// Written as tribute to an awesome bit of Roleplay. Hope everyone likes it…. Especially you, Randall.
//
The moon was bright, lending an otherworldly glow to the sandy beach. The stars lent a sparkle to the lazy ocean waves. The breeze was gentle and balmy. It was a perfect night for a beautiful wedding. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, nor a cloud on the faces of the crowd gathered around the nervous groom.
The bride’s father shifted his weight from foot to foot in anticipation for what was to come. There were several good friends of the soon to be happy couple in attendance. Among them, Sir Jonas Rokranon, Crassus Lannesen, Aearion Caunwaithon, the Ilmatari Meric Marshellow, and on the fringes… a hooded man in the shade of a tree sat on the cliff that overlooked it all. Laughter rippled back and forth through the guests. Off to the side, the majestic griffon, Twiddle stood watching. Seeming to enjoy the mood as much as Randall was. The one called the Beast stood, and spoke quietly to the saint, who would oversee the wedding.
The guests settled about on the shore, and with perfect timing… the bride stepped from the shadows near the beach-side cave. The fiery haired woman was a vision in a graceful white dress that seemed to shimmer in the dim light. Overhead Selune smiled from her highest perch, lovely as she was… she remained just out of sight of her intended. She had scarce come into view, offering little more than a cuing nod to the Saint. She smiled at the bride, blessing the spot that would serve as the ‘alter’ for the couple.
“Thank you, everyone for coming. This will be an occasion to make the Lady of Joy herself smile.”
The tiny priestess said, as Randall took his place.
“Where is the bride?”
She asked as she looked at Randall, a slight smile played at her lips as she kept to the unusual opening… a request of the pair she would be marrying this night.
“Well then, Randall perhaps you would be so kind as to choose the lovely lady from the crowd who has captured your heart so?"
The imposing figure of a woman grinned goofily and eyed the crowd. There was no shortage of lovely ladies in attendance. The young minstrel Tamara, smiled as her other senses offered vision to the world and the joy she could not see. Leonia, who stood offering wit and laughter simply grinned at Randall and miss Ailie Wilmsteen. A pair of mysterious ladies stood on the skirt of the crowd… but for all the lovely faces, each faded drastically as Marjolaine stepped into view.
"Well… I must say that there's… quite the choice. There's a lot of pretty girls here… It's… kind of hard to chose…"
The muscled woman answered with a grin as she considered each in turn.
"Though, there's only one with who I want to spend the rest of my life…"
Her words trailed off as she caught sight of her bride. Slowly she made her way to Marjolaine… who stood smiling brightly. If possible her smiled grew with each step.
"Marjolaine… Would ye like to accompany me to stand near the saint?"
She grinned, eyes shining with mischief.
“Too late to say ‘no’?”
“Of course!”
The taller woman grinned, scooping up the red-headed beauty and carrying her to the ‘wedding alter’.
A wave of laughter fell from the bride’s lips… and washed over the crowd, drawing chuckles from some… Even the ocean seemed to laugh with the joy of those gathered… The bride’s father laughed… almost hysterically… As Randall gently set Marjolaine in front of Merielle, who beamed a smile at the whole group.
“We are ready, Merielle. She is the one.”
Randall smiled glancing between them.
“If I may humbly ask the blessing of the bride’s father?”
Merielle looked to Mister De Rose, who had muttered impatiently from time to time, but been mostly quiet. He focused on Merielle and grinned, nodding.
“Not long now…”
He said, and the Saint nodded. It seemed he was equally eager to see his daughter wed, as she was to be wed. Thus, the ceremony began.
"We stand here together as friends among dear friends to celebrate a joyful occasion. Love moves in its own way, seeking its own path. Sometimes we see it for such right away, sometimes… it dawns on our hearts as a new song full of bright and sudden promise. May all that is light and Mercy, Joy and all that is good forever smile on this day."
The small priestess focused on the tallest of the pair in front of her, and her tone took on a more serious note… though the cheer did not leave her voice.
“Randall Armstrong, do you promise, here and now, all that is yours to give to the woman who stands at your side?"
"It is my greatest wish, of course… Yes, I do…"
"Place your ring on her finger, please. May your love forever be as unbroken as the circle it represents."
Randall took the ring and placed it on Marjolaine’s finger, the two somehow seemed to become happier with each moment.
"I ask you now, to speak your vow to her and her alone."
"Marjolaine. Since the first day we kissed, I have learned to live again.
Yer love gave me hope, and the will to be a better man.
On this day, my love, I promise to ye in front of the world that ye will be my only flame.
I want to wake up near ye every morning. I promise that until time catches us…
Whatever happens, what I feel for you in this very moment… will never fade.”
It was a simple promise, from the heart of a Man who had been cursed by the gods to live as a woman… and learn from it. It was the simple promise of one called the Beast… willing to change for the better… willing to love forever. A promise given straight from the heart.
"Marjolaine De Rose, do you promise, here and now, all that is yours to give to the woman who stands at your side?"
“With all my heart…I do.”
Her voice trembled with the emotion of the moment… Her eyes glistened, her intended’s words echoing through her very heart.
"Place your ring on her finger, please. May your love forever be as unbroken as the circle it represents."
Marjoliane and Randall’s eyes never left one another’s as the ring was placed on her finger.
"I ask you now, to speak your vow to her and her alone."
She took a steadying breath, and softly, full of love and devotion, her voice poured forth the thoughts of her heart and soul.
“Randall, I come here today to join my life to yours before our friends and family.
In their presence, I pledge to be true to you…
To respect you, and to grow with you through the years.
Time may pass, fortune may smile, trials may overcome;
No matter what we may encounter together,
I vow here that this love will be my only love.
Joy is eternal. I will make my home in your heart, from this day forward and forever.”
The priestess nodded to each, smiling brightly… though nothing could outshine the joy of the happy couple… not even the Saint’s halo.
"By the Hand of Mercy, and with the blessings of Liira, the Lady of Joy… I do declare you rightfully wed. … You may now kiss your bride!"
The kiss was full of passion and devotion. There were joyful tears throughout the crowd. As if it were a page from a fairy tale… the Gods chose this moment to lift the curse… Slowly, the air around the pair shimmered and glowed… a cloud of sparks and glimmering starbursts surrounded the pair as the kiss continued. The crowd looked on in awe and wonder as Randall was returned to his male form. The bride and groom seemed utterly lost in the kiss.
“Mercy of Ilmater…”
“The Curse is broken.”
“Didn't happen to me… and I tell you Alison's kiss is better.”
“I now pronounce you -husband- and wife, by the Hand of Mercy and with the Blessings of Liira.”
She corrected with a stunned expression. Finally the kiss was broken by a shout… it seemed out of place in the joy of such a moment.
“Enough of this!”
All eyes turned to Victor De Rose as he glared venomously at his daughter and her husband.
"You, you are not worthy of my daughter! She shall not marry a criminal such as yourself!"
He pointed angrily at Randall… a blast of hellish power leaving his hand… it was that fateful moment that Marjolaine proved undying love, in that moment… when she stepped between the Hells and her husband… and for a moment the world seemed to halt…
Then everything happened at once… Marjolaine fell into Randall’s arms, and those near him tackled Victor… The beauty of the moment shattered, as surely as Marjolaine’s weakening body.
“What?! No!!”
The agonized shout of Randall drown out all other shouts from the others… Victor was beaten near to death in an instant by the Ilmatari monk, Meric… Merielle moved quickly, trying with all her heart to mend Marjolaine’s broken form.
“Mercy of Ilmater!”
“Come NOW… It’s time!”
Victor yelled over the beating he was receiving. The large demon and the other lesser demons that followed drew the cruel man’s attackers away as they now had to face servants of the Abyss. None being prepared for a fight, it looked dire. Merielle’s desperate prayers barely heard over the battle… barely heard over the agonizing exclamations of Randall as Marjolaine’s life was quickly draining from her…
“Marjo…”
He said her name over and over… oblivious to the battle that raged on and was barely won. The demons were returned where they had come from… and at the whisper that came from Marjolaine… the Saint’s prayers stopped short… Merielle choked back her own tears… She still tried desperately to staunch the flow of blood as the newly weds… said good bye.
“You showed me a joy I could never have imagined…”
“Marjo… please… fight.”
He pleaded… but her sacrifice was made… so did she love him… As her last breath fell from her lips, her eyes shone… not with regret or despair, nor pain or anguish… but love. Pure and perfect in every moment to its very end. Barely heard ‘I love yous…’
“Merielle… isn’t there something… you can do?"
She offered her most potent prayers. Though Fate had already taken a firm hold… Marjolaine, Love’s Martyr, had passed… Meri gently reached over and closed the woman’s eyes.
“Mercy forgive me… Randall… I am so … so very sorry…”
She spoke, barely above a whisper to the grieving warrior… the blood of his beloved mixing with the tears of his breaking heart.
"It's-- It's… my fault. She's dead… because of me. Because I wanted to be happy… I shouldn't… I didn't deserve it… I should have known it… This is… my work… again…"
He choked on his words. The others hastened to reassure him, and offer him what little comfort they could, though to his grieving ears... it was no doubt hollow.
“It is not your fault. She loves you. You made her the happiest I have ever seen her.”
Blame was laid at Victor’s dying feet. The assembly gazed on the man who murdered her daughter at the alter, eyes full of loathing and confusion. Victor’s last words drew only more anger from the others. Oath-brother regarded Oath-sister, and both looked to Randall, the pain clearly etched on his face.
"I… I'm sorry… for being what I am. I won't… hurt… anyone, ever."
"It will not trigger the Mark to destroy this evil, Randy."
“Mercy of Swift Death… He has made his words useless here.”
The Mark of Justice… the mark willingly taken to prove the Beast’s want for redemption… Justice… he was being offered for the death of his bride…
“I am sorry… I need… to leave…”
He said as he gathered his bride and climbed onto the back of his griffon. The look he gave Jonas… was haunted and full of suffering… Despite everyone’s wish to ease it… the efforts were scant more than a tear in the ocean. There would be… many tears in the ocean this day… Day… For the dawn had slowly broken over the scene on the beach. It seemed as bright and full of the hope and promise that should have been for the married couple… It seemed to mock the blood on the otherwise pristine sand…
"I do not… wish… vengeance… against him…"
Randall answered slowly. The griffon seemed to understand the moment for what it was, and waited for Randall’s instruction.
"Please… My dear friend… Take me where it started…"
With that, the griffon’s mighty wings flapped and the trio was alight over the waves. The ocean itself tossed waves up, seeming to draw Randall’s tears as they flew from sight. The wedding guests… then turned back to the dying warlock. The true beast. The real monster… beyond redemption… who had killed his own daughter on the day that was to be her most joyous.
"Swift death for traitors."
Once the griffon was gone from view, Jonas spoke with bitter conviction… Then drove the point of Torm’s Truth into the man. Victor De Rose, pact-maker, murderer, cruel husband and father… was dead
The guests, stunned and confused, in various states of grief and anger began to depart… The body of Victor was taken to be burned. Many wondered what would become of Randall… for the whole of his want to become a better person had been in Marjolaine… Many prayed he had the strength to maintain his path…
And so ended… the wedding… so ended… Mr.
and Mrs. Armstrong… Painfully too soon as they had barely begun.
~~
[Though daddy did mind… this song is hauntingly appropriate for the Armstrong Wedding]
My young love said to me
My mother won't mind
And my father won't slight you
For your lack of kind
She stepped away from me
And she moved through the fair
And fondly I watched her
Move here and move there
And then she went homeward
Just one star away
Like the swan in the evening
Moves over the lake
Last night she came to me
My dead love came in
So softly she came
That her feet made no din
And she laid her hand on me
And this she did say
It will not be long now
And she moved through the fair
~~
]
