Ceremonies and Celebrations

The royal family hears a big announcement and Aaron and Lysa prepare to marry, but will cold feet hamper their wedding plans?

14.

Ceremonies and Celebration

 

The feast began in early evening in the newly completed Royal Banqueting Hall of the King’s Palace in Westmark.     Aaron marveled at the beauty, yet humility of the palace as he scanned the large room, taking in the guests.      All of the King and Queen’s children and their spouses were here, as well as a number of friends.    He waved at Gamel, seated across the table from him, as he sat with his pregnant wife (not yet showing, but glowing all the same).   

A hand on his shoulder made Aaron turn to find the grinning familiar face of another King - Aedric from Tarmard.  

“I’m glad you made it.”   The King told his foster brother and Aaron suddenly knew who would reveal the surprise and what it would be.   His face showed his revelation to Aedric, who held a finger in front of his lips, “Don’t say anything, alright?”

“My lips are sealed.”  Aaron promised as  Aedric crossed the room to where Snoe was hugging her mother and sisters.     

As he watched them, he heard a rustle of clothing and glanced around again, this time to find Lysa slipping down onto the chair next to him.

She wore a frazzled, rather nervous look on her face.     She had been slightly made-up in a quite tasteful way by (he assumed) some of Queen Aurei’s attendants, and she looked more beautiful than ever.    At least from what little he could see of her, that is, for she wore a heavy black hooded robe over her dress.

“What in the world do you have on, my dear?”

“Oh, Lord, you wouldn’t believe it!”

“Aaron, my dear, not ‘Lord’… remember.”

“Sorry, my love.”   She replied, blushing with the effort she had spent to say the pet term to him.    It was the most wonderful thing he had heard from her and he took her hand, detecting the white lacey sleeves of a wedding dress underneath the bulky robe.

“Ahh, you are concealing my surprise.”   He commented and she smiled brightly.

“You won’t believe it!    I don’t believe it myself.   Queen Aurei is so mischievous, Lord… sorry… Aaron.    She loves surprises and she is almost as excited as a child planning it all out.    Oh, I even know the big surprise that is going to be revealed in a little while, but I can’t tell you.”   She smiled smugly, but Aaron leaned back in his chair and shrugged.

“I know too, though nobody told me.    Observation was all it took.    Queen Snoe is pregnant.”

Lysa’s mouth dropped open, “How could you have figured that out!   Someone told you!”

“Nope.    I just know my foster brother, Aedric.   The wide smile on his face was something I had not seen before.   Not exactly like that, anyway.   So joyous-- and then it just occurred to me.”

Lysa leaned in close, “She just found out this week.    She thought she might be, but came here to have Matron Zeatt use a spell to see, and she was.     Queen Aurei now has two grandchildren on the way.    But don’t say anything; I don’t want them to think I told you.”

“Alright.    So when is our big ceremony?”

Lysa paled at mention of the word ‘ceremony’, “After the announcement and a bit of entertainment from some of Carn and Amala’s bard students.     We’re supposed to slip out during it - Queen’s orders!    I swear, Aaron, I think Queen Aurei is more excited about the whole thing than we are.”

“So you ARE excited?”   He squeezed her hand, finding it cold and clammy.

“Yes, but I must tell you I am scared to death.   I’ve never been in front of people like this.   I feel so out of place, Lord!    Whoops!  Sorry.... I just don’t feel worthy of such pageantry.  You know, we could just have a simple ceremony, like my knighting service this afternoon.   I wouldn’t mind at all!”

Aaron leaned over and kissed her forehead (which was about all that showed through the hood), “You’ll do fine, sweetheart.   You look beautiful.”

She beamed at his compliment, “Thank you, but I’m about to die from the heat of this big robe.    I’ll be dripping wet with sweat if they don’t hurry up.”

“No matter, I’ll still marry you.”

“Aaron, are you sure you want me as a wife?   I mean, I’m not really an Elf in my mind, you know.     I’m not sure I’ll ever think like all the Elves in the Royal Court.”

“Don’t worry; I’m only Half-Elven myself.    And look at Sir Alvis - he’s human and he fits in fine.     Even your brother seems comfortable.    See?    He’s talking with Lady Deborah and Lord Mattleos.     You are perfect the way you are.”

“You are too kind, Lor- um, Aaron.”

“Hey look, the King is standing up, I think we’re about to begin.”

 

***

It took nearly an hour for all the congratulations and excited chatter to die down after the Sylvan Queen made her announcement, following her father’s introduction.    Snoe was floating on air in excitement and Lysa was extremely pleased for her, as she and King Aedric had organized and led the rescue of Aaron from the Hutcaiah Emperor.

As she congratulated the young Queen, Lysa noticed the many puzzled stares she received.    Her bulky winter robe was no doubt the reason.

Finally things calmed down and Carn and Amala introduced some of the students in their first class of bards that they were training.     The students bowed respectfully to the royalty and their guests, and then began reciting some heroic ballads.

It was Lysa and Aaron’s cue to slip out and prepare for the upcoming wedding ceremony.     She didn’t want to let go of Aaron’s hand as the servants pulled them in two different directions, but he gave her a reassuring smile that always made her heart race.  

As she watched him disappear in a side room to be readied for his part in the ceremony, for some crazy reason she felt as if she wanted to cry.    ‘How insane’, she told herself, as she was led away from him, blinking away her own tears.

 

***

“My dear friends and family.”   King Eleazar said, after the applause for the bards died down, “I am thrilled to inform you that there is yet another surprise to be shared with all of you this evening.   We’ve been blessed with the joyous news of a future heir to the Sylvan throne.   Now we shall all be witnesses to the marriage of two of our dear friends.”

There were surprise murmurs as everyone looked around, wondering who the King was referring to.    Then Queen Snoe sighted Aaron standing at one end of the room next to Zeatt, who was wearing her ecclesiastical robes.

The pregnant Queen jumped to her feet, clapped her hands excitedly and shouted out, “Oh!   It’s Aaron and Lysa!”

Everyone turned to look, which made Aaron shift a bit nervously.   For a few moments everyone sat there expectantly, and then they followed the King and Queen’s gaze as they glanced toward the main entrance to the Hall.

The doors were open, but Lysa was not there.     A servant stationed at the entrance saw the Queen’s look and simply shrugged, shaking her head as if she was as puzzled as everyone else.

Those congregated in the Feasting Hall began mumbling and whispering amongst themselves.    Aaron glanced at Reverend Mother Zeatt and she tried to smile reassuringly, but it didn’t help him much.

Finally, Queen Aurei stood up, “I’ll go find our missing bride.”

She rushed out a side door and King Eleazar turned to Carn and Amala, who jumped up and quickly began playing a bardic tune.

“Just wait; it’s nothing to worry about, child.”    Zeatt whispered to him on the podium after he gave her an apprehensive look.

 

***

 

On the back servant’s stairs, Lysa sat in her beautiful wedding dress, her knees drawn up to her chin, crying her eyes out as she rocked back and forth.

She heard the Queen’s approach and dreaded the barrage of questions, though she certainly didn’t blame her for asking them.     She was letting them all down.

That didn’t help her tears and the girl wept even harder.

 

To her amazement, Queen Aurei didn’t say a word but merely lifted her skirts and sat down next to her on the steps, then reached over and hugged her tightly.     Lysa’s tears kept coming, and the Drow lady just rocked back and forth with her as a mother would do with an upset child.

She said nothing for several minutes, until Lysa regained a degree of composure. 

“Better now?”   She finally asked her gently.

“Your Majesty, I am so deeply sorry…”

“Lysa, you don’t need to apologize to me.”

“But, the people waiting-“

“Are still waiting, child.     But I am here for you.   Tell me what is troubling you.”

Lysa swallowed, “Your Majesty, I really don’t know for sure.   I’m not sure why I feel so scared.    I just feel so… ashamed.”

Queen Aurei was surprised at Lysa’s choice of words, “You feel ashamed?   Why?”

“Your Majesty, I was born an Orc and my people have served for several generations as guardsmen for the Queen.    We are taught from a young age that the most honorable thing we could do is to serve the royal family and the nobles of the royal court.”

“But why would this make you feel ashamed?   I don’t understand, Lysa.”

“Your Majesty, I don’t feel like I’m supposed to be doing any of this!    I’m supposed to serve Aaron.    It was a role that made sense to my upbringing.    Even as a squire, I was, in a sense, serving him as he taught me.   That is proper and acceptable.    But…”  She trailed off, hanging her head.

“But you fell in love with him.”

“Yes, and that was not right - from an Orc standpoint.    I tried to keep it secret from him, Your Majesty, I really, really tried!    Orcs don’t fall in love with Elves, but I did.     I could deal with my feelings as long as I kept them in check and continued to be submissive and servile to him.    But when I was cast into the Pool of Purity and began to change into a Hutcaiah Elf, it confused me.     The feelings I had for Aaron were stronger than ever, and now - at least physically- it wouldn’t be a scandal to love him.”

“So that should have made things easier for you, Lysa.”

“Yes, you’d think so, Your Majesty.    But the problem is that while I am physically an Elf now, my thoughts and memories are of my life as an Orc and I don’t know if these two conflicting parts reach a truce.     I feel so shameful dressed like this!   I know it probably sounds insane, but I feel as if I’m committing a terrible offence acting this way!   I’m not supposed to be dressed in such a beautiful dress or have the royal court witness my marriage.   In fact, I feel terribly shameful for wanting to marry Aaron.”

Aurei leaned back against the steps, “Lysa, do you love Aaron?”

Her blue eyes gleamed, “I’ve never loved anyone more than I love him, Your Majesty.    It is growing stronger every day.   That is why I’m so miserable right now.    I was taught that I should always remember my place and I feel as if I’m betraying my upbringing by allowing myself to show my love for him.”

“There is comfort in simplicity, isn’t there, Lysa?    Being overlooked is sometimes rather satisfying.     I know how you feel.   I was so scared when I was named as Duchess of Westmark.   I had grown up in the Duke’s household, but I had never thought of myself as anything other than just a very lucky girl who was only a barmaid.”

“I’ll bet it was tough being a Drow amongst humans.    That is somewhat how I feel, Your Majesty.    I feel like I’m masquerading as an Elf.    I feel as if my mask will fall off and I will be revealed as just an Orc again.”

“Even if that happened, Lysa, it would not change anything really.   Aaron would still want to marry you.”

“If I was physically an Orc?    I wonder, Your Majesty.”

“I have no doubts that he would.    I saw how he looked at you before you changed.    It is the same look he has for you now.”

“Really?    I always wondered if maybe he just was being kind to me out of pity.   I wondered if he was doing all of this just to help the ugly duckling.”

“Lysa, do you really think Aaron would ask you to marry him if he just felt sorry for you?     When you were unconscious during your transformation, he sat at your bedside painfully watching over you and terrified that you would die.    Child, he LOVES you!   He needs you and that is not an act.”

 

Lysa nodded meekly, “Yes, but I still am an Orc in my mind, Your Majesty.    He is a Half-Elf.”

“So?   You too are extremely compatible.   You think alike and seem to make the other one more complete.     I’d say it was a perfect match.”

“I’m still scared, Your Majesty.   He is a wonderful man, and I’m afraid I’ll disappoint him.”

“Are you apprehensive about the wedding night?”   Aurei asked, knowing how many young brides thought.

“To be brutally frank, Your Majesty, I am not a bit worried about that.   I don’t mean to sound vulgar, but I have fantasized and dreamed of that.”

“Oh… well, that is good - some women are scared to death.”  

“See?   I’m thinking like an Orc lady.    They are like that - it is said that this is the secret to Orcs’ high reproductive rate.     Orc women crave… relations with their men and long for children.”

“Lysa, that isn’t something that will upset your marriage with Aaron.     In fact, that might even make it more special.”

“He won’t think I’m wanton, acting so enthusiastic?”

Aurei laughed softly, “I imagine he will be thrilled, child.”

Lysa blushed prettily.

“Your Majesty, what should I do now?   I’ve embarrassed myself by keeping everyone waiting.”

“You make a grand entrance and go through with it.    Aaron is a stubborn young man - much like his mother was.     He won’t let you change your mind.     Lysa, you can’t doubt yourself or your worthiness.     Clearly, God wants the two of you to be together.”

“I want it too, Your Majesty.”

“That is all it takes.   You’ll figure out your role as a wife and a Duchess.    It isn’t so bad, you know.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.    I am so honored that you thought enough of me to encourage me.”

“Child, I think you are a wonderful young woman and I am absolutely thrilled that you will be marrying Aaron.    Now let’s go, alright?”

“I fear I cried my make-up off.”

“Lysa, you don’t need it anyway.    Come on, this is your big day, rejoice in it, child.”

“Yes ma’am.”

The Queen got to her feet and offered the girl her hand, which Lysa gratefully took.

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[Elina]

"...everyone sat there expectedly..." You might change this to "expectantly."