The future
With Mrs. Whitby’s natural love of parties, she happily helped Claren and Etrigan with their wedding plans. Etrigan was curious about the whole procedure and asked many questions, enjoying the experience. Soon enough Horace and Dekker were involved in the planning. Lively arguments would break out between the friends and Mrs. Whitby.
“I think we need to have at least 20 barrels of champagne on hand for this event.” Dekker was overheard saying.
“You do know there are less than ten people attending this event?” Horace would counter.
Claren and Etrigan were able to get through the planning process in spite of the “help” that they received from their friends. The morning of their small spring wedding was bright with large puffs of cumulus clouds moving slowly across the sky. Since neither Claren nor Etrigan had many friends, they decided on a small outdoor wedding with fresh flower bouquets. Fredrick had completed a minister’s license by correspondence and was now able to marry his son and Claren. He felt it would not be right to ask to give her away even though he did feel as though she were a daughter to him now. Instead as Etrigan stood waiting in his morning tuxedo, Horace and Dekker walked Claren down the aisle and took their place next to Mrs. Whitby who had volunteered herself as maid of honor.
Something that the three of them fought over as well.
“Who ever heard of three maids of honor, and two being men no less!” Mrs. Whitby hissed at the men. Dekker then suggested he would stand in as Etrigan’s best man but they would still walk Claren down the aisle (something that in the excitement was forgotten by Dekker until Mrs.Whitby pointed for him to move over to Etrigan’s side.)
Claren had chosen to wear the white dress that she had worn to the Winter Ball much to Mrs. Whitby’s disappointment, but Claren loved the dress and felt that it would do nicely. Etrigan’s face lit up as he took her hand in his as his father read the vows they were to repeat.
“I promise to love, respect and treat you dear for the rest of my life Claren Maidstone. With you by side, as my wife, my mate, we will rewrite the pain of the past and move forward to a future filled with love and happiness.” Etrigan placed the matching pink and white stone wedding band on Claren’s finger.
“Our marriage will be a journey of two friends, I will always hold you in my heart as my friend and my husband, loving and respecting you till I draw my very last breath.” Claren slipped the band around Etrigan’s ring finger as they both turned towards the elder Lowood.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride.”
Etrigan moved forward and tenderly took Claren in to his arms wrapped them around her waist. Their hearts pressed together through the fabric of their clothes, beating as if only a single one was shared between them. He never wanted to let her go and wished they were alone now but he knew he had to break the kiss before his companions started their harassment. Claren smiled at him as they parted, her eyes full of the joy he felt.
“It is with great happiness that I now present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Lowood.” Fredrick said as the small group broke out into applause. Mrs. Whitby cried freely as her husband Thomas patted her back and nodded appreciatively at the young couple.
“Well let’s break out the champagne and discuss the honeymoon!” Dekker said after the congratulations had been said and the couple walked to a prepared table for the wedding feast.
“Dekker!” Claren said in admonishment.
“What?” He said innocently as Claren caught Etrigan’s blush and felt her own face warming.
“All I meant is now is the perfect time to discuss your honeymoon plans and our gift to you.”
“Our gift? I got them a serving robot, I don’t know what you are talking about, our gift, Dekker.” Horace said.
“That is just it, I know it’s a little limited, your traveling plans, well with these great big black things always hanging about, so I thought that I would arrange passage for you on my ship, The Sea Dog. I already have your luggage on board and we can all leave tomorrow morning.”
“Wait, what are you talking about?” Etrigan said shaking his head.
“We can all leave tomorrow?” Claren added.
“Yes,” Dekker said putting his arms around his companion’s shoulders, drawing them into a tighter circle.
“You see, we are all ready to head out to the Devil’s Continent tomorrow and I just can’t bear the thought of being away from my bosom companions, so you are all coming along. It will be a great wedding present, and honeymoon…” Etrigan took my bouquet and began to playfully hit Dekker about the head and shoulders.
“Do you think I want to spend my honeymoon on The Salty Dog? With my wife, you and Horace?”
Dekker raised his hands to fend off the assaulting flowers.
“It’s called The Sea Dog, Sea Dog!”
“Wait just hear me out! Adventure awaits us my friends!” Dekker said as Horace laughed so hard his glasses finally slipped past his nose and on to the ground. My wedding day was filled with much laughter and happiness and, as it turned out, Dekker’s gift to us was the entire ship which we promptly renamed, “The Salty Sea Dog”.
And so continued a lively friendship between the four of us that sometimes became quite exasperating and other times endearing but lasted far beyond our honeymoon trip to the Devils Continent, (that we did end up spending with Horace and Dekker), but that adventure is for another time.
The End
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About the Author
Astrid Yrigollen is a vegetarian hoping to go vegan, residing in Marin County, California with her husband, cats and her Debelius Reef Lobster. She is anxiously awaiting the newest member of their family, a dog. Lover of all things anime, she is naturally learning Japanese, her third language. Astrid is a collector of Volks Super Dollfies and is the founder of California Coast Ball Jointed Doll Convention which she co-chairs with her husband.
AstridYrigollen.com
HisBlackwings.com
About the illustrator
Szimonetta Szakál currently resides in Budapest. She enjoys manga, sushi and BJDs (Super Dollfies) Szimonetta’s natural talent and style in the anime aesthetic made her a perfect fit for this project.
Her contact email is [email protected] (Yes the ‘Y’ is correct)
His Black Wings Page 29