The Crown’s Entrapment

Having left his wife to be with her family, King Nikolai couldn’t help but nod in approval at the sheer extravagance that his friend was putting up for his wedding. It was comparable to his own wedding with Mineah, but with a certain Cordonian twist to it that his fellow king was sure to add to make sure that his realm was thoroughly represented.

Of course, that didn’t mean that the entire great hall was bereft of the bride’s Ebodian roots, what with her kingdom’s banner and insignia also flying alongside the Cordonian standard as they signified the solidifying alliance between the two.

“You sure don’t hold back when you want to, my friend…”

Shaking his head, Nikolai took his seat right near the front, his eyes landing on his anxious friend as they waited for the doors to open. He couldn’t help but smirk at seeing Darius being nervous.

It might not look like it, but his fellow king was far from immune to the wedding jitters as he liked. Why, Nikolai himself could recall his own nerves in his own wedding. While not as intense as most people would’ve described it, the fact that he even felt such a thing was more than enough for him to know that it was an inevitable part of being married, even if it was only for alliances’ sake.

“I don’t envy you, my friend,” he chuckled to himself.

“Don’t think I can’t hear you sniggering at my expense, Nikolai,” Darius subtly addressed him from the aisle.

“I didn’t think you can, especially since we shouldn’t be talking in the first place,” Nikolai commented with a smirk. “Besides, it’s fun to see you flustered every once in a while.”

“Just be glad I was too busy to attend your wedding, my friend,” Darius pointed out with a teasing tone. “Remember this day once I decide to poke fun at your expense.”

Nikolai couldn’t help but shake his head at his friend. “Sure thing then.”

“I hate to bring this up but while waiting… I couldn’t help but notice that Prince Ezekiel is still nowhere to be found,” Nikolai started with a serious expression.

“Aren’t you also participating in the search?” Darius plainly commented.

“Yes, and I’ve already confirmed that Ezekiel was fortunately not in the hands of our enemies just yet,” Nikolai firmly stated. “Knowing that it makes my theory sound more possible than never.”

This was an alarming matter, not to mention how the Elders were already pressuring him about the topic itself. On top of that, he too could feel that his lovely wife was hiding something from him, and it was bugging him to no end.

“Relax out, Nikolai,” Darius scoffed. “This is my wedding, the happiest moment of my life. Can we discuss this later?”

“Alright then,” Nikolai chuckled in jest. “Take this as one of the few ways I’ve been helping you out. Think of it as me releasing some of the tension in your body while you’re waiting for your bride and the ceremony to start.”

***

Darius could only shake his head as once more, silence reigned within the great hall. It didn’t last for long though as the huge doors to the biggest hall in Cordon Castle, intended for big gatherings and events such as this, finally opened.

Darius’s face instantly brightened more than the weak rays of the winter sun. Seeing his mate, walking down the aisle, wearing her majestic wedding gown that was only befitting for his queen, made his heart drum harshly against his chest.

[Aren’t we the luckiest man alive on earth, Zeus?] Darius couldn’t help but express his emotions to his wolf, who was obviously also feeling the bliss that was currently running inside him.

[Indeed you are,] Zeus beamed brightly in his mind. [You’re the luckiest man, and I’m the luckiest wolf. Really, you should praise me for how great my wolfly instincts managed to recognize our mate in just one glance.]

Darius didn’t bother to comment, the smile on his face never faltering as he glued his eyes towards the one person in the room that truly mattered. He couldn’t help the tears welling up in his eyes as Xen walked towards him. Finally, she would be bound to him for all of the eternity…

[Look at you, who couldn’t wait to mark her in front of everyone…] Zeus teased.

That was the plan, marking her after the royal ceremony. Well, it was a wedding ceremony according to Xen’s customs, but it was called the Ritual of Marking if the Cordonian royal customs were to be involved. It wasn’t as grand as this wedding ceremony, rather it was more like a gathering of sorts where everyone would witness the imposition of the royal bond via marking. From there, the mating would soon follow, and that would be a private thing to do between them once the gathering had been concluded.

But for now, they followed the Ebodian custom and conducted this serene wedding ceremony for her. Of course, that didn’t mean that the twist of having Cordanian customs being observed alongside these foreign customs would be discarded.

Darius waited patiently for Xen to reach him. And when she finally reached his place, he dutifully offered his hand to her, to which she immediately accepted.

“My love…” Darius greeted.

“My King…” she greeted in reply. “I… I guess this is it…”

“Indeed…”

“There’s no turning back now, my love,” Darius humorously winked at her as he led her to face the bishop. “You’ll be forever bound to me after this.”

Once they were in place, the ceremony officially started. One thing led to the next, and they finally reached the part where Xen and Darius had to exchange their vows as they put on their respective rings for one another.

At the bishop’s command, Darius and Xen faced each other as the royal wedding rings were handed to them respectively. The priests then signaled for Xen to put the ring on Darius, of which she did so while looking into his eyes with her own brimming already with joyful tears.

“I always thought that I had a lot to rectify in my previous life,” Xen began, slowly wiping away her tears as she spoke. “A lot of things needed to be corrected and undone, I thought. But then, right now, facing you like this and getting married to you… It makes me feel grateful for all of the things I did in the past. Being with you like this is the best thing that ever happened in my life, and I’ll never regret everything that I’ve already experienced that led me into knowing you and becoming your woman. No matter what happens, I will be with you. Through sickness and in health… through thick and thin… till death do us part… I’ll love you with all that I am, Darius, King of the Kingdom of Cordon.”

Darius was surprised at the heartfelt vow. That was so far from what he expected that before he knew it, tears were already running down his cheeks as Xen put the ring on his finger.

*********

AN: This is a work of fiction so don’t question me if I want them to have their wedding vows in medieval era… LMAO.