Bird Wings

Chapter 22

Wren stood in front of her grandfather's mirror and smiled at the reflection of her mother's face over her shoulder.

"So do you think I'll make it this time?" It had been much too quiet in here this morning.

"Hush!" Several voices sounded from behind them. "You can't say things like that today!"

She bit her lip as subtly as she could to hold in a laugh. Considering how many concessions she had insisted on for today, it really wasn't fair for her to tease them.

It was over a year now since the last time her family had assembled to walk her to the bridal mound. Wren was surprised to see that she looked mostly the same. She had changed so much internally it felt like she should have grown a different nose or eyebrows now too.

She was able to smile at her reflection this time. No one had budged on the rouge (absolutely not on a bride), but at least her dress was pretty, and her hair was clean. Tiny changes really, but won through fierce battle and something to be proud of. Though it was too bad how much it seemed to bother her mother; she'd been growing increasingly worried as the day had moved closer. Wren knew she'd been collecting talismans from Doctor Patrew too, and she'd found several unidentifiable herbs hidden among her things lately while packing.

Wren had some slight worries of her own, if she was honest with herself. The rules of their lives hadn't been drilled into her since birth for nothing; it felt distinctly dangerous to go against all the advice. This uncertainty was why she settled for less than she had wanted for her second wedding - who knew, maybe they all were right. Still though, last time the worst had happened to her even though she'd done everything right. That made her reckless.

"Are we ready yet?" She bounced on her heels. "Can we go? Clay, you have enough flowers in your hair now, don't you?"

"Some of us are still single, you know." Clay called from the corner.

Clay was another change. Usually only the bride's relatives were allowed in the wedding walk. Wren opened her mouth to declare that she hadn't met her man at a wedding, and then had to bite back another laugh because technically she absolutely had - her wedding.

"You're so excited!" Anise observed smilingly. "Just let me finish with Char's hair here and then I'm ready."

Wren was excited, so excited she couldn't hold still. She and Hawk had been moving all her things (and some gifts) into his room above the shop for the last week, and saying goodnight and heading back here again every evening had been feeling increasingly stupid with each box that left. Everything that was hers, including Hawk, was there. It felt like pulling out her heart and leaving it behind for the night.

"Are you sure you won't let me put this in?" Her mother tried again, holding up the bottle of oil.

"Yes! No oil! That stuff didn't keep back luck away at all last time, and it made me look awful."

"Wren, please!" The worried chorus again.

Wren swished her skirt, unrepentant this time, mostly out of impatience.

"How 'bout now, are we ready?"

"Go wait with your Dad if you're going to nag."

She found her father waiting by the open door and hugged him from behind.

"Is this my Wren? You're all ready?"

"I'm not allowed to have any flowers" She pouted, poking her head under his arm so it encircled her shoulders.

"That's exactly right. Being a bride is a serious thing, Wren. Today is about the rest of your life, all the worst moments included."

Wren thought the moments could get a lot worse than a wife who wasn't always looking her very best, but she could find some logic to the idea.

"Everyone's taking too long too. Hawk's waiting!"

"We can't have that, can we?" He turned to holler into the house, and they heard a medley of excuses shouted back in retort.

"Let's go without them." Wren suggested.

The waiting ended finally. They were all walking again, too slowly, but walking! At least she'd reach the meadow before she died of old age.

Everyone grew almost deadly quiet when they did at last step off the trail and the clearing opened before them. Tensions were high, and Wren was blissfully oblivious.

Well, almost blissful. Hawk was looking about ready to run into the woods. He still felt with varying levels of conviction that she'd regret shackling herself (his words, not hers) to him one day. He was what she was thinking about when she let go of her parent's hands and moved to stand with him on the mound. Everyone else held their breath and glanced around nervously. Wren felt her whole heart in her smile as she held out her hands for him to take. It was kind of nice to have them all so distracted; they were alone for a moment. The strangled look on Hawk's face eased as he met her eyes.

The tension in the onlookers broke with a sigh of relief. The attention turned fully towards the two of them standing on the mound; it was time for the wedding to begin.

The End

***

Thank you so much for staying with me the whole way through! This story means a lot to me, and I'd love to hear what you thought of it. More than anything I hope it was fun.

Until next time!

-Laura