“It’s simply not enough. The cheese and the wine should have arrived hours ago. Now we might just end up with a reception where people will have to stand! The musicians cancelled last minute. We’ll have a silent wedding!”
Chef was trying not to shout too loud, but it was obvious from his annoyance that this day had not gone to plan. As he stirred the rich mixture of cream, sugar, eggs and lemon. No one had expected a day that was supposed to be forecast as a perfectly sunny day was now in the midst of a blizzard and more snow than Chef had thought possible; what with climate change and all. Tapping the spoon on the edge, he tossed it towards Fish who caught it and quickly scrubbed it clean before handing it to Ears who was drying and polishing everything being handed to him.
“This would have been far easier if they had wanted a wedding in another realm, at least other realms have resources, the mortal realm is not sufficient. THEY ARE STILL ASLEEP.”
Chef barked before hanging up on whoever he had been talking to, Fish and Ears were glad not to be on the receiving end of his frustration. Once he was sure their breakfasts were ready, despite having to keep a constant vigil over the custard he was making, Spinach and Ears turned and ran. The two of them, light on their feet ducked under the furniture, vases and what have you all whilst ensuring nothing on the two identical trays was interrupted or disturbed - mostly because chef would never forgive them for it, the duo split up as one ascended a series of stairs, the other descending before ascending and neither entered the bedrooms of the mistress and the master of the house (well, that was their title but really they were more like the wards of the house and Chef was the true master) Spinach had rarely ever been allowed inside Wisteria’s room, and there was little wonder why, for she had to in the most tactical yet polite manner possible; avoid all the razor blades that Wisteria left in open view, sticking out of the floor, the wall and even Spinach noticed the windows. Placing the silver tray down and approaching the bed with a feather that sat on the side table, she gingerly tickled the back of Wisteria’s exposed neck before diving to the right as the red-head abruptly sat up and flicked the most recent of her razor covered whip.
“Good morning ma’am.” Spinach had to let out a gasp of relief, for she had nearly been nicked by one of the blades.
Surely Ears was having a better moment, you know seeing as the male ward known as Rene was less prone to sudden violence, as he kicked the door open and looked around, he found himself smiling… Rene was laying in the middle of the bed, his shirt slightly askew and so exposing his stomach. Placing the tray down, Ears began to pick up the pieces of balled up paper; tossing them either into the bin or the fireplace - if the piece was more intact, it went into the bin, if it was scrunched up impossibly small then it went into the fire. Stabbing the flames with the stoker.
“Good morning sir.” Ears made sure to keep his voice as low as he could so that Rene would not be alarmed.
Wisty rubbed at her eyes and tore off her silk night cap, stretching her arms up before rolling off the bed and onto the floor, Spinach stared at the ceiling as the older of the two females got to her feet and left the razor blade whip on the edge of the bed and walked steadily towards the table.
Rene pulled the pillow onto his face before finally awaking as Ears moved towards the bed and placed the tray on the male’s lap. Tossing the pillow into the wall, it landed flatly on the desk that Rene spent hours at. Ears also offered Rene a copy of newspaper (entirely outdated and from the Victorian Era, but it had been decided it was easier to treat the pair as though they lived in the Victorian Era and so were none the wiser but the modern world). Before Ears could say anything, Rene wrapped his arms around Ears’ waist, it was awkward for the male mortal but not at all for Rene who let him go, he allowed Ears to lift the cover off of his plate.
“What’s for breakfast and the date?”
Wisty continued to rub at her eyes, Spinach offered her a warm damp cloth to prevent the soon-to-be wed bride walking down the aisle with red eyes, she took it and sighed, the warmth seeping into her irritated eyelids and finally once she was sure that she wouldn’t be tearing up from the allergies.
“Eggs and toast ma’am.”
“Tea too?”
“No, a selection of juices though.”
“Augh.”
“I can go get-“
“What’s the point, he’s going to say no.”
Spinach wince as she stepped onto one of the razor blades she hadn’t noticed, she wasn’t bleeding but it did hurt. Wisty sat down in a harumph and opened the cover herself, using her silver spoon to crack the soft boiled egg.
“Is there anything else you need?”
“Servants should not be seen nor heard.”
Spinach in that moment wanted to slam Wisteria’s head into the tray but refrained and instead began to collect the razor blades from around the room and keeping a mental note to later plea Fish to take the job of delivering meals to Godfrey’s future life back. Wisteria dug in, dipping her buttered toast into the first egg and occasionally picking up the glass of juice and taking a small sip. Amongst the items on her tray, there was also a magazine (again, another Victorian era edition) Wisteria shuddered at the suggestion on page three, (something about corsets for pregnancy) she patted her flat stomach and thanked the ancients that she was so without curves.
Rene in the meanwhile, cut into his bacon and watched as Ears picked up the pieces of paper and dusted at the same time. Occasionally with those that were less damaged Ears would read the words and nod in approval. But for the most part, he was silently reading over the news and contemplating whether or not his poem was ready for the reception later.
“How are the vows coming along?”
“Claimants don’t do vows.”
It had been the most words Ears had ever heard come out of Rene’s mouth and for a moment he had to compose himself by clearing his throat and then continuing on with his work of tidying up the room and refilling the small pots of blue ink that Rene kept at his desk.
“Then what do you do?”
Rene shrugged, Ears mentally told himself he had to tell the others that Rene had spoken.
“Are you excited?”
Ears jumped as Tonic entered the room, hands on his hip and looking very much like he hadn’t slept - the bags under his eyes were a dead giveaway. Rene did not respond, instead the death Aikekunai was now searching haphazardly for the end of a piece of very long string.
“Oh not that damned thing again, you do realise you can say something into the mouth piece on your side table and she will hear you.”
Despite his protests, Tonic quickly helped Rene retie the rather frayed end of the string back onto his younger brother’s finger. Tonic then dismissed Ears and continued cleaning up the room. Ears hastily went towards Wisteria’s quarters where he could hear what he thought was Wisteria berating Spinach and Ears going ‘well good thing I’m not her’. He knocked anyhow and poked his head in, Spinach was on the floor; Wisteria standing over her, holding what appeared to be a spoon.
“Don’t touch me, you understand?”
“Ma’am.”
Ears felt the need to intervene, that only caused Wisteria to stand up straight and turned towards him, now holding the spoon at him. Spinach in that moment got onto her feet and moved towards the wall, smart choice Ears thought as he entered the room and gestured with his hands to the food.
“Come now, sit and eat. I’ll remove her from the room and we will both depart and be out of sight.”
He grabbed Spinach’s wrist and pulled them both out of there; both sighed when the door finally swung shut. Turning he gripped Spinach’s shoulders.
“What the fuck happened in there?”
“I asked if she wanted me to brush her hair, she nodded and I was about to and”
“Amateur mistake, good thing it was a spoon and not a fork. We had to dislodge one from Fish’s elbow. She has a nasty scar that has yet to fade.”
“She’s fucking-“ Ears clapped a hand over her mouth.
“Yes, I’m aware. But we can’t insult either or face Godfrey’s disappointment. Understand?”
The chime of the bell, told both that the first of the help had arrived, the front door was opened and they could hear what sounded like heels clicking against the freshly polished floors, there was a rather large audible sigh before the heels were removed and fast footsteps started up and towards their direction. Only one person could climb stairs holding what she was holding… Stasia had arrived.
Stasia rounded the corner and noticed the duo, standing there… Ear’s hand still over Spinach’s mouth. The blonde that really did look like she could have been the biological daughter of Qrow and Godfrey rolled her eyes and without so much as knocking opened the door with her foot and shut it behind her, Ears had barely seen how many bags the blonde had been carrying (approximately seven, eight if we counted Stasia’s own personal bag).
Stasia for what it was worth, tolerated Wisteria far better than the rest of the lives they had lived. Wisteria wiped her mouth and stood up as Stasia gestured towards the door that led to the bathroom.
“Bathe, clean your hair and wash your face properly. Shave if you want. I’ll be out here finishing the alterations.”
Wisteria never complained around Stasia, just did as she was told (mostly because the first time they had met, Stasia had in the nicest way possible proved that between the two it would be her that would win in a bout, Wisteria could remember it like it was yesterday, she had turned a new shade of Green that even Chef had to admit was impressive.) There was a knock at the glass as Jillian made her own entrance into the Victorian aged era manor, Stasia having already set up the mirror; the smallest of the lives combined went around and finished cleaning up the razor blades (by count, Spinach had removed at least 20, Jillian had managed to find at least 70 in less than a minute).
“Oh how exciting! I can’t wait to see what she’ll be wearing!!”
“Did we have to come nine hours prior to the ceremony?”
“Course!”
Godfrey clapped his gloved hands, a new bracelet peeked out from his left sleeve, a precaution for the newest adult member of the house of Death still hadn’t quite gotten a grip on the element that had literally saved his life. Qrow kept a close eye on the grip that the Void seemed to have on Godfrey - it was not like Amarjeet, but it was still concerning that the Void seemed to be whispering into Godfrey’s ear the most peculiarly dangerous ideas. Qrow jumped out of the carriage and helped Godfrey out, the only thing that had really changed about the brunette of the two was that Godfrey now required a walking stick to walk around - it was a temporary measure, to be sure but it made him seem weak when he was really actually recovered entirely.
“Chef!”
Godfrey greeted the older life member with a hug, as Ears and the rest of the staff who had waited by the front door finally relaxed and surrounded Godfrey; most of them nodding respectfully at Qrow before chirping to Godfrey about the changes to him and the fact that he was positively glowing.
“You go help the groom Qrow, I’m off to check on the blushing bride. Bah, the snow won’t ruin this. I promise. We’ve sent for some more help and we’ll get everything back on track.”
Chef returned the staff back to their duties as Godfrey and Qrow, after a very long and very passionate kiss and a promise of returning to each other split up and Godfrey started climbing the stairs - abandoning his staff halfway and itching so desperately to take off the bracelet (which Qrow had designed so that only he could remove it and only within the safe confines of a room especially designed for new death members to learn how to use their gifts and not accidentally wipe out a realm) Godfrey knocked and entered as Wisteria sat at in front of the mirror, Jillian doing her hair and Stasia applying products to her face. Godfrey, placed his hands on her shoulders and rubbed them, he wanted to show her that he supported her and that she was safe.
“‘Cuse me.” Jillian ducked under Godfrey’s arm, pinning a blue hair piece into Wisteria’s locks.
“You look beautiful.”
“I don’t feel beautiful.”
“Hush.”
Godfrey squeezed her shoulders once more before going around the room, careful to keep his eyes off the dress that stood waiting in the far corner, the alterations finished… Godfrey could tell from the tiny glances he gave himself that it was rather more modern than the usual Victorian gown and far more simplistic than he would have thought for someone like Wisteria who once belonged to a time and place and… social status that required she dress in a far more fanciful way.
It was twilight by the time Wisteria was being led barefoot down the path of quartz and what she could only guess was the sensation of bones? She dared not look down but instead kept her eyes on the destination. Arthur squeezed her hand and she glanced over at her first life, he was dressed in a navy blue suit and was wearing a golden ring of what appeared to be leaves on his head, to represent his house... she had been tasked with wearing a rather large quartz, it dangled between her breasts. He walked two steps ahead - to represent her journey of being led about. They stopped as Eric came into view, he too was wearing a crown of his own, silver. Arthur placed his hand on Eric's shoulder and nodded, Eric lifted Wisteria up as though she was his bride, that was not the case however...
Led by the light
Carried into life
Disappointed by heartache
Celebrated by the triumph of home
Secrets sworn by souls joined in hope
A new love is born
Nurtured by differences, united by one
Journey bound this bridge forever strong
Till Elysian the Void and perhaps even the nothingness of beyond.
"Ready?"
"I am." She rested her head against his shoulder.
"He loves you."
"I love him too."
Past the artificial stream created earlier by water claimants hired for the ceremony. Eric let her down and hugged her tight before turning her around as she was blindfolded by Godfrey, who she noticed was wearing not a crown to represent his affiliation with the house of metal but rather his fingers were adorned in obsidian and onyx. Wisteria had to trust Godfrey as she was led down what felt like mud, it was in reality blood and the scent of iron made her want to gag but she had to hold on and trust that she would make it to the other side. Finally she was turned around and pushed into a pair of arms, her slightly younger life Lucas twirled her around and she felt the first heavier layer of her dress dissolve and the blindfold removed... this was a new scene entirely as she orientated herself and was left alone at what appeared to be a bridge... music was playing in the background and she then realised her ancient was standing there, holding rope... how rope had symbolised her and Rene's journey thus far. She looked down and realised that rather than being in the traditional colours of her house which were dark hues of yellow and orange, she was now in the more 'human' tradition of white... she pondered what white meant to the claimant kind - she had forgotten that white was the traditional colour of all houses, for white contained every and no colour at all. She held onto the rope as Chaemai winked and allowed Wisteria to step onto her half of the bridge, there was a gap between her and Rene's and an arch that separated them. She could almost see an indescribable vail.
Rene for his part, had also been led down his own path, rather than quartz and bone however he was led down a deep path covered in pearls and coal. He however wore some sort of sandals for the coals were lit on fire to represent his own journey between destruction and death, he could barely even recall what was happening but Tonic beside him helped him to concentrate. The brothers were separated as they too met Qrow who rather than picking Rene up, sprinkled a powder over Rene's form, the powder never touched him but instead he suddenly felt weightless, how odd. He could remember this from when he had died the first time as Qrow joined him gently up in the air. The pair had chosen a verse of the marriage ceremony to represent themselves, and so this made the experience unique that was for sure. Qrow had remembered his own wedding being an entirely different affair as he landed before Rene did who was helped back onto his feet by Novevu, his clothes had changed, to white as well - so used to the black and dark hues of red that the house of death liked to carry. He could barely see Wisteria as he was offered the opposite end of the rope that she held on the other side of this strange arch.
Chaemai and Novevu stepped through the arch first disappearing, causing the arch which was nothing more than a plain stone arch, to transform onto something that represented the combination of the houses. The only other party privy to the ceremony was Eviax who stood between. She gestured to the two individuals.
"When you are ready, begin to walk towards each other, do not let go of the rope and do not fight the pull. The sensation may be overwhelming but once you begin you cannot stop until the bridge is fully formed. Understood? Keep walking straight and do not get distracted by the forces that will attempt to destroy this union."
Eviax stepped back as both took their first steps into the beyond, now it was up to them to find each other. She looked up as the stars began to twinkle in the dark. If they were strong and loved each other as much as they said they did... they would make it out before the sunrise of the next day. She looked back down and placed her fingers on the arch and whispered words that no one heard but she knew would find the pair inside. Wisteria wasn't sure where they were, but she kept the grip on the rope as tightly as she could, she walked... Rene wasn't there but she could hear him... they were in the woods and she could hear things in the dark.
"I must not get distracted. I will find you Rene. Wait for me."
She continued to make her way though, it was heavy and she felt like her body was being ripped apart but in reality it was her soul or the parts yet unknown to Rene meeting with his and finding resistance, she nearly fell over a few times. Hell she wanted to stop and throw up at some points but she kept herself sane. As for Rene, he was not in the woods but rather it seemed in an endless desert and all he had was the rope, rather than sensations he could words, voices of those who had caused him so much pain in his past lives; some he recognised were Wisteria's screams and that hastened his pace significantly. They had to find each other.
