Of course Kauket wanted BONES braided into her fur Sometimes she chased the monkey, but it often just swatted her away when she tried, or scrambled upon the back of an adult to hoot and holler in taunting victory -- knowing that even if she still tried, said adult would take their turn kicking her to the curb. She never hurt it! But chasing the strange creature was fun, and it seemed to know she didn't mean harm -- at least, it was willing enough to play with her fur and tangle within it a bunch of tiny little bones. She wanted painted, too, but Mom said that was for the Pharaoh's and the ones getting married! She wanted to be pretty too!

But she was easily distracted. She was sniffing about at the food area when Neph and Vasili called for things to begin, but she trundled over to take her place as she knew she'd be expected. If she behaved, then there was no reason for them to yell or tell her she couldn't have it!

It would be boring, she thought, but worth it once she got her nose into all that'd been gathered.

Vasili was so unbearably proud of his boy. Yan might've been the soft one, the one who refused blood paint and anything too gorey, but the love he held in his heart for his own beloved was a sight to be witnessed; even had Neph tried to betroth him to someone else, Vasi thought he would've fought for their sons right to choose. He was glad Neph just seemed pleased with Idalie, though she had been fond of the girl since the very day they found her.
This day, it was what he wanted for all his children. A big wedding, a day to celebrate their love and chosen mates. Happiness laid before them in a sprawling future.

He had been preparing berries for weeks; stripping the island and the plains beyond for as many as he could find. He was trying new things, too: apples he'd found on an outing, the mangoes and bananas of the tropical island, several kinds of berries and a batch of mixed extras, all sweetened with honey he'd suffered many a beesting to steal. Normally he only took those abandoned, but between the amount he needed for many batches and the importance of the day, he wanted everything to be perfect. He needed a fresh hive, and he had found it, suffering through Nephs scolding later as she plastered his welts with herbs.

As it happened, it wasn't the only preparation he'd done.

Hed also gotten quite good at diving. Why? Well, for wedding gifts! Hed been putzing around thinking of something that would mark the bride and groom alike bonded - Amon had once spoken of rings upon the hand, but Vasili had never seen anything conveniently shaped to a toe before let alone something he could find two of. But the idea remained, and he had thought perhaps matching seashells! If he could find a clam and split it in half, even, to display their glittering insides. It didn't quite feel as unique as he would've wanted for each couple, even if every shell was; if everyone ended up wearing the same clam shells, it defeated the purpose of standing apart.
Trying anyway took him to the coral reef, and there, deep under the water and holding breath in screaming lungs, he saw a knob that looked very much like the golds of Idalie and the gingers of Yan melted into one swirling coral chunk.
He had to have it.
Back up he had gone, to catch his breath and find a rock. Yes, a rock! The first one fit in his jaws, and he went down with confidence…. Only to find he could not swing it as he thought he could, not fast enough through water to break. He had to return to the surface with empty jaws and screaming lungs in search of a new plan.
So he got a bigger rock. It took him three tries to accept he couldn't carry it tucked against him with either front or back legs - he needed all four to swim far enough out!
He borrowed Nephs new monkey friend. For a sweet treat, it was happy to help him, too, and Vasi laughed when he thought the beast would be as busy as most in the preparations with his little fingers.
A bigger rock, one as big as the critter could roll onto his back from the surf and hold. Vasi was so weighted down he had spluttered and cursed and thought of abandoning the task at every stroke of his legs, but he had been too far in. He had to see it through! For himself, and for Yan.
The first rock missed, cracking against some other chunk of the reef, and he muttered another string of curses the whole way back as the monkey boredly braided the neck fur in front of it. Great, very helpful.
Attempt two didn't hit anything at all, and had to be followed by a long rest. His spine hurt, his legs hurt, his shoulder was on fire, and he thought half the ocean must've been snorted up through his nose.
But after, well rested and ready to try again… the third attempt left the Pharaoh watching with his face pushed into the water and eyes open against the stinging salt as the stone sunk down quickly. He felt rather than heard it strike, and watched the grafted coral break apart. He pulled his head up to woop in victory and suck in a deep breath before plunging down to get them.

He crammed several of the chunks into his jaws for his project, and upon closer inspection, realized something else had broken in the first failure - a purple tube of coral.
This, he grabbed too, rising to the surface to let the scrambling, irritated monkey claw back onto him for the swim back, grumbling unintelligibly around the coral that he wasn't going to let the cretin drown and to calm the fuck down.
The hard part done, it'd been easy work to gather up some vines and carry on to a secluded part of the island to finish the gifts.

A glimmering pair of necklaces for Yan and Ida, the vine tying and knotting around several chunks of the orange and yellow coral pieces. Simple, but wholly their own.

But ever the dutiful husband, his own sweet wife was not forgotten. The purple tube hed used a rock on himself; he'd meant to shatter it just like the others had been and do the same, but the stick-like piece merely split in the middle and left him with TWO tubes easily slung onto the vine without troubles or knots! Perfect, he thought. He had the monkey tie a few tiny bird bones on either ends of theirs, knowing Neph would appreciate it.
He presented it to her on the morning of the ceremony to dress in, and saw it there hanging about her neck as he joined her for the big day. His own clung to his neck; they fit snug and sat high enough not to bounce about wildly, but they could always ask the monkey to retie it too. Personally, he liked the way it settled against the back of his neck just above his shoulders and didn't thump against his chest at every step.

He took his spot at the head of the group, sitting regally before them all and waited for stragglers to join and settle in. Vasis gaze, clouded and sharp alike, glimmered with pride. Moments like these ones had always felt so far away! When he started putting ideas to Neph, even when they struck from the side of Nyra, it'd all seemed such a dream. Even his own wedding had been impromptu and christened by the crackle of Mythris magic; special in its own right, and more binding he thought than anything else they could've planned, but fleeting and shadowed by destruction.

He was glad that here, now, they were strong enough to have remained. To have helped save the world and put right their lands, to repair the damage done by generations long past.

When everyone was gathered, he wuffed for their attention.

We gather beneath the volcano of dragons in the presence of kith and kin to witness the promises Khyan and Idalie have to offer each other, to hear the words and name them bound to one another.

His son was getting married. The words were spilling from Vasili's own lips twisted with glee, but he could hardly believe it.

Today they choose to walk together into all of tomorrow's tomorrows, remembering the wisdom of old: if you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together. Love is a daily choice of devotion and endurance, not a fleeting feeling. Love is what wakes you and drives your day onwards, what brings you back to the same nest and warm body at night, and what keeps you strong every moment between with the promise of something true to return to.

Vasi hoped all his kids found such dedication.

Khyan, he murmured, dropping eyes from the crowd to the boy, Do you take Idalie to be your wedded partner? To walk by her side, honor her, defend her, provide for her in sickness and health, happiness and sorrow, famine and prosperity, for as long as you both live?

When Yan had promised as much, he turned to the golden girl they'd found on the sands what felt a lifetime ago.

Idalie, he crooned, tail wagging, Do you take Khyan to be your wedded partner? To walk by his side, honor him, defend him, provide for him in sickness and health, happiness and sorrow, famine and prosperity, for as long as you both live?

When she, too, had given her oath, Vasi nodded to the pair of them approvingly, and turned to look to Neph. He'd asked her to ‘hide’ the necklaces until this moment, though he wondered if in seeing their own matching set Yan and Ida might know their coming gift. When she pawed the slab of bark between the four of them, Vasi lifted a paw to motion for them each to lift one.

These matching stones are the token to represent your love and pairing, set upon your neck where you can feel the beat of each other's hearts and know the life thrums for the other. Place them upon your beloved now - his chest puffed out a little, as if to show them where his lay, and repeat after me: I give you this stone as a symbol of my love, faith, and endless commitment.

Once they had, he beamed.

If you have vows to speak in front of the Dominion, breathe them to life now.