UPDATES ONCE A MONTH
❝𝑾𝒉𝒚 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔 𝒎𝒚 𝒆𝒙𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖?❞
Asael didn't want to marry, let alone be forced into it by his parents, with a woman he didn't know. But to avoid any conflict and continue being the good son i...
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.- ... .- . .-..
A soft and delicate harmony of various string instruments fills the church as the double doors open, and the personification of the instrumental music in human form walks in slowly. One step at a time.
One light pat on the back from Dad before he backs off reaches me as Rafa stops. I offer an arm and a nod, walking alongside her to the altar.
Everything else that comes after is a blur. Or my mind lingers in the white noise filtering my view of the world. Nothing about this is inherently wrong, but this just isn't what I want either.
"Asael?" Rafa's soft voice snaps me out of my robotic trance. I look at her, and I feel so much worse for her than before. She's not the person I love. I don't want her to force herself to love me, nor do I want to force myself to love her.
I don't want to marry her.
But I've already decided to go along with all this. I'm already here. I can't back down anymore.
The priest in front of us clears his throat, catching my attention. He smiles at me and whispers, "The vows."
"Oh, right..." I take the mic from him slowly and meet Rafa's gaze again.
Then I glance at the crowd. Mom watches us with a smile, nodding lightly at me for encouragement, while Dad's rigid expression remains the same as it often is. Remi has a grin on her face, her eyes sparkling. Docker and my colleagues at work stay at the farther seats, with neutral faces.
Aside from them, the rest of my relatives, Dad's business associates, and other guests mix in a blur of curiosity, wonder, and judgment. I'm pretty sure judgment is the most present one from everyone. But before I can search every face, Rafa's hand touches mine.
I purse my lips and smile at her, the basic vows I memorized earlier forming in my head. But something else intrudes my mind.
Lucifer. I don't see him. Is he farther back? Did he alter his appearance again? Is he outside? Is he in danger? Where is he?
I breathe in. "I, Asael Uriah, take thee, Raphaela Gessel, to be my-"
My grip on the mic loosens at the impact of a mighty wind slamming to my sides. The speakers echo, hurting my ears. I ground my legs on the floor, careful not to lose balance at the sudden grumble of the earth. What in the world?
Alongside the blurring ringing of the sound systems on the speakers are screams from the crowd. An earthquake persists. Equipment, furniture, and tapestries flutter about the entire church. Gaping wind invades the place, slamming everything in varying directions.
"Guards!"
Dad?
"Asael!"
Rafa, whose veil flies somewhere and is carried by the air, reaches out to me. I jump and catch her wrists, pulling her to me as I barely land on the side of the altar, where the priest tightly holds onto.
