"Hey, Adam, Why are you sweating so much?" My new new blade asked, ignorant of the concept of a cold sweat.
"I'm sweating because I hate being the centre of attention, not to mention that in a short time, the woman I love will walk down this very isle, she will be dressed in something that accentuates every physical feature and I think I might actually die seeing it."
"Oh geez, I guess our time together was short. Still a shame though, you seemed like the perfect wielder, rest in peace."
"Not, helping." I said as I finally reached the altar to stand with the deva sisters. "You three are stunning. Astrael, Celesael, you look incredible, if you aren't careful dressed like that, it won't be long before we're going through this for you two..." I said as I embraced them, then turned to Cosmael. "Little one, you look so adorable, are the draping veils helping your nerves?"
"Yes Da-Ad-"
"Just call me Dad today, hopefully it keeps your courage up."
"Thanks dad, yes, it's helping but how are you doing? That sword is gorgeous but I know you don't like attention either, so it doesn't really help."
"Oh, is she right? Am I a bit of a problem?"
"I wish you were, but no. The humans can't see it, they just see it as a common everyday sword, Did you forget that already Caliburn?"
"Yeah, haha, guess I did..."
"Anyway girls, this is incredible and sorry for Quatal, how is she and how is Eve?"
"Wow, you are a mess... If you talk any faster you won't be audible. from start to finish: Yes, this is incredible Eve worked tirelessly to get this prepped, Quatal is fine, we had a whole day of getting pampered by a love spirit I summoned, who actually evolved a whole rank just being near us for a day. Eve is just worried about you, in fact I should go tell her you're hear and nervous but not angry, I will also warn them your sword talks, that is pretty creepy and I want to know more."
"Don't call me creepy! I was forged completely from Origin Wyrm parts, you should talk to me with the same respect as you would my mothers and fathers."
"Caliburn, just ignore her she will tease you more if she gets a reaction."
At that point, Astrael left chuckling at what would be her new favourite pastime for a while, I mean to be fair, it was unlikely she would get to tease a sentient sword forged from parts like Caliburn was anytime soon... That is some fulfilling and satisfying mischief to someone like her.
"Ohhh... deep breaths, Adam, you can't die just from seeing her. Little one, I know it won't be pleasant but can I hold your hand please." She slipped hers into mine as I kept taking deep breaths, noticing that Leeson, Byurik and Halsan were all taking great delight in my discomfort.
"Just flash some killing intent their way, that will shut them up for a while at least." Celesael whispered.
"Sure, that should do it, how do I do that again?" As I asked, I released it.... A lot of it, enough to make them pass out for a moment.
"Well it shut them up. Hahahaha, oh my god, Astrael is going to cry when she finds out she missed this."
Suddenly Cosmael pulled off the veils, revealing the red outlines on her suit and attention shifted.
"My word, the smaller one is stunning as well."
"Why did she take off them off though, is the dear ok?"
Many more murmurs about her spread through the guests.
"Little one? Are you OK?"
"Noooo, not really, I'm super nervous, but at least I took a little attention off you Dad." She said as we squeezed each other's hand.
Just then Astrael came back, stopping to laugh at the trio who were now sweating more than me and shivering.
"I missed something good and I'm not happy, but good news, everyone is here and ready so they will be beginning any second. Eve said "Tell him if he needs to step over to the other side to throw up he should do it now." She then told me you are getting stabbed if you throw up on her dress."
"Surprisingly, that actually hel-" Just then, music started playing and a short while later I saw Quatal appear from a side room at the far end of the temple. "She's adorable..." I gasped as she spotted me and beamed, half wanting to run over to me immediately but remembering she is also mad with me.
In the end she put duty first and took small sequential steps, scattering petals with each one. The attention she stole was a real lifesaver and that gave me and Cosmael our first true respite.
After her tenth step, Valo, Karla, Layaera and Fala emerged in bride's maid dresses in pairs walking hand-in-hand, keeping pace with Quatal. I realised that the reason for this formation was simple.
It stopped me from seeing down the aisle, so the first time I saw Eve she was in front of me.
"You are a cruel woman..." I muttered under my breath.
"Dad, that was Astrael's idea." Cosmael said, immediately ratting out her sister and starting a small comical bickering between the sisters.
Then Quatal reached the end of the aisle and petalled the steps to the raised platform the altar actually sat on.
Then the bride's maids made it to the end of the aisle Valo and Klara moved over to Eve's side where her personal guests were sitting in the front rows.
Then Layeara and Fala moved over to do the same on my side, where the guests I had personally invited sat in the front rows and whilst my heart nearly stopped, I realised Vedna was standing in front of Eve before it did.
I turned slowly to glare at Astrael and Vedna paused until my head returned to face them with one last deep breath.
Then as he stepped forward three paces and moved aside... nothing...
No tears came, no thoughts of how beautiful she looked, no heart palpitations or anything else.
That wasn't because she had no effect on me, but rather because I was rendered hopelessly and pathetically unconscious. I didn't fall, nor did my eyes close, all I know is the first thing I was able to comprehend after that instant of the world standing still was Caliburn's voice.
"-cious?... Wait no he is coming round." The sound of chuckling filled my immediate area.
Then my vision came back and I traced my eyes up from the floor. the several layers of varied white fabric held together by strips of Quatal's skin, giving it veins of platinum and gold.
At the waist was a sash of some kind marked with Abelegian artistry showing two gods held close together by the end of feathered serpent's tail, at either side there was a deva and a third was shown extending a hand to each god.
That was the sight that made me shed tears.
As I continued tracing my eyes up I saw she wore gloves also made of Quatal's skin that reached to her elbows and whilst the fabric parted at her chest the skin had been used to create an underlay that covered her cleavage.
Then after a short fight with my own willpower I pushed through whatever barrier kept my eyes moving above her chin and are eyes met.
Both of our eyes were red and puffy, tears falling in slow steady streams, time had stopped.
I couldn't think, I couldn't breathe, her beauty was incomparable, her divinity was unquestionable, the need to be hers forever was absolute.
Vedna took hold of one of her hands and slowly extended it for me to take and I completely broke down.
"Oh my, I can't... No not like that, my hands, sweat, my hands are sweaty. Oh my, Cosmael, I'm sorry, your hand, oh no, err. Gloves! Gloves, I can do gloves surely."
The crowd was breaking out in hysterics, everyone had heard the story of the man who cut the continent in half to stop a war, fought an invading army single-handed, tamed a deep snake and evolved it before adopting her, summon three deva who saw him as family and planned to adopt one of them.
That man was suddenly a gibbering mess rambling about hand sweat and gloves.
"Come on, third times a charm, gloves...." I didn't succeed, Caliburn sighed and used my connection to mana to impose their will and make them in my stead. "Thank you, Caliburn."
"You are an absolute mess... are you really a god of black, well I guess Lady Kuronovus acted the same when she got her master." He rattled on exasperated whilst I got the gloves on, then took her hand and tried to decipher the unknowable expression on her face.
"I am so sorry Eve, I should have prepared some in advance."
"Just get me to the altar so we can get the formalities out of the way so I can kiss you already." She demanded, voice flat, she was a very physical person and I realised that she regretted all this, she just wanted a cliff note ceremony, "you may now kiss the bride" then off to the reception to get food and drink and I knew that now we were touching I was not being released completely for the foreseeable future.
"Of course, but I insist I say my peace, I have a promise to make and it's getting made." Eve looked at me quizzically, she could tell I didn't simply mean "I do".
Then we walked, somewhat hurriedly as Eve set the pace up the steps to where Vedna had apparently taken his place to marry us after giving me her hand, Quatal stood before him and then as we reached the top she extended a hand to join us, which made Eve curse herself as she was forced to relinquish that direct contact.
As we were joined through our daughter, our entourage fanned out, the maids behind Eve and the deva behind me, then Vedna began the ceremony.
I scarcely remember him speaking, neither does Eve. We were so enthralled by each other we gave our replies mostly on instinct alone, with the help of a few squeezes of the hands by Quatal. "It seems you two are scarcely aware of everyone present but if either of you have words to speak before witnesses, please do." Vedna finally said
"What I wish to make known, words cannot express, I will settle for actioning them." Eve said, her tone forceful and her demeanour was that of absolute authority.
"What I have to say is to The black itself..." I said, surprising the three deva most of all, but not as much as how the black manifested itself as if summoned, encompassing everyone.
It wasn't the same black the nobles experienced, that black didn't reflect their deepest fears, or instil the sense a grave sin had just been committed and was about to be swiftly avenged. That black showed them inspiration, a selfless display that made them see the best sides of each other through comparison.
"If you, The White or even the Original One ask me to part from her, I will defy you. There is no force or existence in this world that could make me and as much as I hate ingratitude, the eternity you have given us to be with each other is far too short a time." I didn't expect a response, I knew the black wasn't summoned it was released from me. It wasn't The Black itself.
At least, that's what I thought, until the black beneath me slithered up my legs.
The deva knelt out of respect, they had never seen a sign of response from the black, even when their creator spoke to it or of it. They didn't know if it was a good thing or a bad thing, they simply knew that they must respect whatever happened.
The Black, congregated at the should of the arm holding Quatal's hand, then formed a single ribbon that wrapped its way down, then bound my hand to my daughters before continuing up her arm, around her shoulders and down the other side where it bound her hand to her mother's.
It then did the same to Eve and when it reached he right hand split to hold her bouquet in front of her as forced her to take my hand, and bound us together before moving round to fully encompass us all.
The experience was cosmic in scale, we were the heirs of The Black and it had quite literally embraced us as a family then sank into us rather than letting us go as the room returned to normal.
Then as murmurs and speculations ran through the crowd, our daughter's voice cut through the commotion. "Thank you Grandpa Black! Can you to finish now so we can eat?"
The growing disquiet turned to chuckles then back to silence as Vedna composed himself.
"My da-"
"I do."
"Adam, Do you take Eve to be your wife, for all eternity."
"I do, I would never break a promise."
"Then I now pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss the bride... Respectfully please."
Unfortunately for Vedna, Ever hadn't had a kiss in forty-eight hours plus, a peck on the lips was not going to be an option and everyone was well aware.
I did try to keep it quick and tasteful, but my wife objected and quickly wrapped her arms around my neck, the only saving grace was that she managed to keep her lips together, but the duration and multitude were certainly more than Vedna would have liked and in the end he risked her fury by breaking us apart.
"Hey don't hog Papa, I missed him too Mama." Quatal's words finally made her release me, but she still wasn't happy as I picked up Quatal and got her positioned so I could hold Eve's hand.
"Now that we aren't unwed parents anymore, let's go get her some food before she eats a guest."
Then as we turned to leave, the celebratory roars of dragons seemed to make the world fall still, until Byurik stood and cleared his throat.
"Lady Kuronovus insists she is the first to congratulate you two on your... coupling, let's just say it doesn't translate well. She wishes she could be here, but the others are fighting tooth and nail to stop that catastrophe, but wish for any assistance you may lend."
"Tell her I said, if she doesn't stay put she will not meet the heirs of The Black anytime soon and I'm pretty sure The Black itself won't be happy with any upsets today."
The echoing roars fell silent, the world resumed spinning and Byurik let out a relieved sigh.
"Now where were we? Ah yes, food and drink, lots of both..." I muttered.