wedding ♔ so let in the morning light and let the darkness fade away

[luthir]

♬ from this moment on- shania twain ft. bryan white

WHO || Vi, Luthir, Wynn, Jack, Myri, Finnick, Francesca, Val'drin, Spike, Dumage, Felicity, Gus, Astrid, Fred Jr., Kat, Gar, Buffy, Rafael, Elena, Alaric, Rose, Dimitri, Aedan, Dovan, Lan, Zero, Koraith, Mark, Dawn, Archer, Des, Zarad, Alex, Faith, Faye, Sean, Anastacia [closed]
WHAT || Vi and Luthir's wedding
WHERE || Chelsea Physic Garden, London
WHEN || June 6th, evening
HOW || Actionspam

Now officially Knighted, Vi exchanges her ceremonial armor for a wedding gown, and the guests head into London to gather at the Chelsea Physic Garden.  The evening is warm and clear, and the flowers in full bloom, chairs set up on the main lawn with name tags on them for people to find their seat.  Gentle Elvish music plays everyone in, and at the front of stands an arbor covered in wisteria.  It's a remarkably peaceful setting, enough to dispel further some of the grimness of the past few days and create an atmosphere of smiles and warmth.    It seems to reinforce what Luthir has been telling Vi all along: that maybe now more than ever, this is the sort of thing they need, in order to remember what they're all fighting for.

Comments

[luthir]

[ he smiles against her lips, fingers curving up through her hair, and then he takes one hand in his and settles into dancing posture.

♬ only hope - switchfoot

his experience at hundreds of those damn squiring parties must be showing, because he got a 20, his movements as fluid and graceful as ever as he settles his loving gaze on hers ] I've yet to notice.

[graveflowers]

[ she keeps up perfectly (dance 19), moving closer until she can rest her head against his shoulder, eyes falling closed. she's content to move in silence for a while, but she does eventually speak, voice quiet and private. ] Amin mela lle. I forgot to say it before and I don't want you to forget ever. I love you, more than anything else in the world, no matter what. You're the only thing I ever wanted.

[luthir]

That isn't something you ever have to say, for me to know. I see it hanging on your lips, every time you bless me with a smile.

[graveflowers]

And you'll love me, no matter what? [ there's something delicate and brittle about her tone, like she doesn't believe if from anyone else but if luthir says his love is unconditional she'll believe it. that'll be her one happy thing. it didn't matter that they just said vows in front of all her friends and family and a few strangers, she's been putting on a smile for everyone for months. but luthir is the one who she wakes up screaming and trembling next to. she needs him to reassure her when it's just them. ]

[luthir]

Helillóte... [ he raises one hand to stroke back her hair, eyes tracing fondly across her face, before he takes her chin between his fingers ] There is nothing in this world that could ever alter that. I swear to you.

[graveflowers]

[ her eyes search his face and when she seems satisfied, she blurts out: ] I don't want anyone in my dreams.

[luthir]

[ he seems surprised by the abruptness of the confession, and looks at her oddly. ]

... I think that's something we agree on. That's why we're leaving soon for New York, isn't it?

[graveflowers]

No, that's not what I mean. I don't want to do that. I know I said I would... but I can't. [ her expression is mingled apology and nerves. she promised and she's backing out on it.

on their wedding day.

go vi. ]

[luthir]

[ he actually stops in place, his arms still around her, eyebrows knitting together as he searches her face. ]

... What happened?

[graveflowers]

A bad dream.

[luthir]

You're afraid of what might happen? We knew going into this that it would be a risk. But to do nothing is ... [ he hesitates, lip twisting down ]

A certainty. [ he shakes his head ] We have to fight.

[graveflowers]

But what if it's not a risk for me, what if the risk if to someone else? Do you really think I'm going to put you or Faith in danger? Luthir, I can't do it. I cannot lose you right now, I refuse. [ she looks up at him pleadingly, but she knows what she's asking is ridiculous and unfair. but... she's also not asking. ]

[luthir]

[ he stares down at her, a frustrated determination behind his eyes as he looks between hers. ] ... So instead, you would make that choice for me, and damn me to losing you for certain. Rather than allow me to take that risk on your account.

A risk I would choose to take any and every day of my life. That I just swore to this assembly that I would.

[graveflowers]

Yes. [ her voice rises slightly in her vehemence before she catches herself. ] Exactly. If it meant I had more time with you, I would do exactly that. I never vowed to not be selfish and cling to whatever time we have, I made the same vow to protect you.

[luthir]

Protecting me isn't sheltering me from decisions that are mine to make. It isn't asking me to idly stand by and watch you slip away from me when we have a chance to turn that around.

That's fear talking. Our love is based on more faith than that.

[graveflowers]

And you can't ask me to put other people in danger for me, that's not fair either.

[luthir]

We put ourselves in danger every day here, because we believe that it's the right thing to do. That there are things worth fighting for, worth taking risks for.

And there's nothing in this world I would fight harder for than you. I'm asking you to have faith in me, in us, to do this together.

I did not marry you to settle for whatever time you might have had left before today. This isn't about squeezing in the last drops of our time together.

It's about believing that we have a future together, and standing up to anyone or anything that would try to make us think otherwise.

[graveflowers]

He's a god, Luthir. How are we supposed to stand up to that? He's not a person, we can't just fight him until he gives up and goes away -- he's a god. [ she shakes her head in unhappy frustration, tears sparking in her eyes. ] What if it does work but you're the one I lose? Am I supposed to be able to live with that?

[luthir]

More than I should be able to live with trying nothing, and losing you because we were afraid. Because there was a chance of something happening to me.

I spent a year searching for any way to combat this, to no avail, and now a way has been granted to us by the goddess Sehanine - whose power is much stronger than his has ever been.

You're the one who's always been able to be so glib about the gods, to see them as flawed creatures. He has a weakness, and his weakness is likely his arrogance. He doesn't expect anyone to dare to stand up to him.

[graveflowers]

I can be glib about the gods because they're my family! They're not torturing me every night like he is. [ she frowns, closing her eyes so she won't cry. ] If Sehanine's power is so expansive -- why hasn't she stepped it herself instead of giving us a solution that is going to kill someone.

[ vi knows how the gods in her world work, they create children like her to run their errands and do their work and curse them with the horrible affliction of being vulnerable to both human and divine weapons. but these gods are different. sehanine took jade away, she came back to speak with half of failboat, but... not vi, so she doesn't have that much faith in the goddess looking after her.

her eyes flutter open full of defeat and sorrow. ] I don't want to do this, I don't want to lose anyone because I'm killing myself.

[luthir]

We can't pretend to know their minds, or even where their limits begin and end. But you know as well as I do that she does not have the power in this world to simply end it for you. Or perhaps she needs us to prove that we are strong enough to fight this great evil, this ancient enemy of hers. Which we are. Of that I have no doubt.

[ something... finally seems to occur to him. /squint ]

... How is it that you are so certain that someone will die?

[graveflowers]

[ her shoulders sad with a tired sigh. this is an impossible fight. ] I told you, I had a bad dream.

[luthir]

[ that is a nat 20 sense motive check right thurr. his hand tightens around her in reflexive discomfort. ] ... He told you that, didn't he? That if you did this, someone would die.

What reason would you possibly have to believe that was anything less than another manipulation?

[graveflowers]

Because he likes me. [ she looks disgusted with the idea, before her lips twist in a sarcastic smile. ] I have spunk.

[luthir]

If he liked you, he would not be toying with your emotions night to night, driving you into these dark thoughts.