Blue and Black Stemmed Rose (minkey)

A Wedding in the Underworld

After weeks of preparing for it, the day has finally come.  The wedding of the king of the Underworld and the vegetation god from the surface was taking place.  In a grand room that was in the palace there were seats full of souls from Elysium and the Isles of the Blessed, as well as other hooded specters/creatures that know better than to cause a ruckus on this special day.  The aisle leading up to the altar was draped with a maroon rug with soft pink rose petals that settled along the edges.  All over the walls were black tapestries, silver and green designs on them, as well as garlands of flowers hanging along all of the window sills.  Then the altar, it was a simple stone dais with a small table holding the things needed for the ceremony on it.  The items being a glass goblet with two metal stems circling around until they connected at the middle of the bowl, a bottle full of red wine, the rings, and a silver ribbon.  Overall the room was a good mixture of dark and bright colors.

Since the ceremony started the king of the Underworld was standing on the dais with the officiate, waiting for his bride to come through those doors.  Minho was in a black hanbok with a silver design on the upper half of the outer coat, the pants were a regular pitch black as well as the shoes, a black diadem circled around his forehead and his shoulder length hair was in a half up half down ponytail.  Waiting still he looked at the goddess who was being the officiate and smiled at her.  It was Hecate who was going to marry them, the king and goddess mutually agreed that this would be a favor with no payment since she already did the favor of helping with the reincarnation business.  She had a diadem with a crescent moon on its back and three points coming out of it on both sides.  She was also had a black dress with a silver belt holding it in place.  When she noticed him she quipped quietly, "My king, you should be looking at the aisle where you're bride will come and not at me." He chuckled at that, "I just wanted to thank you for doing this for me." She shrugged, "It was nothing." Before smiling herself.  Minho then turned back to look at the end of the aisle just as the doors started to open.  Everyone looked at the doors to see their future queen.  As the doors opened fully Minho lost his breath at seeing what had become of his ethereal beauty.

Kibum let his hair grow out for this occasion, so it was pulled into a small bun with the hair comb he always wore holding it in place.  Much like Minho, a diadem circled around his forehead but this one was silver.  His eyes were outlined with kohl which made the shape of them stand out more that usual, the lids of his eyes also had light grey powder applied to them.  Other than his eyes there was no other aspects of makeup that was applied.  What he was wearing though was what caught everyone's attention.  The upper half of his body was covered in a black and green kimono that was the length of a tunic, while his lower half was covered with black tight fitting pants that hugged every curve and looked like it was sparkling in the candle light of the room.  Even though he had on shoes, as he was walking forwards blooming flowers were left in the spots of where his feet once touched.  Kibum's beauty was intensified just by dressing this way, Minho's heart beating fast as he kept looking at his beautiful one.

As Kibum was finally in front of the dais he took the outstretched hand that belonged to Minho and made the final steps to stand in front of his soon-to-be husband.  When their hands unclasped and went back to their sides was when Hecate began to speak.  Her voice echoed across the walls, "Denizens of the Underworld, we have gathered he on this day to witness the union of our king and the future queen of our realm." The crowd from Elysium erupted into cheers before Hecate raised her hand to silence them and continued on, "As for hundreds of years the wedding ceremony will begin with the bows showing Gia that you will be faithful and loyal only to each other." With that she turned around to fill the cup with the wine as both Kibum and Minho bowed to each other.  When they came back up from the bow Hecate held out the cup to them.  They both reached out with their right hands until each one had a hold of one of the metal stems, The goddess then let go once she made sure they had hold on the cup.

When Kibum was informed of this part of the marriage ritual he was concerned at first.  Even though he plans on staying here he will still not eat or drink anything from the Underworld.  That was until Minho reassured him that the wine was directly straight from Dionysus himself and that he had nothing to worry about.  So the young god had no concerns about drinking it after that.

With the cup given to the couple the ritual continued on.  Hecate then placed the ring meant for Kibum into Minho's left hand, "Minho, formerly known as Hades, god of death and king of the Underworld.  Do you take this god as your wife and queen?  To love and care for him, even in sickness and health until the day you part in death?" Minho nodded, "I do." Before bringing the cup to his mouth and taking a few sips of the wine.  He then settled it back between them, Kibum reached under his outstretched arm for Hecate to place Minho's ring in his open palm.  As soon as the cold metal settled Hecate then asked, "Kibum, formerly known as Persephone, god of vegetation, spring and fertility.  Do you take this god as your husband and king?  To love and care for him, even in sickness and health until that day you part in death?" Kibum didn't hesitate when saying, "I do." Before bringing the cup to himself and taking the last few sips.  After settling the cup back in between them, Hecate took the ends of the metal stems, the couple let go so that Hecate could put it back on the table.

After the cup was placed back on the table the goddess turned back to them, she simply said the word, "Now the vows." There was no elaboration for what was to happen next.  Minho took Kibum's left hand in both of his as he slipped the ring on saying, "Until the end of my days I will never stop loving you, my precious one.  Those who try to take you from me will pay with their lives.  You will be mine as I am yours." He then let go after the ring was settled in its place.  The young god then took his lover's left hand in his own as he slipped on the ring, "I will never stop loving the man who has captured my heart and keeps it safe.  You are the only one I will ever love for as long as I live.  You will be mine as I am yours." He lets go of the hand after the words were said.  

Then the lovers clasped their left hands together, and bowed to each other again before bowing to the audience and Hecate.  When they were straight up again the silver ribbon that was on the table draped across their joined hands.  The goddess that put the ribbon on there announced, "Then by by the power bestowed upon me in accordance of the ancient laws of our people, you are hereby married." She then wrapped one section of the remaining ribbon around Minho's hand and wrist, "As husband and wife." Doing the same with Kibum, "As king and queen." Then hovering her hands over the clasped ones her magic formed around where they were linked she she continued, "In the name of Gia and Uranus you will be together, unbroken by outside interference.  You are as one, forevermore." Moving her hands the energy of the marriage bond brought out by the goddess settled into the linked hands, disappearing from sight but ingrained in the skin of both gods.

It's after the magic is gone from sight that Minho leaned forward and kissed his, now official, wife's lips.  Kibum pressed back into the kiss.  They were unaware of the cheering and clapping of the room as they shared their kiss.  When they broke apart they smiled at each other.  After taking off the ribbon and unclasping their hands they stepped off of the altar together.  Minho look Kibum's right hand in his left and raised both of their clasped hands up.  The room was in an uproar of celebrated cheers.  This caused the couple to smile even wider as the message was spoken over with all of the residents of Hades.  The king had finally found the one that was worthy of ruling the Underworld at his side, and they are now and will forever be together in marriage.