A Wedding in Bruma IV: Now and Forever
Dec. 7th, 2019 03:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
conjuredskiesThe two grooms aren't allowed to stay up until midnight. Terentius nudges them both out of their chairs and bids them say goodnight to their guests before Felix takes his husband to bed. Some of the jokes called up to them are more bawdy than tasteful, but most everyone there is too sozzled for it to be taken ill. Felix laughs them off and escorts Jim back into the house, arm in arm, castling a magelight over their heads as they go downstairs to their room.
The bed is waiting for them, furs turned up invitingly. Jim staggers over to it with a relieved sigh, but Felix halts him when he starts to take off his boots.
"Not yet." There's a jug of clean mountain water on the dresser; he pours them each a cup and offers one to Jim. "We have a… quick side trip to make."
"Are you serious? Right now?" Jim's covering a yawn as he sips at the cup.
"I'm afraid so. The formalities won't be… won't be proper until then."
"Felix, I swear…" Another yawn. "We could have done this earlier."
"It's better this way. This part… needs to go unseen." Jim lifts his eyebrows curiously, but finishes his water. Felix drains his own cup. Neither of them are terribly drunk, which is important. Felix knows well before his husband opens his mouth there will be questions because nothing gets underneath Jim’s skin quite so readily as being left in the dark. He shuts the captain up by producing a small device that has no place in this world but to which both men know very well. Jim nods as his cup is plucked from his fingers, more biddable now that answers will come in the immediate if this is how they’re travelling.
They PINpoint into the undercroft of the Chapel, down among the crypts. Around them the flickering light of devotional candles illuminate carved urns and sarcophagi; wreaths left in memory. Felix tugs Jim further in before any questions can be asked. With a snap of magic he summons his familiar, sending the ghostly wolf gambolling through the passages ahead of them. Its ears and nose reassure him that no-one else is hiding here to spy on what they do.
He pauses once, to light a candle and murmur a prayer at his mother's tomb, asking her to watch over himself and Jim. It's not the reason they're down here, but it would be wrong not to stop and pay their respects to Salatia here. Felix has been tight lipped since they left their room at the family house but Jim needs only to squint in the magelight to see where they’ve ended up. He’s not expecting his eyes to water for a woman he’s never met, someone he’s heard even less about than Jim’s new father-in-law. While Felix gives his prayers Jim too closes his eyes. Allows himself a few tears for all the years Felix never got to have with Salatia Caelus. A pain Jim knows all too well. One he’s never seen Felix carry but knows must be there somewhere.
Felix shifts to move well before Jim assumes he will but they’re not finished here. He still can’t get in a word while Felix leads him round a corner where they find a small table left out. A lantern stands on it, alongside a couple of tapers; a candle and a handful of flowers. Jim gets to scoop them up while Felix leads the way around another corner. The tombs in this corner of the crypt don't seem tended as well: no lighted candles, no small offerings left to the dead. It's still a little much for Felix to find the sarcophagus of one 'Brother Jauffre' and haul the entire stone lid off.
He presses something in the side as he does it, so the great lid swings up and clunks against the wall with only the merest grinding of stone. Inside is a narrow gap letting them down a few stone steps to a hidden chamber. Felix closes the door over them as Jim lifts the lantern to see where they are.
Sitting before them is a great altar, easily the size of the one far above in the main chapel. But this one is engraved with the Imperial dragon. Here is the altar of Talos, hidden away from Thalmor eyes; here, standing above it, is his statue. The Talos of Cyrodiil is portrayed differently: not a mailed and cloaked Nord warrior as he's depicted in Skyrim, but a sharp-featured man in mantle and robe, his hands on the hilt of the sword whose point rests between his feet. Talos the Emperor, warrior and diplomat, brave hero and shrewd statesman both. The father of the Empire. If the shrine around his altar is less grand than those in the open above, it is no less adorned with offerings and gestures of devotion.
Felix takes Jim's hand and shares a look with him before they approach. "Follow my lead." It’s not an instruction he’ll have to repeat, either. Jim finally understands but he’s still internally floundering to be thrust right back into another ritual. As Jim lights the candle, Felix scatters the flowers on the altar, the two hand in hand. Felix bows his head and recites quietly:
"In the name of Talos, we vow to stand united by law and honor, and be as one from this day forward, through war and peace, strife and ease. Now and forever." He sinks to a knee, tugging Jim down with him. "Lord Talos, bless us, that we may always stand unconquered against our enemies. Teach us to be better men, in service to each other as to you."
“This, above all, do we so vow.” With raw determination Jim murmurs his assent to the recital. The words he’d been forbidden to speak during the ceremony the morning before reverberate off the walls around them. Here on his knees in this hidden underground shrine they come no less sincerely than they did up on the stone steps of the church. In here they are criminals in the eyes of the law, forced to give this final vow under cover of night and pretense. Never has Jim been made more keenly aware of just how serious the political struggles of this world are until this moment. From deep within Jim’s gut fear spikes through him for what the consequences would be if they were found here. His hands do not shake. His gaze is as defiant as Felix’s is when they raise their heads.
The conjurer’s hand is tight on his when Felix pulls him close enough to wrap an arm around him. They began all of this sneaking off to get up to mischief together. It’s only fitting that they seal their marriage the same way. His eyes are shining in the candlelight, his grin sharp and utterly assured when he and Jim look at each other.
“A little light law-breaking in a good cause,” he says. “No better way to start our marriage, don’t you think?”
“A little ironic, considering the vow you just read off.” Though not one to be regretted for even a moment. This last piece may have had to be done in secret but like the small lantern lit last during the New Year tucked away atop a doorway their vows to Talos are no less important than any of the others before them. “Then again, you never said whose law we’d stand united under.”
The still air around them hangs heavy while the two men sit knelt upon the stones. Nothing else to be heard other than their own breathing. For a moment Jim waits, sure there’s still something yet to be done. Somewhere even deeper to be drug. They’ve done their due diligence to the Divines, but Felix Caelus is so much more than that. When the mage says nothing Jim finally raises the lantern again to stare at his husband.
“So….?”
Felix is looking at him intently, just drinking in everything about Jim in this moment. The moment Jim becomes fully and irrevocably a part of his world. The gods see him, and that means Tamriel sees him, just as much as Felix himself. His heart is too full to speak for a moment.
“So?” His free hand lifts to cup Jim’s face. “So it’s done. You’re mine. My husband. Completely and truly. No turning back.” The laughter bubbles up from him, unexpected and joyful. “Are… are you ready to go home, love?”
He might not be expecting just how confused Jim gets by the gesture. Pleased, of course, his smile comes without his input at even the smallest touch from Felix. But he doesn’t understand. “But--” It’s not a joke. He can read it in Felix’s face well enough. A shrine to someone Else is hardly any place to ask though so Jim pushes himself to his feet with a quiet little grunt of exertion before holding out his hands to help Felix up after him. “Yeah. Ready to go.”
He can ask when they’re back in their bedroom. Or maybe in the morning, if it’s truly not so urgent. After so much ceremony and the scrutiny of nine Gods Jim’s ready to curl up safely with his new husband. Surely by now they’ve earned that.
The bed is waiting for them, furs turned up invitingly. Jim staggers over to it with a relieved sigh, but Felix halts him when he starts to take off his boots.
"Not yet." There's a jug of clean mountain water on the dresser; he pours them each a cup and offers one to Jim. "We have a… quick side trip to make."
"Are you serious? Right now?" Jim's covering a yawn as he sips at the cup.
"I'm afraid so. The formalities won't be… won't be proper until then."
"Felix, I swear…" Another yawn. "We could have done this earlier."
"It's better this way. This part… needs to go unseen." Jim lifts his eyebrows curiously, but finishes his water. Felix drains his own cup. Neither of them are terribly drunk, which is important. Felix knows well before his husband opens his mouth there will be questions because nothing gets underneath Jim’s skin quite so readily as being left in the dark. He shuts the captain up by producing a small device that has no place in this world but to which both men know very well. Jim nods as his cup is plucked from his fingers, more biddable now that answers will come in the immediate if this is how they’re travelling.
They PINpoint into the undercroft of the Chapel, down among the crypts. Around them the flickering light of devotional candles illuminate carved urns and sarcophagi; wreaths left in memory. Felix tugs Jim further in before any questions can be asked. With a snap of magic he summons his familiar, sending the ghostly wolf gambolling through the passages ahead of them. Its ears and nose reassure him that no-one else is hiding here to spy on what they do.
He pauses once, to light a candle and murmur a prayer at his mother's tomb, asking her to watch over himself and Jim. It's not the reason they're down here, but it would be wrong not to stop and pay their respects to Salatia here. Felix has been tight lipped since they left their room at the family house but Jim needs only to squint in the magelight to see where they’ve ended up. He’s not expecting his eyes to water for a woman he’s never met, someone he’s heard even less about than Jim’s new father-in-law. While Felix gives his prayers Jim too closes his eyes. Allows himself a few tears for all the years Felix never got to have with Salatia Caelus. A pain Jim knows all too well. One he’s never seen Felix carry but knows must be there somewhere.
Felix shifts to move well before Jim assumes he will but they’re not finished here. He still can’t get in a word while Felix leads him round a corner where they find a small table left out. A lantern stands on it, alongside a couple of tapers; a candle and a handful of flowers. Jim gets to scoop them up while Felix leads the way around another corner. The tombs in this corner of the crypt don't seem tended as well: no lighted candles, no small offerings left to the dead. It's still a little much for Felix to find the sarcophagus of one 'Brother Jauffre' and haul the entire stone lid off.
He presses something in the side as he does it, so the great lid swings up and clunks against the wall with only the merest grinding of stone. Inside is a narrow gap letting them down a few stone steps to a hidden chamber. Felix closes the door over them as Jim lifts the lantern to see where they are.
Sitting before them is a great altar, easily the size of the one far above in the main chapel. But this one is engraved with the Imperial dragon. Here is the altar of Talos, hidden away from Thalmor eyes; here, standing above it, is his statue. The Talos of Cyrodiil is portrayed differently: not a mailed and cloaked Nord warrior as he's depicted in Skyrim, but a sharp-featured man in mantle and robe, his hands on the hilt of the sword whose point rests between his feet. Talos the Emperor, warrior and diplomat, brave hero and shrewd statesman both. The father of the Empire. If the shrine around his altar is less grand than those in the open above, it is no less adorned with offerings and gestures of devotion.
Felix takes Jim's hand and shares a look with him before they approach. "Follow my lead." It’s not an instruction he’ll have to repeat, either. Jim finally understands but he’s still internally floundering to be thrust right back into another ritual. As Jim lights the candle, Felix scatters the flowers on the altar, the two hand in hand. Felix bows his head and recites quietly:
"In the name of Talos, we vow to stand united by law and honor, and be as one from this day forward, through war and peace, strife and ease. Now and forever." He sinks to a knee, tugging Jim down with him. "Lord Talos, bless us, that we may always stand unconquered against our enemies. Teach us to be better men, in service to each other as to you."
“This, above all, do we so vow.” With raw determination Jim murmurs his assent to the recital. The words he’d been forbidden to speak during the ceremony the morning before reverberate off the walls around them. Here on his knees in this hidden underground shrine they come no less sincerely than they did up on the stone steps of the church. In here they are criminals in the eyes of the law, forced to give this final vow under cover of night and pretense. Never has Jim been made more keenly aware of just how serious the political struggles of this world are until this moment. From deep within Jim’s gut fear spikes through him for what the consequences would be if they were found here. His hands do not shake. His gaze is as defiant as Felix’s is when they raise their heads.
The conjurer’s hand is tight on his when Felix pulls him close enough to wrap an arm around him. They began all of this sneaking off to get up to mischief together. It’s only fitting that they seal their marriage the same way. His eyes are shining in the candlelight, his grin sharp and utterly assured when he and Jim look at each other.
“A little light law-breaking in a good cause,” he says. “No better way to start our marriage, don’t you think?”
“A little ironic, considering the vow you just read off.” Though not one to be regretted for even a moment. This last piece may have had to be done in secret but like the small lantern lit last during the New Year tucked away atop a doorway their vows to Talos are no less important than any of the others before them. “Then again, you never said whose law we’d stand united under.”
The still air around them hangs heavy while the two men sit knelt upon the stones. Nothing else to be heard other than their own breathing. For a moment Jim waits, sure there’s still something yet to be done. Somewhere even deeper to be drug. They’ve done their due diligence to the Divines, but Felix Caelus is so much more than that. When the mage says nothing Jim finally raises the lantern again to stare at his husband.
“So….?”
Felix is looking at him intently, just drinking in everything about Jim in this moment. The moment Jim becomes fully and irrevocably a part of his world. The gods see him, and that means Tamriel sees him, just as much as Felix himself. His heart is too full to speak for a moment.
“So?” His free hand lifts to cup Jim’s face. “So it’s done. You’re mine. My husband. Completely and truly. No turning back.” The laughter bubbles up from him, unexpected and joyful. “Are… are you ready to go home, love?”
He might not be expecting just how confused Jim gets by the gesture. Pleased, of course, his smile comes without his input at even the smallest touch from Felix. But he doesn’t understand. “But--” It’s not a joke. He can read it in Felix’s face well enough. A shrine to someone Else is hardly any place to ask though so Jim pushes himself to his feet with a quiet little grunt of exertion before holding out his hands to help Felix up after him. “Yeah. Ready to go.”
He can ask when they’re back in their bedroom. Or maybe in the morning, if it’s truly not so urgent. After so much ceremony and the scrutiny of nine Gods Jim’s ready to curl up safely with his new husband. Surely by now they’ve earned that.
