I'm still breathing

It was a much anticipated day, a day that Lucien was quite happy about. Not that he needed to be officially married to Maeve to feel like their love was forever, but there was the added benefit that she would officially have his name and by extension his title. She would have more legal assurances for her and their child if anything happened to him. Not that he planned that it would, but better to have a plan for the possible, than end up unplanned and up shit’s creek.

For the most part Lucien wasn’t really nervous, at least he wasn’t at first, but as guests arrived at the wedding venue he began to wonder if everything was in order. Lucien had obviously never planned a wedding before, and even with Maeve doing much of it, Lucien was floored at how many details there were to deal with.

Everything from the person doing the ceremony to the flowers to the food for the reception afterwards. The food, that was crazy. They wanted to try to have enough variety that everyone would have something they could eat, but not so much that they’d end up with too much food leftover. Though he planned that any leftovers would go to a homeless shelter.

The ceremony went by without much of a hitch. They didn’t have a huge wedding part, just the basics. Not that Lucien noticed anyone else in that room besides Maeve, who quite possibly looked more beautiful to him in that moment than ever before. She took his breath away and he nearly forgot what to say when it came to his vows.

Now they were finally at their reception, they’d gone through the reception line, greeted all their guests. Had their first dance, cut the cake, now they were just relaxing at their table and picking at their food. He smiled and turned as the guests clinked their glasses expecting the bride and groom to kiss, and kissed his wife. Then as things died down he looked at Maeve and smiled.

Man I’m glad we have people to clean up all this, I don’t know about you but I had no idea getting married was so exhausting, totally worth it though. He said with a grin.

Considering the kind of missions that Maeve had done in her barding years, she was almost sure of that by this point of her live she wouldn’t experience full blown out nerves, even if it was at her wedding day.

She had been absolutely wrong. Nothing could have prepared her for the butterflies once she saw herself in front of the mirror, nor she could have avoided the tears that poured down her cheeks when she saw how handsome Lucien looked with his full attire too.

The ceremony went smoothly which Maeve thanked, she couldn’t have been able to react in case of an inconvenient. It was an odd feeling, being overwhelmed by joy and emotion. The butterflies were still there so she ate only a little as she listened to her now husband.

“I have been in infiltration missions that lasted for days and they were less tiring, but I think that few days in my life have been as exciting as this one. In the good way, I mean” she said with a smile “Plus I didn’t get a hot husband out of these missions” she said with a smile.

Lucien had never really seen fighting like Maeve had, sure there was the whole taking back of his estate. Probably the first real time he’d actually used magic offensively, or really at all for that matter. If not for a private tutor, he wouldn’t have been prepared. So he didn’t entirely related to the infiltration remark, he felt like that sounded pretty exhausting too, but then the rewards wouldn’t have been nearly as sweet.

Well, helping me get back my estate was kind of a mission too, and although I already had feelings for you without that, you standing by my side throughout that definitely won you a husband. He said with a wink, then he looked around again at the guests as they finished eating, some took to the dance floor, some mingled around the bar. Everyone seemed to be having a good time.

I’m surprised the Arlange’s son Raphael was able to attend. I know he and his family fled to Ferelden when the Blight overtook Val Colline. Did you see that adorable little dog he has with him? He’d seen Raphael sneak off to the kitchens to find food for his dog, and Addy had followed, though he wasn’t sure the two knew each other, maybe it was just a coincidence. There was another one he hadn’t expected to attend. With her father Frankie dead and Antiva in chaos, his daughter attending the wedding hadn’t even crossed Lucien’s mind.

“Oh so that’s where I won you, what a shame I thought that it had been my fantastic looks, my smart wit and my capacity to…” and she completed the sentence with something that was absolutely and completely out of place in a room full of people but that was Maeve for you. “I think you won me over because before you were my friend, I now understand when my mother said that love is born out of a warm ember and not a consuming fire” she said remembering the words that she had spoken to her and her sibling so long ago.

“I saw! It was adorable even if I am not a dog person per se” she said with a soft smile “I have to said that while I expected guests due to this being a noble wedding, I didn’t expect to see so many familiar faces. Makes this sweeter and more personal rather than a more formal event I think” she added.

“I hope people is having a good time, they really seem to be enjoying themselves”

Lucien laughed at Maeve’s response, she could always make him smile. She made him a lot of things really blissfully happy was just one of many things. He really couldn’t imagine their life without her and their son in it. Perhaps if his family had lived, but there was no point in dwelling on things he couldn’t fix.

I think we did a rather good job at balancing the guest list, between people we wanted to come and families we felt obligated to invite. Barring anyone that had allied with the LaRue’s of course. Ordinarily that would have precluded the Arlanges, but since Baron Arlange met an unfortunate end, his wife and now Baroness had sided with the Beauvais’ and cut all ties with Duke Manchette and the LaRues. He drew his attention to Maeve’s comment about hoping that people were having a good time, he smiled warmly.

Oh, they seem to be. Well, except perhaps I’m afraid dear Rene. I noticed him and Claude speaking earlier and it ended with him getting slapped. Sad affair really, to be betrothed one moment to the person you loved dearly, only to have to watch them be married off to someone else instead. It was a sad predicament that Rene and Claude were in, one that Lucien did not envy. He was able to marry the woman he loved and the mother of his child, with no one standing in the way of their happiness.

“I assume that after how we defeated them the LaRue’s allies must be close to nonexistent right? I was better at keeping up with that but I have to admit that between Beauvois and the kid I have been too busy to pay enough attention to the main picture” admitted the brunette as they spoke in a lower voice.

“They are indeed in a hard situation, I can’t imagine how hard it must be. I might invite Claude over, when the dust settles, in order to have tea and let her have some time for enjoyment, Maker knows that she must need it…”

“I have to ask you, do you have this strange feeling that on one hand I am loving this and in the other I am waiting for a gigantic monster or something to burst and put the wedding to a halt? After so many things happening, having a day as beautiful as today going smoothly feels like a beautiful dream….

The allies we know about, who’s to say what allies they had that we didn’t know about. Not that there’s many LaRues left to rally. Those that are don’t seem all that interested in us. Distant relatives that weren’t directly involved in the whole ordeal. He was a bit worried about Claude’s husband, Geralt Manchette, but for the moment he wanted to just enjoy the party. He nodded as she talked about inviting Claude over, it was a good idea. He was sure Claude could use the support.

I think that’s a marvelous idea. Perhaps when you do that, I’ll go pay Rene a visit and let you and Claude have some girl time. I’m sure his spirits could use some lifting as well. He wished there was something he could do to help both Rene and Claude be happy, but he simply didn’t have the influence to go against Geralt openly, and he had a growing family to think about. Better to be reserved. He couldn’t afford not to play the game at all, but he also couldn’t afford to be too cocky with it either.

Well, it is Orlais, I wouldn’t rule out someone dropping dead from poisoning, but a monster, I like our odds. He said with a grin.

“Besides even if they were now you are more alert and have married a wife who will not hesitate to slit their throats if they step out of the line. Perhaps, just maybe I dropped a subtle hint about that possibility to one of those distant relatives just in case they had any interesting ideas” she said with a hint of coldness in her eyes. Maeve had left her past behind but she had years of training on her shoulders and the fiery determination to protect her family.

“Amazing, you know that I love Claude, we have the same sense of humour and it’s always a blast. I would have swept her under Rene’s feet if I wasn’t so absolutely smitten with my already hot husband” It was clearly a playful joke, since she pinched Lucien’s side when she said it.

“Well if they drop dead but we do find them after the party then the night will not be ruined, I hope they have the decency to die without disrupting the party” she said with a grin before taking a sip.

Lucien hadn’t thought much about the game as a child, growing up he’d always cared more about his studies than the game, but having his family murdered by the LaRues definitely snapped him out of any illusions that one could simply choose not to play. He definitely didn’t choose Maeve to be his wife based on her fighting skills, but the fact she had skills and could handle her own in a cutthroat world, was definitely an advantage.

He chuckled at her jest, appreciating her wit and the ease with which she navigated the complexities of their world. Well, it seems I've found the perfect partner for this dance, haven't I? he mused, raising his glass in a silent toast to their shared understanding and resilience. As to the comments about Rene and Claude, eh chuckled and then added.

Well it’s settled, hopefully we can catch them before they leave the wedding, if not we’ll just send them each a message. He was clearly tired, between the planning and executing of the wedding, there had been a lot of details to attend to. He did his best to not let his tired show, but it was growing more and more difficult.

“For a dance and the rest of the party, until dawn comes or everything crashes” she said joking but promising her heart forever to the man before herself. She would go far and beyond to be with Lucien, that she knew for sure.