Alinea

Two months later…

It was a cloudy day with a hint of a drizzle— a not so ideal weather for a wedding. It was also an embarrassment for those who had chosen this day for the ceremony since they had predicted that the sun would be smiling that summer day. Still, it was not really anyone's fault that the sunny weather had suddenly turned into gray. If there was anyone to blame, it would be the bride. 

Yes, the bride. 

"Ali, I really hope you'd stop crying. Not only your mug looks ugly, you're making it rain too," Ivan said blandly as he watched Yayoi, Chiaki, Midori, Rin, Miharu, and Emi along with the other servants to prepare Alinea's pure white kimono and hood nearby.

"What ugly mug are you talking about? Your mug is ugly! Why are you speaking like Aki now?"Alinea countered in between sniffles. 

It's been two months since the Homura House finally announced the existence of the new lady, and that the wedding ceremony in Shinto style would be held soon. That "soon" was today. Aki and Chiaki had already registered their marriage, and she and Ryuu would now have their formal ceremony so Gin and Emi would be ascending next week. Alinea couldn't help but feel emotional. 

"Rin, your boyfriend's bullying me!" she said and Rin threw a glance at Ivan who immediately stood straight. 

The sight of the giant emperor who was the strongest warrior in Ged so henpecked was so funny that Alinea would have laughed if she weren't feeling so emotional. 

"I'm not bullying you. I'm just stating a fact. You will not only ruin your makeup if you continue crying. You will ruin the ceremony too. Who'd want to get married under the rain?"

At Ivan's words, Alinea finally gathered her bearings and wiped her eyes. She really shouldn't be crying since her mood controlled the weather.Other people didn't know but her family and her husband knew that she's the Goddess of the Weather and might mistake the rain as her being sad. Emi patiently redid her makeup with an understanding smile. She stopped crying and the women placed the hard wig on her head. 

"Do I really need to wear this? Feels like a helmet," she commented as she pressed on the hard wig on her head. 

"Well, you don't have enough hair for the style so you have to make do with the wig," Midori and the others giggled at her. 

Soon Alinea was made to stand as the girls put on the wrappings and the paddings on her body. Her wedding kimono was something they called shiromoku and it was more elaborate than other kimonos. 

"Can someone tell me why I agreed to this thing? It's summer and I'm wrapped up like a burrito," she complained woefully making the other girls giggle again. 

But none of them stopped putting on layers and layers of clothing on her until the final jacket. It was a very thick one with silk embroideries of animals, flowers, and treasures that were symbols of good luck. As Alinea stood in front of the mirror, her silver eyes widened in surprise by how beautiful she found the dress was on her. 

"Wow Ali, you're so beautiful," the girls murmured as they smiled brightly at her. "Go and get your groom now!"

They ushered her gently out of the room as the kimono was very heavy. They placed the slippers on her feet and helped her walk down the corridors to the stairs. 

A tall man with raven hair stood at the bottom of the staircase as if waiting for someone. Alinea quickly recognized who that was and her heart fluttered in her c.h.e.s.t and she blushed when the man slowly turned in her direction. 

Homura Ryuu looked so dashing in his black kimono with white crests. This was partnered with skirt-like pants with white and black stripped pattern called hakama. The only thing missing was a sword, and he totally looked like a young samurai waiting for his bride. 

"Hey…" he greeted as soon as he saw her, and a smile softened his usually serious expression. 

Just as what happened when they saw each other in front of the City Hall months ago when they registered their marriage. The moment their eyes met, the world around them turned into a blur. The only thing clear to them was each other. 

Ryuu lifted his arm and extended his hand towards her. As if in a trance, she slowly descended the stairs to go to him— the man of her dreams, the lord whom she had vowed to spend her life with. 

Their hands met and Ryuu slowly walked her out towards the shrine outside. They were at the Hikawa Shrine in the Minato ward in Tokyo. Just like the Cedar Palace, it was a timeless place with spacious gardens that looked gorgeous even with the cloudy weather and foliage under their feet. 

"I thought it was going to rain,"Ryuu commented, making Alinea feel embarrassed. "What were you thinking?"

Of course, there was no need to deny that she might have affected the weather— well, she obviously did. But it was not because she was sad, well, not really. It's just that it's her wedding day and she thought… 

"Are you thinking about your parents?" he asked softly, surprising her. She turned to look at her face. "Why are you surprised? How could I not know what you're feeling right now?"

Of course, Alinea smiled. Of course, Ryuu knew her well enough to know that in spite her bravado of being strong amidst the tragedies, a part of her was feeling sad that her parents were not there to witness her wedding ceremony. It felt somehow incomplete, but she was aware that there was nothing they could do about that. 

The hand that held hers tightened and Ryuu stopped walking. They stood in the middle of the red bridge over the pond in the garden and he leaned towards her to plant a kiss on her lips. 

"Do not be sad my love. When we reunite with your parents, no matter how long the time has passed, I promise to have another wedding ceremony with you," he vowed softly, and all the sadness in her heart was completely wiped away. 

"Oh? Since when did my big husky learn how to be so eloquent?" she teased and his smile widened as he flicked her nose with his fingers. 

"Who is the big husky?" he countered as he pulled her closer against his body. "But to let you know, I've always been so eloquent— if not in words then in my actions," he added and it was the most perfect promise of love she'd ever heard. 

"I love you," Ryuu told her with his blue eyes smoldering with the ineffable emotions that reflected her own heart. 

"More than your alcohol collection?" she teased and he laughed as he nodded. 

"More than my alcohol collection," he answered as they both grinned at each other. 

Today was a special day— the formal presentation of the bride of the Homura House to the public, and the wedding of the century. Although the people who would witness their vows would not last that long, the groom who was the Lord of Flames and the bride who was heaven's favorite child were now reunited after thousands of years and would remain together for all eternity. 

"Then I love you too…"