Cherished Eternal In Amber And Diamonds

20260717

Prompt from Eiiri’s Prompt Foundry, “Pride 2 Disability Boogaloo”.

These characters' story started here.

The dress was beautiful. Lynn drank in her reflection, marvelling not only at the garment but every instruction Ralph had given the seamstress.
“Make it as light as you can…”
“Ensure it is gentle against her skin…”
“Must not limit her movements, and be comfortable to sit in…”
“The beads should be made of these gems…”
She had assured him it didn’t matter. That she merely wished to be a credit to their families, and certainly not to cause a fuss. And he’d kissed her forehead and begged her to ‘humour him’.
“When you think back to our wedding day, I do not wish for you to remember pain. Only joy. I want this to be a day you can cherish forever.”
Her hand rose without thinking, fingertips brushing against the loving embrace of her betrothal necklace. There was pain, she could feel it still, but the gems held back all but an echo of what actually plagued her. She barely considered it suffering at all. Certainly not enough to mar the joy fluttering in her chest.
The seamstress, who had been carefully inspecting her from every angle, gave a firm nod which indicated all was as it should be. And indeed, the dress was everything Ralph had asked for, and Lynn had never dared dream of.
Unable to muster words, she tried to put all her gratitude into a smile, and the warm, understanding smile she received in turn made her hope her opinion was clear.
The seamstress gave a final tweak, smoothing some invisible crease, then said “Come, let’s get your hair sorted.”
A step Lynn would have been dreading, except that Ralph had insisted she not be made to sit motionless for the hours a traditional wedding arrangement called for. Instead she had trimmed locks of her hair months before, and those had been sculpted and adorned in her absence. It took mere minutes for the hairdressers to pull her hair back and pin the arrangement into place, and no matter how she turned her head, she couldn’t see where the wig met her living hair.
“Ooh, I’ll be remembering this trick.” The chief hairdresser mused with a shrewd, approving smile. “Dare say many ladies would prefer to save the time on their wedding day.”
“It’s wonderful.” Lynn managed through a throat stuffed with joy. Blinking back tears so she could revel in the woman gazing back from the mirror, who looked every inch a proper bride.
One of the hairdressers helped her up and another handed her the walking stick which was decorated to be a perfect match of her dress. Indeed, it practically vanished into the skirt when she was standing still.
“I’ll tell them we’re ready.”
Lynn nodded eagerly and slowly followed them to the door.
The looks on her family’s faces, relieved and amazed and proud, redoubled the delight fluttering in her chest. She readily took the arm her mother offered, and with that extra support was able to walk confidently. And dignity called for a slow procession, in time with the glorious music.
While she kept her composure most of the way into the hall, acutely aware how many eyes were on her, happiness swamped her and tears broke through when she saw Ralph approaching from the other wing. She gave up on presenting a dignified front and beamed wholeheartedly at him, far more concerned that he know these were not pained tears than with what other people might think.
And he responded by grinning hugely, joy shining from his face in a close mirror of hers, only looking away when they were standing before the altar and had to properly face the priest.
His hand slid under the elbow her mother had just released, and she gratefully leant on both him and her stick. She had insisted on standing for the ceremony. And, having spent most of the day resting (and endured so little by way of preparations), she was confident it would be fine.
Only now, standing close together while vows were read, did she realise his suit was a perfect match to her gown. Adorned with the same gem beads, in the same decorative arcane pattern, and so acting as an extension of the foci network which buoyed her up and kept the pain at bay. While making them look the perfect pair.
Everything about this moment was beautiful. Like the love goddess herself smiled down upon them. And given how the room sang to her inner ear, resonating with a hundred strands of wonder and joy, it wasn’t just her who thought so.
Before the gods she swore sincerity, and love, and eternal care to the man at her side, who had insisted this celebration be theirs and no other’s. And, silently but no less earnestly, she swore that she would indeed cherish this day forever.

Prompt was “Pain”.