Cashing In (Luck's Voice Book 2)

by Daniel Schinhofen

  “Of course,” Becker nodded. “Once everyone is seated, the feast will begin. Um... I am a little concerned, as we will not have the usual progression of speeches.”

  “No father of the bride, best man, or maid of honor,” Doc nodded. “That does make it different. We have the groom and bride, at least.”

  “Bride and maid of honor speeches?” Becker asked. “Is that from…?”

  “Yeah. Relatively new there, too, but it’s something that works well.”

  “Lotus can do the maid of honor speech,” Fiala said.

  “It might be better if Sonya did,” Lotus gently corrected her friend, “considering everything?”

  Fiala nodded. “That’s a good point.”

  “No. Lotus has been your friend longer,” Sonya declined. “Thank you both for thinking of me, but I wouldn’t trod on your friendship.”

  Both Fiala and Lotus gave her a smile, and Lotus said, “Very well. I will do it.”

  “It’ll be odd, but Otto, if you don’t mind, can you do the best man speech?” Doc asked.

  “Not a lot of history to work with, but yes,” Otto said. “I can fill that role.”

  “And Becker,” Doc grinned, “considering the feast, perhaps you and the other elders can take the father’s speech?”

  Greta snorted, Koch looked a little uneasy, and Becker nodded. “We will. At least I will, since we’re the ones putting on this feast for our ally.”

  “Thank you. Do you do yours before or after the food?” Doc asked.

  “We wait until after the food, but before the dances,” Becker replied.

  “Okay. Thank you. I’ll be ready by then.”

  The party moved to the head of the table. Lotus leaned over to speak with Doc as soon as they sat. “What does the maid of honor speech entail?”

  “Like the best man’s, except you flip things,” Doc said. “You compliment me, and try not to roast me too much. A story or compliments about Fiala, then the toast.”

  “Glad there’s food first,” Lotus said. “I might have something in order by then.”

  “And me?” Fiala asked.

  “Thank the guests first. You follow with your family next, normally. Maybe even a few kind words for your parents, who aren’t here. Then, you give thanks to the bridesmaids, which is different in that we didn’t really have them… ah, you can thank Posy for being the flower girl. The last part before the toast itself is a romantic or funny story about me.”

  Fiala’s lips tweaked up, and she looked at the crowd as they all finished taking their seats. “Maybe not the most memorable story.”

  “Yeah...” Doc coughed.

  “Oh,” Lotus grinned. “I’ll pick something different.”

  ~*~*~

  The food, when it was brought out, was a bigger feast than Doc had envisioned: salad, breads, cheeses, a variety of different meats, and a heaping helping of different vegetables.

  To accompany the food, there was a wide selection of drinks. They had tea or juice, which Posy had since she was a child and not dwarven. She glanced at the few dwarven children in attendance with a hint of jealousy, as they had wine. Then came the dozens of ales that the dwarves had to choose from, from lighter to a deep, dark ale that almost needed a spoon to drink. They also had hard drinks; scotch, whiskey, rum, and something called “Forge Fire.”

  Doc stuck with a darker ale, but not the darkest, while he enjoyed the feast. Fiala had wine and went with the fish, which had Doc grinning internally. The meal lasted for nearly an hour before, finally, the majority of the room was sated.

  Becker got to her feet and held up a hand. The seconds ticked by as the crowd fell nearly silent for her. “Thank you. This is a wedding and, as such, there are a number of speeches to hear. I’ve been asked to step into the role of father of the bride for this moment, as the bride’s father couldn’t be here. There will also be a couple of twists, asked for by Holyday.”

  The crowd murmured some, and Becker gave them a moment before holding up her hand again. “I want to thank you all for coming to the feast to celebrate the union of Doc Holyday and Fiala Fulton, now Fiala Holyday. I wish to toast those who couldn’t be here today, namely the missing parents of the newlyweds, and those who had business that they couldn’t get away from.”

  There was a pause as everyone drank to the toast.

  “The father of the bride would normally tell a story about his little girl here, but alas, I don’t know the bride well enough to manage this. I can, however, speak of the groom, a man who has come into the clan and helped us a great deal. Doc, any woman who marries you is going to be well cared for, and lucky. I can see the obvious love you two have for each other and I hope it shines for all time. To the new couple, and to the many long years of love they have ahead of them.”

  Everyone drank, and many happy conversations sprung up briefly.

  Doc gave everyone a moment before he stood. The conversation fell off quickly as many of the assembled got their first good look at Doc. “Thank you, Elder. Both of us hope that your toast is prophetic. I’m stunned and honored to see all of you here. We’re flattered to have so many attending a very impromptu wedding.”

  Doc let the murmurs grow before speaking loudly enough to go over them, “As for my darling bride... well, words can be said for hours and fail to do her the justice I think she deserves. I haven’t known her as long as many expect a new couple to know each other, but time is just the passage of days. When you meet someone you truly love, there is no way to deny it.”

  The crowd cheered his speech and threw some applause in.

  “Many of you are likely wondering about the guests beside us. Each has been either a friend of the bride for many years, or is one we both hope to have as a friend for even more years. A toast to the lovely ladies who have been there to help Fiala: Daf, Lotus, and of course, Posy. Thank you, ladies.”

  Everyone raised their glasses and drank. There were a few whistles mixed with the hubbub of the toast. Posy was red, but smiling as she took a sip of her juice. Fiala was blushing when she got to her feet, her tail lashing back and forth and showing her anxiety. The crowd quieted down, as everyone wanted to hear her.

  “Thank you,” Fiala said, her voice thick with emotion. “My father was a miner and my mother a maid, so I never imagined that I’d have a crowd like this at my wedding party. I’m honored to have you all here. I’d like to think my parents would be proud of me if they were still alive, and I try to make them proud of me.”

  Fiala had to pause to wipe at the tears that had escaped. Doc gave her a handkerchief to do so, and the crowd murmured into the silence of her pause. The majority felt some empathy with her words.

  “Sorry,” Fiala sniffled. “I do need to thank Lotus, my dearest and oldest friend, for everything she’s done to help me; Daf, who made sure I was always well-fed and cared for; Sonya, who is fast becoming a dear friend; and not least in any way, Posy, who is the sweetest soul I know and always finds a way to make me smile.”

  All four beamed and gave her smiles as Fiala wiped more tears away.

  “As for my husband,” Fiala looked down at Doc. She just stared at him for a long while. “Doc came into my life like a refreshing wind. He blew aside my old self and showed me what I could be if I wanted it. He was the first man to treat me like a lady— a real lady— and it broke me down and remade me. My first goal is to make his life even a tenth as good as he has made mine. No matter what storms might blow in, I know that, by sheltering in his arms, I will be safe. When that storm passes, I’ll be there to help him pick up and rebuild. Thank you, Doc, for showing me that I was so much more than I had thought of myself.”

  Doc cleared his throat and wiped a few tears away, his smile wide as he looked up at her. When she bent to kiss him, he accepted it, but made sure she didn’t go too far. A happy murmur went through the crowd, and several of the other couples leaned into each other as they watched the newlyweds, remembering their own weddings.

  Once Fiala sa
t down, Lotus stood up, licking her lips nervously. “Fiala, you’ll always be a dear friend to me,” she began. “One might ask how our friendship came to be,” Lotus continued, looking like she had relaxed some. “It was when Fiala first… came into employment at the same establishment as myself.” She faltered, clearly wanting to distance the story from the Lily. “She was new and had no idea what to do. So, I— mostly new myself, but full of confidence— took her under my wing.” She let out a small giggle. “And, as one would expect, our first task together ended up a complete disaster. Fiala never blamed me, even though it was my fault. No, she merely looked at me after it was over and asked if we could try it again until we got it right.”

  Fiala was bright red, clearly recalling whatever the story was. Seeing her red, the crowd was laughing along, even though they didn’t have context.

  “We’ve been fast friends ever since, and yes, we did learn from our past mistakes. Fiala, seeing you move on makes me proud of you, even as I wonder if I’ll ever be as lucky as you are. To the couple: may your love always grow and may no shadow darken your light.”

  Loud cheers echoed throughout the room as everyone raised glasses and drank to the toast.

  That left Otto as the last to speak, and the room quieted as he waited for them. “Didn’t expect to be giving a speech, but I was asked, and I owe Doc a large debt. Fiala, you hooked a good man, and no one here can deny the love you have for each other. I think you’ll do well as a couple. I’d normally tell an anecdote of the groom, but I have few stories of him. There is one I can tell, as I know no one here will spread it beyond the walls.”

  The crowd murmured and leaned forward, clearly ready to hear what was so secret.

  “My darling daughter, Sonya, was dying not long ago… from an infection that was poisoning her. Doc had been into my shop only once before, but when he heard my wife’s distress, he risked everything and offered to help us. I was suspicious to my core, but my much smarter wife agreed. Doc cleansed Sonya’s blood of the infection and reset her arm, which had been broken.”

  Otto was forced to pause, as those who hadn’t heard of Doc as the healer began to talk excitedly, finally putting things together. Otto waited, but Becker had to call for quiet to allow him to continue.

  “He risked the law to help save my baby girl, and what did he ask in return? Gold? Jewels? Her hand? No. All he asked was that we thank his goddess, Lady Luck. I’d never met a person as altruistic as him, and I doubt I will again. Doc, you are a special soul. Everyone you meet ends up richer for it, which brings me to the last toast.” Raising his drink, he looked at Fiala and Doc. “To the new couple: I pray that Luck always shines as brightly for you as you do for us.”

  The crowd exploded in agreement as they toasted.

  A few minutes passed, and people began to get up from their tables and move around. Becker approached the table and placed two pots in front of Doc and Fiala.

  “What is this?” Doc asked softly.

  “It’s time for dancing. Anyone who wishes to dance with either of you must pay,” Becker grinned as she dropped a twenty-dollar coin into Doc’s pot. “After you two share the first dance, that is, but I wanted to claim the second one before anyone else could.”

  Fiala saw the coin and her eyes widened slightly. “Thank you, Elder.”

  “The floor is directly behind you, and the musicians are ready,” Becker smiled.

  Doc rose and took Fiala’s hand. “May I have this dance?”

  “And any other you wish,” Fiala replied as she let him lead her.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Doc woke slowly, his brain a little foggy. Snippets of the wedding party drifted back to him— the dancing had taken a while, as some of the guests danced with them multiple times. Fiala kept all the shorter men at arm’s length, causing a few long faces from the single men. Doc had a number of hands drifting to his ass during his dances. After the third one did it, he just let them have a handful. Fiala shook her head, but didn’t comment as the dances went on.

  Another memory hit Doc and he lingered on it, a smirk on his lips. Sonya paid to dance with Fiala, something that, while being a little unusual, didn’t cause too much of a stir among the dwarves. That was until Fiala brought Sonya in, putting the dwarven woman’s face between her modest breasts. That caused some discontentment among the males who’d been kept away from that treasure trove.

  The only other big moment he recalled was the toss of a small bouquet of flowers. According to dwarven legend, whichever woman caught it was likely to marry her partner within the year. All the single ladies formed into a group to catch it except Posy, as Daf held her back and explained that she was too young.

  Fiala turned her back to the group and, after a moment, tossed the flowers over her shoulder. Doc watched the scramble of female dwarves, Henrick, and Ayla as the bouquet flew through the air. When the flowers began their descent, Doc was shocked as he watched the dirty fighting that broke out.

  One older dwarf trod on Henrick’s foot hard, making her wince and bend down to grab at her foot. Ayla’s elbow “accidentally” caught the temple of the dwarf that tried to push her out of the way. Ayla reached for the flowers, her eyes wide and hopeful, until Sonya clapped a hand on the half-elf’s shoulder and used that to jump up. Ayla was pulled back and down slightly, and Sonya got the height she needed to snatch the flowers a few scant inches before Ayla could.

  “Cold-blooded,” Doc chuckled as he remembered the scene.

  Ayla had been pretty upset as the crowd dispersed back to their tables until Sonya started speaking to her. Doc’s attention had been pulled away by Otto, who asked him a question, and by the time he looked again, Ayla and Sonya were shaking hands.

  “At least they made up,” Doc murmured.

  “Don’t wanna,” Fiala muttered, pushing her face into Doc’s chest.

  Doc kissed her ear. “You don’t have to,” he whispered, rubbing her back lightly.

  “Good...” Fiala murmured sleepily and rolled over.

  Doc let her go and eased out of bed. He wondered what to do about water to clean up, sneaking over to the door to peek out. The moment he opened the door, he saw Posy with her hand raised. Doc put a finger to his lips and gave her a smile.

  Posy nodded and set the pitcher of water on the ground, then went back to the stairs. Once he was sure she was gone, he opened the door wide enough to grab the water, but kept himself covered as much as possible.

  Rinsing off, he got dressed and kissed Fiala’s ear once more before slipping out of the room. Let her sleep some. Lia did say she had the day off today when we got back from the party. I feel like I missed something important, though.

  Trying to piece together what he could’ve been forgetting, Doc was lost in thought when he got to the main room. He stopped at the edge of the bar to talk with Jasmine, but she was at the other end of the bar. Someone cleared their throat nearby, and Doc glanced over at them to see if they wanted something.

  The man standing there was short and thin— nearly two inches short of five and a half feet, and maybe a bit over a hundred and twenty pounds sopping wet. Dressed in a crisp white shirt, black pants, and a black vest, the man projected a very organized and neat appearance.

  “Can I help you, sir?” Doc asked.

  “Perhaps.” The voice was light, but carried a hint of command behind it. “I’m looking for a Doc Holyday.”

  “Who might you be?” Doc asked.

  “I’m Adam McIan, preacher of Apoc.”

  “Hmm. It happens that I’m Holyday. Most call me Doc.”

  “Good. I’d been waiting, as the… staff… told me you should be down shortly.” The one word was twisted and stilted enough that Doc knew Adam wanted to say something else.

  “What can I do for the church today?” Doc asked civilly, wondering what the preacher would start with.

  “I’ve been hearing a number of rumors about a newcomer to town who struck it rich, but has never come to the church. It dawned
on me that I should seek him out. A man whose soul is in the wind can be easily led astray. The false words of the woodfolk or the false legends of the other races might harm such a person.”

  Doc leaned against the bar and kept his face still. Adam had a persuasive manner to him that could’ve easily snared an unwary person. “But the church can stop that from happening, surely,” Doc said.

  “Only if the man wants to be saved,” Adam said earnestly. “Too many good men and women fall to the wayside. Holding true to Apoc can be difficult at times, but everlasting salvation shouldn’t be easy. Some of the best try to help the less fortunate find salvation, and I hear you are one of them.”

  “Oh?”

  “Did you not, just yesterday, marry a bestial? Apoc knows they are damned for eternity, much like the dwarves, elves, and so on, but their children or children’s children, if they can find a pure man or woman to love them, might be human enough for salvation.”