Fantasy The Coming of Two Kingdoms

[Eonivar]

King Einri glanced at Master Pallas a moment sharing a look and back to King Elvyan. "What is the soonest we can do it and still be in line with your traditions? We understand the significance of making sure rites are fulfilled and not halfway done, we feel that would be disrespectful towards you and your people. We want to make sure that we fulfill whatever is needed to satisfy Asteria and your people. We would do no less for Ruvan in Ruvio."

 

[Silverwings]

"Well," Elvyan trailed, scratching his beard in thought. They could do most of the traditional rites the day before the wedding. In fact it was tradition to do most of them that way. There was only one tradition that was normally done for two days beforehand, "We can start performing traditional ceremonies today, if you so wish it. That ouls allow us to move the wedding to two days from now."

Sevora reached for Rhonin's hand under the table, gently rubbing the back of it. She glanced at him with a soft smile. Though the reasons were less than ideal, it was as if their prayer to have an earlier wedding had been heard and blessed by the gods. And she was happier for it.

 

[Eonivar]

King Einri looked over at Rhonin and Sevora as if to gage their interest and nod. “We are in agreement.”

Rhonin returned Sevora’s smile. “Two days.”

Those two days went quickly. Ritual baths, annointment of royalty, legal rights, installation of being a Prince of Asteria, land rights, residence, and all the complexities of marrying royalty in Asteria. Rhonin learned more about Asterian law and nobility in those two days than anything he could read in a book. And then the magic day arrived. He had not seen Sevora much at all over the two days.

 

[Silverwings]

Sevora longed to see her groom finally when the day finally came. She had been excited about the land rights given, land in Aramanth. A beautiful town that laid to the north if Asteria. It was settled in the heart of a willow. There were lillies and wild roses all around that area, and so Sevora was excited to she how Rhonin liked it.

But now was the day of their wedding, and the princess paced in her room, wearing her wedding dress. She was nervous. Bot for the wedding, but for how her groom would like her dress. Her close friend and servant came to her, "Your highness? What is troubling you?"

"Do you think he will like it?" Sevora asked as she looked in the mirror. Her hair was up in a braided crown of sorts. She looked beautiful in the dress. The servant took her hands, "I've seen how the prince looks at you, your highness. You could easily go your wedding in a burlap sack and he would look at you as if you had descended from the heavens."

Sevora smiled a bit at the thought of Rhonin's smile, "I suppose he would, wouldn't he?"

 

[Eonivar]

Rhonin stared at himself in the mirror, his mother standing behind him arranging his crown over his intricately tied up hair which he hopes he would not have to have in place for too long, he wondered how the Asterians got away with it.

He gazed into the mirror and wished his twin sister were there. He could imagine her beside his mother fussing over his clothing, trying to get him to laugh to relax him, promising to tell Sevora all sorts of embarrassing stories about him. His mother looked at him.

"What's wrong? Cold feet, no, it cannot be that."

Rhonin bowed his head and closed his eyes. "I wish Deena were here. It's not the same without her."

Vaia wrapped an arm about her son. "I know, I wish she was here too. She is not the same without you around, she changed over the five years you were gone, and when you came back I thought we had the old Deena back, but then we had to leave. I worry for her deeply. I am sure you suffered as well as being away from her so long after being together almost all the time as children, but you grew through your time gone, and became something wonderful and beautiful. Deena grew as well but I am not sure if she handled it as well as you did. I thought it was a mistake by your father to leave her at home but he only saw shadows of possible assassins and tricks. I think he regrets the decision too now with how accommodating and open the Asterians have been. I think we have both you and your lovely bride to thank for that though."

Rhonin smiled again at the thought of Sevora. His mother laughed. "You always do that when you think of her don't you? I love that smile. That is the smile of the little boy I remember and the great man he has become. Your sister will be involved heavily when we do the Wedding in Ruvio I promise and I am sure she will be excited to participate."

Vaia leaned over and kissed Rhonin's cheek. "It's almost time. I will go and prepare. I love you Rhonin. And your sister I am sure is thinking of you right now. Your father comes now."

Vaia turned and nodded curtly to Einri as they walked by. Einri looked in the mirror at them together. They were very similar physically minus Rhonin's tattoos and Rhonin's violet eyes. "Are you ready son? This is history, something I am not sure I would have done in your shoes, but times back then were different and we have walked very different paths you and I."

Rhonin nodded. "It is the right path father. I have found so much here in Asteria, their people are good and ready for peace, ready to be allies. Their ways and in some ways their values are different yes, our peoples were forged in different ways, but we have common ground and we have love. What more do we need?"

Einri smiled. "When the time comes, you are going to be a far greater King than I ever could my son, and I think your bride and future Queen is the perfect balance for you. I realize that your mother and I are not together like to used to be. Those were different times and the war changed everyone, but we are still united as Ruvians, and united in loving and supporting you, your sister, and our new daughter. There are always going to be fires to put out. That is the burden of being a ruler. I think though that the two of you, you and Sevora, are uniquely trained to be able handle rulership unlike any other ruler of either of our peoples. That is what gives me hope. Thank you son. I love you." The King made a rare smile squeezing Rhonin's shoulder. Rhonin was at a rare loss for words, a tear ran down his cheek. "Thank you father."

Einri grinned. "Prince Rhonin Aogden, It's time to see the new love of your life, and to the future of our kingdoms, let's go."

 

[Silverwings]

Soon Queen Ashana came into the room, immediately cooing at her daughter, "Oh look at you! You look beautiful! You and Rhonin are such a handsome couple. Its almost as if you were made for each other. You balance each other perfectly, I believe. "

Sevora smiled more, "I can't wait to be his wife. He is a wonderful man. So kind and thoughtful. He will be an amazing king."

"And you will be an amazing queen." Ashana said, "The world will rejoice when the day comes that the two of you are coronated. Now. The ceremony starts soon. Shall we go?"

Sevora nodded, following her mother out. They made their way to the ceremony, where everyone already waited. Rhonin was already at the altar when Sevora arrived and she smiled, staying hidden by the door, "What a handsome man."

Soon the music began, soft melodious music, signifying the arrival of the bride. The whole room stood, watching as Sevora made her way down the aisle. Her dress was a pale blue, rather than white, as to not wash her out. She smiled as she walked up to the altar, looking at Rhonin the entire time. She was accompanied by her father, who was to pass her hand off to the prince.

"Take good care of her," King Elvyan said softly as Rhonin would step to take his daughter's hand, "I expect great things."

 

[Eonivar]

It was a moment that Rhonin would remember forever in his life, although most of the details of the others there were lost as all he would remember was the beautiful woman coming in, her hand being linked with his, her eyes, her smile, the color of her dress, the touch of her lips on his own.. He would not remember the words or oath he made on that day. But he remembered saying he would be with her and protect her.

The time itself seemed to be both incredibly slow as she slowly made her way to him or when they went through the ceremony itself. to going by so quickly as they left the room husband and wife.

One thing was for certain, everyone there felt the divine presence of two powerful Gods. While Rhonin was linked in a way to Rovan, he knew rarely did Rovan focus his attention on him. At this very moment, he felt a part of Rovan and the joy of him being bonded with not only his own but the Earth and Fire God's as well.

And then it was done and they were together and married and their kingdoms were now linked through their bond. They stepped out of the Chapel into the sunlight shining down, a warm breeze, and the cheers of many.

 

[Silverwings]

Through the ceremony, the two had a sash wound around their hands and tied, uniting them in their vows to each other. Though the ceremony seemed so slowly and so fast at the same time, it only lasted about an hour.

Sevora could feel the light goddess and her joy, as well as he own. As they left the chapel, Sevora smiled brighter than she ever had before. Happily, she took Rhonin to her quarters, as was customary for Asterians, a moment for the newlyweds to share in peace together before their reception. Typically they would go to their new home together, but that wasn't something the Prince and Princess could do easily at the moment.

Sevora closed the door behind them, smiling as she looked at their still bound hands, "We are wed at last."

She giggled, kissing his cheek as she began to unravel the sash without untying it, "It is believed that putting the wedding sash at the foot of your bed will grant fertility and a long and happy marriage for as long as it remains at the foot of the bed."

 

[Eonivar]

Rhonin walked in and glanced around her quarters as he turned to the one he was “bound” to now in more than just the cloth.

He giggled as she kissed him on the cheek as she in raveled it but took care not to untie it. After she unraveled it. He pulled on it to bring her closer, wrapping an arm about her.

“Are you sure that is the only thing it is used for?”

He leaned in for a long passionate kiss. After lingering long broke it. “So we are supposed to rest?”

 

[Silverwings]

"Take time to enjoy ourselves and relax before the reception," Sevora answered, smiling at the kiss. She took the sash and put it around his shoulders, "It can also be used to flirt, my prince."

She giggled, kissing him again. They were able to be more public about their affection. Holding hands and chaste kisses where they could be seen, "I love you."

Sevora reached up behind her and pulled a pin from her hair, letting it fall down in one thick single braid. She giggled as the braid thudded against her dress, "Would you like to let my hair loose?"

 

[Eonivar]

Rhonin laughed and reached up to gently remove the crown, setting it on a nearby table, and let down his own hair. "Only if I can let mine down. I do not know how you can maintain it up for so long, mine get's tight and uncomfortable after a while, of course, I got distracted from the feeling by...I don't know...some beautiful woman that I happened to be married to now...."

He stepped behind her, and she felt his strong hands very gently from the bottom of her braid up run through her hair, loosening it ever so slowly all the way up. He then reached from behind her wrapping his arms around her and gently placed a kiss on her oh so sentistive ear, his lips putting very slight put pleasing pressure along the pointed length. He then kissed along her neck, cheek, and found her lips again.

 

[Silverwings]

After what seemed like a blissful forever, Sevora laid curled up under the sheets with her new groom. She never knew someone could feel what she felt. Her head rested on Rhonin's shoulder and her fingers traced the markings on his chest, "That was wonderful."

 

[Eonivar]

Rhonin for the first time in a very long time felt completely at ease as if the rest of the world's problems had gone far, far away, and it was just him and Sevora together with nothing between them. Culture, rules, rituals, even clothing at the moment, it was just the two of them and the world be damned for a little a bit anyway, and the lingering thought that there would be many more of these beautiful moments of quiet and joy.

In their bonding and intimacy, Sevora had discovered that Rhonin's tattoos completely covered his body and along his chest and back they seemed to conceal several images that from a distance would not be noticed. One was the image of a mottled black and brown owl on his back left shoulder. On his chest was a black wolf howling on the side of a mountain (Which she recognized the mountain as the symbol of Ruvan). He also had several Ruvanic script characters on his chest, which she recognized as part of his name (from the legal documentation in the previous days), but it was slightly different.

He delighted in her so very soft skin against his own, and the feel of her long soft hair against his face. He smiled at the light tracing of her fingers along his chest. "That was better than anything I have ever experienced and better than what people told me...although it was told to me that intimacy is something best experienced and not really should be described. Your happiness pleases me my Sevora. And now you finally get to see my tattoos in their entirety. Which surprisingly no one but Master Pallas had, and that was only because he was the one who gave me the base ones, and the rest of them grew out of the base to cover my body." He points to a few circular points on his body at the center of his chest, his stomach, where the thorny vine-like strings of tattoos appeared to have grown and spread from those very points. "there are also points on the back of my neck, the top of my head, on either thigh and ankle, and three points along my spine. My chakra points as they were taught to me, the points where our energy is pushed and pulled through our bodies. I will admit the process was not painless, it was probably the greatest pain I have ever felt, it was also a very cleansing experience."

 

[Silverwings]

"I love your tattoos. I love every inch of them. I find them to be attractive," Sevora said softly, "I never knew anyone could feel this way. No one ever talks about it. I didnt even know what to expect, but I think even if I had, this was far beyond it. I am happy that I could have experienced this with you, Rhonin. "

She reached up and touched his cheek, guiding him to kiss her. If they could lay there forever, she would, "I love you, my dear prince... My husband."

 

[Eonivar]

The next day went by in a blur for the two of them, with the reception and dinner, and then a long night of love and intimacy to waking in the morning in each other's arms (and more rounds of intimacy). The next day was met with planning for their journeys to Ruvio as well as Sevora and Rhonin's plan for existing as Prince and Princess of both realms. It was decided that King Einri, Queen Vaia, and Master Pallas would leave the next day with most of their entourage to travel to the River Orden and return directly home to Ruvio. Whereas Sevora and Rhonin (with Nevri, tall and large Durant, and some of the other ruvian royal guards who would be permanently attached to both Rhonin and Sevora ) would travel first to Aramanth their future winter residence in Asteria.

After they settled their affairs in Aramanth, Sevora and Rhonin would take the north road to Innis and then by river to Hearthhome for the Wedding in Ruvio. For this first year, they would winter in Ruvio through the religious days of the Exodus. Then at the Spring Equinox then return to Aramanth and stay for the next year in Asteria and then they would get into their regular planned cycle. Of course, their lands were placed well that in the event of something happening they could go to either capital in a matter of a few weeks either way.

The next day they prepared for the King and Queen, and the High Priest, of Ruvio to leave. Rhonin brought Sevora down to the stables where they were preparing most of the reindeer for travel. Sitting on the fence was a large blue, black, and white mottled raven like bird. It seemed to be glancing around and observing everything, it turned to Rhonin and gave a deep sqwak. Sevora realized that this was one of the Ruvian Stormcrows, supposedly super-intelligent and sentient birds that were purportedly mystical. They were actively hunted by Asterian forces as they were messengers for the Ruvians.

"Sevora, love, I wanted to introduce you to Qark. He is going to be our Stormcrow and messenger. He is young for a Stormcrow, maybe a century old?" Qark kind of sqwacked amusingly at him at the comment. Sevora realized that they communicated in an mystical means, not telepathic, but it was a combination of subtle movement, sound, and a subconscious understanding that she registered clearly.

Older than you young Prince.

Rhonin laughed, "hey I said maybe a century. Qark, this is your Princess Sevora, and my mate."

Qark bowed spreading his wings in a very gallant matter.

It is a pleasure and honor to serve the Princess and mate of the Prince as I have served his mother and father and sister before. Your union is blessed by Grandmother Dream herself.

The stormcrows are beings who were gifted to the Ruvio by the God of Dreams (who takes multiple gender forms). The Stormcrows called her Grandmother Dream (who in that aspect is in the form of a raven)

 

[Silverwings]

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Qark," Sevora said sweetly, giving a polite curtsy. She smiled, looking at Rhonin, "I cant wait to see your home. Our new homes. To meet your sister."

She looked at the raven once more, "And we will be able to communicate with Qark? We don't use Stormcrows. We use hawks. Attach letter to their legs and send them off. They do well. I've never seen a stormcrow before. I've read about them. People have written about them in stories. Even a few drawings. But never seen one myself."

 

[Eonivar]

Qark seemed to make a laughing noise, which sounded more like a creaking noise.

Rhonin grinned. "Stormcrows can communicate with anyone. Their language speaks to our subconscious self, part of which our dreams occur. Since you are married into Ruvio now , well, or will be officially in a few months." He stepped up and wrapped an arm around Sevora becoming a bit more serious. "We will not be using Stormcrows to communicate with Asteria. We only use them to communicate between the Royal Family and the Ruvian settlements. We lost a handful which was too many in the war. There are maybe only 50 Stormcrows in the world at the moment.

Qark cleaned himself and shook a bit.

Fifty-four my prince, the Grandmother of Dreams has not permitted any more to come back into the world until she is sure the peace is final. She does not want to lose any more of her children.

Rhonin nodded at the Stormcrow, and then looked at Sevora. "No offense my love, but I think both of our peoples are still wary, we know well both of our nations are seeing a bit of unrest and are not comfortable at the moment with various things. I am glad for example we are traveling by foot and not by airship, your airships are seen with terror in Ruvio. I do not think they would be well received. We were tentative about using Stormcrows here to communicate but since myself, the King, and Queen were coming here we felt it was important to have that a fast line of communication with home that was worth the risk."

 

[Silverwings]

Sevora shook her head, "Do not worry, my love. If there is any need for communication, a hawk will be used. I did not mean to suggest having the stormcrows for Asteria's means of communication. "

She then looked at Qark, "I only meant that we would communicate with your family through Qark is all. This is all rather new to me. The traditions you have in Ruvio. I am eager to learn them all."

 

[Eonivar]

Qark listened, tilting his head slightly and nodding, his beak moving up and down.

Time heals all wounds, my princess, your union is the beginning of the healing to come, there may come a time when my flock will be able to fly freely over the spires of Asteria again. This is a time of promise and hope, and the two of you are just the beginning.

 

[Silverwings]

Sevora smiled, "I look forward to the day your kind can fly freely over the lands. Even if we are old when the day comes, it will be celebrated when our lands finally come to peace. For now, it is something hopeful to strive for."

 

[Eonivar]

The stormcrow nodded and they continued their day preparing for the Ruvian delegation to leave. Early the next morning Rhonin was hugging his mother and father and bowing to Master Pallas, telling them that they would see them in about a month or so. The King and Queen of Ruvio both hugged Sevora as well and told her that they looked forward to her coming to Ruvio. Rhonin, Sevora, and their Ruvian Honor Guard stood on the towers and watched them leave.

Rhonon stood there quietly as he watched them go, he seemed pensive and worried, and maybe a bit alone.

 

[Silverwings]

Sevora put a gentle hand on her husband's shoulder, "We will see them soon, my love. It will pass quickly, I am sure of it. What worries you?"

She wanted to rid him of all worries, though she knew it would be almost impossible. He had reason to worry. Between his family's safe travels and well being, as well as his own, she could only imagine how stressed he might be.

 

[Eonivar]

Rhonin leaned his head and rubbed his head against her hand, shutting his eyes a moment. He opened his eyes and turned to Sevora, a tear went down his cheek. He was sad but he was happy to have Sevora with him, he needed to talk to her. He leads her across the bridge back to the library tower, the guard standing by the door as he shut it behind them as he lead Sevora down the stairs into her favorite room. Once they got to the bottom, he took Sevora into his arms and held on to her tightly

"Love, I am afraid. Everything is changing so fast. I am scared. I had been gone for five years, I do not regret the absence but I had only been back for a month or so. I had the sudden thought that what if they were attacked and I would never see them again or.." he shook his head. "I am sure it's my imagination. I know I am safe here and I know they will be safe. They have the best protection and your father sent them with an escort to be safe, I know I am safe with you always, but I just feel...so out of sorts." He buried his face in her hair.

 

[Silverwings]

Sevora followed the prince into her room where she hugged him, "Its ok to be scared. I understand. As thrilled as I am to go to your home, it scares me too. The sudden change. We are safe together. But I understand your fear, darling."

She pulled away, moving to plant a sweet, loving kiss onto his lips. It was more for her own comfort that it was for his, but she knew it could serve as both.

 

[Eonivar]

Rhonin returned her kiss, lingering for a time, reveling in their liplock, before gently pulling away. "We should be preparing to leave ourselves. Probably a lot to prepare. Have you been away from the Captial for a long time before? Or moved somewhere else in the Kingdom temporarily?"