Gold and Glass XIV

"You look lovely, Ellette," the captain said. She stood in the doorway to the master bedroom of her beach house, beaming at the silver-haired woman.
Ellette smoothed out the white fabric of her dress and returned the smile. "Thank you, Captain. Your subordinates helped me pick it out."
"It was a good choice. Are you ready?"
"I am." Ellette took the captain's arm. "Thank you for doing this."
"Of course," the captain said quietly. "It's my honor."
Other members of the local Order of Brim squadron were waiting at the beach, smiling as well. Terilan was at the front, fidgeting nervously. Quiet strings played as the captain walked her down the aisle.
"You look..." Terilan trailed off when Ellette reached him. Ellette laughed quietly as she moved to stand across from them, and the captain stepped around them to face the rest of the crowd, who sat down.
"So do you," Ellette said quietly.
The captain smiled at them. "We are gathered here today to join two people in the bonds of marriage," she said. She looked at the two of them. "Terilan, please present your vows."
Terilan looked at Ellette. "Ellette... When I found you eleven years ago, I thought I had found the greatest achievement of my career. And then, that part of my career ended and I wasn't sure where to go from there. But in that space, I realized that what was meant for us was more than a sharing of information. We were meant to be friends. We were meant to be more. I was meant to find you, not so that you could tell me about your civilization, but so that we could build the life we deserve with each other. I love you, Ellette, and I will continue to do so and tell you as much every day for the rest of my life."
Ellette said nothing, only stared into his eyes as the captain looked to her. "Ellette?"
Ellette took a deep breath. "My destiny has always guided me. I thought I knew what it was. I thought I was to become my kingdom's next prophet, to rule them with the wisdom of all my forebears. I thought it was to take my place in the prophecy, to do whatever it asked of me. And then war destroyed my home, and I woke up alone, scared, and confused. When I needed someone, you were there. You helped me through that grief and showed me that I still have a life. That's when I realized that you, Terilan, are my destiny. Not a kingdom that no longer exists. Not the prophecy that destroyed them. You, here, now, with nothing greater than the two of us. Because there is nothing greater than the two of us. All we need is each other, our lives together, and the rest we'll be able to figure out on our own. I love you, and we can build our futures on that love."
Terilan smiled as he let out a shaky breath, her hands held tight in her own.
The captain looked between the two of them. "Terilan, do you take this woman to be your wife?"
"I do," Terilan whispered, sliding a ring onto Ellette's finger.
"Ellette, do you take this woman to be your husband?"
"I do," Ellette responded. She slid a ring onto Terilan's finger.
"Then by the power vested in me by the Order of Brim, by Idon, Zyla, Narion, Volnir, Adea, Atia, and Ykona... I pronounce you husband and wife." The captain smiled at them. "You may kiss the bride."
Terilan stepped forward and swept Ellette into an embrace. A moment passed as they looked into each other's eyes, and then Terilan leaned in and kissed her.