Look down you gods, and on this couple drop a blessed crown.
((Written with assistance from laertes.))
Rogue has been gone from Longshot and Ali's castle two days before the wedding. She had final touches to go through and promises to keep to Betsy about being present at the bachelorette party. It was fun, and Rogue was glad that the look don't touch rule was common sense for her. Besides, she didn't have the heart to tell Betsy that the stripped had absolutely nothing on Dakota.
She heard Dakota left the castle the day before the wedding. She hoped he asked Alison and Longshot to bring the children in the morning. From some of the murmurs going around as Rogue got ready for the wedding, Dakota, Lucky and some of the other boys had a high old time. Some were paying for it. Fortunately for Rogue, the man she was marrying was not one of them. Gloria Jean showed up to get in her flower girl dress. Rodney and Will were dispatched to go get their usher tuxes on. Rogue had heard murmured plans about having an eye of the eagle to make sure certain family members were not seated by certain superheroes.
Storm had been on-hand to make sure the outdoor wedding had pleasant weather. The bride was not ashamed to feel some relief that the weather goddess' powers were not needed. They may have been teammates and long time companions, but there is still a tiny bit of awkwardness from Dakota and Storm's former relationship. When pressured, Dakota had really picked a good day for the wedding. There was spring-time warmth with a light breeze.
Every moment leading up to the wedding had been an anxious one for Rogue. She knew she had every detail covered. Betsy had her maid of honor duties well in hand as she simultaneously got the Southerner calmed down and into her dress properly. The only worry that could drop out of the sky now were villains or Sentinels. With so many X-Men and their friends around, there would be short work on anything. Rogue had no pretense that she had been as important a part of the X-Men as Scott and Jean were, but it did make her get a little teary-eyed to see so many people she fought beside there. Her worries about dominating the attendence of the wedding diminished when the people arriving for Dakota kept streaming in at a pace to rival her guests. She guesses she forgot how big his family is. His little sister may have been one of the bridesmaids, but he also had two elder sisters with children. One of his elder brothers was the one who had helped Rogue put the artistic touches on the wedding; his other brother was the priest officiating the wedding.
Once most the guests were seated, Rogue peaked out of the mansion. She had to wonder if there was anybody left of the res from the amount of people sitting on Dakota's side. Though she no longer had the worry about the wedding being superhero heavy. Any other worries she had disappeared when the wedding party gathered to start the processional. Dakota's nephew, the ring bearer, did have a case of the tuxedo figets. God bless his aunt Glori for getting him under control. Rogue stayed hidden in the drawing room until Dakota had walked his eldest sister down the aisle. His eldest sister was the most fitting person to fill in for his deceased mother. Then the wedding party was lead down the aisle by the flower girl, Gloria Jean. Three bridesmaids, three groomsmen, Betsy as the maid of honor, and Lucky as the best man.
When Rogue emerged from the drawing room, she got to smile at Lucky getting a little goggly-eyed at her. He gave her a smile and a thumbs up before taking Betsy's arm to procede down the aisle. Rogue gave him a nervous smile back and fiddled with her bouquet. She looked over at the man escorting her down the aisle. The Southerner didn't have a father available. The Professor was the best substitute she could ever ask for.
Once the wedding party was standing at the ready by the priest, there was a small pause as the processional music changed. Rogue held her breath. It may be a bit traditional to have her processional be Pachebel's Canon in D, but it was her moment. And she frankly didn't care because this was what she wanted. She caught a glimpse of Dakota straining to get a glimpse of her. He hadn't seen her in two days, and he had never seen the dress. Rogue could not help the smile she had when she stepped into the doorway beside the professor. Dakota saw her and he gawked a little. A little the entire time his bride walked down the aisle.
Most everything about the ceremony was a blur to Rogue after that. There were a couple crystal clear moments. Thankfully the vows were in those moments. She and Dakota had opted to write their own. Rogue was very proud to get hers out in a clear, calm voice.
"I, Anna Marie, take you Laertes to be my husband, my partner in life and my one true love. I will cherish our union and love you more each day than I did the day before. I will trust you and respect you, laugh with you and cry with you, loving you faithfully through good times and bad, regardless of what we may face together. I give you my hand, my heart, and my love, from this day forward for as long as we both shall live."
There was a bit of surprise on Dakota's face as she used her actual name. Like he hadn't expected that in front of all these people. She didn't care. She loved him and wanted the whole world to know she was forever binding her soul to his. She watched intently as Dakota cleared his throat softly and licked his lips. His voice may have squeaked once in the middle of the vows, but he recovered quickly to finish strong.
"I, Laertes Standing Fox, take you, Anna Marie, to be my friend, my lover, the mother of my children and my wife. I will be yours in times of plenty and in times of want, in times of sickness and in times of health, in times of joy and in times of sorrow, in times of failure and in times of triumph. I promise to cherish and respect you, to care and protect you, to comfort and encourage you, and stay with you, through whatever life may bring us."
One of the other moments that wasn't blurred was looking down at the ring Dakota placed on her finger. She had no idea what the wedding bands were, other than something created by one of his friends. She looked down at the silver band inlayed with turquoise and decided that not even Alison had a better ring. Not that she was going to go mentioning that. When she slipped Dakota's ring on his finger, more than how it looked like that ring belonged there, she remembered how soft his hand felt in hers. She looked up and caught his gaze. The smile they shared in that second before they were officially pronounced man and wife was full of everything they felt for each other.
It went without saying that the final moment she remembered before the reception was the first kiss she shared with her husband.
Now, the reception is in full swing. The first round of food has been served. Rogue and Dakota have shared the first dance. She doesn't remember hearing Allison Krauss starting to sing. She just remembers moving across the dance floor with the whole world in her arms. The song ends too soon to her mind. But there's plenty of guests here. She probably has to squeeze in a few with some of the people who aren't her husband. At least he's all hers alone for a week after this.
Rogue has been gone from Longshot and Ali's castle two days before the wedding. She had final touches to go through and promises to keep to Betsy about being present at the bachelorette party. It was fun, and Rogue was glad that the look don't touch rule was common sense for her. Besides, she didn't have the heart to tell Betsy that the stripped had absolutely nothing on Dakota.
She heard Dakota left the castle the day before the wedding. She hoped he asked Alison and Longshot to bring the children in the morning. From some of the murmurs going around as Rogue got ready for the wedding, Dakota, Lucky and some of the other boys had a high old time. Some were paying for it. Fortunately for Rogue, the man she was marrying was not one of them. Gloria Jean showed up to get in her flower girl dress. Rodney and Will were dispatched to go get their usher tuxes on. Rogue had heard murmured plans about having an eye of the eagle to make sure certain family members were not seated by certain superheroes.
Storm had been on-hand to make sure the outdoor wedding had pleasant weather. The bride was not ashamed to feel some relief that the weather goddess' powers were not needed. They may have been teammates and long time companions, but there is still a tiny bit of awkwardness from Dakota and Storm's former relationship. When pressured, Dakota had really picked a good day for the wedding. There was spring-time warmth with a light breeze.
Every moment leading up to the wedding had been an anxious one for Rogue. She knew she had every detail covered. Betsy had her maid of honor duties well in hand as she simultaneously got the Southerner calmed down and into her dress properly. The only worry that could drop out of the sky now were villains or Sentinels. With so many X-Men and their friends around, there would be short work on anything. Rogue had no pretense that she had been as important a part of the X-Men as Scott and Jean were, but it did make her get a little teary-eyed to see so many people she fought beside there. Her worries about dominating the attendence of the wedding diminished when the people arriving for Dakota kept streaming in at a pace to rival her guests. She guesses she forgot how big his family is. His little sister may have been one of the bridesmaids, but he also had two elder sisters with children. One of his elder brothers was the one who had helped Rogue put the artistic touches on the wedding; his other brother was the priest officiating the wedding.
Once most the guests were seated, Rogue peaked out of the mansion. She had to wonder if there was anybody left of the res from the amount of people sitting on Dakota's side. Though she no longer had the worry about the wedding being superhero heavy. Any other worries she had disappeared when the wedding party gathered to start the processional. Dakota's nephew, the ring bearer, did have a case of the tuxedo figets. God bless his aunt Glori for getting him under control. Rogue stayed hidden in the drawing room until Dakota had walked his eldest sister down the aisle. His eldest sister was the most fitting person to fill in for his deceased mother. Then the wedding party was lead down the aisle by the flower girl, Gloria Jean. Three bridesmaids, three groomsmen, Betsy as the maid of honor, and Lucky as the best man.
When Rogue emerged from the drawing room, she got to smile at Lucky getting a little goggly-eyed at her. He gave her a smile and a thumbs up before taking Betsy's arm to procede down the aisle. Rogue gave him a nervous smile back and fiddled with her bouquet. She looked over at the man escorting her down the aisle. The Southerner didn't have a father available. The Professor was the best substitute she could ever ask for.
Once the wedding party was standing at the ready by the priest, there was a small pause as the processional music changed. Rogue held her breath. It may be a bit traditional to have her processional be Pachebel's Canon in D, but it was her moment. And she frankly didn't care because this was what she wanted. She caught a glimpse of Dakota straining to get a glimpse of her. He hadn't seen her in two days, and he had never seen the dress. Rogue could not help the smile she had when she stepped into the doorway beside the professor. Dakota saw her and he gawked a little. A little the entire time his bride walked down the aisle.
Most everything about the ceremony was a blur to Rogue after that. There were a couple crystal clear moments. Thankfully the vows were in those moments. She and Dakota had opted to write their own. Rogue was very proud to get hers out in a clear, calm voice.
"I, Anna Marie, take you Laertes to be my husband, my partner in life and my one true love. I will cherish our union and love you more each day than I did the day before. I will trust you and respect you, laugh with you and cry with you, loving you faithfully through good times and bad, regardless of what we may face together. I give you my hand, my heart, and my love, from this day forward for as long as we both shall live."
There was a bit of surprise on Dakota's face as she used her actual name. Like he hadn't expected that in front of all these people. She didn't care. She loved him and wanted the whole world to know she was forever binding her soul to his. She watched intently as Dakota cleared his throat softly and licked his lips. His voice may have squeaked once in the middle of the vows, but he recovered quickly to finish strong.
"I, Laertes Standing Fox, take you, Anna Marie, to be my friend, my lover, the mother of my children and my wife. I will be yours in times of plenty and in times of want, in times of sickness and in times of health, in times of joy and in times of sorrow, in times of failure and in times of triumph. I promise to cherish and respect you, to care and protect you, to comfort and encourage you, and stay with you, through whatever life may bring us."
One of the other moments that wasn't blurred was looking down at the ring Dakota placed on her finger. She had no idea what the wedding bands were, other than something created by one of his friends. She looked down at the silver band inlayed with turquoise and decided that not even Alison had a better ring. Not that she was going to go mentioning that. When she slipped Dakota's ring on his finger, more than how it looked like that ring belonged there, she remembered how soft his hand felt in hers. She looked up and caught his gaze. The smile they shared in that second before they were officially pronounced man and wife was full of everything they felt for each other.
It went without saying that the final moment she remembered before the reception was the first kiss she shared with her husband.
Now, the reception is in full swing. The first round of food has been served. Rogue and Dakota have shared the first dance. She doesn't remember hearing Allison Krauss starting to sing. She just remembers moving across the dance floor with the whole world in her arms. The song ends too soon to her mind. But there's plenty of guests here. She probably has to squeeze in a few with some of the people who aren't her husband. At least he's all hers alone for a week after this.