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All those years ago, when Mary first began to daydream about getting married, she imagined herself in a beautiful ballgown, a charming Prince in shining armor, and the tall Church that sat in the heart of her home town. And for the longest time, she thought she would just about get it, substituting the big gown for the more sensible one her mother wore when she got married, and submitting the Prince for the not quite as Charming Gustav Shvagenbagen. After all, she needed to wed in her family's interests, of course... or so she believed for so long.
Mary really should've been ashamed at how quickly she abandoned the whole thing so quickly...after all, all it took was her dear Scarlet just entering the room and objecting for Mary to toss both her ring and her inhibitions aside to sprint down the aisle into her darling Scarlet's arms.
The two lovers burst through the church doors, the sounds of their heels clicking against the floor almost masking the founds of protest quickly approaching. Scarlet swiftly led Mary down the steps and down the block to a running car that was waiting for them. Mary all but jumped in as Scarlet slid over the roof of the car, hopping into the driver's seat and quickly starting the car. The two then sped off, with Mary sitting up to get one final glimpse at Gustav, who stood in front of the crowd of people next to the church, watching the car as it quickly sped away.
His expression was almost...relieved? Or was it just that he, like her, finally felt free from the constraints of their courtship, free from the whims of their parents. Mary, by proximity, and Gustav by his current status. He was a bachelor now, and a grown man in the eyes of his father. Surely, he'd be able to marry any pretty lady he could point at, so he'd most likely be happy...
...and maybe she was happy for him.
But that was the last thing on her mind, as she quickly situated herself in her seat and got her seatbelt on.
"Oh, darling, you came!" Mary gushed, reaching over and hugging Scarlet's arm.
"I had to! I couldn't do it, not with him!" Scarlet's voice trembled slightly as she spoke, tears dripping down her cheeks and onto Mary's hair and veil.
Mary reached up, yanking the veil off before tossing it into the backseat. She noticed that a fair bit of both of their luggage was in their, which meant that Scarlet successfully bribed Gustav's maid into giving her the 'hope" chest that they snatched up a few weeks before.
"B-but, where are we going to get married at? Surely nowhere around here!" Mary began, with Scarlet quickly raising a finger to respond.
"I've got a preacher friend about an hour away who agreed to officiate it! We'll be married in front of god and everyone, just like you wanted!"
"Darling~!"
Mary felt herself hugging Scarlet tighter, not wanting to be apart from her for even a moment. She almost felt guilty for almost marrying someone else, and not just planning this earlier like Scarlet wanted...could she have really been happy with Gustav? Would she had ever been happy then?
The drive felt both so much longer than it needed to be and too quick to comprehend, for before Mary knew it they were pulling up behind the Brick Church Scarlet told her about. They quickly stepped out of the car, with Mary taking a second to fix herself up before allowing her lover to take her by the hand and lead her through the church's back door.
The door led them into a small room, with a chair, a small podium, a desk, and a few people waiting for them. Mary immediately hid behind Scarlet, fearing the worst before one of them hurried over to hug Scarlet.
"Oh, Scarlet, I'm so glad you finally made it! Pastor James is washing his hands, then he'll be out to get you guys Married!" The girl gushed, hugging Scarlet tight and giving Mary a kind smile.
The two then went about the room, quickly getting introductions done before the ceremony. There was two aunts of questionable blood relation (Scarlet claimed they were friends of her mother), a cousin, a friend and her husband, and two little twin boys who claimed to be there to protect the ceremony should anyone try and stop it. It was almost ironic that Mary felt more at home there than at any family gathering she'd ever been to for her own family..
The room fell silent as the door opened, with what appeared to be Pastor James walking in and quickly closing the door behind them. He looked around, giving a grateful smile that everyone was there before walking over to the pair.
"We have to be quick about this, I had someone come and ask me if they saw your car."
"What did you tell them?" Scarlet asked, putting her arm around Mary as she replied.
"I told him you went towards the capital, attempting to flee the country together." He answered, with Scarlet breathing a sigh of relief before he continued, "Though i don't think they bought it. So, we must hurry."
"Of course...thank you, Father." Mary spoke, her voice shaking as she tried to make her gratitude known.
"It's no problem, dear."
Everyone quickly got into position, with Mary and Scarlet joining Pastor James at the podium and the various witnesses gathered around them. The husband of her friend volunteered to watch the door, waiting outside to stand guard incase anyone found them out.
"Do either of you have any personal vows?" The pastor asked, keeping his eyes on the two of them. "Anything's fine, just make it quick."
Scarlet then looked around, peeking over the crowd before gently taking Mary's hands in hers.
"All I want to say is that I'm so glad I get to spend the rest of my life with you."
At that moment, all of Mary's worries seemed to melt away. She seemed no longer nervous about being caught, or about what anyone would think about them anymore. To hell with it all!
"me too! Thank you for stopping me!"
The two then nodded to the Pastor, who looked down at some notecards he pulled out from his pocket, proceeding to speak after clearing his throat.
"We are gathered here today in the sight of God and these witnesses to unite Scarlet Olive Annenberg and Mary Anna-Maria Schnieder in the bonds of holy matrimony. If any one can show just cause why they may not be lawfully joined together, let them speak now or forever hold their peace."
To Mary's sudden surprise, Scarlet seemed to glare darkly out into the crowd, with laughter erupting as a smirk filled her face.
"I swear, any of you say anything, I swear!" She chuckled as Mary reached over to playfully swat her arm.
"Stop holding it up! Let's get this over with!" Mary urged, with Scarlet nodding and quickly clearing her throat, looking back up to the amused Pastor, who then continued.
"Do you, Scarlet Annenberg, take Mary Shvagenbagen to be your lawfully wedded wife? From this day forward, to have and to hold, for better, for worse, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do you part?"
"Uh, Yes??" Scarlet quickly responded, prompting more chuckles from the witnesses and a chuckle from her bride.
"And do you, Mary Shvagenbagen, take Scarlet Annenberg to be your lawfully wedded wife? From this day forward, to have and to hold, for better, for worse, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do you part?"
Mary opened her mouth to speak, freezing as her words caught in her throat. There was a horrid, awful urge to just say no, call everything off and run back to the church to beg gustav to forgive her..if she went back now, and begged nicely enough, surely she could save everything...save the marraige, her spot in the inheritance, the house...
But..she didn't want any of those things. Her ex-fiance smelled like beans and would most likely snatch her inheritance from her once they wed...and what house was a home without Scarlet?
"I...I do."
The crowd erupted in cheers as Scarlet choked back a sob, almost not believing what was happening right now. It was happening, they were getting married and after this...she could call her her wife.
"alright, for time's sake, you guys can exchange rings after, I'm just gonna go straight to the pronouncement." Pastor James told them, with them both nodding and clasping their hands together in preparation.
Once more, the room went silent as Pastor James spoke.
"In so much as the two of you have consented together in holy wedlock, Scarlet Olive Annenberg and Mary Anna-Marie Schneider have witnessed the same before God and this company, by authority vested in me by this church and the people in it, I now pronounce you both as wives."
"You may now kiss the bride."
As the two joined together, the room was quickly filled with the sounds of joyful cheering and crying around them as rice and flower petals were thrown over them. It was all so wonderful, and Mary could feel as if her heart was finally full of the love she'd been craving all her life. They were quickly surrounded in the family and friends, receiving hugs and well wishes from every side, along with a fair bought of being on the receiving end of some very tearful pep talks.
All the while, Mary never let go of Scarlet's hand.
It wasn't too long until they were able to sneak off to the side for a private moment. It was now that Scarlet reached into her pocket, pulling out a small wedding band.
"its not..much..but its all i could afford.." Scarlet tried to apologize as she gently took Mary's hand in hers, sliding the ring onto her ring finger before pulling her hand up to kiss it.
Mary smiled softly, gently taking the other ring Scarlet was holding before taking her hand in her own.
"I don't mind one bit about it, darling..I'm just glad it means I'm your wife now.." She reassured her, sliding the ring on before pulling Scarlet in for a kiss.
"Me too..really.."
"I mean, it is such a nice ring, too...much nicer than the one Gustav tried claiming was his grandmother's.'
Scarlet burst into a giggle fit from that, putting her hands lovingly on her now-wife's shoulders as she tried to catch her breath. This prompted Mary to chuckle was well, putting her own hands on Scarlet's waist as she began to laugh along with her.
All those years ago, when Mary first began daydreaming of getting married, she never imagined getting wed in that little brick church an hour away from her home, dressed in a long plain white gown, to the childhood friend that wriggled her way into her heart.
And maybe it was for the best that she never saw it coming, since it allowed her the chance to truly fall in love for the very first time.