Firebird

Chapter 19- The Marriage

A.N.- Normally, I write the next chapter before posting but I was excited so here! Just wanted to tell you that I may change it a little. Probably not, but I might. Read away!

Chapter 19- The Marriage

   “I think we can do it.”

   “I think so too. I just hope it works the way we’re planning.”

   “And if it doesn’t? We could lose each other forever…”

 

   Perhaps it was only a dream. I had it increasingly often and it didn’t feel like it was just a dream. I considered talking to Astley about it but lately, I haven’t seen him at all save for his performance. It was strange because I’ve had him around nearly every moment since I came to this circus.

   I decided to stop questioning him though. I would talk to Fargus instead but for some reason, he was always hard to locate.

   I quickly forgot what I was doing when I remembered possibly the most important event that was to happen since I’d joined the circus. Calvin and Roxanne were to be married!

   I was supposed to help in setting everything up. I ran through the camp, dodging performers and hastily replying to their greetings. I stumbled over my own feet, trying not to step on anything that would hurt them since they were bare.

   I burst into the girls’ dressing trailer, panting and out of breath. Roxanne was sitting in front of the mirror while about five girls scrambled around doing her long raven black hair. It went down the length of her back in soft curls. They laced in freshly picked white roses throughout it that matched her knee length, sleeveless white dress.

   She greeted me with a slightly nervous smile. A couple girls chattered in their native language. I was beginning to understand a bit of it and I caught a few random comments.

   “Do you need me to help in here?” I asked, trying to speak normally as I held my aching sides.

   “No. I don’t think so.” Roxanne said. She closed her eyes as one girl worked on making her lashes flare out into butterfly wings. “You can help set up outside if you want.”

   “The sun rises in about ten minutes.” A girl pointed out. That was the time for the wedding to take place. I dashed back outside.

   The morning air was fresh and cool. A cold dew had settled on the grass and the outside of the tents. The dark blue sky was just beginning to show hints of orange.

   There was a hill separating the city and our camp. It stretched on like a large wall. I saw a group decorating it with thin poles that they stuck in the ground and hung white streamers between. White roses made an outlined path to the lone tree at the end. Pink petals covered the path with bright splendor.

   I ran up to the tree where they were hanging more flowers and flower chains. It was Sephton and Astley, struggling to do it all neatly without ripping the strands.

   Astley’s face lit up when he saw me. He gave me an enormous hug, spinning me once. I hugged him back, breathing in his familiar cinnamon and pipe smoke smell.

   “I’m so sorry I haven’t been able to see you in days, love.”

   I took an armful of palm sized white flowers from him as I examined him briefly. He looked back to his normal self save for a slight tiredness.

   Sephton leaned against the tree trunk, holding the strand of flowers above his head. Astley continued to help him after flashing a wink at me. They wrapped it with as much finesse as they could.