The Wedding of Stafyr - Baruch

[Emenzi 1069]

*The Wedding Feast of Lord Leopold Stafyr and Lady Valeria Baruch*

 

Looking out through the crowded cathedral Leopold took a deep breath whilst his eyes scanned through the pews. The Lord of Stafyr would at many times have a stoic mannerism but whilst standing there he felt as he was a frail young boy once more.

 

Within the halls men and women clad in the many colours of the Haensetic noble houses would sit idly and wait. Leo’s eyes stopped as he looked to his family, the men and women of the green fields of Stafyr but also soon the steadfast grey crest of Baruch would be his kin by law. As on que with the bishop ordering all to stand, Lady Valeria of Baruch came walking down the aisle one of her arms locked with her grandfather’s and the other locked with her brother’s. The lady of Baruch was clad in a white dress as she kept a surprisingly eloquent manner smiling as she strode forth.

 

She looked up on her groom and scrunched her nose as she glanced down on her dress. Leopold would barely notice her discomfort as his gaze was mesmerised by seeing his bride to be. As his brother Nikolas standing next to him buried a slight elbow into his side Leo snapped out of his trancelike state and would stifle a chuckle as his eyes met with Valeria. She let go of her grandfather’s and brother’s arm as she took the final step to stand in front of Leopold and the bishop. The bishop spoke loudly and his words in Flexio echoed through the cathedral. Prayers were repeated by the pair but their mind was far distant as their gaze was locked on one another.

 

The bishop looked down on the two with a warming smile as he spoke “As I would have assumed the pair has prepared their own words, we may start with the groom.” 

 

Leopold took a deep breath before he spoke clearly and with a soft tone to his voice “I carry many a burden and will until my dying breath do so. But when I am with you no burden can be felt, all my troubled thoughts and concerns are lifted by your smile, a war could rage but your laugh would grant me peace.”

 

”From your sheepish grin when you bother my brother, the annoyed sighs when you are forced to wear a dress or the utter joy you feel when you’re out hunting. I love and cherish all of you and I promise you that until the day that I draw my final breath I shall always do so.”

 

Valeria’s eyes are gleeful and glossy with tears by the end of Leopold’s vows.  Her lips curl into a soft smile as she’d begin with vows of her own. “Courtships are often forced. Love is a rare thing. Marriage is only a political movement to join two houses.  I’ll be honest, I wasn’t expecting to fall in love with you within our forced courtship” she’d chuckle softly

 

“But that’s the greatest thing about love, it’s rare. It’s unexpected. Unexplainable. With that being said, I cannot stand here and express my love for you through something as simple as words. Instead, I vow to devote my life to you and continuously show you my unconditional love because actions speak louder than words.  Starting with the fact that I actually changed out of my armor and into a dress for our wedding day!” She’d conclude with a laugh. Her smile as radiant as ever.

 

The bishop would smile after the two had exchanged their brief words and motioned forward Nikolas to give the bishop a set of rings. He once more spoke in Flexio as he blessed the two rings before they were presented to Leopold and Valeria, grabbing hold of a ring each.

 

“I, Leopold Kristoff of Stafyr take you Valeria Reza of Baruch to be my wife, I promise to be true to you in good time and in bad, in sickness and in health, I will love and honour you all the days of my life.”

 

He’d move to place the ring on her finger after that and once more Valeria would speak.

 

“I, Valeria Reza of Baruch take you Leopold Kristoff of Stafyr to be my husband, I promise to be true to you in good time and in bad, in sickness and in health, I will love and honour you all the days of my life.”

 

The bishop nodded as they took a hold of each other's hands, gently holding one another. “Lady Valeria Reza of Baruch and Lord Leopold Kristoff of Stafyr, through their words today, have joined together in holy wedlock.”

 

”Because they have exchanged their vows before God and these witnesses, have pledged their commitment each to the other, and have declared the same by joining hands and by exchanging rings, I now pronounce that they are husband and wife.” The bishop would glance to Leopold “You may kiss your bride.”

 

Leopold would lean in and kiss Valeria before turning to the pews of now standing nobles, kinsmen and retainers who all clapped and cheered for the Lord and Lady of Stafyr and the new Countess of Nenzing.

[KIIWIKILLA 342]

The aged Marius takes his seat between his grandson, Jan, and his trusted friend, Duncan Kortrevitch. He watches the ceremony with a smile on his face throughout. His mind returns to the many other weddings he has lived to see; the marriage of Marius’ aunt, Astrid, to the Baron of Beaumont many years ago in his youth. The tragedy that had later befell her and her family brought a tear to his eye. His thoughts then drifted to the wedding of his sister, Erika, to the Margrave of Vasiland in an attempt to divert his mind from the thoughts of his aunt’s fate. He notices several similarities between the weddings, including the unmistakable likeness between Erika and Val. As the ceremony ends, he pushes himself to his feet to applaud the new union between the houses of Baruch and Stafyr. “Together we shall prosper.” He says to his grandson, before offering a pleased nod to the Bishop as he catches his eye.

[SubscriptShark2 197]

Jan would later move towards his balcony seeing as the spirit around town was still lively “I’ve seen today as a good day, let us hope that our journey stays this way” as he shortly after went back inside his manor

[Vaasek 224]

A man with many little birds, Philippe d’Orleans grinned softly upon hearing another alliance within the Kingdom of Hanseti-Ruska. Great houses, too, he mused. 

 

”Something is afoot, dear Kirk.” he told the courier who stood by his side, a young northern lad, who nodded back to him. ”And it is great...”

[Legoboy7984 3155]

“Even though he chose a Baruch to marry something I wouldn’t, but  I’m glad to see my wife’s kin happy.” Sir Henrik would simply state.