The Forever Endeavor [Moonie]

[Zane]

Weddings are a paradoxical thing, Liam told himself for the probably 5th time that morning. He'd attended weddings before- with his mom -and noted here, with a bit of displeasure, the difference in weddings between the upper class and the common class. Commoner weddings were a celebration of two people coming together to form a unit. Even if it were an arranged marriage, locals still gathered to celebrate them.

Looking out from the alter, a see of faces staring back at him, 'Celebrating' wasn't the he would use to describe them. Maybe solemn? Or Formal? Rigid? Or maybe sticks up all of their asses? Mentally, he sighed. Why the ways of nobility were so strict is something that was beyond his understanding.

The Young Lord-Knight allowed his mind to shift to his bride to be, in a few moment's he would be meeting her for the second time, the first being a few years before, not long after he had move into the Manor. In those days- just after his mother had passed away -faces had a way of blending into each other. But he distinctively remembered that she was very pretty, and very quiet.

As the doors to the back of the chapel opened, and the heads of all the attending turned, Liam had to correct his memory. She was staggering.

[Zero]

Julia was no stranger to weddings, certainly not to noble weddings. She had attended her eldest brother's and had participated in her older sister's wedding. Both had been arranged as well, and her two younger brothers would also undoubtedly have their wives chosen for them. That was just the way the world worked when you were the child of a Lord like her father. She didn't resent him for it, even as she suffered silently through hours of preparation.

White silk, lace, and diamonds were the materials, with a fitted bodice that accentuated her fine figure and elegant skirts that weren't unwieldy in their bulk. Her clothes were always extravagant, but her mother had gone to great lengths to make certain her wedding dress was perfect, and to remind her over and over again that her marriage was important to the family and that she needed to be a good wife.

Before she even knew it, Julia found herself holding to her father's arm, her bouquet of white roses in her other hand, as the chapel doors opened. Her nerves were strained as she forced her best smile, trying very hard not to make eye contact with the dozens and dozens gazes that had come to rest on her. One of which would be her husband very, very shortly. Her father began leading her down the aisle.

I can do this. This is perfectly normal. What does it matter that I've only met him once? This is business, family business. What if he doesn't like me?

Too soon she was at the alter, her father passing her to Liam solemnly. She looked up at him, but not his eyes. Julia had never been more nervous and unsettled in her life, and she was honestly afraid of meeting Liam's eyes and finding some flicker of disappointment there.

Julia had to be a good wife.

[Zane]

Liam, in his white Ceremonial white armor this inlaid gold trim, blurite plating, and Lapis emblazoned crest across the chest plate, seemed under dressed compared to her. With her hands in his, he could feel her trembling. With what? Anticipation? Anxiety? Dread? Fear? He couldn't know for certain. The Priest had begun talking, swinging his arms around their conjoined hands, but Liam wasn't listening to a word he said.

The Wedding is just a formality, we can get to know each other afterwards. How many times had he told himself that throughout the morning, throughout the week? It was likely Innumerable. Only when his lungs because to ache did he realized he was holding his breath. With a slow and even exhale, he felt the vain in his neck throb as it very suddenly because real to him. He was getting married.

"Do you, Liam Sinclair, take Julia Vasile, to be your lawfully wedded wife, in sickness and his health, for as long as you both shall life?" His heart stopped in that instant, only continuing onward to next beat because the heavy amulet over his chest, beneath his shirt, compelled it to.

He gave her hands a reassuring- he hoped -squeeze. "I do."

[Zero]

Julia wished that she could will her hands to stillness as the Priest began the ceremony. It was unbecoming of a bride to be trembling like a leaf before her groom! Had her sister shaken so? She was only getting married! A lifetime commitment to a man she didn't know in the slightest. How pale did she seem? Perhaps the powder her mother had insisted upon would hide how very sick she looked in that moment. Thankfully her stomach didn't betray her.

When his hands squeezed hers, she returned the gesture as the words 'I do' rang in her ears, and then the Priest was turning to her. "Do you, Julia Vasile, take Liam Sinclair, to be your lawfully wedded husband, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?"

For a moment the world seemed to come to a screeching halt, her head swimming as she managed to breathe past quivering lips. "I do."

Oh gods, that was it. She was really marrying Liam Sinclair, no longer would she be Julia Vasile. Now she was Lady Julia Sinclair, and that was a dizzying thought.

[Zane]

"Then I pronounce you man and wife." The Priest said with finality, turning to Liam before adding, "You may kiss the bride." And time stopped for him. All he had to do was kiss her, and this was finalized. Or was it already finalized? He thought back to the past few weeks, how he'd practiced for this. Literally practiced. His uncle has paid some of the younger, more attractive servant staff to teach him how to kiss. How awkward it had been at the time, but how grateful he was for it now.

He cupped her cheek gently in his palm and tilted her head up, looking her in the eyes for the first time. What was it that he saw? Relief? Uncertainty? Anxiety? A mixture of the three? Without stopping to ponder it, he leaned in and kissed her. Finalizing the ceremony and ushering applause from those gathered. Again, Liam couldn't help but notice that it didn't seem like enthused clapping of people happy for the union, but rather the dull clapping done out of expectation.

Stepping out of the kiss, he said quietly, under the clapping but through a widening smile, "It's nice to meet you, Julia."

[Zero]

It was humbling to think how powerful some words could be, because just like that, Julia was married. Her, a married woman, wife to an heir. Should she feel pleased in some way? Liam was set to inherit a lot of money, and that money would, in turn, be used to provide her with a life of comfort and luxury - all she had to do was provide him with heirs. Some women would probably consider that quite a beneficial arrangement. Maybe she should be happy, but she really wasn't.

His hand was gentle as he turned her face up, Julia was surprised at the depth of his eyes, they were unbelievably green. A blink later and he'd leaned in to kiss her, causing those in attendance to clap, but only causing her to tense slightly, feeling so very awkward and not knowing what to do. Thankfully it was brief, a small flicker of relief and then embarrassment crossing her face, especially at what her new husband had to say.

"Oh, yes, I...you too." Julia felt a blush creep across her face at the way she fumbled over her words. The blushing bride averted her eyes down, focusing on his chest rather than his eyes. What was she even supposed to say in a moment like this?

She had to be a good wife. Hardly the best impression.

[Zane]

The priest said one final prayer in a dead dialect of Serenian before unhurriedly ushering the bride and groom out. The Priest was followed in turn by Ben Sinclair and Arther Vasile. During the later evening, there would be a feast where guests could give well wishes to the newly wed couple, but for now. Liam and Julia were walked from the chapel to Manor Sinclair. Liam had purposely asked for this to be done, he wanted to get to know the woman he would be spending the rest of his life with.

Again the thought seemed so strange to him, bound to a person he didn't yet know for the rest of his life. Perhaps the feeling would pass with time. As they came into the Manor, The priest broke off from their procession. Coming to one of many receiving rooms, Liam led her inside. Despite the fact that he was a bit overwhelmed with the prospect of this marriage, he still felt like he needed to aide Julia in any way he could.

When the two of them were inside, Ben Sinclair called from the doorway, "We'll be at the foyer at the end of this hall if you need anything." And with that, he pulled the door closed and left the newly weds alone.

Liam couldn't help but nervously chuckle at how backwards the situation seemed to him, It should be that you get to know someone then decide if you want to spend the rest of your life with them, that how his mother had romanticized love for him. And suddenly, the young knight found himself without a thought of what to say, noticing the pastries and various drinks laid out on a table, he decided to serve his new wife. "Do you want something? Tea, Hot Cocoa, Coffee? Danish, Scone, Sweet Croissant?"

[Zero]

Julia walked silently next to her new husband as they made their way from the chapel to his home. No, her home now. She needed to get used to thinking of Manor Sinclair as her home, she wasn't a Vasile anymore. This walk was rather torturous to her. It took all her effort to maintain a confident posture, to keep that fake smile on her face, but she had to. Her father and Lord Sinclair were right behind them, and she couldn't disappoint or embarrass her family.

Was it possible to really walk through part of a house without ever seeing a thing? It must be, because Julia found herself ushered into a receiving room without having really taken in her surroundings at all. Turning to the door she did her best to smile and murmur a soft thank you to Ben before the door was shut and she was alone with Liam.

Her hands were gripping her skirts tightly, and she hadn't realized it. Embarrassed again she forced her fingers to give up their hold on the silk and smoothed it out awkwardly. Everything was awkward. She had been lectured and lectured in preparation for meeting her husband and still she felt wholly unprepared for this moment.

At least she'd never been encouraged or allowed to have romantic notions about love or marriage. Marrying for love was something poor people could afford. Apparently love was the price of having lots of money. Julia didn't pretend to understand it, but she accepted it, as she always accepted what her parents said.

I want to go home. That was the first thought she had as she turned to Liam shyly when he offered her something. Of course she could never say such a thing. "That's very sweet of you, but I don't think I could eat right now. I'm all nerves."

She'd unconsciously moved her hands over her fluttering stomach and she couldn't help but blush and look away. "Not that that's a reflection on you, of course!"

[Zane]

Liam waved off her second comment with a dismissive gesture of his hands, "I don't think there is a person alive who wouldn't be a nervous wreck at their wedding." Especially given the circumstances of an arranged marriage. "I think I forgot to breathe at one point." He added with his own nervous chuckle, pouring himself a mug of coffee. He then poured a mug of hot cocoa and brought it over to her, "Here, this will help with your nerves." He said, passing the insulated mug over to her.

"We have a few hours before the feast. Feel free to make yourself comfortable, or I could give you a tour of the Manor, or...?" He left the end of his sentence hanging, least there was something else she wanted to do. He wanted to try and keep things comfortable between them, but he wasn't too much of a socialite and so he had no idea how he was doing. I hope I'm not making an utter fool of myself.

[Zero]

"I have been trying not to let it show. How nervous I am, I mean. I had hoped to make a good impression." Julia said with a soft sigh as she took the mug, staring down at the dark drink with a slight frown. If she spilled even a drop on her white dress her mother would have a fit. It really was a beautiful wedding gown, but honestly it was a garment she would never wear again, so she just didn't understand why they had spent so much money on it. Appearance was everything to her parents and she guessed this was just one last opportunity to use her to flaunt their wealth.

Being very careful she took a sip from her cup, dark blue eyes (or were they purple?) regarding Liam curiously. She'd only met him once before today, years ago. He'd been quiet and serious at the time, she had been told that his mother had recently passed at that time. How upset he must have been, Julia would be quite devastated to lose her mother. Although in a way she supposed she was losing her family now. They lived all the way across the country from here.

"Oh, the feast." She'd nearly forgotten that, well not truly, but had hoped not to think of it. All this attention was her parent's thing, not hers. "I suppose it wouldn't be horrible to become at least a little familiar with my new home, although I'm sure I'll be lost for weeks before  I learn where everything is."

Just thinking of it made her homesick. Julia lowered her head to stare into her drink and swallowed thickly to rid herself of the lump that had formed in her throat. She was not going to cry like a little girl in front of her new husband. She was not.

[Zane]

"Don't worry about that too much" Liam assured, leaning his back against the far door, waiting for it to open against the pressure, "I'll probably give you three tours before the week is up anyway. The Sinclair Estate consists of some two hundred acres of land and three manors. Manor Sinclair is the largest and most extravagant as it is were events are hosted and all sorts of other sociable activities take place. Manor Dellow is where the Sinclair Trading Company bases it's operations, there's also a warehouse there for when we buy large quantities of goods in order to drive up prices internationally. It's a stark place, you probably won't see too much of it." The door finally opened behind him and he in turn stood in the path of it's swing to prevent it from closing, allowing Julia to exit.

"Last but not at all the least is Manor Stead, it's the smallest and by far the most comfortable. That's where we will probably be the majority of the time." The ease of which he spoke of the three manors didn't really do his true thoughts justice. Even still, after knowing this for many years, the amount of money and time that must have taken overwhelmed him from time to time.

[Zero]

Julia chided herself for her childish behavior, forcing her homesickness back down so she could pay attention. She needed to know these things, and it wouldn't do for her to let her emotions keep her from listening to her husband. It was a surprise to learn there were three manors. She hadn't really expected that, but now was regretting agreeing to the tour as she set down her drink and swept from the room as gracefully as she could.

Walking the manor would just mean having to put on airs for any eyes that might fall on them. She had to play her part of the happy bride. If her father heard someone come back to say that she'd looked unhappy he'd have been quick to admonish her. So Julia forced herself to smile, trying to keep her attention mostly on Liam, while still getting a small idea of her surroundings.

"So you don't live here?" She had no idea there was a smaller manor that she might be living at. Everything was so different from what she was used to, but Julia tried to assure herself that different didn't necessarily mean bad. So far Liam was rather pleasant, that was something to be thankful for. Of course she shouldn't be surprised. Her father wouldn't have married her off to someone awful.

[Zane]

"Not usually no. There are bedrooms at this manor of course, but they aren't often used. I think the longest I have stayed here consecutively was about 6 months. During the rain season a few years back, Manor Stead was flooded, Uncle Ben and I stayed here while the manor was repaired." He took a right turn at the end of the hallway, nodding toward the spiral staircase. "Upstairs are the bedrooms, of which there are six. There are also two meeting halls, for discussions of all matter between other nobility. There is also a sitting room, a private dining room, and a sauna."

Liam continued down the hall, walking a slow and relaxed pace, "Manor Sinclair is set up like a large square around the inner courtyard, where tonight's feast will be held. The front side of the square is receiving rooms like we were just in, lobbies, sitting areas. Things like that. This left side is composed of of servant housing, the baths, and a Library. The rear side is just a large stable. it can only be accessed through this hall or by walking around the house. The right side is the Grand Hall, where we host Balls once or twice a year, it opens to the court yard. Just behind the grand hall it the Kitchen, great place to get a snack if you ever get hungry."

Now that they were about to the middle of the hallway, he turned to face her fully, "Anything in particular you would like to see first?" He opted on letting Julia decide, hopefully not overwhelming her with information.

[Zero]

There was quite a lot to take in. Manor Sinclair was rather breath-taking in its opulence. Everything was richly designed and decorated. It made sense for this to be the primary social manor of the three, from what she saw and was told. Julia could appreciate the function of Manor Sinclair, the place seemed built and designed to impress others. She could also appreciate the unhurried pace that Liam had set.

Everything else had seemed so rushed to her, it was dizzying and overwhelming to be told she was to be married but apparently there had not been time to actually meet her husband to be. Well, husband now. That still felt strange to think. Liam was her husband, stranger or not. She wondered if he was as overwhelmed by it all as she. Had he had more of a say in the arrangement? Her father hadn't really said one way or another.

"I don't even know where to start." Julia couldn't help but offer Liam a shy smile as he turned to her, obviously still full of nerves. "I have so much to learn and see."

And I have so many questions.

"Which is your favorite room? I think I should like to see your favorite places first. It will be a good way to learn a little about my new husband, I think."

[Zane]

"As you wish." He said with a smile offering his hand out to her.

Probably not less than fifty feet down the hall, Liam pushed the doors open to the library, stepping aside to allow his wife in before him. There is was again, his wife. Liam was struck once again to just sudden it all seemed. Two months prior, when he was told he was being married, Liam spent a week in this room. Pacing around the bookshelves, thinking, coming to terms with it, realizing that the ideas of marriage that his mother had left him with were romanticized and perhaps woefully unrealistic for men and women of the higher castes. Marriage was a duty, but not a wholly unpleasant one. It had been memories of his Late Aunt Karen that convinced him of that. Her marriage to Ben had been sudden and between strangers, but she came to love Ben in a way that was evident for all with eyes to see. Before her passing, her entire being was one of love. At least, that's how he'd recalled her. He'd been little more than eight when Aunt Karen passed.

Liam followed behind Julia and into the library, the familiar smell of leather bound books and aging paper surrounded him comfortably. The library was a square room, perhaps thirty feet by thirty feet with a very high ceiling, likely on level with the ceiling of the second floor. The walls were plastered with bookshelves, all of which were brimming with books. In one corner of the room stood an ironwork spiral stair, leading to an ironwork catwalk on level with the high set of bookshelves. Two windows opened on the far wall, one on the ground level and another along the iron catwalk, both had an extended bottom sill with cushions laid out, a great place for sitting and reading. In the center of the room sat four very comfortable looking chairs around a small table. Atop the table sat a small crystal spire, pointing directly up to crystal chandelier, both of which shared a soft blue tinting to their otherwise translucent nature.

Liam walked around Julia and towards the crystal spire. "Welcome to the Library." He added before tapping the spire twice in rapid succession, causing both the spire and the chandelier to light up with a soft blue light. Filling the room with far more light than was coming in the windows since the sun moved well above them into the high noon position. 

[Zero]

As they walked hand-in-hand down the hallway Julia honestly did not know what to really expect. She knew so little about Liam. Her parents had told her very little that seemed particularly useful to her specifically. Sure, her father could gloat endlessly about the business implications of her union to the Sinclair heir, but he seemed wholly unconcerned with Liam himself. She knew he was a knight of the realm, and little else.

For her family the rest didn't matter. Her mother and father had been married young, arranged by their parents. While her parents loved her and her siblings, they didn't really seem very passionate about each other. Oh they got along well enough, mainly by not spending a great deal of time together when it wasn't necessary. Her mother had her interests, her father had his interests, and the two kept those things separate - marriage was approached entirely as a business arrangement with only a handful of mutual benefits.

Julia fervently hoped that her own marriage would be at least a little warmer. Perhaps she'd never fall hopelessly in love with her husband, and maybe he wouldn't think of her as the love of his life, but she hoped at the least that they could become friends. Maybe even fond of each other. That would be nice. Being married to someone she hated spending time with just seemed so lonely. At least she could hope to find a friend in him. After all, she was expected to have his children some day!

She stepped through the opened doors ahead of Liam and really didn't try to hide her shock. It was a rather impressive sight! The young bride had moved to the center of the room, near the table and stopped to slowly turn completely around, taking the entire room in. His favorite room was a library? That was certainly interesting to know about him. Not that she could blame him. This was amazing.

When Liam stepped around her and activated the chandelier Julia's eyes lit up with an almost childish sense of wonder. Not that she was unfamiliar with magic, this was Serendipity, magic was a part of daily life, but the overall effect here was breathtaking.

"It's so beautiful." She whispered, still looking rather star-struck. Tentatively, almost hesitantly she moved towards the window, unable to resist discovering what the view must be like. The one above probably had a better view, but she didn't want to tempt the spiral stair in her wedding gown.

[Zane]

A smile split Liam's face, extraordinarily relieved that she enjoyed his refuge in Manor Sinclair, "You can thank him for that." He gestured to a canvas portrait hanging above the lower window, it showed a man with a full beard, white-blonde hair yielding to grey all across his head. "Lord Brett Sinclair, my Great grandfather, also the man who founded the Sinclair Trading Company. He designed this room himself, as I am told."

Liam went to walk along one of the book shelves, eyes scanning over books that he'd read since coming to live at the Sinclair Estate, "Do you read often, Julia?" He assumed, more hoped really, that she at least read a little. It was one of his favorite time sinks. It could teach you so much, take you places you never knew existed. He pulled a book off the shelf and opened the the cover page, A Study of Realms, Portals, and Blinking, it read. That was the journal of a deceased mage, they found his mangled body turned completely inside out. He'd have to read it again sometime, it had been above his head when he first tried to read it. The book's history and possible secrets were fascinating, if not gruesome.

He replaced the book on the shelf and went to take a seat on one of the chairs, motioning for Julia to do the same. He was intent upon learning some about his wife before tonight's feast. Now seemed as good a time as any to do just that.

[Zero]

"In that case I do thank him. This is a lovely library." Julia wondered if Manor Stead also had a library, although she imagined if it did the one at the smaller manor would be a bit less grand. No matter, if it had a library then if not grand it was bound to be cozy. Liam did say that Manor Stead was the most comfortable of the three manors. Yes, it was bound to have a library. It would be a perfect quiet refuge to retreat to when everything became too much.

Turning away from the window, Julia's smile was still a bit shy, but it was a brilliant, genuine smile as she answered softly, "When I was little The CerenisTales was my absolute favorite book. Of course I loved most of the typical children's books that the nanny would read to us - Harold Hare, The Velvet Bear, and so on. I graduated from those children's stories years ago, of course, but they are the reason that I will always love books and libraries."

Julia still loved those stories, even if they were for children. When Liam took a seat and motioned for her to join him she moved to the chair beside him, sitting primly, adjusting and smoothing her skirts nervously once again. It was good not to have so many people watching her every move, but it was also a bit rattling to be alone with him. She didn't know him well enough to know what he expected of her.

[Those books are based on real books as follows - The Canterbury Tales, Peter Rabbit, and The Velveteen Rabbit.]

[Zane]

"I've read Cerenis Tales probably like six times. It may have been intended for children but it is a great tale. A shame the author was unable to finish it in his lifetime. There is a Print of it at Manor Stead should you desire to read it again." Liam leaned back in his chair, causing the chestplate to shift forwards, making his chest look exaggerated in proportion to his head. The young Lord quickly leaned up in order to amend this with a somewhat nervous chuckle.

"So.." suddenly unsure of how to continue, "I've asked a question of you, only fair that you should get to ask one of you own. I don't want for us to be strangers to each other. So feel free to ask anything, nothing is off limits."

((OOC: Sorry for the short post, kinda wrote myself into a corner!))

[Zero]

"Maybe I will." Julia murmured, watching Liam subversively so as not to be staring at him. She wanted to observe everything about him, his habits, his behaviors, nervous ticks, anything at all that might help her be the very best wife possible. His small breastplate dilemma made her grin, but she tried to hide it behind her hand as she cleared her throat lightly. It wouldn't do to laugh at her brand new husband and offend him on the first day!

It was a little awkward sitting there with him, and his offer of letting her pose a question, any question, didn't help. Oh dear, where to even start? Julia could think of a million questions to ask. Not all of them directly about him. "I don't want to be strangers either. We...well I didn't ask for this marriage, but I want very much to make it work for us both. I guess that could be my first question? Did you help your uncle pick me for a bride? My father just announced it to me. I hadn't the faintest inkling before that."