Good Reception
The reception was slightly more laid-back than the wedding. Queen Hitomi and Alena had to change into more comfortable dresses, along with more comfortable shoes.
Meanwhile Allen and Van were sitting at their table, waiting for their new wives to come back.
"I can't believe it. We did it."
"Yeah. We did it. Any regrets?"
"Heavens, no! What are you thinking?!"
"Nevermind."
Queen Hitomi and Alena returned, and Van and Allen still seemed stunned.
Hitomi sat next to Van as Alena sat next to Allen.
"Van," Hitomi said.
"Yes, my queen?" Van said.
Hitomi sighed with a smile on her face.
"What is it?"
"I just wanted you to call me queen."
"You've always been a queen to me, Hitomi."
The food came, and what a feast it was.
The wine seemed almost too good to be true. Van was praying that Hitomi wouldn't overdo it with the sassafras white wine from Asturia.
The meal started with the 'first-course' appetizers as the caterers set up serving the meal.
One of the appetizers was a shellfish combined with cream cheese in a thin pastry shell. That was Hitomi's idea, but Van came up with his own request. Plain tubers stuffed with cheese and bits of crispy fried pork. A bit unorthodox for a wedding reception, but then again nothing was normal with Hitomi and Van.
The second course was a salad. Nice and crunchy, with crispy greens, juicy tomatoes, and a dressing that was to die for.
The third course was a soup. A simple stew with beef, carrots, tubers, and celery.
The fourth was the main meal. It was baked chicken, wild rice, and green legumes with some kind of nut sprinkled on it.
The fifth was dessert. It had been served with coffee from Freid. The two couples decided instead of having a dessert, they insisted on two gorgeous wedding cakes.
Folken, who had been made the master of ceremonies for the reception, came to the podium.
"If you would all stop complimenting about how good the coffee is, we'd like you to bring to your attention that the couples are now cutting their cakes."
Of course, the King and Queen went first.
"Come on Van, it's not that hard," Hitomi said.
They made the first cut together, and then the second.
"This one's yours, Hitomi. Ladies first."
"Okay," she said as they both cut the second piece for Van. They both fed each other a piece.
"Now it's your turn, Allen and Alena," Folken said with a smile.
"This is yours, Alena," Allen said as they cut the first piece.
"And this one's yours, Allen," Alena said as they cut the second.
"I hope this will taste good," Alena said.
Allen fed Alena a piece like the gentleman he was.
Alena nodded in approval as she finished chewing it and swallowed.
Alena took Allen's plate and picked up the whole slice a squished it Allen's face.
The crowd laughed so hard, people were falling out of their chairs.
Allen laughed, too. Alena was full of surprises.
"Let them eat cake," Hitomi whispered to herself, smiling.