Emperors Wedding

[Sultan 3953]

As the time of the wedding neared the whole of the empire was joyful and preparing for celebration. Today was the marriage of the Emperor and his beloved fiancee Duchess Rose Amedaius.

Shortly after sunset the guests began to arrive, dressed in the colors of the House of Horen-Hightower and bearing the banners of their respective families. As the guests approached the Church they pass through many ranks of Imperial Knights, decked in gilded helmets and wielding ceremonial swords. Watching the last of the guests enter, the guests rose from there seats at the front of the hall to hear the Imperial Anthem. The choir began to sing.

God save our Emperor!

Long live His Majesty!

God save Godfrey!

Send him victorious,

Happy and glorious,

Long to reign over us:

God save Oren!

O Lord our God arise,

Scatter our enemies,

And make them fall:

Confound their politics,

Frustrate their foreign tricks,

On You our hopes we fix:

God save us all.

Thy blessed gifts in store,

On him be pleased to pour;

Long may he reign:

May he defend our walls,

And ever give us cause

To sing with heart and voice

God save Godfrey!

The crowd took their seats as the last notes of the song died down. All eyes fixed upon the groom, Emperor Godfrey. He entered from the right, wearing a coronet of silver and magnificent purple doublet threaded in gold. He was accompanied by the Pontiff Adeodatus I and other senior clergy, all outfitted in equally extravagant robes of crimson and gold. The groomsmen followed diligently, lead by the best man King James Horen-Hightower. The bridesmaids, similarly lead by their Maid of Honor Isabellla Elindl, filed in from the left.

There was a silent gasp as the bride entered, escorted by her Uncle Count Casimir Amedaius. Her ladyship Rose Amedaius shows so much beauty, the hearts of the onlookers are instantly melted. Her hair sits with neat braiding, curls falling softly to outline her delicate face. Among the braids, stunning scarlet rose buds are placed, which emphasis her beauty and the color of her sapphire eyes.

Her curves are accentuated by a tight fitted bodice adorned with lace and trimmed with pearls. Her arms are covered in lace sleeves that stop just before her elbow and the pale ivory of her skirts cascade and pool around her feet in a waterfall of silk. In Rose’s hands she holds a beautiful bunch of pure white roses. A lace veil covers her eyes and trails down her back.. There was an extended pause before the stunned priest remembered to say “All rise for the Bride” and the orchestra began to play.

Her Grace Rose arrived at the altar as the orchestra faded away. Count Casimir stepped away respectfully and took his seat by the Imperial Family as Pontiff Boeindl began the ceremony.

We are gathered here in the sight of God and these witnesses to unite Emperor Godfrey and Lady Rose in holy matrimony. As followers of Holy Light, they know that God ordained marriage as a sacred bond between man and woman, a divine institution of monogamy and holy love.

Emperor Godfrey and Lady Roze, as you prepare to take these vows, give careful thought and prayer, for as you make them you are making an exclusive commitment one to the other for as long as you both shall live. Your love for each other should never be diminished by difficult circumstances, and it is to endure on this mortal world and the divine one beyond. As God's creations, your marriage is strengthened by obedience to your Heavenly Creator and His Word. If you should let God’s will guide your marriage, He will cause your home to be a place of joy and a testimony to the world.

He took a moment of silence as to lead the congregation in prayer.

Our Creator; love has been Your richest and greatest gift to the world. Love between a man and woman which matures into marriage is Your most beautiful earthly love. Today we celebrate that love. May your blessing be upon this wedding. Protect, guide, and bless Emperor Godfrey and Lady Roze in their marriage. Surround them and us with Your love now and always.

The Pontiff paused to request the congregation be seated, then continued.

Doubly blessed is the couple which comes to the marriage altar with the approval and blessings of their families and friends. Who has the honor of presenting this woman to be married to this man?

Casmir stood, I do. The Pontiff nods his head slightly as the Count takes his seat, motioned for the choir to begin a hymn.

1. All things bright and beautiful,

All creatures great and small,

All things wise and wonderful,

The One God made them all.

2. Each little flower that opens,

Each little bird that sings,

He made their glowing colours,

He made their graceful wings..

3. The noble in his castle,

The freeman at his gate,

God made them high and lowly,

And ordered their estate.

4. The snowy crested mountain,

The river running by,

The sunset and the morning,

That brightens up our sky;−

5. The cold wind in the winter,

The pleasant summer sun,

The ripe fruits in the garden,−

He made them every one:

6. The tall trees in the forest,

The meadows where we play,

The rushes by the water,

We gather every day;−

7. He gave us eyes to see them,

And lips that we might tell,

How great is God Almighty,

Who has made all things well.

The Pontiff resumed after the hymn was completed.

Permit me to charge you both to remember that your future happiness is to be found in mutual consideration, patience, kindness, confidence, and affection. Emperor Godfrey, it is your duty to love Lady Rose as yourself, provide leadership, and protect her from danger. Lady Rose, it is your duty to treat Emperor Godfrey with respect, obey, support him, and make his home a sanctuary of peace. It is the duty of each of you to find the greatest joy in the company of the other; to remember that in both interest and affection, you are to be one and undivided.

The Pontiff, in a deep voice which resonated throughout the church, began the pledge.

Emperor Godfrey and Lady Rose, you have made a solemn decision in choosing to marry each other today. You are entering into a sacred covenant as eternal partners before God. The quality of your marriage will reflect what you put into nurturing this relationship. You have the opportunity to go forward from this day to create a faithful, kind, and tender home. We bless you this day. It your charge to keep the blessings of the Creator each and every day of your lives together. We wish for you the wisdom, compassion, and constancy to create a sacred union.

Emperor Godfrey, do you understand and accept this responsibility, and do you take it as your duty to create a loving, healthy, and happy marriage?

Emperor Godfrey: Yes, we do.

Lady Rose, do you understand and accept this responsibility, and do you take it as your duty to create a loving, healthy, and happy marriage?

Lady Rose: Yes, I do.

The Groom and Bride prepared to take their vows, without the faintest tremor of uncertainty.

We, Godfrey, take you Rose, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, 'til death do us part: according to God's holy ordinance, and thereto I pledge you my love and faithfulness.

I, Rose, take you Emperor Godfrey, to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, 'til death do us part: according to God's holy ordinance, and thereto I pledge you my love and faithfulness.

High Pontiff: May I have the rings. Let us pray. Bless, O Lord, the giving and receiving of these rings. May Emperor Godfrey and Lady Rose abide in Thy peace and grow in their knowledge of Your presence through their loving union. May the seamless circle of these rings become the symbol of their endless love and serve to remind them of the holy covenant they have entered into today to be faithful, loving, and kind to each other. Dear God, may they live in Your grace and be forever true to this union. Amen.

Emperor Godfrey: Rose, I give you this ring as a symbol of our vows, and with all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you. In the name of the Creator, and of the Divine, and of the Holy Light. With this ring, I thee wed.

Lady Rose: Emperor Godfrey, I give you this ring as a symbol of our vows, and with all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you. In the name of the Creator, and of the Divine, and of the Holy Light. With this ring, I thee wed.

With the completion of the vows, the two took from the altar small candles of beeswax. They nurtured them carefully as they approached a single, larger candle near the end of the platform. They tipped them gently against the unlit wick of the large candle as one would a pitcher of wine, lighting it and bathing their faces in a warm glow.

As the candles united the Pontiff spoke.

Your two respective candles were lit to represent both your lives in this moment. They were two distinct lights, each capable of separate action. As you join now in marriage, there is a merging of these two lights into one light. This is what the Lord meant when He said, "On this account a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and the two shall be one flesh." From now on your thoughts shall be for each other rather than your individual selves. Your plans shall be mutual, your joys and sorrows shall be shared alike. As you each take a candle and together light the center one, you will extinguish your own candles, thus letting the center candle represent the union of your lives into one flesh. As this one light cannot be divided, neither shall your lives be divided but a united testimony in a blessed home. May the radiance of this one light be a testimony of your unity in the Creator's eyes.

There was a brief pause as Emperor Godfrey and Lady Rose snuffed out their small candles, leaving only the large one to illuminate them standing together.

For as much as Emperor Godfrey and Lady Rose have consented together in holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and these witnesses, and there to have pledged their faithfulness each to the other, and have pledged the same by the giving and receiving each of a ring, by the authority vested in me as a Pontiff of the Faith according to the laws of the Holy Oren Empire, I pronounce that they are husband and wife together, in the name of the Creator, and of the Divine, and of the Holy Light. Those that Creator has joined together, let no man put asunder.

The Pontiff went to his knees to recite the closing prayer.

Be who God meant you to be and you will illuminate the world. Marriage is intended to be a holy vehicle by which man and woman unite to become what God intended each to be, their deepest and truest selves.

Some are full of fear for the future of the prospects of our world but the message of the celebrations in this country and far beyond its borders is the right one – this is a joyful day! It is good that people in every land are able to share in these celebrations because this is, as every wedding day should be, a day of hope.

In a sense every wedding is a royal wedding with the bride and the groom as king and queen of creation, making a new life together so that life can flow through them into the future.

Emperor Godfrey and Lady Rose, you have chosen to be married in the sight of a generous God who so loved the world. And in the Spirit of this generous God, husband and wife are to give themselves to each another.

A spiritual life grows as love finds its centre beyond ourselves. Faithful and committed relationships offer a door into the mystery of spiritual life in which we discover this; the more we give of self, the richer we become in soul; the more we go beyond ourselves in love, the more we become our true selves and our spiritual beauty is more fully revealed. In marriage we are seeking to bring one another into fuller life.

It is of course very hard to wean ourselves away from self-centredness. And people can dream of doing such a thing but the hope should be fulfilled it is necessary a solemn decision that, whatever the difficulties, we are committed to the way of generous love.

You have both made your decision today – “I do” – and by making this new relationship, you have aligned yourselves with what we know is the way in which life is spiritually evolving, and which will lead to a creative future for the human race.

We stand looking forward to a century which is full of promise and full of peril. Human beings are confronting the question of how to use wisely a power that has been given to us through by the Creator. We shall not be converted to the promise of the future by more knowledge, but rather by an increase of loving wisdom and reverence, for life, for the land and for one another.

Marriage should transform, as husband and wife make one another their work of art. It is possible to transform as long as we do not harbour ambitions to reform our partner. There must be no coercion if the Spirit is to flow; each must give the other space and freedom. this poem, sums it up in a pithy phrase:

“Whan maistrie [mastery] comth, the God of Love anon,

Beteth his wynges, and farewell, he is gon.”

There has been a corresponding inflation of expectations that personal relations alone will supply meaning and happiness in life. This is to load our partner with too great a burden. We are all incomplete: we all need the love which is secure, rather than oppressive, we need mutual forgiveness, to thrive.

As we move towards our partner in love, following the example of the Divine. This leads to a family life which offers the best conditions in which the next generation can practise and exchange those gifts which can overcome fear and division and incubate the coming world of the Spirit, whose fruits are love and joy and peace.

I pray that all of us present and the many millions sharing in your joy today, will do everything in our power to support and uphold you in your new life. And I pray that God will bless you in the way of life that you have chosen, that way which is expressed in the prayer that you have composed together in preparation for this day:

Our Creator, we thank you for our families; for the love that we share and for the joy of our marriage. In the busyness of each day keep our eyes fixed on what is real and important in life and help us to be generous with our time and love and energy.

Strengthened by our union help us to serve and comfort those who suffer. We ask this in the light of the Divine. So say we all.

As the Pontiff took a moment of silence, bowing his head and making the holy symbol before raising his head to the couple.

Pontiff: Emperor Godfrey, you may now kiss your Bride.

The Emperor leaned in and plants a small kiss on her lips.

Pontiff: It is now my privilege to introduce to you for the first time as one flesh, His Imperial Majesty Emperor Godfrey I and And her Imperial Majesty Rose I the Empress Consort .

[Sultan 3953]

The Nobles and Royal Guests leave the Church and head to the Royal Hall for a ball and a feast.

The Hall of St. Daniel was the Emperor’s favored location to host balls and other social events. This was reflected, of course, in its lavish decorations. Many yards of linen and silk tapestries adorned the walls, depicting famous scenes from Imperial history. The upper windows were circles, framed with painted garters.

In the centre of the building, in a large gilded oval, Godfrey I was represented in the habit of the Order of the Cross of Horen. His right foot rested on a lion's head, and he was attended to by Renatus, Hanseti, and Salvus. Religion and Plenty, represented by cherubs, held the crown of the three kingdoms above him. On each side of the monarch were images of Aegis and Asulon, superimposed with emblems of war and peace.

In the same oval as the exalted Emperor was the seal of the Imperial House, supported by two stylized images of the cherubs Holiness and Eternity. The Angel of Justice, attended by fortitude, temperance, and prudence, was depicted beating down the twin devils of rebellion and faction.

Nearer the throne was an octagon, in which was St. Daniel’s Cross, encircled with a Garter similar to those decorating the windows. It was upon a Star of Glory decorated with an array of Cupids, and embellished with the motto: ‘’Shamed be he who thinks evil of it’’ in raised letters. The Seven Muses attended to the image in full concert, completing the of the grandeur of the Hall.

In the lower compartments of the ceiling, over the music gallery, was the collar of the Order of the Cross of Horen, likewise supported by cupids. It was encompassed with a variety of characters mythical and historical characters, emblematic of the illustrious Order.

On the north side of the chamber, extending nearly six score feet in length, was the elegantly painted the triumph of Edgar the Steadfast, son of King Charles I and founder of the Order of the Cross of Horen. He was depicted seated at the upper end of the image receiving Richard, King of Grwund and David, King of Orlkan as prisoners.

At the lower end of the hall was the noble music gallery, finely carved and gilt, supported by four slaves, beautifully carved in wood, bending, as it were, beneath their burden. The floor was paved with black and white marble, and at one end, on a balcony, was a glorious baroque throne, richly gilded and supported by carved figures of slaves.

As the varied guests entered, they were announced in a startlingly grandiose manner by a veritable army of heralds. Members of the gentry received a few trumpet calls, but the royals and higher members of the nobility were treated to what amounts to a symphony of brass instruments. The clamor was surprisingly tolerable, but it still caused a few winces amongst the more sensitive members of the audience. Upon entering the hall, the racket from outside faded and a soft orchestra could be heard.

Sonorous notes of violins, harps, and other instruments filled the ballroom. Sounds flowed off the walls, and tempted the onlookers into dance, their bodies swaying as if under a spell. Some resisted the temptation, opting to stay on the edges of the room drinking and being merry. The times were clearly quite good in the Empire, especially for the nobility.

Emperor, Godfrey I, rested high upon his throne in a balcony over the ballroom. Eyes of warm, fatherly gray-blue stared down upon his subjects, to his side sits his new Impress.

Glancing down into the cup of burgundy liquid which he was delighting in, the Emperor smirked at his own reflection.

[Gemmylou 484]

-Isabella smiles as she watches Rose marry the Blessed Emperor. She holds Rose's bouquet and waits for the ceremony to finish. When the ceremony ends she leans to Rose's ear and whispers,

"Congratulations, Rose" and gives her a genuine happy smile.

Isabella then proceeds to lead the remaining bridesmaids out of the room after the Emperor and Empress Consort.

[ACanadianCraft (Nate) 682]

*Jullius sits at the back of the room, a few of his fellow White Rose soldiers nearby. His expression that not one that is normally seen adorning his handsome features. This expression was not of its normal overconfident smirk, with an air of superiority. No, this expression that hung around his face was that of agitation. Jullius watches the event quietly without a word, the procession obviously aggravating him deeply. A deep sigh is brought forth from his lips as he leans further back into his seat. His expression lightens. It's time to accept what has come to pass, unbelievable though it may be.*

"Checkmate. You win again."

[Austin 697]

William stands proud next to his fellow groomsmen, he looks to his Twin Horen, who stands a few inches taller and makes a sinister grin as he thinks about the bet he made with Horen about how long this marriage will last. William bet 8 years, and Horen bet for the rest of there fathers life.

[Goldd 126]

*Elizabeth Silverblade, dressed in a brand new silk blue dress with silver lining, smiles happily at the couple. She wears a golden diamond ring on her right hand. Her black hair is braided circling her head, so the braids look like a circlet. The young elf's ears show, unlike when she is usually about Arethor, and her ears are hidden by her hair. Her silver eyes intently watch Rose and his holy majesty Emporer Godfrey. The young girl is as beautiful as ever. Next to her would be Adorellan dressed just as finely. She seems in a very joyous and happy mood.*

[Scipp3r 451]

His Grace, the Right Honorable Patrick of Corpathia and the privy council is seen sitting very close to the Emperor in a high chair wearing his ravishing robes as ever.

[Knightei 318]

Squire Borric stands still as a statue during the wedding, bedecked in his uniform armour, watching over the events by the door. He smiles briefly beneath his helm as the wedding comes to a close and he follows the nobles to the ball room, following his Master into the room.

[Z3r05t4r 855]

Dressed in a long green coat with a yellow border, also wearing the huge yellow twin cross of Stafyr on his back and chest, Godwein attends the wedding.

Godwein remained silent during the wedding, yet feeling proud and glad. Proud of the Empire, glad that the Emperor has found someone who shall accompany him for the future and the sake of the Empire.

At the Hall of St. Daniels, after the opening formalities, he decides to grab himself some wine and take a look around to see who else attends the feast.

[simidimi12 (Symo) 70]

*Symodimi arrives at the ceremony, wearing is usual black cloak and mask. As soon as he enters, he removes his mask from his face, revealing a long scar across his face.*

"I hope Rose lives a long and happy life with our beloved Emperor." *He mutters to himself and some of his men who have decided to follow him to this great Ceremony.*

[jtringl 35]

*Happy to have delivered his niece to the Emperor in marriage, he sits his old bones down in a chair watching the merriment play through. He smiles at the joy in the room, aswell as to the thought in his head.*

*He says , loud enough for those around to hear*

"Well, looks like I finally became Duke. Lots of work to be done now.."

*grins widely, loving the fact he is now Duke of Norjun.*

[Goldd 126]

*Elizabeth grins as she enters Saint Daniel's. She admires the lavish decorations and the beauty of the entire room. Her blue and silver dress, swishes slightly with her walking. The neatly braided, black hair matches perfectly with the girl's wonderful silver eyes. She watches the people dancing with great interest. Her eyes are in a distant land of the past. She remembers those happy and funny times.*

[simidimi12 (Symo) 70]

*Symodimi sitting not far from Casimir, hears his comment of being the Duke of Norjun. He turns his head back to his men and whispers to them*

"He won't be Duke for long Brothers..." *He then turns his head back to the ceremony, smiling widely.*

[SkyyoBee 249]

Moved to the Great Library. It shall be sorted into appropriate category shortly.