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Florence Trumper stands by her champion (notachesspiece) wrote in wariscoming, @ 2012-03-03 10:28:00

Who: Freddie and Florence Trumper
What: Bringing back the golden era
When: Afternoon! Today!
Where: A reception hall in Lawrence
Warnings: Sap, ego, more sap, no fighting for once...


The day had finally come and Freddie Trumper had never been more ready for anything in his life. He didn’t know how to put it into words but eight or so years after meeting this woman, and another 30 on top of it thanks to the seal he was finally standing in front of her about to say the words that would tie them together forever. It was all so perfectly organized by Florence, not hugely religious. Freddie had never particularly held to any faith besides that he held in himself and those sixty four squares. And Florence hadn’t seemed to mind. So he stood, Roger beside him, his hippie face twin still looking not entirely happy about the whole thing. And he understood that, he did. There was so much between him and Florence. So much in the past, Anatoly and everything that had happened in Merano and Bangkok.

But that wasn’t all her fault. Freddie knew that, knew he’d messed her around. Treated her like crap. Oh she’d still run off with the commie bastard but she’d made her apologies and they’d gotten past it. Both of them had grown up a hell of a lot since their last meeting, and now. Yeah. They were ready.

As the music started the Chess Champion tensed, this, right here was scarier than any game. But with a look to his son and daughter from the future and the most unexpected of friends he’d made. Yeah, he knew this was the right move.

From what she understood, Florence knew the fluttering of nerves in her stomach was completely normal. Not a cold feet, make-a-run-for-it-you’re-making-a-huge-mistake sort of fluttering. No, this was entirely excitement and happiness and maybe a little bit of fear that something was about to go ridiculously wrong, but with the last few weeks, who wouldn’t be a bit anxious about that? None of those nerves had anything to do with the choice she’d made when he’d handed her that white knight. This was what she’d wanted all along, and it was there, in front of her, ready to be hers.

When the doors opened and she took Andy’s arm to lead her down the aisle, she knew this was where she was meant to be. Oh, sure, at times she hated the Seal. Who didn’t? The way it could change the game without them knowing until it was too late was worthy of being hated. But she looked at the small group gathered in front of her. A few close friends they’d made. Darcy beaming at her. The boys, both large and small, who were such a part of her life that she hadn’t hesitated to have all four there. Her own children, Freddie’s face with her coloring and the pixie that was so much like her it almost scared her. Hers. Hers and his, despite everything that could have prevented them from being. And, of course, the man who had made her who she was.

Oh, he’d been a part of her life back home. But if it hadn’t been for the Seal bringing them here together, would they have ever gotten to this point? Probably not. An entire ocean would have kept them apart. And unless circumstance forced them together, she’d have continued avoiding him, and the world of Chess entirely. She never would have seen that smile he was giving just then. The one meant only for her.

And she didn’t hesitate for an instant to make that walk, feeling more beautiful and confident than she ever had before. No tournament, no press conference, no date with any man but this one had ever made her feel more sure of herself.

He didn’t look back, cause you weren’t supposed to look back, right? Not until they got up there, not until they were beside you and you lifted the veil and everything was perfect because they were beside you. That’s how people had told him it went, and he was more than ready for it. But he knew she was there all the same. Her and Andy with bridesmaids behind them walking down the aisle toward him, step by agonizingly slow step. Until finally, there he was, there they were.

Perfect. He lifted the veil, eyes focused on her and nowhere else as he took her hand from Andy’s, and she looked stunning, absolutely stunning. And she was going to marry him. She was actually going to stand before them all and say those words that made them one. Freddie was pretty sure the basic ceremony passed in a blur, a lot of words, a lot of, joined together by law stuff that was needed but didn’t mean they were married yet, there was the whole objection bit and he held his breath for a few moments.

Nothing. No one. Thankfully.

And finally the woman was asking him if he was ready to read his vows, and the cocky arrogant man who’d been credited with singlehandedly revitalizing the world of Chess very nearly went mute. Oh he knew what he wanted to say, but saying it? Putting it out there publically. “Dammit Vassy I love you” he started with a wry smile. “I’ve loved you since we first met and I’m fairly sure I never stopped but it took a long time for me to work out what that meant. It didn’t mean how I treated you near the end, the attitude, the dramatics. But we got past that, all of that, and we wound up here, and nah it wasn’t easy, was it. It wasn’t perfect right away but we got there. And we know some of what’s ahead for us.” he told her with a nod to the two kids sitting nearby. “I was so scared, so utterly terrified that I’d do it wrong, be just like my Mom and Dad and ruin the life of any kid I helped bring into this world. But look at them, maybe I don’t, maybe we don’t and the reason any of this came about, the reason any of this still means what it means. Is you. You were willing to start again with me, see where it took us and it took us here. Its the Golden Era honey, you and me. And I don’t mean the game. I’m so proud to be standing here right now. Marrying you. I love you Florence Vassy”

As soon as his hand met hers, everything else flew out of her head. This was their moment. Oh, they were sharing it with others. And soon enough, she’d be happy to greet all of those people who were willing to congratulate them and spend time with them. But for that moment, there was nothing in the world but Freddie for her. The man who had still wanted her despite all the things that had gone wrong. The man who lifted the veil and looked into her eyes with more love than she’d seen anyone wear before.

His sense of humor peeked through when he began his vows, and she giggled, shaking her head as she listened. And yes, fine, she cried. Not heartwrenching sobs, not miserable hiccuping cries, but happy tears that welled up and didn’t quite spill over. Her hand tightened on his as he admitted his fears and worries for all to hear. She loved him as much for that as for anything else that day. Maybe more. Because a younger Freddie would never have admitted his imperfections. Especially not to others. And this one was willing to do so.

“I fought for this for years,” she began, her hand still tight on his. “But I think it’s better that we waited, looking back on it. I loved you then. I know I did, there’s not a doubt in my mind that I did. Now, though... Now I know what love really is. I’ve seen it come and go and come back to me and I know that now’s the right time. Now I know that I’ve never been more happy than I am at this moment and that no one will ever make me feel like you do.” It had taken being apart for her to see that. Being apart, trying new things (and yes, fine, new people), and an Apocalypse. But maybe it had all been for the best. Because of it, she knew she was in the right place at the right time with the right man by her side.

And she loved him.

“I will always love you, Freddie. No matter what. Whatever this world throws at us, I know we’ll get through it because we’re together. And from here on out, it’s you and me. Like it’s meant to be.”

She really had wanted this for years, pushed for it, and every time he’d rebuffed her because marriage was for other people. They could be just fine, they could do their thing and they didn’t have to put a label on it. They didn’t need kids, they just needed each other. But Florence knew what she wanted and Freddie had been so afraid of it. Oh he knew why, even then he’d known why. His parents, he’d watched one marriage fall apart, he wouldn’t do that to her or any kids they might have. It would have been cruel. But little by little here in this messed up world she’d chipped away at that wall he kept so firmly around those feelings. The place had changed him so much already by the time she’d arrived, and they’d just learned to be them again. Without Chess or politics or any of the other things that had torn them apart.

He loved her so completely and as the questions that would bind them together were asked Freddie was finally able to focus on them. Did he take her as his wife, for richer for poorer, the usual spiel. Well of course he did, why else would he be here, would the stupid woman just declare them wed already. At the appointed time he turned to Roger and retrieved the rings as well as a last final eyebrow raise. But he knew this was the right thing.

He recited what he needed to recite as he slipped the ring on her finger and waited for her to do her bit. And then there would be the whole ‘I do’ bit and then he could kiss his wife. His wife. He couldn’t wait. Though admittedly he’d never been known for his patience.

Florence wasn’t blind. She caught Roger’s expression. But it didn’t upset her or make her angry. In fact, it made her like Roger even more. She understood where he was coming from. Freddie had plenty of time in this world before she’d arrived to be angry. To stew over what she’d done. And he’d been the good friend, listening, taking it in, making her into the proper villain. His friend had been hurt, and badly. Of course, he didn’t see both sides, and that was okay. He didn’t have to. She’d prove it to him. To both of them. Yes, she’d made a mistake, she knew that as well as anyone. And it had taken a lot of time to gain Freddie’s trust back. But she felt she had, or else he wouldn’t have just firmly said those vows.

And he had. He’d said it all clearly, for the world to hear, and so had she, for that matter. Because she’d never been so sure of anything. They really had loved each other through sickness and health and richer and poorer and definitely in good times and bad. Because she’d even loved him through the darkest times, the times that had driven her away. And she was pretty sure an Apocalypse counted as a bad time. And the good times, those times they’d been on top of the world, those were a given. And they were going to have that again, she just knew it.

She slipped the ring on his finger with an almost smug smile, one he’d be proud of because it was an expression she’d learned from him. Too bad, because Florence felt she had the right to be smug. She was marrying the man she’d set eyes on eight years ago, and she was the happiest she’d ever been. She was finally becoming Mrs. Trumper and, all of her ‘new age woman’ things aside, she loved the very thought of it. She’d told him she could be an old-fashioned girl, just that once, just for this. It was perfect. And she really did love the sound of it.

It finally happened, those few simple words, ‘I now pronounce you husband and wife’ And Freddie didn’t wait to be told he could kiss his bride. That bit sort of went without saying to his mind. He dipped her down impressively and kissed her with a dramatic flourish. There had to be just a little bit of dramatic. He enjoyed it so much after all. But there it was, they were married. Finally they were married, and as he broke the kiss he shot her a smile and managed to whisper a quick ‘Got there in the end’ in her...in his wife’s ear before he was again focusing on the people that had come here to celebrate with them.

Roger wasn’t okay with it yet, not hugely, but Freddie knew he’d been hurt enough times by enough women and he knew Florence would make every effort with him as he did with Darcy and her other friends. They came as a pair now, a couple. King and Queen of the Chess World would be the next part. But for today, just for today. Freddie wasn’t thinking of moves or opponents or money or politics. Just Florence Trumper.

Maybe she should’ve scolded him, making such a to-do over a kiss. But she was giggling and happy and yes, fine, they were known for their dramatics. These were the good sort, though. Not the kind that made headlines, not yet anyway. But the kind that would keep their friends talking. Really, she couldn’t complain. Not when it meant kissing Freddie, which is something she enjoyed on most any day, really.

Today, though...today was special. Today was their day, all for them, and no one would take it away. Automatically her arm slid around him, and as they were presented for the first time as Mr. and Mrs. Freddie Trumper, she beamed brightly. Not out at the people they were being presented to, but to her husband. The man she’d fought for, defended, and loved despite everything. He was perfect for all of his imperfections and she loved him.

And they’d make it work. Just like they promised they would. Those two children standing there, being so beautiful and so perfect, they were proof of that. They were all the proof she needed that there was a future for the two of them. And it was going to be the most beautiful future she could imagine.