Everyone was staring….

Yona felt like she had butterflies fluttering in her stomach. She was hiding from the crowd behind Vold and Algira, who had just opened the large double doors, while Tao spoke with the priest that was going to lead the ceremony, explaining that he must keep it private. Princess Kouren and Yotaka were also present, though they seemed to be on guard, standing off to the side and watching everyone that entered. There was a chance that Gobi, the high priest, could come back to strike again, or even find out about Yona marrying one of the dragons because she was currently carrying his child… After all, only a select few people had a clue why that strange flash protected Yona from all those arrows. Zeno and Yoon both speculated that it could have been because Yona was carrying the child of Ryokuryuu, and the princess couldn't deny that possibility. But that could also put a large target on her, so she understood why Hak insisted on staying guard during this private wedding. And why he was standing right behind her, a witness to her increasing nervousness.

"Princess, I'm sure we can talk to Tao about this if you really can't go through with it." The Thunder Beast offered.

"I thought you were going to make sure Jae-ha took responsibility for getting me pregnant?" she retorted, trying to sound confident… Even though her face was far too red to attempt that and she was trembling.

"Well that's true, but not if you're going to faint the minute you step out there." Hak pointed out. "Also that dress looks uncomfortable if I say so myself."

Yona pursed her lips at that, he was right. It was uncomfortable and extremely tight, even with the alterations made last night. But she had to agree with Tao that it did look beautiful with its cherry blossom color. The sleeves were long and had extra fabric that hung down from her elbow to her wrist, trimmed with gold around the tip and a flower pattern that covered the sleeves, each flower varying in shades of pink. The top portion of the dress had golden lining along the pink fabric that trailed down, around her waist was a green and red sash, probably to represent the Crimson and Green Dragon colors. Beautiful gems were sown into the dress, reflecting the light of the candles placed throughout the hall, and Yona's hair was held up by her dragon hairpin given to her by her soon to be husband. The train of the dress covered her feet on the ground and she worried a bit about tripping over it, so she lifted the skirt enough before taking a step. "I'll manage. Besides I have you behind to catch me." She chuckled, then looked ahead and blushed at the sight of Jae-ha at the end with the priest. "Oh! I guess Princess Tao did catch him after all…" she laughed, noting her Green Dragon was dressed up in a rather fancy montsuki kimono that was colored crimson much like her hair, along with a golden trim to match the trim on her wedding kimono.

"Yeah even though Droopy Eyes got away from her last night because she was busy with you, just seconds after everyone showed up for breakfast, she had Vold and Algira snatch him up before he could protest." Hak snickered, just recalling that bit this morning put a smile on his face. "I offered a bit of help in holding him down, but I have to admit he was a bit annoying with saying he'd eagerly allow me to strip him." The Lightning Beast grumbled as he made a face. "Then White Snake offered to make him behave and use his dragon arm to hold him down. So that got Droopy Eyes to cut the dramatics, since we all know how badly that could have turned out."

Yona sweatdropped just trying to picture that. "Sounds like it was quite the spectacle. Sadly I got rushed off as soon as I was woken up to fix my hair and get this dress on. The one hairdresser had a horrible time getting my hair to behave." She giggled. "And Tao kept insisting it would have been bad luck for Jae-ha to see me before the wedding."

"With her going on and on about traditions it reminded me of some of the stuff gramps used to drone on about." Hak chuckled and shook his head. "Though he would have flipped his lid about you getting pregnant before you even got married."

"I know, I know… Look I didn't plan for this to happen ok?" Yona huffed, her cheeks turning red again as she wrapped an arm around her stomach that had been bothering her most of the morning. "Let's just… Get this over with." She took a deep breath and stepped forward, taking Hak's arm as he offered and clinging onto it to help calm her nerves.

"Ah here comes the miss now!" Zeno cheered as he looked up with Shin-ah as Ao squealed when she saw the princess.

"Yona looks… Pretty." The Seiryuu said quietly. "Ao agrees."

"T-t-t-the p-p-p-princess!" Kija's face was bright red just seeing her.

"Wow… Princess Tao really went all out to make her a blushing bride." Yoon commented.

"She looks absolutely gorgeous, so Princess Tao did a wonderful job." Jae-ha replied, his eyes wide and completely in awe at the sight of his bride walking towards him. His cheeks burned as he smiled once she arrived and he took her hand into his. "You look absolutely amazing, Yona dear."

"T-t-thanks." She stammered, her face painted scarlet as her heart thumped away loudly in her chest. "Y-you look g-great too." She then let go of Hak and stood on her own, though looking terribly nervous.

"I hope so, they insisted that I needed to look my best for my future wife." Jae-ha chuckled. "After all Hak and Kija were ready to make sure I behave for today. By the way Hak, shouldn't you be joining the others?" he raised his eyebrow at how the Thunder Beast was still lingering behind the princess.

"Someone needs to catch her, after all she looks ready to faint any minute." Hak replied, his arms crossed over his chest.

"I-I'll be f-fine Hak, really!" Yona protested, trying her best to get her heart and blush under control… And failing at it.

"Alright, I'll be close just in case." Hak commented, going to stand over by Kija who looked ready to faint himself at the sight of their beautiful princess.

"Very well then, shall we begin?" the priest asked, smiling as he placed a sake cup in each of their hands. "Drink from these cups first, as you begin your first steps to uniting together. Once you take a sip, exchange with your partner."

"Starting the wedding with a drinking party? I already like weddings in Xing." Jae-ha joked, taking his gulp and offering his cup to Yona.

"Does he have to be a disgrace at his own wedding?" Kija groaned.

"Well he is still recovering from that head wound." Hak remarked.

Yona's hands were shaking as she drank from the cup, then exchanged with her lover and drank from his cup. Once they were finished, they handed them back to the priest who placed those cups on the table, then joined the couple's hands together, closing his eyes. "Bless them as unmoving and eternal. May their lives flourish like luxuriant trees. May they, bride and groom, together with heaven and earth, with the sun and the moon, continue to give out light and radiance. Thus we do reverently pray to the gods for their blessing on this union." And after he finished Tao and Kouren clasped their hands together, followed by their other Xing members leaving the Happy Hungry Bunch confused at first, but they followed the example since they were not aware of Xing's traditions after all.

Yona and Jae-ha exchanged a glance at each other, one that made the redhead blush when those amethyst eyes just looked at her with love and admiration. Before they could say anything, the priest spoke again.

"Now, we'll need you both to read from this scroll as you recite your vows to each other." The priest withdrew his hands from the couple and grabbed a parchment from the table, holding it up for them to read clearly. "It is normal for the groom to go first."

"Very well then." Jae-ha said with a smile, looking over the scroll before reciting what was written. "This woman, I marry. No matter what the health situation is, I will love this person, respect this person, console this person, help this person, until death, protecting fidelity, I swear." He then chuckled at the end. "Oh my, the ladies of the world are going to be so heartbroken Yona dear."

"Enough with the dramatics, Droopy Eyes." Hak grumbled and rolled his eyes.

Yona just giggled. "Charming as usual." She then went on to repeat the same vows, blushing the whole time as she did. "This man, I marry." She took a deep breath before continuing, trying to get her nerves under control as Jae-ha seemed to beam with pride hearing her say that. "No matter what the health situation is, I will love this person, respect this person, console this person, help this person, until death, protecting fidelity, I swear."

The priest held up one more sake cup. "Next you both drink from this cup, because you are from now on bonded as one heart, one soul. As you take your first steps in life together as one."

Yona nodded as her and Jae-ha held the cup together, taking turns drinking from opposite sides until giving it back to the priest who smiled. "With that, you are officially husband and wife, you may kiss your bride."

"With pleasure!" Jae-ha picked Yona up in both hands and hugged, holding her waist for support, keeping her high enough that he had to look up during their kiss, and so that everybody gathered could see Yona from wherever they stood. The Green Dragon kissed her more, spun around twice then put the princess back down, smiling wide. "I love you, Yona dear, my wife from this day onward."

The redheaded princess was blushing bright red as she opened her eyes once their lips parted, having closed them while he was spinning her. Once their amethyst orbs met, her heart hammered away in her chest as she felt like she had a lump in her throat for a moment. Her mouth hung open to reply but nothing came out as she was so embarrassed over their passionate kiss in front of everyone. She kissed him once more, briefly as she finally got control of her nerves. "I love you too, Jae-ha." She whispered, her cheeks burning as she spoke. "My h-h-h-h-h-hu-husband from now on." She stammered horribly at the end. "T-that's going to take some time to get used to…"

Jae-ha chuckled at how adorable she was, her face just as red as her hair. "We'll have plenty of time for you to get practice in my dear." He then reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring that Hak had given him last night. "And now for a little something to seal the deal, Hak told me in his village it's tradition for married women to wear one of these on this finger I think he said…" he took careful aim and placed the ring onto the third finger on Yona's left hand. He then leaned in to kiss her hand right where her new ring rested. "He gave me this last night with the instructions, so that everyone knows you're spoken for Yona-chan." The Green Dragon winked. "… And Hak's subtle way of accepting our marriage, as it's meant for a blessing."

Yona gasped as she blushed madly, her heart stopped as her hand trembled while her new husband explained this ring to her. She quickly turned and caught a glance at Hak who was smiling warmly at her but merely shrugged his shoulders like it was no big deal. The princess' eyes filled with tears when she saw that ring, she knew the Wind Tribe had this tradition from a talk with Mundok long ago. She had been hiding her relationship from her bodyguard for so long because she was worried he would never accept her choice or the Ryokuryuu himself, yet here he had done this. It meant so much to her, especially considering that just a day passed since Hak confessed his feelings to her, and rather loudly at that. The princess was certain that the Thunder Beast was angry with her over this relationship, and also because she had been ignorant and blind to his feelings for all this time… Then, like a flash of lightning, the idea hit her that maybe Hak really thought it was impossible for him and Yona to ever be together? Did he really think so little of himself, care so much about their status? Was it because she was the princess he swore to protect that made him claim he didn't expect anything? Although to be fair, that confession came out in the heat of the moment and apparently he thought that she would be fine now… even though he managed to make Yona question everything she knew about their friendship. She smiled at Hak, holding back her tears and mouthing a word of thanks to him, one she'd express later for sure.

"Such a beautiful moment for the little miss." Zeno smiled as Shin-ah nodded in approval.

"T-the p-p-princess is married… I can't believe it…" Kija was still blushing madly, looking ready to faint.

Hak supported him with one hand. "Easy White Snake, with the way you're acting I'd swear you were the one walking down the aisle with her."

"W-W-WHAT? M-M-M-ME B-BUT I-I C-COULDN'T-" Kija started babbling like mad.

Yoon sighed and shook his head. "This coming from the guy that just shouted his love confession yesterday to the bride."

"I'm so happy for you Princess Yona!" Tao came rushing up to the couple right away. "Now we must hurry to the dining hall as I've prepared a celebration!"

"Celebration? But I thought this wedding was a secret?" Yona asked, blinking a few times.

"Only we few know it's to celebrate your wedding." Princess Kouren chimed in. "The rest of the people of Xing think this celebration is merely to commend you for saving our country from war."

"Yo-nyan you're a hero in Xing now." Algira said with a smile. "The people wish to thank you."

"It is true, after all had you not helped make sure negotiations happened between our countries, many lives would have been lost." Vold added.

"See Yona dear? You are so amazing we have multiple reasons to hold a celebration in your honor." Jae-ha chuckled, kissing her cheek as he held her close.

Yona flushed as she felt so embarrassed with all this attention on her. "It wasn't just me, after all. Hak helped with the Wind Tribe and Princess Tao by wanting to find a peaceful solution in the first place. We all worked together to reach this outcome."

"That's true, but you're the one that just got married!" Tao pointed out, grabbing the redheaded princess by the hand. "Now come on let's get to the banquet!"

Jae-ha chuckled as he watched his new wife getting pulled away, he quickly followed along with the rest of their group. In the dining area after several speeches and words of thanks to Yona, they all began the wonderful feast, which was followed by the people of Xing celebrating the occasion with a ballroom dance.

Several of the Happy Hungry Bunch were asked to dance, Hak kept on insisting on being alert and turned the women down, Kija was far too nervous and stayed by Shin-ah, Zeno joined in a few dances and Yoon got dragged into several.

"Would you do me the honors, Yona-chan?" Jae-ha asked as he winked at his bride, extending his hand once she was finished with her meal.

"Watch out Droopy Eyes she might take out your feet with her chicken dance." Hak warned.

"HAK!" Yona growled at her bodyguard. "I do know how to dance!"

"Well you should after all those lessons that you dragged me into being your partner." The Lightning Beast groaned at the memory. "My feet still have scars from all the times you stomped on them."

Yona huffed at that, sighing as she recalled her lessons back in the palace. Hak and Soo-won were always asked to watch her or join as a partner and she'd always grab Hak, worried she'd freeze dancing with Soo-won but then Hak would complain when she'd mess up or step on him, so the lessons were always cut short.

Jae-ha just smiled as he got them into position. "Well then just aim for my right leg my dear." He winked, wrapping one arm around her waist while leading her into the dance. "Or I could just carry you like this." He joked, lifting her slightly above the ground, thanks to their height difference it just brought her closer to his face as he twirled around the dance floor. "After all I promised to be your legs and it's a husband's duty to carry his beautiful bride." He whispered into her ear, his nose nuzzling against the hairpin he had given her.

"A-across the threshold." The princess corrected him, blushing bright red as her heart raced. "I-I'm fine, really Jae-ha." She tried to get her blush under control as he placed her back down and they resumed their dance. Though all the twirling got her a little dizzy and she lost her footing at one point, but was able to recover.

"Are you alright Yona dear?" Jae-ha noticed her wavering in balance and was concerned.

"I'm fine, really." Yona shook her head. "It's just… You know, the baby and all. With all the excitement over the last couple of days it's been catching up to me. Sara told me it's normal for my stage in the pregnancy so it's fine."

"Yes I was speaking with her yesterday when I got back with Hak." The Ryokuryuu nodded, smiling at her. "After all I just had to find out if it's safe to continue making love to my new wife with her expecting..." he whispered, winking at her as he brought her hand up to kiss.

"J-Jae-ha you asked her that?!" Yona squeaked, trying her best to keep her voice down. She was blushing madly now but she had to admit she wondered that herself… And didn't ask the healer due to the embarrassment of it. "…. What did she say…?"

"That it's perfectly fine as she's taken care of many families here in Xing that the wives said their husbands couldn't keep their hands off of them all the way up to a few weeks before the birth and their children were perfectly healthy, in fact she joked that the ones that had made love more often the wives were happier and in much better health during the pregnancy and after the birth." Jae-ha chuckled, recalling the conversation. "Just that I shouldn't stress your back too much and watch it with certain positions. I found it quite refreshing as usually I heard most men avoided their wives during pregnancy in fear of harming the unborn child. I already like Xing's take on it so much better."

"You would." Yona giggled at that. "Sure you and Hak won't have too many drinks at the party before then?"

"Oooohhh are you tempting me to steal you from the party already Yona dear?" Jae-ha smirked, leaning in closer so that their noses were touching. "After all I'd much rather get drunk on you, my lovely wife."

Yona felt her face explode into a blush when he said that, her heart was going to take a while to get used to him calling her that and the way he kept whispering it so nobody would hear she swore made it worse. But she gulped and tried to build up the courage to reply, fluttering her eyelashes. "… W-well why wait then…?" she looked around to see most of the people of Xing were either busy drinking or dancing so most eyes weren't on them at the moment. "A-after all I do feel dizzy again…"

The Green Dragon caught on to her hint at the end, lifting her up into his arms. "Say no more love." He purred at her ear, strolling over to Princess Tao. "Yona dear here is feeling a bit exhausted on her feet so I'm going to take her to her room to rest." He said as the official reason they were leaving the party, but the Princess of Xing along with those that attended the wedding knew very well what the bride and groom were up to.

Tao giggled as she watched the Princess of Kouka and her Ryokuryuu head off to their room. "Well that was to be expected they want to be alone."

"Eh, Droopy Eyes has probably been dying since they came out to be alone with the princess." Hak shrugged, taking another drink. "It wasn't like they really got to celebrate getting engaged or anything like that, so he's got to be ready to combust by now."

"It appears the rest of your crew is tired out as well." Princess Kouren pointed out, as by this time Kija had passed out leaning against Shin-ah once he had a few drinks, the Seiryuu himself dozing off he leaned against Zeno who already had passed out on the table. Yoon was exhausted from the females that dragged him onto the dancefloor and had passed out once he found a chair to sit down at. Algira had curled up with some cats and fell asleep as well, Ao napping right on his head.

"… That idiot… How can he be so careless to fall asleep in a corner like that?" Vold grumbled. "Hak, I'll assist you in taking your comrades to your room."

"Good idea, it's best they finally get some rest after everything that's happened." Hak nodded, lifting the White Dragon over his shoulder while carrying the Ouryuu like a sack of potatoes. "At least the princess can finally rest easy knowing they're all safe now."