Chapter 13: Yakusoku na Konza (Promised Wedding)
About four months have passed since the mid-autumn rebellion that ended the Iteza clan's reign took place. As the winter was finally giving way to spring, Fiona celebrated her eighteenth birthday a few weeks after Van turned eighteen. All the survivors have recovered enough to start rebuilding their lives.
"It seems like spring is coming rather early this year. How fast has it been since last October's liberation from the states conquered by Prozen's clan." Dan told his wife as he marveled at how his son did very well in their absence.
"Your pride must be soaring high seeing how our son has surpassed you." Karen replied to him.
"Any father would be proud to have a son who has successfully made his ambitions come true. Yet Van never even entertained the idea of succeeding my best friend as the next daimyo. I'm glad my son opted to continue leading our tribe." the ninja master has mentioned to his wife
"The bonsai at our indoor garden have started producing buds, so this winter must be beginning to wane." Van then told his parents while he shook-off the snow that has collected in his haori as he entered the main hall of his parent's house.
"You know, I keep on wondering why you always prefer to wear a sleeveless haori when our surroundings are covered by snow and ice." Dan asked him.
"I'm just training myself to be more patient, more persistent, and more resistant to outside temperatures. That's the essence of us ninjas, right?" his son retorted.
"Hoy, Van-sama, why do you always leave us alone in our training?" Michael asked his mentor as he yelled from their front yard.
"Michael, what rank in the chuunin level do you want to get promoted into? A captain or a sub captain?" the young ninja master responded.
"I want to become a captain at the age of twelve like you did." the lieutenant-ranked genin has riposted.
"Then you should be able to endure all the hardships I'll subject you to. I won't let Raven-san or to Ruji-san get far ahead of me when it comes to who is the better sensei." Van responded in turn.
"Van, you should still see to it that your subordinates are doing correctly what you taught them directly in person; otherwise, your comrades will leave you far behind. Look at Ruji-kun-he already had two captain-ranked chuunins under his tutelage; Raven had three now; your cousin Catherine has recently become a jonin under your nee-san's tutelage, while your still lag behind." Dan told his son.
"I believe that would have to wait, Dan-sama. Atsushi-sama said that he wants to see Van-san right-away." Zairin reported to his new master's best friend as he bowed down before the elder ninja master.
"This concerns my coming wedding with Fiona-hime, right?" Van asked his samurai friend.
"Mochiron!" he retorted.
"We'll I'll take over what you're doing; better heed Atsushi-sama's request first." Dan told his son.
"Hai." Van said as he put on his haori and started to follow Zairin.
"Dan-sama, Aunt Karen, let me do it. You should just spend this time for yourselves." Catherine said as she arrived to the Freiheit's compound.
"Thanks for your offer. By the way, congratulation for your promotion into a jonin. It seems your older cousin trained you very well." Van's mother greeted to her niece.
"Hai. Maria nee-san, I mean, sensei is a very good mentor. I mean compared to Van-sama, she allows her students to take all the time they want whenever they are training. Maria-sensei always emphasizes that the best way for us to learn is through our own experiences." the persimmon orange-haired medic kunoichi responded.
"Catherine, I heard from our daughter that you and that samurai Schwarz-san are now dating together. Is that for real?" Karen asked in response as she changed the topic.
"Hai. Thomas-san is a very nice man once you get to know him. Although at first he fell in love with Fiona-hime, he also realized that he loves me too… and even though Thomas-san still loves hime, he also knows that Van-sama and Fiona-hime's love for each other is much greater than he could grasp, so he has entrusted Van-sama to always love and care for her with all of his heart, mind, and power. As for us, Thomas-san has proven that he loves me more than he did for hime." Catherine answered candidly.
"He and his older brother are still serving under Sandaime Zeppelin-san, right?" Dan asked his wife's niece.
Catherine then nodded in response.
At the newly-rebuild section of the Lynette manor, Atsushi and Isami are readying themselves for their youngest child's coming wedding. They never thought back in their imprisonment days that they would be able to see their little daughter get married to her guardian shinobi.
"Fiona, how do you want to celebrate you coming of age?" Isami asked the young lady.
"Well, Van-kun and me have decided that we'll have our wedding exactly two weeks from now. We also decided to have our wedding to be a simple private gathering of family and close friends. But for today, I just want to spend my day with my captain." the blond lady had retorted to her mother.
"Hora! boku no imohto wa Van-kun natta kanzen na hime ga aru." Hotaro said to Fiona as she entered the room their parents and his little sister were in.
"I don't know if I have indeed become a perfect princess for Van-kun. Nonetheless, I will marry him in order to achieve that if I still haven't reached that phase." Fiona has riposted to him.
"Fiona-sama, you are already perfect in his eyes, so you should carry yourself with pride." said Hotaro's fiancée to her.
"Thanks for your support, Ueki-san." the damsel replied to the older maiden.
"If you'll go out with Van-kun today you better get yourself dressed. It won't be long before our future son-in-law will fetch you here." Atsushi urged to his youngest child.
Van arrived a little late than what the Lynette family had anticipated due to having to cross through thick snow and ice along the way.
"Sumimasen! I was not able to come earlier because I had to look out for my students as I train them for the coming chuunin exams." The young ninja master apologized to his soon to in-laws.
"That's no problem at all, Van-kun." Fiona responded.
By the way, I want to say something to you, Atsushi-sama, Isami-sama." the shinobi told his fiancée's parents.
"Sure, what is it?" Atsushi asked the lad.
"Atsushi-sama, Isami-sama, I know that you've already engaged Fiona-hime and me together. But out of respect, please allow me to ask for you blessing for my plans with your daughter." Van mentioned politely.
"You have our full consent and support, Van. Then, now, and always." Fiona's father had replied to him.
As soon as Van heard that, he turned his attention to his fiancée.
"Hime, I know that it's already obvious. Nevertheless, allow me to propose to you: will you marry me?" the young ninja master asked his partner as he gave her an expensive bracelet.
"I will, Van-kun, I will!" the young lady riposted in joy.
Van then carried his fiancée on both his arms and passionately kissed her lips.
"I guess we should leave them alone now." Hotaro told to all the people who saw Van and Fiona there.
The Lynettes then left their hall right away as the two lovers broke their kiss to catch their breath.
"Hotaro-sama, I think we should also plan our wedding as soon as possible." a twenty-one year old lady asked Fiona's older brother.
"You're right. And I never expected that I'll end up marrying you, my first crush, Eru." the aristocrat told his fiancée.
"Hotaro, I can't believe that despite you constantly teasing me since our childhood I would fall in love with you and marry you." his lover told him.
"Thank you for taking care of my parents when they were still imprisoned. I'm sorry I'm not able to rescue you when Van and my sister broke into the prison." Hotaro apologized to his soon-to-be-wife.
"You don't need to apologize. You also fought for our freedom, and makes me proud of you." the blond girl has responded as she kissed his lips sincerely.
"Why don't we have a double wedding on that day? Since Van and Fiona will have their at the Byakutaka main village, you could have yours here in the manor." Isami told her eldest child.
"Sounds good." Hotaro and Eru both replied.
"No. I thought that only Van-kun and me are going to get married at that day? Hotaro nii-sama is ruining the mood again." Fiona called out to them.
"Spoiled brat as always." Hotaro thought.
Ten days later…
"Freiheit Van-san, do you accept Lynette Fiona as your lawful wife and vow to love her and care for her at all times no matter what happens in your life until your final breath?" the preacher asked the young ninja master.
"Yes, and with all of my being." the Byakutaka master retorted to the him.
"Lynette Fiona, do you accept Freiheit Van-san as your lawful husband and vow to love him and serve him at all times no matter what happens in your life until your final breath?"
"Yes, and with all of my being." the young damsel responded to the preacher.
"I now pronounce you as husband and wife. Husband, you may now kiss your wife." the preacher announced to their friends and family.
Right away, Van kissed Fiona's lips with his full passion. All of their friends and loved ones cheered in jubilation as the young ninja master and his newly-wedded wife are now united by a lifetime vow.
"Van-kun, I have always dreamed of this day when I'll be all yours only and you'll be all mine only." Fiona joyfully told her husband.
"Hime, both of are already all for each other only-then, now, and always. We just made this formal for everyone to bear witness." the Byakutaka master has riposted to her.
Soon, Van and Fiona's family, friends, and comrades approached and surrounded them to congratulate them in their new life as husband-and-wife.
"Congratulations, Freiheit Fiona-hime! I'm joyful to have you as my sister-in-law! My otohtoh is full of joy today." Maria complimented to her.
"Arigato, Maria nee-san. I feel so proud now that I'm also a Freiheit!" the yellow-green haired lady has responded to her husband's older sister.
"Hotaro must be very proud of you as your older brother, especially that as his younger sister you have proven yourself strong in your own right." Eru complimented to her soon to be sister-in-law.
"And I pray you'll be joyful with your life after you and Hotaro nii-sama get married in a few weeks' time." Fiona responded sincerely to her aniki's fiancée.
"So, how long before you and Van-kun will give me a shinobi nephew whom Dad, Mom, Eru, and I could spoil?" Hotaro teased to his younger sister.
"That will have to wait, Hotaro nii-sama." Van retorted to his new older brother-in-law. "So when are you and Ueki-san going to get married?" the ninja master has asked in response.
"Eru and I have set our wedding day about a month from now. We are still fixing the details." Hoatro riposted to him.
"Come on, Van, you two already have our full support. Surely, asking a grandchild from you and our daughter would not be too much, would it?" Atsushi mentioned to his son-in-law as he and his wife congratulated the newly-wed members of their extended family.
"Atsushi-sama, I mean, Otoh-sama, we will surely give that to you. We just need to make ourselves fully ready for our new life." the young Byakutaka master respectfully answered to his father-in-law.
"Van-kun, I know you want me to enjoy my virginity for a little bit longer, right?" Fiona said to her partner.
"Not only do I want both of us to remain virgin for a little longer, but also, I have to catch-up to my comrades in terms of promoting many of my students into higher ranks. Many of them have proven themselves as excellent teachers, especially nee-san since she has managed to train our cousin Catherine so well that she is now a jonin." Van has replied to her.
"Van, that red haori looks very elegant on you!" Thomas complimented to his ally.
"Sou yo! I must look my best since today is my big day with hime." Van responded in appreciation.
"Van-san, you and your wife want to have a drink? I'm bringing you the best sake from Niigata." Ruji called to his childhood friend's attention.
"Maybe later." Van replied to the Aoiroh master.
"Hoi, Ruji-san, don't try to influence Van-kun about drinking sake until he's so drunk." Raven called to their fellow ninja master.
XOXOXOXOXO
This the second to the final chapter of this story. I wasn't able to touch this chapter for more than a year due to my hectic work schedule. I may revise the contents of this chapter sometime in the future.