Chapter Seventy Two

The morning of Dory's wedding dawned bright and fine, but before the family (and their guests) could leave, Beauty had a little surprise for them. 

Her date with Shadow had blessed her with a foal, a lovely little colt which Mira decided to name Taliesen.  He took mostly after his mother in colouring.

After the early morning excitement, they all headed over to the small park where Dory and Pete had arranged to hold their wedding.  Dory went over to greet her future mother-in-law, Ryanne Roman, as the many guests started arriving. 

Pete arrived not long after the Bridal party and spent some time chatting to Dory's siblings before it was time for the ceremony to begin.

Dory and Pete stood below the formal wedding arch as their family and friends gathered to sit and watch. 

Pete went first, slipping the ring onto Dory's finger as he recited his vows, promising to love and cherish her, forsaking all others, through whatever trials life threw at them until death should part them.

Then it was Dory's turn, and she recited the same vows back to Pete as she slid the ring onto his finger. 

And with that, they were husband and wife.  All the legal formalities had been done previously and a witness from City Hall was amongst the guests to confirm everything had happened according to the law.

With the formalities over, the newly wedded couple sealed their marriage with a passionate kiss as their friends and family applauded (and a few wiped away tears of happiness).  

After the ceremony was concluded it was time to cut the cake and start the party.  Dory did the cake cutting while Pete and the guests watched. 

The happy couple then retired to a small table together where the ate cake and talked about their plans for the future. 

After finishing the cake they then got the reception started with the first dance.

 

Once the reception was over, Pete and Dory headed off on their honeymoon to Shang Simla.  They stayed in an old monastery in the village which had recently been renovated and opened to the public as a luxury hotel. 

The first order of the day on arrival was to go visiting Dory's older brother and sisters.  Kariny and Rian had moved out of their grandmother's house and got a place of their own in the central square.  They had also had a little boy whom they had named Han. 

Dory spent some time getting to know her first nephew while Kariny entertained Pete. 

However before long it was time to move on.  Both Kyra and Karal were still living with their grandmother so Dory and Pete headed off to visit.  Unfortunately Abi was away at the time but Dory had a great time catching up with her brother and sister.

Visiting done, the newly-weds returned to the hotel and spent some time relaxing together in the private hot-tub.

As things got somewhat heated in the tub, they decided to take it inside to their room. 

Over the next couple of days the two of them spent time sightseeing and visiting the various old temples and ruins scattered around Shang Simla.

 

At the marketplace, Dory bought a fortune cookie which gave her the somewhat cryptic message "be careful who you trust". 

She also took Pete to the old martial arts academy where the two of them practised the art of Sim Fu which her father, Liang, had introduced her to  back when she was a teenager.

They concluded their honeymoon with a date in the only bar in the village, where local specialities were on the menu for both food and drinks...

They enjoyed their night there, relaxing and spending time with each other.  For once Dory didn't feel like she was being watched and she took full advantage of this. 

They spent all night kissing and hugging and generally being thoroughly lovey-dovey with each other.

They also knocked back quite a few of the house speciality drinks 

And Dory ordered egg rolls for the two of them, which Pete confessed to never having tried before. 

The evening, perhaps inevitably, ended up with the two of them in the hot tub in the rear courtyard of the lounge bar where they celebrated their honeymoon in the traditional fashion.

All too soon however they had to return to everyday life back home and as they arrived back under an eerie full moon Mira was waiting for them at the front door in distress.

She fell into Dory's arms as soon as the couple returned and sobbed "Oh Dory, Beauty's gone.  The Grim Reaper showed up for her earlier this evening and I don't know why."

As Dory coaxed her mother to calm down, Mira explained what had happened that evening as she waited for their return from honeymoon.

"I was painting out the back, Beauty was wandering around the yard and Taliesen was asleep in one of the stalls.  I suddenly heard Beauty neigh and there was a note of fear I'd never heard from her before.  I turned round and the Grim Reaper was standing there next to her and she was shivering all over.  I rushed over but before I could do anything he had mounted her and taken her spirit."

Dory stared at her mother in shock, "I don't understand, she wasn't even old and I didn't think unicorns could die of anything except old age!"

"I don't understand it either" admitted Mira, "She was perfectly fine just moments earlier and then something just happened but I don't know what could have done that to her."

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