Scotch Doubles

by Donna and Toni

There was something special about spending Christmas at Camelot. Everyone who could go took the opportunity to go, including the two Campbell sisters and their beaus. It was an extra special time for them, mainly because that was where they were finally going to get married!

As for the brides themselves, they couldn't have been more thrilled at their having such an important day in such a place! Camelot was nothing less than magical, especially during the Advent season. Doorways festooned with ribbons and wreathes lit the way. A Yule log had been lit in the main hall, and there were plans for a huge Christmas day feast to be held there for everyone living in the nearby village and those staying in the castle itself.

It had been decided by the two couples that they wanted to have their wedding on Christmas Eve in the chapel at Camelot. But once they got there, the location was changed to the small church in the village of Glenerin, with Father Rudden doing the honors.

Fathers Philip and Alec had come to the village earlier in the day to help prepare the church, while Fiona and the MacDonald sisters were back at Camelot helping Mercy and Joy to get ready. The brides would be brought over when it was time by no less than the Royal Carriage itself! All in all, it was an occasion that, Joy confided to Mercy, made her feel as though they were involved in a coronation itself, with all the fuss!

Niamh was literally bouncing from wall to wall as she helped the priests decorate it for the wedding. And the men were getting tired just watching her! The leprechaun girl’s boundless enthusiasm came in handy when hanging things from hard to reach places, which would lend a lovely air of grace and beauty to the proceedings.

Father Rudden was glad that at least Niamh was letting herself be seen from time to time to very select individuals, like the people who had come from Edan for the occasion.  However, the members of the Glenerin parish still thought their priest to be a little on the daft side, since he was always talking to someone that they couldn’t see! If anything though, Father Rudden’s seemingly strange ways seem to make him even more popular with the members of his congregation.

All the Bride Ship girls had come to Camelot for Christmas and the wedding. The village would now have another policeman and a doctor since some were even planning on staying after everyone else traveled back home to Edan. So, it seemed right for the Campbell girls to be married in Glenerin. Alasdair MacGregor and the other men of the village were doing their best to talk Rob Roy and Finley into moving there as well with their new wives.

In one of the village homes, the two grooms were busy getting themselves ready for their big day. Finley MacNab and Rob Roy MacGregor were going to be as perfect for their brides as they possibly could! They had spent the night before in the village itself. It wasn't fitting that they should see their soon-to-be wives before the wedding ceremony.

The two nervous grooms waited impatiently for the time to come that they would make their way to the church, dressed in their very best kilts for their marriage ceremony. It was some consolation, though they couldn't possibly know it at the moment, that their brides were fussing every bit as much as they were with their appearance!

Faith had made both of their dresses for them, and they were beautiful! They were each given a small jeweled tiara to wear with their bridal veils. Once they were finally ready to leave for Glenerin, the Queen herself gave each one a richly embroidered velvet cape to wear over the gowns as they traveled to the village. The two sisters were taken to the Royal Carriage, which was drawn by a team of four snow white horses. The rest of the Bride Ship girls and the rest who were attending the wedding left first so that they could be there when the brides arrived.

As the carriage carried them to their destinies with an honor guard of knights accompanying it, Mercy couldn't help but think about everything that had brought them to this moment; how different things had become from their original fate! At least, Papa, we're still getting married, she thought, a small smile curving her lips. She reached out and squeezed her younger sister’s hand, knowing the girl was even more nervous than she was!

The small church was almost overflowing. This would be the first wedding held in it! Niamh had gone invisible again of course, but Father Rudden knew she was still there when he felt her unseen fingers adjust the stole around his neck. He was as used to talking to what seemed like empty air as people were used to seeing him do it, so he always thanked the leprechaun when she helped him do the little things, in preparation for such a big day. A double wedding was nothing to take lightly!

His entire congregation was there, as well as many guests from both Edan and Camelot. Father Rudden was secretly hoping that some of the men living in the village with women would soon come to him to ask for him to place them under God's covenant of marriage.

Even the weather was cooperating! It was a perfectly beautiful day with the bright sunshine making the light snowfall of the previous day sparkle and glisten. Finally, everyone was in place, and it was time for the ceremony itself to begin.

Finley and Rob Roy were both standing up front, trying not to fidget as they waited for the door to open. When it finally did, their breath was almost taken away as they saw the beautiful women that they would soon be married to!

The sisters were both being escorted by Father McBain, one on each side of him. Their husbands to be could not see it, of course, but they were trembling with nerves. The walk to the altar seemed to last forever!

Once there, the sisters each stepped up to the man they were going to marry. Father Rudden heard a soft, happy sigh as Niamh watched from her bird's eye view on the ledge of a stained glass window behind where he was standing. She was never far from him, and for the most part, did her best to stay out of trouble in the church itself. Anywhere else though was fair game!

The priest smiled, cleared his throat softly, and began the ceremony that would unite the brides to their grooms in holy wedlock. The purpose of the gathering was stated, and the traditional "if anyone objects" was announced to the church; when no one spoke to disrupt the proceedings, Sean proceeded onward with the ceremony. Vows and rings were exchanged, as each woman and man promised, in clear, soft voices, to be faithful to each other, and to be each other's helpmate in all matters and conditions of their married life together, no matter what came their way. When all of these promises had been spoken, and prayers and blessings recited, it was the priest's happy duty to pronounce each couple husband and wife, and present them to their friends and neighbors - the traditional nuptial kisses to seal the vows were met with much applause, of course!

As Father Rudden watched the two happy couples exit the church, he felt a warm pair of lips press against the side of his face. Though of course he couldn't acknowledge it verbally just then, his smile widened just a bit, as he lowered his eyes a moment to compose himself, blushing slightly. He'd been having thoughts for quite awhile now about the giver of that kiss that were more than a little in line with what had just happened in his church. He wondered if she could read his mind, and if so, would she have overheard those thoughts! The blush threatened to deepen, but he raised his eyes, willing the pinking in his cheeks to leave before someone noticed and made mention of it, and thankfully, no one did. They were all too preoccupied with getting to the reception of the happy couples just joined!