Chapter 273: [5th Bonus Chapter]Heartfelt Promises To Each Other
The master of ceremony was a stern-looking old man with a thin body and straight silver hair pulled back in a ponytail. His long beard was all silvery-white as well, and it reached the middle of his chest, making him look to be in his early or late sixties. He was dressed in a pure white long-sleeved attire and holding a long staff with the insignia of a dragon, and Seren realized that the man should be a high-ranking priest of some sort.?It was something she did not expect, as she thought someone from the royal family would be in charge of the wedding vows, like how King Armen was the one who wedded her and Drayce back in Abetha.
"Megaris has no state religion, but I remember that the royal family worshipped the dragon?"
As expected, her brain went wandering, which was something that happened back in Abetha as well. The High Priest then nodded at the young couple and raised his staff, announcing the start of the wedding ceremony. An aged yet dignified voice echoed within the hall.
"We have all gathered here to witness the union between the descendant of the dragon and the chosen phoenix," the High Priest spoke in a serious manner. "According to the written texts of the predecessors, before the kingdoms formed, a mighty black dragon once ruled the lands…"
Listening to the High Priest"s words, Seren and Drayce simply stood facing each other with Drayce holding both of her small hands between his, looking into her beautiful mesmerizing eyes as if peering into her soul. After a while, the High Priest reached the part of the ceremony where they would be exchanging the wedding vows.
"Drayce Ivanov, will you have Seren Ilven to be your wife, to live together respecting the values entrenched in the sacred vow of marriage? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her in sickness and in health, and rule the bountiful lands of Megaris together with fairness in mind, for as long as you both shall live?"
"I vow in the name of the dragon," Drayce replied with a firm determination in his red eyes, "forsaking all others, to remain faithful to her for all of eternity, loving only her and her alone even beyond death."
As he spoke those words, his red eyes never left Seren"s face, as if he was conveying with his gaze the depth of his emotions that he could not properly put into words. Seren could only stare at him with wide eyes, and her gaze softened as she silently accepted the sincerity in those words.
Drayce"s voice was not loud, but everyone within the throne hall heard his words. Though the high-ranking officials of the royal court of Megaris had heard a similar declaration before, it was only within their circle and was not spread into the general populace. It caused everyone to be taken aback, especially those older guests who had experienced the vicissitudes of life.
"Isn"t His Majesty making an oath that he will only have a single woman in his whole life?"
It was something unprecedented for a king to make a vow. After all, kings were expected to have many direct descendants to allow them to choose the best heir. Kings and n.o.bles also use marriage as a way to hold onto power and keep balance within their respective kingdoms. Such a resolute vow from the King of Megaris caused various reactions among the guests—some were dismayed, others were envious while a handful wore smiles of approval. Prince Cian Ilven of Abetha was among those smiling.
The High Priest kept his surprise as he turned and repeated the vow for the bride.
" Seren Ilven, will you have Drayce Ivanov, to be your husband, to live together respecting the values entrenched in the sacred vow of marriage? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him in sickness and in health, and rule the bountiful lands of Megaris together with fairness in mind, for as long as you both shall live?"
Her heart was racing inside her chest, seemingly ready to jump out of her ribcage. Seren took a moment before answering it. She too only looked at those fiery red eyes which were waiting for her answer. At this moment, those words from the High Priest were not just ordinary words, but a vow she would follow till the end of her life. It was the first time in her life she found a person she could trust with all her heart. This man, the man who promised to protect her and had never failed to live up to his promises, was no longer just a stranger to her.
"I vow in the name of the phoenix," Seren responded, and that answer was enough, but she still shyly added under her breath, "as long as you want me, I will remain by your side for all eternity, Your Majesty."
Hearing those shy words which were only meant for him to hear, Drayce felt an unbelievable warmth spreading across his chest. He wanted to embrace his sweet wife right there and then and laugh for the entire crowd to witness his joy. It was as if happiness was bursting inside of him. A broad grin painted itself on Drayce"s lips as he knew she just didn"t say those words for the sake of saying it. She said it after much consideration. It was not just any empty promise.
It was Seren"s heartfelt promise to him.
"The groom and the bride can exchange the rings," the priest announced.
Orion and Lady Xena brought the rings for the King and the Queen of Megaris respectively in golden trays decorated nicely with flower petals. These were the same rings the two exchanged back in their first wedding, and they symbolically exchanged them again this time under the eyes of their hundreds of witnesses.
Drayce picked up his ring and put it on Seren"s finger. He found her hand cold to touch, and he slightly rubbed her skin in a sweet gesture, as if to say she no longer needed to be nervous. Seren was aware of what she should do and followed the suit. She put his ring on Drayce"s finger.
Afterward, it was the moment for the groom and the bride to kiss. In Abetha, Drayce carried it out by kissing her on the back of her scaly hand, as at that time, he didn"t wish to further scare the young woman who was married to a stranger.
However, this was his kingdom, and according to the customs here, this was something they could not escape from.
One of the things Seren worried about the wedding ceremony was this. She was aware of the ceremony propers, both from what she had read about Megaris" weddings in the books she read a few days back as well as from what she got to know from Lady Tyra yesterday. The kiss was even more symbolic than the exchange of vows, as it was a gesture representing the union of the dragon and phoenix under the blessings of the heavens, earth, and people. To avoid it was not only a scandal but also an omen of misfortune that would cause the natives of Megaris to feel repulsion towards her.
Seren didn"t want that to happen. She had tasted the feeling of freedom and had known what it was like to be treated with respect. She didn"t want to go back to the days where she was scorned by people for bringing misfortune to their lives.
"But my veil…Martha said..."
She knew that to carry out this symbolic kiss, she had to remove her veil in front of these people. Something which she would never allow to happen.
As everyone waited for their king and queen to kiss, Drayce looked into Seren"s shaken eyes. He saw the anxiety in them, and all he could do at this moment was ask her to trust him with his gaze. She saw his hand moving to her veil, and she froze, not knowing what to do.
"I trust His Majesty…" she chanted to herself over and over again. "But Martha said no man should see my face…"
She decided to dodge. Scorn and hatred were things she was long used to, and it was a small price to pay if she could keep her curse at bay. However, as Drayce slowly reached out to touch her veil, he also moved his face closer to her.
In a voice so low that only she could hear, she heard him say—
"Trust me!"
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