* * *
As light streamed through the curtains, Ed realized he had woken later than usual.
“Guess I got carried away with the mood last night…”
Ed was about to burrow deeper into the blankets when he sat up.
The Grand Duke, who was beside him, gently worked out the stiffness in his body.
From head to toe, the Duke massaged him with care.
When Ed emerged from the bathroom after washing up, the Duke dried his damp hair with a towel.
Not long after, the room was a flurry of activity as the tailor and attendants swept in with a gust of energy.
“Your Grace, Your Grace the Grand Duchess, did you have sweet dreams last night?”
They carried accessories and props prepared for the grand event of the day, their eyes brimming with excitement as they planned how to style Ed.
“Your Grace, you must dress in a separate room. According to northern traditions, the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess must don their ceremonial attire apart!”
At the tailor’s assertive declaration, the Duke scratched his forehead and gave a gentle reminder.
“Don’t exhaust the Grand Duchess before the ceremony.”
“Rest assured, Your Grace!”
With the enthusiastic response from the tailor and attendants, the Duke reluctantly left the room.
From that point, Ed became the center of their attention, meticulously prepared as the star of the wedding ceremony.
“Behold,” the tailor said, presenting a mirror while carefully scrutinizing Ed’s appearance.
The tailor, who had overseen every detail of the ceremonial attire with unwavering focus, gave it a final once-over to ensure perfection.
“Does anything feel uncomfortable or not to your liking?”
Softly styled bangs, white and gold threads interwoven into the attire, a delicate necklace peeking from his collar, and the northern emblem intricately embroidered—the ensemble was breathtakingly harmonious.
Meeting the eager gazes of the tailor and attendants, Ed expressed his gratitude.
“You’ve done an incredible job. Thank you.”
“It’s all thanks to you, Sir Ed, for considering our suggestions. Now that you’re ready, shall we head out?”
As Ed rose, the door opened.
Waiting outside was Irtel, who couldn’t hide the smile that naturally formed on his face.
Clearing his throat lightly, he spoke.
“Allow me to escort you, Your Grace the Grand Duchess.”
“Thank you, Sir Irtel.”
The wedding took place in the central garden of the northern castle.
As Irtel guided Ed down the stairs and outside, he caught sight of Geo and Jaynon arranging flowers for the ceremony stage.
The Grand Duke, already waiting, was conversing with a tall woman with black hair.
“The Crown Princess has arrived.”
“Ah, so she has.”
Though the Empress Dowager had been overseeing the empire, Ed thought, it seemed today’s wedding marked the Crown Princess’s full-fledged rise to power.
While lost in thought, Ed noticed the Grand Duke quickly approaching him.
“You look stunning, Ed.”
Ed returned the sentiment, gazing at the Duke, who was radiant under the bright sunlight.
“You look incredible yourself, Your Grace.”
The Duke’s ceremonial attire, in black, exuded a peak elegance that perfectly complemented his pale complexion and crimson eyes.
Then there was the red brooch.
Ed’s gaze lingered on the brooch pinned near the Duke’s chest.
“…This is…”
“It’s the gift you gave me. Of course, I had to wear it today.”
Seeing the ruby brooch he had chosen after much deliberation at the night market, Ed felt his cheeks grow warm.
“Your Grace, Your Grace, the ceremony is ready to begin.”
Jaynon announced, redirecting their attention to the prepared event.
The Grand Duke leaned slightly toward Ed.
“Are you ready, Ed?”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
As the Duke nodded toward Jaynon, gentle music began to fill the air, accompanied by whispers urging guests to take their seats.
Ed took a deep breath.
The stage in the outdoor garden was surrounded by rows of seated guests, all eagerly watching and cheering to celebrate the wedding.
Grateful for their warm reception, Ed held the Grand Duke’s hand and walked forward.
“Brother!”
Standing at the foot of the stairs leading to the ceremony stage was Ronen, waving with a basket full of flower petals.
The Grand Duke and Ed smiled brightly, meeting Ronen’s gaze.
At the far end of the stage stood the High Priest from the Great Temple, radiating kindness.
Ed took in the flower-filled outdoor venue, the guests sincerely celebrating their union, Ronen, who had grown so much taller, Jaynon and Tens bickering behind the stage, and the knights proudly raising their swords overhead.
“It’s been so long since I came into this world,” Ed thought.
As he closed and reopened his eyes, the Grand Duke gently grasped his hand with an undeniable sense of unity.
“From now on, only happiness awaits us, doesn’t it?”
At Ed’s question, the Duke nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Then the music shifted to the wedding march.
“Announcing the entrance of His Grace the Grand Duke and Her Grace the Grand Duchess!”
At Tens’s proclamation, Ronen ascended the stairs, scattering white and red petals as he led the way to the outdoor venue.
The grand wedding ceremony had begun.
Ed smiled softly at the fluttering petals and stepped onto the floral path with the Grand Duke.
Petals landed on Ronen’s head as they walked, accompanied by applause and occasional whistles from the audience.
The knights grinned as Ed and the Grand Duke passed by, and the High Priest welcomed them warmly as they approached the altar.
“Asnel Linden and his partner Ed, have you chosen to marry of your own free will, without coercion or pressure?”
“Yes, we have.”
“Yes.”
As they answered confidently, stripped of titles, the garden erupted in cheers and applause.
“Do you vow to always love, respect, and remain faithful to each other?”
“Yes, we vow.”
“I do as well.”
The outdoor venue resounded with laughter and applause once again at their resolute answers.
After the vows, they signed the marriage certificate.
The Grand Duke wrote his name, ‘Asnel Linden’, with the quill before passing it to Ed.
Staring at the neatly written name, Ed felt a rush of emotions as he carefully inscribed his own beside it.
The signed certificate caught fire, rising into the air and disappearing.
The Grand Duke suddenly leaned down and kissed the top of Ed’s head, eliciting cheers and shouts from the onlookers.
The High Priest smiled, calming the crowd, and continued with the remaining rituals.
“The blessing of the gods has been bestowed. Asnel Linden and Ed will now exchange rings, the symbol of their vow.”
When the Grand Duke took Ed’s hand and lifted it, the applause grew louder.
Some guests even rose from their seats, craning their necks to get a better view of the couple.
Ed’s gaze remained fixed on the red ring destined for his left hand.
As the Grand Duke extended his hand, Ed slid the ring onto his left ring finger.
The moment their hands, both wearing matching rings on their left ring fingers, intertwined, a burst of sound filled the air.
Confetti and colorful petals rained down from above in a dazzling display.
“Congratulations, Your Grace! Congratulations, Your Grace!”
“Boundless glory to the Empire! Endless happiness to the North!”
Amidst the cheers, a playful voice urged them to kiss.
The Grand Duke and Ed smiled at each other and shared a kiss.
A mischievous guest shouted for them to make it deeper, prompting laughter.
Even Ronen, who had stepped down from the stage, chuckled as he watched the couple.
The bright and warm ceremony was overseen by the High Priest, who quieted the crowd.
“And now, there is one more ritual to complete this wedding.”
As the ceremony reached its final stages, the once-cheering crowd fell silent, their curious gazes shifting to the Grand Duke and Ed.
What could possibly remain?
The High Priest handed a large, ornate jewel box, previously placed below the dais, to Ed.
The Grand Duke, seeing the item for the first time, looked puzzled.
Ed opened the box and lifted out a crown.
“Do you remember how I once promised to place something I crafted with my own hands upon Your Grace’s head?”
The crown was a circular piece of silver adorned with brilliant red rubies and blue sapphires.
In the Empire, crowns weren’t exclusively reserved for emperors.
They could also be placed on the heads of victorious warriors returning from battle.
However, Emperor Fez had decreed that only emperors could wear crowns, a petty move to express his dissatisfaction with the Grand Duke’s military successes.
Ed had long sought a way to restore the imperial tradition Fez had trampled upon while giving the Grand Duke the recognition he deserved.
Their wedding became the perfect opportunity.
“When Her Majesty the Dowager Empress asked if I needed anything, I told her I wished to crown Your Grace with something befitting a victor. She kindly granted me permission.”
Ed smiled up at the Grand Duke.
“And that’s how I was able to prepare this.”
While the Grand Duke managed the North and planned their wedding, Ed poured his heart into crafting the crown, ensuring it commemorated the Grand Duke’s victories.
To avoid raising suspicion, he had to cleverly use Zayn and Tens as excuses to keep his project a secret.
‘To my eternal hero and destined companion, Asnel Linden.’
* * *
That’s sweet. I can only envision it in my mind. How beautiful they look