Timestamp
5th Winter, 515AV
“Are you nervous?”
”No.” In the mirror, Ife’s reflection glanced to her sister, who stood behind the short redhead with an unconvinced smile. ”Yes.”
“Perfectly normal. I could barely speak when I married your father.” Mia Windstride, the eternal comforter and hand-holder came beside her daughter and squeezed Ife’s shoulder tentatively. “It’s only natural, my dear.”
But her mother’s kind words did little to soothe Ife’s nerves. Her stomach was in knots, and her hands were shaking. The earlier sip of wine (“for confidence,” Mea had said before downing her glass) had not helped, either. If anything, it had only exacerbated Ife’s excited nervousness. She was thrilled to be getting married, and especially to Graham. She had known the male for so long that his face was one of her earliest memories, side-by-side her eldest brother as him and Royce caused mischief together.
“Men can be nervous too, Ma.” Brett chipped in, lounging in the background of Ife’s mirror. The youngest Windstride brother winked to his redheaded sister and added, “but not me. Obviously. I never get nervous.”
”Not unless you see a spider.”
“Eight legs! Who needs eight legs?”
Her brother’s arachnophobia, though something he had since grown out of, was a running joke between Ife and Breet. She used to booby trap their pavilion home with anything that remotely resembled a spider - grass, twigs, hay - before requesting that Breet investigate that area for some reason or another. To this day, the sound of his squeals were pitched in Ife’s memory, and always managed to make her laugh.
Mea continued to twist and plait her daughter’s hair whilst Anya, quite unfamiliar with such skill, simply stroked Ife’s arm. Whilst she appreciated their comforting touches and support, the Inarta was feeling smothered, crushed by their love. But then she felt guilty for thinking this: last night was the last time she would sleep in the Windstride clan home, or indeed take their last name. In less than a bell’s time, she would be Ife Whipmane. A married woman, complete with husband and in-laws.
Braken Windstride entered the pavilion, himself looking grey and nervous. Though it had been inevitable that he would one day guide his previous Baby Bird down the aisle, the old Drykas had lived in denial about this event for quite some time. She was still a helpless little girl in his eyes, mute and foreign and clinging to his chest. The question everyone had asked was how could she have survived?
But Braken had known the answer the moment he’d seen that little redheaded girl running towards his horse: because she is formidable and strong.
“Ready?” He asked quietly, speaking in Nari. Though neither of them could say more than a handful of words, none of the other Windstrides could speak the language of the Inarta at all. It was their secret code, and had been one of the first things to bond Ife with her adopted father.
”Ready.” She replied, her words shaky. After swallowing, Ife nodded and tried again. ”Yes. Ready.” Ah, sweet confidence.
After the rest of her family had exited to join the other guests, Ife and her father also stepped outside. With a final looking to Braken, Ife took the first step towards her wedding, and her marriage.
“Are you nervous?”
”No.” In the mirror, Ife’s reflection glanced to her sister, who stood behind the short redhead with an unconvinced smile. ”Yes.”
“Perfectly normal. I could barely speak when I married your father.” Mia Windstride, the eternal comforter and hand-holder came beside her daughter and squeezed Ife’s shoulder tentatively. “It’s only natural, my dear.”
But her mother’s kind words did little to soothe Ife’s nerves. Her stomach was in knots, and her hands were shaking. The earlier sip of wine (“for confidence,” Mea had said before downing her glass) had not helped, either. If anything, it had only exacerbated Ife’s excited nervousness. She was thrilled to be getting married, and especially to Graham. She had known the male for so long that his face was one of her earliest memories, side-by-side her eldest brother as him and Royce caused mischief together.
“Men can be nervous too, Ma.” Brett chipped in, lounging in the background of Ife’s mirror. The youngest Windstride brother winked to his redheaded sister and added, “but not me. Obviously. I never get nervous.”
”Not unless you see a spider.”
“Eight legs! Who needs eight legs?”
Her brother’s arachnophobia, though something he had since grown out of, was a running joke between Ife and Breet. She used to booby trap their pavilion home with anything that remotely resembled a spider - grass, twigs, hay - before requesting that Breet investigate that area for some reason or another. To this day, the sound of his squeals were pitched in Ife’s memory, and always managed to make her laugh.
Mea continued to twist and plait her daughter’s hair whilst Anya, quite unfamiliar with such skill, simply stroked Ife’s arm. Whilst she appreciated their comforting touches and support, the Inarta was feeling smothered, crushed by their love. But then she felt guilty for thinking this: last night was the last time she would sleep in the Windstride clan home, or indeed take their last name. In less than a bell’s time, she would be Ife Whipmane. A married woman, complete with husband and in-laws.
Braken Windstride entered the pavilion, himself looking grey and nervous. Though it had been inevitable that he would one day guide his previous Baby Bird down the aisle, the old Drykas had lived in denial about this event for quite some time. She was still a helpless little girl in his eyes, mute and foreign and clinging to his chest. The question everyone had asked was how could she have survived?
But Braken had known the answer the moment he’d seen that little redheaded girl running towards his horse: because she is formidable and strong.
“Ready?” He asked quietly, speaking in Nari. Though neither of them could say more than a handful of words, none of the other Windstrides could speak the language of the Inarta at all. It was their secret code, and had been one of the first things to bond Ife with her adopted father.
”Ready.” She replied, her words shaky. After swallowing, Ife nodded and tried again. ”Yes. Ready.” Ah, sweet confidence.
After the rest of her family had exited to join the other guests, Ife and her father also stepped outside. With a final looking to Braken, Ife took the first step towards her wedding, and her marriage.
