Given the importance of Arabella's family within the community, you will probably want three or perhaps to be safe four casks of the lighter beverages (the non-distilled sort), plus four or five kegs of an assortment of distilled spirits, of which rum and whiskey are the most readily available but you can get port, various brandies, and liquers in smaller kegs which are very popular and go just as far as the larger kegs of whiskey and rum. As long as you have variety, the specific quality of any one is not as serious an issue, as those who don't care for the mead will drink the rum, and so on.
--M. J. Young
I'll do exactly that, then, with perhaps a few bottles of some ultra-premium stock (probably the local equivalent of a blue-label Scotch), to share with my attendants and her father and his attendants (and Arabella herself, if she indulges thusly).
Then I would say all is in readiness. You've dropped perhaps a hundred or so diktar on this easily, which is lavish for a wedding but you are a wealthy man marrying the daughter of a wealthy man, so lavish is the order of the day.
Unless you've some other preparations, we'll begin the wedding. I'll assume you have the opportunity to study the service (which has not yet been completed, but of course in the game world has existed in much the same form for generations). If you'd like, you can begin describing the beginning of the wedding in your next post, or you can tell me what else you want to do in preparation and I'll start the wedding as soon as we're past that.
--M. J. Young
Other than what I've said before, nothing. It occurs to me that we are missing a golden opportunity to have the Fire Watch come out in their own unique dress uniforms and badges, but the process of getting something like that approved would probably take far too long. I'll have to put in a proposal for that to the General after, but I'll wait until our next big success to do so.
Since the ceremony proper is not yet complete out of game, and this remains your world no matter how much I've caused to be added to it in my three years of increasingly ludicrous sticking power, I'll let you decide when and how to begin.
I've written the script, which is in the other thread; but it needs a final closing action to mark that it is finished. Check that, I finished it.
So what I want from you is a bit of detail concerning exactly what you are wearing with your uniform. You were getting a shave and having your hair braided, as I recall (no, I cheat--I did not recall, I just read it a few minutes ago), but you were also adorning yourself with jewelry. The ceremony will include each of you donning a bracelet on your left wrists, so you will not want anything to interfere there.
That suggests another question for me. I'm assuming that the heads of house would officially pick the bracelets, but that's going to involve you indirectly, and you're going to pay half the cost (at least). I've got some ideas concerning what you might want to do with these design-wise, but I'll let you tell me. The only stipulations are that they are worn on the left wrists, can be donned easily during the ceremony with only the assistance of the heads of houses, and they are engraved with your names, "John and Arabella".
--M. J. Young
I will suggest that they be made of something valuable, like silver or gold, and that their exact form take the shape of a Mobius Strip, because it is a symbol of infinity, which just strikes me as fitting on so many levels. (The idea being that they are essentially a long segmented chain, I'm picturing something visually akin to a flexible watch band, that goes around the wrist twice and clips to itself on one side.) Despite this, I will ask that mine be easily removable, since I can't wear it while I'm working for safety reasons.
As for the uniform... I really should have thought of putting the Fire Watch in their own dress uniforms ages ago. Alas. Aside from my grooming, I will need advice on what to wear. There are two ready sources of that information: the matchmaker, who I have been pestering for information all along, and the salesperson or jeweler from whom I am buying my shinies. I need something rich but tasteful, the right balance of wealth and taste. I also prefer things that are a bit softer in terms of form or design than are typically 'masculine' (I often have to be warned that something I am about to do, wear, or choose is too 'girly') so I will want some sage advice that way as well - some eye toward Durnmist gentlemanly fashion so as not to make a public spectacle of myself without realizing it. I prefer silver, platinum, or white gold over traditional yellow gold - with my Mediterranean skin and the darkened color of two years at sea, yellow gold makes me look sickly.
Ah, but the medieval English and Germans always thought the medieval Spanish and Italian styles too effeminate, so it may be a cultural clash there.
Concerning your purchase of jewelry, I'll assume you have enough lead time to get what you want, and although gold is readily available silver is also used, and platinum, but the latter very rare and very expensive. You'll be paying for platinum bracelets, probably with emeralds. In Durnmist, emeralds are the easiest stone to get, but there is an assumption that other stones are also imported from other locations (never detailed in the scenario) so you can get what you like.
I notice that your eye color is not listed on my copy of your sheet. My mind tells me that they're a light brown, but possibly a murky green, and I'm really bad at eye color, so please do not be offended if I'm completely wrong.
I've discussed the bracelets further in the wedding thread.
As to distinctive uniforms for the firefighters, at present they are regarded a specialist unit within the watch, and thus it would be more appropriate to create a patch or other emblem (something like your cord) that marks them as trained for firefighting but retains the watch uniform generally. You are, after all, still members of the watch charged with fighting crime. You just happen to be specialists in fires.
--M. J. Young
As for the uniforms, specialist cords work just fine. Where the Investigators wear gold cords while on duty, the Fire Watch will wear red. Why? Because fire is red, fire engines are red (even though most of them are inexplicably yellow now. whoever heard of a yellow fire engine? silliness...) and red is easily visible and distinctive. So yes, red cords.
I also have addressed the bracelets in the wedding thread.
In general I would prefer to wear silver, especially if we are using platinum for the bracelets.
My eyes are very solidly brown. I wish they were green. I might fix that when I get to a world where such magic is possible. I wonder if I could use a Remove Impurities spell for that? Probably not - I'd wind up with albino pink eyes purifying all the pigment out. Oh well.
As to culture clash, this is another reason why it's good to ask for advice, so I don't come off looking like a Frenchman at an English ball.
I'm still working on the bracelet over in the wedding thread.
Fire trucks were red because it was long believed that red was the most distinct and noticeable color, and thus that we would see a red truck (or wagon) most easily. In the twentieth century we developed a variety of fluorescent colors, though, which were brighter and more apparent than simple reds, and so the arguments for red wore thin and the new colors were put into use.
Let us then begin. You and Captain Peter are standing outside the room, watching people gather, greeting them cordially. They are milling about inside. One woman, a bit past middle aged and definitely overly fluffy, comes running up flustered after most are inside, "Oh, I'm not too late, am I? No, I can see not. I'm coming! Hold the door."
Captain Peter smiles at you as the woman greets you a bit distractedly and rushes into the room.
"I guess it's time," Peter says. "You know your part?"
He steps through the door into the room.
--M. J. Young
"I know it," I answer, "but knowing it, and remembering when it counts are two different things." I'll probably be blotting the sweat from my palms on the hem of my uniform by now, and admonishing myself not to. Thank the gods I was an amateur actor before I verse out - I'm not that bad at remembering lines. And I've had how long to rehearse this?
I run the lines in my head as I follow him in.
I walk to the front of the room, and wait a moment for the crowd to settle. Even if the crowd is already settled. It gives me a moment to settle. Clear my throat while no one is listening yet. Turn to face the crowd, without making it obvious I'm looking for Arabella.
Then, in my best projecting-to-fill-the-theater voice, "I am Commander John Caldwell Sevenwind, and it is my intention this day to become husband of Arabella, daughter of Jacob son of Fabri, if she will have me." Have me? Accept me? Oh bugger I hope that was close enough. Keep a straight face and don't let the audience realize you blew a line...
As you start toward the front, Peter whispers, "The doors. You're supposed to secure the doors."
Flustered, you return and do so, and then head for the front. You make your speech.
From a side room, Arabella emerges. Her auburn hair is partly braided atop her head, partly dangling around her face in curls. The pale green of her flowing gown is accented with red-brown braiding the same color as her hair, in which are laced tiny emerald chips. Makeup has been skillfully applied to accent her green eyes and her lips. She holds a parasol over one shoulder which matches the dress, and her gloves and shoes, both almost white, sparkle as if laced with silver.
In a clear voice, she says, "I am Arabella, second daughter of Jacob son of Fabri, and it is my intention this day to become wife of Commander John Caldwell Sevenwinds, if he will accept me."
She watches you, waiting to time this right.
--M. J. Young
I'll draw myself up, all shoulders-square. It's a subtle posture change, but if she's watching it should be a nice visual cue.
I'll try to synchronize just-so for the "We will."
I'll give her a smile, and try to get the walking-to-the-middle-together pretty close, too, and offer her my right arm. Gods but it's been a long time. I forgot just how pretty she was in all these months.
She smiles somewhat shyly but confidently at you, and takes your arm.
By the time you reach the front, Captain Peter and Jacob son of Fabri are standing between you and the table on which lie the cloth band and the bracelets. Jacob asks the questions. He begins, "Commander John Caldwell Sevenwind, do you promise to care for this treasure of our house to the best of your ability for the rest of your lives?"
To facilitate the matter, I will give all the questions here at once; if you're diverting from the script at any point, you can let me know.
"Do you promise to be faithful to her, as she remains faithful to you?"
"Do you promise to nurse her in times of illness, support her in times of want, and live your life with her best interests in view?"
"Do you promise to acknowledge and care for any offspring this marriage may produce?"
"Do you promise, as life allows, to protect the interests of the Fabri family, that we may not lose our daughter and sister or her descendants, but ever have her part of our family?"
Your answers are expected to each question, of course.
--M. J. Young
"I do, sir," to each question. No deviation from the script on my end.
"Thank you, Commander John Caldwell Sevenwinds." Jacob turns to look at Captain Peter.
Captain Peter speaks. "Arabella, daughter of Jacob son of Fabri, do you promise to care for this treasure of our house to the best of your ability for the rest of your lives?"
Arabella answers, perhaps a bit nervously, "I do, sir."
Peter continues, "Do you promise to be faithful to him, as he remains faithful to you?"
Arabella answers with a bit more confidence, "I do sir."
Peter continues, "Do you promise to nurse him in times of illness, support him in times of want, and live your life with his best interests in view?"
Arabella answers, "I do sir." She is getting more confident in her responses.
Peter continues, "Do you promise to acknowledge and care for any offspring this marriage may produce?"
Arabella answers, "I do sir."
Peter continues, "Do you promise, as life allows, to protect the interests of the Sevenwinds family, that we may not lose our son and brother or his descendants, but ever have him part of our family?"
Arabella answers, "I do sir."
Peter finishes, "Thank you, Arabella daughter of Jacob son of Fabri."
Jacob and Peter fumble a bit with the cloth, but in a moment each has an end. They walk past you on opposite sides, and as Arabella turns to face you the tightening of the cloth draws her close up to you. You can feel her breath on your face. The cloth is now all the way around you. She smiles in a sheepish quick smile that fades back into her nervousness.
--M. J. Young
As she is drawn in, I keep her close, being strong and supportive for her. Her smile earns her one back, and let's face it, a moment of sheepish nervousness on my part is to be expected too. I get all straight-faced when she does, and wait for the cloth to be in place, and keep my eyes on hers. Focus on me, Arabella. The crowd isn't going to eat you... (There is a part of my mind, deep in the back, that revels in the absurdity of hearing my old director Steve's explanation of stage fright echoing in my thoughts at this of all times.)
I start out quietly, just for her, " "Arabella, daughter of Jacob son of Fabri," but end it projecting properly - big but not loud, so as not to hurt my bride's ears, "I give my life to you for as long as we both have life."
She also starts softly, "Comman," then stops and clears her throat, and starts again more loudly: "Commander John Caldwell Sevenwinds, I give my life to you for as long as we both have life."
Captain Peter smiles, then turns to Jacob, and says in a somewhat quiet voice, "This is the part where you and I put on the show of pretending that there was ever any doubt that we might do this, right?"
Jacob laughs. "You've got that part right. I'm sure were I to have said no, my somewhat headstrong younger daughter would never let me hear the end of it. So then, as if our agreement mattered, we should say the line."
"Right," Peter says.
Then they say, reasonably together, "We are agreed."
Arabella looks at you for the cue.
--M. J. Young
I give her a smile and whisper, "On three. One, two, three..."
"Our lives are joined."
I'll try to make sure my left wrist is reachable. How exactly are they getting us out of having this cloth wrapped around us?
I had noticed that same oversight myself several days back, so I'm ready for it.
With a bit of effort, Peter and Jacob reverse their wrapping process and get you unwrapped. Then Jacob picks up one of the two bracelets and carefully clasps it around your wrist. Peter is apparently doing the same for Arabella, and saying something to her, but Jacob says, "Welcome to the family, son. I hear good things about your work with the guard. I hope you'll stay long enough at the reception to tell me about it. There you go, that seems to be secure. Nice design, by the way. I've never seen this half-twist. It's interesting."
He steps back, as does Peter. Arabella turns toward you again.
--M. J. Young
"Thank you, sir."
As she turns towards me, I offer her my left arm, for the procession to the doors. Although no one will be leaving, stepping outside for a second would get us out of the way, and give us a minute to talk before we have to be center-stage again.
The gathering rises to its feet as you depart, and there is applause. Arabella smiles, blushing slightly, and waves to everyone. You notice, perhaps for the first time, that several people from your current and previous divisions have come. Tara looks tired.
You reach the door, unlatch it, and step outside. Behind you you can hear the movement of furniture shifting, voices giving directions, and people milling about. A few louder noises suggest tables being dropped into place, and this is followed by the clanking of tableware.
Arabella turns to you, and says, "Well, Mister Sevenwinds, I suppose we have to delay our departure long enough to greet our family and friends. I understand that my father has hired an excellent caterer, though, so at least we will be consoled with decent food. And you can tell me where we're going from here."
--M. J. Young
On the way out, I too will smile and wave, and make a mental note to make sure I see Tara early during the reception so she can go get some rest.
I'll settle in a bit, unbutton my collar and such, while we wait.
"Well," I say, "When I first got into town, I spent some of the money I'd saved from my time at sea to buy a house. Turned out to be a stone's throw from the Watch General's office," and I'll give the street name, if it has a name, "and I spent some time renovating it." My turn to look a bit self-conscious, lowered eyes, sheepish grin and all, "I wanted a proper home to bring you home to."
"Oh," she says, clearly surprised, not as clearly thrilled. "I--I can't wait to see it. A house in town." She smiles. "Indeed, it's the practical choice. You get to surprise me with a truly wonderful, practical, and expensive wedding present, and I get to start enjoying it immediately."
She waits in silence for a moment.
If you say nothing else, she'll suggest that it's probably time to join the reception; but you've got a moment before she'll say that.
--M. J. Young
I'll give her a curious look at that. "What?" I ask, "I... thought I was doing well there."
She blushes slightly, but puts on something of a firm face.
"Well, I would think if we were buying a home, that would be something we would do together. I do have opinions about such things--what kind of house I would like, the design of the kitchen, how far it is from the homes of people I know, what's in the neighborhood." She softens a bit. "I'm sure it's a very nice house in a very good neighborhood. I'm just--just surprised not to have been asked about it. In any case, I shouldn't pass judgment on it without seeing it. Your bracelets are really very nice; if the house is half as nice, I'm sure I'll love it."
She smiles.
--M. J. Young
I smirk. "It helps that I needed a place to live while I was working anyway. Let me offer you this: if you like it, it's yours. Ours. And if you get there and you hate it, I'll put the whole thing up for rent, and we'll move somewhere more to your liking. From now on, we're us, you and I, and we decide together." I'll take her braceleted hand in mine and kiss her fingers, being all gentlemanly and such.
"Let me offer you this," she says in response. "We'll give it a solid chance, and you'll let me renovate at least half of the rooms to fit my own image, and hopefully come up with something we both like for the present. Downtown is good for your job anyway--it's a bit of a walk from Daddy's place, and I'll probably see more of you if you're not spending your time going back and forth to work.
"By now they may be wondering whether we've already left for the honeymoon. Maybe we'd better...?"
--M. J. Young
"I married a diplomat," and a teasing grin.
At her comment, I'll open the door and hold it for her. "Let's not disappoint."
It occurs to me, out-of-game we haven't covered the issue of the honeymoon. I did ask about that once but we never resolved it. The only idea I have is that I might have booked us a ship to that resort island I overnighted at on my way back into town. We really should ret-con this in, as it's literally impossible to have simply overlooked it in character, and I remember asking 'what is the custom for that here?'
I think you decided that you would not be able to get away from work for more than two or three days tops, and that a trip would be impossible under these circumstances. I suggest that you consider making the honeymoon part of the house settling, taking your two more days off after which you'll have to return to the job and dining out or having food brought in, possibly catch a show--but then, that's probably not what young girls most want to do on their honeymoons. The biggest part of the "special" place is that it's memorable and not where they spend the rest of their lives, so they can remember a distinct period that was the honeymoon. The danger of having it in your new home is that over time the line between the honeymoon and the daily grind blurs into extinction.
There are undoubtedly some fine hotels in a seaport town of this distinction. I could allow that you made reservations at one of them, possibly on the edge of the city overlooking the water at a beach.
You burst through the doors to the applause of those inside. The room has been converted remarkably quickly into a dining room with dance floor, buffet tables to your right, band tuning up where the front was.
"Welcome to the bride and groom" a powerful voice cries from that end through the applause, and the music starts with a fast beat dance, those in attendance clapping now in time with the beat.
"I believe they expect us to dance, Mr. Sevenwind. Shall we?" She raises her hands to be taken in your arms, a smile glowing on her face.
--M. J. Young
A hotel on the seaside with a view of the beach would be just right. Let's go with that.
I'll sweep her up, whisk her out onto the dance floor, and go with the beat. Being a former percussionist I do have a sense of rhythm, and while I've never actually been trained to dance, per se (or dance well), between the dance lesson I took on the island and the fact that I'm a martial artist I have a decent command of my body. For the most part I'll mind the rhythm primarily and let the mood guide my steps, responding and guiding her in the same way I would let flow a stage-combat choreography, move-and-response. Unless there is a particular dance she would expect in this instance. Although if that were the case I expect the matchmaker would've mentioned it.
Unless, of course, everyone knows the Pavanne, or the Makarena, or whatever it is. But I'll grant that it isn't.
"You dance well, Mister Sevenwind. Is this how they dance in Sardic nowadays?"
--M. J. Young
"I wouldn't know," I answer, "I learned to dance in the Islands, and I've never spent more than a handful of weeks in Sardic."
At some point, I'll have to ask her why she keeps calling me 'Mr. Sevenwind.' Does she intend me to call her 'Mrs. Sevenwind' for the novelty? Or is she being far too formally polite for a wife to her husband? Once we're off the dancefloor I'll have to ask.
Once you are off the dance floor, you ask.
"Well, Mister Sevenwind," she says with a bit of teasing in her voice, "I believe that you were introduced to be that way, and you've never suggested I call you anything else. I suppose, though, that I am equally guilty. You ought to call me 'Arabella', although if you wanted to call me 'Missus John Caldwell Sevenwind' once or twice, I think that would sound quite nice.
"So, what would you like me to call you? Perhaps it ought to be 'Commander'? I hadn't thought of that; you didn't have rank when I met you."
Her eyes flash in a teasingly playful manner.
--M. J. Young
"Just John is fine. You're my wife, after all...," I'll give her a little smile, "And might I say, you look absolutely lovely, Missus Sevenwind."
Later on, "Just no silly pet names. At least not where my Watchmen can hear them, hm?" but still teasing her.
"Why, thank you. We aim to please, and look forward to more pleasing and being pleased as the night progresses.
"Just John?" she teases. "John the Just? Your time with the watch has apparently earned you a nickname?"
"Silly names? Like 'Just John'? O.K., no silly names; can I be silly about the ones you have? I'm looking forward to seeing you on your seventh wind."
The food is excellent, by the way. People are all congratulating you, asking your plans, commenting on the rumors about the new fire watch and asking about it. I believe there were a few people in particular with whom you were anticipating a few words one way or another (and fill them in, please).
You'll also be introduced to quite a few friends and family. Arabella promises to try to let you know who are the important ones besides her parents, her older sister and her husband, and her grandmother, Fabri's widow. There are a lot of girls and some guys there who are apparently peers of hers or her sisters through various connections, but only a very few she considers 'friends'.
--M. J. Young
As she teases me about my name, I playfully poke at her to see if she's ticklish.
Some day, when she's ready, I'll explain to her what Sevenwind actually means. Right now I don't think she would understand the idea of the breath of the six gods of the sea, especially when I haven't had a chance to develop the magic that justifies it nearly enough yet. Some day...
As she introduces me to her friends and family, I'll introduce her to mine. I wanted to make a point of visiting with Tara early on so she could go get some rest, so we'll get to her and Matt early, probably right after the Captains. Other than that the only other person I wanted a word with was Arabella's father, and he wanted to talk about my work, so I'll explain it to him:
"When I had gotten settled into the Watch, we had a call to go fight a fire. It was a mess, people everywhere, looters to chase down, and so on. I remembered that in my travels, I had seen a smallish city where they had a separate organization that specialized in fighting fires. With my Captain's blessing and help, I presented as much as I could reconstruct of it to the Watch General. It took a bit of convincing, but he authorized us to set up shop. My new Captain and I, we're working on specialized training, specialized equipment... I plan to reintroduce the 'law enforcement' aspect of our work once we've gotten our fire-fighting worked out, at least enough to justify the General continuing to fund us."
I'll give a somewhat briefer version of that to anyone else who asks, unless enough people ask all at once. If pressed for details, I'll talk about the run with Brandy rescuing the girl from the inn, but I don't want to come off as boastful so I won't go right into that.
Matt's not here. As mentioned before, the four commanders of the fire brigade are Captain Peter, you, Tara, and Matt, so one of you has to be at the firehouse at all times, and since Peter is in the ceremony and Tara made it, Matt has to be the missing one.
Jacob listens, asks a few questions in particular about training and especially what kinds of equipment you need and where it will be obtained.
--M. J. Young
I'll tell him about what I have so far (the helmets, wagons, and so on), the things I have coming (mostly my custom ladders, which should be ready by now, or any day now), and the things I really have no idea how to duplicate (fire-resistant coats, which a textiles tycoon might have something to say about), but I won't babble - if I sense he thinks I'm rambling I'll change topics, ask him about his work and such. Eventually I'll do that anyway, just sooner if he seems bored.
"Fire-resistant clothing? That's a fascinating concept. I gather you've encountered such clothing before. Any idea how it works?"
--M. J. Young
I shake my head. "None whatsoever, but if you're interested enough to experiment with it, I'm interested enough to help with the fundraising.
I think the early versions were little more than dense wool, possibly soaked in water to keep them from burning. That's all you really need for basic scouting and rescue, is a minute or three of not being on fire. Then you add things like masks to keep the smoke out of your nose, and get fancy from there."