The Balll room was filling up quickly with the international guests as well as the cream of Lodjain nobility. Among the small side conversations and Maori rubbing noses Lady Jasmina checked on Tonya, the stand in for tomorrows rituals. She was stood with a small clipboard with a running order written on. "No...no" Jasmina chided the new girl. "You can't put Prince Rodrigo first just because he has asked first" she pointed and Tonya immediately crossed out the name using the pencil. "Look" Jasmina lowered her volume, "A Lodjian must see the new couple first, it wouldn't be seemly to ignore our own people in favour of the visitors, so put a Lodjain first and second and then have the foreign guests mixed in with the others." She explained, it looked like Tonya would cry, short of becoming Queen many young girls across the Queendom dreamed of being Ladies in Waiting, the glamour and prestige that came with it where incredible and Tonya now had a sniff of it, if she made a good impression during this next few days then perhaps she'd get the job of the permanent basis that was sure to be examined in the next few days. "It's ok" Jasmina noticed the wettning of Tonya's eyes, "Just need to learn much quicker than I did" she gave the newbie a gentle hug. "Come on" she lead her by the hand to where Rodrigo and his wife were waiting.
"Your Highness I've taken care of that." Tonya said as she returned to the royals. "Someone shall call you when its the neccessary time." she added just as the High Priestess, now dressed in long white robes entered, she was accompanied by Maria Shvets and Arina Maksimov the two "Priestess for Youth" who had in reality become her two proteges and kind of enforcers of the faith.
"Honoured Guests" Alla Kohut had made her way onto the stage where the evenings band would be located, "I must give you some background for the ceremony." She began, "Sadly not all of you can be present." She looked around the room. "King David, you're well practiced at this so I must ask you to depart for your role begins outside this Palace, Lady Jasmina you too, ensure his Majesty gets to where he is needed." The Lady bowed to the High Priestess and accompanied David out the Ball Room, as an escort he would be expected to greet the Queen as she arrived. "As for everyone else we shall make our way down into the Temple of the Goddess, it sits at the heart of the island and is where Sessifet resided. The
Temple is part of an underground complex of chambers each for a specific ritual for the Goddess. This one has two doors, those here related to the Duke will take the left door, those with the Queen the right." Alla looked at the group, "All of the visiting Heads of State and the like you will take the right door please. Once we are inside the Duke will make his entrance, he will be escorted by Lady Anna and Lady Jasmina and two Guardsman. Meanwhile once on the island the Queen shall enter along with Lady Stasya, Lady Roksana and their escort which includes King David. We shall then conduct the ceremony. Anyone not invited into the Temple may watch here." As if on perfect timing a large projector screen came into life showing a view of the Temple beneath their feet. "If you'd care to follow me." Alla led the group down the twisting turning staircases each brightly decorated with pictures of nature until they came to the Temple of the Goddess, the deepest of the various parts of the complex. Alla lead the group including the foreign guests down the right hand door while the two younger Priestesses the left. The group were left standing for only a few minutes with gentle harp music playing when the sound of marching feet indicated the arrival of the first of the participants.
Duke Leopold appeared first, the two Ladies in Waiting with him a step behind each dressed in a pale blue dress and flowers woven in their hair. A step behind them were Duke Thikkon and a smartly uniformed Marine officer each with their swords drawn, while the Ladies followed Leopold to the centre of the room, the guests having formed a ring around the walls. The groom was dressed in a black suit, his noble chains around his neck. He chatted casually with those around the room as he waited. He found himself near Emperor Orion. "You know Your Imperial Majesty" he said quietly, "I think they should get some seats put in here. I know Klara quiet well know, damn womens always late." He laughed nervously his first expression of how he truly felt.
While Tonya had been organising the Ball Room the Queen's boat had arrived down at the Quayside, she'd already been held up passing through Gaia where large crowds had gathered to see their Queen, her dress the tradtional robes of a Queen dark blue with gold thread, she had her hair tied back and a tiaraof silver and gold on her head. As she arrived along with her father King David offered a helping hand off the boat, just as he had done for Viktoria. "Your Majesty looks stunning" he said quietly to the Queen before giving her a fine salute. "Major Ironside requesting permission to form up the Escort to the Queen." He said formally as Stasya helped him with the Lodjian by whispering.
"Granted Your Majesty" the Queen said impressed with how David's accent was coming along.
"ESCORT TO THE QUEEN!!!" David belowed, he'd been practicing back home and had even had Red Legion Sergeant Olly Thomas help him, "FALL.....IN" He marched briskly to his position at the back left corner of the escort, just behind his partner Stasya. He glanced left and right checking that everyone was in position, nodded to the young Air Force Pilot Officer opposite him behind Roksana and the pair drew their swords. "BY THE CENTRE......QUICK......MARCH" the group began the walk up the hill as the Island's inhabitants cheered the Queen, children running alongside waving flags as they went. David began feeling his back ache as they climbed but years of drill practice and a determination to do things in the proper military fashion meant his sword stayed perfectly vertical as they took the winding road. Those below had their first indication the Queen was coming as loud cheers filtered down to them from the room above before the sound of marching again. The Queen entered and the Lodjains present bowed, the four military officers saluted each other and in a tricky drill manouver in a confined space took up positions facing away from the ceremony either side of the door as if on guard for any danger coming while the Ladies in Waiting formed a kind of box around the couple.
"Their on guard preventing evil entering the Temple and cursing the marriage." Maria Shvets, one of the two young Priestesses explained to the foreign guests.
The Duke looked at Klara and beamed, she looked beautiful and while to him this was a mere political marriage he figured he was fortunate enough that the 19year old Queen was rather pretty. "Please tell Her Divine Majesty she looks beautiful" He said addressing Lady Roksana, it was considered back luck for the groom and bride to exchange words before being married and so Roksana passed this message on making Klara blush.
Alla held a hand up silencing the Temple. "Today we witness the joining of three entities, the Goddess who is most loving and merciful, Queen Klara who is blessed to carry the Goddess inside her and....."Alla didn't finish as the Queen held up a hand of her own.
"Queen Klara is my royal name" she said turning to the assembled crowd. "I was created by Sessifet as Tatiana Kohut, it is that person that shall give herself to Duke Leopold not the symbolic Head of State, but an individual fortunate enough to be Queen." the High Priestess nodded and began again. ""Today we witness the joining of three entities, the Goddess who is most loving and merciful, Tatiana Kohut who is blessed to carry the Goddess inside her and Duke Leopold, who the people shall give to the Goddess." She had a small pouch on the belt. "Before you may be given to the Goddess you must be pure" she spoke to Leopold and began piling salt on his head, so much that it began to pour down onto his face and shoulders, he kept his eyes tight shut but couldn't avoid getting it in his mouth making him want to spit, here however was not the place. "Leopold do you admit that you have done wrong in your life?"
"I have Your Holiness" he said wiping some of the substance from his mouth invoulentarily.
"You must make a mends for this wrong. How shall you do that?" Alla asked him.
""I shall devote myself fully to the Goddess" the formal promise made he was now free to speak his own vows. "From today forward my life is Tatianas. I shall walk beside her taking whatever load she needs me to carry. I shall support all she does, I shall be her protector in times of danger, her adviser in times of confusion and her constant ever loving companion ever. I shall submit fully and utterly to the will of Divine Sessifet and the beautiful women she has choosen." He spoke from his knees his soon to be wifes hand on his salt scattered head.
"Do you accept his oath?" Alla asked the Queen who reached a hand down to Leopold.
"I accept his oath" the Queen said as she helped Leopold back to his feet. It was only then something happened that only those who had witnessed Viktoriya's wedding to Baron Roman would remember, the voice of the Queen changed, it became deeper and David even turned around from the door shocked at how just like her predecessor she know sounded, "On behalf of Tatiana" the voice was deeper, booming, almost as if it came from everywhere at once, "I accept this man to be my first of many, he shall have a special place for he is choosen for me by the people, and the people are my heart" Somehow the last part sounded much more convincing to David than Viktoriya's had been and now as he remembered the former Queen he snapped his gaze back to the staircase he was supposed to be guarding against evil.
"Tatiana do you give Leopold your oath." Alla asked, the Duke had made his, so had Sessifet and now just the human guardian was left.
Unlike Leopold the bride was not free to choose her own oath, she was guided by the scriptures and the Queen began to say the words. "If Sessifet has accepted this man into her heart I must go where the Goddess leads. I shall give the Duke my body as Sessifet has given him her heart."
"Pick a Lodjain and follow them." Shvets whispered to the guests as Alla began the next part.
"Please join me in blessing this union." Alla said loudly and the bride and groom knelt. Those closest, namely the Ladies in Waiting placed a hand on the head of one of the two and walked a circle as Alla said prayers. It looked like chaos as the Lodjains present and perhaps those who had attended Viktorias wedding walked a rotating pattern around the room weaving in and out until each person present had touched the head of at least one of the couple. "Long life and happiness" Shvets whispered quietly to the Queen as she passed, each of the Lodjains giving a small prase of blessing in their second or so of contact. Soon as if by magic everyone was back where they began. " "In the name of the Goddess I declare the pair joined. Leopold shall join the ranks of the Husbands of Sessifet and be graced with a seat beside her for all time. You are now joined." The pair turned and spoke to each other for the first time before kissing, as had been practiced David had been using his sword blade to keep an eye on Alla during the twisting turning blessing phase and now swung into action.
"MAKE WAY FOR THE ESCORT!" The King yelled, his voice echoing off the walls, the King and the three military men almost without waiting for anyone to make a path for them marched towards the now married couple, an escort of the Queen and the King standing infront of the pair while a likewise arrangement went off behind.
"They show now that no force will rip apart the marriage." Shvets explained once more to the foreign guests. Stasya took up a position in front of the newly formed square and with a basket of purple flowers lead the way out of the Temple dropping the petals as she walked. The now royal couple made their way up and back to above ground. Only once they had left did the guests file out by the opposite door hearing the crowd in the Ball Room rejoyce as the newlyweds marched past towards the throne room.
As the rest came back above ground the staff of the Palace provided drinks and some snacks, the Ball Room was now a heaving mass as people waited to be permitted into the throne room where things were being sorted. The three Ladies in Waiting minus Roksana, along with their young apprentice reappeared and mingled, David along with them holding hands with Stasya. "How was my Lodjain" he asked Stasya as they grabbed a drink and headed towards where Shvets had ushered the foreign guests.
"Its getting there" Stasya said, "I think its all to your teachers credit, you're a terrible student" she mocked him. It was true he wasn't the easiest person to teach the language to but then again Stasya had much better things to do than teach him and so was pleased with how he'd done. "You'll find tomorrow easier" she said giving him a quick kiss on the cheek before guiding him over towards Adelheid. "Princess Adelheid" Stasya greeted her warmly. "I think you know His Majesty King David" she said just in case. "I know its not the political thing to say" she lowered her voice so just the three of them could hear, "But I think I bagged the best looking guy in the ceremony" She watched as David blushed. "Your dance card filling up yet" she asked the Princess noticing already Lodjian noble men beginning to work out which of the visiting ladies were of high rank and single, something very appealing to a Lodjain.
"There will be a brief break to allow the Throne Room to be set up, I know its a bit silly" Shvets was explaining, "But the placement of the chairs is highly important in our royal court and well, Duke Leopolds chair will need to be moved and Lady Roksana needs to change, the consort of the Queen can't be considered a Lady in Waiting at events such as this. Its bloody confusing" the young holy leaders tone suggested she didn't fully approve and she realised this may have come over as being anti Roksana marrying the Queen. "Oh! I don't mean it that way" she began correcting herself horrified at what the people may think she meant. "I mean that having two weddings so close together. I'm actually excited to have the Queen marry a woman I've never performed a same sex marriage and Queen Klara is permitting me to run the ceremony tomorrow. A bit of a big stage for a first performance so to say." she had turned bright red and realised she may have started waffling and so turned to Ælirn. "Perhaps we can use tonight to find you a handsome Lodjain to dance with" Again she suddenly realised she maybe had overstepped her mark and realised international politics was a minefield. "Oh pardon me Your Majesty" she said hoping she hadn't caused offence. She wished the Throne Room door would hurry up and open but instead the sound behind her was
Dragan Knežević making his way over, he'd missed the ceremony having been selected as the member of the Conclave who had to guard the throne room during the ceremony.
"Hi everyone, Majesties, Highnesses, Lords and Ladies" Dragan welcomed everyone. "When we enter we've done something a little different to Viktoriyas wedding" he noticed familiar faces, "Those who are here again that is. Normally we give an hour for this but with there being another wedding tomorrow we're kind of killing two birds with one stone so unless its deadly important to present things to Roksana we're doing all gift giving today." he explained, "So the couple are going for two hours, Tonya has got you all down for some point in the first hour. Then we'll discreetly head out......of course if anyone wants to stay during the full show feel free. We've also provided seats for you all, their to the right of the throne, I would ask on a matter of protocol that should the Queen stand so do you. That's the housekeeping taken care of." He grabbed a glass of wine. "How you all finding it? Personally I prefer the party to the ceremony as I'm not a slave to ritual." He turned to Shvets, " Sessifet knows I love her" he said as an explanation, "I don't need to be cramped in a cave to prove it. I actually rather like the Cult of Helus' rituals, a good feed, a good drink and I belive often a bit of swordplay, seems rather exciting. Although I'd be keen to see other rituals too, always keen to learn." He hated making small talk but knew it was a neccsity to buy some time for preparations next door and entertain the visitors.
