Wedding Plans

It was dark outside, but the weather was still warm from this afternoon's test flight.

Will sat in his study reading financial reports and drinking whiskey from a decanter.

Kurosawa had dropped off the reports when he arrived at the manor. Will asked his staff to join the entourage heading to the test flight.

Will was sitting in his favorite chair, reading about the taxes. So far 120 Fermion merchants paid the fee to gain Will's trade seal.

The 120 tradesmen had to first gain the approval of the Merchant Guild. The Merchant Guild agreed to pay Will 200 a month to determine which tradesmen could apply for Will's seal. It was easy money, and too lucrative to turn down.

There was a famous idiom that said poor people chase after money. When you are wealthy, money chases after you.

This was certainly true, after the Trade Agreement was signed and with the successful test flight of his airship, nobles were handing their money to Will on mithril platters.

Moreover, nobles weren't just handing their money, they wanted to hand over their daughters too.

Polygamy was legal not just in Fermion, but all over. Kings and high nobles had several wives or concubines. Lesser nobles like Baronets and Baron's, however, usually only had one wife.

Will's morals had reincarnated with him. He was a one-woman man. For him, more women meant more problems.

Between Elizabeth and Nisha he had all the women he needed in life.

As Will read over the reports, a knock came on his door.

"Come in," Will responded.

"My lord, may I come in?" Elizabeth asked nervously.

"Certainly! You shall be my wife, you never need to ask such questions," Will answered.

Elizabeth approached Will and smiled.

Will thought she looked lovely in her blue and yellow gown this afternoon. Now Elizabeth wore a teal evening dress.

"William…" Elizabeth had recently taken to calling him William like his mother.

"Our mothers have been asking me details about our marriage. I know we scheduled a date. But, I leave tomorrow and wish to have your opinions on decorations," Elizabeth asked.

"Very well follow me!" Will said standing up and holding Elizabeth's hand.

"Michael, call our mothers and Ms. Park to the library for tea and biscuits," Will said leading Elizabeth to the study.

Will had taken to using the Library as his study and he wanted to file Kurosawa's financial reports after he finished reading them.

In the library, Will led Elizabeth to a sofa, before he filed the reports and joined her.

In a few minutes, they were joined by their mothers and Ms. Park.

"Son you summoned us, what is it you wish you discussed so hurriedly?" Helen vont Ballard said. After spending so much time around the Duchess Charlotte vont Whitby, his mother's speech grew more formal to match the duchess'.

"As you know, Elizabeth leaves tomorrow for Guidon. I wish to finalize plans for the wedding," Will said.

"What a romantic, I wish your father Elizabeth showed this much interest in our wedding!" Charlotte said frustrated.

"Ha, all James did was show up to our wedding!" Helen complained.

Will coughed. He could not allow these women to feel comfortable disrespecting these men to his face.

"Our apologies son-in-law," Charlotte said.

'The rules of patriarchy must be held,' Charlotte thought.

"Let us begin by discussing what we know, Elizabeth?" Will asked.

Three weeks after the Mage Academy final exams, we are to be married in Gadreel. The guest invites have been sent, unfortunately, we were unable to keep them small. The wedding is scheduled for the 13th bell in the garden," Elizabeth said.

In Gadreel, weddings were small intimate family gatherings and engagement ceremonies were large public affairs. However, Will's eccentric genius made his wedding a must-attend social event, like his Home Debut Party.

"Very well, what more shall we discuss?" Will asked.

"First, we need to discuss the color scheme," Elizabeth led the conversations

"Pastels, the flowers in the garden should be in bloom," Will thought out loud.

"Yes, daughter! You shall be the season flower!" Charlotte vont Whitby exclaimed.

"Very well, pastels," Elizabeth blushed after hearing her mother's declaration.

"My brothers and I shall wear black suits, what's next," Will announced.

"Seating, how do we seat so many people?" Elizabeth said.

Will had been to a countless wedding, on Earth. Surprising to some weddings made for great business opportunities. Weirdly so died funerals.

"We shall get married under a flower adorned arch. You shall walk down a white carpet runner. Our guest shall sit in four columns of covered benches on either side of the runner. That's four benches total," Will suggested remembering a similar wedding of his former business associates.

"A flower-adorned archway, how novel?" Helen vont Ballard thought, trying to picture it in her mind.

"Yes, I can picture! How creative!" Charlotte gushed.

"It's practical, we have to make the most of our setting. Since we're in a garden we need to highlight its true colors.

Since we are surrounded by woods, a simple arch wrapped in flowers adds to the bucolic ambiance," Elizabeth said, thinking like Will.

The more time Elizabeth spent observing Will, the more she understood his way of thinking.

"Exactly," Will said smiling at her.

Hearing his praise made Elizabeth smile. Will was a man who went out of his way to relate to others, but very few could relate to him. This was the impetus for Elizabeth observing Will.

"Mother, I'll also place flowers in my hair strands or accent my tiara with flowers,"

Elizabeth said.

"I think that would be lovely," Will said grinning.

With that comment, Elizabeth felt victorious.

"You two are so cute together, but I think you two fail to remember, spring, even late spring, has unpredictable weather," Charlotte said.

"Yes, the duchess is correct. You should consider some type of overhead cover," Helen said.

Elizabeth looked to Will for his suggestion.

"Our mothers are correct, thus I recommend we build a large greenhouse.

The greenhouse shall be constructed with the most beautiful hand-blown glass.

When the afternoon sun hits glass it in a way that causes a dazzling display of rainbows when arriving to the garden.

Inside the greenhouse we'll have large tables, six guest to a table, with flower displayed throughout," Will remember a different garden wedding.

"Yes! We have flowers centerpieces on the tables, covering the ceiling and supports with flowers," Elizabeth said adding to Will's ideas.

"Pastel lanterns, candelabras chandeliers, and room for the orchestra," Helen continued the momentum.

"And drapes with vont Ballard coat of arms and tiebacks, to block unwanted late sun rays," Charlotte said excitedly.

Suddenly, the mother's grasped the magnificence of the wedding.

This wedding would be the season primer event, no wonder some many requested invitations.

"Thank you dear, I believe we can picture the wedding now. I feel comfortable selecting the cake and table settings. However for the food, what do you suggest," Elizabeth asked.

"Freshly prepared barbecued river fish, dire beast fillets, seasonal vegetables, fruit, cheese, and fresh baked bread. Rows of chefs shall prepare the guest food as it's ordered," Will said.

"You plan to served guest like a restaurant?" Helen questioned her youngest son.

"Yes, as have waiters waiting to only pour the best fruit wine," Will said looking at Ms. Park

"It shall be master," she said bowing nervously.

"I believe we're done," Elizabeth said clapping her hands together.

"Does Fermion have a custom of flower girls or ring bearers?" Will asked.

The three looked at themselves in confusion and shook their head no.

"I once read about it in an book about elves," Will said to explain how he knew such a thing.

"I'd like boy to walk down the aisle with the rings on a pillow, then have a little girl to walk down the wedding aisle before Elizabeth and throw flowers on the aisle. I want my bride to walk on flowers," said.

"Oh! How lovely" the mothers sighed.

"Mother do we know anyone with small children?" Elizabeth asked.

"On my side dear, your cousin has a five-year old son. Baron, how is that?," Charlotte asked.

"That is the perfect age for such a task. If we can not find a girl, maybe an orphanage from Miss Jane's Home for Children?" Will said.

Elizabeth face shot up in surprise and happiness.

"Yes, that is a wonderful idea!" Elizabeth said.

"You two already know each other so well, I must admit I'm jealous," Helen said with mixed emotions.

"I must admit, I am too!" Charlotte agreed.

"We are finished," Elizabeth said.

"Almost, I wish for one small indulgence. After our vowel, I want confetti to fall from the airship," Will said.

"Wedding traditions shall change forever after your wedding," Charlotte halfway joked.