AN: Wew I've been waiting to write this scene for a year. The song I've always had as a backdrop to it was 'Shine A Light' by Banners. Added to the above. 

...

Oh wow, we're actually here, I thought to myself. In front of me was my done up self. 

My blonde hair had been done up in a chignon. Little braids had blended with the bun. Throughout it all, flowered clips had been placed here and there. We'd opted for what the makeup artist called a wide set eyeshadow look. The slightest amounts of gold hinting at the edges. She'd added the softest contour on the face. It was a delicate, subtle look.

"Thank you," I breathed out, taking it all in. Mum had been moving throughout in the background. Klara was bouncing back and forth in excitement, her hair properly curled. Lena was in the background with a new Protection Officer hanging in the background as our official driver. Dad was still yet to dress in his suit. A photographer and videographer flittered back and forth in the background. The stylist beamed, stepping back.

"Time to get dressed?" Hanna asked. I gave her a grin as she held up a phone to take photos. My stomach fluttering. 

"Let's do it,"

Any thought of Alek had been thoroughly banished from my mind for that morning. Mum helped do me up. The hair and makeup stylist pointed out how to safely insert and remove the veil before leaving. 

And then the house shuffled about. I sat and waited, poised on the edge of the couch. The rest of the household moved back and forwards around me. Lena did another sweep of the surrounding houses. Klara shouted about, trying to find her necklace. Mum was looking for Dad's tie and Dad was suiting up. Justek was grinning, popping on his socks. Feodor had already finish up and way lying on the couch. Hanna was trying to help Klara, occasionally pausing to take photos here and there of menial things..

"Your kids are going to love this," She grinned. 

"Uh huh," I chuckled as she ran off into another room. I didn't want to move, in fear of tearing something. 

Another fifteen minutes passed with my family running around like headless chickens. They had to leave now, or would risk being slightly behind with traffic. It was another five minutes when Hanna paused to declare.

"Let's get moving! We're late!" 

A shuffle to the door as Hanna, Mum, Feodor, Klara and Justek all moved to the car. Dad and I would be going in a different one that would be following the normal car that Lena drove. Franciszek would also be in that one. We'd give them a fifteen minute head start. 

A brief set of goodbyes. Mum presented me with a family keepsake; a gold band. 

"Family heirloom," Mum explained, "it was my grandmother's, my mother's at her wedding, mine at my wedding, now it's yours," 

"Thank you," I beamed, smiling up at her. She gave my hand a squeeze before moving out.

I heard them load in and drive off. Soon enough, it was just Dad and I, waiting. Lena hung out side of the door.

"How are you feeling?" I looked to Dad. He looked back.

"I should be asking the same of you," He chuckled, "surprised that this day is finally here. You?"

"It's surreal," I murmured.

"It's been a long time coming," Dad nodded. 

"Getting married or the wedding with Cas?" I chuckled. 

"Well, God is sovereign," He trailed off, "so getting married to Cas has been a long time coming,"

"Smooth answer," I laughed. We eased into a general silence, I looked to him, "any sage marriage advice?"

"Your mother would be better suited at giving that," He rolled his eyes, shaking his head.

"Come on," I smiled.

Dad sighed, "I was going to save it for my speech,"

"Tell me now," I beamed. 

He took a moment to gather his thoughts. 

"Never go to bed angry," Dad's advice was light, "outdo one another in sacrificial love. Turn to God when in doubt,"

"Very good advice," I hummed, "did you do those things?"

"Not well," He chuckled. I nodded, grinning. 

"Time to go," Lena popped her head around the corner.

I breathed out.

Oh wow, here we go!

...

Dad and I loaded into the car. It was Cas' choice. A white, classic-looking car. Aside from that, I couldn't tell. I knew barely anything about cars. 

"Nice ride," Dad murmured as we pulled out of the driveway. The town soon merged into the mountains as we ascended higher and higher. Aside form a few comments, Dad didn't really say much.

I watched Ardeena as it melted into the background. I drew a little circle around it on the window. So small, containing most of my life.

I now had the rest of my life to discover something more, I thought to myself, recalling Cas' words. 

The world melted away. The light shifted through trees. We were almost there. 

We pulled in through the gates. The driver followed the directions to the green. We were given a thumbs up from one of the coordinators that it was go time. 

My nerves peaked, my throat welling up. I blinked away the first prickling of tears. 

"Are you ready?" My father turned to me, offering me a grin.

"I'm nervous," I confessed.

"That means you're ready," He nodded.

"Well I guess we better get it started then," I looked to him, searching his face. 

He gave me a gentle smile, "Let's do it then,"

I turned to the waiting crowd.

The first thing I noticed was all the people there. The Americana-styled chairs were in neat, wonderful rows. An elegant sash connected all of them. Flowers dotted the whole array. Distantly, I could hear music starting up in the background.

My whole body was shaking. I held onto my father's arm like it was a lifeline. I kept searching the crowd for Cas. For a moment I thought I could see-.

"Everyone please stand for the arrival of the bride," I could distantly hear Pastor Palmer's voice. Cas disappeared behind the attendees. 

I don't know if I can do this, I thought. My breath began trembling, I began to shake. My vision blurred and my head began to spin. I felt light. As if my feet were no longer touching the ground.

Breathe in. I reminded myself. 

The arbour in front of me. The smiling faces of my family. My father next to me. The view past all of this. The grass in front of me.

Breathe out.

The dress moving around my feet. The bouquet, slick in my grip. The fabric of my father's suit. The veil brushing against my cheeks.

Breathe in, don't cry.

The distant sounds of the music. The hum of the mountainside. The whispers of support as I passed.

Breathe out.

The scent of flowers. The slightest hints of perfume. 

Breathe in.

The remnants of toothpaste at the back of my teeth.

Breathe out.

And I finally see him- Cas. Standing alone and waiting for me. He has the biggest smile stretched across his face. He takes in a shaky breath, looking to me. I let out a slight breath. His jaw dropped slightly, taking me in. 

My father moved forwards to shake Cas' hand. A firm grip. "Keep her safe," Dad spoke lowly, a solemn command.

"I will," Cas affirmed.

Cas and I took one another's hands.

"You look beautiful," He whispered. I looked back at him, doing my best to suppress a grin.

"You don't look so bad yourself," I whispered back, giving his hand a squeeze. There was a light chuckle from those who were within earshot. 

"Sofia and Casmir-Stefan," Pastor Palmer began. His words fading into the background as he laid out the legal requirements for the wedding. He talked about what marriage meant, in both the legal and spiritual sense. He detailed some sage wedding advice that he'd gathered throughout the years. 

Then it was time for our handwritten vows.

The words in my throat were thick. "I, Sofia O'Zbrojaski, take you, Casmir-Stefan Stephanov, to be my lawfully wedded husband. To have and to hold, from this day forward. For better, for worse. For richer, for poorer. In sickness and in health," 

I paused to take in a breath, looking to Cas. He smiles even deeper.

A tear slipped, tracing down my cheek, I sniff.

"To love and to cherish. Till death do us part. According to God's holy ordinance; and thereto, I pledge thee my faith and pledge myself to you,"

I took in a deep breath for the more personalised part of my vows.

"I vow to be with you, to hold true to you. Ever since you bowled me over in my backyard, that one night long ago, I knew you were something different. After you chased the bicycle thief, even though you'd failed," I paused to chuckle alongside the crowd, "I knew that I'd found a man who would uphold my honour and respect my wishes. Then we began to travel together. And from that point, I knew. I knew I'd found someone who would have my best interests at heart, whilst still encouraging me to become a better person. You were there in some of my darkest struggles. You were there with me in some of my greatest triumphs. And I look forwards to the life we will have together,"

I breathed out, wiping away the remaining tear. I flipped over to the next card.

"Not too long left," I chuckled, sniffing, "so may our love be selfless, sacrificial and true. We don't have a contingency plan for the life ahead. But I will do everything I can to stand by you in the same way that Christ loves the church. Until then, I promise to love you, to be a shoulder to cry on, a unique confident, and to be the one to stay with you until I no longer can. I love you Cas,"

I breathed out. Looking up to him, tears consistently blurring my vision. Through the tears, I could see his absolutely, beaming face. Cas took up his card. He spoke aloud. A beautifully, personalised letter. A profession of love and faith. He began with a personalised detailing and then finished with a biblical passage. The most classic of all loving verses.

"Love is patient and kind," He paused, looking to me, "love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant  or rude. It does not insist on its own way. It is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things," He breathed out, flipping to the next card. He looked back up to me.

"Love never ends," I whispered in time with him, our two voices united, "as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease. As for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.  When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways,"

Cas pauses, looking to me, grinning from ear to ear. I let him speak alone, alongside him.

"For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known," He took in a deep breath, continuing the reading, "so now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love," He looked to me, "so Sof, may I love you with an unconditional, selfless love. Like Christ's sacrificial love for those who believe. A love that led Him to lay down His life. By that standard, you have loved me so much greater, Sofia O'Zbrojaski. So may I live the rest of my life in a pursuit of selflessness. May I stay with you, through all, enduring all, until death do us part. Until, and after then, I love you Sof," 

Before he'd finished, there were tears openly streaming down my face. Pastor Palmer summoned forth the rings. He explained their significance. We made our final, legal promises to one another before slipping them on one another's hand. 

And then-.

Cas lifted the veil, letting it flutter behind me. We drew in one another for the most anticipated, tear-strained kiss that I had ever taken. A burst of applause in the background. 

We were married.