[3k words]
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"Peculium Stranger!"
Are you kidding me? I think, as a woman glides on stage. The one from the picture, I can tell. Same gold mask but the most dazzling glittering purple cloak that looks stitched in stars, her dress is laced in the softest material and dotted with diamonds. She has the same blonde hair, but it looks softer than her dress. She's dazzling. Peculium Stranger is a person. A woman.
But I swear she looks familiar even with the mask.
"Good evening, Starlings." She calls, "I guess, you've been waiting for this night a long time, yes?"
The room erupts in cheers. Was Phil and Cerises wedding that important?
"Today, is the night, that two powerful British families are brought together by their sons, to reunite the Order and bring it back to it's strongest point. Our most powerful young Star Lords, Phil Lester and Cerise Lockhart."
They applaud again, and Phil's face darkens. Cerise looked amused.
"What's a Star Lord?" I ask Phil. He turns to me and frowns, "Someone who's very practiced and skilled in the impractical arts. Like...a wizard, I guess."
My eyes widen. "You're a wizard?"
Phil blushes, "I'm not Harry Potter, you dork. Just...I know a thing or two about magic."
"But-"
"Dan, I will tell you later. I promise. Please don't talk, you'll get found out."
I seal my mouth like he says and grip harder onto his hand, turning my attention back to Peculium. "The defeat of Grim Masters was a very strong win for he Bristish Order, but of course without our royalty we needed a strong back up to lead us all. Tonight we will celebrate the coming together of the last strand of the royal order, as Phil weds Cerise today. We will become closed and whole, and maybe even spark a new way of running our Order. So, without further a due, let the ceremony begin!"
And suddenly all the floating candles went off, and when light returned it was like a sunset was shining through the windows. Though it was late at night. I staggered in awe at the place which was now decorated in many blooming flowers and looked even more gorgeous. And it all happened in a blink of an eye.
Then suddenly, I panic. Phil and Cerise seemed to have disappeared as well right before my eyes, and the stage Peculium had been on had the flowery arch ready. There was an isle of silk and people were gathering around it, as if waiting for someone to walk down it. I freak out.
I hurry to get to the front, so I can see the wedding happen. This can't be happening. My Phil will not let this wedding happen.
Right?
And the music starts and everyone's bustling, excited for this. I want to throw up. When everyone seems comfortable and in place, wedding music starts and Phil steps out onto the stage. A person steps next to Phil and I recognize them. It's Quen, the one I met in the shop. They're wearing a suit, and I realize they're probably a boy, but looks almost too pretty. Although, girls could wear suits too. They see me and wave, and I can't help but smile though my world is falling apart. It felt good to know someone.
Phil catches who they're waving at and we lock eyes. He frowns and taps his lips, and I feel tears well in my eyes. Before we came out the world, when our relationship was only known by us and a few trustworthy people, we often said I love you in public by tapping our bottom lip. It always used to make me smile when I'd see him do that, but now it just made me sad. When we came out in late 2017, after he'd proposed, we stopped using it, and it had been long forgotten. Now, I was seeing it again and it just made me sad that we had to hide again.
