Chapter 101: Complete

Henry watched Basil swing and nearly miss for what felt like the millionth time today. He was pretty sure that his nephew wasn't going to be able to work much longer like this.
What had happened to him?
A couple of days ago there had been another change in Basil's behavior. He showed up still stumbling around, picked up an ax, and got to work without saying much of anything, reeking of alcohol and looking exhausted. He looked a little past nauseous today, yet he didn't let up on his clumsy, though decent, pace. Henry wasn't sure what to make of it though he and Raven had spoken about Basil's strange behavior lately. Maybe he was fighting with his wife. Henry knew that anytime he and Raven were at odds it was hard for him to focus, but something told him that that wasn't the case.
Basil’s ax skittered across the stone uselessly before falling from his hands, and Henry decided that was enough.
“Basil, sit down for a second.”
Basil turned blinking at him before obeying sitting on the steps of the temple with his head in his hands as if his world was over.
What the hell happened?
“I'm fine,'' he said.
Dorian looked at Henry as he approached Basil and sat beside him.
“If I believe that I'd be a terrible person… and blind,” Henry snorted. “I'm neither of those so what's going on?”
Basil didn't want to talk about it; he didn't even know what he was supposed to say. How could he explain that Laurel was Laura? That he treated her terribly while she was alive even though she'd done everything she could to help him? That now that she was dead and reincarnated and marrying his father he wanted her back? How was he supposed to explain that he had doubts about Delia being his mate?
“I'd rather not talk about it,'' he said, finally, unable to fathom saying anything else.
Henry sighed, “You look like hell, you smell like booze, and you haven't complained once this week. Something's wrong, and I can only imagine you're not talking to your father about it because I…”
Henry threw up his hands, “I have no idea. Dorian? Help me out here?”
Dorian sat on the other side of Basil. It was just the three of them today since Liam was accompanying Raven and Irene into town.
“I agree with everything you said and raise the fact he looks like he hasn't been sleeping either.”
Basil said nothing staring off into the distance. Henry and Dorian glanced at each other and decided to leave him alone for now. They didn’t have the same relationship with Basil as they had with Adolph and they respected that. Whatever Basil was working through would just have to be private until he was ready to talk.
After lunch they let Basil help put plaster on the last of the steps and repair the columns rather than handle chopping wood. The altar was complete, the grounds were repaired, and short of the plants Oliver would plant, the temple had been restored.
“Well, look at you all. We leave for a few hours and suddenly you're done!”
Henry gave Raven a wry look, “Never mind that we've been working on this for the last couple of weeks?”
Raven’s eyes glittered with humor as she kissed his cheek, “You’re just that amazing. We’ll say it only took you a few days.”
Dorian laughed, “Oh, if that was the case we would have been done a lot sooner and less tired!”
Raven laughed, “Well, you’re probably not as tired as Liam is since you only sent him out with us.”
Henry grinned, “Probably not, but someone has to be sacrificed for the greater good.”
Raven looked down at Basil who was sitting on the bottom step of the temple and staring up at the castle. It seemed that her nephew was really starting to think about his choices and where they'd led him. Maybe he’d start thinking about where else he might want to go soon.
“If the temple is done, we're going to send out the invitations today. That will give Oliver plenty of time to plant.”
“The royal calligrapher got through them all?”
Raven grinned, “There's nothing like a little tenacity to get things rolling.”
Henry could only imagine that meant Raven and Irene had nagged the poor man to keep a brutal production pace, but he couldn't begrudge her that. Adolph was her twin after all, and the sooner they completed the ceremony the better it would be for their reign.
Raven checked the temple off her list and went back inside with Irene to meet with Laurel and the royal tailor. She found Laurel in her office pouring over documents and seemingly absorbed in her work.
The poor woman looked a mess, but Raven kept her tone even and her smile light.
“Laurel, it's time for your fitting.”
Laura looked up, her eyes wide and slightly fearful. Raven closed the door behind her and approached the desk.
“So soon?”
“It's been several weeks, dear. The temple is complete and we're sending out invitations this afternoon.”
She took a deep breath. She couldn't believe time had flown by so quickly. Had it really been so long since she’d been poisoned? Her hand started to tremble at the thought of putting on another wedding gown, but she pushed those thoughts away. She already made her decision to stay in the kingdom and stand by Adolph’s side. She couldn't and wouldn't turn back now.
She stood and rounded the desk before following Raven out of her office. They went to a different parlor than the one they had been in before. She didn't know what that meant, but she was sort of grateful to have this wedding’s preparations be different than before. She wondered if they would have to be in the same room for brunch or if some other tradition would replace it. She was almost afraid to ask.
“Here we are.”
Raven opened the door and ushered her inside where the royal tailor stood with a bright smile.
“I imagine your measurements haven't changed much, but it's important to get it right with this style of gown.”
What could that possibly mean? She did not ask the question, but stepped onto the tailor’s step and tried not to be nervous.
“As you've asked, we've pulled together all the traditions we could manage. And given how your last wedding went, we've decided to step it up a notch and really show the people how much your wedding will mean for the country.”
Laurel nodded. She and Adolf needed to look destined to be together given how inauspicious the last attempt had been. She wondered what that would look like. Raven gave her a smug look.
“It's been several generations since a king was married in the temple. The tradition fell out of practice several generations ago when the temple on-premise was destroyed.”
No one was sure what happened. The temple should have been mostly protected from all things, but most assumed that it had something to do with the shift in power that led to the creation of the ministries and no one had bothered to try and repair it because of that belief.
“Now that you and Adolf are dissolving the ministries it'll be good to lean on that mythos and the general understanding of what it means to be married at a temple.”
Laurel shook her head, “I don't understand. What difference does it make if we're married at a temple?”
“Having a priestess preside over the ceremony is important; however, having such a ceremony take place on temple grounds is like having the moon goddess’ stamp of approval on the union. It will cut down any rumors the ministers or anyone who may oppose your union has begun to spread since the last attempt.”
Irene smiled, “Having your marriage sanctioned by the moon goddess will lend a level of credibility that no one can contest. It will also help ease people's concerns about your age difference and the fact that you're so young when taking the throne.”
She never considered it that way, but it made perfect sense. The moon goddess was considered the highest authority in the werewolf kingdom. She had a feeling that the moon goddess might also have a very powerful role in the vampire queen’s domain as well, but she tried not to think about that. She still wasn't sure what to do about Eden or what to make of his presence in the werewolf Kingdom.
The tailor finished her measurements before bringing a long silver-white cloth towards her and laying it across her shoulder.
She hummed, “Do you think it's enough?”
Raven drew a hand over the fabric, “I think with the right amount of flowers and adornments it'll be perfect. We were lucky they had enough to spare.”
Laura frowned, “Isn't this the same material they wear in the temple?”
“It is. You and Adolph will be wearing temple robes as it is taking place at a temple.”
Laurel chuckled, “How traditional.”
“Exactly!”

Laurel left the parlor feeling a bit more at ease. She asked Lynn to escort her out into the city to check on things and asked another attendant to find Delia as her lessons with Lady Helena would soon be over for the day. As she waited, Eden approached through the main gates.
“Eden!” Laurel called. “You made it back.”
“For now,” Eden said. “A few days rest before I head out again”
She sighed, “I'm sorry you won't be here, but please come back safely. Maybe you'll be back in time for the celebration?”
He gave her a tense smile, “Maybe.”