8 Chapter 8. The End is Here

As night settled in the remaining bits of light faded into the darkness. Several of the attendants were hurrying around trying to light the lanterns that hung from the ceiling suspended above the tables. Below them, tabletops were covered in slick golden cloth, as the flames of scented candles sat flickering on top, while porcelain pots full of water had fresh roses floating around, sending the smell of sweet damask into the night air. One by one as each lantern is lit light begins to illuminate the room, and you could see the rows of red silk draping from the ceiling, like loops connecting from one end of the room to the other. It created an almost dreamlike feel throughout the banquet hall. It was a wedding meant for a beautiful bride, but beautiful was the last thing she felt right now.

What she felt though with each passing moment was the air around her becoming thick, dense, and suffocating, bringing her one step closer to her nightmare, Liang. She wanted to be anyone else but herself tonight. How great it would be to be on the outside looking in instead she wondered. While everyone was happy, she was busy worrying when she heard a voice call out to her.

"Yuliah! He called from the crowd. Her eyes quickly searched around for him.

"Yujen! You came! I'm so glad your here." She gets up to hug him. He smelled of home, her home, of lavender and incense candles. Yuliah sighed wishing she could go home.

"Of course I'd come! I can't miss your wedding even though I don't agree with your Father's decision," Yujen's brows creased together. "Speaking of which he couldn't be here himself, but he asked me to drop off your belongings. I had the attendants leave them with Liang's maids."

Yuliah's eyes became watery, "Thank you for bringing my things Yujen." Her Father didn't come after all, as her throat starts to feel tight.

She went to her Father yesterday thinking he would understand and help her, but all he thought about was everyone else. They argued about her not wanting to marry Liang, and it didn't end well. She didn't know he would be this angry still and not come.

"Yuliah," Yujen calls her name again noticing her distant demeanor. "What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing. I'm just nervous that's all," but Yuliah's eyes are searching the crowd for her Father.

Reaching out to hold her hand in his, "Don't worry I'll be here with you until the very end. I don't like that the General is forcing you to marry Liang. You know I've never liked Liang. I wish there were something more I could do for you," his words heavily weighted as he said them. Yujen was brought to the Wey Manor when he was a young boy and grew up with Yuliah becoming her Father's ward. He was always trying to protect her, like an older brother, even though he was much younger than Yuliah. Knowing she was being forced and not being able to do anything to help her, made him feel useless.

Seeing unrest in his eyes Yuliah tries to reassure him she's okay, "Don't feel responsible for me." she squeezes his hand; "I'll be fine okay, trust me."

Yujen nods his head, "By the way did you see Corrin."

Rolling her eyes, "Yes I did. She came by to rub salt into my wounds. I didn't realize how much of a disgusting human being Corrin was until tonight. Liang and Corrin are made for each other," she tells Yujen.

"Of course she would, and yes they are. Why couldn't it be Corrin tonight marrying Liang instead huh?" Yujen replies.

"I know right," as they both turn to greet the crowd of guests now walking towards the wedding table.

Yujen sat with her in silence quietly drinking from his glass observing the entire room. Now and then he'd get up to stretch his legs, walk around, and then come back to sit by Yuliah again. He knew it brought Yuliah comfort having him with her. There they sat for the last time, in each other's company, for the entire night, until the hour came as the wedding started to wind down to an end.

Yuliah's Uncles called out to the guests, "It's time to say goodbye to the bride. If anyone has any words for Yuliah, please come by to say it now," as he looks around the room. A few of her Aunts and cousins came by to wish her well, followed by a handful of drunk Men asking her to marry them instead. She thanked them all and Yujen had to pry her hands away from the drunk Men, shooing them away.

It was customary for the Men from the brides' side of the family to give her a few words of insight to start her new life. First, they asked her for any belongings or gifts she received from other Men besides her husband, to which she replied no. She secretly wished though that she did have a Man. Maybe he'd be here right now whisking her away from here.

Then they reminded her of the customs of a daughter in law and to obey and be an obedient wife, then finally, it was time to go.

"It's time! Come! Prepare the bride to enter her wedding chamber," her stubby uncle called out to the maids.

With Liang nowhere to be seen one of the Men looks around, "Where is the groom? Has anyone seen him?"

"Maybe he ran away?" another Uncle with a black mustache shaped like a bow jokingly yells out causing the rest of the Men to burst out laughing.

The women, on the other hand, keep looking at Yuliah with blushing cheeks and envious eyes, remembering their first nights, but Yuliah's face turns a pale white instead. She could not believe that the time was already here. She turns to hug Yujen goodbye as tears fell down her cheek.

Yujen wipes the tears from her face, and kisses her forehead gently, then pulls the red veil over her head. "Goodbye, my lovely sister. Tonight is not the end remember that," as he hands her off to the maids.

Her Uncle continues his lecture, "Go now as you pass from your Father's home into your husbands and become a woman. Do not look back but embrace your new life with joy," as he finishes his words the maids start walking her forward.

It was bad luck for a woman to look back at her family as she left. If she looked back, it meant her marriage would go to ruin and not work out. Suddenly the handkerchief with the crimson birds falls out of her sleeve and onto the ground. The maids were ushering her forward while a crowd was gathering around her, and before she knew it the cloth laid behind her.