So, this may strike some folks as weird, but I had a thought process I found interesting. It stemmed from wondering what marriages are like in the world of the Green Ember, and what similarities might exist between rabbit and human weddings. My focus narrowed in on a particular tradition: the “giving away” of the bride. This is the part of some marriage ceremonies where, traditionally, the father of the bride walks with her down the aisle to meet her husband to be at the altar.

Now, if this particular tradition also exists among rabbits in the Green Ember world, there’s a sad reality to be faced. Naturally, Heather would doubtless have been given away by Whittle. Heyna, whenever she gets around to tying the knot, will doubtless be accompanied down the aisle by Victor. But what about those does who, as the losses of war would have it, didn’t or don’t have living fathers as of the end of the series?

I like to imagine that, in the case of Louise/Weezie, Captain Moonlight may have stood in for Snoden and/or Helmer. He came into both Weezie and Picket’s lives at about the same time, and is known to have remained a friend of Picket’s following the war. Wilfred is another prospect, though we don’t really get a sense of Weezie having any relationship with her husband’s uncle/her stepfather. Of course, for all we know Picket and Weezie were married with her standing next to his hospital bed after he awoke from his coma.

In Emma’s case, she has neither her father King Jupiter nor her foster father Lord Rake to give her away. I feel like Whit would be a good option as her next to oldest brother. Winslow may be older, and hoped they eventually established a good relationship, but I think she probably developed a special bond with Whit as the first sibling to openly acknowledge her as both his sister and one-time future queen. I also figure it would be less nerve-wracking than having Smalls-y’know, the KING-walk her down the aisle. Jo, or Morgan, or whoever, is going to be nervous enough as it is when the day comes.

An older brother may also be a good option for the daughters of Lords Hewson and Ronan, both of whom perished in the last war. If he survived, Gantlin Hewson would be a good option to escort Amber to meet Lokson on their wedding day. Ronan’s oldest son is known to have perished during the war, but perhaps he had another who could one day accompany any of his sisters during their weddings. We don’t really know enough about either family to venture any other guesses.

Harmony, who survived her father, mother, twin sister and seven older brothers, is a bit harder to place. Given her friendship with the Longtreaders, I could see Whittle filling in for his predecessor as Tunneler. Or perhaps Edward could have that honor, given that Harmony seems to have regarded him as an ally if not a close friend while in Akolan. She has more candidates in this regard than, say, Elska Willow, whose only known male associate other than her late father was her twin brother Lukan.

Well, there’s all my weird thought process. Hope someone finds it enjoyable, or at least not objectionable.