#hemlocksiren

A marriage was the most sacred of rites, the most happy and joyous of rites. Joining two souls as one, for eternity, before the eyes of God and man. And the couple today were so perfect, the union of two old, well-respected families of the Netherfield Parish. The weather this morning was perfectly mild, sunlight shone above…

But around noon, the winds shifted. Theophilus noticed it, and tried to think nothing of it, the Northerly swells. Portents of doom, as the couple were later and later, until their absence was noted by the crowd. Theophilus heard nothing after that declaration, he stood tall and stark like a statue at the front of the church as the congregation began to talk amongst themselves, calling up a search party. Someone came to speak with him, Theo heard them not, all he could do was reply automatically and wait for his wife to be free.

Once she had finished her conversation with Lord Graham, Theophilus quickly came to her, taking her arm wordlessly to lead her to the side of the room, to a little privacy they could be afforded.

"Oh Mina," he softly cried once they were out of earshot, wishing they were private, that he might clutch her as he truly wished to. "Mina, I should have fetched them earlier! I meant to- I wanted to go over their vows… I should have gone over their vows with them, if I had done so they would be here! But instead! Instead I hid myself in here, practising my lines. Lines I may never utter again if they cannot be found!" His first marriage ceremony, and it was a disaster. "What does it mean, if both bride and groom are absent from the first marriage I am to conduct?"