Corpse Brides (Corpse Bride X Fem Reader)

3. Wedding practice

{3rd Pov.}

  The group has gathered for the wedding ceremony. William and Nell. in the drawing room to rehearse seated are (Y/N), Finis, and Maudeline, the front of the room has been set up as a makeshift altar. An elaborately-carved table holds a pair of candles and a chalice. Pressure is high. It's the social event of the decade, and Maudeline Everglot has left nothing to chance. She's like a 19th Century Martha Stewart, obsessively planning
to the tiniest detail. Pastor Galswells presides, holding a book and an ornamental holy scepter. Victor trembles in nervous agony as Pastor Galswells glares at him. Victor looks over at (Y/N) then she gives him a reassuring smile and nod. Pastor Galswells sighed. "Let's try it again. Shall we, Master Van Dort?". Victor lifts his left hand and takes three steps back. Nervous as can be with shy words. "Y-Yes, sir. Certainly." Pastor Galswells hissed at him. "Right." Victor agreed with him. "Right." Pastor Galswells raised his voice again. "Right!" Victor hastily lifts the correct hand. Victor looks at his hands. "Oh, right! With this ... this ...Hand ..." Pastor Galswells goes on with annoyed prompting. Victor continued on with anxiety. " Hand, yes ... with this hand, I will ..." He takes Victoria's elbow, but gets flustered at touching her. (Y/N) is trying to hold back her laughter. Never has she seen him like this, but quickly decided to be quiet and support him. Victor speaks with a soft voice apologizing. "Oh, forgive me, I, er ..." Agitated Pastor Galswells shouted at him. "Continue!" Victoria takes three steps forward. Victor accidentally takes four. Pastor Galswells raises his voice in annoyance at Victor still.

  " Three steps! Three! Can you not count!"
Victor quickly backs up, stepping on Victoria's toe. Victor was mortified at his actions. "Oh dear! P-pardon me. Uhm. three steps ..." Nell fans herself in distress as Maudeline and Finis look on with utter disgust. With Pastor Galswells patience running thin he says. " Never mind. Let's just pick it up at the candle." Victor, clearly confused at what he's supposed to do, spoke." The candle bit?" Angry and frustrated with Victor yells. " The candle! The candle! Can you remember nothing?"
Victor with a horrified and frightened voice scared for his life speaks. " N-no, no, of course not ... I mean y-yes!" Victor takes a lit candle." With this candle." Barkis bittern the Everglots lawyer, enters and hands Finis some papers to sign." I beg your pardon, sir. These are most important ..." Finis waves him off." Not now, Barkis." The lawyer speaks up again. "The pre-nuptials." Finis quickly signs the papers and hands them back, all the while scowling at Victor. Barkis tut-tuts in sympathetic disapproval. Victor continued this trying again. "With this candle ... this candle ..." Victor tries to light the other candle. He's having a hard time. For several long seconds he fiddles with the wick as the others watch. Finally, leaning close, he gets the candle to light. Victor sighs with relief, accidentally blowing the candle out. From her chair, Nell groans. Pastor Galswells finally exploded at Victor. "Do you not wish to be married, Master Van Dort!?"

  Victor replied without thinking." No! No!"
Victoria looks up in surprise." You do not?" Victor tries to fix the hole he dug himself into." No! I meant no, I do no, er, not wish to be married, that is, I very much want --" Pastor Galswells hit him with the holy scepter. "Pay attention! Have you even remembered to bring the ring?" Victor eyes lit up." The ring ... yes! Of course ..." He pulls the ring out of his pocket, and fumbling, drops it. Everyone gasped at this sacrilege. Pastor Galswells thundering voice rang throughout the room." Dropping the ring! This boy doesn't want to be married!" Even Victoria is starting to get worried now. Victor now in a rush says." I'll get it!" (Y/N) charges in to help Victor and scrambles on her hands and knees, desperately grasping for the ring as it rolls under Maudeline's chair. They both reach for the ring, fumbling blindly under the hem of her long dress as she stares at him with barely-contained outrage. Victor scrambles to his feet, holding up the ring triumphantly.
As he does this, Victor accidentally knocks over the lit candle and Maudeline's dress starts to catch fire. Everyone tries to put it out. Pastor Galswells screeched furiously." Enough! This wedding cannot take place until he has properly prepared!" Pastor Galswells points wrathfully towards the door." Young man, learn your vows!" Humiliated, Victor scrambles out the room and (Y/N) follows him. All this being too much, Victoria faints, then almost in unison Nell, Maudeline and finally William fainted dead away. At the edge of the valley, the Town Crier watches a distraught Victor as he crosses and a comforting (Y/N) behind him.

  Traveling across the old stone bridge, passing the Village Church, and heads toward the dark woods beyond. Victor plunges into the woods. Spindly birches give way to dark foreboding trees. Victor mutters desperately to himself. (Y/N) tired of his performance she decided to show him herself how it's done. Reciting the same chant as he was supposed to in the church, but realises she barely remembered it. " With this hand, I will ... I will..." She tries it again." With this hand, I empty your cup. No. That's not it." Victor tried himself." Your cup will never empty, for I will light your way. No. With this candle, I lift your sorrow ... no, no. Oh, it's no use." Crows flap from tree to tree, through the darkening forest. The forest as if someone else following them as they wander. There is a haunted feel to is watching them. They came across a desolate clearing where, long ago, an ancient tree had toppled over. Moonlight streams in through the gap in the forest canopy. Crows roost in the surrounding trees, cawing noisily. Victor sits, mumbling the vows. While (Y/N) thinks of ways to help her friend. The cawing of the crows becomes more insistent. Victor looks up then looks at (Y/N). They both realized that they now have an audience, and decide to really go for it. He stands with a theatrical flourish while (Y/N) strikes a Jojo pose." Your cup will never empty, for I will with this hand, I lift your sorrows. Your cup will never empty, I will be your wine ..." The squawking grows louder from the branches overhead. Victor and (Y/N) looks up to the crows. "Thank you." Victor said and they continued in unison." With this candle, I will light your way in darkness ..." Victor begins to get his confidence back. He takes the ring out of his pocket. Tangled with it is the jasmine from the music room. Victor stares at it for a moment, and gathers strength for the grand finale.

  With a dramatic flourish they both look at each other holding the ring at the same time with determination." With this ring ..." They slip the ring on a small twisted root that extends from the ground. Victor and (Y/N) triumphantly shout. " I ask you to be mine!" Suddenly the crows fall silent. A faint wind rustles through the trees. (Y/N) and Victor looked up into the branches, where the crows silently stared down at him. The root twitches, unnoticed. Still watching the crows, Victor reaches for his ring, but the root suddenly encircles his wrist. Horrified, Victor tries to pull free as the crows scatter with a cacophonous casing , wings flapping. Victor and (Y/N) desperately pull, ripping a mass of roots and dirt from the ground. Sprawling backwards, they see a skeletal arm clamped around his wrist. They both scream. Victor flings it away as the ground splits open in front of him. A root covered figure, wearing a tattered wedding gown, springs from the frozen earth to reveal the Corpse Bride.



  The ring sparkles in the moonlight. The unknown bride spoke to them." You may kiss the bride!"

Victor scrambles backwards, turns to grab (Y/N) and carry her in his arms then ran frantically, stumbling through thickets and branches. They fall and, getting up, realizing that he's tripped on a gravestone in an old abandoned graveyard. The Corpse Bride moves towards them. Victor grabs (Y/N) again and runs for his life, dodging between the crooked tombstones. He crashes blindly through the branches of the bare, brittle trees that seem to block his escape. He stumbles across a small creek as the Corpse Bride pursues them. As Victor dashes with (Y/N) in his arms still he blindly keeps going
through the trees, the crows fly in his path. He reaches the edge of the woods and sprints towards the footbridge. Victor reaches the footbridge and stops to catch his
breath. He turns back, peering at the dark forest. It is oddly silent.
Suddenly, the crows burst from the trees, flying straight at them. He turns to run, and freezes in horror. The strangely-alluring figure approaches him from the other side of the bridge.

Word count:1525