The Central Courtyard Plaza
A marble tile walkway and marble walls surround this giant enclosed courtyard
supporting a large number of large oak trees and a few willow trees along with
numerous smaller plants and shrubs. Light filters through the treetops from an
unknown source, more like the brightness of a full moon night than daylight.
[Exits: e s]
A blue rumpled piece of dirty folded paper lies here.
A pile of white silk lies crumpled on the ground.
A flower basket lies on the ground.
A statue of the Buddha rests here to the right of the path, keeping watch.
A statue of the Buddha rests here to the left of the path, keeping watch.
A waterfall tumbles down the rocks and collects in a clear pool of water.
A wooden arch, decorated with oriental artwork, is in the center of the room.
A pond splashes a perpetual flow of water for your refreshment.
A phantasmal bridge of transparent marble stretches across the pond.
 

The guests are assembled in rows of handsome wooden chairs. Among them, you
see many people you recognize and many you don't:  a statuesque red-head, a
gold-clad, rainbow-haired paladin, Geber, a flamboyant youth, Default,
Malachite, Groth, Linus, the Slayer of Gods, Cheesy_Poofs, a lost sea
captain, DavidBeckham, an unshaven bloke, a quiet thief, Wardley, IggyPope,
BrookLynn, Trevor, Dragonreborn, Vengeance, Sinbad, a redheaded surgeon,
Ishtar, Blackthorne, the warrior of dawn, CLeo, an angelic Awooga woman,
Huggy, West, Antilles, QuacK, and Ganymede.

Somewhat out of place, a strange creature lurks in the background. Sulfurous
and foul, a monster born of the corrupted soul of a man, Fadhmir the dragon
is here, powerful beyond all imagining.

The intended groom speaks up: 'Attention please, Sir Ganymede will do the
honors of officiating the wedding.'

'ATTENTION PLEASE!' Ganymede exclaims. 'If all of our honored guests will
please take their seats, we are about to begin.'

Ganymede calls over in the direction of the orchestra, 'Maestro! You may
begin.'

The conductor waves his baton swiftly and counts from one to four at a whisper,
and the floating orchestra begins to play a soothing symphony.

You look to the middle and behold Alexandria, the maid of honor, making her
way gracefully up the aisle toward the altar, smiling brightly at the
assembled guests as she passes.

Ganymede smiles at Alexandria.  Ganymede nods to the conductor, who gives a
slight nod of his own and, with a wave to orchestra and a flourish of baton,
changes the music being played.  Knowing immediately that the bride is about
to enter, you turn in your seat to look behind you.

A hush falls over the assembled crowd as the bride enters, shimmering and
beautiful. The assembled guests beam with delight, exchanging smiles as they
look at the beautiful bride approaching.

An enormous screaming psycho places Minako's hand in West's, stepping back to
take his place.  Minako takes West's hand and smiles softly, then looks to
Ganymede.

'Brothers, sisters and friends,' Ganymede exclaims. 'You have converged upon
this lovely spot this even to celebrate the most sacred rite known to all
mankind.'

'Throughout all the planes of Time and Space, nowhere is there a sacrament
more precious and joyful than that to which we are come to bear witness
tonight,' Ganymede declares.

'Har! the festival of Rum and Wenches?!?' a scruffy boucanier says.

'Our friends Sir West, until recently an honored Knight of Legend...'
Ganymede indicates, smiling at West.  An enormous screaming psycho glares
icily at a scruffy boucanier.  Ganymede adds, '...and Lady Minako, among the
most kind and gentle souls the Realm has yet seen...' The happy couple
exchange shy smiles, and a delicate blush steals across Minako's face.

Ganymede states, '...have come here because they have been bonded in
Love--that most precious of gifts given us by Nature--and wish to declare it
finally to each other and to the World by taking each other's hands in
marriage.'

Ganymede explains, 'The intended shall now have one hand of each bound to the
other's, in a physical bond to symbolize their spiritual and emotional one.'

Minako places her right hand over West's left one.  West takes Minako's hand.
Smiling, Ganymede takes the couple's hands, and wraps a thin cord around
them, tying them together and making sure the bond is tight but not
uncomfortable.

Ganymede turns to address the radiant couple standing proudly before him, and
says, in a voice smooth and courtly, 'My excellent friends, the Fate is truly
kind that has allowed you to find each other, and to have found warmth,
solace, and companionship therein.'

'The journey you are about to commence is not to be undertaken lightly,'
Ganymede notes. 'Although your bond of hands shall be removed, your union of
spirit must never be.'

'With the exchange of your words of intention and tokens of adoration, you both
pledge to remain true to your bond...' Ganymede declares.

'...in days ill and well, in health fair and poor, in assets great and small,
until the last sands have slipped out of the great Glass of Time,' Ganymede
describes. BrookLynn wipes away a tear, sniffling quietly.

'These fine folk have gathered to mark your Grand Occasion, and shall be the
witnesses to your Oath,' Ganymede indicates. 'Declare now to those assembled
your Vows to each other, that they might hear and know your Love.'

'Sai, please give now your vows to your beloved,' Ganymede says to Minako.

Minako turns to look into West's eyes.  Minako says to West, 'Since the day
we first met, you have been my friend, my support my guardian angel.'

Minako says to West, 'When I cried you wiped away my tears. When I laughed
your eyes shined with joy with me..'

'When I wanted to give up and walk the path into another world, you held onto
me and begged me to stay with you,' Minako says to West. 'To share this life
with you.'

Minako says to West, 'In all the joy, in all the sores you have been there for
me.'

'Now, before all of our friends and loved ones, I give my heart, my soul my
love to you..for now and forever,' Minako says to West. 'And I walk with you
thru life together, two hearts that beat as one.'

Ganymede says to West, 'Sai, please give now your vows to your cherished one.'

West says to Minako, 'No words can adequately describe my feelings for you.'

'However, with my heart racing and my hands growing cold, this I know for
sure:' West says to Minako. 'By looking into your eyes, I see a world of
endless wonders. By the sound of your voice, I feel alive.  And today I come
to pledge my never ending love for you.  A promise to give my life for
yours.'

Minako smiles at West.  West says to Minako, 'Where ever you look, where ever
you are, I will be here to protect you from harm.'

From the side, you hear the faint sound of sobbing, and become aware that the
conductor has been overcome by the moment. The orchestra, undeterred, doesn't
miss a beat.

'You have thus exchanged your words of intention, and let all here gathered
remember them,' Ganymede declares. 'Now, 'tis time to exchange the tokens of
your adoration.'

West takes Minako's hands and slips a golden ring forged from the love of
West onto the ring finger. Minako takes West's hand and slips a golden ring
forged from the love of Minako onto his finger.

Ganymede declares, 'The tokens have passed between them, and now I ask any who
stand here now who object to the union this fine couple, to say so now, or
remain forever silent.'

Ganymede peers around the room intently.  A scruffy boucanier looks up into
the sky and ponders.  A scruffy boucanier looks as if he might have an
objection, much to the amazement of those assembled.  Deicide whaps a scruffy
boucanier across the back of the head - your ears ring in sympathy.  Ganymede
peers at a scruffy boucanier, looking him up and down.
An enormous screaming psycho glares icily at a scruffy boucanier.

'May I approach the couple?' a scruffy boucanier says to Ganymede.  Minako
blinks in surprise at a scruffy boucanier, while the guests begin to look to
their weapons with non-too-subtle threatening glances.  'The man ASKED,' the
scruffy boucanier protests.

Minako intervenes, 'Let him speak his piece..' Ganymede says, annoyed by
something, to a scruffy boucanier, 'Very well.' A scruffy boucanier
approaches the couple.  West nods his agreement with Minako.  A scruffy
boucanier ponders first West, then Minako.

A scruffy boucanier says, 'No man should be wed forever to a wench that can't
kiss.' A scruffy boucanier kisses Minako passionately.  A scruffy boucanier
looks up into the sky and ponders a moment, then says, 'Aye, she's passable.'

'No objection,' a scruffy boucanier says.  Minako blinks.  A scruffy
boucanier takes his place in the audience again, as the crowd bursts into
laughter.  Vengeance says, looking self-assured, to a scruffy boucanier,
'Right on.'

'I'll rephrase,' Ganymede says. 'Any more -serious- objections?' 'Har!' a
scruffy boucanier says.  Vengeance says, looking self-assured, 'Okay settle
down children, let Sir Ganymede continue.' 'No.. let the love birds be
joined,' Deicide says, confident to take on anything.  Alexandria hands
Minako a tissue to wipe her mouth.

'Then it is my great honor and obligation to declare you Husband and Wife,'
Ganymede exclaims. 'And it is my pleasure to ask everyone assembled to
instruct good Sir West, with much joy, to kiss his bride!' A scruffy
boucanier kisses Minako passionately.  'Whoops, he said West,' a scruffy
boucanier says.  A scruffy boucanier blushes bright red.  Deicide whaps a
scruffy boucanier across the back of the head - your ears ring in sympathy.

'Kiss her!' Elisa says, almost a whisper.  Deicide rolls around on the ground
with laughter.  A scruffy boucanier grins evilly at Deicide.. wonder what
he's thinking...  Huggy says to West, 'Kiss her already!' 'In my opinion,
lots of tongue should be used,' QuacK says.

West kisses Minako tenderly.  The crowd erupts into a chorus of cheers and
applause as Minako and West exchange a passionate kiss.  Ganymede exclaims
happily, 'May I present the happy couple, Lord West and Lady Minako!'

A storm of hands slap West on the back, congratulating him vigorously.
IggyPope collects himself, and suddenly bursts into flame!  An incredible
display of fireworks above dazzles your eyes, and you can barely tear
yourself away from the spectacular vision in the skies!  A just enforcer
says, with a subtle wink, 'LONG LIVE THE BRIDE AND GROOM!!!!' Ever the
pragmatist, Vengeance asks, 'Okay I'm starved, where's the cake?'

'Take care of her,' Deicide says, confident to take on anything, to West.
'She is a treasure.. a jewel..' Tom O'Bedlam says sadly to Minako, 'Guess I
will never get to spank ye.' Minako says to Sinbad, 'I'm so glad you could be
here.' 'CONGWAGUFATIONS WEST AND MINAKO!!!!' Groth says.  CLeo presents a
pink plastic prize token to Minako.

Calling for the group to settle down, Minako addresses West. 'I have another
gift for you m'love. Once when we shared our dreams, you spoke of retiring
and spending many a day fishing..'

Minako says to West, 'For that day, I give you this.' She turns to her new
husband, and hands him an intricately carved bamboo fishing pole.  West gasps
in astonishment, and the assembled group admires the workmanship and obvious
quality of the fishing rod.

'For you to sit on the docks for hours and we might watch the sunsets
together,' Minako says to West. 'The one yous always wanted!! Now yous can go
fishing at the docks of Quebec!!!  ,' Groth says to West.

A towering knight says, looking self-assured, to Minako, 'Good luck m'lady,
hopefully your marriage will be as fruitful as mine to the lovely Sharri.'

'As the best man, i would like to make a toast to west and Minako,' Sinbad
says.  Groth raises some fruit punch mixed with orange juice in the air ready
for a toast.

Antilles wipes away the brimming tears from his eyes, before he actually begins
to cry.

    Perhaps a week or two before the wedding, the two began writing the wedding invitations. Knowing that this would be my last character, I gave it everything I had and went the distance in typing customized invitations for everyone on West's wedding invitation list. The results were good considering it wasn't until 1am EST before it started and ended around 3:30am EST. However, personally I was disappointed at the number of guests that showed up. Even if it started on schedule, only about 30 if that many, would have been present, the same number that showed up when the wedding began.

    The wedding day was almost a disaster since Flagg was no where to be seen. We waited, we waited, and we waited. Rictor threw a bachelor party for West and that lasted a short a while until the group disbanded. Finally we realized that if we did not ask for another Immortal's help, the wedding would have to be postponed. After all the work with Minako's and her bride's maid Alexandria's customized zips, we did not want to see this happen. Natalia, Northstar, and Oandlig stepped in and helped with setting up the wedding. As the Imms went searching, they found out that the room wasn't even built. We settled for the courtyard and tried to salvage the ceremony.

    The article polished up what actually happened at the wedding, but I cannot present it here without guilt if I didn't detail what happened. I'll admit this was one of the few times that something that happened on Legend made me angry IRL. I've become so good at emotionally detaching myself from my character that nothing on Legend affected me off-line. First it was a mess to get everyone to the same place. Next, the 'guests' didn't care to quiet down at several of MY request and Ganymede's request. There were several people causing unnecessary spam even when asked to stop. In my post review of the event, as I kept a journal for almost everything that happened for West, I wrote "...if Oandlig was visible, I would have had him kick out Guapo and Cecil. Cheey_Poofs took the fall for the rest of them and that was unfortunate." I regret it that I asked Cheey_Poofs to be expelled from the wedding instead of having all 3 of them expelled. They found it amusing to disrupt the ceremony and I didn't care whose friend they were, I wanted them gone. Instead of logging on the character that they did, they could have chosen another character with another RP.

    And so the wedding went on as Ganymede had already planned. The part that totally surprised me was the exchange of gifts. We spoke about it but I didn't really pay it much mind because I did not recall deciding on a definitive yes or no. West mentioned several times about retirement and fishing on the docks of Quebec but never dwelled on it much. When Minako gave West the present, I was at a loss for words. West had nothing planned in return! So like I wrote two days later, "...I just stood there...and stood there and smiled like a fool. :p'

    Because I wanted to make the wedding grand, it inevitably became West's goal as well. We eventually ended up with Alexandria, the Guild Mistress of the Order of the Scroll being Minako's bride's maid, Sinbad, a former Guild Master of the Hermetic Order being West's best man, and Sir Ganymede, the Guild Master of the Knights of Legend officiating the ceremony. It was impossible to tell who was my best man because there was a ring mix up which was remedied by emotes instead of actually giving the rings.

    There was to be a tinyplot at the end of the ceremony but I wasn't sure what happened exactly because it fell apart. It had to do with the coins that bore the names West and Minako that were given out at the wedding.