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Chapter 37
All is Fair in Love and War
The wedding took place right away and it was beautiful. Hessa was dressed elegantly and gilded in silver and gold, her head piece looked like that of a laid back crown and though she didn't have double or tripled pierced ears, she had decorations on them…she rivaled a Goddess. Hessa noticed she clinked when she walked because of the abundant amount of decorations on her ankles and wrists but it was tradition for the bride to be the center of attention as much as possible, though not gaudy.
Marius waited for her and when the doors of the main hall opened, everyone sighed and he nearly fainted at the sight of her. Her mother and her aunt walked by her side in their own gowns, unlike muggle or wizarding weddings, it was tradition for the mother of the bride to give her daughter away and another matriarchal figure because they were the ones that brought her in this life. Then, they gave the male that was to be her husband and symbol of trust which was something that was precious to them that represented the daughter and would say, "here, I give you my pride and joy, I give you what is the center and the heart of me…take care of such a precious gift lest the Gods take your life."
The male takes the female's hand and the High Priest had them drink from the sacred springs of their city, ones that are not allowed to be bathed in or have sexual interaction in and only drank on this day, "what you drink now is the water of life. The purest of all forms, it nourishes all that surrounds it and creates the abundance needed to survive. May it nourish the love for each other as well and the love for your children and your grandchildren."
They looked at each other and the priest spoke again…
"Do you Marius, take this female Conk to be your wife for the rest of your living days, never to stray…for if you do, you give her up forever?"
"Yes."
"Do you promise to love and protect her in any fragile state, emotional or physical, to be a good provider and father to any child you create with this female?"
"Yes."
"Hessa, do you take the Conk male to be your husband for the rest of your living days, never to stray…for if you do, you give him up forever?"
"Yes," she said softly.
"Do you promise to love and protect him in any fragile state, emotional or physical, to be a good supporter and mother to any child you create with this male?"
"Yes."
"Then by the law of the Conk city, which will hold in any country we reside…you are now bonded eternally in marriage….please, the bracelets." A little girl that was a daughter of Adamina's good friend, gave the priest two bracelets with rings attached, also known as 'slave bracelets', they represented something far different. The ring would go over the left ring finger closest to the heart and the bracelet over the wrist representing the pulse of a new life that they would be starting together.
Everyone clapped and cheered and laughed when Marius grabbed Hessa and had her off her feet as he kissed her. They immediately left to the party but his bride and him only had to temporarily had to be separated from him as she dressed in a different gown. They celebrated for hours until Marius had enough and took Hessa away…it was time for the bed.
They couldn't really go on a honeymoon, the city was moved to a remote island where the couple spent time on the beach and made love often. They were happy for a while…but then the Dark Regime had found them, they knew this was coming and it came in the middle of the night.
Marius was holding Hessa as she lay asleep in their bed, the guards came and alerted them and Hessa was taken to safe haven for some of the women who were elderly or pregnant themselves. "Marius…," she started to cry as he held her.
"I will not let them take you and they don't know where the haven is, so stay here."
One of the older Conk females gently pulled on Hessa so she would let him go, "come, child, it will be all right." Hessa watched as Marius left.
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Cynthia prepared her potions for the warriors, anything that would give them an upper hand against their enemy. Adamina seemed to get hostile at every bang she heard, "trying to get into the city like the monsters they are!" She saw Cynthia tearing. "What is it, dear?"
"It's happening all over again…"
"What is?"
"It's just like with me and Adem, that monster outside is going to try and take away Marius from her, as he his father took away Adem from me…and she's pregnant….it's just like a repeat of history. I don't want her to go through what I did…but she's stronger than I was, than I am…I just…," Cynthia cried as Adamina held her.
"They won't win, every Conk in here will take care of them, men and women…Voldemort thinks that we're weak because we are servants and technically we are…but we've grown in the time we've spent away from the wizards…and I'm sure he's read information on us, but it's old information, hardly anything on the males. He's got a surprise coming he does!"
Marius came through the door, "Cynthia…." He paused when he saw her crying, "don't worry…I've put Hessa in the haven…I won't let anything happen to her."
"I know….just survive for her."
"I will."
The sounds had gotten much louder, they had gotten through the first barrier. The guards were preparing, each excited to be finally put to a real use but also fearing what they would encounter. Their main objective was to either kill or capture Draco Malfoy and they knew their own kind would be subject to enslavement, so they had to stop any capture of the civilian females or males…the females being the main concern. There were also archers, but they didn't just contain any arrows, they were magic ones that could not be easily cast against.
Cynthia took her place by Adamina and some others that were in charge of taking care of the wounded and putting up protective barriers around the children, other women were archers or stood behind the army as backup. Though they were smaller in number, their power alone could take on any size army, at least they hoped. Marius stood at the front along with the other council members. It was beginning, they had gotten through the last barrier and trying to ram through the front entrance of the city.
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Hessa felt the city shake as well as the others who looked at each other. It was clear that there were many because no normal sized army could penetrate, but Hessa knew Draco and he had a Dragon's magic inside of him. There some of the soldiers in the Haven, ready to take the pregnant women to another place if need be. There was pride in this, a pregnant Conk female was considered almost sacred to their people.
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Draco ordered for the door to be rammed again, his pointed ears were perked and his eyes blood red. His goals were simple, enslave the Conks, kill Marius, and get Hessa. He had already made it clear to Voldemort that he wasn't going to kill her and Voldemort agreed, he had to, he had created a monster and the Dark Regime had grown loyal to him. Finally they broke through the door and what met them was something they expected but not, an army that fully equipped and arrows flying their way.
Spells flew and were flung back at them, but Draco had used Hessa's blood to strengthen some of their robes and wands, some were hit immediately and some were not. They charged the city full on as battle cries and screams continued. Dark wizards were be flung by shields, while great magic was being created as a group to push back the Conk guards. Marius along with some of the others cast a hard shield that physically crushed a few of the regime and kept going.
Draco fought his way through and saw him, "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU AND REMOVE YOU FROM HESSA'S LIFE AS I DID HARRY POTTER!"
"It's not nice to covet another man's wife!" Marius snapped back with venom. Draco's eyes widened as Marius showed him the wedding bracelet he wore. Draco recognized it and roared…
"YOU'RE GOING TO DIE! AND I SWEAR, IF SHE'S PREGNANT….SO WILL YOUR BABY!"
Marius bowed and shot him a look, "AFTER YOU!"