Chapter Five Hundred and Sixteen - Vows
Chapter Five Hundred and Sixteen - Vows
"Are you ready?" I asked.
Booksie nodded, then straightened out her back and raised her bouquet of flowers closer to her chest. "I'm ready," she said.
I smiled, then peeked out of the carriage.
It was... kind of contrived, but Booksie was meant to arrive by carriage, even though we'd literally been in a building right next to the plaza. Apparently, it wouldn't be very inspiring for Booksie to emerge from the cramped door of the city's Property Deed Archive.
I kinda understood. It was far more romantic to step out of a gilded carriage being pulled by a team of white horses to the fanfare of a live band.
A grenoil chauffeur opened the carriage door, and I nodded to Caprica and Awen. We stepped out in order of height, Caprica first, then Awen, then me. All three of us had practised this bit a few times, so we knew to step off to the side and form an orderly line next to the carriage.
It hit me then, the moment I took my place. There were so many people here. A thousand bodies, all squeezed in tight. Clever people had taken over balconies all around the plaza to have a better look at the wedding, and even though there was a whole band trumpeting out a wedding march with great enthusiasm, the sound of so many people whispering and chatting in low voices was still a lot.
The carriage was lined up with a long carpet that reached all the way to the pavilion where the wedding's orator stood. The space before that pavilion was the reserved seating, and there were all sorts of important guests there. I saw nobles and dignitaries from a few countries, all sitting nice and neatly.