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“Okay Thrain, you can do this.” The man once known as The Captain whispered to himself.
Said man was standing in a small room not too far away from the main arena of the Stadium of the Sacred Flame, where in a few, short minutes his life would be forever changed.
Well, that was what everybody told him, anyway. He proposed to Mavuika not long after his deal with the Lord of the Night had concluded, and the Traveler had changed the world forever. He did so because he believed that it was the greatest way he could demonstrate both his immense respect and love for her.
But, would getting married really change anything? Everybody he spoke to, such as Ayizu in the Night Kingdom, Ajax, Peruere and even the Tsaritsa herself all said that marriage changes everything. Personally, Thrain couldn't see it. Himself and Mavuika were practically married already.
Thrain’s mind drifted back to the night he told Ajax about his plan to propose to Mavuika. He usually wouldn’t speak to Ajax about such things, he wasn’t as close to the kid as he was to some of the other former Harbingers. But Ajax WAS the only one of the Harbingers who were actually married.
“I thought that too!” Ajax laughed, holding his glass of Snezhnaya fire water. “But it just feels different.”
"How does that make sense?" Thrain asked, befuddled. From what he could see, the young warrior and his world-travelling wife didn't seem any different to how they were before getting married. Ajax was still head over heels for Lumine, and she was still drawn in by his weirdly charming self.
“I don’t know, Cap.” Ajax sighed wistfully, taking a drink from his glass. “But it’s true. Myself and Lumine, we don’t act any different with each other. But everything feels different. The love is stronger, and the little things mean so much more.”
Thrain sighed as he looked into the bottom of his glass. “This was a mistake.” He said. “We don’t need to get married.”
"Is that fear I hear? Coming from the fearless Captain of the Harbingers?" Asked Ajax. The Captain turned his head to face Ajax, whose face bore a shit-eating grin that a man who was about 500 years younger than him had no right to bear.
Thrain slowly shook his head as he concluded his reminiscence. He looked at his scarred face in the mirror. It was no longer rotting like it was when he was cursed, but 500 years of damage to the body is not so easily healed, and some scars never fade away.
He still liked to wear his helmet. It was famous all across Teyvat, so everybody knew who he was. Also, it helped him interact with people better. He’d never forget the reaction that one of the newly rescued children from Peruere’s orphanages reacted upon seeing his face.
Mavuika assured him that he was a handsome, beautiful man. And he believed her. But he knew that not everybody was comfortable with his appearance. The scars and disfigurement caused no small discomfort to the average person. The story they told caused much worse.
“What’s taking you so long, Captain?” Ajax asked, barging into Thrain’s dressing room like he owned the place.
There was a time not long after the Harbingers were disbanded when Thrain tried to get Ajax to stop calling him Captain. He had regained his honour, and he was worthy of being called Thrain again. Eventually, with Mavuika's support, he came to realise that The Captain is as much a part of him as Thrain is.
“My brooch is not staying neat.” Thrain huffed, moving his hands towards his brooch. It was a convenient lie.
"Your brooch is fine," Ajax said dismissively, looking at the object that Thrain had just messed up on purpose. "Are you getting cold feet?" He asked, seemingly knowing what was truly the matter with his former superior.
“No!” Thrain said quickly, he definitely wasn’t backing out now or having second thoughts. “I’m just… nervous I guess.” He looked over towards Ajax. “Did you feel nervous too?”
"Oh no, I was very excited!" Ajax laughed. Thrain sighed. Of course, Ajax, the youngest of the Harbingers, was the one who went through his wedding without any fear whatsoever. Suddenly, Thrain's thoughts derailed.
"Wait, didn't you get married in front of only the Tsaritsa? Of course, you weren't nervous, you fool!" Thrain scowled at Ajax. No wonder he wasn't scared, he wasn't about to face a huge crowd and commit to the love of his life for the rest of their lives together.
"Does that matter?" Ajax asked. "In front of one person or one hundred, none of them matter. The only people that matter today are yourself and Mavuika."
Huh. Thrain supposed that was pretty insightful, considering who it came from. “I… suppose it doesn’t.”
Suddenly, the door opened and in walked Peruere in a perfectly tailored suit. Some people would be forgiven for assuming this was her wedding, given that her suit was even better suited to her than Thrain’s. Some things never change.
"Unless you would like to miss your own wedding, I'd suggest you quit wasting time and get out there, Captain," Peruere said in her usual calm tone, but with the hint of a smile on her face.
Peruere was the other Harbinger to be married, marrying Furina not long after Thrain had been brought back. He didn’t attend her wedding. It was lavish and grand, as befitting a celebrity such as Furina.
His recently resurrected self wasn't quite up to attending such an event. He was grateful that despite that, Peruere was still willing to attend his wedding. They were bonded together through the undying wills of two now-dead dynasties, and he considered her a friend.
"Okay, let's go," Thrain said, straightening his brooch and making his way to the altar in the centre of the Stadium.
The Stadium was decorated for the occasion. Benches were set out for the wedding guests, of which there was a lot. It’s not every day that an Archon and a Fatui Harbinger get married, despite it happening twice already. Balloons were tied up to two columns of the stadium, and new graffiti celebrating the union of these two souls adorned the floor.
Thrain took his place at the altar, Ajax slotting into place close next to him as his best man. If you had asked Thrain not even a few months ago, he wouldn't have thought that Ajax would be his best man. But the young man had shown himself to be unconditionally supportive and proved why Lumine believed him to be the best of the Harbingers.
Thrain couldn’t really refute any of her arguments.
He looked over at the growing crowd, guests and dignitaries from all nations within Teyvat looking to witness a union of two of the strongest souls within Teyvat.
His eyes drifted over to the Mondstadt delegation first, where a young boy was subtly trying to steal wine from the refreshments table before being admonished by the Dawn Winery tycoon and the Dandelion Knight.
Thrain was about to look for the other nation's representatives, but a sight he never thought he would see nearly froze him to the spot. Was that the librarian of Mondstadt and fucking Dottore? What shocked the Captain even more, was that Dottore seemed to be smiling. Not the nasty smirk that he usually had around others, but a genuine smile. It looked almost… unnatural coming from him.
Liyue's party was much more orderly. There was an older-looking gentleman, who Ajax once confirmed to be Morax, sitting calmly alongside the Tianquan of Liyue and a young woman with horns atop her head.
Ajax must have seen the confusion on the groom's face because he quickly chimed in with "That's Ganyu. She's one of Liyue’s adepti who fought in the Archon War.”
Thrain nodded, before shifting his gaze towards the Inazuman delegation. His eyes first landed on what looked like two siblings. If he remembered correctly, Rosalyne once identified them as Inazuma’s cultural ambassadors, the Kamisato siblings.
Sat close to the siblings was the Guuji of the Narukami Shrine, Yae Miko. He couldn’t quite understand what she was saying from this distance, but judging from the smirk on her face and the blush on the face of the Raiden Shogun, he assumed he'd be better off not knowing.
Sumeru’s delegation had been seated for a while now, being the closest bordering nation to Natlan. He looked at the Lesser Lord, whose eyes lit up as she sent him a thumbs up.
The man next to her, who looked suspiciously similar to the Raiden Shogun, looked at him with an emotion that Thrain couldn't decipher. Was it hate, fear, respect, or disdain? Thrain didn't know. He was about to ask the young man if they knew each other, however, a placating hand on the arm of the boy from a woman with a star-studded dress seemed to relax his expression.
The Fontainian delegation showed up to impress. A young blonde woman and a woman with purple hair were sat together with smiles on their faces, laughing and joking about something or other. Well, the blonde one was laughing anyway, But the purple-haired one at least had a smile on her face. It reminded him of Peruere and Furina if he was being honest.
Perhaps the most dangerous guest at the wedding was the impeccably dressed gentleman sat next to the two gossiping Fontainians. The Iudex of Fontaine, Hydro Dragon Sovereign, Neuvillette. He looked slightly uncomfortable, however the two women by his side seemed to be making an effort to include him within their conversation, which Thrain could see that he looked secretly grateful for.
He was surprised that the Dragon attended if he was being honest. The Dragon had no love lost, and Thrain knew that one day, he would seek to judge Mavuika. If he tried anything, Thrain would fight until his last breath.
Most of the people he knew from Natlan were busy with Mavuika, however, he did see Chasca and Iansan sitting together, along with some other members of their tribe. Chasca had promised to settle any 'disputes' that might arrive on one of the biggest days of the nation. Thrain and Mavuika could handle themselves of course, but they appreciated it nonetheless.
Finally, there was the Snezhnayan delegation. The smallest out of them all, and probably the one he cared the least about. Pulcinella was there, along with Pantalone. He wouldn't be surprised if Pantalone was here to make money out of the various high-ranking guests in attendance. Thrain could only hope that he kept his grudge against those in the Liyue delegation quiet.
Another five minutes passed, and all of the guests were seated. Suddenly, the small band set up in the stadium began to play some
Music. It was time for the wedding to begin.
Xilonen walked down the aisle first, as the Maid of Honor, in a beautiful off the shoulder yellow dress. Xilonen’s fashion sense, much like her craftsmanship, was impeccable. She took her place next to where Mavuika would soon be standing, and watched as the bridesmaids and groomsmen came out together.
The first to come out were Peruere and Furina. Furina and Mavuika had grown close to each other once Mavuika had learned of her struggles. And for Furina, it was nice to speak to an Archon who had been human at one point.
Peruere was one of Thrain’s Groomsmen. It wasn’t orthodox, but nobody in the arena had lived an orthodox life. Besides, he dared anybody to point such a discrepancy out.
The next two to come out together were Citlali and Ororon. Ororon had traded his usual outfit for a two-piece suit with a dark button-down shirt and pants, as well as a deep purple suit jacket.
Citlali on the other hand looked and felt better than she had in nearly a century. It was true what they said. If you looked good, you felt good. Citlali simply wore the traditional Masters of the Night Wind ceremonial attire, however with her own unique patterns and designs that really made it hers.
The final pair to come down the aisle were Mualani and Kinich. Mualani was dressed in a lovely flowing blue dress, courtesy of the People of the Springs. Meanwhile, Kinich looked as well kept as usual, his hair tidied and his green suit tailored perfectly to him.
Thrain didn't really want a third groomsman, but after Mavuika had picked a third Bridesmaid, he had to go looking. He struggled with who to pick for a while before Mavuika eventually pointed out how by appointing Kinich as a groomsman, he and Mualani may finally stop dancing around each other and make a move. He respected the young warrior, so he had no objections.
Finally, Paimon came floating down the aisle in a cute sundress that Lumine picked out for her in Mondstadt. She carried a basket in one hand and scattered flower petals down the aisle with the other, much the the amusement of several guests.
Trailing behind Paimon was Kachina, who was given the responsibility of being the ring bearer for the wedding. She was wearing a flowery yellow dress from the Children of Echoes, and looked absolutely delighted to be the one chosen by the couple.
Once they reached the altar, Kachina handed the rings to Lumine and returned to her seat next to Chasca. Paimon followed suit, sitting next to that strange boy who was trying to steal wine before and swatting away a hand that went to ruffle her hair.
And with the simple change of a song and the opening of a door, Thrain set his eyes upon his Sun.
Mavuika was absolutely resplendent. She wore an elegant, white gown that hugged her figure perfectly. The gown was backless, showing off the numerous scars that an Archon of War should have with no small amount of pride. She wore a small bridal veil, however it did nothing to hide the radiance of her smile.
Mavuika stepped up to the altar and handed her bouquet to Xilonen.
The officiant of this wedding was the famous saviour of Natlan and Teyvat, Lumine, who shot a comforting smile at the two before getting started.
“We are gathered here today” She announced, looking out towards the large gathered crowd, “To witness and celebrate the bonding of two souls together in marriage.”
Thrain’s heart was thumping in his ears, and it was at this point that he remembered that he had to actually breathe. He let out a deep breath, which caused a smirk to break out on the faces of Ajax and the young man who stared at him before.
Thrain would never know this though, for his eyes never left Mavuika’s.
“I have personally witnessed the depths of your love for each other. The devotion you both share for one another.” She looked towards Thrain before continuing. “And how far you’ll both go for one another.”
Lumine looked back towards both of them. “I’m sure I don’t need to remind you, but these vows you are about to make are binding forever, through sickness and health, peace and war, life and death.”
"Please join hands as you declare your eternal vows for one another." Lumine turned to look at Thrain and nodded, and he felt his mouth go dry. Ajax told him to not bother with writing vows down and to speak from the heart. He never mentioned how difficult it would be to even think when faced with Mavuika on their wedding day.
“Ma-Mavuika.” Thrain stammered out, his brain racing with what to think. “I’ve loved you for so very long. Ever since that day shortly after the Cataclysm, when you showed my men mercy and granted them a place to stay. I knew that you were different.”
He never knew it would be this hard, but much like a snowball rolling down a mountain, he was picking up momentum and building up substance.
"When I saw you again after 500 years, you were just as beautiful and radiant as I remembered. Crossing blades with you again gave me meaning. Helping save Natlan alongside you, gave me reason. And being your ally gave me strength." He declared, growing in confidence as his voice spoke almost independently of his brain, a one way transmission from his heart to his vocal chords.
"You make me stronger, and wiser. You helped me see that scars of the past can be healed and that I'm more than what I was. I love you, Mavuika."
A tear ran down Mavuika’s cheek, but the bright smile never once left her face. Lumine then turned towards Mavuika, silently urging her on.
"The first time we met, I was sure you hated me." Mavuika let out a small laugh, and some of the other guests also laughed. "You had every reason to mistrust me, but you worked with me and the people of Natlan to fight against the abyss."
She looked directly into Thrain’s eyes. “I never forgot you, even after 500 years. Your love for Natlan and its people, even after five centuries, made me realise just what type of man I had fallen for. And then you left me.” Mavuika let out a small sob, a few more tears running down her cheeks.
“You did it for me, you did it for Natlan, you did it for your own people. And it hurt… a lot. But it also reminded me once again… that I had fallen for a man who was truly extraordinary. I can never even begin to do for you what you’ve done for me, but I can promise that I will never, ever, stop loving you.”
Thrain was nearly crying now too. Hearing these words, affirmations of their feelings towards one another, made them both feel loved and accepted.
Lumine's voice interrupted the deep moment they shared. "Now, if the Groom would like to place the ring on the Bride's finger."
Thrain took Mavuika’s ring from Lumine. The ring was made out crystallised and refined Azosite. The same energy source that once powered the Khaenri’ahn Field Tillers for centuries, now would represent the never ending love that Thrain held for the Pyro Archon.
With shaky hands, Thrain slid the ring onto Mavuika’s finger.
"Now, would the Bride please place the ring on the Groom's finger?" Lumine asked, handing Thrain's ring to Mavuika. Mavuika took the ring from Lumine, quickly giving it a look over.
Thrain’s ring was crafted by Xilonen. It was made from condensed Phlogiston, and as far as she knew, it was the only one of its kind. The ring of phlogiston represented the shared bond they had through the land of Natlan, but also gave Thrain an enhanced connection to his ‘Nightsoul’.
Mavuika gently slid the ring onto the finger of The Captain.
Lumine beamed at the pair, before announcing to the guests. “If there are any objections to this union, speak now or forever hold your peace.” The Traveler’s voice got particularly dark towards the end of that announcement, so much so that Thrain doubted that anybody would object even if they wanted to.
Lumine’s voice then perked back up. “Then by the power vested in me by the people of Natlan, I hereby announce you as Husband and Wife. You may now kiss.”
Mavuika wasted no time, throwing herself forward and wrapping her arms around Thrain’s neck, planting a soft, but passionate kiss onto his lips for the first time as a married couple.
Applause and cheers echoed around the stadium, as the just-married couple's lips remained locked in their embrace.
They didn’t want to pull back, but they did both need to breathe. Stepping back, Mavuika let out a breathless laugh. “Save some of that for later, yeah?”
Thrain just smiled and pulled her in for another kiss.
He would likely never admit it to Ajax, he still had some pride as his senior after all. But the kid was right, everything is different the moment you get married.