The Protectors; Book 3

Newly Weds

Foxete's POV:

    I still live out of the hospital, but I am, thankfully, allowed to go to the wedding! The dresses Keeva chose for the bridesmaids were a dusty pink. I got one in a suit version while the others got long flown dresses. Keeva was going to wear a darker pink with white lace covering the skirt. I change into the suit. I just stand and stare in the mirror.

No scars visible.
My hair is a bit longer, looks like a shaggy mullet... there's a name for it but I'm forgetting.
I look presentable. Not like I was held captive and tortured for 5 months and have been in a psychiatric ward for almost 3.
Plus I'm gaining some weight. You can't see my rib cage anymore, so that's progress.

Illoha walks in as I'm fixing myself.

"How do you feel?" She asks.
"Nervous." I sigh. She wraps her arms around my waist. I lean my head against her shoulder.

Suddenly, I pop my head up, "Princess, what month is it?"
"We tell time differently, Fox." She shrugs.
"How many months has it been since I came here?" I take her signal tuner from her waist. She hasn't changed yet. I assume she'll change at the venue.
"I think it's been... almost 3 'months'." She smiles, "Why?"
I do the math.

My birthday is February 15th. I spent 5 months on Freddy's ship. That would take me to July. 3 months takes me to....

"Princess! I missed your birthday again!" I groan.
She starts laughing. "It's fine Fox! Everyone did. We were worried about you... and the wedding."
"Your birthday. It's August 3rd." I frown, "It's October."
She shrugs, "Oh well."
I pull her closer and bury my head in her neck. "Happy, very late, 20th Birthday Princess." I mumble.
She laughs, "Thank you."

Dex's POV:

I have to wear pink. Same shade as the bridesmaids. Jake is Kip's Best man. I think Illiana is Keeva's maid of honor. Fox and Illoha show up.

She looks... normal.

Fox's face wasn't as hallowed. She had a playful glint in her eyes again. Not so sickly.

The fire had returned to her.

"Hey Fox!" I call out.
"Hullo." She pretends to curtsy.
"Where's your pretty dress?" I smirk.
She rolls her eyes, "Don't even."
"I'm more shocked Keeva let hers wear a suit." Illoha laughs.
I still don't like her. Fox shouldn't have forgiven her so easily.
"She didn't really have a choice." Fox shrugs, "The tailor said I looked too scrawny to wear a dress." She crosses her arms.
"Not that you cared." I snicker.
"Gave me and excuse."
"Illoha, shouldn't you be getting dressed?" I ask.
She scurries off.

A woman comes over to us.
"Do either of you know where the groom is? I need to talk to him."
"Talking to him verbally won't do any good." Fox smirks.
She tenses, "What do you mean?"
"He's mute." I smack Fox's shoulder, not too hard of course.
The lady goes silent.
"Yo! Kip!" Fox calls him over.
"Yes?" He signs.
"This lady wants to talk to you."
"I don't know sign language." She states.
"That's fine I can translate." Fox smiles.
"That brings a whole new... issue." She frowns.
"Issue?" Kip signs.
"What issue?" Fox asks.
"What did he say?"
"I just..." Fox rolls her eyes, "He asked 'what issue'."
I learned sign language, I just don't care to translate to this woman.
"Will the audience understand his vows?" The lady was tense, "It's just so much harder now."
Fox looks her dead in the eyes. Kip looks confused.

"Listen here, lady, my friends are getting married. Kip may have no voice but that's fine. He can sign. Most of our crew knows sign, but regardless, this wedding isn't for us. Keeva knows sign language and that's all that matters. Even if nobody knew what the hell he was saying we wouldn't care." She gets really close to the lady, "So please, walk your ableist ass away before I take out my pent up anger. Believe me I have quite a lot."

The lady flushes in embarrassment.

"I-"
"Go." Fox growls.

"Shit." Kip signs and laughs
"Bitch." Fox sighs to him.

Illiana walks over to us with a sour look on her face.
"Why do you have your angry face on?" Fox asks.
"Did you threaten to harm the venue owner?" Illiana sighs.
"No." Fox smirks, "I threatened to use my pent up anger. No implication of anything physical. She was being an ableist b-"
She smiles, "Alright. She's pretty shaken up."
"Good."
"No ass kicking at my wedding." Kip signs.
"Fine." Fox sighs, "But I won't hesitate if one of you asks me to-"
Kip smiles, "Thanks."

Keeva's POV:

"Keeva. Breathe." Illoha stands in front of me.
"So many people!" I gulp.
"And you look great! What's the panic?" Fox stands by Illoha's side.
"How many people?" I ask.
"Just people close to you." Fox smiles.
"Just think of Kip !" Illoha squeezes my hand assuringly.

Illiana comes out of the venue, "They're ready for you."
Illoha and Fox enter the room. Illiana and I are the last two.
"For mom and dad." Illiana grabs my hand.
"For mom and dad." I stand tall.

Foxete's POV:

I can say what I will about Evonian culture, but they know how to drink.

Everyone.

Everyone.

Was drunk.

Well, not everyone. I wasn't. Keeva wasn't either for some reason. It's her wedding. Thought she'd be really drunk. All the kids were sent home after 9. We all knew this was gonna happen.

I walk over to Dex, "You drunk yet?"
He shakes his head, "Nope." He says drunkenly.
"That's convincing."
"Yore drunker than me!" He pouts.
"Really? I haven't drank anything."
"Ya boring."
I laugh, "Yeah?"
"Where's my girlfriend? Fiancé? Where's Josie?"
"Bar." I point.
"Thanks." He walks over.

It smells of body odor and whiskey. I see Keeva across the room.

"No drinking?" I ask.
"You're sober?" She laughs.
"I don't drink."
"Oh, right." She looks timid,
"Wassup?" I raise my eyebrows.
"Can you keep a secret?"
Ah shit she's pregnant.
"To my grave." I nod.
Please don't be pregnant.
"I think I'm pregnant."
For fu-
"What?!" I gasp.
She looks away from me embarrassed.
"2 babies on the ship?!"
"I didn't mean to!" She whisper yells, "Lower your voice!"
"Everyone here is drunk Keevs." I run a hand through my hair, "Does Kip know?"
She shakes her head, "Just you."
"I can always ask one of my doctors for a pregnancy test for you, when I get back there tonight." I shrug, "Not like there's much of a honeymoon for you guys."
She laughs, "Yeah. We just get left alone for a few days."
"Kip would be happy though, right?" I ask.
"Yeah." She frowns, "I just don't want the kid to grow up in war."
I shake my head, "They won't. They'll grow up in the peace period where everyone promises not to make the same mistakes again. Bunch of liars."
She smiles, "Yeah."
"You got this Keeva!" I smile.
"I got this."

"Helloooo" An extremely drunk Illoha hugs me from behind.
"Hi Princess."
"I'm not drunk."
"I'm sure you're not."

'Help' I mouth to Keeva.
She laughs, "Have fun!"

She buries her head my shoulder. "I wanna go home." She says muffled.
"Illoha, I live in a hospital right now."
"Rules were made to be broken." She lifts her head up and turns me around to face her.
Her hands are around my waist.
"Princess. Public." I laugh.
"Don't care," She kisses me.

Everyone too drunk to care anyways.
One wedding down, One to go.
I have a feeling the next one won't be so different.

(1290 words)