Champagne Challenge #123: A New Beginning (Rated G):

[GuardianAngel]

When I read the challenge this scene immediately popped into my head and was quickly written.

A 'thank you' to Pgal for reading it over and helping with some corrections.



A New Beginning


The two women, both stunning, stood together in the small room off the church vestibule. One, dark and sultry, was draped in white lace and satin, the epitome of the virginal bride. The other, blond and bold, was adorned in a chic lemon yellow that draped over her shoulders, gathered under her breasts and hugged her midriff. The two were a perfect foil.

“I can’t believe you’re actually going through with this.” The blond pouted, pulling at the folds of the white gown, making sure that they fell just so from the slim hips to the marbled floor.

“I know, mon ami.” Sable eyes caught and held the troubled blue as the bride-to-be cupped a satiny cheek and leaned down to place petal pink lips to the opposite side. “It is sudden for you and I’m sorry for that.”

“I don’t understand, Coraline. How can you love this human? He’s an enfant ignorant.”

“No, Cynti. I can’t explain it but Mick is unlike any other. You know me better than that.”

They exchanged searching gazes that ended with two tender smiles.

“I still do not understand but I can see that you are happier than you have been in a long time. If he is the cause then there must be something special about him.” Cynthia stepped back and repositioned the veil over the brunette’s shoulders.

“Thank you, Cynti.” Full lips parted in a dazzling smile that pulled at her friend’s heart. Coraline did not expect her best friend to understand. It was enough that Cynthia was here, in a country she despised, ready to stand at her side and allow Coraline this happiness.

But as much as she wanted to, Cynthia could not feel the same measure of happiness. Coraline’s next words made it even harder.

“It’s a new beginning for me. Mick has given me that gift. He’s looked past the games and shallowness that I’ve cloaked myself in for so long. He loves me, ma chère.” Coraline pressed forward, unable to contain her joy and enveloped her sister of the heart in a hug. “He truly loves me.”

A chill skittered down Cynthia’s spine but she returned the embrace, hoping against her better judgment, that the bliss would last.

“Tonight I will reciprocate. Magnifique cadeau....the greatest gift I....”

“Non!” Cynthia grasped Coraline’s shoulders. “You cannot, Coraline. Your brothers, they would not approve. Can you not love him as a human? To Turn him....it is too dangerous.”

Coraline’s response was cut off as Mendelssohn’s recessional began and the two vampires heard the awaiting congregation rise in their pews.

“Come, walk in there with me and give me away.”

The dark bride swept up her bouquet and ran her free hand down her gown before sliding it under the arm of her Maid of Honor. Her tremulous smile was evidence of how important this moment was to her. “Please, Cynthia.”

Clasping her own, smaller bouquet, the blond vampire took a deep breath and silently led the bride forward.

The women paused at the opened doors to the nave.

Eyes glowing, the expectant bride looked up the aisle to the man standing at the altar. Waiting for her, standing proud and handsome. Her Mick. Coraline’s heart expanded in her chest. She’d never known such euphoric anticipation. Her hand tightened on her escort’s arm.

“I never believed it existed, Cynti. Amour éternel.”

The Bridal Chorus began and Coraline stepped forward, into her new beginning.

[Lucy]

ahhh....what a fateful day.....the day Coraline gave us all the Mick St John we love....

Oh - poor Cynthia....she lost everything she cherished (or so she thought)

Great answer to challenge....I felt the 50's ambiance, the sad end to Cynthia's half of the relationship and the joy in Coraline's expectations.

[allegrita]

Oh, what an ironic story this is! Everybody loses. This really is a beginning, but it's not at all the beginning Coraline and Mick (separately) envision. I feel so desperately sad for all three of them.

[francis]

Knowing what happened that night this is very sad. Coraline had such hopes for the future, but how can she expect Mick to love all of her if she only showed him so little of her real self? If only she had tested that theory before she made the decision for him.
Cynthia lost her friend and probably her true love. I got the vibe from the show and the fanfic that was written about her, that she was loyal to Coraline to the max, and in love with her. And I can see why she would despise Mick.

Great story, GA.

[Luxe de Luxe]

ooh.. chilling and sad. I do believe that Coraline really loved him and considered her wedding night action to have truly been a gift. There was wonderful pathos in this for me, GA.

[nutmegger911]

Anticipation, trepidation, excitement, renewal... *sigh* Only knowing how it all turned out makes this piece that much more compelling. Well done, GA.

[darkstarrising]

Ah....that fateful day when there would be new beginnings for all, just not what they expected. You've shown us a Coraline that was tired of her 'game playing' existence and found 'true love', much to Cynthia's dismay. She's lost Coraline's affections and fears that Coraline is seeing her life with Mick through rose colored glasses. Perhaps if / when she grows tired of the human, Coraline will return to her. Yet if Coraline does turn Mick, Cynthia's likely lost her forever.

Coraline's new beginning is nothing of the sort for Cynthia, only an ending.

Nicely done, GA

[fairytoes]

Oh.... My heart is breaking for all three of them. For Cynthia, it must be so hard to lose Coraline to Mick. For Mick, because the life that he envisioned for Coraline and himself will never come true. But also for Coraline. Although she didn't tell him the full truth about herself, there is one thing I never doubted. She really, really loved him.

Great answer to the challenge GA. Thank you very much.

[PNWgal]

This is delightful, GA - a short piece, but so much conveyed.

Like fairytoes pointed out, there's no doubt Coraline loved Mick - she just went about showing him the wrong way. This also sheds a little more light on Cynthia - she loved Coraline and wanted nothing but her happiness.

Sable eyes caught and held the troubled blue as the bride-to-be cupped a satiny cheek and leaned down to place petal pink lips to the opposite side.

A deep and abiding friendship, not unlike what Josef and Mick share. And Cynthia worries about Coraline's decision to Turn Mick - not just because it's a really bad idea, but because of the danger Coraline will put herself in, in regards to her family.

A new beginning for Coraline, an ending for Cynthia, and a beginning AND end for Mick.

Just lovely.

[cassysj]

This is wonderful. It's sad for everyone because it's not the beginning Mick & Coraline hoped for and my heart breaks for Cynthia.

[wpgrace]

Oh what a cool moment to capture... I wanna see him standing there waiting for her... THAT, knowing what comes after, would be quite a sight. The last public sighting of human Mick.

[GuardianAngel]

ahhh....what a fateful day.....the day Coraline gave us all the Mick St John we love....

Oh - poor Cynthia....she lost everything she cherished (or so she thought)

Great answer to challenge....I felt the 50's ambiance, the sad end to Cynthia's half of the relationship and the joy in Coraline's expectations.

Thank you, Lucy. Yes, a fateful day for all involved. None of them knew what they were getting into. Well, maybe Cynthia did. Poor girl.

[GuardianAngel]

Oh, what an ironic story this is! Everybody loses. This really is a beginning, but it's not at all the beginning Coraline and Mick (separately) envision. I feel so desperately sad for all three of them.

I was feeling the sadness as I wrote it - none of them aware of the turn their lives were going to take. One that would affect them for an eternity.

[GuardianAngel]

Knowing what happened that night this is very sad. Coraline had such hopes for the future, but how can she expect Mick to love all of her if she only showed him so little of her real self? If only she had tested that theory before she made the decision for him.
Cynthia lost her friend and probably her true love. I got the vibe from the show and the fanfic that was written about her, that she was loyal to Coraline to the max, and in love with her. And I can see why she would despise Mick.

Great story, GA.

From the show we only got a tiny glimpse of the relationship between Coraline and Cynthia but just from that I believe Cynthia must have loved her friend very much.

I agree, Coraline should have let Mick know what she was and given him a choice. But I don't think she could, in her wildest imaginings, understand how it would be considered a bad thing to be Turned. She really thought it was a gift. Which leads me to think that she knew as little of Mick as he did of her.

[GuardianAngel]

ooh.. chilling and sad. I do believe that Coraline really loved him and considered her wedding night action to have truly been a gift. There was wonderful pathos in this for me, GA.

I agree, Luxe. I don't think Coraline ever considered that anyone in their right mind would not want such a gift and truly believed she loved Mick very much. What a slap in the face it must have been for her to have that gift viewed so negatively.

Thanks.