She squeezed my hand.

Yo Dusk, you two lovebirds ready to get moving? Goblin Slayer asked, breaking the moment. Its your day, your wedding, but I carved my name into a keg, and if we dont hurry, the locusts will have drunk it all dry by the time we get there.

I snorted at the unbidden image of Goblin Slayer swimming in a keg of beer, drunk as a skunk. Iona didnt break her loving gaze as she answered.

Yeah, lets go. She said, and we were off!

Most of the guests were going to the big wedding party, but we had a different destination first. They could get the fun and games started, and we could come in at the height of the party.Vissit novelbin(.)com for new novels

It was nice being carried around! We were carted off to our next destination - a tattoo parlor!

It was easy for me to get out of my wedding dress, into my under-shift. Auri simply turned off the flames.

Iona and her suit of armor was not nearly so simple. We had to stand there while Goblin Slayer and another Valkyrie slowly peeled enough layers off to reveal the area Iona wanted tattooed.

We sort of had matching tattoos. They were each personalized for ourselves and each other, and the two combined made an image greater than the sum of the parts.

Wed both elected for a full-back tattoo of the others companion in delicate white ink, with the design going all the way down our arms to our fingers. There was some minor day-of adjusting with how, exactly, our fingers were twined together that the [Artisan] would have to work around.

Are you two ready? He asked. I wiggled a little more into the face-down holder I was in, still looking at Iona. She squeezed my hand then slightly readjusted her fingers into a better, more comfortable grip.

Ready! Iona said.

I wasnt.

I spent a silent minute checking every little minute thing I could sense around me, from a bird five blocks over singing its morning song, to a pair of rats arguing over a breadcrust down in the sewers. Only when I was satisfied that no assassins were lying in wait, that no disaster was about to hit me did I drop [Persistent Casting] of [Universal Cure], two [Parallel Thoughts] dedicated to watching for danger around me.

It unfortunately paid to be paranoid, even on my wedding day, even with Arachne keeping her vigil.

Ready! I said. Unfortunately, Id waited a little too long, and my silence had gotten awkward. Oh well.

Iona clearly understood, and mouthed the words its alright at me. I blew her a little kiss, and the two [Tattoo Artists] started working.

[Luminous Mind] prevented me from feeling anything, and stats and skills worked together in harmony to quickly get the design on our skin. Fenrir would dominate my back, as Auri dominated Ionas. Phoenix and wyvern representing us. A setting moon, representing the end of night and hence the coming dawn, went onto my back, while a rising moon, the dusk, went onto Ionas. A thousand more patterns and small details went into both of our designs, the two artists wed paid to do the work having outdone themselves by miles. Lightning bolts and triceratops, fairy rings and a tribute to the moon deities, the Remus Sentinel sigil and the Valkyrie wings and so many more little symbols that were important to us.

And of course, on our fingers, the shape and pattern of the red ribbon we had tying us together were imprinted on our skin in red, a permanent reminder that we were bound and committed to each other, mind, body, and soul.

They were quick, but I was a little nervous at the end.

Youre sure theyre imprinted properly? I asked them. Getting the ink as part of our System image so healing wouldnt remove it was hard, and it wasnt like Iona and I had standard biology or low vitality.

Aye, or my name isnt Atramentum! The [Artist] said.

I raised a skeptical eyebrow and turned [Universal Cure] back on, impressed that none of the ink faded.

A quirk of [The Stars Never Fade] was some imprinted things - like tattoos - would come with the reversion. Magic was just weird like that. Id used it on myself a little before the event just in case it changed in the future, and would always aim for an older age.

Amber threw her hands up in triumph.

To the party! She announced.

To the beer! Goblin Slayer enthusiastically agreed.

We found ourselves bundled up again and hauled off to the big party.

Amber and Goblin Slayer opened the doors with a dramatic flourish as Fenrir flew overhead, making a beeline for the buffet table.

The brides have arrived! They each announced in different languages, and the party turned to focus on us. We smiled and waved our way over to our table.

It had been impossible to sort out who would sit with us and who wouldnt. Iona had eventually come up with a genius solution.

This table is perfect. I gushed again as we shuffled around to sit down. Just us, so its intimate, then a guest chair for anyone to sit in and briefly chat? Its so good!

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Iona beamed at the compliment.

Its also supposed to represent all the guests here sitting with us. She said.

Its genius. I repeated. I probably wouldve done something dumb like sit Sigrun next to Katerina.

Iona shuddered in mock-horror as we took our seats. For whatever reason, the two got along like oil and water.

The party was epic. Tables dominated a third of the room, with a huge, practically endless buffet against one wall. Fenrir was busy destroying the four whole cows labeled For the Wyvern, dont touch, and there were meals from all over the world on offer. A dance floor covered another third, with a four-man band performing music on request. It was almost entirely confined to the dance floor, but a second band - a flutist and a violinist - were providing ambient happy background music to the rest of the party. The last third was half-games, half-bar, with rows upon rows of kegs holding both alcohol, and a wide variety of fine blood for the vampire guests. The party was rowdy and in full swing, but it was still early enough and the people involved sane enough that nobody was drunk off their tits and throwing skills around.

Yet.

Then I caught a durian fruit Artemis had somehow located and thrown my way.

Durian!? Durian!? How did you find durian!? I yelled at her. No! Take it away! Come on Artemis.

I did my best Sentinel Dawn is displeased face, and Julius was right there a moment later.

Not cool. He said. This couldve really caused an issue.

Artemis looked pale.

But that wasnt a durian when I grabbed it. She protested. Come on, I have some sense.

The five of us traded looks, and Iona turned to Nina with a sickly sweet tone.

Nina, my dearest friend. I believe we might have a minor issue with some ninjas at our party. Is there a chance you could handle the issue for us?

Nina looked positively feral at the suggestion.

Oooh, I know exactly who it is as well. She snarled. Akushu was talking about stinking up the wedding the whole way over. I am going to get him.

I am right there with you. Artemis had murder in her eyes.

No killing people at my wedding! I protested. Artemis paused.

Whats the radius on that order? She asked Julius. How far away until Im no longer at the wedding?

Julius seriously thought about it.

Three blocks. He decreed. If its three blocks away, its not the wedding anymore.

Artemis and Nina traded a look, the two of them on exactly the same wavelength. They nodded once, and went hunting. I groaned and headbutted the table.

We are not living in a culture where a wedding is boring if there are no deaths! I complained.

Brrrpt! Brrrpt? Auri agreed, and at that moment, the three phoenixes decided to make their own entrance.

I shot wary looks at them, fully expecting some degree of antics, perhaps demanding the central spotlight, but they simply found spots high up in the rafters to hang out and watch the events. Mostly Auri.

...brrpt? She asked softly, almost embarrassed.

Yeah, go enjoy things with your friends, you dont need to spend the entire time on my head not having fun. I told her. I wasnt a huge fan of how close Auri was with the phoenixes and how much time theyd spent together, but I wasnt about to start being an ass about it. Not at my wedding.

Not when Auri was leaving tomorrow to the Phoenix Peaks.

Also, give them my thanks for behaving and not making a scene at our wedding. Iona said. I know it was all you asking them nicely, but it doesnt hurt to pass the message along.

After a few minutes with the phoenixes, and doing a quick drink run for them - to my surprise, the three phoenixes were all fans of the vampires bloody drinks - Auri returned to us and our table.

The day flew by and turned to night with no decrease or slowing down of the activities. People came, sat at our table, and chatted for a bit before going off. Iona and I danced and ate, reveling in the party. A relieved Julius escorted a disappointed Nina and Artemis, while Sigrun and Wren broke a table arm-wrestling. Amber had made sure a slow but steady supply of mangos made their way to our table, and just as I finished one, another freshly sliced mango would arrive on a tray.

The lucky waiter ended up with thousands of arcs in tips, mostly from Iona.

[Zenith Everlasting] provided me with endless energy, and Iona had her own skills helping out.

Then it was time for The Cake. A 12-layered monstrosity, one for each of our classes plus our companions. Auris new Lava element class included a [Molten Sugar] skill, which had let her do utterly impossible designs on the cake and figurines to top it.

Naturally, there was a beautifully detailed and colored version of Iona and I topping the cake.

Iona and I split the top layer together, a rich chocolate layer with oversized sugar crystals inside, supposed to be Celestial for our shared element.

Auri, youve outdone yourself, this is divine. I gave a second compliment by diving right back into my half of the cake, inhaling it as fast as I could, no matter my already-bulging stomach.

Ive never eaten a better cake. Iona confirmed.

Brrrpt. Auri made a relieved noise, then jumped over to a glass of wine. Brrrpt! Brrpt?

Yes, go nuts. Just dont get so hungover that the phoenixes tease you tomorrow. I said.

Sadly, all good things come to an end, and our wedding was one of those.

Hey, as a twist, do you want me to carry you all the way back? I offered Iona. She adamantly shook her head.

No, no, Ive been literally dreaming and fantasizing about this ever since we got engaged. She said. Itd mean a lot to me.

To one last round of very drunk cheers, Iona lifted me up in a princess carry, then grinned wickedly at me.

Well, hang on, if this is supposed to be a kidnapping She said, shifting me around until I was over one of her shoulders.

Hey! I protested, more in jest than anything serious. If she found it fun, sure, Id go along for the ride.

To one last cheer, Iona waved at the remaining guests, and we were off.

Iona was highly motivated to get me back home for obvious reasons, and in minutes we were barging through the door.

Oh, by the way Iona trailed off meaningfully as she carried me to not-our-room. Surprise!

I gasped.

Iona had, obviously with help from the other Valkyries, converted one of the rooms into a reading nook. Floor to ceiling shelves dominated every inch of the room that wasnt window or door, and theyd been stuffed with thousands and thousands of books. I slid down, tracing a finger over the spines, skimming the titles.

I love you.