{In the Church of St. Mary Magdalene...}
Ciel carefully scanned his surroundings from his seat in the pew. On the outside, the young earl appeared calm, with just a touch of impatience for the slow proceedings. Since they didn't think the killer would show if there wasn't a crowd for them to hide in, Sebastian had arranged for the wedding to be held in conjunction with one of the late morning masses. Ciel had to resist rolling his eyes as the priest, Father Paul, prattled on about the 'sacred beauty' of a couple being joined together in the sacrament of marriage, and how he hoped the rest of the young people in his 'faithful flock' would be able to find 'marital bliss' someday... He wondered how long that priest could keep that smile on his face if he knew the groom was demon from hell.
'Speaking of which...' Ciel thought as he glanced back at Sebastian, who was kneeling before the altar with Chêne, waiting patiently for the marriage rites to begin. 'How is a demon able to look so comfortable in a 'House of God'...?' he wondered, chagrined. He couldn't recall ever actually seeing Sebastian willingly enter a church before, and when he had questioned Sebastian about this, the demon had vaguely said it was simply 'a matter of respecting jurisdiction'... whatever the hell that meant. Apparently, it meant Sebastian really could do it if necessary, because Ciel, a human, didn't even like having to sit through mass when it was his own religion (let alone a catholic mass), and yet, Sebastian seemed to be practically glowing. Was it just his imagination, or was that demon radiating happiness and pride!? And Chêne seemed to be doing a little too good of a job playing the part of a 'blushing bride' as well... She even looked a little love-struck. Well, he had to admit, she made a beautiful bride. Perhaps Elizabeth would like to have Nina design her bridal gown as well...
"My dear friends, you have come together in this church so that the Lord may seal and strengthen your love in the presence of the Church's minister and this community. Christ abundantly blesses this love. He has already consecrated you in baptism and now he enriches and strengthens you by a special sacrament so that you may assume the duties of marriage in mutual and lasting fidelity. And so, in the presence of the Church, I ask you to state your intentions," the Priest said as he motioned for the couple kneeling before him and everyone else in the church to stand.
'Finally!' Ciel thought, sighing in relief. Now they were getting somewhere.
"Sebastian Michaelis and Chêne LeBeau, have you come here freely and without reservation to give yourselves to each other in marriage?" Father Paul reverently asked the bride and groom. He looked to each of them, making sure they knew to answer separately, so he could be sure they had a chance to speak for themselves. Father Paul had already been fully informed by Sebastian of how this marriage, though intended as a way to lure out a criminal, was meant to join this couple together for real, with the full weight of the sacrament of marriage behind it.
"Yes," Sebastian replied dutifully.
"Yes, Father," Chêne replied respectfully.
"Will you love and honor each other as man and wife for the rest of your lives?"
"We will."
"Will you accept children lovingly from God and bring them up according to the law of Christ and his Church?"
"We will."
"Since it is your intention to enter into marriage, join your right hands, and declare your consent before God and his Church," Father Paul told them, smiling paternally at the young couple as they held hands, and Chêne blushed while Sebastian smiled proudly at his bride.
"I, Sebastian Michaelis, take you, Chêne, to be my wife. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life," Sebastian promised Chêne solemnly.
"And I, Chêne LeBeau, take you, Sebastian, to be my husband. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life," Chêne promised, smiling lovingly back at her husband as tears of joy started to form in her eyes. Ciel sweat dropped when he noticed that both Bard and Mei-Rin were already sniffling. They did remember this was just an act, right?
"You have declared your consent before the Church. May the Lord in his goodness strengthen your consent and fill you both with his blessings," Father Paul announced. "What God has joined, men must not divide."
"Amen," the entire congregation replied dutifully. Father Paul raised his hands over the couple's heads as he recited their blessing for them.
"Lord, bless and consecrate Sebastian and Chêne
in their love for each other.
May this ring be a symbol
of true faith in each other,
and always remind them of their love.
Through Christ our Lord."
"Amen," Sebastian, Chêne, and everyone else replied, bowing their heads in acceptance. Ciel nearly bit his own tongue out of shock when he caught sight of the loving admiration in Sebastian's eyes as he gently removed Chêne's glove so he could place his new wife's ring on her finger. Seriously, even Sebastian was taking things a little far, now! Ciel had never, in his wildest imagination, thought his demon butler capable of outing on such a disgustingly, genuine-looking show of such tender emotions. Was he trying to win an Oscar?
"Chêne, take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," Sebastian recited dutifully as he slid the beautiful ring onto his wife's finger.
"Sebastian, I take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," Chêne said, smiling brightly as tears of joy started to stream down her cheeks. Sebastian smiled indulgently at her as he shook his head slightly in amusement at her contradictory behavior, (really, Chêne could be such a contrarian) and carefully brushed aside her tears with his gloved fingers, while the choir sang a brief acclamation after the exchange of their vows.
"You may now exchange a kiss," Father Paul told the couple, smiling kindly at them. He hoped these two brave youngsters would be able to live a happy life together, and silently prayed that they would not fall victim to the shooter they were so courageously trying to catch.
Sebastian certainly didn't need to be told twice. He seized the moment (and Chêne's lips) without hesitation. Ciel's jaw dropped. He knew that a recent custom of allowing the couple to seal their vows with a kiss in front of the witnesses had started to come into practice in some areas, but he hadn't realized this was one of them! He hoped Chêne would forgive him for putting her in a position where her first kiss could be stolen from her like that... At least Sebastian had remembered to keep it PG while still under the roof of the church and in the eye of the public...
=†=†=†=†=
{Due to Ciel's preteen attention span and the author's hand cramp, we shall be skipping another chunk of the mass...}
As predicted, Ciel and Sebastian (being a member of the Anglican Church of England and a demon––and therefore, not Catholic) both abstained from taking communion. Ciel briefly wondered what would have happened to Sebastian if he had, but his musings were interrupted when the priest and everyone else stood again. Father Paul raised his hands again as he recited yet another blessing over Chêne and Sebastian.
"May God, the almighty Father,
give you his joy
and bless you (in your children)," Father Paul declared.
"Amen," Chêne and Sebastian said.
"May the only Son of God have mercy on you
and help you in good times and in bad," Father Paul continued.
"Amen," Chêne and Sebastian said.
"May the Holy Spirit of God
always fill your hearts with his love," the priest added.
"Amen," Chêne and Sebastian replied.
"And may almighty God bless you all,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit," Father Paul told the entire congregation as he made the sign of the cross.
"Amen," everyone replied.
"The mass is ended, go in peace," Father Paul dismissed them all, smiling jovially. Although he was still concerned for their safety, something told him this new couple would be just fine.
"Thanks be to God!" the entire congregation replied a little more enthusiastically than before as they smiled back at their priest.
'Yes, 'thanks be to God', the mass is over...' Ciel thought, sweat-dropping. His knees and feet were sore from all the kneeling and standing he had to do. Still, this was no time to relax. Now that Sebastian and Chêne were starting to make their way down the aisle to leave the church, was when Chêne would be in the most danger.
Sebastian and Chêne calmly walked down the aisle together, followed by their small wedding party, and the priest and altar-boys, keeping their senses open and their bodies ready to spring into action at the slightest hint of trouble.
GLEAM.
BAAANG!
Sebastian instantly swung Chêne around, out of harm's way.
"Wha—!?" the florist yelled incredulously, her eyes widening in shock, as she realized what was happening. Not only had the photography flash that usually covered her shot not gone off, but the groom had just spun his bride around in a circle to save her from being hit––and the bride's dainty white heels were currently hurtling towards her.
"—Yah!" Chêne shouted as she swung her feet into the florist's gut.
THUD.
"..." the entire congregation said as they stared at the newly weds and the unconscious woman that was now lying on the floor, out cold. Apparently, having the wind knocked out of you, when you're already being squeezed by a corset, equals instant K.O.
"Miss Chênnnne! Mister Sebastiaaaan!" Finni and Mei-Rin cried as they rushed the couple, glomping them.
"I'm so glad you're safe, I am!" Mei-Rin sobbed emotionally as she pulled Chêne into a crushing hug.
"Geez, not that I'm really complainin' or nothin', but it looks like we weren't really needed after all..." Bard grumbled disappointedly as he rested his portable flamethrower on his shoulder. Sebastian and Chêne sweat dropped. Just what was he planning on doing with that thing?
"Where did you pull that out from?" Chêne asked dubiously.
"More importantly, where are the handcuffs, Bard? It would be best to restrain the florist, Miss Pepperidge, here, before she regains consciousness," Sebastian stated coolly.
"Father Paul, was it?" Ciel addressed the priest, calling him to attention as he walked over to join them, looking pleased as punch that every thing had gone so smoothly. "Please feel free to herd your 'faithful flock' from the church. We shall personally deliver Miss Pepperidge to the proper authorities," he said, smirking slightly. Father Paul was a little unnerved by Ciel's smirk, but having already been apprised of Ciel's true identity, he complied with the young earl's request and began instructing the rest of the congregation on how to peacefully proceed from the building without interfering with Ciel and company.
"Father Paul!" Chêne called after the elderly priest, stopping him. She smiled warmly. "Thank you. It was a lovely service," she told him gratefully, giving a little curtsey. Father Paul nodded and smiled back at her before proceeding to lead the rest of the congregation out.
"Why did you thank him, Chêne?" Ciel asked, furrowing his brow slightly in confusion.
"Well, he did just marry us, you know," Chêne said, positively glowing and blushing a little, as she glanced at Sebastian, who smirked smugly at Ciel's shocked expression.
"Y-You mean... You two—You didn't—!?" Ciel sputtered incredulously, turning blue with shock as he pointed at Chêne and Sebastian accusingly. From the look on his face, you'd think Chêne had just told him the meaning of life was 42.
"Didn't what?" Finni asked innocently.
"Rest assured, Young Master, Chêne... rather, Mrs. Michaelis, is in very capable hands," Sebastian said smoothly as he wrapped an arm around his new wife and beamed a positively blinding shit-eating grin at them all. Ciel and the three stooges had to shield their eyes from the couple's combined brilliance.
"... Eeeehhhh!?" the three stooges shouted in shock and surprise as Ciel slumped in a nearby pew, looking very much like someone who wished to escape from reality... and the tension headache he now had.
"Hoh, Hoh, hoh!" Mister Tanaka laughed good-naturedly as he patted Sebastian on the back in congratulations.