~Celestial Bodies~

Epilogue

"Ready?" asked Zuko, making a small laugh escape the woman's lips.

"yeah," she whispered, but her thoughts were completely against the idea of walking down the aisle in a hall full of people, some she didn't even know. If it'd were after her or Iroh, the ceremony would have been small, private, with only a few family members. But the two couldn't tell Fire Lord Izumi that after seeing how happy she was arranging the wedding.

The wide doors opened and everyone turned to look at them, and Rae was glad she was blind and couldn't see the stares on her. Still, she felt every move in the room, every heartbeat, but her senses settled on one, a small smile covering her lips when she felt Iroh's heart skip more than a beat the moment her frame came into view.

The general's emotionless act fell, and the few military officers that were present, friends and colleagues of the man, snickered at the way his eyes admired the woman that walked towards him.

When she took a step up to be at the same level as Iroh, the man took her hand and gleamed at her. The fire mage gave them a small nod and the two slowly kneeled down, their knees resting on the two small pillows pressed on the ground.

"Dear beloved," started the mage, "we are gathered here this evening to join this man, Crowned Prince of the Fire Nation, General Iroh the second, and this woman, Guardian and White Lotus honorary adviser, Rae Beifong-Akemi, in mat—"

"Just get over with it," hissed Fire Lord Izumi from her spot beside the mage before turning back to the audience and giving them a small smile. The mage rolled his eyes, a small gesture gone unnoticed by the Fire Lord, but not by Iroh, who hid a small snort with a cough. Rae let a small smirk engulf her lips and she discreetly pocked her elbow in the man's stomach, making his fake coughing die down.

"Prince Iroh, do you take this woman to be your wife, to live together in matrimony, to love her, to honor her, to comfort her, and to keep her in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?"

The man gave a small nod, "I do."

"Rae Beifong-Akemi, do you take this man to be your husband, to live together in matrimony, to love him, to honor him, to comfort him, and to keep him in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?"

The woman did the same, "I do."

"Repeat after me," said the mage, turning his body towards Iroh, and starting to utter the words.

"I, Prince Iroh of the Fire Nation," repeated the man, his body turning towards Rae, "take you, Guardian Rae Beifong-Akemi, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part."

The mage turned to the woman, who hid the small smile that grew on her face when she felt Fire Lord Izumi tap her foot as she waited for the mage to stop talking and finally pronounce the only words that mattered.

"I, Rae Beifong-Akemi," started the woman just like Iroh did before her, repeating the mage's words, "take you Prince Iroh, to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part."

With a satisfied nod, the mage turned towards Fire Lord Izumi. The woman extended him the small pillow and the mage took it with another nod before bringing it down to the couple. He gestured to Iroh, who let go of the woman's hand to take a small, golden wedding band.

"I give you this ring," started the prince as he took Rae's left hand, even before the mage would tell him what to say, "as a token and pledge of our constant faith and abiding love." He carefully placed the ring on his finger and Rae smiled before reaching for the other, wider, band that rested on the pillow.