2021-07-24 21:22:51 ¶ ●

# Wedding in the misty moors

Written for @jonahmagnusweek​

Day 6 - Celebration

The easiest way to assure Jonah Magnus will show up somewhere is to not invite him.

Read on AO3

…

If someone wandered here on accident they would be more likely to assume they crushed someone’s funeral than a wedding. That said it would be hard to just accidentally wander to the mansion surrounded by moors in the middle of nowhere.

And yet it is exactly something that happened to one particular gentleman in a green tailcoat - or at least that is what Jonah Magnus plans to claim if anyone asks him what he is doing here since his wedding invitation must have gotten lost by the postal service. Or simply it has never been written and send. Something tells him it is the latter option. (That something is Eye. As per usual offering him mostly useless information, never the thing he truly wishes to know.)

It has been a few years since he has visited Moorland house. He has been here only twice and both times he had to basically invite himself. The house itself looked exactly the same as he remembered. Maybe even a bit more dark and gloomy but it is probably because it is quite foggy this morning…

However there is one new thing. Next to the house is standing a newly built chapel where the ceremony is about to be held. Of course, even for his own wedding Mordechai apparently cannot get out of his current state of isolation and leave his estate. He hasn’t visited any gentleman gathering in London for quite a while and even most of his business he handles by correspondence these days.

Since no one is still paying him any attention he decides to approach the new building and carefully lurk inside. Few of Mordechai’s relatives are already sitting in the benches few of them are even engaged in quiet conversation. Right next to the altar is nervously standing Mordechai’s future wife. They very likely haven’t given her any instruction where to wait or whether she can sit or when will her to-be-husband arrive.

Even though her dress is completely new, it looked like someone was wearing them for years. It was mostly because of their color – that shade of blue which, unless under direct light, looked much more like gray. The whole design is also quite simplistic which must be intentional choice and not issue of money. The Bride herself looks rather plain. She started the day with a bright smile which turned to a nervous one then a polite one and now she is not smiling at all. (He would not really need a power of the Beholding to guess that.)

Jonah slips back out. Mordechai must be still in the Moorland house then. He surely won’t mind if he just lets himself inside will he? He enters the large empty halls of the house and he shivers. The weather outside isn’t exactly warm yet it seems to be even colder inside the building. He makes only few steps in when a servant blocks his way.

“I am sorry, sir, guests are not supposed to be here yet.” He tells him with monotone soulless voice. (Of course, now the Eye stays silent. It could not warn him someone is approaching, could it?)

“Apologies I must have gotten lost. I will let myself out.” Jonah puts on a charming smile. He hoped to stay unnoticed a bit longer but that has probably been a quite unrealistic ambition on his part he musts admit considering there is maybe ten people in total including the parson from nearest church which is here to perform the ceremony.

“It’s… wait, may I see your invitation, sir?” the servant gives him suspecting look. What has given him off? The smile, or the fact that he is, unlike rest of the guests, dressed in more than one color?

“Ah yes about that…”

“It is quite long way from Edinburgh to just get lost in the moors of Kent, Mr. Magnus.”

As if he materialized out of nowhere Mordechai Lukas appears and for once he seems to be almost in a good mood. He doesn’t have to say anything for the servant to disappear as quickly as possible head shamefully down. He will still probably be in trouble later – Mordechai hates seeing servants and being in any way reminded about their existence.

Jonah lets the smile from his face disappear and put on a more serious one. “I wish you good morning as well, Mr. Lukas. Have you not expected to see me here today?” As he is facing him of course he cannot help himself but look at his clothes of choice. If Jonah hasn’t known he would not suspect him to be a groom as his attire is almost identical to his every day wear. Though the dark gray is truly a shocking change from his usual a bit lighter shade of gray or blue.

“On the contrary. I knew you wouldn’t show up if I did invite you therefore I chose not to.” The thing about Mordechai is that he never smiles. However sometimes corners of his mouth rise into a mean grin. Usually when he beats someone in cards, makes fool out of someone or catches Jonah of guard.

“Why do you even want me present?”

“Why do you think so?” Mordechai makes a step forward and leans towards him almost as if he wanted to kiss him. “Just to enjoy the loneliness reeking of you, of course. Tell me Jonah don’t you feel a bit rejected right now? Abandoned? Lonely?”

Jonah scoffs. “Those are all quite bold accusations which all come from a false assumption that I care about you or your marital status.”

“You are here Mr. Magnus. That is enough of a proof for me”

“Have you built this chapel just to have more privacy for the wedding?”

Mordechai shrugs. “It will be good for funerals too.”

“Your future wife is already waiting for you inside. How do you like her? ”

“I don’t know. I haven’t met her nor seen her yet.”

“Of course you haven’t,” Jonah has done his research naturally. She was almost three times younger. An orphan with a good family name but no relatives to take care of her and very little money. The offer from such a well-off gentleman must have seen like a lucky miracle to her. Naïve girl. Jonah feels almost sorry for her for he is certain she would have bigger chance to find happiness living as a beggar on the street than being married to Mordechai. “She is actually quite pretty. For a woman I mean,” Jonah decides to inform him, “Though I don’t think she is your type”

“I don’t care about her looks. All that is important is that she will be able to bear a child.”

“You intend to have children?” Jonah asks surprised. Yes one usually gets married to start a family but in Mordechai’s case… He would hate to sound like the world is spinning around him but he would not be surprised if he learnt Mordechai has done this just to spite him. In any case he thought he plans to isolate the girl in loveless marriage without any kind of affection or even marital action from her husband. “I hate to criticize your plans, dear friend, but starting a family doesn’t sound very lonely.”

Mordechai is still smiling as if Jonah was missing some hidden joke. “I reconsidered my approach but worry not it is all to serve the Forsaken“

“As you say… In that I cannot wait to get better acquainted with your spouse and even with your future offsprings.”

“I will make sure to keep them far away from you. I do not wish for you to attempt meeting them in any way.” There is threat in tone of his voice. As if it could really intimidate Jonah. But no need to dwell on this topic too much right now.

“As long as I am getting funding for my institute I have no reason to intervene with your affairs any closer.”

“I have a good reason for my mistrust. As for example I remember there has been no issue with the founding lately and yet you are here right now.”

“You are contradicting yourself haven’t you said you expected me to arrive? In any way I think I’ve seen all that I needed to.”

“Since you traveled all the way here do you really wish not to stay for the wedding itself? There will be a cake afterwards.”

Eye decides to provide him with further details. (Why? Why does the Beholding consider this information of all necessary?) The cake has been soaked in brandy and covered with almond icing. It sounds delicious. If Jonah didn’t know any better it might really persuade him to stay. But he didn’t come all the way just so Mordechai could mock him with his marriage. He came here only to gain more information. Because he wanted to See and Know more about future plan of his acquaintance. That is all.

“As delightful as your ceremony will certainly be; I already have different plans. So please do not let me hold you and keep your bride waiting.”

“In that case goodbye, Mr. Magnus,” Mordechai gives him a one more cold smile and there is sense of finality in his farewell. Does he think this is how their ways will part? That is rather silly of him. And so Jonah returns the smile.

“May your marriage be filled with joy and happiness. See you soon, Mr. Lukas.”