Chapter 21

It was an anxious and hushed trip to the temple for the group to get ready. Everyone was a little on edge, and didn’t even notice Cassidy being led around by Callie on their way over. This anxious air continued when they arrived. Clovis met Brita when their cart pulled up and immediately started going over some details with her and ordering some of the people in the cart around for last minute touch ups.

“You must be our flower girl’s actual guardian,” Clovis said to Callie noticing that she was holding the girls lead today and not Allyson.

“Uh yeah I am. Adopted of course.” Callie fumbled her way through the encounter, thankfully Clovis didn’t really seem too cared as he was focused on having the wedding go off smoothly.

“Just make sure you keep her on her leash until it’s time for her to go out. That harness she has on should match with the dress.”

“I’m sure that won’t be needed. I can keep her in line,” Callie started but she was nudged by Cassidy who gave her a look that told her just to go along with it. “But keeping her on a leash is no problem.”

“Thank you. You can follow Brita to the dressing room her dress is in there, they sent over a cloth diaper too so you’ll have to get her changed.”

“Wow that’s a bit of a minute detail,” Callie said unsure.

“Mark’s family is known for their tailors,” Brita cut in. “They have to go all out on the wedding dresses.”

“You’ll have people around to help if you need it,” Clovis added.

“I’m sure I can manage,” Callie spoke in an unsure tone, but Clovis didn’t care he was already off to give instructions to another group behind Callie and Cassidy.

Everyone followed, or in Cassidy’s case was lead, to a classroom down the left hallway that had been converted into the girls changing room for the wedding, the boys one was appropriately down the opposite hall. Everyone piled into the room and all of the dresses were arranged against the far wall on mannequins. Some attending Biscotti were around to help everyone into their dresses. The girls eagerly made their way over to their dresses to start getting into them and Callie and Cassidy made their way over to the flower girl dress which was at the end of the line. The white dress with pink collar and trims was still just as childish as it was when Cassidy first tried it on, especially when compared to the elegant flowing dresses of the bridesmaids and in comparison to Brita’s layered wedding dress.

“We’ve got some cloth diapers for her to wear with her dress,” one of the attendants stopped Callie and Cassidy’s ogling at the dresses to interject holding a box with several pieces of cloth inside. “They insisted, said the diaper cover wouldn’t fill out right without cloth diapers. Though they advised putting them over her regular diapers.” Callie’s heart sank as she looked at the layers of cloth in the box. All of that was going over the already thick diaper she had on. The attendant left to help with the others leaving Callie and Cassidy alone.

“Well let’s get you dressed,” Callie forced a smile as she let Cassidy out of her chest harness.

“If those attendants weren’t here I could at least act grown up for a little,” Cassidy complained as she got out of her blouse and skirt, leaving her naked except for her diaper, but it was a changing room and she wasn’t the only one.

“I know, but chin up you’re almost done. Then you can just act like a baby for fun,” Callie giggled as she helped Cassidy lay down on the carpeted floor of the classroom. Callie examined the box of cloth diaper supplies with confusion. She looked for Allyson who was currently being fussed over by an attendant as she had gotten an arm stuck in one of the folds of her dress. “I guess we’re on our own to figure this out,” Callie gestured at the box in confusion.

“Between the two of us I think we can manage,” Cassidy observed the box with confidence. Inside were two thick towel like inserts, a pink outer cover with velcro, and of course the diaper cover that matched the dresses’ look with its white color and pink frills. “I guess these all go in here, and then this part fastens over it all then you put the cover on,” Cassidy had arranged everything in order on the floor. “And they want all of this over a regular diaper?” Cassidy was again concerned with how thick this was going to end up.

“Maybe it’s for the best. You do have a whole ceremony and dinner to get through with not a lot of time to change,” Callie had laid Cassidy back down. Cassidy groaned at the comment though it wasn’t inaccurate. She especially couldn’t argue because the first step of getting this new diaper on was changing her out of her already used one.

Changing Cassidy’s regular diaper was easy and had already become routine, but then they were faced with this strange cloth diaper to go over it. Through some effort though the two managed to figure it out. The cloth diaper, two inserts included, were fastened over Cassidy’s disposable diaper. Her tail has some issues being pushed through all of those layers at the end, but they managed. Cassidy noticed the extra thickness immediately as Callie was holding open the pull on diaper cover for her.

“Oh gosh,” Cassidy said in an almost giggle as she toddled over. “These are crazy,” Cassidy struggled to step into the diaper cover but managed and the cover only added to the struggle to walk. With a diaper cover, over a cloth diaper with two inserts, over a regular diaper, Cassidy couldn’t put her legs together, and noticeably waddled when she walked, or rather toddled.

“Are you going to be able to actually walk?” Callie said legitimately concerned.

“Yeah but this is definitely hard mode,” Cassidy grumbled.

“Aww look at her little waddle so precious,” one of the attendants gushed as she stepped over. “Here let me help you with her dress.” Compared to the monster of a diaper the dress was easy to get on and really the two did not need help with it as much as they needed help with getting the diaper on. Everyone save for Cassidy, and Brita who was still having her more complicated dress being put on, was moving over to some chairs to have their makeup done leaving Cassidy and Callie alone for a moment.

“Well I guess you don’t expect little girls to have make up on,” Cassidy commented. “Though I do feel a little left out.”

“I don’t think anyone’s going to be looking at your face with that butt you got going on,” Callie teased. Cassidy playfully wiggled her butt and stuck her tongue out causing Callie to giggle. “Oh hold on let’s get your harness back on,” Callie remembered and fetched the harness to do just that. Cassidy groaned in complaint. “Oh hush. It looks cute, and matches the dress. Plus Clovis is antsy about you running off again.” Cassidy grumbled again as the harness was tightened on. Cassidy was right. The pink harness conveniently matched the pink color of the flower girl dress’ accents. “And final touch,” Callie clipped a white pacifier to the collar of Cassidy’s dress and Cassidy predictably frowned in response to which Callie plopped the pacifier in her mouth.

Eventually everyone in the room was ready including Brita who definitely stole all of the attention in the room with her elegant layered dress. It fit her just as well as it did when they were doing the fitting and it continued to be elegant as well as sexy thanks to its layered design with the solid parts covering only what they needed to and the different translucent layers filling out the rest of the space that a more traditional dress would have. No one commented on it though as everyone was once again silent with anticipation.

“Five minutes girls,” Clovis chimed in sticking his head in the dressing room. Some of the girls were having a mild panic though Brita remained calm and stoic until the moment came, and it did.

“Ladies it’s time,” an attendant called inside the room and all of the ladies eagerly got into a line just outside the doors to the main chapel. The Bridesmaids were first followed by Cassidy and finally Brita. Callie gave an encouraging thumbs up from behind everyone. An attendant quickly handed Cassidy her basket of flower petals and just a moment later the doors opened and the bridesmaids started filing into the room and then, in what felt like a flash it was suddenly Cassidy’s turn to waddle down the aisle.

She found herself moving as if she was compelled by some other force to make her way down the aisle as best she could with the incredibly thick diaper around her waist, tossing the flower petals as she was instructed. She looked on ahead and saw that everyone else was already in position around the wedding altar. Each side paralleled the other with groomsman taking position opposite the Bridesmaids and two old Biscotti dressed in traditional Biscotti clothes standing in positions roughly opposite each other on either side. The only missing piece to this mirrored picture was Brita, though Mark was already in place in the middle next to the older Biscotti on his side. Cassidy would find out momentarily that these older Biscotti were the heads of each family, dressed in robes with hanging sashes that had the symbol and colors of their family.

Cassidy blushed as she began to notice the coos and comments from everyone watching as she waddled down the aisle. It was as embarrassing as her worst fears thought it would be, but at least it was almost over. Of course the humiliating walk wouldn’t be complete without one final hit to her pride. As she was almost done with her walk she felt a momentary pang in her bladder. Cassidy’s weakened body put up no fight and she wet her over stuffed diaper. Maybe it was because of the situation she was in or the thick padding around her waist but something made Cassidy stop in her tracks and make a small squeak as she grabbed her diaper in a rather obvious fashion while she wet it. It only took a moment for Cassidy to remember how many people were watching her, but those same people only needed that moment to be aware of what was happening.

It started with a small chuckle from one side but gradually the whole crowd shared a laugh and several more coos at Cassidy’s expense. Cassidy had just wet her diaper in front of everyone and they all noticed. She donned an appropriate blush for that and hurried her waddle and flower tossing to take her assigned place in front of the bridesmaids. Allyson gave Cassidy a knowing pat on the head as if to tell her “good job,” Though Cassidy wasn’t very eager about what doing a good job in this scenario was.

With her job done the last person down the aisle was Brita. While the crowd awed and cooed at Cassidy they were in silent awe as Brita strutted confidently across the flower petals Cassidy had left for her. It was silent as she walked down the aisle and calmly kneeled down on a pillow at the center and front of the wedding altar and Mark took up position behind her as the priest of the temple began to speak.

“Friends and Family we are gathered here today, beneath the earth of the crystal that bore us so long ago. In this sacred place we honor an ancient and sacred union,” the priest spoke only briefly and then stepped back making room for the head of Mark’s family, an old male Biscotti to step up.

“Our young Mark here wishes to collar your Brita and make her a part of our family. In recognition of the value she will bring to our family, and the value your family has lost at her departure, we offer this feast and festival, the tokens of unity given to all present, and the eternal loyalty of our family to yours as recompense. Do you accept this?” The head from Brita’s family, an equally old female Biscotti, stepped up next to this elder.

“We agree to these terms and hope that Brita will bring her new family prosperity. Mark will you cherish Cassidy as the treasure she is, as a member of your own family?”

“I will,” Mark answered solemnly.

“Brita will you act to bring prosperity to our family, and to commit to it as you have your own before now?” The other elder asked.

“I will,” Brita answered in a similar manner. At that moment Mark’s elder handed Mark a sleek black metal collar with a dark blue gem at the front. Mark used a simple spell to open the single piece of metal and gently placed it on Brita’s neck, before using another spell to close it shut around her, leaving a seamless elegant steel piece around Brita's neck.

“The holy temple recognizes this union,” The priest of the temple stepped back up. “With both families in agreement, and under the earth of the fire crystal this collar binds Brita to Mark and his family. She is of them as long as she is with him.” With this Brita stood up and planted a passionate kiss on mark to the applause of the crowd.

Despite the celebratory mood Cassidy couldn’t help but feel put off by the whole thing. It all seemed so transactional, especially when Cassidy knew what was going on behind the scenes. The Callgahorns wanted Brita gone, they needed her room in the family house. That’s the only reason she was the one being collared here. Cassidy had thought that getting collared was a symbol of care. A symbol that one person was taking the other under them and would care for and protect them, but the ceremony before her made it seem more like one family was buying a member from another. Her only consolation was that the feelings between Brita and Mark seemed to be genuine at least, even if it was pretty apparent to her at least that if things worked like they should then Mark would be the one being collared.

With the kiss at the end it seemed the ceremony was over and people in the pews of the temple started mingling with the bridal party.

“Good job sweetie,” Callie said with a smile as she approached Cassidy. “You were so stinkin cute, and that little show you put on when you wet your diaper was just perfect.”

“I’m glad you liked it,” Cassidy sighed. Callie flashed the lead she had in her hand and Cassidy turned around to let Callie clip it onto the harness on her chest.

“We still have a little bit before the reception starts,” Callie held Cassidy’s leads with expert casualness. “Maybe you wanna step outside for a bit before things get started.”

“Mmmhmm,” Cassidy nodded yes and the two began to make their way through the crowd. Callie got plenty of compliments on her adorable ward as the two struggled to make their way out of the crowd. Callie played it off very well, forcing their way through with some claims that Cassidy had been getting fussy from standing around too long, and Cassidy made sure to sell this with some pouts and whines which was enough to get the two outside.

“Whew that was a lotta work,” Callie sighed when the two were finally free from the crowd. Even still a few guests were meandering outside as well so Cassidy couldn’t fully drop her act still, but they were far enough away from everyone that Cassidy could talk freely.

“That was different than I thought it would be,” Cassidy spoke with a hint of disdain.

“Yeah,” Callie giggled softly. “That’s what everyone says when they go to their first collaring. Having the two family elders barter over you definitely kills the romance.”

“You can say that again,” Cassidy squatted down and picked a flower on the ground. “Especially since we know what’s really happening. They’re just kicking you guys out of your family home.”

“Yeah that’s just how it goes.”

“It always seemed so romantic and loving to me, but really it’s just politics. Do you think old Miqo collaring ceremonies were like this?”

“No way to know for sure, but it probably was.” Cassidy grumbled in response to this and picked at the grass having destroyed the flower. Cassidy’s grumbling hid a wealth of internal debate in her head. Her whole life Cassidy had mourned the loss of her culture, and always imagined what was lost was this romantic ideal. Biscotti culture was always the one closest to what old Miqo culture was, or at least that’s what most historians postulated. If it was though, if this was what the culture Cassidy missed was, it left her with a sour sad feeling in her stomach.

Cassidy’s ruminations were interrupted by a loud screech in the sky above her. The screech repeated and Cassidy saw the silhouette of a thunderbird in the clouds. A fairly large bird with a body slightly larger than that of a Cuccobo, but with four large wings with translucent feathers that stretched out from the bird’s body at least as long as it’s body was. The birds came in both green and red, though Cassidy couldn’t tell what color the one above them was.

Thunder birds were often sighted in the skies before and during storms, storing the energy of the storm inside its magical translucent feathers that turned a brilliant blue when they were full of magic.

“Must be about to rain,” Callie commented. “Its good luck I think, to have it rain on your collaring.”

“I think that’s just for human weddings,” Cassidy retorted.

“Eh close enough. Let’s head over to the reception, if that diaper of yours gets full of rain as well as your pee you won’t be able to walk.”

"I already can't walk now," Cassidy complained.

“Come on baby,” Callie giggled and playfully yanked Cassidy’s lead next to her as the two made their way to a building a little ways away from the temple.