Wedding

It was a really lively wedding. Guests of all shapes and sizes were present, all there to celebrate with Heilke and August.

Matilda was the flower girl, throwing petals from the flowers that Manas had picked down the carpet.

“Here comes the bride!”

Heilke wore a big white dress, veil dragging behind her by a few metres. Her father wore a blue-black suit with a pattern embroidered with a shiny thread of the same colour. He walked down the lane with his arm interlocked with hers.

August picked her up halfway down the lane and walked up the podium. They exchanged their vows, August going first, then with Heilke following. Although, her voice was almost inaudible to everyone but August, due to her low volume being carried by the blowing wind.

“You may kiss the bride.”

The two shared a shy kiss, to which a few shouted, “Try again! You’re supposed to do it more intimately!”

August looked deep within Heilke’s eyes that reflected a vast, chartreuse universe. He could barely see anything else though, with his vision was blurry from his own dewy eyes. If the guests wanted a deep, passionate kiss, why not share a deep, passionate kiss?

As his eyes were closed, his attention was mostly stolen by the softness of her lips. He could hear his heart, the ocean, the wind. People cheering, crying and singing praise for the couple who had helped most of the people at the wedding—even if they did not know.

Afterwards, they exchanged alcohol, cut a cake—all the typical wedding activities in a typical fashion. Even so, it felt much more special to August.

Phinn approached the two. He had his hair half slicked back, neatly styled. He was wearing a fancy embroidered robe with the threading in the hood having extreme detail.  “Congratulations, you two.”

A lady with the same hair colour as Heilke put her hand around Phinn. “Hello, son-in-law,” she said, grinning. Her appearance was so similar to Heilke, almost as if they were sisters. August could recognise her immediately.

August bowed. “Greetings, mother-in-law.”

Her dress had the same embroidery pattern as the other Crowell outfits.

“That embroidery is really masterful,” August said. He was not sure how to ask for the source in a way that did not sound rude.

“Really?” she grinned. “Thank you. Can you tell I did it?”

“No, I couldn’t! That’s really impressive.”

“Thank you, son-in-law.”

A white haired man wearing clothing decorated with only the finest gold approached the couple. ”Well done,” he said.

August and Heilke greeted the man. It was the Emperor who stood before them.

“Since you helped the kingdom, you should be rewarded,” the emperor said.

August’s gaze focused. What could the emperor mean by that? Where would he have heard about his good deeds?

“You seem confused. I was referring to the magic crystal my son wanted to make into a mass monster producing weapon.”

August bowed. “Your Majesty.”

“Did you think I would not know what was happening in my kingdom?”

August did not like the fact that the emperor was readily letting the country go to ruin. He did not seem like he was going to acknowledge what happened to the public either.

“I will award you with this piece of land,” the emperor announced.

“We gratefully accept,” Heilke said with a curtsy. It’s been a while since August saw her still graceful, but superficial greeting. She looked to August and subtly shook her head, as if to say, ‘I know you’re frustrated, but it’s not worth fighting back.’

August nodded in response.

By the time the celebrations were finished, it was already night. The place they rented had a nearby hotel they booked out, able to fit all the guests they invited.

August and Heilke had a large room with a king bed. Their ‘first night’. They talked sweet nothings until the first light of the dawn illuminated the room.

“I love you,” August said.

“I love you too,” Heilke replied.

“I love you.”

“Yes, yes, August,” she said, stroking his head. “I love you too.”

“I, love you.”

“Hush, August.”

“I love you Heilke.”

Heilke brought August’s lips to hers. “Is this the only way to make you be quiet?”

August felt all fuzzy inside, then he burst out laughing. He only wanted to express this overwhelming feeling he had, not force Heilke to say those words. He would be lying if her attempts to return the favour did not want to make him say it more. She would say it, even if it was hard for her. He could feel how great of a person she was every time she did so. 'Lovely Lady Heilke' was simply 'Heilke' now.

He rubbed his head on her neck when shaking it.

"I will not stop, Heilke. I love you."

*

August brought Heilke to visit the assassin from when he was 17.

“It’s me again. Hi.”

The assassin observed him without any energy, then spotted Heilke.

“Who is this, a victim of yours?” they asked sarcastically.

August shook his head. “I think you tried to warn me about treating people properly as I left. You don’t have to worry. I will never, ever do that.”

The assassin let out some air and shrugged. “So you’re here to show off to me. Someone with nothing. How impressive.”

“I just wanted to say thank you for your good intentions this time, though how you did it wasn’t that good.”

“I’ve been told that enough times already, August Vin Gardner. You are the last person I need to hear that from.”

*

August and Heilke went out to get more furniture.

They had already scoped out the new place. Surprisingly large, considering the emperor did not seem that appreciative of what August and Heilke had done.

For the wedding, they could lavishly spend money due to the the people who chose to pay for the shards, and the money August earned from being enlisted. For the furniture, the mansion in the land the emperor granted had quite a lot, there were just some broken ones and a few other ones Heilke did not like aesthetically that needed to be bought. They were given gift money at the wedding, but Heilke had a better idea.

“Let’s get Phinn to make some pseudo-furniture,” she said. “I know I did say he was wasting his magic, but that was only because he wasn’t planning on using that couch ever again."

August agreed. He was not actually sure what ‘pseudo-furniture’ actually entailed, but he put complete trust in Heilke’s taste. Heilke had told him off a few times for blindly following her, but not once had he regretted those instances.

“Sorry,” he would say with a smile.

Heilke would sigh and frown a little, though he could tell she was not actually mad.

*

It took a few months, not long to settle in. Plush mattresses, plump pillows, cushy couches paired with avant-garde wainscoting and ornamental ceilings, generally coated in a gold finish.

Finally, it was a place they could really call, 'theirs.'