Alex
The woman waited until he climbed into bed to leave the room. He was right in that the castle was large, significantly larger than Anya's keep in Astoria. But she'd prepared for that. Blueprints had been delivered to her during the week, and she'd done what she could to memorize them, as well as marking what had been replaced and what was damaged beyond repair. It took her stopping and closing her eyes to envision the map in her mind before she was able to find the servants chambers in the easternmost wing, and she rapt her knuckle on the door twice. 

A spinely woman answered the door, and gave Angelica a bright eyed smile. 

"'e's not wif ya, is 'e?" She asked, her voice thick with accent of the Isles. Angelica shook her head, and the woman reached out a thin, bandaged hand, and pulled her into the servants quarters. 

The room was large by comparison to others she'd seen. It housed 4 women at the moment, who had pushed the tables of the room together to form a big enough workspace for the task their Lady had given them. Angelica couldn't help the smile as the woman guided her around two dark haired maids, barely in their late teens, to stand at the head of the table. 

Before her was a long banner of forest green. It's deep color was illuminated in the light of the lanterns overhead, and the gold the women were stitching into it glinted by the fires glow. Angelica sucked in a breath, one hand moving to her stomach and the other to her lips.

"Do ya like it, mar'm?" The crone asked, and Angelica nodded firmly before reaching a hand out to run her fingers over the emblem they were stitching. 

"And It'll be ready for the ceremony tomorrow?" 

"This is the last one, m'lady." The brunette to her left responded, motioning to the others that were folded neatly on the shelf. 

"Thank you all so very much. This is history in the making for Stormalong, and you've helped it happen. I can't thank you enough." Angelica told them truthfully. "Make sure they're hung before Lord Stafford makes it to the throne room for the ceremony. I want it to be a surprise." She instructed, and with excitement in her veins, she headed back to their bedchambers to try and get some sleep.
June
Morning light spilled into the room, and Eric's eyes fluttered open. He laid there for a moment, appreciating the feeling of Angelica laying next to him. It hit him that he would be waking up, for most of the rest of his life, next to her. A slowly slid his hands out from under her, careful not to wake her up, and Eric slipped out of bed and went through the wardrobe that had been brought to this room when making arrangements. He started to get dressed, the wedding wasn't until the evening, he decided he would go down and check out the preparations in the kitchens. 

He needed to make sure everything would be perfect, he was asking a lot of Angelica. She was leaving her home, her childhood friend, and an amount of her freedom. Of course, she was more than free to attend duties in Zahrada. But, of course, Eric would always prefer she be here with him. It was his personal bias, but he'd never tell her that upfront. Though, he expected she already knew that. 

A light knock sounded at the door and Eric opened it partially, the older servant smiled to see him. She had been here when Randall ruled, and was the one who brought Eric his breakfast before he'd gone to Zahrada. 

"Breakfast, Mi'Lord?" She said, the last word seemed to please her to say.

"Yes, please, eggs, bacon and some buttered bread, please. For two." He said, with that, she nodded and walked off to get their breakfast.
Alex
Eric slipping from bed had made her stir, but it was the second knock that finally woke her enough to make her open her eyes. She didn't realize how tired she had been until she was trying to sit up, and she took a moment longer to do so than she wanted to. With heavy eyes, she looked to Eric, who was finishing getting dressed. 

"Goodmorning." She told him, pushing her bangs from her face as she looked over him, still half asleep. The smell of bacon filled the room when the servant returned, and Angelica instinctively moved to pull the blanket up, only to remember there was no need, as she was fully dressed in her night clothes beneath it. 

"Happy Hogcock, Eric." She added, propping a pillow up against the head of their bed to lean back against.
June
"Good morning." Eric responded to his darling fiancé as he took the two trays of fresh food and brough them back, setting one down on Angelica's lap carefully. He sat his down on the nightstand and pulled a chair up next to her, retrieving his plate he began to eat. 

"And a very happy Hogcock, 'Gelica. Likely the best one I've ever had." He said, even though he was eating, he couldn't take his eyes from her. Eric's normally neutral expression that seemed strange on his youthful face was replaced by a look of pure affection whenever looking at Angelica. Everything about his motions, actions, and words seemed to instantly soften anytime he talked to, looked at, or touched her.
Alex
"I didn't expect the stars to align so perfectly as to have everything fall on the holiday, but I'm certainly glad for it." He placed the tray over her legs and pulled up a chair at her side, which she thought was a bit odd. Why not rejoin her? Her hand reached to cup his cheek, and her thumb grazed over the slight stubble he was probably going to shave as soon as he noticed. 

"Careful, Eric. A look like that will let the world know you're in love." Angelica teased, and added. "Last chance to change your mind. Once I get out of this bed and start the day you can't get cold feet."
June
Eric laughed, "Me? Cold feet? I'm more worried about you. Once you're out of this bed, you've got about six hours before you can take off back to Zahrada." He said, "Hopefully you'll stay. I promise I'm not _that_ bad to spend the rest of your life with." He said, finishing his plate and rising from the seat. Eric glanced down at his new pair of boots which been fastened on just before breakfast. "I have to go and make sure all of the things are ready, and to make sure none of my maids have killed a Captain who was standing in a inconvenient location. They're vicious here, I swear." He said as he went for the door. "I'll see you in a little while." 

With that, Eric exited the room and hurried to start trying to ensure _everything_ went smoothly.
Alex
Angelica laughed as well, tossing her sleep tousled locks. "I intend to stay, at least until tomorrow night. I want to be able to spend the day with you, as your wife. We'll have a proper honeymoon once Anyanka returns, but I get nervous leaving Harmattan in charge while I'm here." She admitted. When he stood, she stole a kiss, and let him go so she could finish her own breakfast. He left to assure everything went smoothly, 

And it did. The arrangements had arrived, the hall was set up. The invitations had been hasty, but she was glad to see the castle starting to fill as the hour drew upon them. She'd been sitting patiently while two maids worked on her hair. Personally, she didn't want anything done to it, but they insisted letting them at least _try_. So she obliged, and the sweet, simple twist they'd done at her temples that they pulled back to create a band over the rest of her hair was pinned in place with a gold pin, encrusted with deep emeralds. It stood out against her blonde, and admittedly she liked what they had done.
June
Eric was brought out to the front of the hall, and, while waiting at the end of the hall, he chatted idly with some of the guests he knew well, as the ceremony was getting ready to begin. Once the flow of people quickly turned to a trickle, Eric turned and gave a specific worker a nod, and he hurried off to tell a specific maid, who opened the door to the room that Angelica was getting prepared in to inform them that they were ready. Eric took his position, the very image of cool and collected. But on the inside, Eric's stomach had wrapped around in knots. It felt as though he was going to die, his heart was pounding. 

But he did look nice, the dark greens, tarnished gold, and blacks all woven together, and for the first time, Eric appeared to his people not as a squire or a knight, but as a Lord. He had looked as lordly as the young man could get. He watched the doors, eager to see Angelica emerge from the doors.
Alex
A knock on the door pulled her attention from the looking glass, and Angelica watched as the maid who was fixing the hem of her dress moved to answer it. A nod was given, and then the door pulled open fully. 

"Are you ready, Lady Angelica?" The woman asked. Angelica realized then she didn't even know the woman's name yet, and so she gave a quiet nod, trying not to speak out of fear she'd let her nerves show in her voice. She was guided down the corridor to the main hall, and when she was brought to the doors, a man moved to offer her his arm. 

"You look stunning, Angelica." Syric told her, and the woman smiled brightly at seeing him. They'd meet a few times, the first being during her time in South Feyshore during Randall's campaign, and the second being when he'd been petitioning for lordship. Learning of their mutual connection with Eric, she'd taken to the man, and she'd invited him the very moment she knew there was going to be a wedding. 

"Thank you for coming, Lord Vignola." She smiled, and he held a hand up to stop her. 

"Today it's just Syric. When I start training with Eric to help him with his duties, then you can resume the titles if you wish. But you're forever welcome to call me Syric." He insisted, and offered his arm to help guide her down the aisle.
June
Eric's eyes widened when he saw Angelica walk out in her wedding dress, his heart felt like it was going to fall out. His throat dried up and his hands were sweaty, he instantly became self concious about his appearance, but he made no move to fix anything. He knew nothing was wrong despite his anxieties, Eric outwardly showed nothing to betray his own nerves, besides a subtle, genuine, smile to her as he patiently waited for Angelica to get to him. The slow walk felt like an eternity, and he both wanted the moment to never end, and for it to go as quickly as it possibly could. 

As she and Syric reached Eric, he offered out a hand to help Angelica up the couple of steps to the slightly raised area at the end of the hall. Eric quietly thanked Syric, and turnned his full attention to his bride who was now standing across from him. 

"You look..." Eric said, quietly, but was cut off by the official as he began to talk.
Kathy
Craig was having a wonderful Hogcock in some village in bumblefuck somewhere.
Alex
Eric was barely able to speak before he was cut off. The ceremony began, and Angelica stood by his side, not listening to a word that was being said. Her mind was focusing on her breathing, trying to maintain a steady rhythm of it. She'd forgotten how when she'd entered the hall, and it was only being made worse by the sideways glances she kept seeing Eric give her. She did the same, trying to hide the smile as the official continued on. 

What felt like an eternity passed before he stopped talking, and it pulled her attention from Eric's profile back to the man in deep navy robes. He'd stopped to pick something off the podium behind him, and turned back to them both with two unlit tapers. The one he still held was lit, and he turned to Eric first, asking for his confirmation that he was going to take this woman to be his wife. When he did, Eric's candle was lit, and with it, he lit Angelica's when she confirmed her intentions to take Eric as her husband. All three tapers were placed in a candelabra on the table they had been retrieved from, and with it, the man raised his hands with a joyous grin. 

"I am proud to present to you,-" He started, his voice booming over the hall, and Angelica reached for Eric's hand, nudging him gently and motioning to the empty banner that displayed over the altar behind the officiant. 

"_Watch._" She breathed to him.

"Lord and Lady Stafford!" 

As they were pronounced, the banner dropped, the sound of ten unfurling rolls of fabric sounding with the cheers of the hall as the plain green tapestry was replaced by the banners she'd had made for him. A deep forest green with golden shield, a crown in it's center, hung proudly above them, and Angelica smiled brightly. "Happy Hogcock." She remarked with a laugh.
June
Eric had given her a strange look when she whispered to him, but, when the banners dropped, he was speechless. Even when the offcial proclaimed them Lord and Lady Stafford, he didn't know what to say. It didn't even register with him at first. His eyes widened, and he focused in on Angelica. 

"I love you." He said, just before pulling her into a kiss to officiate their wedding.

There was claps and cheers, someone somewhere was probably crying. Eric didn't know, all of that felt like it was miles away. The only thing he was aware of was his wife. _His wife_. Eric forgot where he was, he forgot who was at his wedding, none of them mattered. No one was as important to him as her.
Alex
Before she could say anything, he'd pulled her into a heavy kiss. His hands on her wait felt like they might break her in half from how tightly he was holding her, but she certainly didn't mind. 

Somewhere behind her, a band struck up, and the pair were ushered back down the aisle. The ballroom had been prepped for a feast, and a trail of servants and maids was already working to get the doors open and steaming plates to the tables for the Hogcock celebration/reception.
June
Long tables had been laid out, and the place of honor was at raised area, with other tables lower. Syric and all of the other lords would be offered places of honor after the twelve captains had taken their seats, of course, after Eric and Angelica had been seated. Everything was moving in such a rush. Things slowed a little when they were seated at their dinner table. 

Music had followed them, and festivities kicked off entirely. 

"Those banners... Those are ours?" Eric said, standing to reach for wine to pour her a glass before himself. Food was being brought out.
Alex
"You've mentioned what you'd want your banner to be. I just made it happen. I thought it would make a nice surprise." She paused, her eyes moving from the glass he poured for her up to his face, her brow knitting just a bit. "Do you not like them? I thought I should run them by you first, but I didn't want to ruin the surprise."
June
"I love it. They aren't _my_ banners, Angelica, they are ours. They belong to our family. You created what our family will be represented by, forever. I couldn't be happier with it." He said, pouring his own glass next as the food is brought down before them. Eric began to eat after taking a drink from the glass.
Alex
The blonde relaxed a bit at his confirmation that he loved them, and she let her shoulders lower as she let out a breath of relief. The feast had started, and she _finally_ felt like she could breath again. Stormalong was vast and warm, and unlike Astoria's dark woods and close quarters, she felt like there was room to move freely, and that she _could_ move freely. After they'd finished their meal, she'd want to dance, to spent the next few hours celebrating the holiday with their new court, and those she'd soon learn to call friends and family if all went well.
June
Eric had finished his first plate, and second glass of wine and looked at Angelica and held his hand out to offer a dance.

"I only got a day or two of official dancing instruction, for Randall's court before he left."

Eric knew very little about dancing and about how to be a husband, a father, and a lord. But, he doubted anyone really knew exactly how to be all of those things on the first try. So, he'd give it his best shot he could, and would pray he didn't fuck any of it up.