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Sarena stood before the full length mirror in the room her priest had given her to dress in and gaped. That couldn't be her! A vision in white, the sun shining off her copper hair piled upon her head in a fancy do made up of curls and fresh flowers...no veil...she didn't want one, the long white dress she never dreamed she would be wearing any time soon...was exquisite with loads of lace, a short train, and a bodice of seed pearls...it just took her breath away.
This was her wedding day! The amazing flying Kat known as Commander Ulysses Feral, Chief Enforcer of Megakat City had asked her to marry him and today was the day the deed would be done.
The past two months had seemed to fly past as they planned the simple ceremony, found a beautiful penthouse to live in, then closed their apartments and moved their belongings. Felina and Ms. Briggs had helped her plan the wedding. Ulysses was responsible for obtaining the license.
She smiled in memory at the discomfort of the, oh so tom acting Felina, about dressing up and being part of a wedding ceremony. Ms. Briggs and herself used the reluctant bridesmaid as a gopher which suited her temperament better. So Felina was the one to pick up the flowers, cake, and insured the catering staff had gotten the reception area set up in time and anything else that needed to be done. She even put up with the indignity of being fitted for her bridesmaid dress of royal blue.
The wedding party consisted of Sarena, Felina, Ulysses and his brother, Tyrone. Sarena had no family left alive and Feral only had his brother's family. The guests consisted of a small pawful of casual co-workers for Sarena and for Ulysses, it was a very small group of officers, his brother's family, the Mayor and Deputy Mayor. No news crew were allowed and only a family friend would be taking the wedding pictures. The small affair was kept hushed to protect Sarena's identity from the criminals that wouldn't hesitate to use her as leverage against the Chief Enforcer.
The venue for the wedding was the beautifully enclosed garden at the rear of her church. As a matter of fact, the whole event was to be held outdoors to help ease Ulysses' claustrophobia. Which meant the reception would be held in an inner courtyard of the same church.
"You look incredible, Sarena!" Felina said warmly, breaking into the bride's thoughts.
Sarena looked over at Felina and smiled, her face flushed with joy. "You don't look so bad yourself," she said impishly, knowing how much Felina hated wearing a dress.
"Yeah, so everyone says. You couldn't tell it by me," Felina snorted. "But you...yeah, my uncle is going to gape when he sees you."
Sarena blushed hotly. "You think so?"
"How could he not? You're gorgeous," Ms. Briggs interjected coming into the room in time to hear their comments.
"Thank you, Ms. Briggs, not only for the vote of confidence but for all the help you've given me despite your heavy schedule to make this wedding possible."
Callie smiled warmly and moved close to give her a tight hug. "My dear, it was a pleasure and you deserved it. I'm really pleased to see the Commander so happy and you're the reason for that."
Sarena could only smile shyly at the beautiful and powerful she-kat. Ms. Briggs might not think she had done very much, but Sarena knew the Deputy Mayor was the reason this wedding was going to be the most incredible event of her life.
In another room, some distance from Sarena, Feral was tugging at his tie for the fifth time in the last five minutes.
"Will you leave that alone, Uly? You look fantastic!" His brother, Tyrone snorted in amused annoyance. He was leaning against the mirror his brother stood gazing in. Tyrone was wearing a dark blue tux with a white orchid boutonniere, looking rather dapper himself. "I know you're nervous but that poor tie won't make it into the wedding if you don't stop pulling on it," he commented.
Feral blushed in embarrassment, forcibly removing his fingers from his chest and trying desperately to calm himself. He didn't realize it but his wings were trembling...his brother noticed, however.
He walked closer to Ulysses and pulled him into a reluctant hug. His brother wasn't much for shows of affection which is why Tyrone found every opportunity to display it much to his brother's annoyance.
"Take deep breaths...in and out...that's it! I was just as nervous as you were at my own wedding. I really thought I was either going to throw up or faint from the stress," Tyrone murmured sympathetically.
Feral offered him a wane smile. "I remember! You nearly paced a hole in our grandmother's carpet," he said in amusement then sighed. "You know, I never dreamed I would be willing to marry. My job is so dangerous, I thought it would be wrong of me to put a mate in such a position that she would have to worry constantly about her safety. Yet, here I am! Am I crazy?" He asked, troubled.
"No! You're in love." Tyrone said firmly. "You've been alone soo long, my brother. You deserve to be happy."
"Yes, but the danger..."
"You aren't the only one whose job is dangerous, Ulysses. There are many other Kats out there whose daily jobs are the same if not more dangerous than your own but that doesn't stop them from seeking happiness. It's the risk of being in love they are all willing to endure and if you were to ask any of them if they regretted taking the plunge, I doubt you'd find one of them that would say yes," Tyrone argued.
"I guess you're right. Sarena does make me very happy and she's willing to accept her life must be kept under cover, as it were, for her safety," Ulysses said reluctantly.
"See? She loves you enough to be willing to risk anything for both your sakes. Let it go, brother and be happy."
Feral could only grin at his brother's attempts to make him relax. It was working somewhat. "Thank you. I promise to do my best."
Tyrone grinned and clapped his bigger brother hard on the back. "That's the spirit. Now, I think it's time for the ceremony so I better scat and take my place. See you there in a moment." With a final pat on Uly's back, Tyrone left the room.
Feral sighed, pulled on his tie and dress coat once more, pausing a moment to stare at his image again. He was wearing a modified dress uniform without his armored vest, a matching white orchid in his button hole like his brother's. It had taken some doing getting this thing designed just right to accommodate his wings and still look enough like his other dress uniform he once wore when he was a normal Kat. His wings gleamed in the bright sunlight from being freshly preened. He looked amazing, he had to admit.
Taking another deep breath and letting it out, he turned to the nearby window and opened it. He stepped onto the wide ledge outside the window then leaned forward into the air some two stories from the ground. He flapped his wings to gain a little altitude so he could soar above the church and to drop down into the gardens behind it.
He made for a landing a short distance from the lovely flower draped arch where the ceremony was going to take place. His brother was just walking up to take his place at the arch and standing waiting was the priest who gaped in utter fascination as Feral landed lightly on the grass then walk up to them.
"Such an amazing sight you make in flight, Commander," he said lightly when Feral took his place.
Feral just shrugged his shoulders self consciously then turned to look up the aisle where Sarena would be walking down in just a few minutes.
Soft music began playing and everyone turned to watch for the bride. Moments later, Sarena followed by Felina came through the door and stepped onto the brilliant blue carpet toward her waiting groom.
Feral sucked in a breath as he stared at his bride-to-be. She was glorious! His nervousness vanished as he watched this vision of loveliness walk toward him.
Sarena shivered nervously as she gripped her bouquet of white and blue orchids as she paced slowly down the carpet. Her eyes were on her feet at first, not wanting to trip in her heels but as she got closer to the arch, she raised her head and stared with pleased delight at her husband-to-be's handsome figure. He looked magnificent in his new dress uniform, his gleaming wings only enhancing his image.
In moments she was soon standing beside him. She blushed at the look of love and heat that shown from his eyes before they both turned to face the priest.
The music ceased and the ceremony began. Both had chosen a simple vow and had given it to the priest who now turned to Feral and intoned:
"Will you accept Sarena Flaherty, to be your wife? Will you share with her your hurts, your loves, your sorrows, and your happiness? Will you comfort her and be comforted, and share with her in all things meaningful to you?"
Feral swallowed hard then said shakily, "I will."
The priest then turned to Sarena:
"Will you accept Ulysses Feral to be your husband? Will you share with him your hurts, your loves, your depression, and your happiness? Will you comfort him and be comforted, and share with him in all things meaningful to you?"
"I will," Sarena could barely get out.
"Then by the authority of our lord almighty, I pronounce you husband and wife," the priest said smiling, "you may kiss the bride."
Feral was more than happy to do that as he leaned down and she raised to her toes to reach his shoulders with her arms so she could wrap them around his neck and they kissed. Cheers filled the air from the audience. The couple separated then clasped paws as they turned to face the small crowd.
"May I present, Mr. and Mrs. Feral," the priest intoned loudly for all to hear.
More cheers went up and clapping, the music started up again as the couple walked back down the aisle followed by a happily grinning Felina and her father Tyrone.
Clinging tight to each and grinning like little kittens, Sarena and Ulysses walked through the church doors and on through the lobby to the small courtyard for the reception. The garden style tables with umbrellas were scattered about and under a large blue and white awning was the wedding cake and food tables.
Standing under another wooden arbor with white and blue flowers, Feral and Sarena took their places to greet their guests. Standing on Sarena's ieft side were Felina and her father. Very soon their guests arrived and each offered their prayers and best wishes to the newlyweds. It didn't take long to greet everyone since the crowd was small and soon all were watching as the couple stood beside an amazing wedding cake.
Callie knew of a bakery that specialized in designing and making unusual wedding cakes. Since Sarena hadn't had a clue what kind of cake she wanted, she gave Callie permission to order one for her.
The cake was done in the shape of the enforcer symbol with Sarena's likeness and Ulysses' in his uniform and wings standing on the very top, holding paws. The couple were blown away by it.
"Oh my god! Ms. Briggs, its amazing!" Sarena managed to gush.
"I must admit this is the most incredible thing I've ever seen. I can't believe its all cake too," Feral said shaking his head in stunned, but pleased, surprise.
Callie blushed at the compliments. She too had been blown away by the cake when she'd seen the finished product. She was very glad the two loved it as well.
"I'm so glad you love it. Now, let's get some photos done so we can all can get some dinner. I'm starved," she said warmly.
For the next thirty minutes everyone talked, drank, and watched the couple get their wedding photos done. Finally finished, the couple led the way to the buffet tables. By now Feral was famished as was Sarena. They loaded up their plates and went to their special table, sitting down and feeding each other, almost ignoring everyone else.
Conversation swirled around for the next couple of hours before the cake was finally cut. Holding the knife together, Ulysses and Sarena cut the cake at the bottom and shared the first bite under the flashing and clicking of the photographer's camera.
After enjoying the cake and letting their food settle, the music that had been playing quietly in the background suddenly changed to a dance tune. Grinning at each other, the new couple stepped out to a cleared area of the lawn and began to dance. After they had danced for some minutes and the photographer had taken more pictures, the rest of the wedding party and guests joined the couple.
The party lasted until dusk when it finally broke up. Feral and Sarena said farewell to their guests then after sweeping her into his arms, Feral leaped into the air. He paused a short distance up in the air so the photographer could take some spectacular pictures of Feral in flight and of Sarena throwing her bouquet down to the crowd below. One of her coworkers caught the flowers and shrieked with joy, her friends smiling in amusement. Then after calling out a final good night, Feral flapped his wings and headed for their new penthouse apartment.
"Oh love, what a wonderful ceremony. It went perfectly and you looked magnificent," Sarena sighed against his chest as her arms clung to his neck.
"Yes it was and you were a vision of incredible beauty, my love," Ulysses murmured into her hair.
"The best I think was that incredible cake!"
"You got that right. I don't think I've ever seen that kind of cake making before. It just blew me away," he agreed softly then righted himself to prepare to land on their patio. "We're home, love."
"Wonderful," she smiled happily then laughed as he kept her in his arms and carried her across their threshold into the apartment.
He swung her around in a circle for a moment before lowering her to her feet. She was breathless and deliriously happy as she turned to take another kiss from her new husband.
"Welcome to our new home my lovely wife," Ulysses whispered when they parted.
"Welcome my wonderful husband," she said warmly.
The night was just as glorious as the day had been and though they didn't plan on taking a honeymoon, they did take a couple of days off from work to celebrate their union properly.