2:1, just to prove that we CAN be nice. Sometimes.werewolf_hackerOctober 9 2012, 23:37:54 UTC
[It's just the three of them -- Ben, Maria, and Pastor George. The church has been very welcoming, but there are limits to tolerance, after all, and none of them wants to ruin what should be a happy moment. George's fears have been laid to rest during the premarital counseling sessions, and they're all as ready for this as they ever will be.
Ben's even in a tux, for the occasion. Because he wanted to do it right. And he gazes at his bride with his entire heart shining in his eyes.]
on occasion!inwhichwarOctober 10 2012, 02:09:23 UTC
[Maria, as promised, bought a new dress for the occasion, and she's pinned a sprig of rue in her hair. It's not the stereotypical regalia of a bride, all white lace and too much train, but it suits her and it makes her look young and radiant all the same.
Or that might be the smile, because oh, she is most certainly smiling.]
[So is Ben, he can't stop smiling, and it feels so very good.
Not only that, but he can sense an angelic presence, and his nose tells him that Ereziel is sitting in the front row of ostensibly empty seats. He will, however, keep that bit of information to himself, because he's not sure Maria would be thrilled to know that.
But it amounts to an endorsement (because for damn sure Ereziel would let him know under no uncertain terms if they disapproved, Upstairs), and he's kind of thrilled about that too.
And as the familiar words start, Ben can't take his eyes off Maria.]
[Maria reaches out and takes Ben's hand -- she's ahead of her cue in the ceremony, but she can't help it and doesn't try. They're getting married, how can she help wanting to hold his hand for this?
George is smiling, too, as he reads; it may be only the three of them here, but he is going to by-God do right by this wedding nevertheless.]
"Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: For love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: The coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.
Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it . . ."
[Ben's barely registering the words, but he picks up his cue right enough, and he's got the ring ready.] Maria Gordon, I give you this ring in God's name, as a symbol of all that we have shared and promised, as a token of my love, my fidelity, and of the unending circle of our lives for yesterday, today and tomorrow.
[She is entirely too old for her heart to be doing the kind of nervous, joyful flip-flops it's doing as the ring slips onto her finger. And it fits perfectly, of course it does.]
And to you, Ben Lockwood, I give this ring in God's name, as a symbol of all that we have shared and promised, as a token of my love, my fidelity, and of the unending circle of our lives for yesterday, today and tomorrow and forever.
[Ben feels whole for the first time in over twenty years when she slides the ring onto his finger, and his eyes prickle as George recites the closing prayer:
"Eternal Father, Redeemer, we now turn to You, and as the first act of this couple in their newly formed union, we ask You to protect their home. May they always turn to You for guidance, for strength, for provision and direction. May they glorify You in the choices they make, in the ministries they involve themselves in, and in all that they do. Use them to draw others to Yourself, and let them stand as a testimony to the world of Your faithfulness. We ask this in Jesus name, Amen."
Ben's voice is hoarse as he repeats:] Amen.
["Go in peace, serve the Lord. By the power vested in me by God, I now pronounce you husband and wife." And George grins. "You may kiss your bride."
[And Maria proceeds to kiss him back with no less enthusiasm, throwing an arm around his shoulders and threading her other hand into his hair and grinning into that kiss like a madwoman.
[Maria lowers her voice to a murmur, and the words and the accent are, for once, her own native ones, not the carefully cultivated layers of not-from-anywhere she uses when speaking her language with anybody else in the world.] Aš tave labai myliu. Oh, I love you so very, very much, my husband.
It's my pleasure, milady. [His grin turns mischievous, and he drops his voice.] And it will be both our pleasure tonight if I've got anything to say about it.
But first, we're going to eat sinful amounts of cake. And thank our good pastor. [He looks up at George.] Thanks so much for this, Pastor. It means more than we can say.
Ben's even in a tux, for the occasion. Because he wanted to do it right. And he gazes at his bride with his entire heart shining in his eyes.]
Reply
Or that might be the smile, because oh, she is most certainly smiling.]
Reply
Not only that, but he can sense an angelic presence, and his nose tells him that Ereziel is sitting in the front row of ostensibly empty seats. He will, however, keep that bit of information to himself, because he's not sure Maria would be thrilled to know that.
But it amounts to an endorsement (because for damn sure Ereziel would let him know under no uncertain terms if they disapproved, Upstairs), and he's kind of thrilled about that too.
And as the familiar words start, Ben can't take his eyes off Maria.]
Reply
George is smiling, too, as he reads; it may be only the three of them here, but he is going to by-God do right by this wedding nevertheless.]
"Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm:
For love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave:
The coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.
Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it . . ."
Reply
Reply
And to you, Ben Lockwood, I give this ring in God's name, as a symbol of all that we have shared and promised, as a token of my love, my fidelity, and of the unending circle of our lives for yesterday, today and tomorrow and forever.
Reply
"Eternal Father, Redeemer, we now turn to You, and as the first act of this couple in their newly formed union, we ask You to protect their home. May they always turn to You for guidance, for strength, for provision and direction. May they glorify You in the choices they make, in the ministries they involve themselves in, and in all that they do. Use them to draw others to Yourself, and let them stand as a testimony to the world of Your faithfulness. We ask this in Jesus name, Amen."
Ben's voice is hoarse as he repeats:] Amen.
["Go in peace, serve the Lord. By the power vested in me by God, I now pronounce you husband and wife." And George grins. "You may kiss your bride."
Ben proceeds to do so. Enthusiastically.]
Reply
They're married. How amazing is that?]
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Thank you. For sharing with me so precious a thing as your self and your life. For showing me what it is to love someone so very much as this.
Reply
Reply
[She laughs and hugs him tight and buries her face in his shoulder, shoulders shaking. God, she's never been this happy in her entire life.]
Incorrigible man, I am going to hold you to that, I hope you know.
Reply
Reply
So am I. Oh, so am I.
[She didn't even have to hold him at gunpoint to get it done. Maria loops her arms around Ben's waist and kisses him again, just to show she can.]
Now, then, tell me again about the sinful amounts of cake.
Reply
Leave a comment