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Link to Bells and Bows Part 2
Ianto paused in his nervous pacing of the registry office corridor at the sound of hurrying footsteps. He turned to see Tosh hurrying toward them, and smiled as she dragged him into a hug.
“I am so pleased for you Ianto, thank you for inviting me.”
“We’re glad you could come. You had no trouble getting away then?”
“Gwen wanted to know where I was going, nosy cow. I told her a wedding, but that it was no one she knew, and then I deactivated all the trackers on my car.” She grinned, hugging him again before going to say hello to the others, going down on her knees to hug the children.
“Jones Dutine party.” An usher called out. The group gathered around her, Angharad and Huw gathering up the children as Terrell came to Ianto’s side and slipped an arm around his waist.
“We’re here.” Ianto told the girl, smiling happily at Terrell.
“Come this way please.”
She led them into the registrars’ office, and closed the doors quietly as she left. Ianto’s family and the others spread themselves evenly across the chairs on both sides of the aisle as Terrell had no family, and when everyone was settled, Ianto and Terrell walked together down to the front where the registrar waited for them. She smiled kindly at their obvious nerves.
“Are you ready?” She asked them quietly.
“Yes.” They answered together. She nodded and raised her voice so that all of the guests could hear her.
“Good morning everyone. Ianto and Terrell, you have chosen to publicly affirm today your commitment, and to offer each other the security that comes from a legally binding partnership and vows sincerely made and faithfully kept. My name is Caroline, and it will be my pleasure to conduct the ceremony.
This place in which you are now met has been duly sanctioned according to law for the formation of Civil Partnerships. You are here to witness the formation of a Civil Partnership by Ianto and Terrell. If any person present knows of any impediment to this Civil Partnership, they should declare it now.”
She paused to give anyone who objected a chance to speak, and despite knowing that no one there would say anything, both Ianto and Terrell tensed with bated breath, half expecting something to go wrong. No one said a word, and with another smile, she continued.
“I must now ask each of you in turn to make the following declarations: I declare that I know of no legal reason,”
“I declare that I know of no legal reason,” Ianto repeated back at her nod.
“Why I Ianto.”
“Why I Ianto.
“May not register as the civil partner of Terrell.”
“May not register as the civil partner of Terrell.”
Ianto watched Terrell as the registrar took him through the same declaration, smiling lovingly as their eyes met.
“Do you have the rings?” Caroline asked, and Jack moved forward to hand them to Ianto and Terrell, making sure they each got the correct band.
“The giving of a ring signifies the promise of love that is everlasting. It will be a symbol of the commitment between Ianto and Terrell, they will now make their vows to each other and exchange rings.”
She led first Ianto and then Terrell through the vows and exchange of rings, and the signing of the register, Ianto’s sisters acting as their witnesses. Once they were back in their seats, the registrar once more addressed the room.
“Ianto and Terrell, having made a solemn and binding contract with each other in my presence and in the presence of the witnesses here assembled, I am delighted to declare you are now civil partners. Congratulations.”
She shook hands with both of them, then headed out of the door at the back of the room to officiate a ceremony in another room, giving the newly weds and their family a few minutes for congratulations. Angharad was already pulling her camera out of her bag, grinning from ear to ear.
“I am so happy,” she said, yanking them both into a hug.
“Right, we need some photos, we’ll have a couple here, then some out on the steps, and after that off to the reception.”
“Whatever you say mam.” Ianto laughed, pleased to see her so enthusiastic.
She bossed them around like a pro to get some pictures, but eventually they were piling into cars on the way to the reception. Ianto and Terrell were in the back of his father’s car, and he kept his eyes firmly on the road as they kissed gently.
“I love you so much, Terrell.” Ianto whispered into the kiss.
“And I you, Ianto.”
They didn’t notice the journey passing, they were so wrapped up in each other, and were both startled as Huw pulled the car to a halt outside a beautiful, secluded restaurant on the coast road. Everyone had got there before them, and there were cheers and wolf whistles at their mussed appearances.
“What have you two been up to?” Jack teased lightly, laughing as Angharad batted him around the shoulder.
“Stop teasing.” She giggled at him. He grinned unrepentantly at her, swinging Kalen in his arms.
“Let’s go inside.” The Doctor came abreast of them, Bobby sitting on his shoulders. Jack grinned, and transferred Kalen to his left arm to offer Angharad his right.
“Allow me to escort you.”
“Flirt,” she said, but took his arm, allowing him to guide her to her seat beside Huw.
Ianto smiled at Tosh as she came up beside him and Terrell after the meal.
“Would you mind if I wound Owen and Gwen up?” She asked.
“What did you have in mind?”
“Taking the pictures off my digital camera at the hub, accidentally on purpose where they can see.”
“Hmm, you don’t have one of you with Terrell, myself and the Doctor and Jack, do you?”
“No.”
“Well, we’ll have to rectify that, won’t we? Just to really make the point.” Ianto laughed, his eyes skating around the room for the Time Lord and the immortal.
“How long are you staying, just so I know when it’s safe to take them off the camera?” She asked as the three of them headed across the room.
“Not long, a day or two with my parents, then we’ll be off again, we have an appointment to keep on another world,” Ianto said, smiling at Terrell. They were both really looking forward to the Pair Union that was still to come, and then the Doctor had promised them a honeymoon stop on a nice planet.
“Are you having a honeymoon?” Tosh asked, almost reading his mind.
“Yes, but they won’t tell us where.” Ianto smiled, nodding in the direction of Jack and the Doctor.
“It’s so romantic.” She sighed.
After Tosh had gotten her ‘wind up Torchwood’ pictures taken, she kissed Ianto and Terrell on the cheeks, and said she had to go. Her leaving seemed to be a signal for people to come in ones and twos to say their goodbyes, and in the end, it was just Ianto and Terrell, Ianto’s parents, Jack, the Doctor and the children, and Bronwyn who headed back to the farmhouse in Huw and Bronwyn’s cars half an hour later.
It was close to
“Congratulations you two, we’ll all see you in the morning.” Before heading off to join up with her family.
Everyone else headed off to bed, leaving Ianto and Terrell looking over the moonlit Beacons in peace.
“Yours is a beautiful world,” Terrell said, pulling Ianto into an embrace.
“Sometimes, yes. It has it’s dark sides, it’s evils.” Ianto sighed, looking up at the full moon hanging over the hills, thinking about the cannibals they had run into out there in the wilds.
“In all this time, I have yet to see a planet that did not, my own included. This world may have it’s problems, but it did give me you.” Terrell breathed, turning Ianto round and kissing him.
“You know, on this world, there is a tradition that the wedding night is spent in the bedchamber.” Ianto hinted, deepening the kiss.
“Interesting, my world has the same tradition. Who are we to buck such a tradition?”
“Perish the thought,” Ianto said, pulling away to grab Terrell’s hand and drag him to the TARDIS.
***
“There you are, Praxtelline Major,” the Doctor said two days later, activating the view screen to show a planet that seemed to be all pastels. The grass was shades of lilac, the sky a powder blue, and the trees and flowers all the shades of the rainbow.
“This is where we are going to have the Pair Union?” Ianto asked.
“Yes. The priestesses will know we are here already, they will meet us in one hour. Are you and Terrell ready to talk to them?”
“I guess. This isn’t the
“No, they will just want to meet you and your sponsors now, to assess which of them is most attuned to you. The Pair Union itself will take place at the height of the full moons, tomorrow night.”
“What if none of them are attuned to us?”
“Ianto, they will all be attuned at some level, it’s just to see who is the most attuned.” The Doctor assured him.
“Right, ok, I’ll go and see if Jack needs a hand getting the children ready.”
“Jack has the children under control. Go and see Terrell, tell him we’ve landed, have sex, whatever, just settle down.”
Ianto blushed, and smiled as left the console room. Much as he would like for him and Terrell to make love before going out to face the priestesses, they had spent the last couple of days doing little else, and both were a little sore.
Terrell was still sprawled on the bed when Ianto came into the bedroom.
“We’ve landed, we meet the priestesses in just under an hour,” he said.
“Good,” Terrell said, tugging Ianto down to lie beside him on the bed.
“What if they don’t like us, don’t like that I am from such a backward planet?”
“Ianto my love, on this world, they do not care what planet a Pair comes from , they are only concerned with the depth of the love that the pair has for one another. We will be fine.” He stroked his fingers lightly over Ianto’s cheek, leaning in to kiss him.
“I suppose we should shower, and get changed,” Ianto said fifteen minutes later, smoothing his fingers through the tangles he had made in Terrell’s hair.
“Hmm, I suppose we should.” Terrell made no move to release Ianto though, pulling him down into another kiss.
The Doctor and Jack looked up with a smile as the two of them hurried into the console room with just five minutes to spare before they had to leave to meet the priestesses.
“Just in time,” the Doctor said, throwing the lever to open the door and allowing the two of them to precede the rest of them out of the TARDIS.
There were five women waiting for them in a sheltered glade beside a crystal clear lake. All five of them wore the palest violet robes, and serene expressions.
“Welcome,” one said, stepping forward, she had long, dark hair curling down her back to her waist, and leaf green eyes.
“I am Celestine, the head priestess here. Who are those wishing to be united under the moons of Praxtelline?”
“I am Terrell, and this is Ianto. We wish to be united,” Terrell said, stepping forward with Ianto and going down on one knee before her, bowing his head. Ianto immediately did the same.
“And who will be your sponsors and guides in this union?”
“Jack.”
“Doctor,” the two said, going down on one knee to the left and right and slightly behind Ianto and Terrell. The children sat in the soft grass, watching quietly as Celestine drew Ianto and Terrell to their feet.
“It will be our honor to perform the Pair Union for you, Ianto and Terrell, under the eyes of your sponsors, Jack and Doctor, and the blessings of the moon. Come, walk with us, and we will discover which of us shall unite you. Your sponsors may wait here for our return.”
“Thank you,” Ianto said quietly.
The five women led him and Terrell away, and Jack and the Doctor rose from their knees, going to sit with the children while they waited for them all to come back.
“So, do you think they’ll like their honeymoon?” Jack asked, smiling as the children both snuggled into him.
“I don’t see why they wouldn’t. Rosenante is the perfect resort world. Private romantic islands for the honeymooners, and the fun zones, for us to take the children to. Always temperate weather, pure seas.”
“Sounds lovely.”
The Doctor slipped an arm around Jack, holding him close as he leaned down to kiss the children on the tops of their heads, before capturing Jack’s lips in a soft kiss.
When Terrell and Ianto came back, there was only one of the women walking with them. She had silver hair that reached her shoulders, and very pale blue eyes.
“Jack, Doctor, this is Solaris. She will be performing the Pair Union for us tomorrow,” Ianto said.
“Honored to meet you, Solaris,” the Doctor said, getting to his feet and bowing.
“Thank you, I shall look forward to performing the ceremony tomorrow evening. Until then.” She gave them a slight bow and glided away.
“She’s really nice.” Ianto smiled at them.
“So you’re a bit calmer about this now?” The Doctor asked.
“Yes. I can’t wait.” Ianto grinned, pulling Terrell into a deep kiss.
“Good.”
***
The moons were high the next evening when the six of them left the TARDIS, returning to the glade. They were all wearing simple white robes, even the children, and Solaris was waiting for them when they came to the edge of the lake.
“Welcome.” She smiled, gesturing to an arch of woven flowers that stood in the moonlight.
“Ianto and Terrell, please step under the arch. Doctor, Jack, please take your positions to the left and right of the Pair to be united.”
They all stood where they were told, Jack settling the children against a tree so that they could watch without being in the way before taking his position at Ianto’s side.
“We stand here tonight to ask the blessings of Serris and Santro, the twin moons of Praxtelline on the Pair Union of Ianto and Terrell. In the site of Serris and Santro, and of their sponsors, Jack and Doctor, these beings will now pledge their lives to one another to death and beyond. Terrell, speak the words after me. I pledge myself body, heart and soul to Ianto.”
“I pledge myself body, heart and soul to Ianto.”
“I ask that Serris and Santro read the truth of my love in my heart and offer their blessings to our union.”
“I ask that Serris and Santro read the truth of my love in my heart and offer their blessings to our union.”
“I ask that my sponsor, Doctor, bear witness to my pledge.”
“I ask that my sponsor, Doctor, bear witness to my pledge.”
“I ask that he stands at my side to test my commitment to Ianto.”
“I ask that he stands at my side to test my commitment to Ianto.”
She led Ianto through the same pledge, with Jack as the sponsor, and then pulled down a white silk cord that had been lying over the flowers in the arch. She bound Terrell and Ianto’s right hands together, before stepping back.
“I ask your sponsors to now test the strength of your commitment and your pledge.”
Jack and the Doctor stepped to the right of Ianto and Terrell, and each gripped their right forearms, tugging firmly three times. The cord held, keeping their hands bound, and Jack and the Doctor stepped back to their former positions.
“Doctor, are you satisfied with the strength of the commitment and the pledge?”
“I am satisfied.”
“Jack, are you satisfied with the strength of the commitment and the pledge?”
“I am satisfied.”
“Serris and Santro have blessed the Pair Union of Ianto and Terrell, binding them together by their light. You will now kiss to seal the union for all time.”
Terrell leaned forward, taking Ianto’s lips in an almost chaste kiss.
“This union is now complete, and from this moment, you two go forward as one. Blessed be.”
“Blessed be.” The four of them echoed her.
She stepped back from the arch, bowing slightly.
“I offer my congratulations,” she said.
“We thank you,” Terrell replied.
She drifted off into the shadows, and Jack grinned.
“Right, so. Honeymoon for the newly weds?”
“Indeed.” The Doctor agreed, carefully unwinding the cord, not cutting it, and handing it to Terrell.
“Come on, let’s get on our way,” the Doctor said, picking up Bobby as he and Kalen rejoined them from where they had been watching.
They went back to the TARDIS, taking off for Rosenante as soon as they were inside.
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Back to Bells and Bows Part 1
Well, there it is. I really hope that this isn’t too disappointing after how long I have kept you waiting for it.
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*Does happy dance from reading next chapter of favourite story*
That was goregous! by the way. Loved the bit about Tosh winding the others way.
Hope you update again soon *hint!Honeymoon!hint*. Can't wait!
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Glad you liked it, and enjoyed the thought of Tosh winding up the others.
You want to peek in on their honeymoon? How very naughty of you, lol. I will consider it. *grin*
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FANTASTIC mate. rosenate sounds great for a honeymoon! i like both ceremonies i hope the next chapter doent take as long :-P
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Rosenante sounds like a nice place, doesn't it ;-)). Glad you liked the ceremonies, the Civil Partnership (which was the biggest stumbling block to this chapter, being as I had no idea what went on at one)is actually a proper Civil Partnership thing, I finally found it online, thereby removing the problem. This means that hopefully the next updates should be nowhere near as far away.
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u still haven't explain what was up with jack in the last couple of chapter. plz update soon
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No, I haven't explained that yet have I *smirk* You DO remember how long I left y'all hanging on the explanation for his eyes, right? I'll most certainly be updating asap, I have a honeymoon to peek in on!
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Fantastic job!!
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I was thrilled we got two weddings in this one fic. So nice for Ianto and Terrell to have Ianto's family and Tosh there for the civil partnership ceremony. It was sweet. And I love Tosh's idea for winding up the rest of Torchwood.
The Pair Union was romantic and again sweet.
Well done!
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Tosh doesn't get nearly enough chance to wind up the others, lol.
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I could have done with a little bit less of just the characters repeating the vows, or a little bit more of how the characters felt while the vows were being repeated but that's just me.
If you're up for suggestions, I would absolutely love to see Rose (and possibly Mickey and Jake) show up at some point, maybe accidentally getting sucked back through the Void or something and their reaction to the kids and the domiscisity (sp?) of the current TARDIS situation.
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I did a poll for this 'verse a while back, and people overall don't want Rose to show up, not even for a guest appearance, so she isn't very likely unfortunately. I may write a stand alone, where she/they turn up.
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