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“I realize we’re about five minutes from showtime, but are you absolutely, positively certain you want to take your vows wearing that? As your lawyer, and maid of honor, I feel it’s my responsibility-”
“This is fine, Teysa.” Lavinia adjusted the sash around her breastplate. “It’s tradition for Arresters.”
“It’s also tradition for arresters to fill out paperwork to use the toilet. Besides, that thing makes you look like a walking thumb.”
Lavinia rolled her eyes. “Exava will think it’s funny.”
“She thinks leaving Krovod dung in Jace’s hood is funny.” Teysa pursed her lips and looked up from the catering contract she was reviewing. “Which I guess it is. Okay, point taken.”
“How do I look?” Lavinia did a quick turn. Her wedding gown was a semi-mismatched combination of armor, dress, and the cowl from her days as a street arrester. The latter she’d kept partly for Exava, partly because it gave her some badly-needed courage.
Teysa looked her over top to bottom with a critical eye.
“You look ready. Let’s get you married.”
** ** **
“Are you sure you want to get married here?” Judith looked around the gaudy church with a raised eyebrow. “As your friend and your Best Witch, I have to say-”
Exava shrugged. “Lavinia’s friend inherited it from a dead uncle or something like that. Besides, doesn’t every little girl dream of a wedding in a golden Orzhov cathedral?” She grinned and made a face. “Especially if your half of the wedding party trashes the place during the after-party.”
“Mmm, that will be fun. Reception is at the ex-guildpact’s home, isn’t it? I’d love to make a little mayhem there too.”
Behind them, Jace cleared his throat.
“I…I’m right here, you know.”
“I am happy for you,” Judith said with a smile, ignoring the mind-mage. “Promise me you’ll still come to the revue for a routine once in a while?”
“I’ll do a lot of things for love, but I’ll never give up on the stage.” Exava did a sharp pirouette onto the altar, and did a set of vaults and somersaults for the wedding guests. The knives sewn into her gown clattered together rhythmically. The right half of the audience, crammed with demons, ogres, goblins, and the wildest collection of humans on Ravnica, hooted appreciatively. The left side, full of mostly sober-faced humans and vedalken, gave a scattered applause, unsure of whether the stunt constituted some part of a Rakdos marriage ceremony.
“She’s coming!”
A small devil scurried through the cathedral doors, its high-pitched-voice cutting through the murmurs of the crowd.
“She’s coming! The bride has come to claim her bride!!” The devil rolled up onto the dais and attempted to light part of the carpet on fire Judith sent it sailing of the dais with a well-aimed kick, and it fell in a giggling arc into the assembled Rakdos crowd.
“Knock her dead, girl,” Judith winked and took her place along the Rakdos side of the cathedral.
The cathedral doors swung open again, and a swell of music sounded from the organs as Lavinia stepped through, escorted by Teysa, her advokist friend with the cane and the stylish face piercings.
Exava felt her heart skip a beat. It was like something out of some corny pulp-novel, but Lavinia really did take her breath away. Her round shoulders, that stern, strong way she walked. The way that stupid cowl framed her cute little face…
And her smile, like the little one she was giving Exava now, as she mounted the steps. That rare but wonderful smile.
“You know I’m not the guildpact anymore, right?” Jace was hissing at Teysa as she took her place on the Azorius side of the cathedral. “Shouldn’t like, Niv-Mizzet be here? Or at least an Orzhov priest?”
“Goodness no.” Teysa clucked her tongue softly. “You’ve been in meetings with Niv-Mizzet, do you think that’s appropriate for a wedding? Moreover, do you really want one of those fat pontiffs droning up here for an hour?”
“I guess not,” Jace muttered. Then he cleared his throat. “Um, right…we’re here to join-”
“Dear, we don’t need you to actually say anything,” Judith whispered. “Just stand there in your cloak and look important.”
Jace muttered something under his breath, but managed a smile. “The vows, then.”
“I’ve been fixated on this wonderful woman for years,” Exava sighed. “There’s nothing funner than bedeviling an arrester, especially when she’s so cu~ute. But somewhere along the way I found someone who’s also kind, strong, and more willing to do what she thinks is right than what she’s told to do.” She took Lavinia’s hand and lay a kiss on the back of it. “I can’t wait to spend whatever time we have left together, and find more rules for her to break. I promise to love you for all that time, and to never stop getting you to have a little more fun.” She kissed the hand again, nipping a knuckle with her canine for good measure.
Lavinia didn’t even flinch, though Exava could swear she turned a small shade pinker as she began her own vows.
“I never thought I’d marry at all.” Lavinia’s smile turned wry and wistful. “When I was younger, nothing seemed as important as the job. You say I’m kind, but…but you helped me want to be kinder still. To help and understand the difference between doing what the law demands and doing what’s right for everyone, regardless of guild. I vow to never forget that compassion, and I vow to protect you always, with all my strength, and with all my love, against any force of law or chaos that tries to harm you.”
She took Exava’s hand now, and kneeling down in front of her, lay a long, soft kiss on the back of Exava’s hand, and then on her fingers. Exava felt the breath leave her again. Lavinia stood, still holding the hand, and winked.
Exava’s heart was thudding against her ribs like a wild ragemutt. This woman…
This wife…
“That was…surprisingly touching,” Jace said. “You may now, um…do whatever, I guess. I don’t think I actually have any control here-”
“Hush,” Teysa whispered.
Exava put ran her fingers along the edge of Lavinia’s cowl.
“May I?”
Lavinia smiled demurely, and nodded.
Exava’s fingers slipped under the cowl and peeled it back from her wife’s face. The neat crop of brown hair underneath was adorably ruffled, and Exava had to refrain from nuzzling it right there and then. Instead, she left her fingers along the back of Lavinia’s head, and pulled her forward into a kiss. Lavinia’s own hands found their way up Exava’s back, and the cool caress gave her the shivers.
Both sides of the cathedral burst into thunderous applause. A rowdy song went up from the Rakdos, and a hearty cheer from the Azorius. Jace was clapping too, flanked by Teysa and a teary-eyed Judith.
And at the center of it all, the newlyweds held each other tighter, the rest of the plane forgotten, for the moment.
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