fiery_ring | The Wedding

Mrs Frances has done as good a job as she can, preparing for the wedding. She and her daughter Libby have been cooking at top speed since the couple came home.

Mr Frances is outside, decorating the horse-drawn cart for the bride to ride to the church in, and for the couple to ride back. Will has been out arranging with the local vicar, and telephoning any guests within reach.

Carlotta brings her guests out of a portal concealed by a caravan. She holds a finger to them and looks around, to check if they are observed.

"All right, the coast is clear. Follow me towards the house after a couple of minutes, and tell them you were dropped off by taxi. If asked, you are circus folk I have worked with or been cared for by, but your circuses also disbanded due to the war, and I telephoned you at home."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

wheatencrown

Demeter holds Teja's arm and nods,

"Easily done, my dear. Now go and get ready."

From:

ostro_goth

"We shall stand here and observe, then come in after some moments," Teja agrees.

From:

fiery_ring

Carlotta runs off into the house, just remembering to wipe her feet before going into the kitchen.

She takes a moment to catch her breath and not look like she just ran, then goes back into the kitchen to help with the cooking.

From:

52-dropoff.livejournal.com

Charlie looks around, and takes in the air of the countryside. He misses that smell.

He joins Demeter and Teja, but is quiet for now.

From:

ostro_goth

Teja nods to him; another Milliways patron come to this rushed and ominous celebration.

"Greetings."

From:

wheatencrown

"Hello, I'm glad its not just us from far off places,"

Just in case anyone should be listening.

From:

fiery_ring

"Carlotta, go and get changed." Mrs Frances says, waving her out of the kitchen.

Carlotta goes upstairs to change in Libby's room.

From:

ostro_goth

Teja approaches the kitchen door, with Demeter on his arm, and tells the people in the kitchen the story Carlotta told him to.

From:

wheatencrown

Demeter smiles at everyone and asks if she can help.

From:

52-dropoff.livejournal.com

Charlie just keeps quiet, his Midwestern accent probably a liability. He just looks around and tries to act circusy.

From:

fiery_ring

From:

52-dropoff.livejournal.com - Date: 2011-01-05 01:17 am (UTC) - Expand

From:

fiery_ring

The church is busy; a number of local couples have had the same idea and are trying to marry quickly. As the wedding party arrive at the church, two others are just leaving.

"Quickly, quickly." The vicar says, ushering everyone inside. "Groom's guests on the left, bride's on the right."

Will, and one of the stable staff he has persuaded to be his Best Man, go straight to the front and wait with Mr Frances.

From:

ostro_goth

Teja stands ready at the back, with Carlotta, waiting for the sign that it is time to go and bring her to church.

There is such a hurry here tonight, they will not make any one wait long.

From:

wheatencrown

Demeter kisses Carlotta's shoulder before going to sit on the bride's side.

From:

52-dropoff.livejournal.com

Charlie is a bit more distant. Weddings never feel right to him, for some reason. He takes his seat, lost in thought still.

From:

fiery_ring

As soon as everyone is seated, the organist begins and Carlotta walks down the aisle, with Libby and Teja. There's already signs of the wedding party after them starting to gather outside.

The vicar tries, nevertheless, not to let the moment feel rushed.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here to witness the marriage of Carlotta Maria Brown, and William Herbert Frances."

He leads with an opening prayer, then looks at Teja.

"Who gives this woman to be married to this man?"

From:

ostro_goth

"I do," Teja says, with deep earnest, leading her forwards.

From:

wheatencrown

Demeter watches them both with a bittersweet smile, she never saw her daughter's wedding.

This is a much happier occasion though the shadow of war hangs over everything.

From:

52-dropoff.livejournal.com

Carlotta looks good, if not stunning. Clearly a bit of a rush job. Also, he's never seen a woman who looks less at ease in a skirt.

Will looks dazed. Like thousands of grooms before him.

From:

fiery_ring

The vicar does an abbreviated version of asking for objections, and the early part of the ceremony, then goes to the vows.

Will turns to Carlotta and takes her hands.

"In the name of Jesus, I, William Herbert Frances, take you, Carlotta Maria Brown, to be my wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, for as long as we both shall live."

"In the name of Jesus, I, Carlotta Maria Brown, take you, William Herbert Frances, to be my husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, for as long as we both shall live."

"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride." the vicar says.

From:

ostro_goth

Teja exhales, and bows his head. He remembers little Carlotta who came to his after-life, not quite three years of his own personal time ago, but so much more of hers.

And now, here she stands, a woman on her wedding day.

From:

wheatencrown

The name of the god doesn't matter to Demeter but seeing Carlotta with the man she chose finds an old ache and Demeter starts quietly crying.

She wishes she had her cloak with her so she could pull it up over her head and fade away, but not here. She's here for Carlotta.