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 Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2018 5:35 pm
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To say he was nervous wasn't entirely true. There was a stitch in his shoulders that bound them together and his feet couldn't quite sit still, leaving him to pace the redstone, but it wasn't nerves. To Azzan, being nervous made it seem as if he had regrets or fear about his decisions and he could not stress to himself, or anyone, how very wrong that was. Chau was a bright spot in his life and without her, he was sure, he would not have made the transition from lonely watch dog to respected Claw with such ease. No, she was everything now and he could not wait to see her.
His mismatched eyes swung away from where Ruka had gathered on the crest of Ashiki's overlook and the witnesses that milled around her so that he could stare, instead, upon the path that lead up to the Queen's cave. Any moment now his dark rogue would round the bend and greet him with that same, playful smile..
And then they would make their oaths.
Quote: Welcome to the opening wedding post for Azzan x Chau! Any of the witnesses (or other family member's of Azzan) are allowed to post if they wish, however, Biki, Krysin and I will be maintaining a post order and only interacting with each other. Witnesses to the marriage are assumed to be here regardless of whether or not they make a post! If you do not own a family member, your lion still could have seen the marriage at a distance from the grounds beneath Ashiki's overlook. If your lion sat and watched is up to you but it can be referenced. |
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2018 3:26 pm
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Chau thought this tradition very strange; but Azzan had ampul faith for the both of them. She knew that he truly believed in the Ancestors and in the ways of the Outlands. The dark lioness was unsure about what she believed, she had witnessed many prides on her travels, all with their own ways of life; all believing theirs to be the truth. Yet, in Azzan’s own words, none of those lands mattered here; and if this was his way, maybe his ancestors would listen to her.
Hopefully more than her sons did. It was Ebu that walked with her, a great white mass of a male that just seemed to grow and grow with each passing day, though she was sure that he was more fur than muscle. Not like his brother, who was set to be a warrior; it was why Imaski was picked to be her witness; Ebu had no complaints. He had started to call her mom as a joke; now he was not even sure himself it was one. “I will talk to you later.” She whispered to him almost affectionately before she walked ahead.
“Really?” He mumbled, his brow rising as his adopted mother looked back over her shoulder, winking in his direction. “Tomorrow.” She corrected herself; before her attention was stolen from him completely. The white male nodded his head, before looking towards the other guests that had gathered. He did not know Azzan’s family very well; but nevertheless, took a place not too far away from Mjrn and Takha, bright eyes briefly drifting upwards to find his brother.
Chau glanced at her in-laws, knowing that she would have greeted them in any other circumstance, but she was too excited to stop; her paws simply would not cease until they carried her to him.
A good, reformed, refined lioness might have been more graceful in the approach; but the once rogue was not and she let herself slither up his flank and bury her face in his thick mane. ”Hello, handsome.” She mumbled with a face full of fur; before she stepped away an inch to look towards Ruka. No, she didn't need to believe in their ways, she believed in him; and if he was willing to bind himself to her in such a way - what more could she ask for.
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Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2018 8:48 am
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Ruka'sabili sat, waiting patiently for the two professed lovers to make their way towards her. She had left her cubs back at her den, though she swore she could hear the sounds of her boys picking on their 'siblings' from where she was. It was definitely in everyone's best interest that she left them behind. Hikaru certainly held a slight grudge against the lioness taking her vows today. Chausika had bested her in a duel before, which was the only reason Ruka'sabili even knew the lioness. Being asked to oversee this ceremony had come as a surprise to the pale lioness, but it was not something she could see herself refusing to do.
While she may not believe in love, it would not stop others from finding it. There was a small bit of envy there for something she knew she would not have, and that these two lions, despite all the odds, had secured for themselves. With a sigh, she shook off whatever expression had been drawn upon her features. She doubted it was a good one, and this was a happy occasion for the two lovers. Ruka would not be the one to drag them down.
She smiled, her gaze sifting from Chausika to Azzan. "Well, are you two about ready, then?" Her role was simple, just a pretty face from the clergy to oversee the exchange of vows. She didn't want to rush the two along, but she was sure she would perish if they spent the entirety of the day flirting at each other in front of her.
Family had begun to arrive, lining up to watch the proceedings with interest. This was the first marriage in the pride since they had re-settled the lands. No doubt everyone would be intrigued by it.
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Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2018 1:06 pm
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While he waited for Chau to join him, Azzan threw a pleased smile in his mother's direction - it was his only way of comforting her from where he stood. He knew that her presence in his father's company was only for his sake and he could not express to her with a simple smile just how much that meant to him - but he tried, none-the-less.
"Father," he dipped his head with all the respect he could muster, finding his own emotions and affection harder to express with another male that seemed so terribly like minded. Stoic, strong, proud - Azzan was lucky his mother's affection ran so deeply in his veins or he might've found himself in a similar position to Takha himself. "I know he would come if he knew, it's alright. To be honest I'm kind of surprised that so many of us are here again on these lands. I'm not really a dreamer but it's.. a pleasant surprise. Thank you."
He let his eyes drift away only as his father walked back to join his family and the pale lion that had taken a seat not too far. He recognized the boy as one of Chau's and turned to look for her the moment that she sidled up next to him. If he hadn't been such a brilliant red already he was sure that his flush would have burned right through his fur for everyone to see. Even still, he couldn't be ashamed, and he returned her affectionate nuzzle without question.
"Come on my heart, let's get this going before Ruka changes her mind." With as many cubs as the female had, Azzan was sure she wasn't getting nearly enough sleep and he wasn't one to test her. Not even today.
With a flick of his tail, he leaned down and nudged Chau's shoulder so that they could make the last trek of the path up to stand before the pale vessel. He turned as they reached her at last, putting his profile into view for her and his gaze directly upon the dark lady that was about to become his wife.
"Ready?"
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Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2018 8:40 am
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“Ruka?” The lioness mumbled to herself, her dark face straining at how familiar that name sounded though she could not place it. Her silver eyes left the male for a moment, catching a glimpse of the pale lioness that was waiting for them; realisation was suddenly painted clearly across her face. For some reason, she had expected to see Katiti stood before them, she did not know why. Chau dare not think what this ceremony would be like if the Seer was cackling in the background smugly during the exchange.
She was sure Kat had foreseen all of this; but then again, she always did give the old witch too much credit. It was odd, Katiti was probably the closest female to her within the Pride; their relationship and the feelings she had for her was complicated, strained and hard to understand. Still, there was a small part of Chau that mourned her absence. The dark female smiled, no, Kat was watching like a sadistic guardian angel.
Chau let her gaze fall on Ruka and for what it was worth, the look she gave was soft and apologetic. There were no hard feelings between them, not on her end at least. Duel’s ways brought out the worst in her and she usually regretted her tongue later.
With the encouragement from her lover, she began to walk with him. Chau felt like there were eyes on her, or rather more than she had expected. As a rogue, she certainly was not used to stage fright and the feeling of being watched was unique. When Azzan turned she moved to do the same so they were facing each other; letting her attention settle on his face. Almost magically; she suddenly forgot they were being watched, her focus was on him and him alone.
Her lungs filled with air, like she was taking a deep breath before plunging into cold water. Pale eyes closed as she exhaled and collected herself, her thoughts, the words she had been rehearsing in her mind since she woke up next to him this morning. Silver eyes opened and the dark female nodded.
“I have not run away yet.” The words left her maw on a breathless chuckle.
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Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2018 2:45 pm
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Ruka offered a small and pleasant smile to Chausika, as if to soothe any worries that there could be bad blood between them. Ruka had lost the duel, but she did not take that defeat personally. All she had tested was Chausika's strength, and she had found the lioness to be quite capable. It was no surprise that Azzan liked her. Now, one of her sons probably would have raised quite the fuss over his mother overseeing the marriage of her 'arch rival'.
Which was why said son was tucked away as far from this ceremony as possible. Ruka wasn't exactly thrilled to be doing this, and she'd be far less thrilled if she had to chase her own cubs around. There were far too many of them now that her mother had dropped them off in the pride (not that Ruka really considered Talayeh to be her parent). The pale lioness had thought she only had to worry about two boys, but now there was a large group of cubs under her care and that idea alone stressed her out.
She'd almost rather be doing this instead.
The couple approached her, and her expression remained neutral. Ruka was content to slip into the background, to let the moment go to the happy (and mushy) couple. "Well, you can't run away now," Ruka interjected with no small amount of snark. "It is time for your vows."
She was supposed to be in the background, but she couldn't help it - someone needed to bring a break to this romance. Ruka personally couldn't wait for the duels to start, and while she wouldn't participate, she enjoyed watching them.
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Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2018 5:37 pm
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Azzan was not entirely oblivious to the history between his mate and the pale lioness that had agreed to oversee their binding. After all, part of his job was being aware which of their unbranded had passed their initiation tests and with whom. Duels simply were, though, and he was more than pleased to see that they both met this day with the appropriate amount of respect for one another.
Kat, however, he could not speak for. She was an enigma with a sharp tongue and a will that was beyond his ability to reason. There were many places where she was strongest but here... no, he would take his chances with the pale Vessel.
The Claw took his place before Ruka, at the center of the attention of those that had gathered around them in the small space outside the Queen's den, and turned so that he could face Chau with his mismatched eyes. Even for the stoic soldier this moment was not lost upon him and he took the space of a few quiet breaths to steady himself and revel in the fact that he was about to take the only unbreakable oath he had ever uttered. There was no point in waiting another moment.
"I am Azzan, Scion of Tahka and Claw of the Ukuhlwa'Izwe. I promise Chau that I will live my life to honor her, that I will provide for our family, raise our cubs with pride and dignity, and that my love for her will burn as true as the ancestors' stars for as long as I draw breath. By blood and bone, I swear this oath to her."
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Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2018 3:51 pm
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Chau remained silent as the rusty male made his oath; taken back by how surreal the whole thing was. She never thought she would take an oath; or that she would find someone that she wanted to bind herself to. Azzan had inspired some strange behaviour from her and stood before him now, she was more certain than ever that this was the path she wanted to travel. When she was young the very idea of commitment caused anxiety - now she felt it at the very thought of being parted from him.
Silver eyes were focused on him, widening slightly at his words before they were forced to look away. Her skin reddened under her dark pelt, blood pooling in her cheeks and pounding her in ears. Their wedding day was to become the first day they truly confessed their love for each other; and though she knew it already, hearing the words made her heart skip a beat.
When he fell silent it was her turn to make her vow.
“I am Chausika, Shield of the Ukuhlwa'Izwe. I promise Azzan that for as long as his heart beats I will remain by his side; that I will remain loyal and devoted to him. That his cubs will be raised with his beliefs, in the land he loves and protects.”
The black lioness looked to Ruka for a brief moment, then to the party that had gathered to watch them - before her gaze returned to the handsome Claw before her.
“By blood and bone, I swear this oath to him.”
Her eyes closed, her head lowering. She wanted to hold him close but was not sure if it was the ‘proper’ thing to do at this moment. Instead, her voice lowered, her words less formal; spoken quietly as if they were only meant for him. (Though she was sure Ruka was close enough to hear them, also).
“I love you.”
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Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2018 3:47 pm
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For a moment, she felt touched by the sincerity of their vows. The way both lions spoke with love and conviction made her feel as if those vows would be honored. It was strange to be impacted by them and feel the emotions they conveyed. When she was younger, she had yearned for a similar relationship, open and honest. In all the years since then, she knew that such a thing was not meant for her. The cubs she had bore were evidence of that.
She had not thought of her daughters in a long time, not since she had first crossed the border back into her homelands. How were they now? Had their father even raised them? She would never know, as she had no intention of going back.
Ruka had left them behind in the care of their father, a lion who had betrayed her trust and made it unbearable for her to be near him. Leaving had been a necessity - her mind and her heart would have been crushed in that damnable pride and in the possession of that cruel male.
Ruka had left for her own sake, but she still felt empty. Never would enough time pass that Ruka would heal from the trauma she had endured.
"And so it has been witnessed," Ruka told the pair unceremoniously before they got too lovey (she had definitely heard that whispered 'I love you'). Chasing her dark thoughts away, she gave the newly married couple a reserved smile. "May you two be an example for all those to follow." While she knew love and marriage was not for her, she hoped the rest of the pride would embrace these values.
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Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2018 3:54 pm
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It was such an unimaginable feeling as he stood before his small, dark lioness and listened to the words tumble past her jowls, words that would seal them as one beneath the eyes of the Ancestors with a binding oath. Overhead he knew a raven was circling and listening and around them his family and her adopted boys were gathered.
What had he done to deserve this? Was it simply his steadfast guard of their lands throughout all the years?
A well of emotions surged through him with Chau's whispered love and, overcome and impossibly moved, he let his eyes raise in a silent prayer to the stars that were hidden beyond the day's light. Somewhere the great kings of the past, his aunt and grandmother and Taka himself, were all smiling down upon this day. He let his thankfulness soar up to them and at last, his eyes closed before he lowered his head and let them open upon his beautiful mate once more.
His mate. Chau.
"I love you," he whispered back gently before stepping forward and dipping his head so that he could brush his cheek along hers. A paw rose and pulled her closer, burying her face into his the scruff of his neck as she was so often apt to do. Over her shoulder, he leveled a thankful smile upon Ruka.
"Thank you for this, I will remember."
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Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2018 8:04 am
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When it came to how this had come to pass, there was not a soul more uncertain than Chau herself. The forest where she was born seemed like a distant memory and the lands she had traveled in between; no more than a dream. A home was never something she expected, nor was it something she ever actively sought out. Yet here she stood; having found a sense of belonging in the most unlikely of places, at the side of the most unlikely of males. Life was funny like that, she supposed.
The lioness was woken from whatever realm her mind had wandered by the brush of her mates cheek across her own, suddenly all too aware of where she was and what they were doing. The proximity was enough to have her laugh, easy and gentle; silver eyes half lidded and peaceful in the choice they had made. There was no resistance to be found in the once rogue, she leant into his thick mane and closed her eyes - and for a moment, she forgot they were not alone.
That was until she heard Azzan thank the lioness who had overseen their oaths. Her maw opened, white teeth pressing gently into the flesh of his throat like they had the night her sentence had ended. She was sure Ruka was sick of them both; so it was probably best not to linger too much longer.
There was a smile painted across her face as her eyes found the Vessel; releasing her mate from the soft grip she held on him to nod her head in thanks. Her attention turned towards his parents then, and the family who had gathered to watch them take this step together.
Unsure on what to do, she just remained silent for a moment - waiting to take Ruka’s instruction, or her mates lead.
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Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2018 5:24 am
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 Watching Chau and Azzan voice their vows was doing some peculiar things to Azisa's insides.
It wasn't the ceremony itself. That had actually been rather nice so far, impressively swift and blessedly low-key. Thanks be to the virtues Taka had bestowed upon the pride, as most of this affair had been focused on the lovers and their dedication to each other, without a whole lot of fluff or additional ridiculousness. Their love for each other was damn near palpable, and Azisa was pleased that they could celebrate it here in their recently-reclaimed homelands. It was a boon on them, all of them; a taste of normalcy that would help every Outlander adjust to the idea that this was their proper place.
A smirk touched her russet muzzle. Not that most needed the help, of course. Certainly not her dear cousin there, nor those who shared his old ties and even older blood.
No, what bothered Azisa was deeper down, buzzing annoyingly among those annals of self-reflection where she didn't often care to dwell. She found herself thinking, however grudgingly, about her own ceremony. Mentally, her own voice traced Chau's words, soft and vulnerable and alien. Her inner Azzan, though, was conspicuously absent. Would she ever say vows of her own? Who would say them back? What warrior - because it would have to be, Taka's lineage would accept no less - would ever be able to stand beside her? Did she even want someone to?
Were she not in public, the princess would have laughed at her own foolishness. The question was moot, all things considered. She lived for the pride and her people. Whenever she took a mate...if she took a mate... They would not be there for her. They would be there for the Scion of Taka, Protector of the Realm, Third-born of Ashiki, Princess of the Ukuhlwa'Izwe. That was who she was. That was the way it had to be.
Her ears pinned for a moment, but only just. This was not the time to bemoan a happiness she knew was not to be. This was the moment to celebrate joy, and bear witness to the union of the royal line with the most...unlikely friend she could ever imagine having made. Azisa did laugh then, a low, genuine chuckle. And it was a beautiful ceremony. So she nodded, her smile and slow, contented blink proof of obvious agreement with Ruka's words. |
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Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2018 9:44 am
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Azzan's eyes swiveled back down to his mate, now officially his wife and the blood of his blood, and he could not contain the odd smile that seemed to spring to life of its own volition. In all the years he had served as a silent ward he had never imagined that his life would unfold this way. He had always had eyes for his pride and his duty but now there was another part of him growing and flourishing.
"Come on, my love," he murmured lowly, leaning to nudge his bright face against her neck, "let us go and greet our families."
With his smile still plastered in face, he dipped his head to Ruka and made his way towards the outskirts and all the lions that had gathered to watch them. One by one, he would make his way with her down the line, accepting the well wishes of his family, his cousins, and even Chau's adopted sons.
They were all one, now.
Quote: I am officially ending my involvement in this RP here and giving it an 'end', so to speak. If you would like to add an ending post for your character after mine, please feel free to do so.
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