The Queen had watched them all quietly, watching the link be formed between two souls, her hands clasped together. She felt... strange.

"... Fox?", she said softly, turning to them, "I... You... I want to do that. With you. There is no one who I wish to be closer to than you."

She reached out, almost timidly, and took Redwood's hand, almost scared.

"I know I am not good," she muttered, "Not like these gembound, who have strict measures of good and bad, right and wrong. But I hope that doesn't change anything for you, because I love you and you are the good I measure by. I would love it if you would join me in ceremony, our hearts tied together."

@Redwood

Blue listened to Momma bolormaa, to the other ceremonies. their heart fluttered. they thought, almost anxiously, if arwen would ever have them for... something like this? the concept filled their soul with warmth. bound together by a bond unbroken, that CAN'T be broken? it nearly made them teary eyed.

they had turned their head, to ask, but arwen was already speaking. arwen would be able to hear the smile in their voice. "of course, my queen, my love, my light. anything. i would love nothing more.. they chirped softly, holding arwen's hands in their own, looking up at her. they looked up to the pillars, humming. "i may need help up, you know i cant fly like i used too." they chuckled.

@Arwen

Arwen felt tears stream down her face, some leaking out of the eye holes of her mask. She reached forward and hugged Redwood tightly, lifting them up into her arms before taking flight, gently alighting on the platform behind Tahi-shei and James.

"We're next!", she said, sniffling as she set Redwood down, "Do you want to be named, my dear? And I can unmask if you wish."

She looked anxiously at those still present, wings buzzing nervously, before looking up at Momma Bolormaa, "Though... if there's a way to hide my face from everyone else, that would be nice. We only share our names and faces to each other, you see..."

Oh she was so nervous!

@Redwood uwu

Redwood chuckled as they were lifted into her arms, flying with her just as, if not more fun than flying alone. they stood on the pillar, a little nervous about the height.

they embraced arwen tightly, "i do not mind being named, my dear. only unmask if you wish it.. youre beautiful either way" they twittered lovingly.

they turned to Momma bolormaa, tilting their head, holding arwens hand. they moved forward, whispering to Momma bolormaa. "i am Redwood, and she is Arwen." they twittered quietly with a smile.

Momma Bolormaa beamed. "Another wonderful pair! Love is so--lovely!" and her little paw-hands waved. She leaned in, hushed--"Face my way, and turn your back on them if you like! No one needs see anything you aren't comfortable with." She was reassuring; her voice was kind.

Ahh, but there was one thing missing--or had she missed them say it? Momma Bolormaa fidgeted, for a moment, trying to remember.

"Oh, I'm--sorry if I missed you say it, but--for the ceremony, what is your relationship to one another? Friends, family, beloved?" she asked, and beamed--any of the three were just so grand!

@Redwood @Arwen

Warning bug descriptions incoming!

Arwen was honestly relieved, but her skin itched as she reached up to the porcelain mask. Quickly, she drew her hood instead, and gently took her mask off.

Her face looked humanoid, at a first glance, with big blue eyes (with no pupil or sclera) and long lashes, but where her mouth was were massive fused mandibles that locked together neatly, creating a flat surface. As she began to talk again, though, they opened slightly, another, more maneuverable pair, were revealed within her mouth, where a long tongue was stored and various other moving parts.

"We are lovers," she said, a slight clicking joining her voice, previously muffled by the mask she wore.

She reached out to grasp Redwood's hand, seeking comfort in them.

@Redwood

Redwood & Arwen

The Pillars went from dimming reddish to a bright and glowing pink once more, the wafting smoke of the incense strong around the pair.

Momma Bolormaa stood up as straight as she could, expression bright and pleased. "We welcome these two loved ones--" (and, very quietly, she interjected names before moving on) "Redwood and Arwen!--now, to be united here in sight of the Union Pillars, to affirm their bonds to, and love for, one another. Lovers-! The very meaning of the word tells us all: someone we've found that we feel for deeply, someone we feel as though we melt into, joined, heart-to-heart." Tiny paw-hands raised up, clapping softly and excitedly. "It is as if our paths are merged, our lives combined--and soon enough you are finishing one anothers' sentences!" She offered a short, gentle-natured laugh, and then eyed the two before her with happiness-crinkled eyes. "May your union be a long and fruitful one; may you grow together, experience life together, and never be alone. Redwood, Arwen: do you pledge to care for one another, love one another, to support one another in your growth, in understanding? To share your lives bound in love?"

Bright-eyed gaze regarded them with joyful expectation.

Redwood and Arwen have now been touched by the Union Pillars' magic. Until March 6th, they will find a new effect available if they are close together in a thread, AND linked by Sensorial Link. (This power requires that they be close by and linked.) This effect is as follows:

Once per thread, ONE linked partner may choose to allow a failed action or spell by their partner to instead be barely successful, or a critical fail to instead regularly fail.

@Arwen

Arwen nearly giggled with excitement, wearing a smile so wide it nearly reached her pointed ears. She squeezed Redwood's hand and looked over, taking the other one too.

"I do," she said, and with a hysterical laugh yanked Redwood into her arms, kissing all over their face.

It was as if their magic had been waiting, snapping between them in an instant, a connection forming between them easily.

"Love you, Blue," she said, burying her face in their shoulder, wings buzzing in excitement, "Always. I'll always love you."

@Redwood

He laughed wetly. "I do." Tahi-shei nosed James lightly. His fur felt hot, at showing affection in front of all these Gembound, but still -- he wanted the world to know, didn't he? "I love you, too, James." He leaned slightly into him. The only real fungus here were a few hardy lichens -- he was, effectively, blind here.

"Do you want to, ah, go somewhere else now, love?" he asked once they'd stepped off the altar. "I'm... exposed here. No fungus in the area, I'm afraid."

@james

James nodded, "That's a good idea, yes."

Instantly he was beside his lover, projecting nothing but love and support. He held his wing out to touch Tahi's side despite knowing the other could see him due to the almost invisible spores covering his body. A flicker of a thought rose for a moment, a tinge of laughter.

Normally being covered in fungus would be considered unsanitary, he thought dryly, And yet here I am, giving him sight through just that.

He lingered on it for a moment, a muscle on his back twitching before he gently nudged Tahi-shei forward, "Let's go home."

@Tahi-shei