<html><head></head><body><div class="yahoo-style-wrap" style="font-family:arial;font-size:16px;"><div><div> Nearby things were not so calm. Just outside the keep in a large field many people were busy. This place had seen many different events over the years but the current one was a first. They were getting ready for a wedding. But a wedding on a big scale. Over a thousand people were expected. The first stage was the simplest. They lined up everyone on one side of the field and simply walked across it. Each person checking the ground around them for anything that shouldn’t be there. A long list of trash was found; items left over from previous uses of the field. Also located some coins of various denominations along with a good amount of dung. Left over from herders grazing their sheep. Then a large tent was erected in the middle of the field. It was over 30 feet wide and 200 feet long! The canvas was a riot of bright colors and set the mood for the festivities to come. Ine one corner of the field a trio of small tents went up. Set up out in the open were fires with grills for cooking. Also, a wagon pulled up with an assortment odd, metal parts. They spent time slowly unloading the parts and then assembling them. It was only when it was finished that everyone recognized it as a large oven! Fit for cooking the largest pieces of food. Back at the large tent tables and chairs were set up for the big wedding reception. The seating arraignment had been a surprisingly touchy subject. Great Aunt Millicent was STILL made at her brother Joseph for something no one else could even remember. They had to be separated and on opposite sides of the tent. Cousin Terrance was mad at his nephew Brent for cheating him in a business deal five years previously. Something Brent adamantly denied. The last family event they had both been to saw them openly fighting out on the street. They wound up not only on opposite sides of the tent but opposite ends! Finally, after long discussions and the subject of countless changes till the seating arraignment was approved. The entertainers had arrived and Misha and Caroline made sure they have good living quarters. Next to arrive was the food and drink! Wagon after wagon arrived laden with boxes and barrels of food and drink. All of was taken to a specially built wooden shack. The walls of the shack were covered with frost and the inside was kept cold by powerful magic. As it grew closer to the big date the guests started to arrive and settled into their assigning living places. As the crowds grew so did the excitement. Everyone seemed to be involved either as guests or hired to help prepare and serve the good and drinks.</div> </div></div></body></html>