The Lovers' Will

[Hekatos]

The Lovers' Will

1st of Ash, 124th Year of the Age of Steel

(...continued from Autumn Bindings.)

"My Strýchnos, will you consent to be my husband?"

Ailuin's voice was a gift. Whether it carried echoes of his oneiromantic powers or he was merely a gifted orator, it was always pitched just right for the situation, whether putting an uppity guildmaster in their place, calming a child into sleep, commemorating something sacred, arousing a lover, commanding, coercing, and so on and so forth. Just now, it was less sonorous and somnolent, familiar without losing sight of the formality of the question.

He had married Vomira Val'Melua for thirty years, made three beautiful children with her, and remained friends. They had done their duty together and there was love between them, but it had not been a love-match. The lives of elves were so long, few marriages were expected to last 'til death us do part as did many short-lived human marriages. Taegan Sol'Eilran had been the rebel prince, the one who reunited the First People. It fell to his son to consolidate, to administer to their reborn empire, and had made it clear early on that he intended to join himself in marriage to each of the princely houses, lest none be less honored than the others. Whichever of his children succeeded him, they would have siblings from each princely house and so would have ties of blood.

Unity would be important for the Hytori going forward.

There hadn't been a great deal of time—in elven terms—since his marriage had reached its end. Rather than seek the most politically expedient marriage in the future, he chose to offer himself more completely to his eromenos, to elevate their relationship. While they might not procreate naturally, there was always the Cut-Wife to call upon.

Perhaps he ought to have asked Rhydian first, but he did know the younger elf's dreams...

His voice faded into a hushed silence. Vomira was touching each of her children, a silent bastion of strength. Ailuin had wanted his entire family present for this, but they had agreed that it would be good to have Vomira there in case it caused any negative emotional turbulence for their children.

Vhexur would not take Ékhidna's bet. They seemed sure of the young prince's response. Achiroë knew her son's heart's desire was their sovereign, and her approval was writ in her presence. He would honor his family with the correct response, bringing prestige and honor to Val'Kor. She approved of this for the good of Aerion, but was quietly glad her son's best political match would also be his heart's match. That was not a gift entirely within her power to give him. While she was exigent as a mother and as a ruler, she did want simple happiness for those she loved.

[Rhydian ValKor]

Rhydian would chide himself later for having been caught so consummately unawares. Disarmed as he was by the many distractions of the day, he hadn't picked up on any of the clues that might have prepared him for this moment. Had some threat to the king's person presented itself, he was confident he'd have been alert to it, but this? He froze in place, still but for the slight quiver of his nerves as this momentous opportunity was laid before him. When he finally moved more than a twitch, it was to glance down at his hand in Ailuin's. Lips parted, as eyes darted up to meet the king's.

"You, who has dwelt in my dreams, will know the the truth of it when I say I never dreamt this possible. You have exceeded my-..." His words caught in his throat, and his face turned down sharply. He was suddenly conscious of the onlookers, few though they were. He pursed his lips and steeled himself, taking a deep breath through his nose, before looking up to meet Ailuin's eyes again, his own welling with tears. Whatever he'd intended to say prior was lost and felt insignificant. A question had been posed that wanted an answer.

"With all my heart, under the eye of Suion on this blessed day, I do consent." He felt obliged to articulate, in the company of the king and court, that the timing was not lost on him. For a king to make such a gesture on this, of all days, invited potent blessings indeed. What greater honour could be bestowed in the open air at this festival of love?

He looked to his mother, gratitude in his gaze, before stepping forward to embrace his liege, his love and now, to his utter and unmitigated astonishment, his betrothed.

[Akantha SolEilran]

When the Pavilion had quietly and steadily emptied out, Akantha had started to have her suspicions. She had glanced at her siblings and at her mother, and hung on to her Suion dragon plush in front of her. Somehow, the choice had seemed ever more appropriate. Her father -had- said that he had a surprise for Rhydian, and sure enough... Something she had been been dreading, somewhat silently, somewhat not-so-silently, came up.

And when it did, she was thankful for the lessons she had had on meditation, decorum, deportment, and carriage. She would not embarrass herself or her family with any untoward reaction, external or otherwise - she may have had wards to keep nosy nancies from her Symphony, but she did her best to keep it calm regardless. Poised, calm, and even faintly curious as to Rhydian's reaction and answer. It was inevitable, and a necessary dance amongst the houses. She may not have liked it, but the time might well come when she would be in the same position. It was necessary, for the good of the kingdom and the realm. Stability. Unity. And as she had said to her father a few seasons ago, when they had attended the Vrauronia together... having Rhydian in his life did not necessarily mean less for Akantha and her brothers, but more for Ailuin, and she reminded herself of that.

When the proposal was made, she looked from Ailuin to Rhydian, a small smile on her face. She knew him well. Just as she knew why he had run, why she had wagered on him, and this was certainly her friend's dream. They'd mostly grown up together, after all, once Rhydian had come to court. The quiet redhead tolerated a great deal from her when he wasn't busy with his duties to her father, and that included, but was not limited to, being dressed up and having outfits tried on him, and being dragged along for shopping expeditions, and having more things tried on him...

She liked him, and this was better than other alternatives for a number of reasons. But chief among them, there was no third person to have precious time further split down into ever-shrinking slices. He already had time with his Strychnos. This would just be more of the same. She felt her mother's touch, and squeezed her fingers, standing with her younger brothers with their own red hair, more like their father's than their mother's. Akantha was the blonde one out that had taken after Vomira. "Congratulations, Father, Rhydian," she offered, her ice blue eyes bright.

"There is no rose without a thorn."

[Hekatos]

The Lovers' Will

Akantha's brothers straightened perceptibly, showing different levels of surprise. They too knew Rhydian as well as anyone save perhaps their father and Rhydian's mother. The exigencies of politics would be met. Feelings were secondary. Thankfully, they liked Rhydian well enough and it seemed unlikely that he would try to take a parental role with the grown princes of Sol'Eilran.

"I am happy for them," Vomira murmured for her children's ears. It was truth.

She had happily returned to Vallanar to take some time to focus on her own desires, and still returned to the Crown City to visit her children, her friends there, which included their father. And while there was no official standing, she had taken a lover of her own back in the city of her birth. Vomira still offered her clear-eyed perspectives to her former husband.

Quick-eyed Ékhidna marked all of this, of course, and added her blessings such as they were. Even Ailuin seemed to narrow his focus for a little while at least to include only himself and his fiancé. Close up, Rhydian could see the faint release of some tension; perhaps even the Phoenix King doubted himself sometimes in matters of the heart. He kissed him there, and while their relationship was common knowledge for those who paid any attention to the royal family, it was decidedly more open than previous affection.

After a moment to gauge her children's deeper emotions, Vomira separated herself in order to congratulate Achiroë. And then, when the newly affianced parted lips finally, she put a hand on both their arms and smiled beatifically.

"He couldn't ask for a better helpmeet, I think," she declared to Rhydian. To Ailuin, "See you remember you are fortunate he agreed."

The king smiled to his former wife, casually took Rhydian's hand and stood by his side as family moved about them. He kissed it, then squeezed it as their hands fell to the space between them, a small, physical link for the time being. No doubt other things would be said and done in private.

"I win," their younger brother whispered to Sorononar.

"Mmhmm, well, your payout awaits you at home."

Of course, they had waited until both their parents were otherwise occupied to discuss the settling of a bet about their father's next spouse.

"Ah." The redhead picked up a silver tray that had been conveniently left behind, and began passing out celebratory drinks. He held the gently fizzing crystal flute to Akantha and peered deeply into Akantha's eyes as he waited for her to accept. His smile was sincere, but so was his mild concern.

[Rhydian ValKor]

Rhydian's thoughts rushed as his senses surged. The half-considered implications of this long discarded pipedream now made manifest, rushed back to him in torrents. Even so, the sounds of wind, water and whispered reactions between the onlookers prickled at his senses yet more and amplified his feeling of being overwhelmed by the circumstances. Although this was a pleasant... No, that word was insufficient, an euphoric surprise, it was still a surprise and those posed challenges for Rhydian to resolve himself with.

He was grateful for Ailuin's kiss, not just because it was a gesture of affection he always coveted, but also because it served as a grounding force- an arcane focus to corral his thoughts back to where they ought to graze. The kiss calmed him, quieted his demons and, as it ended, he fell back onto his heels and he felt able to exist in this moment again. He was no longer apart from it, which was good since he was soon addressed by Vomira.

He bowed in answer to her compliment to him, lingering bent at the waist as she chided the king to Rhydian's own favour.

"I... admit I am at a bit of a loss for what happens next, Majesty. In my time at court, I have not yet witnessed a royal wedding in the making. Now, it seems I am to cut my teeth on mine own." Saying that aloud made it seem all the stranger. He rather regretted uttering it at all, now that it was said. He'd just been thinking aloud, which wasn't something he typically did- least of all before the courtly ears of courtiers.

He extended a hand to Achiroë instinctively, his gaze dragging to her a moment after his hand.

"I pray you will help me to satisfy the expectations of our dynasty in this."

[Akantha SolEilran]

Akantha smiled at her mother at her words. If she was happy for them, so were the three children that came from that union. She would be, once she warmed up to the fact that this was actually happening. But ultimately, it was the best scenario for a match from the House of Val'Kor for the three of them. They all got along with Rhydian, he was a friend, and effectively their enough to their age group. And, considering their relationship and the age gap, well... not doing so would have had consequences at court.

But she watched as her mother left them and went amongst the others still in the pavilion. Vomira always seemed to know the right thing to say and the right thing to do, and that was a skill the young blonde admired and very much coveted for herself. But that was a matter of practicing, and honing her social skills and Semblance to the utmost that she could, and adapting it. If anything, picking up the Rune of Mesmer might also be decidedly valuable for such social situations, and not to mention her acquiring of Totems for Animus... though everyone she might have wanted to listen in on was like herself. Warded by the best of the best.

She made no comment about the lack of experience with weddings. There hadn't been any in Sol'Eilran since before Rhydian was born, and since he was older than them, well. But there were the other Houses. But there would be no end of assistance in putting together the nuptials. She would need to open her library and choose her Makers for herself and her family, and she would need to do that quickly. She didn't know how long of an engagement this was going to be before the wedding happened, but the sooner her designers had notice, the faster they could get to work.

As she let her fingers roam her Suion doll, Akantha raised an eyebrow as they whispered to each other. She regarded her brothers with some amusement, knowing she could hardly judge. She had wagered on Rhydian to win the races earlier, and as it turned out, he had won the day. The oldest of her two brothers offered her a drink, and Akantha accepted the flute, smiling at him reassuringly as she thanked him. She could see the concern in his eyes, and as their fingers touched around the stem of the drink, hers squeezed his gently, seeking to alleviate his concerns. This was good for them, and the three of them could discuss it either amongst themselves or with their mother present, if need be, later. But Akantha was calmer on the outside than she might have been deep down, but she would get over it.

Part of being a Monarch was advancing the interests of one's people, and a strong, stable crown was part of it. This was all necessary, and she was happy that their father would enjoy a love match with Rhydian for however long it lasted.

"There is no rose without a thorn."

[Hekatos]

The Lovers' Will

Achiroë took her son's hand firmly, and gave it a squeeze. She smiled.

"I suppose you don't remember your uncle's," she mused. She also didn't mention that there would be ceremonies in both the city of his birth as well as the city his fiancé ruled. If one wedding ceremony troubled him, it were best he learn the details piecemeal so as not to shock and awe him all at once. It wouldn't do for him to flee the realm for nerves.

The Princess would hold his hand until he released hers, even as Sorononar, assured that his sister was well, and his younger sibling came to put congratulatory hands upon his shoulders. Their smiles were sincere; they both liked Rhydian, and while there had been some strangeness when his hero-worship had turned into lust for their father, they seemed to have put that behind them now. Vomira had prepared them somewhat for the exigencies of their station.

Ailuin knew he would have to have several talks with them, and with Vomira as well. His former wife was a good friend but certainly this must be strange.

"There are people whose passion and gift are the planning of such things, my Strýchnos," Ailuin assured him with affectionate amusement. "We will have our say in matters, and others will attend to the execution of them."

Sorononar continued passing out celebratory bubbles, finding his calm in this situation in gracious service. They could bring the servants back in, but most of them enjoyed when they could be alone with family. This wedding would make Rhydian and Achiroë family. Nobody seemed to consider Ékhidna's friend once their eyes drifted away from him, but he was the only one who wasn't family there present. But suddenly he was at Akantha's side. He sipped from his own flute, watching magnanimously.

"Every marriage is a gamble," he observed. "I wonder at the odds."

Whether he meant odds of success versus failure, the odds of a king and the prince who had been his ward falling in love, or something else, he didn't elaborate. Ékhidna glanced at them from where she stood with Vomira, smiled a secret little smile, and replied to what the Val'Melua princess had said to her. The elder—though still firmly in their prime—women of Akantha's family seemed to be taking it all in stride. That was, perhaps, the gift of long life: perspective.