The places set, the decorations laid.

Everything was as planned.

The colours of red and gold were in the cloths that wove around the pillars, the flowers on the tables, the settings.

Guests were arriving.

The cake had arrived.

For Rhodes it was like torture, having to trust everyone around to complete everything perfectly. Suddenly having @Sonnie and Circe as the foremost defenders of organisation felt like the worst plan in the world. No matter how many times the said things were fine, how many times they told him not to worry....

There was Fear.


* * * * *


She was in his Dreams now. Skin like porcelain, huge emerald eyes, flowing hair like copper fire. The only other woman he had loved.

Well. Not a woman, technically.

She had made all the right sounds, shown all the right moves. And he had fallen for them, loved her with every fibre of his being.

And she moved on to yet another consort, never knowing, never seeing. It was only then he had known.

She could not love. She could not embrace. It was all a show to her. She gave them "safety" and "beauty", but only as she understood them. They were safe from others, but not from her if they ever disobeyed.

Blinded by devotion. Manipulated and played. Fine clothes and finer companions, though one held the candle to hr. All he had to do was give everything.... and he had. It was not enough to slake her need for desire.

OPHELIA....

Since that day he had opened his heart to only one other. One. And here he was, about to offer her everything. It was all too easy to imagine it being taken back with a smile and kind word, her love removed While making him feel like it was all his fault, something he deserved, like a knife between his ribs...


* * * * *


Rhodes jolted awake with a start. Circe was stood over him, her implacable grin beaming.

"Da fanculo you doing, man? It's time! Don't wanna keep her waiting!"


* * * * *


A tear leaked from the corner of his eyes as he saw Seraphina appear at the end of the aisle. The cold grip in his chest tightened. He dabbed at the tears with a handkerchief and laughed nervously as she did the same, looking directly at him.

People were saying words. None of them registered. All he could do was look at her as she made her way, smiling nervously, long step by long step.

He could only think of one thing.

"You are.... perfect," he whispered quietly to Sera as she arrived at the altar.

Words, platitudes, stories flowed around. His emerald eyes looked nowhere but hers, holding hands, feeling each other shake.

And then....

"Do you, Maxwell Rhodes, take Sarah Jones to be your Lawful Wedded Wife?"
He looked at her, voice ever so slightly trembling. Her fingers griped his, lending him their warmth, their support.
"I do."

"Do you, Sarah Jones, take Maxwell Rhodes to be your Lawful Wedded Husband?"
His Heart skipped a beat.
She looked at him, and in his world there was nothing else as she smiled, that same radiant smile that had captured his heart months and months ago.
"Yes, I do."

“I believe the couple have their own additional vows?”

“Yes. Sera, these are my words to you. In Winter, let me warm you. In Spring, let me sate your passion. In Summer, let me defend you. In Autumn, let me soothe your fears. Let me be your beloved, and you mine, loving you and no other, until the end of my days. I will be true to you, and you to me, never betraying — by word or deed — our love. Let our hands and hearts be bound, in this, our pledge of love.”
“There is not now, and there never will be, anyone for me but you. I swear my undying devotion to you not because it is expected of me, but because I can think of no truer way to express the power of my love. My heart is yours to cherish or to break. Take it, and take me with it, for all the rest of my life.”

To the changelings watching, the feeling of a powerful Oath is clear. All around the couple, the vow begins to weave and bind them together, invisible to the few mortals present. To mortal eyes, beautiful rings were exchanged.

Under the arch, Rhodes and Sera kiss for the first time as man and wife.


Type: Vow
Tasks: Alliance, Medial (–2, both), Forbiddance (–2, both, to never betray their love by word or deed)
Boons: Blessing, Greater (+3, both), Adroitness (+1, both)
Sanction: Poisoning of Boon (–3, both)
Duration: Lifelong (+3)
Invocation: 1 Willpower + 1 Willpower dot