Chapter 13 See Me In A Crown
See Me In A Crown
Caden tried not to dread this. The fitting.
The fuschia. The stuffing him into clothes he would never be caught dead in, which wouldn’t be comfortable.
They’d be lucky to last past the ceremony.
He fully could see himself stripping down until what remained didn’t bind him and dancing the night away, wedding clothes smashed under his boots or kicked under furniture.
But Anwar looks so happy! And while it's mostly about Illarion’s plan to find Fadel, I know some of it is because he’s dressing the whole wedding party.
Every Dragon Shifter was a part of it. They would all precede down the aisle ahead of him and Valerius.
Illarion would hold the rings, which Mei had created along with Jahara and Esme’s help.
He didn’t know what they looked like, but they were sure to be something special.
Remembering Xipil’s touched expression at the piece of sculpture that Iolaire had made for it, Caden was certain that Mei wouldn’t okay anything but the best. And it felt awesome to know that their rings would be created by their friends and fellow Dragon Shifters.
Tez, Kaila and Illarion were handling the food.
Illarion’s role was chiefly to taste it.
His love of the olive-oil drizzled, rosemary studded lamb chops was legendary.
Tez referred to Illarion as a “walking stomach” which was probably the nicest thing the Golden Dragon King had ever said about Illarion.
The overall look and feel of the wedding--not to mention what all was to happen--was being handled by Chione.
After all, she had been promised a wedding to come back from the land of the dead.
But Anwar, Esme and Jahara were also helping with that.
After all, the outfits couldn’t clash with the flowers or the silk bunting.
What goes with fuschia? Caden wailed internally.
The wedding staging area was taking place in the back of High Reach over three levels.
This was where the castle’s back wall soared out of the mountain itself and there were walls of windows.
Caden and Valerius had mostly been banned from being anywhere near there.
The wedding was going to be a bit of a surprise.
They would arrive where they were told to arrive and they would play their parts.
So Caden and Valerius only knew what they had been told about the outfits.
But Anwar had waxed poetic about fuschia at dinner earlier that week.
That meant it had to play a large role in their outfits no matter what Caden hoped.
Anwar stopped before the double doors that would lead them into this sacred wedding space.
He turned to face them. His hands rested behind him on the door handles.
His gaze swept over them as silence fell.
It was as if he were opening a show. Caden looked up at Valerius.
The Black Dragon King was stroking his beard with a faintly amused look on his face.
“My plan for the clothes you and the wedding party will wear is for them to reflect the wearers and yet, despite our differences, to have them work together as a whole,” Anwar explained with all due seriousness.
How will fuschia reflect us exactly, Valerius? Caden asked.
We will both be evenly miserable in it, Valerius answered with a squeeze of his hand.
So long as it will make Anwar happy, Caden replied.
“Much like the helix that still spins above us.” Anwar gestured skyward.
They all looked up, including Vanya and Viski, who had somehow each gotten a green Dragon plushie in their mouths.
But, of course, they just saw the curved stone ceiling.
But Caden swore he could feel the helix, which now did not just contain red and white strands, but all of the Dragon Spirits’ colors.
It spun lazily above them, but not just here. One could see it in every territory.
“I wanted these outfits to delight the wearer and the viewer alike as well,” Anwar continued.
Delight? Oh, boy, we need to show delight, Caden moaned.
And we don’t even have our Spirits to bolster us, Valerius agreed.
Raziel and Iolaire were completely asleep with Raziel curled tightly around Iolaire so that only a few snippets of the White Dragon Spirit could be seen.
Their wings occasionally fluttered a little bit as they dreamed of chasing sheep or flying together.
Their chests rose and fell though with perfect regularity so they were fun dreams.
Lazy bones, Caden chuckled indulgently.
Ever since the battle with the Behemoth, all of the Dragon Spirits had rested, leaving their human counterparts to mop up the material realm’s enemies.
Caden was so glad of that. They deserved to rest and relax after everything.
But it would have been nice if they--suffered?
Endured? Bore?--partook in all of the pomp and circumstance of his and Valerius’ wedding.
Caden didn’t really resent it. If it hadn’t been him getting married, he would have been glued to the screen looking for information on it.
But his favorite parts were making other people--people like he once was--part of the party.
So he could endure this. At this moment, Vanya ripped off the wings from her plushie and Caden hoped that wasn’t a sign of things to come.
“So I sincerely hope that you appreciate and are thrilled with what I have done,” Anwar said.
“What about the others? Shouldn’t they be here to see their delightful outfits?” Illarion’s left eyebrow was lifted and his arms were crossed over his chest.
“You’re the last to see them. The others had to see what I was doing and vice versa so there’s no clashing,” Anwar answered a little primly.
What doesn’t clash with fuschia? Caden asked.
Hush, or I will laugh. Valerius flashed a wide smile at him.
“We are eager to see, Anwar. I am certain whatever you have come up with will be wonderful,” Valerius said kindly.
Anwar beamed. Viski ripped the wings off of his green plushie.
White fuzz went everywhere. Illarion produced two new plushies from somewhere--the man was wearing tailored gray slacks, a tight white button-down shirt, and matching gray vest yet he’d hid two plushies out of sight--and handed them to the dogs.
Anwar frowned. Maybe he was thinking about that instead of the plushies in the dogs’ mouths that it could be their outfits being ripped apart.
“Perhaps the dogs should stay out here,” Anwar suggested tentatively.
“Why? They would mourn if they could not go in with us!” Illarion scowled.
“Mourn?” Anwar frowned. “But they are just d--”
“Shhhh!” Illarion held up a finger as in warning and his eyes flickered to the dogs and then to Anwar.
“I was just saying that they are simply d--”
“Silence! Hush! No!” Illarion hissed. “The dogs understand.”
“Understand?” Valerius’ brows drew together. “Understand what?”
“They understand when people are not treating them as equals,” Illarion remarked.
Valerius stared at Illarion then down at the dogs then back at Illarion.
“What are your concerns about what these equals will do, Anwar?” Valerius asked.
“Turn your wedding clothes into dead plushies,” Anwar answered.
“I see.” Valerius dropped down on his haunches so he was on a more even footing with the dogs.
“Vanya and Viski.” Valerius didn’t yell.
He didn’t even raise his voice at all. But the dogs both turned swiftly towards him.
“Know this, if you touch one shred of clothing in there.” He pointed towards the doors.
“That will really happen to your master.” He pointed at the Dragon plushies with ripped off wings.
The dogs’ eyes widened and they whimpered, drawing nearer Illarion’s legs. “We understand one another. Good dogs.”
Valerius stood and smiled at Illarion.
“You did not need to threaten them,” Illarion said.
“They are your dogs, yes?” Valerius pointed out.
Illarion leaned his head back. “Yes, okay, maybe threatening is good.” He petted the dogs’ heads. “Do not worry, my babies, I will let you crotch-stomp Valerius again later. As revenge.”
Valerius frowned. Caden let out a laugh that he tried to change, unsuccessfully, into a cough. Valerius frowned at him, too. Illarion’s lips twitched and the dogs were happy again. So was Anwar, who believed the clothes were safe now.
“Let me show you your wedding garments!” Anwar said.
With a flourish, Anwar threw the doors open to them.
He walked backwards, stretching his arms wide, as if he were a circus master.
He stepped to the side so that they could see fully and unobstructed his creations for the five of them.
Illarion and the dogs allowed Caden and Valerius to go in first. Caden plastered a smile on his face.
At first though, he could not see anything except for the outline of three manikins that were standing up against a wall of windows.
The sun beamed in so brightly that it was blinding.
But Caden’s eyes slowly got used to the glare.
Yet it was Valerius who let out a soft breath and then a chuckle that alerted Caden that maybe they weren’t fuschia horrors.
“Anwar… Anwar… you bastard,” Illarion laughed delightedly. “Fuschia? You really had them going!”
Caden blinked and the three outfits were clear to him.
He even knew which were which because they were color coded.
Each was a long coat that would land down to the knees of each of them.
They had high collars that were popped to frame their heads.
Metallic thongs with thick braided hooks would close the coats.