Ancient Empire Calendar, Year 1835
The sandy streets of the city of Mah-Ehrem had taken on a dazzling appearance as a result of the preparations for the wedding of Richard Kislavein, the Kislavein Dynasty Heir, and Aishe Cyrus, who would become his first wife.
After years of bloody and exhausting wars, the people of Mah-Ehrem had shed the darkness over them with three great celebrations.
The first was the Coronation Ceremony of Darius Cyrus, the first Dynasty Lord of the new Cyrus Dynasty.
The second was the wedding of Darius's sister, Parisa Cyrus, and Krael II Kislavein, the Kislavein Dynasty Lord.
And now, the last, greatest, and most magnificent of these celebrations, the wedding of Richard and Aishe, was about to take place.
All the people had taken to the streets, experiencing the ultimate form of entertainment and dance in its most delicious and dazzling state.
"Isn't all this too much, Father?"
Richard, with a sweet childishness, was asking his father why his wedding was being so exaggerated.
Ricardo wanted to pat his son's head but didn't want to ruin his freshly combed and styled hair.
"This is your first wedding, my son. It has to be the best, the most beautiful, and the most magnificent. Firsts are always special."
"I heard your first wedding wasn't very special."
Richard, with a joking demeanor, was referring to his father's first wedding with his late wife, Lady Arnheid, which was sabotaged by the spirit attack.
However, Ricardo was quite disturbed and angered by this.
Richard was horrified as the anger in his father's eyes descended upon him like an avalanche.
Realizing he had touched a nerve with his father, who had always been cheerful and understanding towards him, he thought he should apologize.
"Forgive me, Father. I overstepped my bounds. I'm so sorry. Truly, I'm so sorry. Forgive me."
Seeing his son's sincere remorse, Ricardo knelt and hugged him.
"It's okay, son. It's all in the past. You're still a child."
"And unlike me, you weren't cursed with the memories of your ancestors," he said to himself.
"But don't let it happen again. I never give anyone a second chance, not even my own son."
Richard etched his father's warning into the deepest corner of his mind and never forgot it for the rest of his life.
"Okay, Father."
As the conversation between father and son ended, a knock came at the door.
The steward who entered knelt, bowed his head, and offered his respects.
"I greet the Kislavein Dynasty Lord and the Kislavein Young Lord. We are waiting for the groom for the wedding, My Lord."
Although Richard was the sole male Heir of his Dynasty, he had not yet been officially declared Heir. For this reason, he was addressed not as Dynasty Heir, but by his pre-Heir title, Young Lord.
Ricardo realized this at that moment. Because he had only one son, and in case of the possibility of having another son in the future, he had not declared Richard his Heir until matters were secured.
In the following years, no other Heir candidate besides Richard was born, and Richard became the unofficial Dynasty Heir.
Everyone knew he would be the next Dynasty Lord, but until the Dynasty Lord declared it, no one dared to call Richard the Dynasty Heir.
Not even his own mother, Marilin.
"Your Heir declaration was delayed too long because of the wars, my son. As soon as your wedding is over and we return to Kislathor, I will declare you my Heir."
Richard's happiness at finally achieving the title of Dynasty Heir, which adorned his dreams at night and was his greatest ambition, was about to surpass even the happiness of marrying Aishe Cyrus, whom he had fallen in love with at first sight.
"I am grateful, Dynasty Lord. For as long as you live, I will serve you with the best of my ability and bring death to your enemies."
Ricardo looked at his son with proud eyes.
"Marilin raised you well. Get up, my son. Don't dirty your groom's attire. Today is a long day; it's your day. You have to be in your best and most perfect state."
Ricardo and Richard walked through the palace corridors to go to the square where the wedding would take place. Along the way, soldiers, servants, and many others knelt and bowed their heads as soon as they saw them.
When they reached the palace gate, Aishe Cyrus, despite her young age, had drawn all attention with her beauty.
Richard left his father's side and went to his future wife, Aishe Cyrus.
Richard, experiencing dizziness from her beauty, went to his beloved wife and paid her a sweet compliment amidst all the emotional explosions inside him.
"You're so beautiful, my love."
Aishe was very embarrassed to hear the word "my love" in front of so many people, even from her future husband.
"Please don't say such things in public... but thank you, anyway."
Ricardo passed by Richard and Aishe and stopped in front of the gate.
"Alright, you little lovebirds. You chat a bit more. I'll go ahead and wait for you in the square. Lord Lucius."
"As you command, Dynasty Lord."
"After a certain time, accompany my son and daughter-in-law and bring them to the square."
"As you command, Dynasty Lord."
When the Blood Falcons opened the gates, Ricardo left the palace, mounted his old, faithful horse that had carried him for years, and rode towards the square.
His personal guards, the Blood Falcons, followed and accompanied the Dynasty Lord.
After a certain time, Lucius came to the young couple who were chatting.
"If you're ready, it's time."
Richard and Aishe took a deep breath. Both were very excited.
Aishe tightly gripped Richard's hand with both of hers. Her voice carried the sweet excitement and tiny concern she felt.
"Will we be okay? I don't feel ready."
Richard felt his beloved wife's excitement and concern in his heart. He knew he needed to calm her down.
Richard placed his other hand on top of her tiny hands, which were grasping his, and gently stroked them.
"Calm down. From this moment on, I will always be by your side. I will always protect you from everything."
Finding peace in Richard's words, Aishe gently squeezed the hand she was holding and then let go.
"I'm ready now," she said with all her courage.
Richard looked at Lord Lucius standing beside him.
"We can go, Eduvali Dynasty Lord."
"As you command, My Young Lord."
Lucius looked at the soldiers at the gate.
"Open the gates," he commanded.
When the soldiers opened the gates, they were greeted by an enthusiastic crowd.
Kislavein and Cyrus soldiers stood like an iron wall in front of the enthusiastic crowd, not allowing a single person to step forward.
Richard and Aishe walked with small steps to the horse-drawn carriage that would take them to the square where their wedding vows would be conducted.
There was nobility in every step, elegance in every step. They were as stylish as befitted the lineage they came from.
Finally, Richard and Aishe boarded the carriage amidst the cheers of the enthusiastic crowd. The Blood Orphans lined up around the vehicle, escorting the young couple safely to the square.
Aishe could hardly believe what was happening. It was as if she were in a dream and about to wake up any moment.
"We're really getting married. I still can't believe it."
Richard was in a similar state.
"I always knew I would get married one day, but I didn't expect it to be this fast. But I thank the Spirits of my Ancestors that my first wedding is with you."
Aishe was pleased with what she heard, but she found Richard's prayer to his ancestors strange.
"Your religion is the Ancestor Cult, isn't it? Could you tell me a little about it?"
Richard began to explain the religious belief of the people of the Western Lands.
"Centuries ago, a Dynasty Lord banned religions. Later, his grandson lifted the ban on religion, but convinced everyone to follow a new religion called the Ancestor Cult and established religious unity. The only thing about this religion is that we pray to the Spirits of our Ancestors from whom we descend. What about your religious belief?"
Aishe began to explain her own religious belief.
"The history of our belief dates back more than a thousand years. One of the ancestors of the Arfas Dynasty, Jamal, gathered the Southern Tribes and started a Jihad, conquering all the Southern Lands. But finally, the 29th Ancient Emperor, Harloumen VI, destroyed Jamal and his entire army in a battle."
"I know this. It was mentioned in the Book of Ancient Emperors."
"Well, since you know the history, I'll skip some parts. The lands of the tribe where Jamal ignited the spark of rebellion became a symbol for the Southern peoples. Over time, a cult formed around Jamal's grave. This cult gradually spread throughout the Southern Lands."
"I know the rest of this. Until the Ancient Empire fell, fanatics of this cult constantly started rebellions to avenge Jamal."
When the carriage arrived at the square, the pair finished their conversation.
"We're here. Shall we get off?"
"Okay."
A Blood Falcon opened the carriage door. Richard got off first, then turned around and extended his hand to help Aishe down.
Aishe gently took the hand offered to her and descended the steps slowly.
Holding hands, Richard and Aishe slowly walked towards the center. When they reached Ricardo, they stopped. As they walked, the people cheered for them.
Ricardo amplified his voice with his mana and spoke in a voice that all the people could hear.
"PEOPLES OF THE WEST AND THE SOUTH, TODAY IS THE DAY OUR LINEAGES WILL UNITE AND HOSTILITIES WILL END."
Ricardo raised his arms and prayed.
"SPIRITS OF OUR ANCESTORS, BESTOW UPON YOUR GRANDCHILDREN WHO ARE ABOUT TO MARRY A LONG LIFE, HEALTHY CHILDREN, AND A HAPPY MARRIAGE."
When Ricardo finished his prayer, he looked at his son Richard and his daughter-in-law Aishe.
"Do you accept each other as husband and wife until death do you part?"
Richard and Aishe answered simultaneously.
"YES."
Ricardo smiled at his son and daughter-in-law, then declared the marriage to all the people in a loud voice.
"I, KRAEL II KISLAVEIN, THE 66TH DYNASTY LORD OF THE KISLAVEIN DYNASTY, PRONOUNCE YOU HUSBAND AND WIFE."
The people cheered enthusiastically and applauded the young couple.
The wedding was complete. Now it was time for dance, feast, drink, and entertainment.
The celebrations continued until late at night, but this intense party atmosphere was too tiring for the young couple, who were still small in age.
In the later hours of the night, Marilin noticed that her son and daughter-in-law were tired and struggling to stay awake, and decided to report the situation to Ricardo.
Ricardo, sitting at the head of the table, was eating, drinking, and chatting with his old friends and lords sitting beside him.
Marilin transmitted her thoughts to Ricardo using telepathy.
"Ricardo, the children have been tired enough today. If you permit, let the children retire to their rooms and rest."
When Ricardo looked at his son and daughter-in-law, he noticed they were tired.
"I can't even decide when the bride and groom should retire, Marilin. That's their decision. But if you want, talk to him with telepathy. If they want to go, let them go."
After talking with Ricardo, Marilin spoke to her son and daughter-in-law using telepathy.
"Children, if you're tired, tell the servants beside you that you want to retire to your room. They will escort you to your room. After that, you can rest or spend time together alone."
Richard and Aishe were startled when they suddenly heard Marilin's voice in their minds, but Marilin's words seemed logical to them.
Richard turned and looked at the servant behind him.
"We want to go to our room."
The servant bowed his head in acknowledgment.
With the help of the servants, Richard and Aishe stood up and walked towards their room.
As they walked, the nobles, soldiers, and servants they passed greeted the bride and groom.
After a long and tiring day, Richard and Aishe retired to their room.
"Finally... finally it's over."
Aishe, tired and exhausted, lay down on the bed without even taking off her wedding dress.
"We should change our clothes, Aishe. You can't sleep comfortably like this."
Aishe started squirming in the bed.
"But I don't want to get up."
"Come on, get up."
Richard forced Aishe to get up and wanted to help her take off her wedding dress.
"Wait, I'll do it myself."
"Don't be shy. We're married now. I'll help you."
"But it's so embarrassing. Please."
Richard stepped back a few paces.
"Okay, okay. I'll change over here. Tell me if you need help."
"Thank you."
Richard and Aishe changed their clothes in places where they couldn't see each other, put on comfortable clothes, and then lay down on the bed.
The comfort, softness, and lovely scent of roses on the bed enchanted them both.
"Aren't we going to do something?" asked Aishe.
"What do you want to do, Aishe?"
Aishe was struggling to put two words together from embarrassment.
"Well... you know... the thing people do after they get married."
Richard found Aishe's shyness endearing and wanted to tease her a little more.
"What are you talking about, my wife?"
Aishe buried her head in the pillow. She was now too embarrassed to speak while looking at Richard's face.
"Kissing, I suppose."
Richard finally couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"Hahahahaha!"
When Aishe realized she was being made fun of, she looked at Richard angrily.
"Why are you laughing?"
Before she could continue speaking, Richard suddenly kissed Aishe on the lips. Aishe was shocked, couldn't move, and just waited for Richard to finish the kiss.
When Richard pulled his lips away from Aishe's, he saw her cheeks had turned crimson.
Unconsciously, Richard started pinching and stroking these cheeks, which he found endearing.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING? TAKE YOUR HAND AWAY!"
Aishe lightly slapped Richard's hands away, held her slightly stinging cheeks, and her hands slowly drifted towards her lips.
"So... am I going to get pregnant now?"
Richard was surprised.
"What do you mean?"
Aishe began to explain.
"My nanny told me that if I kiss someone, I'll get pregnant."
Richard couldn't understand why a nanny would say such a thing to a little girl.
"Why did she tell you that?"
"I had asked her how children are made, and she told me that when I get married and kiss my husband, I'll have a child."
Richard understood now.
"Ah, I see."
Richard stroked Aishe's head.
"Don't worry, don't be afraid. That's not how children are made. You're not going to get pregnant."
Aishe was relieved, but now she was angry that her nanny had lied to her.
"Then why did she lie to me?"
Richard thought for a moment about how to handle the situation.
"You'll understand when you grow up."
Aishe got even angrier.
"As if you're so much older, Richard! You're only one year older than me!"
"Okay, okay. Let's drop this subject. We're both very tired today. Let's sleep, please."
Aishe, still angry, turned her back and went to sleep.
Richard reached out towards Aishe's back and gently poked her shoulder.
"Are you very angry?"
No answer.
"Come on, Aishe. Please turn around."
When Aishe remained motionless, Richard hugged her tightly from behind.
"Let go of me. I'm still angry. I haven't forgiven you."
Richard stubbornly held on.
"If you don't turn around and hug me, I won't forgive you."
"NEVER!"
"Okay, then. You'll turn around, you'll hug me, and you'll kiss me. The conditions multiply with every objection, Aishe. Now, either you turn around, hug me, kiss me, and we stay like this all night, or I'll never leave you alone."
Aishe stubbornly refused to turn around, persisting in her anger.
"Are you going to stay like this forever? As if I'll ever turn around."
But what Aishe didn't know was that Richard was more stubborn than her.
The two stubborn goats continued their contest of wills for minutes. In the end, the winner was Richard.
"Okay, okay, I'm not angry anymore. Don't hug so tightly."
Richard had won. He was happy. He kissed Aishe on the cheek and let her go.
Aishe turned to Richard, hugged him, and kissed him on the lips.
"Okay?"
"Okay."
Richard and Aishe hugged and slept for the rest of the night. The city's people and nobles continued their celebrations throughout the night.
After taking care of the wedding, Ricardo was going over his future plans one by one in his mind. His path was long.