In the history of all Lycia, there have never been two provinces closer in friendship than Ostia and Pherae. Stemming many years back when young Lord Hector and Lord Eliwood were nearly inseparable on the schoolyard. Though not brothers by blood, the two were closer than any two siblings who shared the same womb.
When Lord Hector fathered a bright-eyed daughter right after Lord Eliwood fathered and strong, strapping son, all of Elibe knew it was only a matter of time before these two provinces merged through marriage and the Lycian League would be forced to turn from their autocratic ways and form one unified kingdom. That day has finally come that Lilina, Lady Ostia, and the son of The Most Hon. Marquess Eliwood of Pherae, Roy, Lord Pherae would join together in holy matrimony.
However, this is more than a simple wedding. With this marriage, the autonomous federation known as the Lycian League would henceforth cease to exist. With this marriage, Lycia shall be united. One nation, one crown, one ruler. The Kingdom of Lycia shall be born, lead by His Majesty The King of Lycia.
It wouldn't be a completely radical restructuring of power. The individual Noble Houses would retain power over their provinces as individual Duchys, but Lycia itself would be united under one crown. The alliance would pave way for The Kingdom.
With the recent turmoil brought on by the late Emperor Zephiel of Bern, much of the nobility in Lycia was already scattered and thinned out. There was no substantial opposition to the crowning of Roy and Lilina as King and Queen of Lycia. Their heroics in the previous war combined with their kindness towards the common people proved insurmountable obstacles to the few nobles with their own ambitions at the crown.
Fiora, Lady Pherae, wife to Marquess Eliwood of Pherae and mother to the future King of Lycia sat proudly beside her husband as they watched their nervous son stand at the alter in the Ostian Cathedral to St. Elimine. She was filled with joy that her son had found the one woman he loves more than life itself. Fiora could still remember when Eliwood, despite facing much grief from the Pherae aristocrats, declared that he would not stand to have his future decided for him and forced the world to accept his marriage to a lowly Ilian mercenary. Now, decades later, the product of their love, their son Roy, stood at the alter. His wedding would be less tumultuous. There were no political ramifications for Roy to marry Lilina. She is the heir to the House of Ostia, not a lowly mercenary as Fiora once was.
Fiora's thoughts were soon cut off as the bridal march rang out from the oversized organ in the cathedral. She, her husband and all those attending quickly rose to their feet. Fiora sneaked one last glance at her son, laughing inwardly at his nervousness. She could still remember Eliwood sweating bullets at the alter. Her husband had confessed his fear on their wedding night after ...other... activities that he had feared she would come to her senses and leave him at the alter. Like father like son.
Lilina entered elegantly through the massive doors of the cathedral. She had insisted that her mother, the wife of the late Marquess Ostia, Marchioness Florina of Ostia be the one to walk her down the aisle. Considering Lilina is the future Queen of Lycia, nobody could really tell her no. The bride herself was beautiful. Her white gown flowed behind her in a way that reminded Fiora of gentle snowy hills back home in Ilia. Lilina's cheeks flushed red as she looked forward to her future husband. Shy smiles and loving gazes exchange between the bride and groom as Florina happily led her daughter up the aisle.
Fiora smiled as her baby sister lead Lilina up to the alter. Florina's wedding woes were almost similar to Fiora's. Florina however, was knighted by her friend Lyn as a Knight of Caelin. While her background was grounds for controversy, it was mild compared to Fiora's mercenary past. Plus Florina had the express consent of Lyndis, Lady Caelin before Lyn had given up rule of Caelin to Hector.
The sisters have unfortunately grown a bit separate through the years. Fiora and Florina's respective duties as the wives of the Marquesses kept them from seeing each other. In fact, until the war started, Fiora and Florina mainly communicated through the exchange of letters and messages carried by Farina, as Farina did not marry a Marquess and was more free to move around. Fiora hoped that now that their children were marrying each other, she and her sister would be able to see each other more often...
...wait...
"Dearly Beloved, we are gathered together here in the sign of Elimine..."
...their..children?
"... and in the face of this company..."
Fiora frowned... the war had taken a toll on everyone... Roy had proposed to Lilina during the conflict...
"...to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony, which is commended to be honorable among all men; and therefore..."
...and before that, Fiora had never accompanied Eliwood to Ostia when he brought Roy... nor has Florina ever accompanied Hector and Lilina to Pherae...
"...is not by any..."
While Lilina visited with Roy, Fiora had not spoken to the girl much, and...
"...to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly..."
...Fiora had never connected with the fact that Lilina...is Florina's daughter... never mentioned it to the kids... never even realized it herself...
"...but reverently, discreetly, advisedly and solemnly. Into this holy estate these two persons present now come to be joined. If any person can show just cause why they may not be joined together..."
...that means...
"...let them speak now or forever hold their peace."
Bang.
"WAIT! THEY ARE COUSINS! ROY AND LILINA ARE FREAKING COUSINS!!! FLORINA AND FIORA ARE SISTERS!"
Everyone froze in shock: some coming to the same realization, others discovering for the first time that Lady Ostia and Lady Pherae were sisters. But the shock on the faces of the congregation could not compare to the shock on the faces of the bride and the groom... who both... guided by a primal instinct... laid a protective hand over the smooth silk of Lilina's dress... in the area around her stomach...