That man

Noelle escaped from the room, his breath coming fast and heart pounding. The giddiness bubbling inside was undeniable. He stepped outside and instinctively hid his flushed face behind his hands. Embarrassment washed over him, his cheeks burning. He couldn't stop thinking about Thorne's face this morning—so devastatingly handsome—and that rare smile that had made his stomach flip. The memory alone made him want to hide away, overwhelmed by the intensity of it all.

He absently touched the choker around his neck, the delicate velvet pressing against his skin, and was immediately transported back to their wedding day. It happened every time he held the necklace, a flood of memories that he cherished, though it always came with a bittersweet pang.

---

**Two weeks ago…**

The little room inside the temple felt suffocating. Noelle shifted uncomfortably in the elaborate wedding attire, the layers heavy and foreign against his skin. His hair had been styled into an intricate updo, far more complex than anything he was used to. He barely recognized himself. The nervousness twisted his stomach into knots. *Why am I nervous? We're already married,* he thought. But the thought didn't calm his nerves as much as he hoped it would.

A soft knock echoed against the door, and Noelle instinctively sat straighter on the edge of the bed. "Come in," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Expecting to see a priestess, Noelle was stunned when Aunt Nancy entered the room instead. "Aunt Nancy?" Noelle's voice cracked, tears threatening to spill from his eyes.

"No, no, no, my sweet Noelle. Don't cry," Aunt Nancy rushed over, pulling a handkerchief from her sleeve to gently dab at Noelle's face. "You'll mess up your pretty face and all that fancy makeup they've done," she scolded lightly, her touch tender.

"How did you—how are you here?" Noelle asked, his voice thick with emotion.

"Your husband sent us money," Aunt Nancy said as she sat beside Noelle on the bed. "Enough money that almost the entire village could have come, but we decided it was best if I came on behalf of everyone. Thorne wrote in his letter that we were your family, and he wished we could be here for you on this day." Aunt Nancy's eyes sparkled with warmth. "So here I am."

Noelle's throat tightened with emotion, the love he had for his village and its people washing over him. "But… you shouldn't have used the money—"

"Hush now," Aunt Nancy said with a soft smile. "We used the rest to get you something." From the folds of her cloak, she pulled out a small satchel. Opening it carefully, she revealed a small velvet box, the kind used for jewelry. Noelle's breath caught as Aunt Nancy opened the box to reveal a sparkling anklet, adorned with delicate diamonds.

"It's… it's beautiful," Noelle gasped.

"Isn't it? We all pitched in," Aunt Nancy said with a chuckle, motioning for Noelle to lift his leg. "Go on, give me your leg."

Noelle hesitated, feeling a bit awkward, but Aunt Nancy huffed. "I've wiped your behind when you were full of snot and worse. Don't be shy now."

With a sheepish smile, Noelle complied, and Aunt Nancy carefully fastened the anklet around his ankle. "There you go, so pretty," Aunt Nancy said, admiring her work. "Just like your mother."

The mention of his mother sent a warmth through Noelle's chest. Aunt Nancy's hand cupped Noelle's cheek, her eyes misting over with pride. "And look at you, in that beautiful green dress. It matches your eyes perfectly. You're the most beautiful bride I've ever seen."

Noelle bit his lip, feeling overwhelmed by emotion.

Aunt Nancy reached into her sleeve again and pulled out a simple, elegant hairpin. "This was your mother's. She didn't have much when she came to the village, just the clothes on her back and a few pieces of jewelry. She sold most of them to make ends meet, but she gave this to me as a gift. I always thought there was a reason I couldn't bring myself to sell it, and now I know why."

With trembling hands, Aunt Nancy tucked the hairpin into Noelle's intricate hairstyle. "I'm glad I got to do this for you. I was worried when you left, but I'm so proud of you. And that husband of yours—he's a good man. Not many people choose to marry under the Church of Elaris, but he did it for you. He must cherish you a great deal."

Noelle's heart swelled with gratitude and affection, but before he could respond, a priestess bustled into the room, gently urging Aunt Nancy to leave as she fixed Noelle's makeup and made last-minute adjustments to his appearance.

---

When the time came, Noelle's head was covered in a veil, and he could hear the murmur of voices outside. The ceremony had drawn quite a crowd—likely the most activity this small branch of the Church had seen in ages. Thorne had truly gone out of his way, arranging for a bishop from the capital to officiate their marriage. He stepped outside, his shoes left behind at the temple's entrance as he walked barefoot on the sacred path.

At the center of the clearing, beneath a massive ancient tree, Thorne stood waiting. He looked impossibly handsome in his black formal suit, but what caught Noelle's attention was his smile. It was soft, almost boyish, and filled with a tenderness he hadn't seen before.

He stifled a giggle when an older woman in deep green robes—Bishop Grace, he assumed—scolded Thorne for something, knocking him lightly on the head.

The priestess at Noelle's side whispered for him to kneel, and he did so, feeling the cushion beneath his knees as he waited for the ceremony to begin. Bishop Grace's voice was gruff but kind as she addressed them both, her eyes filled with the wisdom of a woman who had seen countless unions come and go.

"I may be something like a mother to you, Thorne," Bishop Grace said, her tone teasing yet affectionate. "But I will always side with the Omega. Noelle, are you sure you wish to marry this man? If not, you need only say the word, and I'll make sure you're safe."

"I do," Noelle whispered, his voice barely audible beneath his veil. Then, with more confidence, he repeated, "I do."

"Very well," Bishop Grace said, casting a sideways glance at Thorne. "You could do much better, you know."

"Grace!" Thorne yelped, looking affronted.

The bishop merely chuckled before continuing with the ceremony. "Elaris, the Mother of Life, has her favorites. And her favorites will always be those who give life. She watches over you now. Thorne, do you swear to cherish Noelle?"

"I swear."

"To protect? To love? To grow and to respect?"

"I swear," Thorne repeated, his voice steady.

The air around them seemed to hum with energy, the charged atmosphere adding weight to the moment. Bishop Grace nodded approvingly before motioning for Thorne to continue.

Thorne knelt before Noelle and presented him with a box. He peeked inside to find a choker nestled within, black velvet adorned with intricate gold and silver designs, its centerpiece a stunning star-shaped diamond that shimmered with rainbow hues when the light caught it just right. It was imposing and regal—just like Thorne.

Thorne's voice was thick with emotion as he spoke. "Noelle, you came into my life and pulled me out of the darkness. Nothing I can ever do will compare to what you've done for me. I will spend the rest of my life trying to be the star for you, as you are for me. You are my star, my lone star, guiding me, comforting me, lighting my path in the dark. I hope I can be your star too."

Noelle's chest tightened at his words, the sincerity in his voice leaving him breathless.

"I swear on my life, beneath the gaze of Elaris, to always treat you as you deserve. I will try every day to be someone worthy of you. Noelle… please, let me be yours."

Noelle blinked away the tears that had gathered beneath his veil, nodding as he whispered, "I'm sure."

Bishop Grace cleared her throat, making them both remember her presence. "Very well then. Let no one question this union."

Thorne carefully lifted Noelle's veil, his hands steady but his expression focused. He placed the choker around Noelle's neck with the same care he gave to everything concerning him, and when it was done, their eyes met, and the world seemed to fall away.

---

**Present Day…**

The soft cooing of birds pulled Noelle back to the present, his fingers still wrapped around the choker. He smiled to himself, shaking his head. The entire ceremony had taken less than an hour, yet it remained one of the most profound moments of his life. Thorne had told him later that he'd skipped most of the traditional rituals, and he still laughed at the thought.

That man, he thought, his smile widening as he headed off to tend to his beloved garden. That infuriating, wonderful man.