Watching through the curvature of the castle window, staring straight ahead at the gargoyle on the other wall, Jen finally looked down at the waterfall in the center of the wedding preparations. It gurgled pink-bluish froths of water and there was a rainbow bird shaking friskily its colored feathers from the torrents washing over it.

She blinked her eyes and the bird blew up. Its little feathers flew in every direction. No one noticed. They could not. They were too caught up, blinded by the celebrations yet to happen. Bolton joined her. He looked down through the window to see what she was lost in.

Too late, fool. The bird is dead so will they be soon enough. Jen thought to herself.

"What are we watching for?" He asked.

"The destruction yet to come."

"I do not see a thing."

"It is because you are too stuck in noticing the obvious. You've got to look deeper dimwit."

"Deeper into the fountain over there?"

She slapped him upside the head, "No stupid. See, this is why I plan alone. You are a good for nothing dimwit."

"But I ask. Dimwits do not do that."

"What do they do then? Huh, Bolton. Enlighten me." She asked him not taking her eyes from the fountain.

She was not sure of whether she would not do to him as she had done to the rainbow bird. She was seething with anger. That is why she insisted on sticking her eyes to the waterfall, its froths gurgled furiously and this was not its usual way. It had something to do with her eyes and the way they twitched.

Bolton finally noticed and understood that her question was a trick question. Answering it would only cause him trouble. He turned and left. Risking his life was not worth it. He still needed her. He had plans of his own and she was part of the way that would lead him there.

It's only a matter of time Greens. Only a matter of time for you too Jen.

~*~

Pink-White's eyes stung at the corners, he pinched the bridge of his nose and squinted trying to hold back the tears that teased penetration as effect from the sight before him.

His daughters. His beautiful daughters. What beautiful brides they made! He had made sure that their fiancés never saw them. Ever since, they were taken to the silent cove the princes had not gotten a chance of seeing them.

The guards had brought them back the night before the wedding. The princes had been asleep by then and even if they were awake, it would have been difficult to spot the princesses. The guards had taken them through a path that only Shinja could recognize. With blindfolds over their eyes—Shinka had grumbled all the way about how unnecessary they had been to no avail—they went through the passageways.

At one point, Shinja pulled herself out of Cletus' hold and hit the wall. Her fingers felt against the walls in recognition, she smiled to herself. She knew this place.

How clever of you father! She thoughtfully smiled and in time, Cletus got hold of her once more. She did not bother resisting, her curiosity was satisfied.

Why the passageways? She asked in her mind. Oh, the princes! They do not know this place. Father is really serious about the bride and groom not meeting before the wedding day. Her head shook in amusement. Her father's reason was justified. She did not trust her sisters to keep in their rooms either.

There was a time while at the cove when her sisters kept going on and on about how much they missed their fiances. Shimi had promised, "Once I get back to the castle, I am not leaving his room I swear. I will be sleeping in Brown's room and that is that. Its FINAL." She had shouted final awfully loud.

The maidservants attending to them had unrewardingly stifled their laughter. Epic fail. Other sisters were guffawing. All were happy not until they discovered what their fathers had in mind for them. Disappointment. First there was grumbling, resistance, noise from the girls, then after realization hit them that Bolton and Cletus were not going to badge, came acceptance. Except for the one time when Shinja shuffled to the wall, the rest kept silent to the end of the tunnel.

Bolton and Cletus, led the princesses, each to her room and when they were sure that their doors were securely locked, each guard went his separate way including those not mentioned that had assisted them.

Nothing could be done about. Damn it all to the blazes, papa and his loyal guards! That was the only the thought in the girls' minds once the doors were locked. Falling onto her bed, Shimi screamed into her pillow. She recalled that there was a blindfold over her eyes and that only served to anger her some more.

"I hate you father!" She spoke to no one in particular, "I am sorry I don't but you get what I mean." She added quite apologetically. Oh, Brown! I miss you love. This is not my doing I swear. I would fight ten guards for you. Blame my father and his loyal guards. Grrr... She thought and did not know when sleep claimed her eyes. Same thing applied to her sisters.

Next thing they knew it was morning, all forgotten, and the wedding day was in. Their wedding day. Not even a grumpy Bolton could get in the way of how they felt. Dressed to kill they headed in the direction of their father's living room. It was where he would pick them off and lead them to the altar.

Standing before him now, he could not believe his eyes. He was about to walk his darling sweet little angels down the aisle? Who would have thought? In that moment, he missed Evalene. He missed his mother. He missed his father.

Get a hold of yourself Pink, they need you. He shook his head. The simple action must have cleared his mind. He coughed a bit to drag away the thickness in his throat then he spoke, "My angels!"

"Father." The girls said in response.

"Come here." He stretched his hands out and five of them walk-ran into them. It was then that they all cried. Pink-White too. A tear rolled down his left cheek as he kissed the top of their heads. Their veiled tiaras got in the way but they did not serve to stop the tender act.

"Okay, that is it everyone. You are going to put creases in my gown and my corset is becoming quite uncomfortable from all the wheezing I am doing with this crying. Time to let go." Shinka broke the silence. Her sisters grumbled as they stepped out of their father's embrace. They shot daggers in her direction.

"What?" She shrugged defensively. "It is the truth. And besides, somebody had to do it. People are waiting for us outside."

"But..." Shimi started with the desire to reason with her elder sister who cut her off without further ado.

"Ah, ah, ah, don't get me started Shimi. You of all four should be glad I did that. I know how badly you want to see Brown."

"Wha..."

"Before, you start, I heard you yesterday." That got Shimi to shut up. "I thought so too."

"Alright Shinka, that is enough. We get your point." Pink-White was the one who spoke this time with a smile in his voice. "Now, how do we do this?" he gestured at the six of them referring to how he would lead them down the aisle.

"Oh, I know a way."

"Well, what are you waiting for Shinja? Show us!" Shimki replied eagerly.

"Okay." Shinja reached her hand into the thick pocket of her silver gown and pulled out a tie n' dye chord.

"Where did you get that?" the eldest princess asked.

"I made it yesterday in the night."

"You mean after we were kidnapped?"

"Yes, after we were kidnapped."

"Only you Shinja! Only you!"

"Right?" Shimi raised in question. "We were all quite overdosed on sleep yesternight and Shinja was in her room making dyed chords. Wow!"

"It's not like that. I just..."

"Alright, all of you, allow Shinja show us what this is for." Pink-White noticed how pink Shinja was getting from all the questions.

"Thank you, father." She said while walking to him with the chord stretched tight in between her hands. Shinka mumbled something incoherent beneath her breath about 'just teasing her' but it was not picked by the rest.

"So, make a straight line like this. This is not 'just any chord' grandma taught me how to make it. It is something mother discovered how to make. Call it one of her charm-book secrets." She indicated with her hands, directing two of her sisters to stand on the right-hand side of their father and the other two on his left-hand side. They did as she told them to. "Shinka hold the end, pass it at the front of your tummy, then through Shimi's back, over father's tummy and through Shimki's back. Do it that way until I get to hold the end of the chord."

"Shinja! This is beautiful!" Shimki exclaimed sounding impressed.

"You are such a brilliant little bird my dear." Pink-White spoke in adoring reverence to his youngest daughter.

"Thank you, father. Thank you, Shimki." Shinja spoke and smiled at them. They made an intriguing sight.

The chord reflected and pulsed where it met with each Green. For a minute or two, they stood there in admiration, letting the chord do its magic. Then, they began moving. Pink-White took the first step and the girls joined in sync to his movements. They had become the chord, and the chord was them. Its colors spread across their garments and soon, they were one tie and dye chord. Family. Oneness. Togetherness.

The castle door leading them to venue was wide enough to let them through without breaking them apart. It was opened wide by the guards who were standing on the inside. Having seen Pink-White and his daughters, the guards opened the two heavy doors. The sunbeams streamed in, almost blinding the chord-ed Greens. The orchestra started playing in the background, enveloping the entire Green kingdom in serene merrymaking.

Adjusting their eyes to the sun's intrusion, the princesses noticed that their soon-to-be husbands were on the other side of the door. How sweet! Silver was shifting from foot to foot. Brown was scratching the back of his head. Violet, Yellow and Diamond only stood there mouths agape. The former had not yet noticed that the princesses were walking towards them whereas the later had done so. When Silver and Brown also saw, they stopped what they were doing immediately.

"Oh my God!"

"This was definitely worth the wait!" Yellow exclaimed.

"I told you." Pink-White spoke gently as he drew the Green-chord close to where the princes stood. The princes organized themselves in a way that they were standing frontal opposite to their fiancees. Shinja was on the extreme right, so Silver stood on the extreme left of the princes' line. Thus, he was directly in front of her when the Green-chord came to them. The same went on for the other princes.

In unison, the princesses let the chord go, their gowns returned to their normal color smoothly as they walked to their soon-to-be husbands. Pink-White held onto the chord tightly, too tight that his knuckles turned white. The princes were caught up in recovery from the drought they had suffered from not seeing each other for a long time that they did not notice the king's tears. He brought the chord close to his eyes and wiped the tears away.

Shinja's silver gown shimmered in the sun, her hair stretched to the back except for the white strand that hang loosely by her left cheek. She smiled broadly and Silver was mesmerized. He drew her close to himself and made a slight bend as if to lift the veil off her face. He intended to kiss her maybe slightly quench some of his thirst from the drought. Just a little before the wedding but Pink-White stopped him.

"Ah, ah, ah! None of that until the wedding."

Silver groaned so did the other princes. They must have had the same intentions. He hugged Shinja and whispered into her right ear. "I do not know if I can suffer through this entire day."

"You can and you will."

"I would not be so sure about that if I were you princess."

"Is my lord the impatient sort?"

"Not really, but with you..." he drew out, "With you, this lord finds himself doing things he never thought he was able to do."

"Oh." Shinja blushed.

"That's right princess. So, be kind to him and do not be a little temptress."

Shinja only giggled and looped her hand in his. The other sisters had done so already. They led away to the gathered crowds, the other families that had attended the celebration of the Elixir of life and the people from the surrounding villages. Pink-White had intended that the wedding served as the finale for the celebration of the Elixir of Life. It was because, the Silver family was key in the celebration and their heir wanted to marry his daughter. The day had finally come.

~*~

A/N: Hey good people,
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~S. K. Darling