6/23/06 Gah, I am SO sorry I haven’t updated since November!! My bad. o.o;; Soo, here’s chappie 11, FINALLY. We’re very close to the end, aw. The next chappie will probably be the last one. I should’ve updated sooner (I finished the chappie about 2 weeks ago), but I wuz lazy in the editing department. Now we’re having comp issues (AGAIN, -sigh-), so I’m at my town’s Library, in which I will type my brains out to get this chappie up. XD Thankfully I had printed out a rough draft. Retyping and making tiny changes as I go along…

Pardon any mistakes or typos I made (I’m on a tight schedule), so I’ll fix teh mistakes later if you point ‘em out for me. I can always come back to the Library, -nod-. Thanks SO MUCH for being patient with me!!

Happy Belated Summer, whee! from Tesh : )

Ps: Thanks for helping me, Casey! :D

Chapter 11- Two Hearts Become One

A month later, after the Huntress’s sixteenth birthday and weeks of courting, the Huntress checked herself in the full-length mirror for the umpteenth time. She was nervous. Well, it was her wedding day after all. She had reached the correct age for females to marry, according to Fairy custom. Jalen, being eighteen, was the correct age to marry for males.

Althea shook her head and grinned at her friend. “Huntress, you look beautiful, don’t worry about it.”

“If you say so… Gah, my dress has a wrinkle in it!” She desperately tried to smooth out her heavy voluminous forest green dress, with a neat row of silver buttons marching down the front from the neck to the bottom; the high collar wrapped around her neck. The sleeves slightly ballooned out at the shoulders and the sleeves reached her wrists, but they were not wide and fluttery like the Elder’s robes. She had to wear a wide undergarment, a hoop skirt, under her dress. Her silver veil was transparent; through it her honey-colored eyes were bright with stress.

Althea, who was dressed in a matchingdress as her friend (though shorter),patiently helped the Huntress with the “wrinkle.” Then she lifted her friend’s veil to do her make-up.

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Jalen adjusted his white bowtie, extremely nervous. He just couldn’t get the hang of what Chartruse was used to- a “suit.” He was way more comfortable with soft deerskin clothes. His sky blue suit brought out the color of his eyes, and the Seda clan’s finest seamstresses tailored it to fit him. His silver veil wasn’t as long as Chartruse’s, but it was just enough to cover his face.

Eron, also in a suit, clapped a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “It’s almost time. Ready?”

Jalen gulped, and ran his hand through his freshly jelled spiky hairstyle, to leave his hand sticky with the sap jell.

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Althea finished the Huntress’s make-up. She had painted her friend’s lips crimson red and added two equally red horizontal stripes on each cheek, the top one a tad longer than the bottom, which matched the Elder’s. Honey-colored shadow was dusted across her eyelids, and her ivory cheeks were colored a pastel pink. The Huntress looked in the mirror again. She looked... like a princess, especially with her hair styled into an elegant bun decorated with jade-green leaves. Her hairstyle was similar to the Elder’s except that it wrapped around the top of her whole head rather than about halfway around her head.

Althea pulled back the dressing room curtain- by the blessing of the Elder, they were allowed in her palace in the East Wing, as for all weddings.

“It’s time. Don’t worry; I’ll be with you, Huntress.”

The moment her best friend said this, the Huntress grew teary with a flood of memories- the day she was jailed, her mother, the day she met her first true friend, the day she met Jalen, and... the way her heart sang whenever she thought of and was near to him.

“…Thank you, Althea.”

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Jalen’s heart pounded as Eron led him out of the West Wing to the Elder’s Grand Hall. It was really happening… and he was making history…

The Grand Hall of the Elder’s palace was where the actual ceremony would take place. Eron, being Jalen’s close friend, would walk behind the soon-to-be husband as his Heart Companion. Althea was Chartruse’s Heart Companion.

Jalen entered the Hall and took in the sights. The Grand Hall was the room with the highest ceiling in the Elder’s palace. For the wedding, it was decorated with sky blue and forest green magic orbs of light. Wreaths of jade-green leaves hung near the windows, which contrasted with the red, gold, and brown leaves floating around outside during the late autumn day.

The Elder stood in the back of the Hall on a little stage conjured by magic, where Chartruse and Jalen would walk to down the left and right aisles, and there was a center aisle in the Hall as well. The Elder was in her young woman form; she wore a form-fitting, shimmering silver dress that pooled around her ankles and had a slit down the right side. Her very long jade-green hair was completely let loose; it fell in delicate waves past her feet, which were in silver slippers. Instead of two horizontal red streaks on each cheek, her ceremonial streaks were silver. She held a small green velvet case.

The musicians were behind the Elder, flutes and harps ready. Due to the influence of Chartruse, the musicians had sepoñas as well.

Jalen’s whole family was there, sitting on the right side of the Hall, with the exception of his relatives from the Kali clan. Jalen’s mother and father, Rosa and Abner, were seated in the front. His older sisters Samantha and Laura were there with their husbands from the Tale and Oran clan as well. Jalen felt a little sad that none of Chartruse’s family members would attend.

Various Seda clan villagers filled the right side of the velvet seats, mostly males. Mostly females inhabited the left side of the seats. The Fairy men and boys wore sky blue to match Jalen’s outfit, and the women and girls wore forest green to match Chartruse.

Finally, the young Fairy took his place at the back of the right aisle and waited for his bride, the other Fairies turning to look at him with smiles.

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The Huntress followed Althea to the Grand Hall. The East Wing of the palace was almost like a maze. The Huntress was amazed that the small, hut-like place was so huge on the inside. Probably magic, she thought with a grin.

Entrances in the palace were in the East and West Wings, and the center as well. The Huntress and her Heart Companion went through the East Wing the long way, through a hall near the center entrance.

The Huntress fell in step behind Althea, holding her voluminous dress above her feet, her forest green slippers padding quietly as she walked.

They passed the entrance and the double doors creaked open. A figure entered the palace. The Huntress turned. Then she stared in disbelief.

“…Mom?”

Sari Atalanta stood before her, dressed in a forest green gown that reached her ankles. She smiled and her dark honey-colored eyes, so much like her daughter’s, danced.

“Chartruse.” She ran to her daughter and held her. The Huntress felt the tears flow, both by herself and her mother. Sari lifted the Huntress’s veil and placed a hand on her cheek.

“Mom… you’re here! How did you know?” the Huntress whispered.

Althea grinned. “Surprise!”

The Huntress smiled and pulled her best friend into the hug. “What would I do without you, Althea?” laughing and crying at the same time.

Althea took the Huntress’s hand. “C’mon- you’re getting married!!” She urged the Huntress forward, and the Huntress grabbed Sari’s hand as they hurried to the Grand Hall.

They finally got there. Heads turned as the Huntress, Althea, and Sari arrived. The musicians began to play music that reminded the Huntress of cool water on a hot summer’s day. Hugging her daughter briefly, Sari took her place in the left side of the hall in the front seats like Jalen’s parents.

The Huntress took her place in the left aisle. Althea stood behind her with a hand on her shoulder.

“Good luck,” Althea whispered.

The Huntress nodded and a wide smile grew on her lips as the ceremony began.

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Jalen began to walk down the aisle in step with Chartruse in the opposite aisle. He glanced at her as he walked, and he was sure that she was smiling her beautiful smile even though she wore her shimmering veil. He began to smile as well, and everyone in the crowd dissolved. It was just Chartruse and him, two hearts that would become one.

He looked forward and everyone else faded back in. He couldn’t daydream; he was getting married after all.

Eron followed behind him, walking in step with Chartruse’s Heart Companion, his wife. She held the train of Chartruse’s long veil.

Jalen’s heart beat fast. They were close to approaching the Elder. He glanced at Chartruse again and his worries melted away.

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As the Huntress walked slowly down the aisle, the musicians played a sweet melody called “The Lovers’ Ballad.” She was alight with happiness, because she would be with the one she loved forever.

They finally reached the Elder and the two Heart Companions stood on the left and right, Althea and Eron respectively, as well as the Huntress and Jalen respectively. The Heart Companions in Fairy weddings mostly stood in silence while the ceremony took place. They were still important however, being supportive of the bride and groom as close friends.

The Elder raised her hand and the musicians quieted. Her deep voice rang through the Grand Hall as she said, “Welcome lovers, friends, and family. By the grace of the all-powerful Great Spirits, two hearts shall become one today. Jalen Seda and Chartruse Gale Atalanta, please hold this case with one hand of each of your hands.” The Huntress and Jalen did so.

Them the Elder turned to the Huntress and asked, “Chartruse, do you wish to wed Jalen?”

The Huntress nodded and her heart fluttered. “Yes,” she replied.

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The Elder turned to Jalen. “Do you wish to wed Chartruse?”

Jalen’s voice was firm as he said, “Yes.”

The Elder nodded and raised her hands, drawing power from the heavens. She began to glow in a jade-green light, her beautiful hair flowing, as she said, “O Great Spirits! Hear us!” The Fairies in the audience murmured their consent, and called upon the Spirits as well.

The immortal placed her slender hands on Jalen and Chartruse’s chests. “Spirit of Prosperity, give them hearts to beat as one.” Then the Elder place her hand on only Chartruse’s stomach. “Spirit of Fertility, give Chartruse an open womb.” In closing, the Elder placed her hands on Jalen and Chartruse’s mouths. “Spirit of Happiness, allow them to always smile when they are together.” The room rang loudly as the audience verbally agreed.

Finally, the Elder stopped glowing. “It is now time for the private vows. Please be silent,” she requested. The bride and groom traditionally spoke the private vows very softly to each other. The other Fairies in the audience respected the privacy of the bride and groom.

Jalen and Chartruse faced each other, with the two Heart Companions and the Elder looking on. Jalen could still see Chartruse’s eyes through her shimmering veil. He took the velvet case and opened it, revealing shiny, slightly curved cylinder-shaped earrings with two vertical green stripes on each. A matching wristband was nestled in the case as well.

Jalen slightly lifted his bride’s veil and put the earrings on her cat ears.

“Chartruse,” he whispered, “so much has happened since we first met. You have woven a spell around my heart with your smile, and no magic in the world can be a replacement for you.” Jalen ended his vow my saying, “I promise to love you until the end of time.”

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The Huntress listened to her groom’s vow and tears began to flow yet again. Jalen reached under her veil and rested his hand on her cheek, and her tears ceased. His hand was so warm…

She took the case from him and slipped the wristband onto his right wrist. The Seda clan’s finest silversmith, David, forged it to fit on Jalen’s wrist perfectly.

The Huntress whispered her own vow. She had been rehearsing it for weeks, but now… She took a deep breath and said what was on her heart.

Jalen… I could not go on in my life without you. You make me and help me do my best, making me happy to be me. I… want to stay with you forever.”

The Elder smiled one of her rare smiles and said, “You are now Jalen Seda and Chartruse Seda Atalanta, two hearts that are one, linked together by the silver strings of fate.”

The other Fairies in the audience all raised their hands and Summoned miniature Spirits of all kinds, ranging from Fire to Wind.

The Huntress and Jalen turned toward the audience, lifted their veils, and their hands interlocked. They raised their joined hands and the Seda clan, along with Sari Atalanta, went wild with cheers. The Fairies released the Spirits and they zoomed all around, much like multicolored confetti.

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Chartruse Seda Atalanta and Jalen Seda linked arms and ran down the center aisle together joyously, smiling brightly and waving to their clan. Everyone continued to cheer and clap for the new husband and wife, even when they reached the back of the hall and hugged tightly. The Heart Companions hovered above the couple to direct the zooming Spirits.

Chartruse and Jalen were finally two hearts joined as one.