A hooded and cloaked figure smiled at the preparations, winding up a servant's staircase to a balcony to watch from above. So many weddings over time; and it was obvious from the faces below that this would be a joyous one. She took in the Church and the people within as if for the very first time. Or the very last; she nodded to herself, and froze the moment in a memory she could take with her.


Blowing a kiss to the unseeing congregation, and whispering fervent hopes for happiness, she left the way she came, unnoticed.

---

Behind a distant tree, watching the bustle of preparation, was a figure not seen in Albion in ages. A slight smile pierces his face as he remembers his friend. A moment later, he is gone.


-d

Gliondel took a deep breath as he tightened his cloak up around him to hide his elven form. He passed through Caste Sauvage unnoticed. The journey will be much easier now, he thought to himself.


Gliondel finally arrived at the Cross home. Much to his fortune, he was not noticed as he entered through the door. He pulled his hood more over his face as he walked to the gift table and laid two marvelous jewels on it. On one was a Gaelic inscription, "Best wishes to you and Predian, Thrennodae. May you two always be happy, from Gliondel Istalindir." On the other, written in English, was, "Predian, may your God bless this day for you and may you remain happy for the rest of your days. Gliondel Istalindir"


He chuckled softly, knowing these two would never know who Gliondel Istalindir was. He decided to stay for the wedding, realizing his life was in danger. But he didn't care. Gliondel sat in the darkest corner of the room from which he would watch the ceremony.

Bah..


If an elf can sneak in, i'm sure a warden can do it!!


Just slick down those spikes, and pick up a friar staff..


<winks>

Steely eyes gazed unfeeling from the depths of his cloak. Wolfsbane leaned nonchalantly at the back of the congregation, wondering why the hell he was there.


Weddings represented everything that brought him pain. And even worse, it reminded him of his own wedding to Brienne, and the twins she now took care of herself.


He sighed and shrugged, and then he remembered who was to be married.


Predian, the friar that had given him a strange friendship throughout the years, was marrying a beloved friend, Thrennoadae.

The two of them could not have hoped for a more perfect match, and it he was envied to see the sight of such love.


Furtively he pulled a flask from his side and drank deeply, but not without first raising it to a toast.

He whispered, "To your love, Thrennoadae and Predian Cross... may it never wander."

back to page 1 with ye!

<waits impatiently for folks to write if they want too>


One more day then I'm posting the next part!

"The honour is mine." Landric heard Milric's deep voice through the door and, a second later, saw the door knob turn. For some reason Landric decided -- that very second -- that he did not want to see Thrennoadae in her gown right then. Not until the ceremony.


With a shout of "Oh, I've got to change!" over his shoulder he went barreling down the hall and the stairs to the landing, where he made his way through the gathering crowds into the room where his vestments had been laid out.


"Has Predian been here?" he asked the attendant acolyte as he slipped out of his robe and held his arms out.


"es m'lord, here and dressed and gone he is", said the young acolyte as he held up the first robe -- the alb -- for Landric.


"Alb!" giggled Landric, as he slipped his arms through the carefully pressed, white linen robe. "The name of that one always makes me smile." The acolyte nervously nodded and forced a smile as he wrapped the silver-threaded cincture around Landric's waist, buckling it in the front.


"NO. Not the dalmatic. The TUNICLE. The tunicle is next. How long have you been here?" The acolyte stuttered with fright as he slid the tunicle through Landric's sleeves and over his head. It was shorter than the alb of course, but heavier and more ornate. The white alb still showed at the bottom.


"Three months, m'lord," whispered the acolyte as he shifted the dalmatic, trying to find the front.


"This way" said Landric, and as the third robe went on he added "Oh 'tis all right. You'll learn soon, not to worry". Landric smoothed the gilded dalmatic with one hand and pointed to the chasuble with his other. "es, that one is next. The funny-shaped one." He sighed as the gaudiest one yet slipped over his head.


"Okay four robes is enough." Landric held out his left hand and let the acolyte wrap the long maniple about his wrist, just enough so that it would stay fastened when he lowered his hand.


"Why the left hand only for the maniple, m'lord?" asked the boy. Landric looked at the acolyte blankly.


"I do not know. Frankly I don't care. I'll let you in on a little secret, my dear boy: I HATE all this foofery. So don't ask questions. Just learn how it all goes on and what it looks like in the end. And forget the rest." Landric turned to his desk and pointed at the next piece -- white linen straps with two pendants.


"Now this one, this one I actually like. The pallium. Now remember, the chalice pendant goes in the front, over the chest. And the cross pendant goes over the back. The Albion and the Ascension emblems. Yes, this one I like."


Predian guffawed as he entered the room. "ou look like a CLOWN again" he said with a smirk.


"PFFFFF don't pick on me when I can barely move." Landric stretched his neck upwards while the acolyte wrapped the white linen amice piece around his neck and into the top collar of the alb. "And I'm not a clown until the MITER goes on" he said as the acolyte carefully set the large headpiece over Landric's greyed hair.


"es, yes with the miter I now look like the King of Spades. Hand me my glass of wine!" bellowed Landric. The acolyte adjusted the lappet with one hand so that it hung from the miter over Landric's right shoulder, and handed the glass of wine to him with his other hand.


Landric smiled approvingly to the boy.


"ou know you friars have it easy. None of this fancy gettup. Just the leathers." Landric said as he grasped the long and ornate crosier with his right hand: a staff curved at the very top, based upon a shepherd's crook. Landric hit the wooden floor firmly with the crosier, giving a good solid THUD.


"Predian, my friend, today you're looking better than you have in weeks. You look well again, thank God." Landric pushed his way to the door.


"We're ready. Lets do this. These robes are too damn hot to futz around in."


Predian and Landric walked out and to the back vestibule. "I hope you practiced your lines, Pred. You know how much time Threnn spent on those vows."


Predian nodded "Aye I have" as the two of them proceeded up the aisle, smiling and nodding to the many friends on both sides.


They reached the front, where they turned and waited.

She slipped quietly into a space in the seating at the rear of the congregation. The quiet murmering of the crowd lowered even more as Landric and Predian walked up the Aisle. An air of expectancy passed throughout the crowd as the groom turned to face the crowd.


She quietly smoothed her dress, softly shaking out the folds of her skirt, the garment unfamiliar after the heavy array of plate she usually wore and turned to face the entrance into the aisle as she waited patiently for the bride to appear.

Gazing from the shadows, an unfamiliar form watched the congregation tensely. Having slipped through the gates of Sauvage in the dead of night, he informed no one of his journey. As he walked towards the back, he hid his hands, a slight silver glow visible through his gloves. He smiled gently, thinking of his beloved Nolidnas at home in their bed, sleeping. Sitting down, he mused to himself: "No matter how different, no matter how long they've been enemies, it seems as if almost anyone can be brought together by the love of two people." Weary from many months of unending fighting, he began to wonder why it couldn't always be like this, so peaceful. Suddenly, he snapped back, and his dark eyes once again searched those around him. "Not yet", he whispered to himself... "not yet." And so once more he was alone, waiting for the ceremony to begin.