Chương 531: Chapter Five Hundred and Sixteen - Vows

"Are you ready?" I asked. Booksie nodded, then straightened out her back and raised her bouquet of flowers closer to her chest.

"I'm ready," she said. I smiled, then peeked out of the carriage. It was... kind of contrived, but Booksie was meant to arrive by carriage, even though we'd literally been in a building right next to the plaza. Apparently, it wouldn't be very inspiring for Booksie to emerge from the cramped door of the city's Property Deed Archive. I kinda understood. It was far more romantic to step out of a gilded carriage being pulled by a team of white horses to the fanfare of a live band.

A grenoil chauffeur opened the carriage door, and I nodded to Caprica and Awen. We stepped out in order of height, Caprica first, then Awen, then me. All three of us had practised this bit a few times, so we knew to step off to the side and form an orderly line next to the carriage. It hit me then, the moment I took my place. There were so many people here. A thousand bodies, all squeezed in tight.

Clever people had taken over balconies all around the plaza to have a better look at the wedding, and even though there was a whole band trumpeting out a wedding march with great enthusiasm, the sound of so many people whispering and chatting in low voices was still a lot. The carriage was lined up with a long carpet that reached all the way to the pavilion where the wedding's orator stood. The space before that pavilion was the reserved seating, and there were all sorts of important guests there.

I saw nobles and dignitaries from a few countries, all sitting nice and neatly. It was a good thing that the day was so chilly. It made the noonday sun's warmth nice and cozy as opposed to glaringly hot. Off to the left of the pavilion was the space reserved for the larger guests. Cholondee was there, looking quite smug in her own bridesmaid's dress (it was more like a bridesmaid's ascot, but there was more material in that alone than in all the other dresses we were wearing combined.) Next to her was Rhawr's mom.

The dragoness was barely holding it together. She was dabbing a patterned tablecloth against her eyes and holding back massive sniffles. Past those two, and occupying a large chunk of the open plaza, were half a dozen other dragons. Honestly, with the number of dragons here, I was impressed that there were so many people, but they all did seem as if they were on their best behaviour.

There were a couple of reds, a green, and a very small blue dragon, as well as a large black dragon and a dragon that was either an albino, or just really pale. Off to the far end of the pavilion was, of course, the groom himself. Rhawrexdee was wearing a large tie around his dragon-y neck, and a very dapper top hat upon his head. He had cuffs on, with links large enough to serve as hubcaps for the carriage, and his scales had all been buffed and shined so that he glimmered a sparkling blue in the sunlight.

He looked like a piece of the sky itself. Although he was clearly trying to master himself and present a regal appearance, I still caught him shifting his weight back and forth a bit. I guess even dragons get nervous on their wedding day. The music reached a crescendo just as Booksietook her first step out of the carriage. I reached an arm up, taking her hand to help her down. It wasn't normally hard to get out of a carriage, but her million-layer skirt was a bit more of a tripping hazard than usual.

There was a sudden hush across the entire crowd as people saw Booksie, many of them probably for the first time. I could understand it, with her embarrassed little blush and her poofed out ears, she really was breathtaking. Then Booksie looked across the Rhawr and she grinned. It was a good grin, the sort that scrunched up her nose and made her look as mischievous as she was happy. Rhawr sat up a little straighter next to the pavilion.

Then the band picked up again, and we started to walk forwards in the same order. There was a slight hitch as we moved through a sort of barrier that was entirely invisible, but I could feel it with my magical senses. A glance over to the side revealed several members of the mage's guild sitting behind the ranks of nobles. They were focused on something pretty complex. One of the security precautions that Amaryllis had set up. Anyone trying to crash this wedding would find it harder than they expected.

Exploration guild members were also mixed in with the nobles, and there was a whole line of city guardsmen between them and the larger crowds. Abraham was around too, but keeping out of sight of Rhawr's mom. Ah, yes, there were also lots of dragons here. If anyone tried anything, they'd be in for a heap of trouble. And then they'd be one of the guest's snacks, if they were lucky. The band reached a softer refrain, and we moved down the carpeted aisle, my heels sinking slightly with each step.

I kept my eyes mostly forward but couldn't resist stealing glances at my friends along the sides. All of the nobles stood up for the bride, and we were followed by a wave of susurrations. Booksie walked with her bouquet gripped a little tightly, though her smile softened with every step closer to Rhawr. I think, if anyone else tried to look half as cute in a dress that elaborate, it might've looked ridiculous, but Booksie managed it without any issue. Enjoying this book?

Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. The crowd couldn't stop watching her either. A ripple of sighs and quiet admiration ran through the plaza, and I couldn't blame them. Even the dragons leaned in slightly. When we reached the podium, I stepped off to the side, joining Caprica and Awen as we arranged ourselves in a neat line. Cholondee's head lowered next to mine as she took her own place in the line.

Booksie continued forward, every step purposeful until she finally stopped just a couple of paces from Rhawr. The way he looked at her in that moment—with a gaze so intent and soft you'd hardly recognize him as the same dragon who threatened to nom a town if we didn't help him find a date—made me feel something warm and glowy in my chest. He barely moved, his expression only changing to a slightly shy, almost uncertain smile when she gave him that cheeky grin again.

The officiant, the grenoil elder, was wearing a set of elaborate robes and a super fancy hat that were clearly saved for special occasions. He cleared his throat, and a bit of magic carried his voice across the entire plaza.

"Marriage... marriage is what brings us together, today! We gather as one—across realms, races, and roles—to witness the union of two souls, bound by love and strengthened by friendship. Catherine 'Booksie' Cabbage, Rhawrexdee the dragon, your journey has brought you here, through trials, through joy, and through countless little moments that have forged the bond you now share." I blinked. I'd completely forgotten that Booksie's name was a nickname. Her family name was Cabbage?

What a strange thing for a family to call themselves. The elderly grenoil paused, letting his words settle over the crowd, then continued with a gentle smile.

"It is not every day that we are honoured to witness a union as rare and remarkable as this one. To love, as each of us knows, is to open oneself to both strength and vulnerability. It is to offer one's truest self to another, and to receive them in kind. And it is this, above all else, that binds Catherine and Rhawrexdee together. In their journey, they have learned courage, compassion, and understanding—qualities that know no bounds of species or realm.

"Together, they have overcome challenges and discovered, time and again, that the bonds of friendship can grow into something more profound. And today, they choose to stand before us, declaring that love. May their hearts and spirits remain open, just as they are today, with the promise to grow together and face whatever life may bring." The officiant's eyes twinkled as he spoke his next words.

"Let us then celebrate this rare love, bound in love and light, under the watchful sky, with hearts full and spirits high." He gestured to Rhawr and Booksie with an inviting nod.

"And now, let us hear the vows that each of you have prepared, as you share your hearts with one another and with all gathered here today." Rhawr went first. He seemed to brace himself, then shifted his massive head so he could look directly into her eyes, his voice low and almost bashful.

"Booksie… from the first moment I met you, you were an unpredictable presence in my life. I didn't know if I liked you. You challenged me, stood up to me, and, eventually, even became something I didn't expect to have—a friend." He took a deep breath, and his voice softened.

"Now, you are more than my friend. You are my treasure, worth more to me than all the gold in the world—" One of the dragons gasped, but was quickly shushed.

"—I vow to protect you, to cherish you, and to grow with you, every day forward." The crowd's collective sigh was loud enough to carry over the plaza, and I saw more than one noble subtly dabbing their eyes. Rhawr's mom was bawling. Booksie's own eyes sparkled, and when it was her turn, she took a deep, steadying breath.

"Rhawrexdee," she began, her voice warm and sure.

"You may be a dragon, and I may be… well, a little bun who stumbled into your world, but that's exactly why I love you. You taught me courage, even when I didn't want to learn it, and you gave me a place in your heart." She paused, and her cheeks turned pink.

"I vow to be by your side, through all the challenges, all the messes, and every adventure we face. You're my dragon, and I wouldn't have it any other way." Rhawr's blue cheeks went a deeper shade as she spoke, and I thought I saw his tail twitch slightly as he tried to keep still. Then, with a look of pride that seemed to lift her up a little taller, she finished, "I vow to make our home one filled with laughter, with safety, and with love."

The elder gestured and Calamity, Amaryllis, and Desiree moved up with the rings. We needed three ringbearers because raising up the cushion with Rhawr's ring on it was a two-person job, while Booksie's looked teeny-tiny next to it.

"With this ring," the elder said, his voice filled with the weight of ceremony, "you are now bound in heart, in mind, and in spirit." Rhawr leaned down as far as he could, his forehead nearly touching Booksie's as the elder continued, "By the power vested in me, and under the eyes of the countless who bear witness today, I now pronounce you husband dragon and wife!" Cheers erupted, filling the plaza as everyone rose to their feet.

Dragons rumbled with approval, and people tossed handfuls of flower petals into the air, creating a cascade of pinks and whites and reds. Booksie and Rhawr beamed at each other, entirely in their own world. I reached up and tugged my ears down to cover my eyes as they went in for a kiss. Above us, the sky erupted in happy fire.