Maidenless No Longer (Elden Ring)

Bonus Chapter #3: The Wedding Pt. 2

A/N: Boc pulls through for Turtle Pope, and so Turtle Pope has to pull through as well!

-x-X-x-

It's been a month since he married the newest Elden Lord and his mortal women. And oh, how things have changed in that time. For starters, the little demi-human seamster came through. Not two days after that first wedding, the renovation crews had arrived and gotten to work. And they'd been so considerate about things too.

Miriel had been abundantly clear on what needed to be done. The Church of Vows was to be rebuilt to its previous specifications. Not changed. Not enhanced. Not 'reimagined' like some of those young newfangled architects liked to do. No, it had to be as it was originally. It was a monument of times long passed after all, but more than that, the basin in the back, where one could go to cleanse oneself with celestial dew, had to remain.

Twas the only way that absolution would remain truly open to the masses. The miracle that persisted from that day long ago where Radagon repented his territorial aggressions and swore his love to Rennala, needed to continue to have a place in the Church of Vows. Even if Radagon had betrayed his promise, the Church still stood tall, and the celestial dew still worked its blessing of absolution.

Thankfully, the men that the new Elden Lord had gotten to handle the Church's refurbishment and rebuilding were understanding of Miriel's needs. More than that, they'd even been willing to work around the Pastor of Vows! Which was good, because... ah, he could barely move himself, these days. In the end, they'd had to make something of a sled for him, moving him around the Church as they rebuilt sections of it at a time.

Working with lightning speed, they'd had the entire place rebuilt within two weeks. For the first time in centuries, Miriel had a roof over his head. Not that he needed it, his shell and his mitre had always served as adequate protection from the elements. Still, the large turtle was glad to see the Church, HIS Church, restored to its original status. It was... beautiful.

Twas quite lucky too, that they finished up in only two weeks, because the very same day after the building crews left, the wedding crews arrived. Miriel could admit it, now that the big day had finally come. He was a little overwhelmed. It was nothing like the first wedding of the new Elden Lord that he'd presided over. It was certainly not just a one and done thing, with Boc the Seamster hastily presenting the ladies who's hearts had been captured by the Tarnished Lord, and Miriel rapidly marrying them all together.

No, this was something very different. The wedding planners were insistent on everything happening a certain way, and Miriel... Miriel was content to let them prepare how they wanted. He'd only truly had to put his foot down twice. The first situation had been simple enough to handle. He refused to let them tell him what he was going to say. If he was going to be wedding the new Elden Lord to anyone, his sermon would be his own.

The second situation had been a wee bit more complicated. Put simply, there were two wedding crews. One was from the Royal Capital Leyndell, sent by the Eternal Queen herself. The other was from Raya Lucaria, sent by the Carian Royal Family of all things. To say they'd clashed over a number of decisions would be an understatement.

Things had very nearly come to blows, before Miriel had finally stepped in and chastised them both. After making the heads of each wedding crew kneel in the basin and cleanse themselves with celestial dew side by side however, things had gone better. Past grievances were not forgotten, but they were forgiven. That was the promise of the celestial dew. Any bond, no matter how strained, nor even severed, could still be put to rights. Nothing was truly final in this world.

Regardless, it'd all worked out in the end... and the day had finally arrived. Oh, Miriel had butterflies in his stomach. This was going to be... interesting to say the least.