ajpotts@vais.net
See For Better or Worse (Part 1) for the complete disclaimer statement and other notes from the author.
"Finally got one to agree to have a Traditional Wedding, aye?" The priest smiled to Sarah's father, who nodded as he escorted him and Meleager's father and brother to the Grand Hall for the rehearsal. "Good for you...too many young people are ignoring the traditions," Meleager's father relayed with appreciation. "Sarah has done well for herself," Meleager's brother, Willis, noted to Sarah's father, appreciating the castle's rich interior. Sarah's father nodded and escorted Meleager's family to the side to watch. "Guess you are pretty proud to have a daughter of your's become a Queen," Willis added with a smile, noting the fine Athenian marble of the altar. "I'm proud of all my children," Sarah's father stated simply, making the Priest nod and smile. Meleager and Xena came in and stood on the side of the altar. As Meleager smiled at his father and brother, Xena looked around the large room and yawned. The work on the wedding dress with Gabrielle's mother was catching up to her. They had worked on the dress through most of the night and just finished up before the rehearsal. If she never saw another bead, it would be too soon. "What do we do?" Xena asked through another yawn, watching the musicians set up. "I don't KNOW. I've never BEEN through one of these before," he snapped, then felt a cold gaze burrowing through him. "Sorry...I'm just nervous," he blurted awkwardly. "Meleager, this is only a rehearsal...this is a GOOD thing," Xena informed him. When the musicians were finally set up, Meleager noticed Sarah's mother go over to discuss something with them. Meleager found Sarah's mother a natural when it came to bossing others...which worried him more and more as he found more and more similarities between Sarah and her mother. Xena watched the woman, impressed she showed no signs of fatigue considering the incredible amount of work she had done to get this wedding back on track. When the music started to play, Lila came down the center of the aisle with a basket on her arms, looking annoyed as she pretended to spread petals on the path to the altar. "Lila dear, you're supposed to step WITH the music...step and step and step," her mother blurted out, embarrassing the young woman, who finally got back in step. "Very GOOD dear," her mother encouraged her. Meleager and Xena grinned with amusement. Lila stopped in front of the warriors, gave them a cold warning glare and moved to other the side of the altar to await her sisters. Gabrielle came down the aisle with a pitcher in her hands. "Gabrielle dear, WHY do you have a pitcher in your hands?" Her mother called out to her. "It's my bouquet," Gabrielle responded with a shrug. "Just don't throw it..." Lila relayed with feigned concern. "Lila, the BRIDE throws things not the Matron of Honor," Gabrielle corrected her sister. "However, in your case I could make an exception." Gabrielle called to her sister with a thin smile. "You can TRY Gabrielle, but I know you throw even worse than you sew," Lila countered with a satisfied grin. Meleager and Xena looked at each other and returned their patient gazes to the young women. "That's probably a good thing, FLOWER GIRL, or I'D be tossing those stupid petals," Gabrielle relayed, annoying her sister. "Girls, Girls! Settle down!" their mother responded, clapping her hands impatiently. "Lets get back to the business at hand...shall we?" Their mother relayed with a glare, and motioned to the musicians to start again. As the bard passed the warriors, Xena yawned again. Gabrielle stopped and frowned. "Bored already? I hate to tell you...this is the best part," she whispered loudly. "I'm just tired," Xena admitted through another yawn. "Too bad. Did I mention I'm feeling much MUCH better?" Gabrielle relayed nonchalantly. Suddenly the Warrior Princess felt more alert for some reason. Meleager stared at his feet and tried to ignore the two. "Gabrielle, keep it moving dear," her mother called out, motioning to the musicians to continue playing. "You know, I'm not sure what to do tonight now that the dress is done," Xena complained. "And you know how easily I get bored," she added with a shrug and sigh as the sympathetic bard nodded thoughtfully. Meleager rolled his eyes and sighed. "Well, I'm pretty sure we could probably find something to do...together," a helpful Gabrielle relayed confidently. "GABRIELLE!!" Her mother barked, making the bard grimace and reluctantly leave her grinning warrior to continue to join her sister on the other side of the altar. Finally, Sarah appeared at the end of the aisle and was ready for her big entrance. The musicians started to play and Sarah began her march down the aisle, in step with the music...the WRONG music. "WAIT!" Her mother blurted and rushed over to the musicians to discuss their mistake. Gabrielle handed her pitcher to Lila and joined her mother when she seemed to be taking a long time. "No...you are supposed to play the Poteidaian Entrance Hymn...the Traditional hymn when the bride comes down the aisle," the woman once again informed the musicians, her polite smile fading quickly. "Ma'am that is not what we were contracted for...but if you want the Poteidaian Entrance Hymn, we can play the Poteidaian Entrance Hymn," he relayed, making the woman smile broadly. "...but it will cost you 300 more dinars," He added bluntly. "WHAT!" The woman snapped. Meleager and Xena looked at each other then back at the bard's mother. "Look Lady, as I see it you're damn LUCKY you got a Poteidaian group on such short notice. Now, if you now want that Entrance Hymn, it will cost you 300 dinars...." "You are not a musician...You're a THIEF!!!" "Fine Lady," he blurted as he started to pack up his sheet music with the other musicians. "You can take your Traditional Wedding and sh...." "Please...Wait a minute...please..." Gabrielle interjected with a friendly smile. "We are all under a lot of pressure here," Gabrielle admitted to the lead musician. "Are you married?" The bard asked, surprising her mother and the musician. The musician nodded suspiciously. "Well then, you really DO know what kind of pressure a wedding is," Gabrielle relayed wearily. The musician shrugged with a knowing nod. Gabrielle's mother quietly watched her daughter, who sighed dramatically. "Nothing has gone right. First...the dress maker died..." Gabrielle spoke gravely, shaking her head sadly. "Oh gods....really?" The lead musician blurted in shock. Gabrielle's mother was also in shock at this amazing tale of woe her daughter was telling. When the musician looked at her, she just nodded, considering, after all, the dress maker DID die. "And then, the kitchen staff just upped and QUIT!" Gabrielle blurted with an innocent shrug. "No food?" He asked, looking at his concerned fellow musicians. "Oh we have food, but we had to find last minute help...and they didn't even know you needed NUTS in nutbread!" Gabrielle relayed to the amazed musician. "But you've GOT to have nuts," he repeated incredulously. Gabrielle nodded knowingly. Watching how her daughter so blatantly manipulated the truth amazed the older woman. She was so proud. Meleager and Xena eyed each other then back at the musicians considering they were woefully out matched in this encounter. "Now," Gabrielle sighed wearily. "No Poteidaian Entrance Hymn..." Gabrielle whimpered. "Sarah will be crushed," Gabrielle relayed to her mother who, inspired by her daughter, put her protective arm around Gabrielle. "I know dear...It's just too bad," the older woman sighed patting her daughter on the shoulder. "But Sarah is strong...She survived the loss of her first husband and only child, and an attempted takeover of her kingdom...she'll survive this," the woman and her daughter took deep breaths. "It will be easier if we both tell her there will be NO music," Gabrielle's mother relayed, surprising her daughter with that risky position. As they turned to walk towards the impatient and curious bride-to-be, the musicians nervously looked at each other. "Wait a minute," the lead musician blurted uneasily. "Uh...there's always room to negotiate," he offered. Gabrielle and her mother stopped and looked at each other with satisfied grins. Finally, hearing music again...the correct music, Sarah started down the aisle. All eyes were on Sarah, except for Xena's. She was busy enjoying Gabrielle's smile. With the entrances finished, the priest looked down on the small group. "First, I must say I am very pleased you decided to carry on the Tradition," he smiled warmly at the couple. "...and it is not often I get a chance to have a Traditional Wedding outside of Poteidaia," he added. "In fact, I've never...." "Father...please?" Sarah blurted impatiently. "Oh yes...sorry," the priest relayed with a cough, then proceeded to run through the steps. "After the bride arrives, I will lead the welcome prayer. Once the prayer is over the guests will be seated. Then I'll ask for the Traditional items. Who is standing with Meleager?" the priest asked, looking at Meleager and his family curiously. "Xena," Meleager blurted to the yawning Warrior Princess. "Hmm?" "He asked who was standing with me," Meleager informed her. "Oh," Xena relayed, looking around at all the eyes uncomfortably on her. "Guess that's me," she looked up at the priest with a polite smile. "Well...uh...Xena...I will discuss the meaning of each of the Traditional items and then ask that you retrieve each one after I discuss it...the Furry Wegget egg will be first," he relayed as the Warrior Princess' eyes rolled. "After retrieving the egg from Meleager's father, you'll hand it to me and I'll place it right here," he added, pointing to a spot on the table. "Then I will discuss the Red Orchid of love...You'll go retrieve the Orchid from Willis," he looked at Xena, who nodded with a sigh. "...give it to me and I'll place next to the egg." "Then I will ask Meleager to recite his wedding poem to Sarah...then I'll pronounce them man and wife..." The priest smiled at the couple who looked at each other with happy smiles. A smiling Warrior Princess looked over to her bard. Xena's smile faded when she noticed the sadness in Gabrielle's eyes as the bard watched her sister and Meleager. Witnessing the evaporation of the warrior's smile, the bard's parents looked at each other. "Now...doesn't that sound easy?" The priest announced happily.
At the dinner table, the diners happily chatted as the food was being served. Xena was content to just quietly watch. On her immediate right, at the end of the table as dictated by Tradition, sat the Poteidaian Matriarch. She was engaged in an animated discussion with her husband and Meleager's father, which Xena found eerily similar to the animated discussion on her left lead by Gabrielle. Willis and Meleager struggled unsuccessfully to keep up with the sisters in their conversation, the Warrior Princess noted with a grin. As she watched Gabrielle enjoy talking with her sisters, Gabrielle quickly looked at her with a happy smile without missing a beat in the conversation. It was amazing how that smile made her heart beat faster, the warrior mused as she gazed at her bard's profile with great appreciation. "You were a big help with the dress Xena, thank you," Gabrielle's mother quietly spoke, interrupting Xena's bard gazing. Xena nodded, feeling oddly self-conscious. The woman smiled warmly and returned to chatting with her husband and Meleager's father. As the women served Meleager and his brother, Gabrielle looked across the table to Sustra and Solari with a grateful smile. Solari sighed heavily. Sustra winked and smiled happily at Gabrielle, while pouring a curious Willis some wine. As Sustra continued to serve Meleager's family, Gabrielle's mother noticed with amusement how intently Xena was eyeing that winking Amazon. Leaning across the table towards Sarah, Willis whispered to his future sister-in-law. "Sarah, did you realize your servants look like Amazons?" "Really?" Sarah relayed innocently, attempting a discrete yet closer look at the help. Gabrielle smiled and sipped her water. "They ARE Amazons," Xena flatly relayed to Willis, who's mouth dropped. "Really?" He asked, taking another look. "How on Earth did you get Amazons servants?" "Their Queen was nice enough to persuade them to fill in for my normal staff," Sarah relayed and looked to Gabrielle, who's eyes rolled as she ate a piece of nutbread. "Rather fortunate for me that Gabrielle is their Queen, wouldn't you say?" Sarah added with an amused grin. "You're an Amazon Queen??" Willis looked at Gabrielle with amazement and new, appreciative eyes. Gabrielle raised her eyebrow at the comment. "I didn't mean...I mean...it is hard to envision one so beautiful...uh...not that Amazons aren't...," Willis blurted out awkwardly. "Thank you...I think," Gabrielle smiled warmly. Gabrielle's mother sipped her wine, watching with amusement how Xena's eyebrows furrowed. When the Amazons came back to serve the main course, Sustra came around and served Gabrielle. She placed another large basket of nutbread on the table for her appreciative Queen, who smiled up to her. Sustra leaned in and whispered something in Gabrielle's ear, making the bard laugh heartily. Apparently something extremely humourous, the Warrior Princess noted with a scowl. When Sarah and Lila looked to Gabrielle for an explanation, Gabrielle shrugged and chuckled. "I've been reminded of a promise I've made. So tell me Sarah...how attached are you to the name of that road going through the middle of town? What's its name?" Gabrielle asked innocently. Sarah's eyes narrowed. "Main Street?" Sarah relayed bluntly. "Why? What do you want to name it?" Sarah asked cautiously. "How about 'Sustra's Way," Gabrielle informed her. "Kinda catchy don't you think?" Gabrielle added with a grin, looking over to the interested Amazon now serving Meleager's father. Gabrielle's mother refrained from chuckling when she watched the Warrior Princess attack the helpless meat on her plate with her sharp knife. "That's a great name!" Lila blurted enthusiastically, making Sustra smile. "If I agree, will you STOP renaming things on me?" Sarah blurted in exasperation. "I don't even know where I live anymore," Sarah muttered, still not ready to admit she liked Galisar better than Walsas. "Why are you renaming things?" Willis asked, intrigued by this Amazon Queen. "Don't you like Sustra's Way?" Gabrielle responded. "Oh, no...I mean...yes, I like it very much. I'm sure any other names YOU come up with will be just as interesting," Willis added with enthusiasm, making Meleager's eyes roll and Gabrielle's sisters grin and shake their heads. "I'm just curious...why," Willis added and gazed upon the bard with a smile. "It's a long story," Gabrielle answered politely with a wave of her hand to dissuade further interest. Sipping her water, she nonchalantly looked over to Xena, who was boring holes into the table with her intense gaze. "But I thought bards like to tell long stories...I'd love to hear you tell me one, or two, or..." Willis suggested playfully with a grin which faded when the Warrior Princess' unamused gaze now focused on him. "Or not..." Willis wisely added, nervously clearing his throat. Sarah and Lila looked upon Willis sadly, having found him a rather pleasant fellow. Meleager sighed, considering he probably should have warned his brother, then grinned. The Poteidaian Matriarch looked to her husband, who smiled warmly and nodded. "Well now, now that we are finishing up dinner," the matriarch stood at her table to the relief of the diners, especially Willis. "I would like to take this time to express my personal thanks to the Amazons for helping us out at the LAST moment," she relayed, eyeing Sarah, who rolled her eyes, expecting her mother to get around to saying 'I told you so.' Solari nodded and sighed heavily, retreating back into the kitchen to join the other Amazons. Sustra smiled and stayed put, enjoying herself too much to miss anything. "It was wonderful that Meleager's father and brother were able to join us for the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner," she smiled to Meleager's family. Willis smiled weakly as he wiped the sweat from his brow, trying to ignore the continued stare of the Warrior Princess. "And thank you Father Tehrus for also coming in on such SHORT notice," she relayed, eyeing Sarah again, who sighed. Lila and Gabrielle giggled. "I am especially pleased tonight that I am able to make another announcement," she smiled warmly down at her daughters, who looked apprehensively at each other. Gabrielle hoped to find a reassuring smile from her sisters but instead found wide eyes and ignorant shrugs. "As I had done with great pleasure so many years ago for my middle daughter Gabrielle," the Matriarch paused as Lila and Gabrielle turned towards their mother with an queasy feeling in their stomachs. "I am pleased to once again announce Gabrielle's betrothal...to Xena of Amphipolis," the Matriarch declared happily. Gabrielle blinked slowly, not sure she heard correctly. Xena's cold glaring of Willis was interrupted as her gaze shifted to the grinning Poteidaian Matriarch. The diners maintained a nervous silence, except for the sound of silverware dropping on the dinner plates. Sustra grinned, considering this well worth the trouble of being kitchen help. "MOTHER!" Gabrielle cried in disbelief as she angrily bolted up from her chair. "You had NO right THEN and you have NO RIGHT NOW! I can't BELIEVE you!!" Gabrielle looked at the still shocked Warrior Princess. Feeling embarrassed, horrified and really really angry, the bard quickly stormed off. As the initial shock wore off, Xena looked at the woman with narrowing eyes. It was quiet clear to the Warrior Princess where the bard got her devious trait from. "You'd better go after her Xena, or she might get the idea you don't want to marry her," the bard's mother relayed innocently. Slowly standing up, she gazed over the stunned group. "Gods Xena, she's probably made it to AMAZONIA by now!" Lila finally blurted, rolling her eyes. "What ARE you waiting for?" Sarah questioned indignantly. "GO for Artemis' sake!!" Sustra yelled at her. Xena looked at Gabrielle's father. He smiled and nodded. She returned her gaze to the older woman. "You are a formidable woman Hecuba," Xena admitted cooly to the satisfied Poteidaian Matriarch. Sarah, Lila and Meleager nodded knowingly. A slight grin emerged on the warrior's face before leaving to find her bard.
Staring out over her balcony at the garden below, Gabrielle's emotions were in turmoil. How could her mother DO such a thing, she asked herself angrily. She felt like crying but she was just too angry. "Why do I want to cry?" She silently asked herself, though she knew the answer. It was because her mother knew. She knew how much Gabrielle loved Xena and how much she wanted.... "No!" Gabrielle blurted. Gabrielle sighed again. She had no RIGHT to want so much. Just like her mother had no right to make that embarrassing announcement, she thought angrily. "GODS", Gabrielle blurted angrily. What WAS her mother trying to prove? She wondered. Xena loved her and she didn't need a ceremony to prove that to her. Life with Xena was WONDERFUL! Gabrielle considered, then sighed. Wonderful, except in public, when the bard had to restrain herself from those things that came so naturally to her...a casual touch...holding hands...hugging. That was so very hard, she considered as her eyes moistened. But that was the way things were. The bard would have to accept that, and she would, for her warrior. Her warrior, who she now felt standing near. "Tell me Xena, will you think any less of me if I kill her?" Gabrielle asked nonchalantly as she stopped her pacing and wiped the tears from her eyes. She still stared out at the garden below, not ready to face her warrior yet. Xena quietly stepped behind her and slid her arm around the bard's waist, pulling her close. Gabrielle struggled to contain her tears but failed miserably and started to sob, startling the Warrior Princess. "Gabrielle?" Xena asked with concern. "I'm....s...so...sorry..." Gabrielle blurted between sobs as she turned and buried her face in the Warrior Princess' chest and continued to cry. "For what?" Xena asked. "Every...thing!!" Gabrielle cried, her answer muffled by her sobs into warrior's chest. "You know," Xena uttered softly as she gently stroked the bard's head, which seemed to calm the bard. "I kind of hoped you would be HAPPY to marry me," Xena relayed with a grin. "That's not funny!" Gabrielle snapped angrily, pulling back. "I'm not laughing," Xena responded. "Xena, she is NOT going to force or guilt us into marriage," Gabrielle started to pace again as the Warrior watched. "You shouldn't do something you don't want to do just because you think it will make MY parents happy." "Will it make you happy?" Xena asked softly. "Huh?" The bard stopped her pacing. "Xena, I'm not ABOUT to make you do something you don't want to you just to please someone else..." "Gabrielle, where do you keep getting the idea that I don't want to marry you?" Xena countered with a little frustration. "Huh??...Xena, you don't want public displays of ..." Gabrielle blurted with annoyance. "I was wrong about that. I was trying to protect you," Xena admitted. "Now I realize, you're going to get into trouble no matter what I do," Xena responded dryly. Gabrielle stared blankly at her. "I wasn't being fair to you...or us," Xena offered. Gabrielle looked up at the starry sky and let out an angry groan. "Oh I get it...this is just a dream...well, nightmare. Yeah...that WOULD explain a lot," Gabrielle blurted, lifting her hands to cover her tear stained face. "Challenges, dead dress makers, you admitting you're wrong...," she muttered into her hands. Gabrielle dropped her hands from her face and looked back to the Warrior Princess, who now held out a single red orchid with satisfied grin, which faded when the bard started to chuckle. "And, OF COURSE! The Red Orchid of Love, yep...definitely a dream," Gabrielle sighed in defeat, rubbing her temples as she left the balcony. "Gabrielle??" Xena called out in confusion, finding herself alone on the balcony. She looked down at the orchid in her hand then back towards the room with a furrowed brow. "Gabrielle!" Xena blurted with annoyance as she entered the bedroom. The bard sat on the end of the bed and started to take her boots off with a sigh. "Yes Xena," Gabrielle exhaled wearily as she took her second boot off. Xena rolled her eyes, amazed at how bad this going. She knelt down to face the bard, determined to have her undivided attention. "Gabrielle, this is NOT a dream, or a nightmare," Xena blurted with exasperation. "Here," Xena held out the flower forcefully. "Would you take the damn flower?" A surprised Gabrielle looked down at the flower then into her warrior's intense blue eyes for a long moment. When she finally took the flower from her warrior, a shy smile emerged on the bard's embarrassed face. A relieved smile emerged on Xena's face and they chuckled. After the chuckles subsided, Xena's face grew serious. "Would you marry me Gabrielle?" Xena asked softly. "I don't understand," the flustered bard responded. "It was a 'yes' or 'yes' question Gabrielle," Xena answered with a grin, which disappeared. She realized Gabrielle was going to wait patiently for an answer. Xena sighed and thought a moment before responding. "We belong together," Xena answered confidently. "We ARE together," Gabrielle countered softly. Xena's eyebrow raised as she realized with a sigh that, as with everything else, Gabrielle was going to make this difficult.