A/N: This is the fluff part, serious content coming later...to recap from the parent story 'Emperor of Mars', Inaho was killed at Novobirisk. Slaine rescued Asseylum without Saazbaum's help, blamed the Count for Inaho's death as well as all that he actually did, and got the Emperor's blessing to marry Asseylum after killing Saazbaum. I don't own Aldnoah Zero, or the dot.

"‒Princess Asseylum Vers Allusia. Do you, er…take this man…to be your, um, lawful husband?"

Blue roses.

I stared down at the flowers held in my lacy gloves. The white veil hid my eyes. I'd always known this impossible day of marriage would come. Never dreamt of a marriage so impossible as this.

When I was ten, I thought marriage was much the same as death. Given that Grandmother was a hologram on Grandfather's dresser, while mother was a suite of preserved rooms. I used to try on her jewellery and makeup with Slaine, when we were small. The whole palace was like a tomb, but I could feel that mother's rooms had once held life.

And Slaine had seen life, on the blue world full of marvellous creatures. Hope and adventure still lived in his eyes, like sparks. We rambled all over the palace in those vanished days before he left with Count Cruhteo. Like two little birds, flitting about the halls where old nobles stamped and roared. He would follow me anywhere; never told me that anything was impossible, or improper. I very neatly cried when Slaine left. The purpose of royal birth, Grandfather always told me, was the happiness of my people; I was their future hope. But nothing I could do would ever give my first true friend the happiness I wished. Or repay him for the new hope he'd flown from Earth to Mars to bring me.

When I was twelve, exploring the palace alone, I saw a Count who I won't name in flagrante delicto with a servant, in an old storeroom. He had always been exceptionally kind to me, so I had never understood before why his wife always seemed quiet and morose. She might not be so pretty, but her father's Clan was one of the richest on Vers...I feel so sorry for her, it still hurts.

That was the day I told Grandfather that I wanted to go to Earth. As Princess Royal, I would marry a high noble of Vers one day. Give myself to him completely. Bear children for our sacred kingdom's future, as surely as death. And love no one but my husband, by the honour that meant more than life‒some noblewomen might feel it no sin to betray an unfaithful husband, but I would be better than that. Before I ever saw a marriage-altar, I would fight for the peace with Earth we dreamed of together. Pour out life for my people's happiness, as a Princess of Vers should do.

Of course, it didn't work out like that. Some of the poor souls killed in the missile attack were servants I'd grown up with; but I never learned the name of the girl who died in my place. Fighting with complete despair, I had to trust my life to Terran friend, and raise my hand against Versian enemies. All that royalty had built my life on, all my innocent dreams‒swallowed by the incomprehensible sea.

I saw Earth's sea, and it was beautiful. I saw it with him, and loved a boy I could never marry.

Inaho-San. That quiet Terran boy, whose strength was my safety in war. In guilt and terror, his wise voice was my peace‒even as his eyes made my heart tremble, like nothing I'd ever known in my life. He spoke with such understanding, as if I were simply a Martian girl. Who couldn't help but dream of impossible futures. Couldn't help but give that boy a part of herself. A piece of her that died when Saazbaum shot her first love dead.

(Since I was ten, before any man, I've given my life to peace. By marriage, by sacrifice, by understanding, I truly believed I could help bring the Clans of Vers together. I still believe the hatred between Terra and Mars can be overcome. But I might have hated Saazbaum enough to put his corpse and every survivor of his clan to public disgrace. If I'd let myself. If a Princess could ever freely love or hate).

I forced back the tears. Turned my face to the man beside me, in his red uniform jacket, completely failing to hide his nerves behind a tough face.

Slaine. The sweet, gentle friend, who appeared suddenly before me, a man. In deathly despair, he was there for me, grown strong. For my sake. We had brought the first Earth Armistice together; he had avenged poor Inaho and given his all to protect me. I was ready to give my all for him.

I might not feel so easy or safe as I had at Inaho's side…perhaps not even quite so happy. But that had been a dream. This was my future, with all the velvet bonds of duty it had always held. And Slaine loved me, like I had never imagined a husband could love. Like a constant star in all the world's darkness; he had crossed space and fought armies for my sake. I needed him. This world since the war had been too dark for me to ever live on alone.

"I do!"

I grinned to hear Slaine's breath catch in his throat. Whatever was he so worried about?

Conducting the service from Mars by hologram, poor Grandfather had lost his place. Viscount Chambers finally pointed it out.

"….therefore! By the authority of the…departed gods of Vers, vested in me, um, as heir to their will, um, in the light of Aldnoah, I pronounce you man and wife! Prince Troyard, you may k‒"

"Ah!"

I cried out, as Slaine hoisted me off my feet. I must admit that my dress was so heavy he almost dropped me, but I wrapped one arm round his neck and hung on. He practically ravished my lips in front of Grandfather and the whole nobility of Vers.

Oh yes, this was why I loved Slaine. For years of formal devotion, he'd bottled up the truth of his feelings‒hidden the lonely boyhood that made expressing his feelings so hard. But when his armour fell away…he was clumsy, rough and poured all of his love and silent tears straight into me at once. His heart was overwhelming, almost dangerous, but I would face any danger with Slaine. And I wanted, needed, longed to protect all of that dear heart's broken places.

"‒kiss the bride." Poor Grandfather looked more confused than ever, but not displeased. Throughout the red-panelled cathedral in honour of Vers' extra-terrestrial benefactors, several young nobles had started to clap and cheer.

So I was really, impossibly, marrying a Terran boy whom I loved. For peace between our worlds, the impossible dream...no. For both my boys, the impossible meant nothing but work and passion.