[CRP] Controlling Fate: Private Wedding of Aileigh and Thea

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Thea
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Re: [CRP] Controlling Fate: Private Wedding of Aileigh and Thea

Post by Thea »

Thea remained staring at the King. She had said too much and now he suspected that the child was not her blood. He was right, but only half right. Nevertheless, she could not let the facade slip, not even a little bit, and so without hesitation Thea challenged the King.

"You are so bold in your inaccurate assumptions. Do you so easily forget the skills of your wife, Queen Akos? I am sure she will happily fill you in on what she has done. Contrary to popular belief, a woman does not need a man... for anything."

Her final words were a not-so-subtle jab at the King himself, the man who functioned as her warden. She did not need him, she did not want him in her life. Thea did not wish to further indulge his ideas, even if some of them did hold some truth, so she helped herself to a drink to settle her nerves and kill the remaining time before the ceremony.

As soon as she was ready she and her cousin proceeded down to the foyer. They waited there in relative silence for the other bride. Aileigh appeared descending the stairs alongside her grandmother who would be giving her away. At least Thea assumed it was her grandmother since she had never met the woman before.

"You look radiant."

Ailiegh said with a noticeable flush of her cheeks. There was a small part of Thea that worried her soon-to-be wife expected more from her and this marriage than Thea was willing and able to give. But maybe Aileigh was just good at faking the romance of their union. After all, they did still need to convince an entire audience that they were two girls in love and that is why they rushed to the altar. Deciding it was in her best interest to play along, Thea responded to her.

"You look beautiful, glowing even."

She gave a smile to her bride as she enthusiastically yet awkwardly said 'let's get married.' Thea's cousin took her by the arm as he spoke to her in a soft voice.

"Shall we?"

The Winterbrourne bride responded with a simple nod of the head. Zuan then lead her out of the foyer to the back of the manor. They did not pause at the backdoor or take any last moments of reflection. The music swelled as the King and Thea walked down the aisle to the altar. All eyes followed them on their short journey to the front. Morjiana, Aileigh's great aunt, was already waiting there. She would be the one preforming the ceremony. As they reached the end, Zuan turned to her and kissed her cheek before releasing her hand. The King found a seat with his wives before as everyone now waited with anticipation for the next bride to make an appearance.
Dorathea "Thea" Sanchari Winterbourne | Lady of Redcroft Manor | The Red Wolf
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Cousin of the Winterbournes | Mother of Zevander, Corabel, Elodie, & Lenora | Wife of Aileigh
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Aileigh
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Re: [CRP] Controlling Fate: Private Wedding of Aileigh and Thea

Post by Aileigh »

Aileigh felt a blush rise to her cheeks as Thea complimented her. Lovers to be married, she reminded herself. Soon after, her bride disappeared into the blinding light of the beautiful day. Aileigh fidgeted, only stopping at her grandmother’s reassuring touch. She looped her arm through Nisha’s before following Thea’s steps.

The first thing she noticed was the bright red hair that was immediately to her right after stepping outside. Her eyes widened as she say Amnestria, who was one of her two best friends. She wanted to stop and she almost ignored the feeling, but she could not contain herself. Amnestria is had been gone for so long. She pulled away from Nisha to give her best friend a quick, but tight hug, before finding her place back on the aisle. It was a swift detour, but she felt better for it.

Bright eyes swept over the family gathered. Seeing them all there, she felt an ease wash over her. The nerves abated for now. When they reached the alter, Nisha kissed her forward and released her to Morjiana. Aileigh found herself grinning at Thea as Morjiana began the ceremony.
Aileigh Mae Maarah Sanchari Winterbourne | Seer of BDR | Viscountess of Ettinford
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Wife to Thea | Mother of Zevander, Corabel, Elodie, Lenora, Ezra, & Imogen
Daughter of Aishe & Akos
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Aishe
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Re: [CRP] Controlling Fate: Private Wedding of Aileigh and Thea

Post by Aishe »

Posted on behalf of Morjiana. This post is written by her and I have permission to post it while she’s away.

Morjiana stood quietly in front of a table she'd brought out of her vardo for the purpose. It was usually covered with a heavy damask cloth and stood in the center of the small space of her home, positioned so to serve as the meeting place with those who sought her Sight. It was an old thing, less ornate than the cloth she'd put away today, but well crafted many decades ago by a particularly gifted woodworker of her line. It had been a gift to her on her wedding day and possibly the only good thing to have come of that union, so far as she was concerned. Her husband had been a weak and ill fated creature and his natsia short sighted, but this table had served her well for decades. Upon the table she'd spread the few things she would need for the ceremony, all blessed in advance of the event at the altar of her cathedral: a delicate lace tablecloth, bread to signify plenty, and salt to signify purity, with chains of flowers skirting the edges of the table as decoration.

With both brides before her, Morjiana spoke in a clear voice. "Kneel." She placed the lace cloth over both their laps, gently touching Aileigh's head in unspoken blessing after arranging the cloth to her satisfaction.

"To all of you at this gathering, we are one
Until the shadows steal our horses home.
To thee, brides, lightest lace across thy laps,
For the treasures of lon and gold marò.
Break the bold marò, brides – salve it
In the blood and salt upon thy knee.
Share this salt, this bread, this blood.
Let us bind thee over the candles' glow.

"Brides, thou wilt feed each other
Even as your hearts slow, tresses sewn with grey.
Your unlike hands will untangle.
You shall gather snowdrops for your hair."

She had not intended to use this oldest and most traditional ceremony. She mistrusted blood with the harm it had already done to her kin, but she sensed the need for a greater bond in this union. Some small spark in Aileigh called out to Morjiana's Sight to link these two more tightly than Morjiana might have wished.

As she spoke the words of the ceremony, Morjiana handed each woman bread to break and salt to sprinkle upon it. When both had completed these deeds, Morjiana laid a gentle hand upon each woman's hand holding her piece of bread, and drew forth a bit of each bride's blood into the bread using her magic. There would be no wound to heal later, no mark left on the skin, and the blood that Morjiana drew in this way carried a bit of each woman's spiritual essence with it. She watched and spoke, full of quiet trepidation as the brides shared with each other the bread so treated, trusting her own Sight even when she did not trust the actions that Sight bade her take.

The closing words of the ceremony came more easily, perhaps because now the deed she mistrusted was done.
"Sorì simensar sì mèn,
We are all one,
All who are with us are ourselves.
Let this union be blessed."



*lon= salt, marò= bread
Ceremony adapted gratefully from David Morley, with deepest apologies for my vandalism of his words
Aishe Ehsan Sanchari-Kuhlash | Married to Akos | Mother of Dynasties | Mum of 16
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Re: [CRP] Controlling Fate: Private Wedding of Aileigh and Thea

Post by Aileigh »

When Aileigh has asked her aunt to perform the ceremony, she was unsure of the response she would get. It only felt right to have Morjiana do it, but Morjiana was distrustful of gaje and a wary woman. She really thought that if it had been any other family member in her position, Morjiana would have denied the request.

Instead, the brides were knelt down in front of the Sanchari matriarch. Aileigh had never been to a Romany wedding before… Which seemed silly, considering she was a princess in their culture. She found the words her aunt spoke to be graceful and alluring. The ceremony was elegant, beautiful. It was everything she wanted, without knowing it.

She followed the instructions alongside her bride. Her only hesitance came when blood became involved. She had never tasted blood. What could this do to her? Would it trigger her vampire genes? She was unsure, but she trusted Morjiana with her life and Morjiana trusted her Sight. So, the moment of conflict was fleeting before the bread touched her tongue. She chewed carefully, waiting… But as she swallowed, she felt the same. Lighter, perhaps, but the damphyr was otherwise the same woman that had just walked down the aisle.

When the final words were said, the newlyweds rose together. Their eyes met and there was a flutter of butterflies in her stomach. It was a love story - or so they claimed. With that in mind, she leaned forward to press a soft kiss upon her wife’s lips. It would likely be the one and only kiss their marriage would bring, and she was okay with that.

The sound of clapping came from those gathered when she pulled away. She could feel a blush heavy on her cheeks as her eyes caught Thea’s, before giving a wide smile to their families. She turned to her aunt with a grateful expression, whispering a “Nais tuke”. She held her hand out to Thea to take, looking back to those who were now standing. Once their hands met, they walked back down the aisle together and into the security of the manor house. She could hear her mother instructing everyone to enjoy themselves with drink and food, saying the brides would be out shortly.

For now, she relished the moment out of everyone’s sight. She released Thea’s hand sheepishly. “I do not know if you are changing, but I am. This dress is a bit stiff. Did you want to, uh, wait for me? You’re welcomed to go back out there without me.”
Aileigh Mae Maarah Sanchari Winterbourne | Seer of BDR | Viscountess of Ettinford
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Wife to Thea | Mother of Zevander, Corabel, Elodie, Lenora, Ezra, & Imogen
Daughter of Aishe & Akos
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Thea
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Re: [CRP] Controlling Fate: Private Wedding of Aileigh and Thea

Post by Thea »

At the other end of the aisle, Thea watched as the second bride made her appearance. Aileigh carried herself with unique elegance, there was no denying that. It could be seen in the way she walked, the way she smiled at her family, and even in the way she disrupted her own walk down the aisle to greet a friend. Aileigh was a woman who embraced life and everything it had to offer. Internally, Thea worried that she might diminish that spirit with their union, but she hoped that her soon-to-be-wife would find some happiness in their unconventional arrangement.

Thea felt her nerves building in the pit of her stomach as Aileigh joined her at the altar. She beamed at Thea, clearly ready to leap into the unknown with her as they bound themselves together in matrimony. The Winterbourne bride smiled briefly at her before turning her gray eyes to Morjiana as she began the ceremony.

She followed all of the instructions as the matriarch guided them through the ritual, even if some of the pieces of the ceremony were lost on her. The two brides kneeled before the woman, listening to her words, and at the end they were both handed a piece of bread to eat. Thea noted nothing significant or unusual with the bread as she ate it, making sure to chew it thoroughly so she did not choke at her own wedding. The whole ceremony was brief, but she was satisfied with that. The brides had transformed into wives as they rose together. Their lips met in the briefest of kisses which was done as a show for the onlooking crowd. Thea accepted Aileigh's hand into her own as the two walked back to the manor.

Once inside, their hands dropped and Aileigh explained that she needed to change into a different clothing. Thea moved further into the house as she answered.

"I do not have another outfit for today, not unless Cordelia picked something out and did not tell me. I can wait here for you, though. I am in no rush to return to a crowd of people."


Thea paused as she considered something. They were now family. Aileigh was now the step-mother of her son and she would soon be the adoptive mother of him. Maybe her wife would want to introduce the boy to her family. She had bonded with the infant more than Thea had in the months since she had given birth to him.

"Did you perhaps wish to bring Zevander to the party? It would give you a chance to officially introduce him to your family."
Dorathea "Thea" Sanchari Winterbourne | Lady of Redcroft Manor | The Red Wolf
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Cousin of the Winterbournes | Mother of Zevander, Corabel, Elodie, & Lenora | Wife of Aileigh
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Re: [CRP] Controlling Fate: Private Wedding of Aileigh and Thea

Post by Aileigh »

Aileigh nodded as Thea explained she'd wait. The suggestion that followed was surprising. It made complete sense, but the thought had not crossed her mind amongst the busyness of the day. She gave a more enthusiastic nod, "That sounds like a nice idea. I will bring him back down with me. Back in a few minutes."

The raven-haired bride proceeded up the stairs, snagging a maid along the way. She would not be able to remove her mother's wedding dress herself, though she could easily handle her cultural attire. As soon as the buttons were undone, she dismissed the maid. When the door shut, she slid the dress from her shoulders and let it fall to the floor. The room was so quiet, in stark contrast to the scene in the garden below. The silence left a ringing in her ears, the inhale and exhale of her lungs competing to be heard. Words from the ceremony echoed in her mind as she laid the borrowed gown across the bed and began to redress.

She kept her jewelry and hair the same and abandoned shoes altogether. Her painted toes could be seen just beneath the hem of the skirt - much like her mother, she would take any opportunity to go bare foot. As she secured the excess fabric over her shoulder, she left the room and went to the nursery. There, she saw Zevander on the floor with toys and his nursemaid. He gave a cheerful squeal when he saw her, which brought a smile to her lips. She scooped him up, giving him a nuzzle before cradling him in her arms.

“He will be coming to the party with us. Please join the festivities.” She addressed the woman kindly before leaving the room. She went back downstairs and rejoined Thea with a particularly happy babe. It was as if he knew of the situation and approved of gaining another guardian. Whether the smiles would persist through the afternoon, time would tell. For now, Aileigh would enjoy the giggles and lack of crying. “Shall we, wife?”

Bright eyes flicked from child to mother. A servant at the door opened it for them and together, they returned to the guests in the garden. They were quickly swarmed by the mob of little royals, who were excited to finally be able to say hello to their eldest sibling. Her mothers trailed behind, but when they approached, Aileigh beamed.

“May I introduce to you our son, Zevander?” She bounced the boy, smile persistent as her siblings said hello to their nephew. How strange would it be for her siblings to grow up alongside their nephews and nieces? Aeton already had two children, but now having her own, it made the thought more strange than before.

“He’s beautiful.” Aishe offered. “And the ceremony was too. You both make the loveliest of brides.

Welcome to the family, Thea.”
Aileigh Mae Maarah Sanchari Winterbourne | Seer of BDR | Viscountess of Ettinford
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Wife to Thea | Mother of Zevander, Corabel, Elodie, Lenora, Ezra, & Imogen
Daughter of Aishe & Akos
| Sanchari Family [Profile]
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