“Before the Fall, Lilith and mother had discovered some interesting statistics and connections to Inanna. She birthed the very first Angels. The Angels originally served Inanna because she was their mother and as our numbers grew we still continued to serve. It was a pet theory of several of the Angels.”
“You shall have to give it to me in more detail, but at another time.” She was looking at the grey dawn showing through the windows. “I have other duties to attend to.”
“It wouldn’t happen to have anything to do with Brigid’s gain in creation power?”
“I wouldn’t know. It is Victoria’s wedding today.”
“The mortal queen? Why does that affect you?”
“I am her maid of honour.”
“What on earth is that?”
“It is a Human thing for their weddings, it is a great honour.”
“Being selected for a Human wedding is an honour?”
“Unlike you Lucifer I haven’t lived much, and I’ve never really had friends. Any small thing is exciting for me.” She stood up, her mood clearly changed. “I will take my leave, I have many Human things to do” she put an emphasis on the word Human. She swept out of her rooms, a beautiful red dress floated out after her.
Chapter 11
Victoria awoke to gentle shakes. Her eyes opened to see a smiling Sariel sitting on her bed. Behind her stood Brigid and Sorcha, both with green glowing eyes, as well as Aisling and Hecate. Flitting in through the doors were Lampades and Fairies carrying a plethora of items, from breakfast foods to makeup.
“Good morning Victoria,” Sariel said sweetly. At this moment in time, Victoria hated all of the Divine. How could they be up this early and look so perfect and awake? Damn magic.
“Ugh” was all she managed in response.
One of her maids placed a breakfast tray on her lap as she sat up, on it was an assortment of pancakes, waffles, fruit, omelette, croissants and French toast. Were they trying to make her fat? Then again it was touching that they wanted to make sure she was happy. “Thank you, Karen.”
She smiled back “best of luck for today, your majesty.”
She turned back to her food to find Sariel already eating some of the strawberries. She smiled guiltily at her. “Help yourself, Sariel.”
“Thanks” sarcasm was still lost on her.
She was contently eating croissants and waffles when Rosalie walked in carrying her wedding dress. It was beautiful, a vibrant emerald green with forest green and mint green accents. The final touch was the silver frosting and golden trim. The end product was beautiful.
She finished off as much of her breakfast as she wanted, with Sariel picking at it all the way through. The others lounged about chatting away about the affairs of the empire and the events of the Divine while she was ushered into the bathroom by an assortment of Lampades, Fairies, and her own maids. She had to argue with them so that they would leave the bathroom while she showered. She could hear the Divine chuckling in the other room.
To her surprise, they had all returned while she showered and were waiting with her towels. Despite her protests, they dried her off and dressed her in a loose gown. She was led to a seat in front of a mirror, and they assumed their various duties. Women started brushing and styling her hair, rubbing in jasmine oil as they went. Others took hold of her hands and feet to give her manicures and pedicures. Yet more started styling her face and applying makeup, and others applied lotions smelling of jasmine to her skin. Despite any protest, she was primped and preened until her skin felt as smooth as silk and her hair was styled in elegant curls. Her face had been decorated with gold and forest green makeup which looked a bit alien on her. She wasn’t sure if she was happy with it.
“Here drink this.”
Victoria looked at the chalice that Sariel offered to her, there was some strange drink within it. It looked metallic green and brown, half mixed together. Thinking it was something similar to Earthlaughter she drank it. It had a very metallic tang, but she also felt like she tasted earth and life. It wasn’t the most pleasant of things to drink.
“Ugh, what was that?”
“Blood”
“What?!”
“We have given you blood to increase your Divine glow today, it will balance out your makeup and dress.” Sure enough, a faint glow started spreading across her skin. As she watched it spread through her brown eyes making them glow with a beautiful warmth. The makeup on her face which had moments before looked alien was now falling into place as her glow started to even out. It was a Divine design suiting only those with the Divine glow. The luminescence spread along her pale skin to the tips of her toes and fingers. The gold and forest green nail varnish started to shine faintly.
She was beautiful in a way she had never seen herself before.
Sariel and the attendants led her out to where more were holding the dress and had her underwear ready for her. She slipped into her wardrobe to put her underwear on but had to return to be dressed. A Lampade helped her into an underdress, skilfully lacing up the corset before Victoria even realised it needed to be done. The next step was the dress itself.
Her attendants slipped her into her dress with a skill and steel grip that prevented any protest. The smoothness of her skin made the dress slide across her with no difficulty. Once again the Lampade laced her up quick smart. They fluttered around, adjusting how it sat on her, the Fairies making their small changes with magic.
Brigid and Sariel led her over to the mirrors.
She was beautiful.
Her wedding dress was in the elegant ball gown style, the main dress was emerald coloured. The bodice was a darker green with gold trimming in the outline of leaves. It wound across one shoulder which had silver frosting. Silver frosting in the design of dragonflies decorated the bottom, with a few reaching up towards her waist.
Sorcha placed a tiara on her brow, emeralds inset in gold. It was of Fae design, with some Human aspects. Today was all the blending of the two cultures. “You will make a worthy wife for my Fae Prince.”
“And an Empress that an empire will be proud of.” Brigid placed her hands around her wrists, two emerald bracelets appeared.
She was touched by their affection, it was all she had left. Her father had been her last remaining family member. All her grandparents had died before she had been born and her mother had died while she was young. Her closest relative was in jail for attempting to murder her. There was nothing else that even came close to being classed as family.
Marrying Cathair would give her a husband and a family, and the next generation was on the way. But she had been stuck for her wedding before Brigid had offered to give her away she had been at a loss as to who would walk her down the aisle. She had also been at a loss for bridesmaids. Unfortunately, she didn’t have very many friends. Her erratic life, her royal duties and looking after her father had denied her the time and opportunities to socialise with people her own age. Since becoming queen she was wary of new attention and whether they were really interested in her friendship.
It had been Xandelexis who had suggested she ask Sariel when he had been showing her the new city of Discovery, being built in the Irish Sea. Sariel had spent her time between the several new Atlantean colonies. She had hesitantly asked Sariel once she was finished strengthening the domes. Sariel had been beyond delighted. Victoria had to remind herself that this vibrant young woman was actually one of the most dangerous people in the world.
Sariel had thrown herself into being her Maid of Honour with great enthusiasm. She had filled the role brilliantly, even organising her hens night. They had all been taken to Shadowhound to a girls’ night. She had had a blast.
She sighed “I wish father could have seen this.” He would have been so happy for her. Sorcha and Brigid nodded sadly in understanding. Sariel, on the other hand, raised a hand and walked to the door. She returned a few moments later with Lucifer in tow. It was clear they were having a conversation.
You can do this
Lucifer, it is within the realms of your power.
Sariel, I said I don’t want to do it. I want nothing to do with Hell.
She grabbed his chin in her hand, her violet eyes blazing with anger she so rarely showed. So help me to high Heaven Lucifer, if you do not do this I will poison you with so much Chaos you will still be struggling to light a candle in a thousand years.
The others were not privy to their conversation, but their body language spoke volumes. There was anger in the room, and whatever their altercation Sariel had won. Lucifer sighed heavily before turning to face Victoria. “You look lovely” fire bloomed along his hand as he grimaced. Dark shadows danced within the flames. They spluttered and withered but continued to grow. From his hands, the flames rose and whirled around until they formed the loose image of a man. As the flames died, a blue-white spirit remained behind.
“Father!” Victoria gasped at the spirit of her father. He turned to smile at her, his face filled with his pride.
“Victoria, you look beautiful” he reached out with one ghostly hand, his fingers brushed through her cheeks as tears started to roll. “Hush child, no need to cry, are you not happy? Are you not marrying for love?”
“I am. I love him very much.”
“Then my soul can rest in peace” he flicked a glance at Lucifer “such as it is.”
“Do not blame me. I have no control over who goes to Hell.”
“You are Hell?” she exclaimed.
“It would appear Ariel cursed him to Hell when she killed him. Lucifer, if I may?” Brigid held out a hand to Lucifer, who looked at it hesitantly before taking it. Flames and green light flared and the image of George flickered. A smile spread across his face.
“What just happened?” Victoria asked looking at the fading image of her father.
“Peace, my dear, they gave me peace. Marry with my love.” He sighed “you are the image of your mother. I am so very proud of you.” He faded away as drifts of green mist.
“What just happened?” where was her father?
“We transferred him from Hell to the Otherworld. You also gave him his final peace, he is moving on.”
“Moving on? But he was just here!”
“Victoria, your father loved you very much, you were his only tie to the living. He held on because he worried for you, but he can now rest in peace for he knows you are happy.”
“Couldn’t he have stayed longer?”
“The ways of the dead are not the same as the living. Once at peace and freed of Hell he is free to return to the Lifestream. Know that he is happy for you.”
“Thank you for this.” She hugged Brigid, then Sariel and then Lucifer, who was the most surprised in the room. Lampades led her away to fix her makeup.
Brigid turned to the two of them “You did a good thing today.”
Sariel smiled and placed an arm on Lucifer “thank you” she said gently before chasing after Victoria.
“That was sweet of you to do as Sariel asked.” Perhaps he had a soft spot for her, then again everyone seemed to.
“Sweetness has nothing to do with it. She threatened me.”
She laughed, “and what would Sariel threaten you with?” the idea was absurd.
“Chaos poisoning for the next thousand years.”
She choked on her laugh “Gaia save us!”
He raised an eyebrow at her “We are dealing with an incredibly powerful Goddess with what could be considered mortal emotions but now her Divine behaviour is starting to shine through.”
The crowd went wild as the golden carriage was pulled down the street by eight magnificent Unicorns. It was the pride of Great Britain, no other monarch in the world had Unicorn drawn carriages. Fairy lights glowed and danced in the cold winter air, the weather was holding. Snow covered the streets and buildings giving them a stunningly beautiful appearance, but the snow had stopped, and the winds stilled as the wedding had drawn closer. There were advantages to having Fae Royals and a Goddess invested in your wedding.
Hundreds and thousands of people thronged the streets waving Union Jacks as they cheered for their Queen and Empress. Despite all the social upheavals that had occurred in her short reign and the wars she had thrown them into, the public still loved her. She had saved them from the environmental ruin, their country was beautiful and productive again. They had more than enough food to feed all the people, and Britain was growing rich again. There was also zero unemployment and a dramatic drop in crime.
The crowd cheered as the Chaos Goddess descended from the carriage in a beautiful gold and green dress. She waved to the crowd before turning to help Victoria descend from the carriage. The crowd went wild when they saw her. She was in a stunning, gold and green dress, with silver and other shades of green. She wore no veil as was the way of the Fae, which showed her stunning beauty. To the crowd, she even seemed to glow. Last from the carriage was the Goddess Brigid herself dressed in the Royal Green and gold of the Fae. Her dress was similar but different from Sariel’s.
Victoria waved to the crowd as Brigid took her arm in hers and Sariel walked ahead to open the doors for her. Everywhere she looked there were Human, Fae, and Atlantean Guards and cheering people.
She looked at Westminster Abbey, which had changed since she had last seen it. It still retained much of its characteristics, the Fae had not changed much on the outside. The Building had shifted to be rectangular rather than crucifix shaped, and the stone had been cleaned and the effects of erosion undone. Gold and the green metal ava had been used to replace much of the previously rusted and eroded metal.
The inside, however, had changed a lot. All the stained glass windows had been replaced with images of Brigid, the Fae species, and her own coronation. There was even a window of Sariel fighting in Hell. The insides had been spruced up and decorated in the simple but elegant Fae style. The whole Abbey was bedecked in Royal Green and Gold as well as Imperial Red. It seemed almost Christmassy except for the clear Fae designs. There was much confusion across all of Britain as the Royal Green and Imperial Red only stood out by their designs from all the Christmas decorations, which Brigid had allowed to occur even though it was an Angelic holiday. There were constraints, people were not to celebrate the birth of Jesus but rather their families. People had accepted it willingly, though many people celebrated Christmas and many were not Christians it had evolved to be more than just the amalgamation of Pagan and Christian celebrations.
Sariel gave her a kiss on the cheek and started down the aisle as the Fae song started playing. The Fae had many different practices, their brides did not walk down the aisle, but they had allowed it, but had baulked at here comes the bride. She had too and was happy with the Fae song. She squared her shoulders as Brigid took her by the hand. “You do me proud” she whispered as they started walking.
She felt like she would have more tears but thankfully they did not come. All around faces turned to look at her. Politicians and dignitaries, Gods, Angels and Fae, Governors and Generals, Atlanteans, Daemons and Humans. The mix was a true kaleidoscope of Britain’s modern society.
Sorcha stood waiting to perform the ceremony. As Cathair’s Queen only she could give him away. Traditionally Fae males were given away by their mothers because power was consolidated within the maternal bloodlines. The newer Fae races had their own traditions, but the original Fae of Avalon were all matriarchal. Women led the household and sons were warriors to serve. The Royals were no difference. Females claimed their husbands from their mothers-in-law.
Things would be slightly different joining the two diverse cultures. But they would try their best to blend patriarchal and matriarchal traditions.
Cathair stood waiting for her, dressed in a Royal Green robe. His was the simple cut the Fae so often favoured. It had been altered to appear similar to the over robes favoured by the Redcoats. It had been dressed up with both gold and silver trimming. On his brow, he wore a simple garland of leaves and feathers. Today he was Fae through and through, from his green ti
nges in his skin, lips and hair to his fully displayed dragonfly wings. There was no doubt that she was marrying a Fae Prince.
At his side stood his sister acting as a best man, or whatever the Fae’s equivalence was. The Fae Royals had their own unique traditions built on top of the rest of the Fae. Queens married off their sons, sisters acted as guardians. Apparently to stop princes from running off. There was no concern of that today, he watched her with his green eyes filled with want and love.
Brigid stopped her just before the altar waiting for Sorcha.
“Today represents the bonding of two hearts, and two cultures together.” She paused to look at Victoria, her slight hesitation due to her dislike of the Human practice of giving away daughters. “Who gives away this woman?”
“I, Brigid, Heir of Avalon, Patron of the British Empire give away Her Imperial Majesty Victoria II to be wed today.” She let go of Victoria’s arm, smiling at her before she took a seat. Victoria took the last few steps to her position.
“Who offers this Fae?” Fae wedding vows usually lacked any mention of gender, and the Fae never referred to themselves as men or women.
Aisling spoke “I, Princess Aisling Avalon, Heir to the Seelie Court present Prince Cathair Avalon, son of Queen Sorcha Avalon to this union today.” She ushered her brother forward until he stood next to Victoria. When his mother wasn’t looking, he winked at her. She smiled back at him.
“In this House of Man, before the Mother Goddess, stands two hearts to be united. Two crowns are to be tied together in sacred matrimony for the good of Great Britain and Avalon.”
She paused “A great weight has come to rest on your shoulders, duty and responsibility will never leave either of you while there is still breath in your lungs. Do not take today lightly.” The final warning the Fae always offered. Not that any Fae royals were allowed to back out.
A Gluttony Of Faith Page 13