Hey! This is my disclaimer! I only own characters and places that are the product of my imagination. Everything else belongs to someone whose bank account isn't as empty. There, that was my disclaimer… now on with the story…
The young cat-girl growled frustrated and tried, once more, push through the crowd. Unfortunately people of Pallas were too eager to see their queen and her future husband passing by on their way to the palace main courtyard where they would wed to just let a neko pass by to a better spot.
But Merle wasn't giving up "Please, I just want to see queen Millerna's dress. She said it was beautiful." She tried politely "I'm her old friend, you know."
"Hush, little cat-girl. And don't speak nonsense. Our queen having a neko as a friend, bah." The woman Merle tried to push by said back and moved a bit just when the cat-girl believed she found a way to get in the front.
"Oh, come on…" she whined and kneeled to see if she could find her way to the canal edge between legs of gathered people. And once more she faced a problem-the woman in front of her turned and started to tap her foot in annoyance.
"Go away you little beast. You are disturbing us." Merle looked up from her position close to the ground and saw two brown eyes sending her a look of disgust.
In response she huffed and stood up "No one is complaining except you." Merle pointed out the obvious, her blue eyes firmly locked with the woman's brown.
She observed Merle from head to toes and grimaced "You are not even Asturian, what are you doing here actually?"
"I already told you, you… you… Queen Millerna is-"
"Nothing but a pathetic lie." The woman interrupted her and turned towards the canal once more just before Merle stuck her tongue at her.
Moving away from that spot and the fat woman Merle searched for a better place to wiggle by the gathered people and finally see the royal couple. After almost ten minutes she got lucky. Several men moved as she tried to pass making her smile widely. Today was after all her lucky day.
As she finally managed to reach in the first row Merle noticed the boats were no where in sight and the people around here were starting to walk away. She was confused till she looked towards the palace. And there they were.
Next to the small stone dock were two white boats. Empty.
And Millerna was nowhere in sight.
"Damn." Merle cursed frustrated and stomped her foot. She missed it. And all because of that old hag "You better remember every detail of the dress lord Van." She mumbled and walked away together with everyone else.
When the crowd cleared only four people remained standing close to the water canal. One of them nodded and then they parted.
Van was sitting on the main balcony of the palace together with other royalties and high dignitaries. At first he was boring himself to death until Mislav Beur, the current president of Basram, didn't sit on the chair on Van's right.
"I have not expected to see you here." He whispered discreetly to Van.
The young Fanelian prince smiled "Well queen Millerna didn't leave me a choice. She insisted that I come personally and not just send a envoy."
"Ah, what did she threaten you with?" the president joked "In my case it was breaking of all trading agreements. Quite a effective threat, I must say."
"In my case it was much worse." Van said and shuddered at the memory of Millerna's words "If I didn't come today she would have send a letter in Deadalus, make it look like I did it, and ask the kind for the hand of his daughter." He was whispering as quiet as possible. The king of Deadalus and the mentioned princess were sitting not far from them.
Mislav Beur tried with all his might to suppress his laughter. The queen and her soon-to-be husband have just walked in the courtyard and if he laughed now it would be an international scandal. It would seem like he was laughing to them.
Van focused on the event below but didn't miss when the Basramian ruler commented "I truly pity the man who gets forced to marry that brat."
Garnet eyes were observing the ceremony closely. Van knew Merle would later question him of every detail because she couldn't be here to watch it herself.
Millerna personally tried to get her a seat on the balcony but the royal counsels were sticking to the ancient rules and they clearly forbid anyone that was not of royal lineage to sit there with others of high status.
So Van promised to be her eyes.
Long carpet in royal blue color was leading from the entrance in the courtyard till the steps in front of the arch that lead to the garden. And that is where the priests waited. The main one, that was also oldest of them, stepped forward as the couple walked closer.
Van smiled. Merle will be so angry when she finds out how beautiful Millerna's dress is. He was male but even he could honestly say it was the most amazingly made piece of clothes he ever saw.
Pearly white embolden with gold and blue threads in form of sea dragons on the bottom hem and bodice went perfectly with the blue cape. The veil was transparent and unlike in some kingdoms it was not covering her face not her eyes that glistered with happiness.
The silence spread through the area. Everyone was waiting.
"Several centuries ago the first king of Asturia had started a lineage of our accomplished monarchs. Today Asturia is welcoming the new member of the royal family that will ensure the continuation of the bloodline of our rulers.
In front of the Gods that guard our land and witnesses I am to bind Queen Millerna Sara Aston and Dryden Fassa in matrimony that was to last until the end of time. For not even death can separate what Gods have blessed.
The bands of gold, which are to bind you forever were blessed by the priests, and represent the eternal promise of faithfulness and support. Those who wear it were meant to stay together in sickness and in health, in wealth and poorness, in good and bad times."
Dryden took a gold band from a velvet pillow and gently placed it on Millerna's finger. She was smiling the whole time as she was repeating the motion. Once when the rings were on the places where they would stay forever the priests bowed.
"We greet the royal couple of Asturia. Long may they live." The main priest said "And now you may seal this ceremony with a kiss."
Dryden didn't need to hear that twice. And neither did Millerna.
Applause interrupted the silence as their lips finally locked in a long awaited kiss after the betrothal that lasted for over a decade. Soon after that the people from outside the palace started to cheer. They finally, after years of only being under the rule of king Aston, had a complete royal family.
Among the people outside, several elegantly dressed men, moved closer to the garden entrance of the palace. The moment they are waiting for was very close now.
The main celebration was being held in the grand hall of the Asturian palace. It was decorated with royal blue end gold and prepared for the event a week earlier. Everything was meant to pass perfectly in order.
Two long tables were placed opposite of each other with a large open area between them that is serving for dancing. And on the far side of the hall stood the third table. It was smaller and with a large bouquet of different white flowers set in the middle. That is where the newlyweds would sit.
The guess were walking in slowly and taking a seat. Van was happy to notice the Basramian president was placed next to him on the table next to the wall. And on the other one next to the windows were the royal family of Deadalus.
"Oh, look. Princess Nallia is waiving to you." He said to Van jokingly as they sat down.
"She can wave until her hand falls off." Van said back seriously "I am really not interested in her."
The president chuckled "Perhaps you should say that to her father. During my last visit in Deadalus he spoke with me about you. Because we are old friends he wished to know if you already have someone."
The young king almost growled "In his kingdom it may work that way but in Fanelia… we do not pick our wife in the same way as in other kingdoms."
"So I heard." Mislav said seriously "An unusual way to find a bride but so far all kings before you were extremely lucky and found their soul mates."
Van sighed dramatically "I can only hope that luck still exist."
As the royal couple stepped in the hall everyone raised to greet then. And one by one the guests were bowing their heads to show respect as the newlyweds were passing by.
Millerna was glowing. The ceremony had passed much better then she ever dared to dream and on the celebration were all those who mattered to her. She could see Van standing next to Mislav and smiling to her. Both men were her friends and she was glad they were here to share her happiness.
Once the royal couple arrived to their chairs the guests all sat back on their seats. And they waited.
Millerna, as the actual queen of Asturia, spoke first "Dear guests, I thank you all for arriving to spend with us this historic day. I hope you have enjoyed the ceremony and that this celebration will be the beginning of the new era for Asturia"
"Today is the first day of the rest of my life. From this day on I will be a king of Asturia and all I can say is I am honored to be among the great rulers that are today present in this hall. Thank you for sharing this day with me." Dryden added once his wife said what she was meant to say.
The musicians started to play the old Asturian song that started each wedding celebration in the history. It was a clue for Millerna and Dryden to move to the dance floor and begin, what the young queen used to call, the dance marathon.
Guests were smiling at the gracious movement of the couple. It was obvious by the expression on their faces they were madly in love with each other. Their love for each other practically radiated from them.
Several minutes later more couples joined them on the dance floor.
"Come on." Van felt someone grab his hand and pull him on his feet. Instantly he got terrified. He believed it was the dreadful princess but looking towards the person he sighed. The young girl chuckled "Either you dance with me or she'll get to you."
Van chuckled "Thanks for the help Naria."
The young leopard-girl smiled. She was the daughter of one of the councilmen of Asturia and knew Van for years now. Her twin sister was currently winning them time by distracting princess Nallia "No problem. Now hurry up, Eriya can't spend so much time talking to that brat and not snap on her and cause a scandal."
The liberal language of the neko made Van grin as they moved to the dance floor. Some might have considered dancing with a beast-person to be below them but in Fanelian they were a part of the nation. There was no reason to be ashamed to dance with one or anything like that.
Everyone were so cough into celebrating; into dancing and talking with friends and acquaintances, into joking with the newlyweds or commenting how beautiful the whole day was that they never noticed the uninvited guests that moved in through the open glass doors that led to the palace gardens.
They didn't notice them until it was already too late.
Before they striked.
MEMO: this is the first chapter of the new plot. It took me a while to find the right words and have actually started from the scratch several times. The grammar was checked by my sister and out friend, but the possibility of misspelled words still remains. Sorry 'bout that. I'm doing my best.
