Bells of October

Henriks Ābols wrote:

And now she was here, standing beside him at the altar. "My lady," he said quietly, only loud enough for her to hear, as he slipped his hand into hers.

[Freedom Park - Riga]

"Hullo, Mr. Apple," Chira replied, her voice also soft. She was happy that everyone was here, and loved them all for showing up in support...but, right now, she only had eyes for one person. And he was standing here with her.

A wide smile pulled at the corners of her mouth as Henriks slipped their hands together. She remembered one of the first times they'd been hand-in-hand. It had probably been on the Churchill, back when the pair had decided on an impromptu dance session in the mess hall, moving to only music they could hear. She remembered being a little worried, then, that things were going too fast between the two. Looking back, though...no. Not too fast. Just the right pace. Everything had unfolded as it should, bringing them together, bringing them...

Here!

Archangel wrote:

Archangel stood at the altar with the groom, watching with a faint smile on her face as her sister-in-law, Henriks' bride, made her way slowly down the aisle towards them. The wide smiles on their faces were familiar to her, having worn the same smile before, only a few months ago.

She couldn't help her own smile grow slightly as they finally came to stand face to face. Ah, the perks of being a captain.

In a quiet voice intended for only the pair of love-birds, she asked: "Are you ready?"

Taking a little breath, Chira kept the goofy, happy smile on her face. She glanced her doe-brown eyes over at her fiancee, and back to Arch. "I'd say that I am."

Chira Arthur wrote:

[Freedom Park - Riga]

"Hullo, Mr. Apple," Chira replied, her voice also soft.  She was happy that everyone was here, and loved them all for showing up in support...but, right now, she only had eyes for one person.  And he was standing here with her.

A wide smile pulled at the corners of her mouth as Henriks slipped their hands together.  She remembered one of the first times they'd been hand-in-hand.  It had probably been on the Churchill, back when the pair had decided on an impromptu dance session in the mess hall, moving to only music they could hear.  She remembered being a little worried, then, that things were going too fast between the two.  Looking back, though...no.  Not too fast.  Just the right pace.  Everything had unfolded as it should, bringing them together, bringing them...

Here!
...
Taking a little breath, Chira kept the goofy, happy smile on her face.  She glanced her doe-brown eyes over at her fiancee, and back to Arch.  "I'd say that I am."

[Freedom Park]

Chira standing next to him made the whole world seem to melt away. The way she glowed, dazzling in the October sun. Memories came floating back, from the time he first saw her on the station after the explosion, to the time he gave her an improvised dance lesson, to the night he proposed. Every memory made him smile, making him feel blessed that Chira had come into his life. And now that she had, he couldn't imagine life without her.

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

[Freedom Park - Riga]

Archangel stood at the altar with the groom, watching with a faint smile on her face as her sister-in-law, Henriks' bride, made her way slowly down the aisle towards them.  The wide smiles on their faces were familiar to her, having worn the same smile before, only a few months ago.

She couldn't help her own smile grow slightly as they finally came to stand face to face.  Ah, the perks of being a captain.

In a quiet voice intended for only the pair of love-birds, she asked:  "Are you ready?"

A voice brought him back out of his thoughts and back to reality. Henriks nodded. "I've never been more ready for anything," he replied.

Chira Arthur wrote:

Taking a little breath, Chira kept the goofy, happy smile on her face.  She glanced her doe-brown eyes over at her fiancee, and back to Arch.  "I'd say that I am."

Henriks Abols wrote:

A voice brought him back out of his thoughts and back to reality. Henriks nodded. "I've never been more ready for anything," he replied.

[Freedom Park - Riga]

Hearing an affirmative from both halves of the couple, Archangel cleared her throat quickly and drew herself up to her full height.

"Ladies and gentlemen," she said clearly, projecting her voice out over the people gathered to witness the event. "Since the time of the first ships to sail the seas, captain of such vessels have been given the priviledge of being able to bring two people together in matrimony, and that is why we are all gathered here today: to witness the joining of these fine people in wedlock." She smiled softly as she looked to Henriks. "Henriks Abols, do you take this woman, Chira Molly-Anne Arthur, to be your wife under the laws of the Federation?"

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

[Freedom Park - Riga]

Hearing an affirmative from both halves of the couple, Archangel cleared her throat quickly and drew herself up to her full height.

"Ladies and gentlemen," she said clearly, projecting her voice out over the people gathered to witness the event.  "Since the time of the first ships to sail the seas, captain of such vessels have been given the privilege of being able to bring two people together in matrimony, and that is why we are all gathered here today:  to witness the joining of these fine people in wedlock."  She smiled softly as she looked to Henriks.  "Henriks Abols, do you take this woman, Chira Molly-Anne Arthur, to be your wife under the laws of the Federation?"

Now that the moment had come, Henriks felt a wave of peace wash over him, such serenity. He had seen so much turmoil in his life, but much good had come of that as well. And it all came down to this. If not for the bombing on the station, or all that followed, he would not have met Chira, and they would not be here now.

Beaming, he released a happy sigh. "Jā," he replied, "I do."

Henriks Ābols wrote:

Now that the moment had come, Henriks felt a wave of peace wash over him, such serenity. He had seen so much turmoil in his life, but much good had come of that as well. And it all came down to this. If not for the bombing on the station, or all that followed, he would not have met Chira, and they would not be here now.

Beaming, he released a happy sigh. "Jā," he replied, "I do."

[Freedom Park - Riga]

Archangel's smile grew a little more as she heard Henriks pronounce the phrase she had been expecting from him. She really hadn't been expecting anything else to come out of his mouth, but it was still good to have her expectations come through.

She turned her attention to Chira now, her expression soft as she looked at her sister-in-law. "Chira Molly-Ann Arthur, do you take this man, Henriks Abols, to be your husband under the laws of the Federation?"

Henriks Ābols wrote:

Now that the moment had come, Henriks felt a wave of peace wash over him, such serenity. He had seen so much turmoil in his life, but much good had come of that as well. And it all came down to this. If not for the bombing on the station, or all that followed, he would not have met Chira, and they would not be here now.

Beaming, he released a happy sigh. "Jā," he replied, "I do."

Chira glanced over at the man standing beside her, giving him a slow, easy smile - the kind that always came so easily to her around him.  Their hands were still held together, so she gave his another little squeeze.  

Arch wrote:

Archangel's smile grew a little more as she heard Henriks pronounce the phrase she had been expecting from him. She really hadn't been expecting anything else to come out of his mouth, but it was still good to have her expectations come through.

She turned her attention to Chira now, her expression soft as she looked at her sister-in-law. "Chira Molly-Ann Arthur, do you take this man, Henriks Abols, to be your husband under the laws of the Federation?"

Her smile grew even larger (if such a thing was possible?) as she turned her attention to Archangel.  Although Chira's ears obviously heard, her sister-in-law's words seemed to fly right over her head.  All she could think about was the man standing beside her.  She wasn't nervous, no...far from it.  What was there to be nervous about?  Chira had never been so sure of the path she walked in all thirty of her years as she was on this day.  

"You bet," she said, almost a whisper.  In a louder voice, she added, "I do."

Archangel smiled again. Short and sweet, just as wedding ceremonies should be. Hers had been similar, with the exception that she and Gabriel had chosen to write their own vows.

"Then I pronounce you man and wife together."

Chira Arthur wrote:

Chira glanced over at the man standing beside her, giving him a slow, easy smile - the kind that always came so easily to her around him.  Their hands were still held together, so she gave his another little squeeze.  
...
"You bet," she said, almost a whisper.  In a louder voice, she added, "I do."

Archangel T'Koris wrote:

Archangel smiled again.  Short and sweet, just as wedding ceremonies should be.  Hers had been similar, with the exception that she and Gabriel had chosen to write their own vows.

"Then I pronounce you man and wife together."

[Freedom Park]

From the moment those few words left his lips, the rest seemed to follow in quick succession. Arched smiled at his response, then asking the same question of his lovely lady. His heart began to beat faster, threatening to burst from his chest. It wasn't for fear of what she could reply, but that the moment was at last upon them.

He could feel her hand give his a light squeeze as she gave her answer. Then, it seemed as if the whole world just stopped, silent, waiting. And suddenly it all rushed back into motion. "Then I pronounce you man and wife together," came the magic words. Henriks could contain himself no longer and kissed his lovely lady, his wife, full on for all to see.

Henriks Ābols wrote:

[Freedom Park]

From the moment those few words left his lips, the rest seemed to follow in quick succession. Arched smiled at his response, then asking the same question of his lovely lady. His heart began to beat faster, threatening to burst from his chest. It wasn't for fear of what she could reply, but that the moment was at last upon them.

He could feel her hand give his a light squeeze as she gave her answer. Then, it seemed as if the whole world just stopped, silent, waiting. And suddenly it all rushed back into motion. "Then I pronounce you man and wife together," came the magic words. Henriks could contain himself no longer and kissed his lovely lady, his wife, full on for all to see.

Man and wife together, Chira thought, the very concept of it setting her head to a pleasant spin. It seemed to be getting on well with accompanying the happy buzz in her brain. Unlike a lot of her friends as a child, Chira had never really put much thought into her wedding day. Many she knew talked about what kind of dress they'd wear, and picking a bizarre locale, like the Bajoran Fire Caves (as if the Kai would ever allow something like that), and some such. Chira, though...she'd always known that the location wouldn't matter, nor would the dress, or the food, or all those other little things that were but parts. No, what mattered was who she'd be standing beside. And if she truly loved that person.

And so, what began with an explosion (literally), was sparked by a dance, was kindled by walks through arboretums and long, quiet talks in libraries...had grown into the most sacred of flames. Two halves, two wholes.

Henriks' arms around her made Chira forget that there were even other people here. They'd kissed many times before, but this...this was the kiss. The traditional sealing of a marriage bond since time immemorial. She started to reach up and run her fingers through his hair, but remembered that they were in company. All things in good time, she thought, grinning. "I love you, Mr. Apple," she quietly said, turning to face the crowd as a jubilant cheer rose.

Chira Abols wrote:

And so, what began with an explosion (literally), was sparked by a dance, was kindled by walks through arboretums and long, quiet talks in libraries...had grown into the most sacred of flames.  Two halves, two wholes.  

Henriks' arms around her made Chira forget that there were even other people here.  They'd kissed many times before, but this...this was the kiss.  The traditional sealing of a marriage bond since time immemorial.  She started to reach up and run her fingers through his hair, but remembered that they were in company.  All things in good time, she thought, grinning.  "I love you, Mr. Apple," she quietly said, turning to face the crowd as a jubilant cheer rose.

[Freedom Park]

Henriks couldn't help but grin like a lunatic. There was a part of him that wished that kiss would never end, that Chira would continue to run her fingers through his hair and that he would melt like butter in her hands. But when she stopped, the sudden realization that there were still other people behind them came rushing to. "As I love you, my lady," he told her, kissing her hand. Then his grin took on a wry quality and one brow arched ever so slightly as he asked, "Shall we dance?"