Ivette laughed with Elyne, wrinkling up her nose. “Not at all! I simply meant that you must be quite breathless. It may be little to you, but you’ve come a long way, and running all the while!” But then, Ivette was aware that distances seemed more extreme to her than they probably did to others. She had rarely been allowed to venture much beyond Valerian’s own keep and had, thus, seen very little of this world.
In fact, Ivette liked even just the mention of the north. She was hugely curious about Aragoth and always had been. Having come from such a tiny island nation, the vast breadth of Aragoth proved nearly unthinkable and she often traced its outline in her mind: the wild South she was growing to know, but the untamed west, the glittering east, the frigid north all remained mysterious to her and Ivette wished, someday, to see it all. She had no idea when she might ever make such a journey, but it was a pleasant thing to contemplate.
Ivette grinned, “Fortunately, I was trained in how best to go unnoticed, so I think we shall make a most formidable team in this,” she said, merrily. Ivette clasped her hand to her mouth as she giggled. “Well, perhaps it proved a wonderful bonding experience,” she pointed out, half-serious, half-teasing. “Baking is much more complicated than it gets credit for, so I tend to think it’s rather a blessing that you had a cohort in the matter. Besides, it might have been a pleasant way to remember his mother on that day.” There were things Ivette still did, of the kind, just to feel closeness to her own mother. It was a blessing to think of her in that way, still, rather than focusing on her awful fate.
Ivette shrugged. “I gather some things are better. People aren’t forced to remain together, after love has fled and, I grant you, the…kinks haven’t been worked out of the system, but to those who are free, there are many perks.” She didn’t precisely condone most of the practices in the Southern Isles - in fact she vehemently protested many of them - but she knew it wasn’t all bad. There might even be some good things that both societies might learn from one another.
“I have no doubts,” replied Ivette, brightly. “I’ve hardly ever seen too people more in love than Cris and Ana and I’m certain their nuptials shall reflect that.” Ivette would be sad to part with Ana, she could admit that, but she was glad, too, that she was moving on to something bigger and better. “Are there any particular…traditions I should be prepared for?” she inquired. She wondered if being an inmate of the bride’s home required any duties that she, perhaps, had to foreseen.
Nodding, Ivette’s brows arched happily as she released a breath. “I can hardly believe it, but…yes! He did!” The possibilities of such a discovery were endless and Ivette felt overwhelmed with the hope of it. She clasped her hand to her abdomen. “This makes everything possible in a way we never hoped before. It seems surreal, but I’m confident,” she said. “That it must be some sort of sign.”
“Oh.” Elyne was rendered speechless. It was a rare thing Ivette had managed to do. Elyne was not so naive as to believe that all marriages in Aragoth were lovematches (in fact, she knew that few of them are), but to hear Ivette say that love faded suddenly made Elyne very sad. She supposed it must, sometimes, and if it did, wasn’t it better that the Southern Isles allowed for such a separation? Still, the idea that two people who once loved each other very much, should not live out their days happily together made her feel like crying.
She bit her lip. “I don’t suppose such a thing would happen to Ana and Cris? The two of them falling out of love, I mean. They seem so very much in love now. You’ve never seen two people love each other, as they do, fall out of it have you?” The words came tumbling out before she realized that she would almost rather not know such a terrible thing had happened (and therefore could happen to her (or worse!) one of her friends).
“Weddings in Aragoth are, overall, much simpler. Of course, royal and noble weddings are grand affairs which celebrations that last all day and night. When the queen marries, they except it to cost over two hundred and seventy gold dragons! I cannot even fathom possessing even one gold dragon, let alone having so many that I could spend so many on a wedding alone!” She hadn’t even seen a gold dragon coin in her life. Once, a very generous anonymous donor had given the orphanage a silver crown. It had been so rare and beautiful, she had wished she hadn’t needed to spend it.
“Even though Cris is from a noble house, I imagine that this one will be short and intimate. Ana will need to spend the day before in solitary prayers, but there isn’t much to the actual ceremony, itself. They will stand before a priest and make vows to both the gods and each other. This is followed by a few prayers and -- oh!” She stopped short at this sudden thought, “Perhaps a new dragon rider will be there!” She took Ivette’s hand, “It is a great honor to have a dragon rider as a wedding guest. And if he or she should given them a special blessing, I’m sure it will help to ensure their happiness!”
She felt a new sense of comfort and hope at this prospect, especially after what Ivette had just told her. She could not have known then, that the new dragon rider would prove to be a curse, and not a blessing, for the marriage.
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