A Day For A Wedding

Kressara had spent nearly all of her young adult life in the company of male soldiers and was not at all shy. She had heard the men say much worse things and none of it bothered her...as long as they didn't talk that way about her in her company. "Well based on what happened last night it will probably be a race to see who can get whose clothes off first."

Kressara closed her eyes and sighed as Racine continued to work on her neck. Finding this murderer had made her rather tense...not to mention realizing that Raihn had betrayed her. She opened her eyes and considered Racine's question as she took another sip of her wine. "Children may not be in my future," she admitted. None of her visions had ever shown children. Only her fighting. "My life right now is out on the battlefields and in the wilderness and Boraden knows this. Perhaps, if I live long enough to see peace finally restored I will then settle down."

All three paused and looked at Kressara with jealousy in their eyes. “I’m not certain I want to be able to use a sword. All that...blood,” Racine said honestly. “Me neither but it doesn’t help to learn how to ride and sit a horse. An officer’s wife needs to at least know how to ride Racine,” Hester said. “No one’ll ask you to fight,” She added and Racine looked like she was really thinking about that. “Well I know how to ride...a little, maybe some beautiful officer will ask to teach me,” She said and Devinda smiled. Racine was very pretty though she didn’t flaunt it like some women. Devinda had finished with her hair and asked Kressara to lower down into the tub so she could rinse it all off. Hester had finished the alteration on the dress and stood to hold it up against her for Kressara’s pleasure. All three women ooo’d at how beautiful it was. “Now lets get you dried and dressed,” Hester said as the others began drying her with soft, white towels. There were no small clothes laid out on the bed, just the inner gown and the dress to go over it. The inner gown took some time to get her into it but the dress was far easier and Racine did up her laces on the back. Finally there was the thin, silver and ivory crown that Lindariel had loaned her. It was styled in the Gondorian fashion and was a thinner, more delicate version of the crown her own mother wore. Each daughter of Elessar was made one and Lindariel had wanted her to wear it.

All of Lindariel’s ladies in waiting would be witnesses as well as 3 royal guards. Lindariel would officiate the marriage ceremony and all of the nobles that had not gone to the front filled up the room. Boraden stood near the base of the dais and waited for his bride to be to come from the outer hall and meet him where he stood. He wasn’t nervous, only anxious. He did not like so much attention upon him but he respected Kressara’s customs and he would do this as she wanted.

Looking in the mirror Kressara couldn't believe how she looked. She had been a young girl who didn't like the finery that came with being a princess and when she began her weapons training with her grandparents she stopped wearing dresses all together. She had never considered herself beautiful like her other sisters, but today she felt beautiful. She knew it was partly due to the dress and crown, but partly due to the love she felt for Boraden. Today she felt as if her life was truly beginning.

As Kressara walked down the aisle towards him she kept her eyes on his and quite appreciated the stunned look on his face. It would likely be a long time before she wore anything this fine again and she wanted him to experience it at least once. She joined him at the base of the dais and put her hands into his own as she continued to look into his eyes. She couldn't stop smiling and her love for him was reflected in her eyes.

The ceremony was fairly short and the exchanged the rings Lindariel had given to Boraden before the ceremony. They were very old rings that had been in Eomer's family for generations and now they would be their guardians. Their kiss was not exactly soft and delicate, but was loving with a touch of the passion they felt between them and was met by applause and cheers. Before the feast their were official documents for them to sign which would be sent to Gondor...another reason Kressara needed to get the letter to her parents first. But she wouldn't worry about it tonight. Tonight was for feasting and celebrating their love.

Boraden didn’t know anyone at the wedding save for Lindariel but there were minstrels and he was happy to surprise Kressara with his ability to dance. ‘Thank you mother!’ He said silently as he stepped in time with her along with all of the other nobles that were there with them. But even when he had had to pass Kressara off to another dancer he felt as if they were the only two on the dance floor. Each time they were reunited he saw her in her dress and crown and knew something very important had just happened to him. There was a whole roasted boar with pheasant and more than enough for the everyone. He ate heartily as did Kressara for who knew what tomorrow brought for them. A couple hours after the sun went down it was time for them to head to their apartments and make this marriage official. Lindariel bound their wrists by a golden cord herself and kissed them both once on each cheek before gesturing for them to leave.

Outside the entire city was alive with celebrating and he thought he heard singing from hundreds of voices as they ascended to Kressara’s apartments. Inside he closed the double doors behind him and then sighed. “Finally, some quite with you. The feasting was all too familiar. I became bored of it then as I do now it seems,” He said as he took off his coat. He tossed it on the closest chair and moved over to the bar to pour them some of the white wine that was there. He brought her a glass then clinked his to hers. “Shall your husband help you take that dress off wife?” He said and then paused as he tasted those words. “Hmm, perhaps when we are in public, I call you by your name. I’m not certain calling you wife would be...appropriate,” He said and then took a sip of his wine as his eyes looked at her. Dark, heated eyes, almost predatorial.

Kressara was glad to finally be in her apartments and alone with her new husband. She could see that his suit was a little small in a few places, but he was still incredibly handsome in it and she appreciated that he wore it even though she knew he was uncomfortable. She had feasted and drank too much, but still accepted a glass of refreshing white wine from Boraden. She raised her glass to his and kept her eyes on his while she took a sip. A fiery desire was slowly filling them.

"I think the more important question husband," she said as she put down her glass, wrapped her arms around his neck and then whispered huskily in his ear, "is whether the crown should come off...or stay on?"