FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The Old Cathedral sat on a hill surrounded by well tended gardens. At one time it had been the very center of the city, but over the centuries the city had expanded and changed. After a more modern place of worship had opened near the new city center, it was decided to restore and preserve the gothic cathedral which had watched over the city since nearly its founding. Now The Old Cathedral serves as a venue for private events. These are mostly fancy balls, weddings, and funerals. This afternoon it was reserved for a wedding.

The guests had started to arrive, walking the path from the parking lot through the gardens to the old stone building. Past the ancient iron bound oak doors the preserved gothic architecture was awash in white and red roses. Ribbons and bunting stretched across the stone walls. The early afternoon sun streamed through the stained glass windows, adding further to the colorful display. It almost looked like something out of a fairy tale story to the guests as they filed in.

In the Bridal Suite, a young woman paced back and forth in her white wedding dress. Charlotte looked stunning in elegant lace, a perfect complement to the venue. It was obvious from looking at her face that she was nervous, however it wasn’t about her approaching nuptials.

“I can’t stand it.” She said to her bridesmaids as she paced. “What if something is off?”

“Charlotte, really…” Her friend and Maid of Honor Evelyn sighed heavily.

Adeline, shook her head slowly. “Come on, you ordered the cake from Dulanhoff’s, the top tier bakery when it comes to wedding cakes. They made the wedding cake for the mayor’s daughter last May. It will be both beautiful and delicious.”

“I know, I just can’t help it. I need to check.”

Evelyn looked shocked “You can’t go out there!”

“Is this about bad luck if Trent sees me?” Charlotte raised an eyebrow.

“No, well, a little.” Evelyn admitted with a blush.

“Regardless,” Adeline jumped in, “the whole point of hiding the bride in her dress is to show off to the crowd when your dad walks you down the aisle.”

“I’ll just have to be sneaky then.” She said as she gathered up her train into her arms.

Charlotte ignored the protests that followed after her as she slipped out of the Bridal Suite. She ducked into the side halls of the cathedral and made her way to the reception room. She opened the door and was left nearly breathless. Perfectly arranged tarts and truffles were on silver trays. Beautiful and delicate china teacups and saucers waited to be filled. And at the center of it all was The Cake.

With her sweet tooth the cake was more awe inspiring than the gilded altar in the main hall. It was five tiers high. Sugar plum blossoms on chocolate branches entwined around the cake, and across the front painted perfectly onto the pure white frosting was the image of a red-crowned crane.

The crane was a bird that had deep personal meaning to both Charlotte and Trent. They had spotted one on their first date, and again two years later at the same spot when Trent proposed to her. The red-crowned crane was a symbol of their love and relationship. That’s why she had wanted it represented on the cake. It looked like Dulanhoff’s Bakery had more than delivered on the artistry of the cake.

Now Charlotte found herself wondering if it delivered on the taste as well. She looked around the room, even though she knew she was alone before slowly approaching the wedding cake. Charlotte licked her lips as she fantasized about how the cake would taste. Unable to resist, she walked around behind the cake.

No one will know, and all the pictures will be of the front anyway… She justified herself.

She gently pushed a finger into the frosting at the base of the cake, barely making more than a smudge in the perfect icing. She slowly brought her finger back to her lips. Being careful of her painted lips, she placed the finger into her mouth and licked off the frosting.

“Mmm! Oh my god!” Charlotte practically moaned as the sweat frosting melted into her mouth. “That’s perfect!”

The bride took a moment to calm herself before turning to leave the cake. She looked at it one more time with a wide smile on her mouth before slipping out from the room. Knowing that the cake was perfect eased the last bit of wedding anxiety Charlotte was feeling. All she had to do now was sneak back to the Bridal Suite and actually get married. As she made her way back, she started to feel a little strange. It was enough to make her pause.

Something feels off. Charlotte placed her hand gently on her forehead. Is this just nerves? She wondered as she felt a shiver run through her body. I better get back to the girls before they start to flip out.

Charlotte took a few more steps, then suddenly stopped. Her hand reached out to the stone wall to steady herself. She was breathing hard now and could feel the sweat beading up under her gown. Then there was a strange sensation on her arm, it felt almost like a pin prick. She looked at her arm through the lace sleeve of her gown and squinted. There was a small white feather.

“Where did that come from?” She whispered to herself.

It was then she noticed the feather wasn’t just pressed between her arm and the gown’s sleeve, it was growing out from her arm, and was getting longer.

“What the…”

Charlotte suddenly felt a wave of pin picks wash over her body. It was enough to make her cry out. Feathers were sprouting out all over her body. Charlotte dropped her train to the floor and hugged herself tightly. It felt like her insides were rearranging themselves, a sensation that distracted her from the feathers sprouting out from her body.

Inside the ballet style slippers she was wearing, Charlotte’s toes twisted and stretched, Bones melded and cracked before her feet tore through the silky cloth. Her once dainty feet were now replaced with a set of three-toed talons. The pale skin on her feet turned to a dark slate gray as her bones shifted into their new positions to support her body. The skin on her legs shifted to match her talons, the dark gray color crept its way up her legs under her gown.

The delicate lace sleeves started to rip and tear as her arms grew thick with feathers and they burst through the lace. The feathers were mostly white, though there was a trail of brilliant black feathers along the underside of her arms. Her hands were also covered in small delicate white feathers. The gown’s bodice started to fill, however, it was not just from the feathers now covering her chest. Her breasts swelled, causing her to show off more of her now plumed cleavage. Down below, Charlotte’s hips also grew fuller and rounder, but thankfully her waist stayed the same or else she would have busted out of her wedding gown entirely. Long tail feathers forced their way out through the back of the dress, right where the train was attached.

Charlotte didn’t have the time to take in her new buxom figure. There was something happening to her face. She felt a strange sensation in her lips and mouth. It was almost like an unseen hand was pulling Charlotte’s lips out from her face. Her jaw clicked and cracked and Charlotte could feel her teeth sinking back into her gums. Clasping her hands over her face, Charlotte quickly realized she was growing a bill.

“Oh god! Oh god! Oh god!” she mumbled as a long tapered bill grew out from her face.

As the bill took shape, Charlotte’s neck grew longer and more flexible. The feathers on her cheeks, throat, and neck took on a pearly gray color. Her veil fell off from the top of her head, along with the complicated braid it was attached too. Small delicate feathers covered her changing head, while a small crown of bare skin shifted to a bright red color.

Charlotte leaned back against the wall, panting for breath with her eyes closed. Her heart beat slowed now that whatever was changing her was finished. She rested there, afraid to move for several moments, but eventually she had to. Charlotte pushed off from the stone wall. Her talons clicked loudly on the old stone floor as she made her way down the hall to an ornate mirror. When she reached it, it took several moments to fully register that it was, indeed, her reflection.

“This…this can’t be…”

She turned her head left and right, taking in her new profile. There was no mistaking what she now resembled. A red-crowned crane, or at least some combination of a crane and a human. Her arms looked somewhat like wings, but there was no way she could fly with them. At least she still had fingers. She pulled what was left of the sleeves off of her arms and smoothed down her feathers. The action came naturally to her now.

“What do I tell Trent? What about the wedding?” She lowered her face into her hands, trying not to break down any further.

She heard a door open and then a loud gasp. Turning quickly, Charlotte was looking across the hall from Trent in his tuxedo.

They stared at each other with no sound other than their breathing. Trent finally seemed to blink and then muster up enough courage to talk.

“Charlotte?”

She lowered her head, far lower than she was used to and covered her face.

“I-I don’t know what happened to me…” She said in a heavy whisper. She heard his dress shoes on the floor as he walked closer to her. “I, I understand if you need to, need to…” She started to sob. “Call off the wedding.”

Trent blinked. “What I? I didn’t…”

“Look at me!” Charlotte raised her head up and spread her arms wide. “I’m a bird!”

“But it is still you, right? It’s still Charlotte under all those feathers, right?”

“Yes, no…Maybe? I don’t know!” She quickly turned away.

She felt his hands on her shoulders, they were gentle and warm even through her feathers. Slowly he turned her back around.

“I’m not just going to walk away from you.” Trent’s voice was somehow steady as he spoke.

Charlotte shook her head slightly. “But…”

“No buts.” He placed a hand on her bill and tilted her head so they met eye to eye. “If I have to add a vow about turning into birds, I will, but I’m not walking away.”

The absurdity of that statement made Charlotte laugh. Trent pulled her close and she rested her head over his shoulder.

“I’m sorry..” she whispered.

“You didn’t do anything.” He replied softly.

“I-I tasted a bit of the frosting on the cake.” She squeezed him tighter, “I couldn’t help myself, it was so good too. God, did that curse me? What kind of cake does that?”

“It’s not that bad of a curse.”

Charlotte sighed. “Once again, I’m a bird.”

“But a very beautiful one.” Trent turned his head and softly kissed her cheek.

“You’re serious about this? You still want to marry me?”

“Yes. In fact, I’m still ready to do it today.”

“You’re crazy…” she nuzzled up against shoulder and neck, “I love you…”

Trent gently stroked the feathers on her head. “I love you too.”

They held each other tightly in silence before Charlotte lifted her head and looked Trent in his eyes.

“Do you have your phone on you?”

He looked slightly confused. “Ahh, yeah, why?”

“We need to call Evelyn, I’m going to need some help with this dress if I’m going to walk down the aisle today.”

***

Trent helped to sneak Charlotte back to the Bridal Suite. They weren’t spotted by anyone on the way back at least. When the door opened to the suite, there were stares and gasps at what had happened to Charlotte. But they were her friends, and they weren't about to leave her high and dry on her wedding day. Evelyn and the other bridesmaids snatched Charlotte away from Trent and slammed the door shut.

Trent sighed, but smiled, he knew she was in good hands. He made his way to the main hall. By now the guests had arrived and found their seats. They were just waiting for the ceremony to start in the next few minutes. Trent realized he had to go out there and say something. As Trent walked up to the altar, he noticed there were a lot of worried faces in the crowd. He went straight to the pulpit and switched on the microphone.

“Thank you everyone for coming. Before anyone gets any more worried, I want to assure you the wedding is still very much happening today. Charlotte just needs some extra time to prepare herself after some unforeseen situations. Please, everyone just be patient while we get her ready for the ceremony."

Trent’s words had a mixed effect on the crowd. Although most of the worried faces in the crowd were gone, there were now the soft murmurs of curiosity and gossip floating through the assembled guests. Trent decided to slip away before he could be cornered with any questions.

About twenty minutes later the bridesmaids lined up at the back and the groomsmen took their places at the altar. The organ started to play and the guests settled down into a soft quiet. The bridesmaids made their way slowly down the aisle and took their places opposite the groomsmen. After Evelyn took her place as the Maid of Honor, the organ music swelled and everyone stood up.

Eyes went wide and there were quiet murmurs and hushed gasps as Charlotte was escorted down the aisle by her father. Her dress had been modified by her bridesmaids in record time. What was left of the sleeves was removed and the edges were cleaned up, letting the white and black feathers on her arms be on full display. The bodice had been adjusted for her fuller chest, and the train was detached in favor of just having her tail feathers on display. Her veil was saved and delicately slipped into her head feathers. Her avian feet made wearing any shoes impossible, so instead they had painted the talon tips with polish. She may now be a humanoid crane, but Charlotte looked beautiful for her big day.

Trent was waiting for her with a wide smile on his face. Charlotte’s father lifted the veil. He was still unsure about everything that had happened, but he was there for his daughter. With tears in her eyes, she hugged her father before turning to Trent. He took her arm in his and they walked up to the minister.

Charlotte heard the words of the minister as he began the ceremony, but she wasn’t listening. All she could focus on was Trent. He was holding her hands, smiling at her and she could just feel the rock that was his love. The only thing that broke her from her admiring gaze was when it was time to share their vows. His voice was clear and precise, not the slightest bit of hesitation as he vowed to stay by her side, in good times and in bad, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, and (as he added) in human form or bird.

When the minister pronounced them man and wife, he pressed his lips against her bill and everyone cheered and clapped. Smiling wide they walked hand in hand together with the wedding party following them. The receiving line was interesting. Some people did their best to treat everything as normal, some couldn’t meet her eyes as they congratulated them. The braver ones asked questions about what had happened, not that Charlotte could truly answer them.

“Well, that was fun.” Trent said after the last of the guests had left the chapel.

“In an awkward sort of way.” Charlotte giggled. “I guess this is a wedding people won’t forget.”

“Speaking of memories, the photographer is giving us a look.” He motioned over to the woman they had hired.

“Oh, right, we need to get some pictures taken.” She adjusted her veil. “Lets get that over with so we can enjoy the cake.”

It was not just some pictures. There were pictures of Trent and Charlotte as the newlywed couple, pictures with the wedding party, pictures with family. Pictures in the cathedral, pictures outside in the gardens. It was longer and more exhausting than the actual ceremony had been. Eventually the photographer was satisfied and they could attend their own reception.

Charlotte was relieved that most of the guests had elected to stay. People had been drinking coffee and tea and enjoying the smaller desserts, but now it was time to cut the cake, or at least it was after a few more pictures were taken. No one missed the fact that there was a crane both on the cake and standing next to it. Holding the knife together, Charlotte and Trent cut the first slice and took turns feeding it to each other while the guests clapped and cheered. Charlotte had some difficulty with her bill, but managed to not get any crumbs on her dress. The cake itself tasted delicious, even better than just the frosting alone.

After they saw no changes in Trent after he ate the cake, it was considered safe to share. The caterer continued to slice the cake as Charlotte and Trent mingled with their guests. As time went by, people grew slowly more accustomed to talking with an anthro crane.

Although they did not plan on a full reception, The couple had decided they still wanted to share their first dance with their guests. Their song played softly over a portable speaker as they danced together in the middle of the reception room. All eyes were on them, but they only had eyes for each other. As she danced with her now husband, what had happened to her mattered less and less. Trent loved her, and had proved it. She would figure everything else out, and she knew Trent would be there right by her side to help.

____________________________________________

Characters and setting belong to 14Doranc

Writing by Syntaxerror37

FA: https://www.furaffinity.net/user/sevencrown37/

SoFurry: [https://sofurry.com/u/sevencrown](../../u/sevencrown)

Discord: therealse37

Bluesky: @sevencrown37.bsky.social