“You promise to return to my home in two weeks to marry me.”
Ellie smiled, “May the gods light my path to your home, One, on Reima Two so that we may marry.”
Valentin returned her smile, took both of her hands in his and said, “Every day will seem like a year that we are apart, but I will use this time to plan our marriage ceremony so that no one can doubt our dedication to one another. All you need do is come to Reima Two. I will take my leave now.” And with that, he squeezed her hands one last time, nodded to Jei and Jane and then left the room and House Rega.
Ellie looked at Jei and Jane. Then ran into her mother’s arms again, “I’m so happy you are back.”
“Ellie, my dear sweet Ellie, I have missed you so much. Let’s go for a walk in the garden. I want to hear everything about your life and love for this special man.”
“Mirror,” Ellie commanded and looked at her reflection. She was wearing a long gold gown, made completely of gold jewels of all different sizes. The bodice of the dress was tight and had a floral design that left a lot of her skin exposed and barely covered her nipples. The rest of the dress fell in an A-line to the floor but was almost transparent except for small jewels on tulle. There was also a matching gold jeweled cape made of the same delicate light golden tulle. Thankfully, there was some technology with the dress so that it was light and felt comfortable next to her skin and moved with her, despite it being made of thousands, possibly millions, of small jewels that covered her most private parts, but nothing about this dress left anything for the imagination.
Valentin had hired a human makeup artist from Earth for the occasion as he said not only would this side of the galaxy mark their union but also residents on Hogo and possibly even Earth. Therefore, it was very important to him that she be equally human today too. Ellie had realized that there was no way he could have hired a makeup artist and brought her from Earth in the two weeks since she agreed to marry him. Valentin then admitted that he hired her the night after their dinner at Jole. He had said that, if she married him, then it would work out perfectly, if not, a human woman received a free holiday to Reima Two with a few other humans he had hired for the occasion as well, such as a hair stylist, an old-fashioned photographer and a human event planner, who knew nothing about weddings.
The makeup artist had applied a lot of gold to her eyelids and lips to complement the gold in her dress. Her short blonde hair had been styled with highlights of gold that also matched her dress, but no other adornments because apparently the Reima Two ceremony required headpieces to be worn at one point during the ceremony.
Ellie thought Valentin had done a thorough job of intertwiningly all three marriage customs: human, Reima Two and Imperial. As far as human customs went, not only did he bring the professionals from Earth, but also she was staying at a fancy hotel in Lina, Valentin said he would not see her until the marriage ceremony, which apparently was another human tradition.
“Capture image and send to Tamsin, House Rega, on Alliance Planet Two with the caption, ‘I’m all gold.’” She couldn’t help but laugh at herself.
The makeup artist frowned, “You look beautiful. Aren’t you happy with it? Should I change something? We have a little bit of time left.”
“No, sorry. I think I look fantastic. I just feel a little bit like a golden statue right now.”
“A gorgeous statue, Elloisa,” said the makeup artist, clearly relieved. “You are setting a new precedent by marrying Valentin of the Nage Horde. All human eyes are on you today.”
“Why is that do you think?” Ellie asked. She didn’t understand all the attention she had received from around the galaxy in the last two weeks. An investigative reporter had even come all the way from Earth to speak to her.
“You’re leaving the Empire to freely marry an Alliance man who isn’t a part of that. Reima Two is a place that humans know very little about except that it is incredibly wealthy. We had no idea until now that they were so different from the Empire.”
“You mean because they all have grey skin and black hair?”
The makeup artist didn’t hesitate, “Yes. Make no mistake, now human women will think twice about just accepting offers to come and be brides to the Empire. Not when they could be with someone on Reima Two.”
Ellie hadn’t even considered this before.
The makeup artist continued, “Already men and women are trying to find out how they can visit Reima Two in the hopes of finding love.”
Ellie didn’t know what to say. She didn’t want people following her lead, “It was only by luck that I ended up meeting Valentin and falling in love.”
“Would you say you wished he was human then?”
Ellie knew she needed to watch what she said now, even in private, “No, of course not.” She wanted to say that Earth was a wonderful place that no one should leave for a better material life in the galaxy, but she couldn’t say that for it could be easily misconstrued. “I wish everyone the best of luck finding love anywhere in the galaxy that life takes them.”
The makeup artist smiled, “If I were younger, I would’ve asked to stay on to be your personal makeup artist. But I have a family back home.”
Ellie smiled, “And that’s what we all want, a home with people that smile when they see us. Right now, I only have my cat, and soon Valentin, but I feel like my heart will burst.”
“That’s the way you should feel when you decide to partner up with someone.”
“How long have you been with the father of your children, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“About thirty years,” she answered.
“Any advice? I don’t want to make the same mistakes as my parents.”
“I’d say the most important thing is to know when to communicate and to know when to drop something or ignore it completely. Communication isn’t all that people say it is. Always remember it’s a long life you’re sharing.”
Ellie laughed. She hadn’t been expecting that answer.
“I’m serious,” said the makeup artist. “You’ll see. The first years are the easiest, the newness of love, the hormones. It’s the later years starting around year seven when everything becomes tough.”
Ellie nodded, “Thank you for your candidness.” Then added looking at herself one last time, “And for this. I love it.”
The makeup artist packed up her things and exited. As she walked out Jane and Jei walked in.
“You look so elegant,” Jane said, not believing her daughter was wearing such a revealing dress.
Jei took one look at Ellie and adverted his eyes, “I’m glad Reima Two fashions stay on Reima Two.”
Ellie laughed, “How are you going to walk with me into Lina’s Grand Hall without running into something if you cannot look at me?”
“I don’t know,” Jei said. “But that clothing is too… Reima Two.”
“But you’ve seen her without any clothing during the Watching, right?” Jane asked. It was common that members of an Imperial household to all be naked during the Watching because no one wore pajamas.
“That’s different,” Jei protested. “To see someone’s natural body in one’s home is normal. This is adorning the natural body for more provocative reasons and it makes me uncomfortable. I’m sorry Ellie for my honor and yours I will not look. I am over 200 years old and cannot change now.”