Storyteller / Shared NPC
With all assembled, and most craning eager faces in the altar's direction, Thomas took up his position and began the rites;
"Friends and relations, we are gathered here today, in the sight of God to witness and bless the joining together of Barnabas Pike and Emeline Blakesley in Christian marriage. The covenant of marriage was established by God, who created us male and female for each other, and in the sacrificial love of Jesus Christ, gave us the example for the love of husband and wife. Barnabas and Emeline come to give themselves to one another in this holy covenant."
He looked down at the couple, and gave them an encouraging smile.
"I ask you both now, in the presence of God and these people, to declare your intention to enter into matrimony, through the grace of Jesus Christ, who calls you into union with himself as acknowledged in your baptism. Will you give yourselves to each other, to live together in holy marriage? Will you love, honor, comfort, and keep each other, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, be faithful, as long as you both shall live?"
Twining her fingers into Barnabas', Emeline clung to him for support, never wanting to let go, confident that she never would have to let go.
It was only after Reverend Thomas had said their names for the second time that she actually heard what he was saying, and she looked up at him with a soft smile. She had no qualms about this, she was just so thrilled that it was finally happening!
"I ask you both now, in the presence of God and these people, to declare your intention to enter into matrimony, through the grace of Jesus Christ, who calls you into union with himself as acknowledged in your baptism. Will you give yourselves to each other, to live together in holy marriage? Will you love, honor, comfort, and keep each other, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, be faithful, as long as you both shall live?"
Looking into Barnabas' eyes, Emeline squeezed his hands, then nodded. "I will." No hesitation, no holding back, just firm conviction.
Suddenly the Reverend was speaking. he had been locked into the eyes of his bride to be, feeling the love that was between them. Their fingers intertwined, their eyes shining, and even he had a mist in his eyes. It was happening right then, at that moment, the words were being said, what they were for a moment, he did not know, but then, he understood.
"... in the presence of God and these people, to declare your intention to enter into matrimony, through the grace of Jesus Christ, who calls you into union with himself as acknowledged in your baptism. Will you give yourselves to each other, to live together in holy marriage? Will you love, honor, comfort, and keep each other, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, be faithful, as long as you both shall live?"
He heard her say "I will," and he smiled. There were a thousand other agreements pushing through his brain when he heard himself say, "I will." Like there had been a better one? Not hardly. Both had tightened their grip on one another slightly as they made their intentions know. A thought passed through his mind, 'might not be long enough.'
Storyteller / Shared NPC
Both parties declared their intent, unashamedly in love. That's how it went, at least; most of the time...
He raised his eyes to the audience, encompassing friends and relations, and not-so-friends and not-so-relations, and even Arabella on the harmonium over in the corner, who had seemed very eager to participate in the sermon. Of course, he had turned her down. Her showtune was already a tenuous proposition, and any other concessions might have been a bridge too far.
"The marriage of Barnabas and Emmeline unites their families and creates a new one. They ask for your blessing. Do you who represent their families rejoice in their union and pray God's blessing upon them?" he asked.
All would agree, or so he hoped. Very rarely did anyone take issue with a predetermined marriage on the date itself.
"They'd better!" Emeline declared with a grin, loud enough to be heard, "everyone knows I keep a shotgun by the door!"
No one was going to object, and even if they did, it wouldn't stop them!
She lifted back the fine veil that had been covering her face, seeing Barnabas clearly for the first time that day, then took the ring that Clara had been holding for her. It was a simple gold band, engraved with their intertwined initials.
Taking his hand, she slipped the ring onto his finger. "I never thought I would find such joy, and I will do everything in my power to make you happy and keep your home...and make you laugh." She quickly crossed her eyes and twisted her face up, a fleeting gesture that only he and the parson, and perhaps Speed or Clara might see!
It was like her to make a face at him during the most solemn part of the ceremony, and that was one of the reasons that he loved her. and now it was his moment to say something to her about what was to come.
"I'm standin' here today because this woman is what my whole life will be about. To care for her, no matter what comes, to provide for her whether we're rich 'er poor, well 'er sick. Do all I can to make her happy, as happy as she makes me. So, best tighten yer cinch woman, we got it to do." He looked to Speed, who produced the ring which had made the trip from the Comstock without incident. He held it a moment, as he prepared to slide it on her finger. Solid silver with tiny inlaid gold hearts surrounding the quarter inch band. In a moment, it was on her hand.
Clara held her breath when the minister asked if anyone had any objections, of course she didn't really expect that someone would dare say so aloud. But still, it would only take one rude idiot to shout out. She almost lost her solemn demeanor though at Emeline's crack, it was funny and so like her. The woman had a great sense of humor. Of course everyone approved and the ceremony moved on to the presentation of rings. Clara handed the ring in her care to Emeline and then watched and listened to Emeline put it on Pike's finger, and then there was another wisecrack and matching funny face by her too. This time Clara couldn't help herself but had to smile...for just an instant mind you.
They were going to make quite the couple alright.
"Everybody can feather their nest, but it's not just anybody that can lay an egg!"
Arabella watched with vicarious pride as Clara fulfilled her role in the ceremony with such beauty, grace and charm. How lovely she looked. One day -oh, probably ever so far off and away into the future - but one day, she knew that she too would make a lovely bride for some lucky man at the altar.
The transplanted Virginian girl was amazed when Emeline pulled a funny face: despite, or perhaps because of, the fact that it was the sort of thing she would do herself. But Mrs Blakesly – Pike now – was a grown up, an ancient old lady of 27, she hadn’t ought to be doing such things! At first she thought the poor woman was suffering a seizure: the pressure of the big day, etc. and it was with relief, at least, that she realised she was just (gasp) having fun.
Mr. Pike’s speech was sweet: Arabella wondered if he felt a little shy, having to say all this lovey-dovey stuff out loud in public in front of Marshall Guyer and the rest of the congregation. At the mention of tightening Mrs B’s cinch, her head filled with a rather disturbing and ludicrous picture of the pastry queen all saddled up, with a bit in her mouth, ready for Mr. Pike to ride on top of her. Well, there had been stranger wedding nights, she supposed.
Speechifying done, she twizzled on her stool, back to the harmonium and readied herself for the inevitable hymn: she needed to foot pump her bellows, ready for her next attack on the keyboard.
Storyteller / Shared NPC
Rings were exchanged, and a speech given at the declaration of intent. Thomas took up the bible which sat upon the lectern. "Let us pray." he said once the exchange had finished, he began the proceeding prayer.
"God of all peoples, you are the true light illumining everyone. You show us the way, the truth, and the life. You love us even when we are disobedient. You sustain us with your Holy Spirit. We rejoice in your life in the midst of our lives. We praise you for your presence with us, and especially in this act of solemn covenant; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
He glanced down at his bible, ribbon-marked and dog-eared several times over. "I will now read scripture from Isaiah 55, that we go out in joy. Feel free to, er... follow along, should you want."
Thomas cleared his throat, and began; "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there without watering the earth, and making it produce and sprout, and providing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; so will my word be which goes out of my mouth; it will not return to me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the purpose for which I sent it. For you will go out with joy and be led in peace; the mountains and the hills will break into shouts of joy before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of the thorn bush, the juniper will come up, and instead of the stinging nettle, the myrtle will come up; and it will be a memorial to the Lord, an everlasting sign which will not be eliminated."
He paused for a moment, then added; "Just as this marriage shall be; an everlasting sign, which will not be eliminated. Amen."
Finally, looking up, he waved a hand to Arabella, only hoping that this time she stuck to a more conventional tune.
"Now, we will render 'Come Christians, Join to Sing', Arabella, if you'll...?"
He held the hand of his beautiful Emeline tenderly as he stood, gazing upon her as it it was the first time that he had seen her, truly seen her. A smile crept onto his face at this most solemn of moments. He could hear what was being said by the Reverend, Pastor, Priest, Pastor.
"Just as this marriage shall be; an everlasting sign, which will not be eliminated. Amen."
"Amen." escaped his lips. He wasn't much for church going, never had been. But Em wanted to attend so, come Sundays, he dressed up, as was the custom, and walked with her to the service. Church had been different down in Texas where he was reared, but actual church? That had never been a part of his upbringing.
"Now, we will render 'Come Christians, Join to Sing', Arabella, if you'll...?"
There was a song starting up, with Arabella on the harmonium, but that didn't interrupt him at all, he mouthed along as the others sang. She was all that was relevant, all that was present for that matter. He had never felt like this, not ever in his life.