[Legend of Sun Knight] fic: A Slice of Wedding Cake - Slice 10
Title: A Slice of Wedding Cake - Slice 10
Fandom: The Legend of Sun Knight
Words: 3,454
Summary: Sun and Judgment are getting married. The "why" and "how" really aren't that important right now. For this is not a story about their romance; this is the story of us observers. Yes, we, the underappreciated observers of this whole spectacle who did 99% of the work, and only received a slice of wedding cake in return. Grisia/Lesus, Ceo/Roland
Notes: Co-written with kiyutsuna! Odd chapters are hers. Even chapters are mine. Enjoy~. Slight spoiler for two names that haven't been revealed in the translations yet. (Not plot related)
Slice 9: Lending an Ear
Slice 10: Something Old
Moon
The big day is here.
Guests from all across the continent have been arriving over the week, inns all over the city filled to capacity. Even the Holy Temple's spare rooms which were rarely ever used have become full with countless guests, including all of our retired teachers who don't have accommodations elsewhere.
My teacher had also returned. I smoothed my hair down in remembrance.
While the rest of the city fell over themselves to get ready, I wasn't spared from the frenzy either. I'd been tasked with escorting Judgment from his room to the prayer room where he would get dressed and have his makeup and hair done. Yes, his makeup and hair.
Let me tell you first. Escorting Judgment from his room wasn't an easy task at all. It's been around a week since Sun and Judgment stopped being allowed to see each other. Since they're getting married, and we'd all put so much work into helping make this happen, we wanted to make sure nothing would go wrong. That meant keeping them apart and following tradition to the extreme.
But can you imagine how monumentally hard achieving a feat such as keeping them apart is? They work in the same place, have the same friends, and even live right next to each other. We nearly went nuts trying to schedule everything apart so that they wouldn't run into each other. Their vice-captains pretty much had to escort them everywhere, but at least they seemed to enjoy it.
However, even more than the problem of living and working in the same place, just how do you keep such a pair of lovebirds apart?
You really can't.
When I asked Judgment how he was holding up, he answered, "Not bad." After I lamented that I would definitely miss my lover if we had to be apart for so long, he grudgingly admitted, "Actually, we've been talking through the wall each night..."
Through the wall each night!
I nearly melted on the spot.
Judgment had truly blossomed into an amazing romantic. And to think we had to lock him and Sun together before Judgment finally confessed! That confession eventually led to where we were now -- Sun and Judgment getting married. I mean, we did urge them to get together, but we never thought they would actually decide to get married. So publicly even!
Sigh. Theirs was truly a touching love story.
I couldn't be happier for Judgment and Sun that this day was finally happening for them. Tons of things had occurred over the past few years to finally bring us to this point. I think the turning point was actually Sun's death and his insanity after his resurrection. It made Judgment realize that everything we knew could change in a single moment. One moment, we were celebrating finally getting Sun back from the other demon king candidate, thinking things had been resolved. The next, Sun tumbled onto the conference table with a loud bang, completely lifeless. He was revived immediately, sure, but even then he hadn't truly returned to us. Judgment often stayed by Sun's bedside in that nerve-wracking half year, keeping a silent vigil. It was stifling, being in that room, not knowing how to console Judgment, not knowing if Sun would ever truly wake up. For once, I was thankful not to have to look anyone in the eye. I kept my gaze trained on the ceiling, high above Judgment's lonely figure. If not, I think I might have cried.
That was when my girlfriend broke up with me too. I just couldn't handle everything that was going on. I don't know how Judgment was able to. We really relied on him too much when he was already in such turmoil.
Thankfully, Sun eventually returned to us, but with all that happened after Sun woke, Judgment kept his feelings for our wayward Sun Knight to himself. Somewhere along the way, Sun also realized his feelings with all that they had suffered through together.
Yet neither of them made any move to confess! It made me want to climb walls watching them! They had each other! Why not make it clear?
That's why, we gave them a "push." Right into a nice, cozy cabinet Cloud had found for us, and Blaze hurriedly helped us kick the doors closed while even Scarlet helped us out by sealing the cabinet with magic, stating that the doors won't unlock until they sorted their feelings out. She explained that it was for the sake of her child's happiness.
"But what about food and water and going to the bathroom!!" Sun immediately protested.
"Child, everything is taken care of," Scarlet had answered. "Sort out your feelings!"
They didn't emerge until an entire day later.
When they finally did, Judgment had on a small smile while Sun's cheeks were pink, and their clothes were rumpled, but most of all, their hands were intertwined. The loud cheering that filled the library that day was deafening, and Earth wouldn't stop snickering, but our cheers were immediately silenced when Sun shot out Chains of Darkness and made all of us fall into a huge heap on the floor. But even from the floor, we couldn't stop grinning.
That was the "official" start of their relationship even though they'd danced around each other for way longer than that. But just because they were together didn't mean their hardships stopped there -- many more things happened after that. I don't even know half of it. Then, after all of the tumultuous events, they shocked us all by declaring their intent to marry each other.
They more than earned it!
So now, here we were. The day of the wedding.
I ushered Judgment into the room. Three women came forward to greet us -- I could only see the top of their heads, but they were the eldest and second eldest princesses of Moon Orchid and our very own princess Jasmine.
Immediately, Princess Jasmine and Princess Alice circled around Judgment like hawks. Princess Ann hung around near the back.
Princess Jasmine's head bobbed up and down as she exclaimed, "You're finally here! We've been waiting for you!"
"So you're the one who managed to tame that despicable bastard," Princess Alice said, impressed. "This is so exciting! To think that there's actually someone capable of dealing with that demon!"
Princess Jasmine added, "I never thought that shameless bastard would ever settle down!"
At this point, Princess Ann also warmed up to the conversation and said, "Have we thanked you for marrying the Sun Knight yet? Now that that despicable and shameless bastard is finally getting married himself, maybe he will stop bullying Elmy all the time."
I couldn't see their expressions, but I could see Judgment's. He was completely expressionless.
These princesses really hold little love for Sun, huh? They keep calling him despicable and shameless... But what's more, they're not even afraid of Judgment at all!
I darted my eyes down. Surprisingly, they all had smiles on their faces.
Maybe they're actually happy for them?
"We'll be over here setting up. Go change over there!" Princess Alice ordered and pointed to the corner.
As the only one already with children, she was really quite commanding, likely used to ordering her children around. I obediently walked with Judgment over to the curtains to help him change into his wedding dress. The zipper on the back was a tough opponent.
"You look amazing, Captain Judgment," I said, once he was all dressed up. I took a step back so I could see him better. Thank goodness my teacher had not returned to the city in time to participate in the betting pools. Teacher Hayseth would most definitely have lost the bet, but he would not be the only one. In fact, I had also lost quite a sum of money over this. Who knew Judgment could look so stunning in a dress? Combined with his height, he really cut a fine figure.
I blurted, "You kind of remind me of my ex-girlfriend."
Judgment fixed the top part of his dress and asked, "Are you still unable to forget her?"
I sighed. That relationship had been my longest one. If I could have shaken my head, I would have. "It's more that I just really wish I could have a relationship like yours and Sun's. Well, not exactly like yours. I really think only the two of you are capable of overcoming even death. If I could have even a fraction of that, I would be happy."
"It'll happen," Judgment promised.
"But where am I going to find a lover over 180cm!" I exclaimed. "That's the first hurdle!" And a towering hurdle too!
"Maybe you should look closer around you," Judgment suggested.
Immediately, a wicked grin surfaced in mind, one with a tantalizing piercing toying at his lips.
I slid my eyes over to regard Judgment. He was not very good at this matchmaking business, but I was somewhat touched by his attempt to look after us. "You know he only has eyes for you, Judgment! And he only cares about my whip!"
Judgment chuckled. "I never mentioned anyone directly, but it sounds like you have someone in mind."
I slowly shut my mouth and blinked. Wait, didn't Judgment mention... No? He didn't?
Why did I think of Metal then? He's over 180cm... but it's not like he's the only one...
Confused, I put an end to the conversation by pulling the curtains open. Immediately, the princesses fell upon us, gushing over Judgment in his dress. He was made to sit down, and then the princesses attacked his hair and face. I tried to stop thinking about Metal and his grins. It somewhat... worked. Somewhat.
After all, it wasn't everyday that a flock of princesses giggled over Judgment for his amazing hair and skin. There wasn't even much Judgment could do to appear intimidating in front of them, not when they were busy squealing over the wedding, seeing him in a dress, and doing his hair and makeup for him.
"Your hair is so fine!" Princess Jasmine said while running a hand through Judgment's hair.
"Whoa! Your skin is super smooth!" Princess Alice gushed as she dabbed at his skin with some cotton. "Is it natural?"
"...I've been applying facial masks every night," Judgment admitted.
"No way! Don't tell me it's the Sun Knight's secret formula?" Princess Alice gasped. "He never ended up sharing it with me! I still feel like my skin is super dark..."
While the princesses gushed over Judgment's skin and chattered about all the different skin regimes they'd tried in the past, I sat down near Judgment so I could see him better. His skin did look quite smooth.
"You've really been applying facial masks?" I asked. It didn't sound like something Judgment would think of doing.
Judgment answered, "Grisia said there's no way the bride could have bad skin."
And so you even did facials for Sun...
Judgment, having seen my expression, chuckled. "It's a once in a lifetime event. If all of you went out of your way to see this succeed, the least I can do is do my part."
First the wedding dress, then facial masks...
Wow, if only I could find such a dedicated lover! Would Metal be willing to put on a dress for me... No, no, stop thinking about it...
I tried to focus. As the princesses fixed Judgment's hair and applied his makeup, they continued chatting non-stop, now moving on to talking about their married life.
Princess Ann marveled, "The other night, Elmy didn't put any extra seasoning in my cooking!"
"Oh dear God of War and most accommodating Shadow God, you've come so far, Ann!" Princess Alice cried out.
Knowing Leaf, that was truly quite an accomplishment for anyone who ever made food for him. To this day, the first thing Leaf did upon seeing any type of food was to reach into his possessions and pull out his jars and bottles. It seemed, however, that Princess Ann had finally graduated from that stage.
Princess Jasmine gathered Judgment's hair, braiding it while she talked. "So, do you or Sun Knight cook?"
Judgment, if he was surprised that the conversation had turned to him, didn't show it. He replied, "No... I just buy him pie."
That immediately sent Princess Alice and Princess Ann oohing and aahing. They didn't even know the extent of the pie buying! The act was nearly a declaration of love between the two. Meanwhile, Princess Jasmine gasped. "So the pie was for him? And here the whole city thinks the Judgment Knight loves pie! You don't like pie?"
"I'm actually not very fond of sweet things," Judgment explained.
"Wow, wait until I tell Elijah! But I guess it will still be okay for us to gift some pies," Princess Jasmine mused. "We just thought they were going to go to you."
"Please make them blueberry pie," Judgment said.
The princesses all giggled.
Judgment was actually not bad at this small talk with the princesses, even moving on to add that he sometimes made porridge for Sun. He was actually giving their questions serious thought. I was feeling a bit left out, having no lover to brag about. I listened glumly as Judgment added heavily, "But porridge usually signifies that he's gotten injured."
All three princesses sighed simultaneously.
"I know, right? I always worry that Elmy might be taken advantage of! He's too nice," Princess Ann complained.
Princess Jasmine said, "Sometimes I wish Elijah weren't a knight. Even a spar might mean he would return with injuries."
"Awaitsun really takes his job too seriously. Not only does he get hurt all the time, he doesn't even spend enough time with me!" Princess Alice grumbled. She placed a hand over her stomach. "I bet he's not even going to be around again when this one is born!"
"Oooo, you're expecting?" Princess Jasmine asked.
Princess Alice smiled. "Yes! Shuis is going to be a big brother now, no longer the youngest! We still have a long way to go before reaching our dream of twelve children!"
I remembered Princess Alice's children. They had all been handsome little babies the last I'd seen them. They must now be handsome little toddlers. Thankfully, Sun was devious enough and had enough foresight to make Awaitsun promise us three of his handsomest and most beautiful children. Perhaps one of them would even be the child still in Princess Alice's stomach!
"So, when are you going to have children, Ann?" Princess Alice teased her younger sister.
Princess Ann spluttered. "Elmy does want kids, but I'm not...I'm not ready yet!"
I tried to imagine mini Leafs running around.
That would be kind of adorable...
"What about you, Jasmine?" Princess Ann asked our princess, trying to pass on the attention.
Princess Jasmine shook her head. "Not yet. Elijah and I are waiting for my brother and sister-in-law to have children first. Otherwise, the line of succession may very well fall to our child, and I don't wish to do that to my brother."
"Aw, what a sweet sister you are!" Princess Alice exclaimed. She then turned to Judgment and asked, "Any plans for children? Will you adopt?"
These princesses really aren't holding back at all!
Though I'd never asked Judgment what he wanted out of his married life, the topic of children was one I already knew the answer to. For each of us Twelve Holy Knights, whether we got married or not, whether we eventually had children of our blood or not, we all knew that there would be at least one other child that would hold a special place in our hearts.
That was exactly how Judgment answered. "In a few years, we will have our students."
Future Judgment Knight, future Sun Knight, whoever you may be, you will have very huge shoes to fill!
Princess Ann mused, "True enough. Elmy did say that he's looking forward to what kind of student he'll end up having." She sighed. "He preferably wants a kid who will enjoy his seasonings..."
Thank the God of Light Leaf won the bet and is no longer as poor as before... Otherwise, I would be worried for his family. Still, by the time all of us picked our students, Leaf was likely to be penniless once more at the rate he was spending his money.
"There!" Princess Jasmine suddenly declared and patted Judgment's hair. "All done!"
I looked over at Judgment. The longer parts of his hair in the back had been braided and wrapped around his head. The rest was clipped so that his neck was fairly bare. Princess Alice put the finishing touches on Judgment's makeup, and then Princess Ann placed the veil over Judgment's face.
I tried to recall if we were missing anything. "Oh! Judgment, did you remember to bring something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue? For good luck!"
Judgment nodded and gestured at himself, pointing out what was new. "I'll pick up my 'something borrowed' once my teacher arrives. Grisia said he would take care of 'something blue.'"
"So that only leaves 'something old'?" I asked.
In answer to my question, Judgment rummaged through his discarded robes and pulled out a very unfamiliar mask. It framed only the left eye and would hug the left cheek with sharp, claw-like metal once worn, while the top expanded outwards like a dragon's scale.
"What's that?" I asked.
"It's said to be a mask belonging to the first generation Judgment Knight," he answered.
Oh!
Now that he mentioned it, I had seen paintings depicting the very mask he held in his hands.
"Wow, where did you find that?" They really couldn't get any "older" than something from the first generation! He was practically holding a relic in his hands.
"It was in one of the storage closets that Cloud hid in. He was the one who found it, and he showed it to us. It was somewhat damaged, but we fixed what we could."
Cloud probably knew exactly what it was when he had stumbled upon it. He was very well read.
"Put it on!" I urged.
Judgment gave a nod and then fixed the mask on his face below his veil. It immediately made him look super striking. His left eye appeared even sharper than before. Now, even though Judgment was in a dress, I was sure no one would forget that he was indeed the imposing Judgment Knight.
"I bet the first generation is rolling around in their graves with what you and Sun are pulling," I mused.
"Who knows?" Judgment said. "But don't bet on it. We already have a penniless Moon Knight. Try not to emulate your teacher too much."
I laughed. "So, you think the first generation would actually approve?"
Judgment commented, "We really don't know much about them, but as long as we continue to uphold our duties, I don't think it matters how we do it."
After what our generation had gone through together, I couldn't agree more. We might not be exactly like the legends, and we might not always interpret our duties the same way as those before us, but we continued the legend. Thirty-eight generations later, and the Twelve Holy Knights were still around. Even after us, the legends would continue, no matter if the Sun Knight and the Judgment Knight stopped being public enemies, or if all future Sun Knights and Judgment Knights decided marriage was the solution to everything.
As I gazed upon Judgment wearing the mask of the first generation, all I could think about was that we were truly part of an amazing legend, and today was pretty much a huge day for the history books. Sun and Judgment were definitely creating an unforgettable legend.
Some time after that, Judgment's teacher came to escort Judgment with Storm in tow. Former Knight-Captain Judgment stopped in his tracks upon seeing his student, but he didn't freeze for long. He smiled and murmured, "Child, you look marvelous."
"Thank you, Teacher," Judgment replied with a small inclination of his head.
The princesses giggled, bidding Judgment the best of luck with his future despicable and shameless husband, and then we all left the room.
When I exited, a figure unfolded himself from behind a pillar. It was Metal.
"All ready?" he asked.
I flicked my eyes over. He really was quite tall. I didn't even have to strain my neck to gaze at his face. We wouldn't have to find stairs... His lips were very enticing... Especially with that piercing... He would probably enjoy it if I bit his lips...
I smiled and said, "All ready."
It was time!
to be continued
Kiyutsuna: I can't get over Moon's thought process regarding Metal here... Lesus is actually a great matchmaker!
Lucathia: Judgment is totally like an honorary princess here, isn't he? :D
(Let this be known as the chapter of close ups. XDDD that's all Moon can see)
Slice 11: Something Borrowed
Fandom: The Legend of Sun Knight
Words: 3,454
Summary: Sun and Judgment are getting married. The "why" and "how" really aren't that important right now. For this is not a story about their romance; this is the story of us observers. Yes, we, the underappreciated observers of this whole spectacle who did 99% of the work, and only received a slice of wedding cake in return. Grisia/Lesus, Ceo/Roland
Notes: Co-written with kiyutsuna! Odd chapters are hers. Even chapters are mine. Enjoy~. Slight spoiler for two names that haven't been revealed in the translations yet. (Not plot related)
Slice 9: Lending an Ear
Slice 10: Something Old
Moon
The big day is here.
Guests from all across the continent have been arriving over the week, inns all over the city filled to capacity. Even the Holy Temple's spare rooms which were rarely ever used have become full with countless guests, including all of our retired teachers who don't have accommodations elsewhere.
My teacher had also returned. I smoothed my hair down in remembrance.
While the rest of the city fell over themselves to get ready, I wasn't spared from the frenzy either. I'd been tasked with escorting Judgment from his room to the prayer room where he would get dressed and have his makeup and hair done. Yes, his makeup and hair.
Let me tell you first. Escorting Judgment from his room wasn't an easy task at all. It's been around a week since Sun and Judgment stopped being allowed to see each other. Since they're getting married, and we'd all put so much work into helping make this happen, we wanted to make sure nothing would go wrong. That meant keeping them apart and following tradition to the extreme.
But can you imagine how monumentally hard achieving a feat such as keeping them apart is? They work in the same place, have the same friends, and even live right next to each other. We nearly went nuts trying to schedule everything apart so that they wouldn't run into each other. Their vice-captains pretty much had to escort them everywhere, but at least they seemed to enjoy it.
However, even more than the problem of living and working in the same place, just how do you keep such a pair of lovebirds apart?
You really can't.
When I asked Judgment how he was holding up, he answered, "Not bad." After I lamented that I would definitely miss my lover if we had to be apart for so long, he grudgingly admitted, "Actually, we've been talking through the wall each night..."
Through the wall each night!
I nearly melted on the spot.
Judgment had truly blossomed into an amazing romantic. And to think we had to lock him and Sun together before Judgment finally confessed! That confession eventually led to where we were now -- Sun and Judgment getting married. I mean, we did urge them to get together, but we never thought they would actually decide to get married. So publicly even!
Sigh. Theirs was truly a touching love story.
I couldn't be happier for Judgment and Sun that this day was finally happening for them. Tons of things had occurred over the past few years to finally bring us to this point. I think the turning point was actually Sun's death and his insanity after his resurrection. It made Judgment realize that everything we knew could change in a single moment. One moment, we were celebrating finally getting Sun back from the other demon king candidate, thinking things had been resolved. The next, Sun tumbled onto the conference table with a loud bang, completely lifeless. He was revived immediately, sure, but even then he hadn't truly returned to us. Judgment often stayed by Sun's bedside in that nerve-wracking half year, keeping a silent vigil. It was stifling, being in that room, not knowing how to console Judgment, not knowing if Sun would ever truly wake up. For once, I was thankful not to have to look anyone in the eye. I kept my gaze trained on the ceiling, high above Judgment's lonely figure. If not, I think I might have cried.
That was when my girlfriend broke up with me too. I just couldn't handle everything that was going on. I don't know how Judgment was able to. We really relied on him too much when he was already in such turmoil.
Thankfully, Sun eventually returned to us, but with all that happened after Sun woke, Judgment kept his feelings for our wayward Sun Knight to himself. Somewhere along the way, Sun also realized his feelings with all that they had suffered through together.
Yet neither of them made any move to confess! It made me want to climb walls watching them! They had each other! Why not make it clear?
That's why, we gave them a "push." Right into a nice, cozy cabinet Cloud had found for us, and Blaze hurriedly helped us kick the doors closed while even Scarlet helped us out by sealing the cabinet with magic, stating that the doors won't unlock until they sorted their feelings out. She explained that it was for the sake of her child's happiness.
"But what about food and water and going to the bathroom!!" Sun immediately protested.
"Child, everything is taken care of," Scarlet had answered. "Sort out your feelings!"
They didn't emerge until an entire day later.
When they finally did, Judgment had on a small smile while Sun's cheeks were pink, and their clothes were rumpled, but most of all, their hands were intertwined. The loud cheering that filled the library that day was deafening, and Earth wouldn't stop snickering, but our cheers were immediately silenced when Sun shot out Chains of Darkness and made all of us fall into a huge heap on the floor. But even from the floor, we couldn't stop grinning.
That was the "official" start of their relationship even though they'd danced around each other for way longer than that. But just because they were together didn't mean their hardships stopped there -- many more things happened after that. I don't even know half of it. Then, after all of the tumultuous events, they shocked us all by declaring their intent to marry each other.
They more than earned it!
So now, here we were. The day of the wedding.
I ushered Judgment into the room. Three women came forward to greet us -- I could only see the top of their heads, but they were the eldest and second eldest princesses of Moon Orchid and our very own princess Jasmine.
Immediately, Princess Jasmine and Princess Alice circled around Judgment like hawks. Princess Ann hung around near the back.
Princess Jasmine's head bobbed up and down as she exclaimed, "You're finally here! We've been waiting for you!"
"So you're the one who managed to tame that despicable bastard," Princess Alice said, impressed. "This is so exciting! To think that there's actually someone capable of dealing with that demon!"
Princess Jasmine added, "I never thought that shameless bastard would ever settle down!"
At this point, Princess Ann also warmed up to the conversation and said, "Have we thanked you for marrying the Sun Knight yet? Now that that despicable and shameless bastard is finally getting married himself, maybe he will stop bullying Elmy all the time."
I couldn't see their expressions, but I could see Judgment's. He was completely expressionless.
These princesses really hold little love for Sun, huh? They keep calling him despicable and shameless... But what's more, they're not even afraid of Judgment at all!
I darted my eyes down. Surprisingly, they all had smiles on their faces.
Maybe they're actually happy for them?
"We'll be over here setting up. Go change over there!" Princess Alice ordered and pointed to the corner.
As the only one already with children, she was really quite commanding, likely used to ordering her children around. I obediently walked with Judgment over to the curtains to help him change into his wedding dress. The zipper on the back was a tough opponent.
"You look amazing, Captain Judgment," I said, once he was all dressed up. I took a step back so I could see him better. Thank goodness my teacher had not returned to the city in time to participate in the betting pools. Teacher Hayseth would most definitely have lost the bet, but he would not be the only one. In fact, I had also lost quite a sum of money over this. Who knew Judgment could look so stunning in a dress? Combined with his height, he really cut a fine figure.
I blurted, "You kind of remind me of my ex-girlfriend."
Judgment fixed the top part of his dress and asked, "Are you still unable to forget her?"
I sighed. That relationship had been my longest one. If I could have shaken my head, I would have. "It's more that I just really wish I could have a relationship like yours and Sun's. Well, not exactly like yours. I really think only the two of you are capable of overcoming even death. If I could have even a fraction of that, I would be happy."
"It'll happen," Judgment promised.
"But where am I going to find a lover over 180cm!" I exclaimed. "That's the first hurdle!" And a towering hurdle too!
"Maybe you should look closer around you," Judgment suggested.
Immediately, a wicked grin surfaced in mind, one with a tantalizing piercing toying at his lips.
I slid my eyes over to regard Judgment. He was not very good at this matchmaking business, but I was somewhat touched by his attempt to look after us. "You know he only has eyes for you, Judgment! And he only cares about my whip!"
Judgment chuckled. "I never mentioned anyone directly, but it sounds like you have someone in mind."
I slowly shut my mouth and blinked. Wait, didn't Judgment mention... No? He didn't?
Why did I think of Metal then? He's over 180cm... but it's not like he's the only one...
Confused, I put an end to the conversation by pulling the curtains open. Immediately, the princesses fell upon us, gushing over Judgment in his dress. He was made to sit down, and then the princesses attacked his hair and face. I tried to stop thinking about Metal and his grins. It somewhat... worked. Somewhat.
After all, it wasn't everyday that a flock of princesses giggled over Judgment for his amazing hair and skin. There wasn't even much Judgment could do to appear intimidating in front of them, not when they were busy squealing over the wedding, seeing him in a dress, and doing his hair and makeup for him.
"Your hair is so fine!" Princess Jasmine said while running a hand through Judgment's hair.
"Whoa! Your skin is super smooth!" Princess Alice gushed as she dabbed at his skin with some cotton. "Is it natural?"
"...I've been applying facial masks every night," Judgment admitted.
"No way! Don't tell me it's the Sun Knight's secret formula?" Princess Alice gasped. "He never ended up sharing it with me! I still feel like my skin is super dark..."
While the princesses gushed over Judgment's skin and chattered about all the different skin regimes they'd tried in the past, I sat down near Judgment so I could see him better. His skin did look quite smooth.
"You've really been applying facial masks?" I asked. It didn't sound like something Judgment would think of doing.
Judgment answered, "Grisia said there's no way the bride could have bad skin."
And so you even did facials for Sun...
Judgment, having seen my expression, chuckled. "It's a once in a lifetime event. If all of you went out of your way to see this succeed, the least I can do is do my part."
First the wedding dress, then facial masks...
Wow, if only I could find such a dedicated lover! Would Metal be willing to put on a dress for me... No, no, stop thinking about it...
I tried to focus. As the princesses fixed Judgment's hair and applied his makeup, they continued chatting non-stop, now moving on to talking about their married life.
Princess Ann marveled, "The other night, Elmy didn't put any extra seasoning in my cooking!"
"Oh dear God of War and most accommodating Shadow God, you've come so far, Ann!" Princess Alice cried out.
Knowing Leaf, that was truly quite an accomplishment for anyone who ever made food for him. To this day, the first thing Leaf did upon seeing any type of food was to reach into his possessions and pull out his jars and bottles. It seemed, however, that Princess Ann had finally graduated from that stage.
Princess Jasmine gathered Judgment's hair, braiding it while she talked. "So, do you or Sun Knight cook?"
Judgment, if he was surprised that the conversation had turned to him, didn't show it. He replied, "No... I just buy him pie."
That immediately sent Princess Alice and Princess Ann oohing and aahing. They didn't even know the extent of the pie buying! The act was nearly a declaration of love between the two. Meanwhile, Princess Jasmine gasped. "So the pie was for him? And here the whole city thinks the Judgment Knight loves pie! You don't like pie?"
"I'm actually not very fond of sweet things," Judgment explained.
"Wow, wait until I tell Elijah! But I guess it will still be okay for us to gift some pies," Princess Jasmine mused. "We just thought they were going to go to you."
"Please make them blueberry pie," Judgment said.
The princesses all giggled.
Judgment was actually not bad at this small talk with the princesses, even moving on to add that he sometimes made porridge for Sun. He was actually giving their questions serious thought. I was feeling a bit left out, having no lover to brag about. I listened glumly as Judgment added heavily, "But porridge usually signifies that he's gotten injured."
All three princesses sighed simultaneously.
"I know, right? I always worry that Elmy might be taken advantage of! He's too nice," Princess Ann complained.
Princess Jasmine said, "Sometimes I wish Elijah weren't a knight. Even a spar might mean he would return with injuries."
"Awaitsun really takes his job too seriously. Not only does he get hurt all the time, he doesn't even spend enough time with me!" Princess Alice grumbled. She placed a hand over her stomach. "I bet he's not even going to be around again when this one is born!"
"Oooo, you're expecting?" Princess Jasmine asked.
Princess Alice smiled. "Yes! Shuis is going to be a big brother now, no longer the youngest! We still have a long way to go before reaching our dream of twelve children!"
I remembered Princess Alice's children. They had all been handsome little babies the last I'd seen them. They must now be handsome little toddlers. Thankfully, Sun was devious enough and had enough foresight to make Awaitsun promise us three of his handsomest and most beautiful children. Perhaps one of them would even be the child still in Princess Alice's stomach!
"So, when are you going to have children, Ann?" Princess Alice teased her younger sister.
Princess Ann spluttered. "Elmy does want kids, but I'm not...I'm not ready yet!"
I tried to imagine mini Leafs running around.
That would be kind of adorable...
"What about you, Jasmine?" Princess Ann asked our princess, trying to pass on the attention.
Princess Jasmine shook her head. "Not yet. Elijah and I are waiting for my brother and sister-in-law to have children first. Otherwise, the line of succession may very well fall to our child, and I don't wish to do that to my brother."
"Aw, what a sweet sister you are!" Princess Alice exclaimed. She then turned to Judgment and asked, "Any plans for children? Will you adopt?"
These princesses really aren't holding back at all!
Though I'd never asked Judgment what he wanted out of his married life, the topic of children was one I already knew the answer to. For each of us Twelve Holy Knights, whether we got married or not, whether we eventually had children of our blood or not, we all knew that there would be at least one other child that would hold a special place in our hearts.
That was exactly how Judgment answered. "In a few years, we will have our students."
Future Judgment Knight, future Sun Knight, whoever you may be, you will have very huge shoes to fill!
Princess Ann mused, "True enough. Elmy did say that he's looking forward to what kind of student he'll end up having." She sighed. "He preferably wants a kid who will enjoy his seasonings..."
Thank the God of Light Leaf won the bet and is no longer as poor as before... Otherwise, I would be worried for his family. Still, by the time all of us picked our students, Leaf was likely to be penniless once more at the rate he was spending his money.
"There!" Princess Jasmine suddenly declared and patted Judgment's hair. "All done!"
I looked over at Judgment. The longer parts of his hair in the back had been braided and wrapped around his head. The rest was clipped so that his neck was fairly bare. Princess Alice put the finishing touches on Judgment's makeup, and then Princess Ann placed the veil over Judgment's face.
I tried to recall if we were missing anything. "Oh! Judgment, did you remember to bring something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue? For good luck!"
Judgment nodded and gestured at himself, pointing out what was new. "I'll pick up my 'something borrowed' once my teacher arrives. Grisia said he would take care of 'something blue.'"
"So that only leaves 'something old'?" I asked.
In answer to my question, Judgment rummaged through his discarded robes and pulled out a very unfamiliar mask. It framed only the left eye and would hug the left cheek with sharp, claw-like metal once worn, while the top expanded outwards like a dragon's scale.
"What's that?" I asked.
"It's said to be a mask belonging to the first generation Judgment Knight," he answered.
Oh!
Now that he mentioned it, I had seen paintings depicting the very mask he held in his hands.
"Wow, where did you find that?" They really couldn't get any "older" than something from the first generation! He was practically holding a relic in his hands.
"It was in one of the storage closets that Cloud hid in. He was the one who found it, and he showed it to us. It was somewhat damaged, but we fixed what we could."
Cloud probably knew exactly what it was when he had stumbled upon it. He was very well read.
"Put it on!" I urged.
Judgment gave a nod and then fixed the mask on his face below his veil. It immediately made him look super striking. His left eye appeared even sharper than before. Now, even though Judgment was in a dress, I was sure no one would forget that he was indeed the imposing Judgment Knight.
"I bet the first generation is rolling around in their graves with what you and Sun are pulling," I mused.
"Who knows?" Judgment said. "But don't bet on it. We already have a penniless Moon Knight. Try not to emulate your teacher too much."
I laughed. "So, you think the first generation would actually approve?"
Judgment commented, "We really don't know much about them, but as long as we continue to uphold our duties, I don't think it matters how we do it."
After what our generation had gone through together, I couldn't agree more. We might not be exactly like the legends, and we might not always interpret our duties the same way as those before us, but we continued the legend. Thirty-eight generations later, and the Twelve Holy Knights were still around. Even after us, the legends would continue, no matter if the Sun Knight and the Judgment Knight stopped being public enemies, or if all future Sun Knights and Judgment Knights decided marriage was the solution to everything.
As I gazed upon Judgment wearing the mask of the first generation, all I could think about was that we were truly part of an amazing legend, and today was pretty much a huge day for the history books. Sun and Judgment were definitely creating an unforgettable legend.
Some time after that, Judgment's teacher came to escort Judgment with Storm in tow. Former Knight-Captain Judgment stopped in his tracks upon seeing his student, but he didn't freeze for long. He smiled and murmured, "Child, you look marvelous."
"Thank you, Teacher," Judgment replied with a small inclination of his head.
The princesses giggled, bidding Judgment the best of luck with his future despicable and shameless husband, and then we all left the room.
When I exited, a figure unfolded himself from behind a pillar. It was Metal.
"All ready?" he asked.
I flicked my eyes over. He really was quite tall. I didn't even have to strain my neck to gaze at his face. We wouldn't have to find stairs... His lips were very enticing... Especially with that piercing... He would probably enjoy it if I bit his lips...
I smiled and said, "All ready."
It was time!
to be continued
Kiyutsuna: I can't get over Moon's thought process regarding Metal here... Lesus is actually a great matchmaker!
Lucathia: Judgment is totally like an honorary princess here, isn't he? :D
(Let this be known as the chapter of close ups. XDDD that's all Moon can see)
Slice 11: Something Borrowed