mostly open RP (to invitees and wedding-crashers): Henry and Camilla tie the knot.

[c_macaulay]

Comments

Re: [reception]

[h_m_winter]

Henry looked at her, as beautiful and radiant as the angel Silas had so long thought her. Like Silas, he too could in some measure guess that this had changed her, though in just what way he didn't know. It had certainly changed him, and for once in his life he could not properly define precisely how. -"I know,-" he returned. -"Though none of my dreams have been quite like this.-" He pressed a kiss to her temple, for once in his life unmindful of the fact that they were more or less in public. It was his wedding day, dammit, and he'd never seen Camilla look lovelier, with her golden hair lit up like a corona by the slanting rays of sun.

Merlin, who had waited until there was a break in the queue, made his way over. "May the gods smile on you both," he said. Now that it was over, he could see that the strain had left them--it was something he'd seen before, post-wedding-ceremony. While he knew next to nothing about Henry and Camilla as people, it was obvious that they loved one another deeply, and that counted for a great deal. Love was the foundation from which a marriage was built--their was strong, and could only trust that the life they would build would be, too. He meant to keep in contact with Henry especially, since Henry was very interested in recording some of the stories he had to tell. There was a touch of something about both of them--the consecration of some god unknown to him, and he hoped they counted it a blessing.

"Thank you," Henry said. He could accept the idea of 'gods' much easier than Silas's Christian God; after all, both he and Camilla had been possessed by one. "And thank you for performing our ceremony." It wasn't just anyone who could say they'd been married by Merlin, after all.

Shaun and Ryder had somehow both drifted over to the same table, as Susan had gone to collect Camilla's brother--it was easy enough to tell which man the brother was; he looked very like Camilla in male form. The only time the two had met before was during the unfortunate Hot Pocket incident, which neither of them really wanted to remember, so Shaun at least found things a bit awkward. Ryder, who was a lurker by nature, sat and took out a cigarette. Shaun gave him a Look.

"Come on, man," he said. "Save it. Susan and I are both going to need one at some point, too--just wait till we go." Ryder arched an eyebrow, but in deference to the fact that he was indeed at a wedding, he put the cigarette back. For him, that was a monumental concession, but hell, he'd gotten what he wanted out of his little drama. He could afford to pretend to behave for at least a little while. The kids were happy--he didn't need to spoil that.

Re: [reception]

[c_macaulay]

That was the second time today he'd kissed her in front of everyone, and both times in a way she knew other people might find uncommonly restrained for a wedding. At the altar their ceremonial kiss had been hardly more than a brushing of lips. Even that had been almost too intimate to share with witnesses; Camilla had thought she might turn pink. (In actual fact, she had blushed a little.) This little kiss to her temple was more private, a little quiet moment when no one much seemed to be paying attention, and the kind of kiss that wouldn't have been out of place from her Nana let alone her new husband, yet Camilla blushed again without knowing it.

She'd kissed people quite unselfconsciously in various situations, for greetings (Francis) or for mindless entertainment (well, that was Francis again, on the little bridge in front of that Chinese restaurant), or for any number of reasons really. It wasn't the kissing that made her shy. It was the fact it was Henry doing the kissing. She didn't think that would ever change. She gave a little embarrassed chuckle, and at the same time pressed closer to his side, and she might have said something had it not been for Merlin's timely arrival.

Camilla, unlike Henry, did not see Merlin wholly as a being of anthropological and mystical significance. She also saw him as vaguely silly, an artifact of childhood hours spent reading T.H. White, and she still couldn't quite accept that Henry had decided they should have Merlin perform their wedding. She let Henry do the talking, and composed her face into its serene mask once more, until it was her cue -- Henry had thanked him, so now she had to say something.

"I don't think we'd better talk about gods" was what came out, much to her chagrin.

Then she blushed again and stared at the toes of her (exquisite) shoes.

Re: [reception]

[h_m_winter]

Oh dear. What Merlin would make of that statement, Henry had no idea. He gave Camilla a softly inquiring look, but to his relief Merlin didn't pick that up and run with it.

"Well, we need not," the wizard said easily, though privately he wondered about that. They'd been touched by a god--he was all but sure of it--but it would seem they did not necessarily see it as a benediction. Interesting.

He left them with a slight bow, but Henry didn't ask what Camilla had meant. He was certain she hadn't meant to say that, and he didn't want to press--especially now, of all days. This was their day to be happy, though his very nature meant he was still quite watchful. Henry wasn't at all sure Charles wouldn't try to Make a Scene, after some fashion or another; that oh-so-innocent act just didn't wash. He had no idea just what form that Scene might take, or when Charles would do it, or just what magnitude it would be. The idea that Charles might simply behave himself was not one that would ever occur to Henry, but then again Henry's judgment was highly colored by the fact that he thought of Charles as barely human. Camilla might be fooled by her brother's theatrics--he was her brother, after all--but Henry didn't buy it.

Re: [reception]

[c_macaulay]

Camilla turned an utterly composed and innocent face to Henry. "De gustibus non disputandum est," she said peacefully, by which she meant gosh, it's funny you think so well of Merlin, and possibly a little bit he makes me uncomfortable but not much. Clearly she was going to pretend her brief lapse had never happened.

"Do you have a cigarette? I don't have any pockets," smoothing the fabric at her hips as if to demonstrate it.

(( "Matters of taste are not to be disputed" ))

Re: [reception]

[h_m_winter]

Henry smiled at her quotation, only a little dryly. "I do," he said, producing a pack, completely unaware that Shaun had scolded Ryder over cigarettes mere minutes before. He lit one and handed it to her, lighting another for himself. He was perfectly willing to let Camilla pretend anything she wanted, just now.

Across the room, Ryder raised an eyebrow at Shaun, who had the grace to look chagrined. Shrugging, they both produced cigarettes as well--if the bride and groom could do it, clearly it was open season.