To prove your love

[Marjorie]

They were getting married - the marriage part was less important to him - but the part that was vital for him was that it meant that Imogen was finally professing, and admitting to feeling the same as him. Tonight they would promise themselves to each other for as long as they should live... which was much longer a time for him than her, but even when she died, his soul could never choose another.

However, in her little village, there was a lot of ceremony to the thing, before they even got to the wedding... it had taken months to get everything in order. Now, here he was at the door to the inn, which was her home... but no longer his. He'd finished building his house on the outskirts of the village some months ago. He knocked on the door three times. "I have come to call on my bride," he said the words that had been taught to him.

A woman from the village that was not Imogen, but one of her friends, answer threw the still shut door. "What proof can you offer that you can protect this woman you seek?"

"The skin of an ice bear, killed with my own hands," he was holding the dense drape of the softest white fur in his arms, outstretched toward the shut door.

[Incandesa]

As Arcturus knocked on the door, Imogen shakily put on the last of her bridal clothes- a beautiful moss green dress embroidered with gold thread. She had no shoes to protect her delicate feet, no armor or weapon to shield her from what might come, and most terrifying of all a magic blindfold that, if taken off before the proper time, would nullify the marriage. Imogen would literally be placing her life in Arcturus' hands until they were sanctioned as married.

An old, unpleasent memory crept up, of a time when she had done this very same thing for another man, one who had left her stupidly standing at her door blindfolded for hours, waiting for him while he ran off with another woman. Never in her life had she been so humiliated.

But this was different. The simple fact that Arcturus had knocked on her door proved it. Now it was her turn to prove her love and trust in return. She stood at the door, waiting for her friend to lead her out. I'm ready.

[Marjorie]

The door opened, and Imogen was standing there, just beyond the threshold. She was a vision in green and gold. Barefoot and blindfolded though, she struck him as both incredibly innocent and entirely venerable. One of the village men stepped up behind Arcturus then, one he had befriended over the years he'd spent here, and it was him who spoke. "Loyalty requires trust," he said, "how will you prove your trust is unwavering to this man?"

Arcturus stepped forward and draped the bear skin over her shoulders as he awaited her answer. He already knew the words she would speak. It was a simple thing, really, but still one requiring trust. He was to guide her, blindfolded, and bare foot, to the home he had built for the two of them - his second offering of proof that he could provide for her.

[Incandesa]

The weight of the bear skin was cumbersome, but reassuring. Imogen took a shaky breath before she answered, "I will trust him with my life, to guide me through the forest, to protect me against foes, beasts, and nature. With this, I will prove my unwavering loyalty and faithfulness." They were traditional words for the ceremony, but they were honest in their own right. Then the timid rabbit woman reached out her arm, waiting for her beloved to seize it.

A wind blew across her face and, though she could not see it, dark clouds began to form above heavy with snow. The first snowflakes began to fall and touch her nose. Imogen shivered a bit. "Perhaps, we should be heading out now," she suggested.

[Marjorie]

He wouldn't be literally leading her threw a forest or to face monsters and beasts, but he would be leading her down the main road of the village to the outskirts of town. Arnel came close to Imogen when she held her arm out to him. He wrapped his right arm about her waste, and took her left hand in him. The sudden appearance of dark clouds and light snow worried him a touch, if only because she was barefoot, but he lead her forward still.

"I hope that we will walk side by side all of your days," he could not promise or even hope for 'all of their days' because he knew, already, he would outlive her by a very long time. They were not restricted only to the ritual phrases in this... they were said at the appropriate times, however, they also were allowed to converse, especially now, as the walk to the edged of the village would take several minutes. The walk would indeed, take longer than usual, and not just because Imoden was blindfolded, but because it was the 'duty' of the other villagers to be present (and in their path on the road) both to bare witness, and to test Arnel's worthiness of her trust that he would not lead her astray or into danger. As he lead her past the various villagers, they would then start to follow, so eventually, they all would end up together at the wedding.

[Incandesa]

Imogen clutched Arcturus in a death grip, possibly leaving bruises on his skin. Out of the villagers' duty wasn't just to test him, but her as well. Some of the more cruel ones would likely go out of their way to scare her simply to have a good laugh, perhaps even through a few stones at her. Such behavior was considered in bad taste, but usually not necessarily grounds for punishment. It was after all the point of the test. She could not let herself be spooked and turn into a rabbit or she would fail.

As they walked slowly to avoid sharp rocked that would injure her feet, making Imogen dread the task even more than she already did. Some the villagers did their usual taunts- making loud noises, throwing a few rocks in the path, enticing one or the other of them with gold to make them give up. Most of these acts were symbolic.

However, about halfway through, there was a commotion in the crowd as someone pushed his way through and grabbed Imogen's other arm trying to pull her away. She felt a hand attempt to pull off her blindfold, and immediately she grabbed it and fought to keep it on. "You little," she heard a familiar voice of her former fiance say. Oh dear, why did it have to be today of all days? "Were you really so pathetic after I left you decided to marry this she-man instead? Maybe I should take you back and fuck you. You can be my side bitch, at least it's better than being married to a freak of nature!" The crowd was horrified by this and tried to pry the man off, but his grip was strong. Imogen held onto the blindfold for dear life. "Help! Arcturus, Help!" she screamed. Her worst nightmare was coming true.

[Marjorie]

Arcturus didn't mind the way that Imogen clung to him, if anything, he found it comforting. The rocks were easily avoided, as Arcturus had quick reflexes. Most were thrown in their path not at Imogen, however a couple smaller pebbles were thrown at them. This provoked something that could not be mistaken for anything besides an angry growl, as he deftly moved in the way of them, of shielded her with a hand.

The ritual temptations of gold and other riches were wholly ignored by the both of them, which was not at all surprising. He had realized they were supposed to be part of the test, but not that the test would be so insulting or infuriating to him. When someone took her by the arm though, Arcturus was done. His clawed fingers reached out and gripped the man's wrist hard enough that his claws sunk into flesh and blood dripped from the man's skin.

"You will unhand her or I will end you," Arcturus said, his second voice overlaying his normal speaking voice in harsh tones that ensured this was a promise not a threat.

The man swore and released Imogen in an attempt to pull his arm back, and when he released her, Acrturus moved his offending hand away but did not release him from his grip, and the more he yanked to get free, the deeper his claws cut. At this point he let go of his hold on Imogen, moving between them, and grabbed the man's other hand, by the thumb, twisting it backward hard until he heard the satisfying snap of the bone. "If you ever touch Imogen again you will not live to regret it." He moved then, quick as though, and hit the man square in the chest with the open palm of his free hand and at the same time released his grip on his wrist. The man fell back and landed on his ass, gasping for breath.

[Incandesa]

Imogen fell to her knees, covering her head with her arms. The sounds of fighting terrified her. She wanted desperately to see what was going on and at the same time was sure the scene would horrify her. Tears streaked her face. But she trusted Arcturus. She trusted him. She just had to keep telling herself that.

[Marjorie]

Offending, disrespectful, deserved-to-die, man dealt with, Arcturus turned away from him and knelt down beside Imogen. He wrapped his arms around her, his embrace strong but not crushing. "Imogen," he said gently, pressing his face to the side of her face so his breath tickled her ear. "Imogen I'm sorry. Please don't cry," fucking bastard, he wanted to rip out his throat as a penitence for Imogen's tears.He dragged his claws threw the dirt and then wiped his hand on his pants to remove the blood, not wanting to dirty her. Then he pulled her closer, into his arms and stood, carrying her. This ritual did not require her to walk, technically, just for her to trust that him to guide her, for him to protect her from whatever dangers lay in their path, for them both not to give into any temptation to be led astray. So he carried her, with ease. "You are safe with me, always, I promise," he said to her softly, and then moved forward, down the road once again.

[Incandesa]

Imogen was grateful that Arcurus began to carry her. Actually, she was just the ordeal was over with. She curled into his chest as the snow fell more. "I didn't take it off, Arcturus," she said. A hint of pride was in her voice. The ceremony was still valid.

[Marjorie]

"I knew you wouldn't," Arcturus said softly, and he carried her to their destination. The snowfall was of little concern to him. He was well strong enough to carry more than Imogen weighed and trudge threw heavy snow, not have any issue. Like this, they moved much faster. Before long, they were nearly to the house he'd built for them.

As he approached the actual house, the woman from before stepped in front of him. "What proof do you have that you can shelter and care for this woman?"

Arcturus set Imogen down, gently, carefully on her feet. He removed his jacket then, and put it on the ground, before he guided her to stand on it rather than the snow collecting on the ground. "This house I built with my own two hands."

[Incandesa]

The woman nodded and turned to Imogen. "And what proof do you have that you can support this man in the trials of life, to care for his spirit?" she asked. Imogen reached into a pocket in her dress and pulled out a small orange stone, glowing faintly almost like a heartbeat. It wasn't particularly special looking; most women of her family had something similar for their wedding days, but it was hers all the same. The small rabbit woman held it out with both hands, waiting for Arcturus to take it.

"This is my heart stone, which I have kept since childhood. It will bare my warmth for all eternity. Whether I am near or far, living or dead, this shall remain unchanged. Whatever storms may weather us in the life to follow, this will be his rock of refuge from harsh winds," she said, confident and assured.

[Marjorie]

Arcturus took the stone with reverence. He had known about the stone but not realized it was literally linked to her. He could feel some subtle magic infused into it. It pulsated with a soft light and had a slight warmth to it that was noticeable in the cool air.

"I will treasure it always, and keep it safe as I will you," he said softly.

The woman looked back to Arcturus then, the ceremony was almost threw now. "What symbol of fidelity do you have have to offer this woman as a promise that you will remain always hers and never stray into the arms or heart of another."

"This ring," Arcturus said, taking her left hand and sliding the ring onto her finger, "is the manifestation of my promise. My word that I will forever be only for Imogen, so long as she will have me."

[Incandesa]

The woman looked at Imogen and said, "What is the symbol of your fidelity that you will not stray to another's arms?" The small woman took a very shaky breath. This was it; there was no running after this. If she accepted his ring, they would be legally husband and wife. Could she do this?

Yes.

"I accept this ring as proof of my bond to myself and others. It shall remain on my person for the rest of my days, so long as Arcturus will have me."

The woman raised her arms with a big smile. "Then, by authority granted to me by this village, and in the sight of these witnesses, you shall be called Husband and Wife!"

[Marjorie]

Arcturus wrapped his arms around Imogen and pulled her into a kiss. Then he removed her blind fold so he could look at her. He smiled back at her. "I love you so much," he whispered before kissing her again.

Now people were urging them into the house. Their house. Inside the place was filled with food and gifts left by the villagers to celebrate their union.