Zodiac Academy 7: Heartless Sky

“Holy guacamole, what a magnificent day to marry into a family of Dragoons!” I cried as I flung my bedding asunder, smacking a rather startled looking Angelica in the face with it as I leapt out of bed as bare as the day I’d been born, breasts bouncing and Lady Petunia airing in the wind of this most joyous of days. Honestly, sometimes that girl looked like she needed a good shake in a basil bush to banish the dander from her ears. “Well don’t just sit there gawping, you nilly Nelly, we have much to do and only eighteen hours to do it. Don your heavy duty attire, my dear – tonight will be a night to remember. Nothing on heaven nor earth will be able to set these most mighty of plans adrift. So avast, my hot-blooded reptilian friend for we haven’t the time for your waffling!’

I yanked the door open and strode out into the corridor, almost knocking straight into the slippery salmon himself as I hurried towards a bath to soak my begonias in anticipation of the day.

“Oh Maxy boy, do watch where you’re drooling or someone will slip,” I chided, reaching out to shut his gaping jaw with a sharp tap of my index finger before taking off at a fast pace.

“Where the fuck are your clothes?” he spluttered, scrambling after me like a snake on its belly, once again drawn close by my feminine wiles.

“I have no time for garments on a morning such as this,” I replied, wondering if he intended on following me about endlessly and if I could make use of his brawn for hanging decorations if he did.

“Everyone has time for fucking garments, Gerry. People are gonna see your tits if you keep walking around out here like this and then I’m gonna have to kill them and there will be a whole clean up issue and-”

I stopped abruptly, whirling around so that he crashed straight into me as he failed to notice my halt in time to stop himself. He grasped the ample curve of my backdoor to stop himself from falling and I rightfully punched him in the nose, knocking him back once more.

“Do not lay a hand on my personage until after the nuptials, you salacious squid,” I cried, wafting him back as I cast a leaf over each of my nipples and a petunia to bloom over Lady Petunia to stop his constant gandering. “I haven’t the time to spare on watering the lawn until then.”

“I wasn’t trying to grope you, I almost fell on my ass when you stopped like that,” he barked. “And I was going to say…wait a minute did you just say not until after the nuptials? Like you’re down to hook up after then?”

“It is a wedding, is it not?” I asked him, unsure if he’d hit his head on my bouncing Bettys and gotten a concussion when we collided. “What kind of wedding would it be if the bridesmaid didn’t end up with an eel in her secret Cecil by the end of the night?”

“In your…where the fuck is a secret Cecil?” he asked, frowning at the leaves which concealed my lady nips like they weren’t to his satisfaction, and I rolled my eyes at his constant ignorance of the female form. Honestly, without my training I wasn’t sure he’d even know a poppet hole from an under globe. 

“Well, if you can’t figure it out then maybe I should find someone who can.” I threw my hands up in despair and turned away from him, giving him a full look at the orifice in question as I took off at a fierce pace, already losing too much time to this bothersome barracuda.

“You can’t keep wandering about dressed like that!” Max yelled after me, but I just waved him off and kept going, heading to the bathhouse to douse my petunia and freshen my fanny. 

“Make way!” I bellowed, breaking into a sprint as I made it to the cavern which held the royal baths and a few early risers shrieked in alarm as they were forced to leap aside as I took a running jump and swan dove into the pool.

I arose from the water like a swan shedding its grey down and emerging all in white feathers at long last. I grasped a washalilie and scrubbed my flesh like a heathen, scouring every nook and cranny in record sped before dousing myself with a cold wash of icy water magic and leaping from the pool once more, a petunia and two green leaves floating away across the water behind me as I strode back out of the bathhouse and headed for my room. 

The antagonising anaconda was waiting for me in the corridor as anticipated and I sighed dramatically, shrouding myself in moss to cover my body before he could chastise me any further. 

“Do make yourself useful if you plan on shadowing me and dry my hair for me,” I called over my shoulder as I passed him by, not giving him the opportunity to start blathering on. 

“You know, you’re kinda moody today, Gerry,” he pointed out as a gust of warm air spun around me and dried me out so thoroughly that I could have practically started a fire by rubbing my thighs together.

“Well, if I could get the preparations done in good time then that would alleviate a lot of my tension, but the list is endless, and time is ticking away.” I pushed back into my room and let the door swing closed in his face before dismissing the magic which covered my bountiful body and pulling on a pair of denim dungarees and a white t-shirt. 

Angelica was thankfully out of bed, getting herself dressed for the day and I double checked with her that she had everything under control for the wedding meal which we would sup on after the nuptials.

I drilled her eight times over the details to make certain she had them all in hand so that I could be assured that not so much as a buttery bagel would be left aside, and I finally allowed her to finish putting her bra on once I was satisfied.

I turned and whipped the door open again, meaning to head straight for the venue to start on the decorations but instead finding myself in the middle of a standoff at the meat market as both Maxy boy and dear Justin stood glaring at each other beyond my door.

“Oh, what fresh hell is this?” I demanded, placing my hands on my hips as I waited for an answer to my question.

“I came to offer you my assistance today, my sweet Grussy,” Justin said, straightening out the tweed jacket he was wearing and offering his cheek to the obnoxious Heir to his left.

“Well I was here first and I’m pretty sure she wants someone with the kind of magical skills that are actually useful for putting on a wedding – you’re only good for burning things. Unless you were planning on helping out in the kitchens?”

“Marvellous, it would seem you have found a solution without any need for my intervention,” I said, clapping my hands together firmly. “Justin, you may assist Angelica in the kitchens, and I shall take the bothersome barracuda up to assist me with the decorations.”

I pushed my way between them, damn near choking on the testosterone which filled the corridor while Max smirked provocatively, and Justin pouted like the little sea slug he could so often be. Honestly, that fellow needed a jolly good slap with a sardine from time to time.

“Have you thought any more about allowing me to be your date for the wedding?” Justin asked as he hurried to fall into step at my side and I huffed in frustration.

“I have told you; this is an exclusive event. We don’t want every Tom, Dick and Justin in attendance. Only the personally invited guests of both my papa and his sweet love, Lady Catalina are going to be in attendance and as neither of them have requested your presence, it will not be required.”

“Wait.” Justin grasped my arm and jerked me to a halt just as we reached the dining cavern and I whipped around to look at him with a sigh of frustration. Honestly, sometimes he had the temper of a toddler with a toothache. “Surely as your fiancé, my invitation is guaranteed. Hamish will be my father-in-law soon so-”

A snarl like a beast from a cavern of sin filled the air and a rush of wind wiffled through my hair a moment before Justin was hurled back and pinned to the closest wall with a crack which said something had likely broken. Probably his ego, but it was hard to be certain.

Max strode between us like a peacock with his tail in full bloom and bared his teeth at Justin as he came to stand before him, wielding the air to hold him against the wall.

“Don’t put your hands on her,” he warned, going all Alpha and feral and I could admit that it got my waters flowing to see him releasing the kraken on the man who was destined to whisk me away from his arms. “She told you you’re not invited so get the fucking hint or I’ll put you in your place.”

“My place is by her side,” Justin snarled, his quaffed blonde hair a flip and a flop of mess which spilled into his eyes. “You’re the one who is forgetting your position in all of this. Why are you even here anyway? You’re not loyal to the Vegas.”

“I’m loyal to Solaria,” Max replied, releasing Justin from the air magic which had him pinned to the wall as I bit my lip and gave myself a moment to watch the shenanigans unfold. “But if you have a problem with me then I’m always down for a fight with you.”

Fire flared to life in Justin’s palms and Max gave a cocky little smirk not unlike the one he’d gifted me on an occasion or two when he was plundering my sea cave. 

My heart pitter pattered like a herd of stampeding Minotaurs, and I fanned myself a little as the fight broke out in earnest, a fireball smashing into a blast of water which caused a huge cloud of steam to engulf all three of us as the two of them leapt at each other.

Fists and magic flew, and I indulged in the little thrill of being fought over like I was a slab of meat laid out for them to chew on before turning and striding away, emerging from the cloud of steam like a gorilla from the mist.

A loyal A.S.S. member awaited me by the exit with my buttery bagels in hand and I thanked him kindly, reminding him of the importance of making sure that my ladies had a breakfast fit for queens this morning as always before heading along the tunnel which led to the farmhouse.

Cries and the sounds of the continued fight followed me, and a smug little smile tugged at my lips which had Lady Petunia all of a flutter. It wasn’t very ladylike of me to enjoy the ruffians fighting for my attention the way they were, but I couldn’t help but appreciate the mental picture of Maxy boy pounding sweet Justin’s adoring little woodlouse face into the floor. 

It wasn’t that I particularly disliked my husband to be or anything like that. But I just knew that dithering with his dallywhacker was never going to come close to dancing with the dolphin, and that made me a little forlorn. If only Maxy boy could see the error of his ways, bend the knee, take up some soulful hobbies like knitting and make himself into a suitable alternative, I might even have indulged in the fantasy of ending the arrangement that had been made between Justin and I, and prancing off into the sea foam with him. Daddy wouldn’t mind. He only wanted me to be happy. Not that that mattered, for I had given my word to do this, and I was nothing if not a lady of my word, my dear, sweet, utterly dead Mama had taught me that. Besides, the only thing which would ensure my happiness would be seeing the Vega queens upon the throne and having a husband at my side who took as much joy in that fate as I.

I sighed regretfully at the knowledge that my slippery salmon could never be that man, and turned my attention to the task at hand as I climbed the tunnel which led up into the farmhouse and exited into the brusque morning air.

March was upon us now and there were some signs of spring on the wind, though the snow still hadn’t melted from this northerly outreach. But birdsong carried from the forest and a daffodil or two were poking their heads up in anticipation of a bountiful bloom.

I looked around, casting my eyes towards the spot I had selected on the far side of the space within the magical barrier where the mountains fell away and the view beyond was most beauteous, and a shriek of pure delight escaped me as I took it in.

I strode across the frosty ground, feeling out around me with my earth magic as I went, relishing the fullness of my power after I’d spent last night beneath the moon gathering aconite.

The sound of pounding feet drew my attention and I looked around, finding my lady Tory running along the edge of the magical barrier which kept us all safe and shrieking in delight as none other than the dastardly Dragoon chased after her in a clear attempt to capture her in his arms. It filled my heart with starlight to see her smile like that and I glowed even brighter as he tackled her to the ground and she managed to knee him in the man biscuits as they fell. 

The sweet sound of a Dragon cursing the damage to his prized treasure filled the air and I sighed as her laughter followed. Now he only needed to bend the knee, rescind his claim to the Celestial Council and live ever on as her devoted house husband, rearing the next generation of Vega princes and princesses for the throne while she took over the kingdom alongside her sister as the stars intended. 

I turned my attention to the task at hand and dropped to one knee as I began to craft the wedding venue with my earth magic, first erecting a pergola grown from the ground itself on a dais raised up to face the stars, before moving on to the seating which I arranged in two neat rows behind it. There were only to be eight guests here to witness this most joyous of events. Daddy had requested that the Vegas and I be present while Catalina wanted her sons and the other Heirs here. There had been mention of one Power Shamed ex professor attending too, but when poor Daddy swooned and almost busted his head open on a rock, it had been decided that it was best he stay away with his shame in case it tainted the magic of their union. 

Heavy footsteps drew my attention to my back, and I turned my head as I finished constructing the frame of my design and found Maxy boy approaching, his shirt half burnt off and one eyebrow singed, but a cocky swagger to his movements let me know he’d given Justin a jolly good pummelling.

“You left,” he accused, moving to stand behind me and I pushed to my feet too.

“I have work to do, as you well know,” I chastised him, reaching out to slap his chest, my hand meeting with the firm muscle of his pec and lingering against his deliciously dark skin. “But tell me, did he scream like a salamander in a cesspit?”

Max chuckled cruelly, leaning in and dominating me with that big aura of his as his mouth dropped to my ear.

“I made him beg for his momma and piss his pants for good measure,” he growled, taking my fingers in his and using his gifts to offer up a view of the memory.

A shiver tracked down my spine as I allowed it, my lips curling up in amusement as he showed me the moment he’d overwhelmed Justin with his brutish power and had thrust a wave of terror into him with his Siren gifts, causing him to weep and beg and indeed wet himself.

“Oh you are a bad, bad, barracuda, aren’t you?” I murmured, my hand sliding down his chest and tracing the firm ridges of his abs as he groaned softly at my touch.

“I don’t like that fucker trying to steal you from me,” he said, owning his devotion even though we both knew that it could lead us nowhere.

“He cannot steal that which is not claimed,” I replied with a sigh, drawing my hand away and looking to all the work I had yet to do, but of course he wouldn’t be so easily perturbed.

“I have claimed you, Gerry. You’re just too blind to see it.”

I raised my eyes to his again, frowning at the brash audacity of his tone and stamping down the little jig Lady Petunia was trying to start up in my undergarments.

“I don’t have time for philandering today,” I began, but he was already following my gaze and nodding.

“Alright. If you need to concentrate on making this all pretty and sparkly and shit, then you’ve got the perfect man for the job at your side. I can do things with water magic that would blow your insane little mind, Gerry.”

Max took my hand and I looked down at our interlocked fingers in surprise as I felt his magic pressing against the barrier of mine in offering.

“And if you wanna make something truly amazing then we should really work on it together,” he added, a dare in his tone and a twinkle in his eye.

This dastardly dogfish would be the death of me one of these days.

Yet despite every reason I had to mistrust a troublesome Heir, I found my magic rushing towards that point of contact he held, the power within me buzzing with the scandalous idea of merging with his.

“This is practically blasphemy,” I murmured, not pulling away.

“Oh come on, Gerry. It isn’t like it’s the first thing I’ve ever put inside you.”

I barked a laugh at his jest and nodded in agreement. “Alright then, let us tangle our tentacles once again, Maxy boy. I want to see what you’ve got.”

His grin widened and I pushed my barriers aside, finding it far easier to do so than I should have with a cad like him. Our magic merged and oh, what a merger it was!

I gasped at the rush of his power beneath my skin, near panting with the flush of water and air which crashed through my body, meeting my own magic and combining with it in a furious wave. My power over earth grounded us but the might of our combined water darn near swept me away on a tide of bliss I never wanted to come back from.

“Oh wet begonias on a Sunday morn,” I moaned, soaking in the feeling of him filling me.

“Yeah,” Max panted, his eyes alight with the thrill of me being inside him too. “What you said.”

I chuckled loudly, the mirth in me bursting forth and making him smile too as I turned my attention to the work at hand and we began creating the wedding venue of dreams.

“Tonight will be a night to remember,” I cooed as we worked and Max drew closer to me, slipping his arms around my waist so that he could increase the contact between us, and I found myself not protesting the move in the slightest.

“Yeah, Gerry. It’ll be perfect,” he promised and by golly, I believed he actually meant to make it so.

***

We finished our work with barely a moment to spare, the elegant pergola where the union would take place dressed in millions of tiny starflowers which blossomed only beneath the light of the stars which would be out at any moment as the sun had already dipped beneath the horizon.

Everything sparkled with the most delicate touch of frost, each snowflake individually crafted to hold the initials H and C intertwined in eternal love which made my giddy heart glow with adoration.

Above the seats which had been created from the pure white wood hung a swathe of lilac and pink flowers in every variety, each of them frost tipped and glimmering even in the low light of the rising moon.

“Oh what a joyous and most magnanimous evening,” I gasped, my wet Wandas getting the better of me as a sob choked its way free of my lips and tears sprung from my eyes.

A solid arm wound its way around my shoulders, and I fell apart as I allowed the slippery salmon of my heart to draw me closer to him, burying my face in his chest and breathing in his raw man scent like it was a balm to my senses.

“You’ve done an amazing job here, Gerry,” he said, touching a soft kiss to my hair which made me gasp and cry some more.

“You know full well that without the addition of your magic it would be a mere husk of the beauty it is now,” I chided, and he chuckled softly.

“Well, I might have leant you the magic to get the job done but this is all you. Your dad will be thrilled.”

“You think so?” I asked, tilting my head back to look at him and he reached out to brush the tears from my cheeks with a soft smile which crept into my heart and unfurled there.

Oh, what a shame it was that he was such a slanderous sardine.

“I know so,” he swore, his gaze dropping to my mouth and making me think he might just steal a kiss, but instead he cleared his throat and drew back. “You don’t have long to get yourself dressed, Gerry. I’d hate to make you late for this after you worked so hard to pull it together.”

“Oh good galaxies, you’re right!” I cried, looking up at the moon and gauging the time from it. “I only have a few moments to prepare myself!”

I spun away from my fabulous flounder and took off post haste, racing back down into The Burrows and sprinting at full speed to my chamber where my ladies were due to meet with me.

The corridors were busy but I dropped my head low, squared my shoulders and bellowed a warning for all to move aside as I charged through the crowd, knocking any lollygaggers to their posteriors as I raced by.

I flung open the door to my room and gasped in delight as I found the two Vega princesses looking every bit the queens they were in the stunning taffeta gowns I’d had made especially for the occasion for them.

Tory’s nose was wrinkled as she looked at the layers upon layers of moss green skirt which ruffled out around her endlessly and I pushed my way through them as I moved to grasp her chin and raise her gaze to meet mine.

“Do not doubt the beauty you exude, my fair queen. I assure you that you wear this stunning gown and it does not wear you – so fear not!”

“Err, that wasn’t what I was-”

“They’re really something, Geraldine, thank you,” Darcy cut in, giving me a wide smile with so many teeth that they glittered like stars. I had selected her the same gown in a vibrant orange colour which really complimented the blue of her hair and I darn near started sobbing again as I looked between them.

“I don’t think we’ll fit through the door though,” Tory added. “Maybe if I just cut a few layers off…”

I burst out laughing at her jest, swimming through the swathes of their skirts as I headed to claim my own blush pink gown in the very same style as theirs.

“I know that I am but a lowly servant to the crown,” I said as I stripped down and stepped into my dress, unable to look at them as I spoke these words. “But I cannot explain the honour I feel in matching you ladies in our attire on this most special of occasions. I never had any siblings, but I know the love I feel for the two of you must equal what I would have felt for sisters of my very own.”

“Aww, shit, don’t go getting all soppy on me or I’ll end up wearing the damn hat too,” Tory teased as she waded through the confines of her dress and managed to wrap her arms around me just as Darcy did the same from the other side.

“We’re so lucky to have you, Geraldine,” she added, making my unworthy heart burst into a million pieces and scatter themselves among the stars to glow on in eternal happiness in the heavens.

“Oh, my ladies,” I gasped. “If Lionel Acrux himself were to show up here and kill me this very night, I would die content and endlessly happy in the company of those kind words and the love I hold in my heart for you.”

“Jesus, Geraldine, you can’t say shit like that,” Tory said, swatting my arm to chastise me. “That’s like tempting fate. You might as well have said something like ‘nothing could possibly go wrong now’ or ‘I had a feeling everything was going to be okay.’”

Darcy laughed. “Yeah, don’t go tempting the stars to turn on us, they already have enough fun screwing with us without needing any encouragement. I swear a couple of the sparkly shits gave me and Lance an evil look when we went for a walk outside last night.”

“I apologise,” I giggled. But I knew not a thing would go wrong tonight. This union was already blessed before it had begun, now we just had to get to the part where they said ‘I do.’

I made it fully into my dress and my queens helped me to apply my makeup as best they could while we all worked around the confines of our dresses until finally, the three of us stood ready before the mirror, admiring ourselves.

The orange, pink and green fabric of our dresses all fought for dominance as we tried to squeeze close to one another to admire ourselves, and I giggled at our three little heads popping out from a tide of taffeta like a colourful Cerberus, and it was so endlessly glorious that I almost cried again.

“We look…wow,” Tory said, her eyes raking over all of us in the reflection as she found herself too gobsmacked to even smile.

“Yeah,” Darcy breathed, equally flat mouthed. “Wow.”

“Wow indeed!” I gushed and we all fell into fits of giggles as we slipped our feet into our stilettos and headed for the door.

“Fuck it,” Tory said, throwing a final look at the mirror before pulling the door wide and leading the way out. “Let’s go watch a wedding.”

I cupped my hands around my mouth as we began along the tunnel, crying out for everyone to move aside for the passage of the true queens so loud that my voice echoed throughout the entire network of underground chambers and tunnels. And move they did. People gasped and pointed, eyes widening. Some of them turned utterly giddy at the sight of my majesties looking so thoroughly royal that they found themselves in a state of nervous giggles.

“This might be the best day of my life,” I choked out as we continued our parade through the caverns and headed towards my father’s new destiny.

“That’s great, Geraldine,” Darcy said, placing a hand on my shoulder as we made it up into the farmhouse and the whispers and praise of the crowds were left behind us.

I led the way out into the night, gasping with joy at the starflowers coming into bloom all over the pergola where the union was to take place.

The Heirs and Xavier had already arrived, each of them looking dashing in black tuxes and their eyes all widened as they turned to watch our approach.

“By the bat shit crazy stars,” Seth gasped in delight, his eyes widening as he drank in the visage which was my ladies and me. “Do you know you all look like-”

Caleb slapped a hand over his mouth before he could finish that no doubt crass compliment and I giggled coyly as I drank in the sight of so much well packaged man meat.

“Looking…stunning, girls,” Caleb said and by golly he did look stunned.

Tory snorted in that unladylike and yet utterly endearing way of hers which gave away her pleasure at them all appreciating our attire so much, and I couldn’t help but flutter my eyelashes at Maxy boy who seemed to have lost the power of speech.

We moved to take our seats and Darius and Xavier stepped forward to help us spread them apart a little to make room for the voluminous skirts of our gowns.

“You like?” Tory asked, giving her devilish Dragon a smile worthy of launching a thousand vessels as he looked her up and down.

“Fuck me, Roxy, I know I really am in love if I can see you in that gown and still want you just as fiercely as ever,” Darius muttered as he helped her into her seat, and I practically glowed at seeing him swoon over her in her finery.

“Well try to control yourself,” she whispered back. “It would be a crying shame if it was burnt to cinders by your fire magic while you were trying to get me out of it.”

Darcy laughed and I hid my own chuckle beneath my hand. They really were the most well matched of mates. Even if they weren’t actually mates at all now…I frowned as I thought on that, looking up to the heavens and wondering if they would offer up a fresh chance at an Elysian Mate bond for the two of them so that they could accept it with all of their hearts now. Surely they deserved that much.

Before I could muse on that too long, footsteps announced Papa’s arrival and I squealed as I leapt to my feet, flinging my arms out wide and accidentally smacking Xavier in the eye as I did so.

“Ow!” he cursed, stumbling back a step and I whirled to him with an apology.

“I am so sorry, my dear brother, but fear not – I brought you a gift in honour of us becoming siblings which I’m certain will take the sting away!” I reached down to lift the skirts of my gown, rustling and rummaging until I found the two gifts I had gotten my new brothers and I darn near squealed again, wondering what they’d gotten me in return.

“Brother?” Xavier muttered, glancing at Darius like he was so overwhelmed by my new claim on him that he had no words for his emotions.

Darius gave me a look which was so full of sibling love that he couldn’t even manage to make his face react to it, the blank, utter shock concealing the jubilation which I just knew was hiding beneath the surface. 

“Perhaps save the gifts you got me for later?” I suggested, fanning my eyes as they threatened to spill over. “I think I’ll end up all of a dither if I open them now.”

‘Gifts?” Xavier asked and bless his cotton socks, he was so overwhelmed with emotion that it appeared he’d forgotten what was even going on here.

Darius opened his mouth, but Tory had a sudden knee spasm which caused her to kick him in the shin and he grunted in pain as he looked to her instead.

“Perhaps just save it for the morning, yeah? You don’t want Geraldine to cry her makeup off,” she said pointedly.

“Oh yes, the morning sounds perfect,” Darcy agreed, nodding profusely. The sweet little lamb was clearly on utter tenterhooks for the celebration and could hardly contain herself.

“Yes,” I agreed frantically. “Let’s save it for the morn when I can fully fall apart without it impacting on this fine day.”

I handed over the gifts I had gotten for my new brothers and they both thanked me with frowns of curiosity and anticipation lining their brows.

I watched with rapt attention as Xavier unwrapped his, revealing the bushel of seven utterly perfect carrots alongside the poem I had written for him, and his smile lit up the darn moon.

“This is…so great,” he said, already salivating over the feast I had prepared for him and by golly I fell apart at the onslaught of emotion I felt pouring from him and flung myself into his arms with a sob, clutching him to my bosom and swearing to love him in all the ways a big sister should. He was so lost for words that he could only pat my back and nod along, but I could feel the connection between us forming into a solid and unbreakable bond which I knew would remain in place until our dying days.

“You got me a gold coin?” Darius asked and I turned my attention to him, nodding through my tears as I pointed to it.

“I had it engraved with this date upon it,” I gushed – the day we became a family.

Darius smirked at me, shaking his head like he was just lost for words.

“Can I see?” Darcy asked, reaching out towards it but he growled, his fist snapping closed over it before he pushed it into his pocket, muttering ‘mine’ like the treasure hoarding Dragoon he was.

I turned and hurried over to Papa as I noticed him shuffling from foot to foot, nervously smoothing down his moustache as he kept glancing over his shoulder down the short and empty aisle. He was wearing a dashing, powder blue suit with ruffles galore and a blush pink kerchief poked out of one pocket to match my dress.

“What do you always tell me when I get myself in a kerfuffle?” I barked at him.

“Chin up, chest out and don’t let them see you blubber,” he replied sternly, trying to take his own advice as he straightened his spine and I nodded firmly, stepping forward to straighten his bowtie as Darius and Xavier strode away from us to collect the bride.

I was all of a film-flam as I stood there like a pelican who’d lost his fish and as a warm hand caught my arm, I allowed Max to draw me away and return me to my seat.

Darcy took my hand as I sat between her and her sister, my heart racing along like a penguin on land, trying to escape a polar bear – awkward and bumbling yet determined all the same.

Music sprung to life as Catalina’s arrival triggered the magical spell I’d set on the place, and I shrieked like a banshee as my excitement got the better of me and I spun to look upon the bride who would soon become my step-mama.

My thoughts turned to my own mama who I’d lost so many moons ago, and my heart let out a tiny sob as I missed her. For a moment, I could have sworn I heard a whisper upon the spring breeze and the caress of my beloved Mama’s hand down my cheek, causing a tear to slide smoothly from my eye and drip from my chin as I was filled with reassurance. I was sure she was here in some form, peering out from beyond the veil to watch my cherished Papa find happiness once more.

Catalina walked between her two sons, her smile as radiant as the first sunbeam of the dawn, her skin as effervescent as the pool of Anu which was rumoured to hold the key to eternal life, her pale pink, hand sewn wedding dress demure and dazzling at once, hugging her figure and yet looking regal and elegant too. 

I was so caught up in squealing with excitement and staring on in endless love and adoration for my father as she reached him that I utterly forgot that I was supposed to be silent for the procession.

I clapped my hand over my mouth to stifle my cries of joy and Darcy muttered a curse as she shook out the fingers I’d been crushing in my excitement.

My eyes watered as they spoke their vows to one another, the purity of their smiles and honesty of their love shining so brightly that it was impossible to look away from it as they chose one another and bound themselves into a life of love and commitment for the rest of time.

It was as beautiful as a boomsday bunny in a bonnet on a buttery bagel. And as the stars granted their request and bound them to one another, I leapt up and screamed for all the world to hear, pouncing on the two of them and crushing them against my bosom as I sobbed in purest, sweetest joy.