Something Blue

Walking along the hallway of the Doloresta manor with Maria right behind him, Julian felt a bit guilty about running off to steal the bride, even if it was just for a bit. He knew that he could never settle his feelings about the wedding if he won't be able to talk to Maria first.

Finding a door ajar, Julian decided that it was a place as good as any other. Just to talk. Whatever he was about to say, Julian didn't know; for this will be one of those rare moments that the former Eau would be letting his heart speak, instead of using his mind. He knew that the words would come out spilling as if he didn't think much about them, but to whoever listens, it certainly comes from deep inside.

Pulling Maria gently inside the room, Julian took a deep breath and faced her.

"I don't think I can bear to let go of you just yet."

"Julian!" she exclaimed, as he tugged her out of west wing and down the corridor towards the east where the guestrooms were located. Her curiosity aroused, the former Eau wondered what business Julian had with her, and why he was in such a rush. Why was he here? And why wasn't he with Jacob and the other groomsmen?

“Please slow down, I would hate to spend my wedding night in a hospital nursing a broken leg.” Maria begged, trying to keep up with him in her long gown, and high heels. But as soon as she spoke, the man had guided her into one of the master bedrooms and shut the door behind him.

A quick survey of her surroundings was enough to tell her that this was the room Nicholas and Dianna were currently occupying.

“Julian, what is the matter? And however did you get away from Nicholas?”

I don't think I can bear to let go of you just yet.

“Can’t bear to…?” she gave a small laugh, tilting her head to gaze curiously up at her best friend,

“What are you talking about?”

Once he began speaking, Julian found that he could no longer stop. Ignoring Maria's bemused expression, Julian launched into a nearly frenzied manner of speech, his tone and facial expression alternating between pleading, stating and surprisingly, choking as if to cry.

"... I know I should be happy for you getting married to the man that you love the most, and I am, I really am! Jacob is one of the best men I've ever known in my entire life and I don't think I can ever find a person that I would want my bestfriend to settle down with. Goodness knows how long I've been anticipating this moment for the two of you, and you know how happy I was when you told me that you were going to marry him.

"But.., now that we're all here, with you so lovely in your wedding gown, and Jacob losing his mind over the sheer happiness of tying the knot with you, I find myself thinking if I could really watch the two of you spending the rest of your life together... And when I think of you, and what's going to happen to you after this madness, I feel so stifled with fear that I cannot even properly put on my tie!" and Julian gave a nervous laugh, flicking the piece of cloth that hung about his neck. His face was crumpled with a mixture of pain and disbelief, as if the facts that he was saying were the most preposterous ideas he had ever heard of.

"You'll no longer be a Doloresta, you'll no longer be the person I once knew, for your name will change, your hopes and dreams will change, and you'll have different priorities now, different needs, and I wonder if you'll ever want anything else in this world now that you're about to be with the person you want most...

"And thinking of that makes me suffer, because I'm afraid of losing you. We've been together for such a long time, and I've known you for so long... But you'll no longer need me, for you'll have everything now, and I'm having such a hard time convincing myself that it's time to let go of you...

"And as much as I would want to be completely happy for you and Jacob, I find that I cannot because... because I'm lamenting my loss... I'm mourning for the kind of friendship that I've had with you which I can no longer have after you get married. It's easy to think that nothing will change between us, but truth is, something will definitely change. And I don't think I'll get ever used to it.

"It makes me sad, Maria. I'm feeling... feeling so blue, right now."

"He went where?"

Picking up her skirt less she trip down the stairs in her haste, Dianna found herself standing before her bedroom- the same one which Julian and Maria had entered. As she reached out to knock on the door and demand Julian to stop kidnapping the bride, her hand stilled, hearing the sound of quiet, yet passionate voices coming from inside. Instinctively, the blond leant closer, even as she mentally began to scold herself for behaving like an impudent child.

But.., now that we're all here, with you so lovely in your wedding gown, and Jacob losing his mind over the sheer happiness of tying the knot with you, I find myself thinking if I could really watch the two of you spending the rest of your life together...

Dianna stifled a gasp. Julian wasn't confessing some unrequited love to Maria on her wedding, was he?!

Emotions flashed across Julian’s face as she watched him scramble to string together his thoughts into coherent sentences. Maria settled herself delicately upon the edge of the bed, her skirts pooling at her feet as she invited her best friend to sit beside her. And there she sat in anticipated silence as the words came tumbling out of Julian— something, the brunette felt he had been keeping from her all this while.

And when I think of you, and what's going to happen to you after this madness, I feel so stifled with fear that I cannot even properly put on my tie!

“Oh Julian—” Maria reached for him, but dropped her hands to her lap when she realised he was not yet finished. Through his words, she could see herself through Julian’s eyes; her tangible future spread out before them like a cloak of colours and possibilities.

I'm mourning for the kind of friendship that I've had with you which I can no longer have after you get married. It's easy to think that nothing will change between us, but truth is, something will definitely change. And I don't think I'll get ever used to it.

It makes me sad, Maria. I'm feeling... feeling so blue, right now.

Maria who had raised a hand to cover her trembling mouth was surprised to find her cheeks moist with the remnants of tears. It took her awhile before she trusted herself not to make a fool of herself before him, but when she was ready, Maria reached for Julian’s hand.

“What is a name Julian?” she gave a soft laugh,

“I’ll still be Maria. With different hopes, and different dreams for the future maybe, but Maria all the same.”

“You’re right.” she said quietly, “Things are going to change. But not enough— never enough — to get in the way of our friendship.”

Maria’s pale hand curved around Julian’s cheeks, her touch warm as she met his gaze straight on.

“I’ll love you even after today. No more, no less.”

I’ll love you even after today. No more, no less.

"I know that," Julian answered softly, holding her hand that was cupping his cheek, "I know that but I'm still--, I mean, letting go has never been easy for me," the man said with a tinge of embarrassment at the confession. He looked at Maria's face and gently wiped the tears effected by his words.

"I'm sorry I made you cry..." he apologized, looking down as he removed her hand from his face and held it between them,

"But if it will make you feel better..," and his choked voice trailed off while two drops of dew-like tears fell at the back of Maria's dainty hand, making him unable to throw in some lame joke. Facing the bride once again, Julian smiled through watery eyes, catching hold of himself and preventing further leakage from his lacrimal glands. Shaking his head, Julian cleared his throat before speaking once again.

"Something old, something new.., something borrowed, something blue. I wonder why it had to be blue, but I suppose brides do leave a small trail of sadness behind them." The first time that he heard of the saying, Julian took it literally and had suggested blue things like sapphires and turquoises as part of the bridal jewelry. Never had he imagined that he'll be translating it figuratively now, nor that it would be him to offer it to Maria.

Holding out the hand where the teardrops fell, Julian asked his bestfriend of so many years, "Will you wear them to the altar?"

The truth was cliché. The whole moment was. But if you couldn’t say it on your wedding day, when could you?

Something old, something new.., something borrowed, something blue. I wonder why it had to be blue, but I suppose brides do leave a small trail of sadness behind them.

Will you wear them to the altar?

Without hesitation, Maria reached for the proffered hand and gently pressed her lips to them. They tasted of melancholy with a note of faint, though there nonetheless, happiness.

Eyes quite dry now, Julian smiled sadly and pulled Maria in a gentle hug. He immediately released her lest someone walked in and accuse him of seducing the bride on her wedding day. Jacob's best man gave a small chuckle at the thought and let go of Maria.

"I guess I should return you to where I stole you from," the former Eau said, attempting to sound normal if not for the occasional sniffs that can be heard faintly.

With a laugh, Maria kissed him lightly on the nose before attempting to smoothen down Julian’s disheveled locks.

“Come here.” She tugged pulled the blonde giant to his feet until he stood before the floor-length mirror. Humming to herself, the brunette began to fix his tie.

“I hope the other men managed to get their ties in place.” Maria remarked mischievously, giving the piece of cloth a slight tweak before stepping back to observe her work.

“Perfect.” She said with a satisfied smile. Then with another laugh, the brunette gave a charming twirl before Julian, her long satin skirts rustling from the movement.
“Do you like it?”

"I'm pretty sure someone else would like it even better," Julian remarked with a smile, pulling Maria out of the room to return her where she ought to be at this moment. Despite being briefly emotional, Julian's practical 'fear' of the wrath of Dianna Doloresta returned promptly, having dared going against official therapist orders.

"Come on, you'll be late for your wedding, and I ought to return to the farm..," he was saying, but his voice trailed off. He can't really tell the bride that he, as best man, deserted the groom in a whim in order to see her, can he? But this was Maria; she barely misses a detail where her beloved Jacob was concerned, and troubles where her 'rascal' Julian was involved in.

"..or at least inform the rest of where I am," he added defeatedly.

She could feel the corners of her mouth tipping up into a smile, completely touched by Julian's sweet gesture. Why, even her indignation over the rogue slipping from Nicholas’ grasp melted away.

Partially.

Come on, you'll be late for your wedding…

Hearing footsteps, Dianna scrambled to her feet and managed to duck behind a wooden banister before she could be found. Really, eavesdropping at her age! She silently admonished herself.

Peeking out from her hiding place, the witch noticed that Julian and Maria were deep in conversation and- was that her train rustling? She smothered a squeal at the thought of the beautiful satin material being wrinkled before the ceremony.

Then straightening herself, with the appearance of someone who had just ran up a flight of stairs she called out to them,

"Maria, there you are!" She gave a look of motherly admonishment to the brunette, before turning to Julian and clucking her tongue,

"Someone's a bit far away from home, hmm?"

Stifling a laugh, she had tilted her head to ask Julian how he manage to get away from Nicholas' usually sharp gaze, when they were approached by Dianna.

"Oh hello, Di." Maria greeted easily with a sweet smile meant to charm her friend.

"Fancy seeing you here. Is everything going according to plan?"

Maria, there you are!

Uh oh, Julian thought, hearing Dianna's voice and knowing what was to become of him. "Hey, Dianna," he replied trying to sound as natural as possible.

Someone's a bit far away from home, hmm?

Hesitantly tilting his head to the side as if to think, Julian gave an uneasy chuckle before replying, "Well, Normandie is rather far from Nice and Paris, so... yeah."

The situation was very clear, and if Julian wants to survive this wedding ceremony and live a long and healthy life, he had no choice but to follow the wisest path for him to take right now: bolt.

"Alright, I'm off."

Giving Maria a hasty kiss on the cheek and a roguish wink at Dianna, Julian ran off once more, back to the room to retrieve Jacob's broom from Elise and fly back to the farm before Jacob decides to look for another best man.

Staring the taller man down, she watched with satisfaction as he fumbled for an excuse before bidding a hasty retreat.

"Straighten that tie of yours before the ceremony!" Dianna told him as he fled the scene. Giving a huff, she hook her arm through Maria's,

"C'mon. We need to put on your veil. You need to be ready before Uncle comes up to walk you down."