Today's the day!
The day has finally arrived for you and Kyōjurō to tie the knot and become husband and wife!
A dream that becomes a reality, and there is nothing left to regret.
The day had awoken crisp and cool, leaves already painting the cobblestone streets in hues of oranges, yellows, and reds. The sky was free of clouds and the rising sun cascaded across the sky, pushing back the bleak black with the pastels of early dawn.
It was beautiful, you knew that, and yet it only made your stomach fill with fluttering butterflies.
It was early in the afternoon when you and Kyōjurō had arrived at the Butterfly Estate, to meet up with everyone and prepare for the ceremony. Everyone was then supposed to meet up at the Ishigame bridge, since the wedding and ceremony would be held at the Shihotori Shrine, a remote shrine away from the community's eye.
Apparently, it's where supposedly Kyojuro's mother Ruka and father Shinjuro-sama had their wedding at during the summer, and Aniki (Kagaya) and his wife, Lady Amane during the spring.
And now, it was you and Kyōjurō's turn, with your wedding being in the autumn.
Upon arriving, you'd both found yourselves quickly being separated and dragged off; Kyōjurō by Uzui and you by Mitsuri and Uzui's wives, to go change!
Fifteen minutes later, you felt like you were about to die.
"Nghhh~" you groaned, trying your best to keep calm and ignore the tightening pain.
It was taking all you had not to scream in agony. Despite closing your eyes in an effort to block out the world, all you could focus on at that moment were the numerous hands on you and the pressure being applied to your back.
"P-please~" you whined under your breath.
"Just a little longer, (Name)-chan. Got to make sure it's nice and tight!" Shinobu says, smiling that trademark smile of hers as she continue tightening the corset on your body.
"You're killing me, here!"
"I'm sure no woman has ever died from a corset before." She jokes.
"Actually, I'd heard rumors that one woman actually did die," Said Shinobu's adoptive younger sister, Kanao Tsuyuri.
"Her spine exploded." She says, causally.
You immediately paled at that.
"K-Kanao-chan, don't say morbid things like that!" Scolded Aoi Kanzaki, Shinobu's other adoptive younger sister.
Once Shinobu finished tying your corset; Aoi, with the help of Kiyo, Sumi, and Naho, began applying your hadajuban and kimono.
Meanwhile, Mitsuri begin applying your make-up, whilst the girls were all hemming and hawing at your attire to make sure everything was neat and tidy.
You internally wanted to shoved them all away, since you weren't used to people touching you so promiscuously, but held yourself back from doing so. After all, they were all your friends and were only helping you prepare for your big, special day.
Across from you, Uzui's wives; Suma and Makio both helped another get dressed, whilst Hinatsuru did your hair.
"You look so pretty, (Name)-chan." commented Mitsuri.
"Yeah, Rengoku-san is going to flip when he sees you!" Suma says happily.
You blushed, imagining Kyōjurō's reaction. It had you feeling all kinds of jitters as your heart pounded excitedly against you chest. The thought of him comes like distinct chimes of bells ringing out in a shrine as you pictured him next to you, clad in the traditional montsuki and hakama of black and grey, and a joyous smile upon his handsome face.
"There, all done." Mitsuri says.
"I'm finished as well." Said Hinatsuru
"We're finish, too!" Kiyo, Sumi, and Naho exclaimed in unison as they'd all stepped back to admire you.
You took a deep breath and looked in the mirror, seeing yourself. Instead of wearing the usual white Shiromuku, you were dressed in red and gold. The vibrant colors of your attire highlighted your beauty and added a touch of elegance to your appearance.
It's then that you realize what it is they symbolized.
Your husband's colors.
Your (h/c) hair was neatly styled into an elegant braided bun with decorative kanzashi since you didn't want to wear the typical wataboshi (bridal kimono hood), and your lips were painted a light red ruse.
Granted, the woman in the looking glass was indeed beautiful that it amazed you to know that she is you. The maiden of winter was now the maiden of autumn and soon the summer's wife to be.
She looked every inch of the woman that Rengoku deserved. Gone was the cold exterior that was the Yukionna, and in its place was a woman beautiful enough to be mistaken for a Imperial Empress.
"So, what'd you think?" Shinobu asked, placing both her hands onto your shoulders.
"I...I love it." You hurriedly went to wipe a tear from your eye.
"Oh don't cry, (Name)-chan. Y-you're going to ruin your makeup." Mitsuri said. Clearly, she was just as happy for you as you were as she hugged you.
"Yeah, don't cry, or you'll make me cry too." Suma comically sobs, only for Makio to scold her for being a baby.
"You look so beautiful, (Name). Kyōjurō-san won't know what hit him, when he sees you." Makio remarked.
Slowly, you'd released a quiet sigh in order to calm your nerves, before glancing at them. You smiled, thanking each and every one of them for helping you prepare.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door as it opened revealing a Kakushi member, except they'd were dressed in white with black stripes, instead of black with white stripes.
"Forgive my intrusion, Lady Kochou," they started, "but Lady Amane Ubuyashiki is here to see the bride."
'Wait.. what?! Lady Amane?! As in The Lady Amane and Aniki's (Kagaya) wife, is here to see me!' you inwardly thought just as the snow, white-haired woman in question appeared and entered.
Like loyal Knights, everyone kneeled in respect, except you, due to the being far too stunned to do anything!
You've never really gotten the chance actually talk to Lady Amane, only frequently seeing her standing by Ubuyashiki-sama's side. Indeed, this is an absolute honor to finally meet her face to face!
"Good afternoon, Lady Ubuyashiki-sama!" Everyone greeted.
Lady Amane smiles, "good afternoon to all of you as well." She replies kindly, before averting her violet gaze towards you.
"And you must be Rengoku-san's bride?" She asks.
You immediately bowed, not wanting to be disrespectful, "Lady Ubuyashiki-sama, it's a pleasure to meet you. And yes, I am." You say.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startled you with my sudden visit. Me and my husband were just on our way to Ishigame bridge to meet up with everyone. However, I'd thought I stop by to wish you a happy marriage." She explains.
"T-thank you so much, Lady Ubuyashiki-sama! You're too kind." You smiled.
"Also, I heard that you and Rengoku-san were burrowing traditions from the Western nations, correct?" She asks.
"Y-yes, we wanted to take a different approach; such as exchange rings at the altar and cutting wedding cake." You tell her, chuckling nervously.
Lady Amane gave you a knowing smile, "in that case, have you received something old, new, borrowed, and blue?"
"What?"
"I've read that if the bride receives something old, it has be something from the past. Something new symbolizes a happy future; something burrowed, must come from someone who's already happily married; and something blue represents love and fidelity." Amane explained.
"It's supposedly a fun way of wishing the bride good fortune, before she marries." She adds and pulled out a small purse (hakoseko) with tassels and embroidered design of wisteria, before gently handing it to you.
"Allow this to represent something old. It's my hakoseko for when I'd married Kagaya." She says as you glanced at her in awe.
"T-thank you, Lady Ubuyashiki-sama." You bowed your head slightly.
The white-haired woman simply nodded, before turning to leave, saying that she and her family will be heading out now, and will be waiting for you at the bridge.
After she'd left, the other girls decided to contribute to the tradition with Mitsuri giving you her cherry blossom hairpin (something new); Suma, Makio, and Hina each giving you jewellery (something burrowed); and Shinobu giving you a blue wisteria omamori charm (something blue).
You thank them kindly and glanced at your reflection once more.
The embroidered soft silks on your body─it is the wedding dress. Your hair is the fine pin and done up; your makeup done in the style a woman of nobility have as you slipped the hakoseko in your obi and reached for your bouquet of roses, orange blossoms, chocolate cosmos, dahlia, and butter-cups.
You were ready.
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Kyōjurō had, admittedly, become a complete and total mess by the time the morning of the wedding had finally arrived.
Not from nervousness, he didn't see a reason to be nervous over such a ceremony, but because he was ready to make (Name) his.
Okay, that's a lie. He was nervous as hell! But was more than excited to just get this ceremony going.
Primarily after arriving at the Butterfly Mansion, he was approached by Uzui and was quickly separated from his beloved, watching (Name) be dragged off by Uzui's three wives, so she could be put in her wedding kimono.
The Flame Pillar had tried to follow, not wanting to leave her side, but was quickly waved off by a scolding Mitsuri, who'd told him that it was consider bad luck to see the bride before the wedding.
Kyōjurō didn't understand that logic, considering he had just saw (Name) this morning; waking up next to her in bed that morning and enjoying breakfast together, before coming here. And if the Love Hashira had been referring to his fiancee's body, then honestly, there was nothing secretive about that at all, nothing he hadn't seen, touched, kissed... Or even tasted.
The Flame Hashira anxiously paced back and forth on the bridge, already dressed in his own wedding attire. He thought he looked quite handsome in the traditional montsuki haori, that had his family's crest embroidered into it's fabric and hamaka. However, Uzui didn't seem to think so, commenting that it "wasn't flashy enough!"
Which was fine, considering all attention would be focused on how beautiful his wife was going to be.
His wife.
(Name)-chan was finally going to be his wife!
Kyōjurō's heart felt like it was about yeet out of his chest and explode into a billion suns. It'd set his heart ablaze and he had to turned down the flames inside him before it consumed his entire soul. That's how overly excited... and nervous he was!
Everything about (Name) made him so happy that he simply cannot wait.
Kyōjurō was starting to grow restless, as it had been quite a while since he had been told that everyone's supposed to meet at Ishigame bridge and wait for (Name) and the other girls to arrive.
All kinds of outrageous scenarios kept running through his head, like a demon appearing out of nowhere (despite it being daylight) and attacking his precious Snow Flower and it was taking almost everything in him not to unsheathe his sword and go look for her.
As it was, he began pacing aimlessly, his hands still rested on his scabbard and the hilt of his sword; ready to jump into action at any given moment.
"Quit pacing, Flame Hashira! You're gonna make a dent in the bridge. It does not look flamboyantly graceful, at all." Uzui snapped at his friend, which made Kyōjurō halted and straighten his posture.
"Sir, yes Sir!"
He looked like a cornered tiger as he stood, but it was better than having him wear out the cobblestone path with his constant pacing.
Kyōjurō instantly relaxed upon feeling Uzui place a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"At ease, soldier. (Name)-chan and the others should be arriving soon. So, no need to worry." Uzui reassures.
Kyōjurō smiles at that, thanking his flamboyant friend before glancing at the others, who were waiting for the bride to show. Senjurō, Giyuu, Muichirou, Obanai, Gyomei, and Sanemi all well dressed in their wears and haori.
Kyōjurō breaths a sigh of relief and he took his hands off of his sword; opting to instead clench his hands into fists and put them at his sides.
"It's okay, onii-chan." Senjurō says with a bright smile, before holding his older brother's hand to calm him.
"Good. I assume everyone's here?" Came the gentle voice of Ubuyashiki-sama.
"Oyakata-sama, you've made it!" Kyōjurō said, happy to see Kagaya, along with his wife, Lady Amane, and their five children.
"Of course. I simply couldn't miss out on your and (Name's) big special day." The kind, blind man chortles.
"It wouldn't be generous of me if I'd fail to show."
Kyōjurō nods, happy to have his master here to give support as he bowed, "Thank you, Oyakata-sama."
"Oh my," exclaimed a kind female voice.
Everyone, including Kyōjurō glanced to see an old woman approaching them.
"Am I late for the ceremony?"