The Animals Have Come to Play (Completed) (unedited)

Epilogue

"It'll be okay. Cynric called before things started saying his flight was delayed, so they'll be here later. You look stunning, by the way," Leander murmured to me. I sent him a shy smile, feeling the nerves unknot and lessen now that he reassured my feelings.

~~~

"Do you, Ariadne Marie Roytan, take Leander Slipht, to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?" I gently squeezed our clasped hands. He returned the gesture.

"I do."

"Do you, Leander Slipht, take Ariadne Marie Roytan, to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?" the wedder read the vows to Leander. A sly smile worked his way onto his lips.

"Well..." he started to say, but I cut him a harsh glare.

"Leander, this is our wedding! It's not the time to be joking around," I hissed quietly to him. He chuckled, sending me a wink.

"Okay, fine. I do."

"You better say I do," I mumbled out. Leander chuckled, glancing at the pastor from the corner of his eye as he waited for him to finish the rest of his spiel and get to the right words.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride!" Leander was molding his lips to mine before our wedder could get passed "may". Whoops rose from the onlookers. His hands threaded into my hair, and I sighed internally at the thought of him messing up the curls. My arms wrapped around his neck before we pulled apart.

"We did it!" I whispered against his lips, an excited smile tugging at my mouth. He smiled softly down at me, closing in the distance for a peck.

"Of course we did! You were the only one that wouldn't have been able to do it. I've been ready for years," he teased, sending me a pointed look. I rolled my eyes, pulling him down the isle to the after party.

~~~

The after party was in swing, and I had changed out of my wedding dress into something more appropriate. I flirted from one person to the next, a flute of champagne in my hand as I joked around with the guests. I had just finished talking to Circe and Theo when my mom and a few of her friends approached me.

"Oh, Ariadne! Congratulations!" Mom's friend, Martha, gushed as she pulled me into a hug. I grinned at her and thanked her.

"So, now that you two are married, are we going to have a honeymoon night?" my mom's other friend Amy asked suggestively, waggling her eyebrows. A deep blush covered my cheeks, and my eyes darted over to my new husband hoping he wasn't paying attention to the conversation.

"I... I don't know?" I squeaked out, not willing to give an answer with my mom present. Despite being 23, it was still awkward talking to my mother about my sex life. My mother laughed, gently touching Amy's shoulder.

"It's okay to say yes, Ariadne! As long as it's your first time, because you know saving yourself until marriage is the way you should go."

"Mom! Of course!" I laughed awkwardly, lying through my teeth. It's best you didn't know about the time on your bed... So much covering up was needed afterwards...

The three older girls continued to chat with me, until I noticed two familiar figures walk into the room. I excused myself from my mom and her friends, and strutted over to the new arrivals.

"Elizabeth! Cynric! It's nice of you guys to show up!" I teased as I greeted them. I hugged them both, pulling back and enjoying the guilty look on their faces.

"We are so sorry! Our plane got delayed due to weather conditions! Belated congratulations!" Elizabeth said, smiling widely at me. She waved a server, picking a glass off his plate.

"How's little Jae doing? He's how old now? Did you not bring him along?" I asked the couple. Cynric's eyes scanned  the room, his arm wrapping around his fiancée's shoulders.

"Oh, Jae is good! He is turning three in a few months. And no, his grandmother is watching him in Korea. I am so sorry again we could not make the ceremony!" I shook my head and smiled.

"Don't worry about it! You couldn't control the weather or when the plane leaves. Things happen."

"Speaking of things happening," Elizabeth started, wiggling her eyebrows. "Have you and Leander thought about kids yet? I am sure your parents will be looking forward to it." An arm wrapped around my waist, causing me to jump. I looked over to my right to see Leander.

"I wouldn't mind a few mini-me's running around," he butted into the conversation, nuzzling his nose into my hair momentarily. He brought his gaze back to the couple standing in front of us.

"Nice to see you again, Elizabeth." He glanced over to Cynric. "Cynric."

"Leander," Cynric answered curtly.

After Elizabeth realized that I wasn't trying to steal Cynric away from her, and I started dating Leander, we got onto better terms. Well, Elizabeth and I. Leander and Cynric stayed in a strained relationship. After everything that happened, Cynric distanced himself from me for whatever reason.

In all the pictures Elizabeth sends me of them, he always looks so carefree and happy. Yet, when he's around Leander and I, he's stiff and quiet. I don't think I'll ever understand why. One time I tried to confront him about it, but he vaguely answered with "there's a reason for everything" and changed the topic.

I smiled at our little group awkwardly, patting Leander's chest to get him to break away from the staring contest.

"Are you guys staying in the states a bit after today?" I asked. This time Cynric shook his head.

"No, we will be heading back tomorrow afternoon," Elizabeth sent him a quick surprised glance before nodding at us.

"Yeah, we can not leave little Jae alone for too long," she excused them, looking around the room. "Oh, is that the Tasrius farm helper over there? Cynric you told me about the girl with the goofy phrases, let's go meet her! We'll see you two around!" Elizabeth called out, whisking Cynric away with her.

"Maybe we can have breakfast tomorrow!" I called after them, sighing when they didn't respond. Leander rubbed my side comfortingly, watching them take off before looking back down at me.

"Don't worry about their affairs. It's best not to meddle in their lives, okay?" he asked. I nodded, and he smiled before leaning now and landing a soft kiss on my lips. He pulled away, staring into my eyes a bit before giving me a few more pecks.

"This is our night. Let our guests be how they want, but it's our night to celebrate. Care to dance?" he questioned me, his sly smirk laying on his mouth as he held a hand out to me. I cleared my head of Cynric and Elizabeth's behaviors before smiling at my husband.  I grabbed his hand and together we made our way to the dance floor, forgetting our worries and cares.

After all, this was our happily ever after.

~~~~~~~
Hello all! It's been a while. I've been wanting to update this, but because I didn't know the exact parameters when it came to the wattys, I decided to wait until it was over.

This is technically not the end! I still have three chapters I'm adding throughout the  story to give a bit more insight and fill some plot holes. Until then!