"Places, places, everyone, places," cried a goldfinch, half in his winter plumage, as he flitted around the clearing.
On one side, a lush forest soaked in golden rays and draped with emerald green creepers gushed forth right up to the edge of the meadow. From there, tall grass flowed like an ocean. Wildflowers of all shades shone in the noon sun like jewels and the grass roared with insects. This was the kingdom of Spring, of bounty, of birth, of joy.
On the other side, the trees stood tall and still. Their leafless boughs were weighed down with clouds of snow and more snow yet stretched out into the meadow to timidly mingle with the grass. Berries as red as blood burned like embers in the evergreens that stood proudly among the bark-stripped trunks. This was the kingdom of Winter, of biding, of the indifferent reminder of death, of reflection.
In the center sat a small mound made of dark flat stones and on top of that an arch had been built. It was woven with twigs and honeysuckle and decorated with shining beads and glass and stones. Two small groups of fairies in their finest finery stood on either side of it, shuffling their feet and smoothing out their clothes. One group had scarcely met the other and could only offer up polite, tight-lipped smiles and small-talk about how big the rabbits were getting. A bright red bird stood between them going over a passage in a small leaf-bound book he carried in one wing and clicked his beak to himself.
On a shelf of stone just below the arch, an orchestra of locusts, other less-fancily dressed fairies, and some songbirds went through their motions.
Various animals of all shapes and sizes and diets were attending. A bear and her two new cubs peered sleepily from Winter's side. The branches were laden with birds and squirrels and chipmunks and even a few wintering butterflies. The sound was ungodly--roars and bleats and squeaks and croaks and chirps and of course the concerned muttering of a hundred some odd curious fae from either side.
Today, there was going to be a wedding.
The cardinal coughed and suddenly all the bustle died down and every head pointed toward the arch. Representatives of the Spring and Winter courts stood at attention and held their wings stiff behind them. The redbird fluffed up his plumage, perked up his crest, and spoke loud and clear.
"Announcing, their excellencies, the Queen, King, and Prince of Winter," he cries and spread a wing.
From one side of the clearing, a somber procession of fairies on foot appeared from the frosty fronds. A pure white ermine with a silver saddle carried the royal family up, up, up, the mound of stones and bowed to the cardinal. The cardinal bowed to the ermine. The Queen dismounted and helped her husband down. Their son alighted on his own and stared grimly ahead at the crowd of curious and excited forest-dwellers. His white owl's wings didn't make a single sound even though they twitched so.
He was tall with a thin face and a low nose. The prince's hair was dusted in frost and it was hard to tell just what color it was supposed to be originally--in fact, his face was pale and his lips were tinged ever so slightly blue as though he were stricken with hypothermia. A robe soft as snow and whorled with Jack Frost's fingerprints hung to his boot-clad ankles and cinched at his narrow waist with a belt. He wore a thin crown made of finely-crafted snowflakes and a collar of white feathers crowded his chin and made him look like he had no neck. It was unclear if this was a product of him scrunching down into his shoulders or not.
Once they were all in their places, the congrigation clapped and grunted politely.
"Announcing, their excellencies, the Queens and Princess of Spring!" The cardinal held out his other wing and attention flowed to the opposite side of the clearing where the bushes parted...
At the signal, the court of Spring advanced. In a riot of color they came, all blues and violets and greens in every shade. In comparison they seemed to almost dance into the clearing, parting to make way for a hefty groundhog in a flowered crown that served as mount for the royal family. The King and Queen of spring waved as they approached, but there was a slight distance in their eyes as they reached the place of the ceremony.
If the Prince of Winter was tall, the Princess of Spring was a giantess among the fairy folk. She drew the eye, large and bright and impossible not to notice as her father helped her down from their mount. A bounty of pink curls seemed to surround her, flowing and falling over her shoulders and around her delicate rose-petal wings. A crown of magically preserved flowers, pink and white roses interspersed with cherry blossoms, was nestled in her thick hair, more roses trailing down to twine with her curls. The rose motif continued, an intricately carved heavy necklace of roses spilling down her front. Her gown was all shades of pink, layered and gossamer and embroidered all over in shimmering vines in full bloom.
She smiled brightly, pink eyes wide and gleaming with something that could be nervousness or excitement - it was difficult to tell. She tried very hard not to look directly at the prince, hands clasped in front of her. She was here and she was ready, and so, it appeared, was everyone else.
"Now," said the Cardinal, once everyone had finished clapping and tweeting, "As you know, we are gathered here today..."
The speech began, but the Prince of Winter didn't hear a word of it.
It was impossible not to notice the explosion of color that had joined him at the altar. The prince had expected some kind of dainty Queen Ann's Lace-looking bride, a graceful daffodil, a simple but steadfast cosmo, or, if his luck was really as sour as he felt it, a thistle. But, when a chilly gold eye flicked in the Princess's direction, it widened--because it had to roll upward!
There she was, a rose, if ever there was one, in full bloom. And she was huge! Great blizzards, what was going on in Spring? What were they eating over there? It took a great effort for him to keep his feathers flattened. No need to get up in arms, no need to think of this as anything but royal business. She was just foreign royalty. This was just an arranged marriage as so to keep the peace between the seasons within the 'Wood. She was just the person he was going to have to share his entire life with.
Steeling his nerve, he jerked his eyes forward again, settling into his very very practiced bored gaze.
He wasn't the only one not paying much attention to the speech. It wasn't as though the words were that important anyway, it was what they symbolized. What all of this symbolized. It was so terribly important.
It was a little bit scary, having all that responsibility all of a sudden. Just marrying a complete stranger, sight unseen.
At least he was handsome. And while not as tall as her - she couldn't think of many who were - he was still tall. And his colors were very striking - he had lovely wings. He looked so dour, though...maybe it was just nerves. It was perfectly normal to be nervous! The fate of their world was just hanging on their shoulders, more or less. They only had to make this marriage work.
Rose tried very hard not to fidget with her fingers as the speech went on, her eyes flicking to the man that was about to be her husband every few moments. She kept repeating the words she needed to say when the time came over and over in her head. She remembered them all. Everything would be fine.
And everything was fine until, quite suddenly, the Cardinal's speech ended.
And it was time.
The red bird turned to the Prince and flipped open his little book.
"My good prince, if you would please repeat after me." The Cardinal cleared his throat and spoke slowly. "I, Prince Harmony, stand before the courts of Spring and Winter and swear by the Four Seasons to protect the forest and all that lives within it by carrying the very balance of nature upon my wings."
Prince Harmony stared stoically ahead at the forest creatures he was swearing to. There they were, his familiar snowshoe hairs, his partridges, his stags with their magnificent antlers, his bears. He repeated the oath. His voice was high, but not feminine. It was slightly nasally and his words were clipped with practiced precision.
"Now, if you would face your bride," directed the Cardinal. This was where the Prince's resolve began to shudder. He turned and faced Rose now, fully, looking up into her big wet eyes.
Although it was hard to see it, sweat was crystallizing on his brow. The redbird instructed him to repeat a new vow and when Harmony said the words to Rose, each one fell like a pebble onto a frozen lake.
"I, Prince Harmony, swear by the Four Seasons to take this fairy to be my bride. I will carry her through Winter into Spring, I will cherish her as the squirrel does its stores, I will protect her as the bear does her cubs, I will stay by her side as the Cob does its--his Pen."
The cardinal turned to Rose and looked up at her with his little black eyes.
"My dear Princess," said the Cardinal with warmth, "please repeat after me."
Oh. Here it was. It was time. She had stood very still through the vows so far, tramping down bubbling nervousness and trying very hard to ignore how...disinterested her groom was. He was of winter, it was probably just his way. A chilly demeanor to match a chilly land.
But still.
Rose didn't have time to think about it right now. Right now, she had her own vows to recite. The first part was the same as he'd said, and the words tumbled out of her mouth in a soft rush. As though she were afraid she'd lose the words if she didn't get them out as quickly as she could.
She looked down at her tight faced groom, hands gripping each other tightly.
"I, Princess Rose, swear by all Four Seasons to take this fairy as my husband. I will sustain him and nurture him in Spring and Winter, I will shelter him as the bees do their honey, I will support him as the tree supports the vine, I will honor him as the blossom does the sun."
There. She'd done it, and she hadn't missed a single word. Or maybe just one or two.
"Very well," said the Cardinal. "You have sworn before the Seasons, your family, and your forest. You are bound to your word as fairies and as partners."
The red bird tucked his book away and took each of their hands by a wing tip, turning them on the spot and presenting them to the congregation.
"Balance is restored!"
Everyone cheered.
Harmony swallowed what felt like a shard of ice.
---
The world became a blur for Harmony. One moment he was astride his familys pet ermine, the next he was standing before a bride he'd never met, then he was thrust among a fluttering throng of familiar and unfamiliar faces, and finally he found himself in one of two seats of honor the end of a long table full of loud and cheering fairies sharing food and drink. The forest animals loomed over them and watched respectfully but did not partake. They weren't stupid.
Harmony hadn't even realized he'd been staring at his acorn bowl of wedding wine for five whole minutes in a daze.
It all seemed to happen so very quickly. The ceremony, the rejoicing, and now here they were.
Was it always so awkward, Rose wondered? It had to be. How could anyone be at ease when marrying a complete stranger?
Still. She was determined to make this work. On a grand level, it had to. There was simply no other option. But on a personal level...she wanted them to at least get along.
"It was a lovely ceremony."
They were the first words she'd said to her new husband outside of said ceremony. And the words were spoken down into her table setting, her fingers twisting together beneath table.
Harmony raised his head and glanced up as though he'd only just remembered she were there. He'd lost himself in the wine without having a single sip.
"It is done," said Harmony, wearily. What...did you say to a wife? He hadn't even tried to court anyone! He hadn't even dated! Not even in his short-lived rebellious phase. However, rebellious for Harmony, was dog-earing book pages and staying up past his beadtime practicing his swordsmanship.
Still, there was no reason to be rude. Rose was a fellow royal. His equal. Especially now.
He finally turned fully to gaze at his enormous wife.
"I do hope the party doesn't drag on--I would like to get home." His eyes grew hazy again. Home. HOME. His home wasn't his home anymore! They were going to have new homes--two of them! An unfamiliar palace in each realm crafted carefully however somewhat impersonally for them.
Harmony finally took up his wine and took a long drink.
"However sudden, I'm sure we were a good choice for our kingdoms. We will make them proud." Another long drink. "I think I should make it plain here and now, so that there is no disappointment on down the road, I am not one for pet names. I hope you will be satisfied with my dear, my dear. It is the best I can do."
"Oh!" Rose laughed, a touch nervously. "I...hadn't thought of that. I just thought you'd call me 'Rose'."
She hadn't exactly spent much time fantasizing about weddings or what her possible spouse would be like. It had just never seemed very important, not with so many other much more interesting things to think about!
And she was already in uncharted waters. Should she have been thinking about this sort of thing? Well, no time like the present! Rose was just going to have to figure all this sort of thing as they went along.
"Call me whatever you wish," said Harmony. "It makes no difference to me."
That was a little cold, he realized, as soon as it had come out of his mouth. He started to apologize for being so unprofessional but someone from his court suddenly appeared at his side and dragged him into a conversation.
The rest of the dinner went like that. Members of both court came up to both of them, to congratulate them, to thank them, or to simply be curious about them. Rose was bombarded with questions about her dress, what she thought her new husband would be like, if she would have any little prince or princesses. Harmony got primarily business questions which he stumbled through with the aid of his wine.
Finally, the celebration ended. Fairies from both sides along with all the curious animals slowly began to slink or flutter back into their respective sides of the forest. The families mingled a little longer before Harmony's parents approached with a second ermine in tow.
"A little gift from your mother and I," said his father as he handed the reins over to Harmony.
He stared tiredly up at the bright black eyes of the white weasel. He couldn't even be excited to have his own mount. His eyes had become droopy and his cheeks and ears were flushed with wine. With a flap of his wings he swung up into the saddle and held his hand out for Rose.
That was, if Rose could untangle herself from his mother who had started fussing over her instantly and attempting to bury her in cloaks and shawls and gloves and boots and other things she would need in Winter.
Well. Dinner hadn't gone exactly as Rose had hoped, but...it was alright.
Everything would be alright. It would be different when they were alone together, without all the interruptions and distractions and well wishers butting in. It had to be!
By the time Rose was able to join her new husband on the back of their steed, she was a small mountain of warm clothing beneath a bounty of pink hair. At least she wouldn't have to worry about the chill...
It had been some small concern.
But here they were, and it was time to be off. Rose settled herself in, very aware of how closely together they were sat atop the ermine.
Somehow Harmony had not expected the amount of space Rose would take up. The ermine didn't mind at all, as fairies were light folks, but Harmony felt her body against his wings and the feathers instantly bristled. He was not touchey-feely, even with his mother who had to corner him in order to get a hug.
Oh, this was going to be a long ride. As the company moved out, Harmony struggled a little to gain control over the unfamiliar weasel. It chattered and stamped its little feet in the deep snow before heading toward the silent woods.
"On wing? Not terribly, but by weasel I'm afraid it's a bit of a trek. But it is night now and not safe to fly."
As if Rose didn't know what fucking owls were.
He finally glanced over his shoulder at her, their first real moment alone. The urge to apologize for his weird phrasing earlier surfaced again but he quickly swallowed it. Instead, he decided to say something...husbandly.
Rose raised her voice to make sure she could be heard. She was properly bundled up, and while her cheeks were pinker than normal, overall she was comfortable.
Physically, at least.
What should she say? It felt as though they ought to speak. She still barely knew anything about Harmony! But this silence was unbearable! It wasn't a comfortable one, it was delicate and heavy at the same time.
"The countryside is beautiful." What she could see of it. "I'm sure it's even moreso in the daylight."
Really, Rose? That's what you come up with by way of conversation? She was really making a mess of all of this!
Harmony sat a little taller in the saddle as Rose complimented his realm. He glanced up at the frost-heavy leaves of the few green trees they passed under and breathed in the quiet of it all. The snow swallowed up sounds, even their steed's footfalls. Moonlight now caught in the flakes that drifted from the swaying branches above.
"It is beautiful, isn't it? The other seasons all have the charms--" He gestured around them as though to prompt Rose to imagine the landscape in different months. "The chaos of spring, the rains of summer, the colorful riot of fall, but none of them compare, in my opinion, to the elegant stillness of Winter."
"Oh very much so. Of course I'm biased toward my own season, but...there's something so enchanting about the stillness and sharpness of all the ice and snow."
It's so different than what she's most used to, the constant hum and thrum and color of bursting life. But it does have its own appeal, almost alien in how vastly the blanket of winter changed the land.
"And I think snow looks particularly special in the moonlight."
It seemed to glow, and everything had a faint blue cast to it in the pale almost-light. And besides, he was talking! It was clear he was quite proud of his wintry lands.
The weasel came upon a fallen log. It hopped on top of it and followed it across a deep gorge in the earth which had a frozen river at its bottom.
"If you go exploring in our kingdom, I advise you not to go down there," Harmony said, extending a soft wing to point to the icy river below. "The riverbank is haunted by the ancient spirits of those trapped in the ice."
"No, and if you heed our warnings, neither will you."
It was impossible not to hear the fear in his new wife's voice and he stole another glance back at her. The face she was making made him feel like he was getting a swift kick in the gut. They had hardly known each other an evening and already he'd upset her! His mother would have his wings.
"Do not worry, I will protect you." He tried to give her a confident smile but it looked more like a grimace.
"But..." Rose frowned, glancing over her shoulder. It looked so ominous, so sad, the dark impression of the gorge they'd crossed. She couldn't help but be upset on behalf of the hypothetical ghosts.
She looked back, eyes wide, face framed in feathery wisps of pink hair.
"Help them?" Harmony balked at Rose. "They're...ghosts! You don't help them. They just...are."
The prince did not concern himself with the dead! Living fae were enough to deal with. The ravine slowly disappeared over the crest of the hill as they rode deeper into Winter.
"They must have been very wicked to become trapped. Try and think of it that way."
Rose sighed, but could tell when a conversation was closed. She wasn't about to forget it, though.
For now she bit at her lower lip and tried to think of something else to say, something to get conversation back on track. The spring fae was determined to be a good wife to her new husband, as soon as she figured out how.
"You'll have to show me your favorite parts of your lands."
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
VOWS
On one side, a lush forest soaked in golden rays and draped with emerald green creepers gushed forth right up to the edge of the meadow. From there, tall grass flowed like an ocean. Wildflowers of all shades shone in the noon sun like jewels and the grass roared with insects. This was the kingdom of Spring, of bounty, of birth, of joy.
On the other side, the trees stood tall and still. Their leafless boughs were weighed down with clouds of snow and more snow yet stretched out into the meadow to timidly mingle with the grass. Berries as red as blood burned like embers in the evergreens that stood proudly among the bark-stripped trunks. This was the kingdom of Winter, of biding, of the indifferent reminder of death, of reflection.
In the center sat a small mound made of dark flat stones and on top of that an arch had been built. It was woven with twigs and honeysuckle and decorated with shining beads and glass and stones. Two small groups of fairies in their finest finery stood on either side of it, shuffling their feet and smoothing out their clothes. One group had scarcely met the other and could only offer up polite, tight-lipped smiles and small-talk about how big the rabbits were getting. A bright red bird stood between them going over a passage in a small leaf-bound book he carried in one wing and clicked his beak to himself.
On a shelf of stone just below the arch, an orchestra of locusts, other less-fancily dressed fairies, and some songbirds went through their motions.
Various animals of all shapes and sizes and diets were attending. A bear and her two new cubs peered sleepily from Winter's side. The branches were laden with birds and squirrels and chipmunks and even a few wintering butterflies. The sound was ungodly--roars and bleats and squeaks and croaks and chirps and of course the concerned muttering of a hundred some odd curious fae from either side.
Today, there was going to be a wedding.
The cardinal coughed and suddenly all the bustle died down and every head pointed toward the arch. Representatives of the Spring and Winter courts stood at attention and held their wings stiff behind them. The redbird fluffed up his plumage, perked up his crest, and spoke loud and clear.
"Announcing, their excellencies, the Queen, King, and Prince of Winter," he cries and spread a wing.
From one side of the clearing, a somber procession of fairies on foot appeared from the frosty fronds. A pure white ermine with a silver saddle carried the royal family up, up, up, the mound of stones and bowed to the cardinal. The cardinal bowed to the ermine. The Queen dismounted and helped her husband down. Their son alighted on his own and stared grimly ahead at the crowd of curious and excited forest-dwellers. His white owl's wings didn't make a single sound even though they twitched so.
He was tall with a thin face and a low nose. The prince's hair was dusted in frost and it was hard to tell just what color it was supposed to be originally--in fact, his face was pale and his lips were tinged ever so slightly blue as though he were stricken with hypothermia. A robe soft as snow and whorled with Jack Frost's fingerprints hung to his boot-clad ankles and cinched at his narrow waist with a belt. He wore a thin crown made of finely-crafted snowflakes and a collar of white feathers crowded his chin and made him look like he had no neck. It was unclear if this was a product of him scrunching down into his shoulders or not.
Once they were all in their places, the congrigation clapped and grunted politely.
"Announcing, their excellencies, the Queens and Princess of Spring!" The cardinal held out his other wing and attention flowed to the opposite side of the clearing where the bushes parted...
no subject
At the signal, the court of Spring advanced. In a riot of color they came, all blues and violets and greens in every shade. In comparison they seemed to almost dance into the clearing, parting to make way for a hefty groundhog in a flowered crown that served as mount for the royal family. The King and Queen of spring waved as they approached, but there was a slight distance in their eyes as they reached the place of the ceremony.
If the Prince of Winter was tall, the Princess of Spring was a giantess among the fairy folk. She drew the eye, large and bright and impossible not to notice as her father helped her down from their mount. A bounty of pink curls seemed to surround her, flowing and falling over her shoulders and around her delicate rose-petal wings. A crown of magically preserved flowers, pink and white roses interspersed with cherry blossoms, was nestled in her thick hair, more roses trailing down to twine with her curls. The rose motif continued, an intricately carved heavy necklace of roses spilling down her front. Her gown was all shades of pink, layered and gossamer and embroidered all over in shimmering vines in full bloom.
She smiled brightly, pink eyes wide and gleaming with something that could be nervousness or excitement - it was difficult to tell. She tried very hard not to look directly at the prince, hands clasped in front of her. She was here and she was ready, and so, it appeared, was everyone else.
There was about to be a wedding.
no subject
The speech began, but the Prince of Winter didn't hear a word of it.
It was impossible not to notice the explosion of color that had joined him at the altar. The prince had expected some kind of dainty Queen Ann's Lace-looking bride, a graceful daffodil, a simple but steadfast cosmo, or, if his luck was really as sour as he felt it, a thistle. But, when a chilly gold eye flicked in the Princess's direction, it widened--because it had to roll upward!
There she was, a rose, if ever there was one, in full bloom. And she was huge! Great blizzards, what was going on in Spring? What were they eating over there? It took a great effort for him to keep his feathers flattened. No need to get up in arms, no need to think of this as anything but royal business. She was just foreign royalty. This was just an arranged marriage as so to keep the peace between the seasons within the 'Wood. She was just the person he was going to have to share his entire life with.
Steeling his nerve, he jerked his eyes forward again, settling into his very very practiced bored gaze.
no subject
It was a little bit scary, having all that responsibility all of a sudden. Just marrying a complete stranger, sight unseen.
At least he was handsome. And while not as tall as her - she couldn't think of many who were - he was still tall. And his colors were very striking - he had lovely wings. He looked so dour, though...maybe it was just nerves. It was perfectly normal to be nervous! The fate of their world was just hanging on their shoulders, more or less. They only had to make this marriage work.
Rose tried very hard not to fidget with her fingers as the speech went on, her eyes flicking to the man that was about to be her husband every few moments. She kept repeating the words she needed to say when the time came over and over in her head. She remembered them all. Everything would be fine.
Everything had to be fine.
no subject
And it was time.
The red bird turned to the Prince and flipped open his little book.
"My good prince, if you would please repeat after me." The Cardinal cleared his throat and spoke slowly. "I, Prince Harmony, stand before the courts of Spring and Winter and swear by the Four Seasons to protect the forest and all that lives within it by carrying the very balance of nature upon my wings."
Prince Harmony stared stoically ahead at the forest creatures he was swearing to. There they were, his familiar snowshoe hairs, his partridges, his stags with their magnificent antlers, his bears. He repeated the oath. His voice was high, but not feminine. It was slightly nasally and his words were clipped with practiced precision.
"Now, if you would face your bride," directed the Cardinal. This was where the Prince's resolve began to shudder. He turned and faced Rose now, fully, looking up into her big wet eyes.
Although it was hard to see it, sweat was crystallizing on his brow. The redbird instructed him to repeat a new vow and when Harmony said the words to Rose, each one fell like a pebble onto a frozen lake.
"I, Prince Harmony, swear by the Four Seasons to take this fairy to be my bride. I will carry her through Winter into Spring, I will cherish her as the squirrel does its stores, I will protect her as the bear does her cubs, I will stay by her side as the Cob does its--his Pen."
The cardinal turned to Rose and looked up at her with his little black eyes.
"My dear Princess," said the Cardinal with warmth, "please repeat after me."
no subject
But still.
Rose didn't have time to think about it right now. Right now, she had her own vows to recite. The first part was the same as he'd said, and the words tumbled out of her mouth in a soft rush. As though she were afraid she'd lose the words if she didn't get them out as quickly as she could.
She looked down at her tight faced groom, hands gripping each other tightly.
"I, Princess Rose, swear by all Four Seasons to take this fairy as my husband. I will sustain him and nurture him in Spring and Winter, I will shelter him as the bees do their honey, I will support him as the tree supports the vine, I will honor him as the blossom does the sun."
There. She'd done it, and she hadn't missed a single word. Or maybe just one or two.
no subject
The red bird tucked his book away and took each of their hands by a wing tip, turning them on the spot and presenting them to the congregation.
"Balance is restored!"
Everyone cheered.
Harmony swallowed what felt like a shard of ice.
---
The world became a blur for Harmony. One moment he was astride his familys pet ermine, the next he was standing before a bride he'd never met, then he was thrust among a fluttering throng of familiar and unfamiliar faces, and finally he found himself in one of two seats of honor the end of a long table full of loud and cheering fairies sharing food and drink. The forest animals loomed over them and watched respectfully but did not partake. They weren't stupid.
Harmony hadn't even realized he'd been staring at his acorn bowl of wedding wine for five whole minutes in a daze.
no subject
Was it always so awkward, Rose wondered? It had to be. How could anyone be at ease when marrying a complete stranger?
Still. She was determined to make this work. On a grand level, it had to. There was simply no other option. But on a personal level...she wanted them to at least get along.
"It was a lovely ceremony."
They were the first words she'd said to her new husband outside of said ceremony. And the words were spoken down into her table setting, her fingers twisting together beneath table.
no subject
"It is done," said Harmony, wearily. What...did you say to a wife? He hadn't even tried to court anyone! He hadn't even dated! Not even in his short-lived rebellious phase. However, rebellious for Harmony, was dog-earing book pages and staying up past his beadtime practicing his swordsmanship.
Still, there was no reason to be rude. Rose was a fellow royal. His equal. Especially now.
He finally turned fully to gaze at his enormous wife.
"I do hope the party doesn't drag on--I would like to get home." His eyes grew hazy again. Home. HOME. His home wasn't his home anymore! They were going to have new homes--two of them! An unfamiliar palace in each realm crafted carefully however somewhat impersonally for them.
Harmony finally took up his wine and took a long drink.
"However sudden, I'm sure we were a good choice for our kingdoms. We will make them proud." Another long drink. "I think I should make it plain here and now, so that there is no disappointment on down the road, I am not one for pet names. I hope you will be satisfied with my dear, my dear. It is the best I can do."
no subject
She hadn't exactly spent much time fantasizing about weddings or what her possible spouse would be like. It had just never seemed very important, not with so many other much more interesting things to think about!
And she was already in uncharted waters. Should she have been thinking about this sort of thing? Well, no time like the present! Rose was just going to have to figure all this sort of thing as they went along.
At least they were talking!
"Is there something you'd like me to call you?"
no subject
That was a little cold, he realized, as soon as it had come out of his mouth. He started to apologize for being so unprofessional but someone from his court suddenly appeared at his side and dragged him into a conversation.
The rest of the dinner went like that. Members of both court came up to both of them, to congratulate them, to thank them, or to simply be curious about them. Rose was bombarded with questions about her dress, what she thought her new husband would be like, if she would have any little prince or princesses. Harmony got primarily business questions which he stumbled through with the aid of his wine.
Finally, the celebration ended. Fairies from both sides along with all the curious animals slowly began to slink or flutter back into their respective sides of the forest. The families mingled a little longer before Harmony's parents approached with a second ermine in tow.
"A little gift from your mother and I," said his father as he handed the reins over to Harmony.
He stared tiredly up at the bright black eyes of the white weasel. He couldn't even be excited to have his own mount. His eyes had become droopy and his cheeks and ears were flushed with wine. With a flap of his wings he swung up into the saddle and held his hand out for Rose.
That was, if Rose could untangle herself from his mother who had started fussing over her instantly and attempting to bury her in cloaks and shawls and gloves and boots and other things she would need in Winter.
no subject
Everything would be alright. It would be different when they were alone together, without all the interruptions and distractions and well wishers butting in. It had to be!
By the time Rose was able to join her new husband on the back of their steed, she was a small mountain of warm clothing beneath a bounty of pink hair. At least she wouldn't have to worry about the chill...
It had been some small concern.
But here they were, and it was time to be off. Rose settled herself in, very aware of how closely together they were sat atop the ermine.
"Is it a very long journey?"
no subject
Oh, this was going to be a long ride. As the company moved out, Harmony struggled a little to gain control over the unfamiliar weasel. It chattered and stamped its little feet in the deep snow before heading toward the silent woods.
"On wing? Not terribly, but by weasel I'm afraid it's a bit of a trek. But it is night now and not safe to fly."
As if Rose didn't know what fucking owls were.
He finally glanced over his shoulder at her, their first real moment alone. The urge to apologize for his weird phrasing earlier surfaced again but he quickly swallowed it. Instead, he decided to say something...husbandly.
"Are you warm enough?"
no subject
Rose raised her voice to make sure she could be heard. She was properly bundled up, and while her cheeks were pinker than normal, overall she was comfortable.
Physically, at least.
What should she say? It felt as though they ought to speak. She still barely knew anything about Harmony! But this silence was unbearable! It wasn't a comfortable one, it was delicate and heavy at the same time.
"The countryside is beautiful." What she could see of it. "I'm sure it's even moreso in the daylight."
Really, Rose? That's what you come up with by way of conversation? She was really making a mess of all of this!
no subject
Harmony sat a little taller in the saddle as Rose complimented his realm. He glanced up at the frost-heavy leaves of the few green trees they passed under and breathed in the quiet of it all. The snow swallowed up sounds, even their steed's footfalls. Moonlight now caught in the flakes that drifted from the swaying branches above.
"It is beautiful, isn't it? The other seasons all have the charms--" He gestured around them as though to prompt Rose to imagine the landscape in different months. "The chaos of spring, the rains of summer, the colorful riot of fall, but none of them compare, in my opinion, to the elegant stillness of Winter."
no subject
It's so different than what she's most used to, the constant hum and thrum and color of bursting life. But it does have its own appeal, almost alien in how vastly the blanket of winter changed the land.
"And I think snow looks particularly special in the moonlight."
It seemed to glow, and everything had a faint blue cast to it in the pale almost-light. And besides, he was talking! It was clear he was quite proud of his wintry lands.
no subject
"If you go exploring in our kingdom, I advise you not to go down there," Harmony said, extending a soft wing to point to the icy river below. "The riverbank is haunted by the ancient spirits of those trapped in the ice."
no subject
Those poor spirits...it had to be terrible, trapped like that. Not even free in death.
no subject
"No, and if you heed our warnings, neither will you."
It was impossible not to hear the fear in his new wife's voice and he stole another glance back at her. The face she was making made him feel like he was getting a swift kick in the gut. They had hardly known each other an evening and already he'd upset her! His mother would have his wings.
"Do not worry, I will protect you." He tried to give her a confident smile but it looked more like a grimace.
no subject
She looked back, eyes wide, face framed in feathery wisps of pink hair.
"Who will help them?"
no subject
The prince did not concern himself with the dead! Living fae were enough to deal with. The ravine slowly disappeared over the crest of the hill as they rode deeper into Winter.
"They must have been very wicked to become trapped. Try and think of it that way."
no subject
Rose sighed, but could tell when a conversation was closed. She wasn't about to forget it, though.
For now she bit at her lower lip and tried to think of something else to say, something to get conversation back on track. The spring fae was determined to be a good wife to her new husband, as soon as she figured out how.
"You'll have to show me your favorite parts of your lands."
There, that ought to do it.