The Noble Throne by Logan Keys & Yessi Smith

Author:Logan Keys & Yessi Smith [Keys, Logan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-12-03T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 19

Noble

“Did you find the ring?” I whisper, and she giggles and nods beneath her veil.

The priest gives me his most chastising glare, and then continues in the ancient language of the realms. I roll my eyes at him when he’s not looking and feel Liana’s body shake next to mine with mirth.

The priest motions for another to come forward, pausing in his droning. “Sire, before you lift the veil, the arrows.”

They bring them to me, they’ve already shot them gently at Liana. She’d accepted the custom regally. And her lips had quivered with mirth. And now I am supposed to say, “I promise to protect you.” and break them. Instead, I take them and lift her veil before my time. Handing Liana some of the arrows, I say, “We shall protect each other.”

The crowd is silent, no doubt some are giving my backside glares over lack of decorum.

I break the arrows in half. Liana watches me with shining eyes, then breaks hers and says with a gentle nobility that rings fair and true, “We shall protect each other.”

To see how thankful she is for the offering, it makes it worth the judgment of the people in attendance.

We turn during the final portion after admitting death do us part, to face the crowd of gathered people from both of our realms. The lions have shown in full regalia. One side of the gathering is darker heads of wolves, and the other, the golden fairer lions.

Tensions are high, but I’d made sure the kitchen had the best drink flowing before the ceremony even began. Cook had guffawed at my offer, saying it wasn’t even noon, but I’d told him pour it all down their gullets and keep it coming.

The only chink in the perfect day has been the absence of my father. With more trouble in the village, he’d ridden out early in the morning to aid them in their plight, but not before stopping to see me on my wedding day. The big black wolf had told me that on his own nuptials, he’d been shaking so hard he’d dropped the arrows…twice. My father had then hugged me in a rare show of affection, called me son, and said, “With any luck I’ll be back before the party is over.”

He’d beamed with pride. Told me to look over the Kingdom while he was gone.

My father. The black wolf. Proud of his son for the first in a long, long time.

“You may now kiss your bride,” the priest says.

And with a flare, I do. As hard as I dare. And the best part is, she kisses me back.

The crowd cheers. Some are overly excited for such an occasion as this one. And I wink at the cook who lifts a decanter full of more drink before filling the glasses of our council members. Spirits are pouring, spirits are high. “My lord,” he says, bowing as I pass his place.

“That dagger,” I whisper. “The one in the great hall that you’ve been eyeing since we were pups?”

“Aye, my lord?”

“It’s yours.

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