Past the point of no return...
Wing took a deep breath and then let it out slowly, before knocking on the door he was facing.
“Come in,” Ethan called from inside.
Wing opened the door and found Ethan sitting on his bed in his underpants, towel drying his wet hair - he’d obviously just had a shower. Wing couldn’t help but stare at his body, his firm, perfectly formed muscles, the way they flexed with his every movement.
“…erm… hello?” Ethan smiled, tilting his head to one side.
Wing hadn’t realised he’d been stood there staring for nearly a whole minute. He quickly shook himself to his senses, his cheeks flushing crimson.
“I just came to tell you the answer is yes,” Wing said, quickly, looking anywhere but at the half naked clerk.
“Yes what?” Ethan asked, a little confused.
“Yes I will marry you.” Wing replied, “ It’s been a week now, ample time for us to get to know one another. I think we’re both very aware that this is a marriage of convenience but, as I’ve noted, you’re not a total beast so I’m happy to be your bride, if you’ll have me.”
Ethan frowned, looking uncertain.
“… maybe…” he murmured, after a long silence, ”Maybe a week isn’t long enough to really get to know one another.”
“That’s nonsense,” Wing commented quietly, bowing his head and trying to hide the fact he was a little hurt. “You’re just stalling. If you don’t want to marry me then just say.”
There was another very long pause. Ethan stood up, discarded his towel, and stepped over to Wing. He was quite a bit taller than the blue haired demon bride, and Wing peered up at him through his fringe, trying to read his expression but without much success. Ethan put his arms around Wing and hugged him close to his bare chest, and Wing could hear his heart beating and wondered why it sounded so unsteady.
“I think we should maybe not get married, not now,” Ethan said, eventually.
Wing couldn’t help a few tears spilling. “Because you don’t love me,” he guessed.
“No, stupid,” Ethan sighed, pulling away and cupping Wing’s chin. “I don’t want to marry you because I love you too much.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Never mind what it means, just please trust me,” Ethan replied. He thumbed away Wing’s tears and gave him a smile, but there was a sadness behind it that Wing didn’t understand.
“But I’m in love with you, Ethan,” Wing confessed. “I’ve fallen for you, you made me fall for you.”
“I know,” Ethan said, quietly.
“Then marry me.”
“Is it really what you want?” Ethan asked.
Wing nodded.
Ethan sighed and hugged him once more, kissing the top of his head. “Alright,” he mumbled into his hair.
Wing was getting married in blue, as it was Utasian tradition that only virgins were allowed to marry wearing white. Utasia was a world that believed united in one god, and that god was Rased of Light. The clerks were the messengers of Rased, the priests made mortal law in his name, and the High Clerk and High Priest were the two most important people on the planet, their word was absolute in every mortal country. Ethan was in training to be the next High Clerk, a handful of years away from being awarded the position, so when it was announced he’d be marrying, mortals flocked from as far as Ila DeMoitre to get to Verdimond, hoping they might catch a glimpse of the wedding.
The ceremony was being held in Verdimond stadium, which architecturally resembled the Roman coliseum. Krayon had constructed a pentagram directly to the location so people from the house who wished to see Wing get married could do so at their leisure.
In the middle of the stadium was a slightly raised platform, so that the onlookers crowded on the ground floor of the stadium would not obscure the view of the wedding couple from the people seated in the stands. Below the platform was an underground room for the pair to get ready in. Wing was fussing around adjusting his hair, nervously, and Ethan was sat in a chair, unusually quiet.
“Are you nervous?” Wing asked, sensing there was something not quite right with him.
“Yeah,” Ethan confessed. “You?”
“I think I’m going to be sick,” Wing giggled, uncertainly. “It would have been scary enough if you were just anyone but… all those people!”
“They’ll be our people soon,” Ethan smiled.
There was a bang on the trapdoor above their heads.
“That’ll be the priest,” Ethan said. “Means they’re ready for us.”
“Oh no,” Wing moaned. “Do I look alright?”
“Well, as good as you’re gonna get,” Ethan shrugged.
“You’re a brute,” Wing scowled.
“Love you,” Ethan chuckled. “Come on then.”
He took Wing’s hand and they ascended the set of wooden steps. Ethan pushed open the trapdoor and they alighted onto the platform.
The watching crowd were deafening as they exploded into roars and cheers, and Wing looked like a rabbit trapped in the headlights as he turned a full circle to see the thousands upon thousands of people who were screaming for Ethan and him. He was so overwhelmed his legs buckled and Ethan had to hold his arm tightly to keep him from stumbling. Wing recognised the row of people on the ground below him, closest to the platform, they were his friends from the house, Krayon’s remaining brides, and the Demon Lord himself.
The priest on the platform with them, a middle aged, blonde man in gold robes, held his hands out for quiet and the crowd settled down.
“Welcome everyone to the union of Demon Bride Wing of Telthos, Egae, and Apprentice High Clerk Ethan of Verdimond City, Verdimond.” the priest announced. Wing was surprised at how loud and echoing his voice was, it bounced off of the walls and was clearly heard by every one of the onlookers, without the man even having to shout. “Without further ado, let the ceremony commence.”
The priest handed Wing and Ethan a cup each, they were filled with a sweet tea.
“Wing, do you trust in Rased, and trust in Ethan, that under his love and protection no harm will come to you?” the priest asked.
“I do,” Wing nodded, his voice shaking slightly.
“You trust that his soul is pure and unpoisoned, and that to share it will bring you nothing but good health?”
“I do.”
The priest asked Ethan the same questions and he gave the same answers. Wing and Ethan then crossed their arms and pressed their cups to the other’s lips, and they both drank deeply until all of the liquid in the cups was gone. The tea was an aphrodisiac, and Wing felt it’s effects immediately, a sense of calming disorientation washed over him, and at the same time all he wanted to do was be in Ethan’s arms. He smiled. The priest handed them each a small, round fruit, slightly larger than a grape and pink in colour.
“Are you willing to share each other’s strength?” he asked.
“We are,” they chorused, and each put the fruit into the other’s mouth and they chewed it, smiling at it’s sweetness.
“Then Rased bless you, and may the bond you now make be a symbol of your unity in this life and the next,” the priest concluded. He then stepped back and left the platform, joining the crowd on the ground below.
“Well this is it,” Ethan said under his breath
Wing just nodded, too scared to say anything.
They turned away from each other and stood back to back, then took each other’s hands.
“Unite!” the priest called, his final contribution to the ceremony, alerting the crowd it was their turn now to contribute. The crowd began to clap in a steady rhythm, altogether, all apart from the people who were strangers to this world and had no idea what was going on, but they soon took the message and began to clap along too.
“Unite! Unite! Unite!” the crowd chanted, over and over.
Wing took a deep breath, then he and Ethan spun in to face each other, still holding hands, so when they met in the middle their arms were crossed over each other’s and their hands were clasped firmly. Ethan let one hand go and span Wing out away from him, turning him around, and pulling him back in so his new bride’s back was pressed against his front. Ethan stretched one arm across Wing’s body and ran a hand tenderly over Wing’s neck, Wing tilted his head to offer him better access. Then Ethan held Wing an arms length away from him, facing the largest part of the crowd in front of them, and pulled the single zip on the back of the bride’s dress from the top to the bottom. Wing turned back to Ethan as the material fell away and left him naked. He dropped to his knees and then bent forward with his hands pressed against the floor in offering.
The onlookers who had travelled here from the house were agape at this weird ritual. None of them were from a culture where this was acceptable public viewing, let alone a normal part of a ceremony. Kirin was trying to stop himself blushing and Embry wasn’t quite sure where to look. Meanwhile, however, the rest of the crowd continued to chant, egging on the final stage of the ceremony.
Ethan removed his jacket, then his top, stepped out of his trousers and circled Wing’s now quivering body once, before getting to his knees behind him and stretching his body over the smaller one beneath him.
“… are they really going to…?” Kirin asked Ariel, who was stood beside him.
“Oh yes,” Ariel nodded, “It’s how they unite.”
And he was right.
They did.
Wing’s gasps echoed around the stadium, and as they got louder and longer the crowd’s chants broke and they began to cheer. Those in seats stood up like they were applauding the curtain call of a show.
But despite the deafening roars, for Wing there was only Ethan. And he felt like there would only ever be Ethan for the rest of his life.
“Come in,” Ethan called from inside.
Wing opened the door and found Ethan sitting on his bed in his underpants, towel drying his wet hair - he’d obviously just had a shower. Wing couldn’t help but stare at his body, his firm, perfectly formed muscles, the way they flexed with his every movement.
“…erm… hello?” Ethan smiled, tilting his head to one side.
Wing hadn’t realised he’d been stood there staring for nearly a whole minute. He quickly shook himself to his senses, his cheeks flushing crimson.
“I just came to tell you the answer is yes,” Wing said, quickly, looking anywhere but at the half naked clerk.
“Yes what?” Ethan asked, a little confused.
“Yes I will marry you.” Wing replied, “ It’s been a week now, ample time for us to get to know one another. I think we’re both very aware that this is a marriage of convenience but, as I’ve noted, you’re not a total beast so I’m happy to be your bride, if you’ll have me.”
Ethan frowned, looking uncertain.
“… maybe…” he murmured, after a long silence, ”Maybe a week isn’t long enough to really get to know one another.”
“That’s nonsense,” Wing commented quietly, bowing his head and trying to hide the fact he was a little hurt. “You’re just stalling. If you don’t want to marry me then just say.”
There was another very long pause. Ethan stood up, discarded his towel, and stepped over to Wing. He was quite a bit taller than the blue haired demon bride, and Wing peered up at him through his fringe, trying to read his expression but without much success. Ethan put his arms around Wing and hugged him close to his bare chest, and Wing could hear his heart beating and wondered why it sounded so unsteady.
“I think we should maybe not get married, not now,” Ethan said, eventually.
Wing couldn’t help a few tears spilling. “Because you don’t love me,” he guessed.
“No, stupid,” Ethan sighed, pulling away and cupping Wing’s chin. “I don’t want to marry you because I love you too much.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Never mind what it means, just please trust me,” Ethan replied. He thumbed away Wing’s tears and gave him a smile, but there was a sadness behind it that Wing didn’t understand.
“But I’m in love with you, Ethan,” Wing confessed. “I’ve fallen for you, you made me fall for you.”
“I know,” Ethan said, quietly.
“Then marry me.”
“Is it really what you want?” Ethan asked.
Wing nodded.
Ethan sighed and hugged him once more, kissing the top of his head. “Alright,” he mumbled into his hair.
Wing was getting married in blue, as it was Utasian tradition that only virgins were allowed to marry wearing white. Utasia was a world that believed united in one god, and that god was Rased of Light. The clerks were the messengers of Rased, the priests made mortal law in his name, and the High Clerk and High Priest were the two most important people on the planet, their word was absolute in every mortal country. Ethan was in training to be the next High Clerk, a handful of years away from being awarded the position, so when it was announced he’d be marrying, mortals flocked from as far as Ila DeMoitre to get to Verdimond, hoping they might catch a glimpse of the wedding.
The ceremony was being held in Verdimond stadium, which architecturally resembled the Roman coliseum. Krayon had constructed a pentagram directly to the location so people from the house who wished to see Wing get married could do so at their leisure.
In the middle of the stadium was a slightly raised platform, so that the onlookers crowded on the ground floor of the stadium would not obscure the view of the wedding couple from the people seated in the stands. Below the platform was an underground room for the pair to get ready in. Wing was fussing around adjusting his hair, nervously, and Ethan was sat in a chair, unusually quiet.
“Are you nervous?” Wing asked, sensing there was something not quite right with him.
“Yeah,” Ethan confessed. “You?”
“I think I’m going to be sick,” Wing giggled, uncertainly. “It would have been scary enough if you were just anyone but… all those people!”
“They’ll be our people soon,” Ethan smiled.
There was a bang on the trapdoor above their heads.
“That’ll be the priest,” Ethan said. “Means they’re ready for us.”
“Oh no,” Wing moaned. “Do I look alright?”
“Well, as good as you’re gonna get,” Ethan shrugged.
“You’re a brute,” Wing scowled.
“Love you,” Ethan chuckled. “Come on then.”
He took Wing’s hand and they ascended the set of wooden steps. Ethan pushed open the trapdoor and they alighted onto the platform.
The watching crowd were deafening as they exploded into roars and cheers, and Wing looked like a rabbit trapped in the headlights as he turned a full circle to see the thousands upon thousands of people who were screaming for Ethan and him. He was so overwhelmed his legs buckled and Ethan had to hold his arm tightly to keep him from stumbling. Wing recognised the row of people on the ground below him, closest to the platform, they were his friends from the house, Krayon’s remaining brides, and the Demon Lord himself.
The priest on the platform with them, a middle aged, blonde man in gold robes, held his hands out for quiet and the crowd settled down.
“Welcome everyone to the union of Demon Bride Wing of Telthos, Egae, and Apprentice High Clerk Ethan of Verdimond City, Verdimond.” the priest announced. Wing was surprised at how loud and echoing his voice was, it bounced off of the walls and was clearly heard by every one of the onlookers, without the man even having to shout. “Without further ado, let the ceremony commence.”
The priest handed Wing and Ethan a cup each, they were filled with a sweet tea.
“Wing, do you trust in Rased, and trust in Ethan, that under his love and protection no harm will come to you?” the priest asked.
“I do,” Wing nodded, his voice shaking slightly.
“You trust that his soul is pure and unpoisoned, and that to share it will bring you nothing but good health?”
“I do.”
The priest asked Ethan the same questions and he gave the same answers. Wing and Ethan then crossed their arms and pressed their cups to the other’s lips, and they both drank deeply until all of the liquid in the cups was gone. The tea was an aphrodisiac, and Wing felt it’s effects immediately, a sense of calming disorientation washed over him, and at the same time all he wanted to do was be in Ethan’s arms. He smiled. The priest handed them each a small, round fruit, slightly larger than a grape and pink in colour.
“Are you willing to share each other’s strength?” he asked.
“We are,” they chorused, and each put the fruit into the other’s mouth and they chewed it, smiling at it’s sweetness.
“Then Rased bless you, and may the bond you now make be a symbol of your unity in this life and the next,” the priest concluded. He then stepped back and left the platform, joining the crowd on the ground below.
“Well this is it,” Ethan said under his breath
Wing just nodded, too scared to say anything.
They turned away from each other and stood back to back, then took each other’s hands.
“Unite!” the priest called, his final contribution to the ceremony, alerting the crowd it was their turn now to contribute. The crowd began to clap in a steady rhythm, altogether, all apart from the people who were strangers to this world and had no idea what was going on, but they soon took the message and began to clap along too.
“Unite! Unite! Unite!” the crowd chanted, over and over.
Wing took a deep breath, then he and Ethan spun in to face each other, still holding hands, so when they met in the middle their arms were crossed over each other’s and their hands were clasped firmly. Ethan let one hand go and span Wing out away from him, turning him around, and pulling him back in so his new bride’s back was pressed against his front. Ethan stretched one arm across Wing’s body and ran a hand tenderly over Wing’s neck, Wing tilted his head to offer him better access. Then Ethan held Wing an arms length away from him, facing the largest part of the crowd in front of them, and pulled the single zip on the back of the bride’s dress from the top to the bottom. Wing turned back to Ethan as the material fell away and left him naked. He dropped to his knees and then bent forward with his hands pressed against the floor in offering.
The onlookers who had travelled here from the house were agape at this weird ritual. None of them were from a culture where this was acceptable public viewing, let alone a normal part of a ceremony. Kirin was trying to stop himself blushing and Embry wasn’t quite sure where to look. Meanwhile, however, the rest of the crowd continued to chant, egging on the final stage of the ceremony.
Ethan removed his jacket, then his top, stepped out of his trousers and circled Wing’s now quivering body once, before getting to his knees behind him and stretching his body over the smaller one beneath him.
“… are they really going to…?” Kirin asked Ariel, who was stood beside him.
“Oh yes,” Ariel nodded, “It’s how they unite.”
And he was right.
They did.
Wing’s gasps echoed around the stadium, and as they got louder and longer the crowd’s chants broke and they began to cheer. Those in seats stood up like they were applauding the curtain call of a show.
But despite the deafening roars, for Wing there was only Ethan. And he felt like there would only ever be Ethan for the rest of his life.