Chapter Forty-two.
(Necessary inventions for a mother, A simple wedding, Flowers all over, and A good husband)
Among dear Peter’s many inventions (most of them were cluttering up a ballroom that had been left long abandoned, now) was an adjustable bed backing that could raise her into a sitting position with the use of a crank. The automatons were forbidden from fighting over who got to use it and perforce drew straws to see whose go it was.
Peters Two and Three were sound asleep and fast gaining the nicknames Duo and Trike, thanks to the automatons. Well… it was only a slight bit better than the Latin. Her attempts to name them Peter and Pete respectively had failed.
She decided, as preparations for their small wedding got underway, that at least her boys would hear her using their proper names. Maybe not all the time, but definitely a lot more than their metal siblings would.
Ye Gods, what a strange family. Three automaton boys, one maybe-girl automaton, and twin boys. A family of six and she was only just now getting married at last.
Chloe did up Iris’ hair for her, and let Three add daisies from the garden and a few interesting feathers into the braids. Penelope served as a bridesmaid and The Admiral as a beaming best man. Peter had babbled briefly about inviting Thaddeus Becile on the basis that they had been friends for so long.
Iris squashed that notion flat with four words, “He’s in prison, dear.”
And Peter went oddly silent and glum, staring into his memories for a moment. “It… didn’t have to be that way…” and then his father and the priest whisked him away to at least put on a nice suit for the occasion.
Rabbit insisted on being a flower girl. Which meant that she had to have both flowers and feathers inserted into every gap in her plating, wherever her brothers could make them stay. The end effect was… somewhat alarming, to say the least.
Especially when Three stuck an entire bouquet into the top of his head. Or when Rabbit and Hatchworth got together to string garlands of flowers between all four of them.
She was going to have to make them some form of clothes. Babies could only wander around naked for so long. And they seemed to adore playing dress-up, anyway.
Lord bless Father Kerning for politely ignoring the spectacle and carrying on, regardless. During the reason and impediment part, there was an audible clang as each automaton slammed at least one hand over the mouth of another metal sibling.
The simple gold band Peter put on her hand gleamed against her browner skin. And the simple band she put on his somehow set off his alabaster skin. And when their hands joined… Well. It was all the magic she needed.
Three cheered at the ceremonial kiss. And then became disappointed that there was not magic. That poor lad had absorbed far too many fairy tales. Peter giggled a little as he settled in for an extended hug. In a few more days, both Granny Josie would let her up to walk around the upper floor. Provided her bleeding continued to taper off.
If all went well, she would next face the world as Mrs Peter Walter.
Though he would insist on introducing her as Mrs Iris Walter. Just a slight little kick in the shins to tradition, rather than an entire buck of it.
She got to enjoy showers of feathers and petals and the hushed cheers of the automatons and her friends alike before the twin Peters began to stir. At least her freshly-minted husband was more than willing to help with the messy parts.
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