I smiled at what I'd just said, I didn't really mean it, but the look on the Sovereign's face was worth it.
Ratri-kar was the Primal of the moon. He was called the controller of time and was held in great revere because his power was over the tides.
I had a vague idea of what my now sworn devotion to him meant, I was to care for his temples and keep a statue of him in my room. But knowing the life that I was now expected to live, there was most likely more to it.
The priest looked at me with a shock greater than the Sovereign's, whose face was now controlled.
The priest waited a couple seconds more and then proceeded with the ceremony.
"Our great Primals," He bowed his head and I fought the urge to sigh, "Do you find the Union between these two individuals pleasing in your holy sight?"
Nothing happened. We waited another few seconds and still nothing happened.
The priest raised his head and looked at the both of us with a calm smile, "If you two would please take hold of the altar so that we can accordingly bless this Union so that it may be a long, plentiful and joyful."
I looked up at the Sovereign across from me, Bastian, and did the same as him as I placed my hands on the gold bar in front of me that was connected to the brilliant gold and silver altar. In a bowl atop the altar was a bright blue liquid that the priest was now taking from its pedestal.
"Sovereign Bastian," He nodded to him, "Queen Hydrangea," He nodded to me, "May this Union be a strong and plentiful one. May it bring power to our great land, Cadarama. And may you be as joyous as the Beloved Sovereign and Queen."
And with that he splashed the blue water on our heads and put the bowl back in it's place. The old priest turned and left without any other words. And I looked across to the Sovereign to see what I was supposed to do now.
He left where he stood and walked down the path he'd come, I quickly followed and we soon met up where we'd started.
I held my arm out for him to rest his elbow but he just stood facing me. Finally running out of patience I turned to look in his beautiful brown eyes.
He reached forward and wiped something off my face, I stiffened at his touch and became confused at his words, "You are very foolish to have done such a thing."
There was no one else to see us here other than the few priests that lingered. The Sanction Ceremony was to be private.
It took me a seconds to register his words and when I did I looked at him confused and annoyed, "You did something just as bold." I was trying to keep my voice hushed.
"And so you thought you'd do the same?" He asked an emotion I couldn't read on his face.
"No, I simply wanted to. Is that a problem, my Sovereign?" I smiled slightly because my words had a slight rhyme to them. But I quickly hid it away.
He sighed heavily and shook his head. He turned with his arm held out, and I rested my arm in his.
"Might as well get this over with. One down, four to go." He muttered under his breath.
It was sad that I had the same outlook on the Union—I just wanted it to be over—when a Union was supposed to be a happy time for the couple. But my Union was a nightmare to me. I blinked away my thoughts as we reemerged into the daylight that practically melted my skin.
The crowds were waiting below us with their cheers and smiles that we'd "survived" the first ceremony. I steeled myself to face the rest of the day.
~~~~~~~~~~
The second ceremony was the Matriarch Ceremony. Here was where the Sovereign was to ask permission to have me from my State or country, but since I had now been named, 'Hydrangea of Cadarama.' Who was there to ask permission from save the Sovereign himself?
And so with this, he said that he accepted me as his queen and wife and now he was to make his vows to me. I both dreaded and anticipated this moment.
My right hand was tied with a silk ribbon to his left hand as a symbol of our forming unity.
We were standing on a pedestal surrounded by flowers that I had been able to choose. The most prominent flower being the lovely petunias. Which I knew meant anger and resentment. I smiled a little at the thought.
Every little thing counts.
"Hydrangea of Cadarama," It sounded even worse coming from him, "I vow to be a loyal and faithful husband to you. I vow to treat you well and to honour you as a queen should be honoured. May the Primals hold me to my vows so they may never be broken."
I hid my ridiculing smile and instead painted on a happy smile. He was lying of course, by his first words one could tell, "I vow to be a loyal and faithful husband." That was a joke, but one that didn't bother me. I knew from the beginning that he would never be a loyal husband.
We descended the steps, our wrists still tied together with a rope.
The people cheered at our descent as petals were showered down on us, I chuckled softly when I saw that they were petunia petals. Anger and resentment were raining down on us.
~~~~~~~~~
The next ceremony was the Patriarchal Ceremony, when I would make my vows to a man who I both despised and loathed. I had been dreading this moment absolutely.
The area that had been prepared for this ceremony was similar to the one previous but it was larger and had more gold. The pedestal that we stood on was adorned with red banners and vases of yellow and striped carnations with black flowers and orange lilies, my face brushed against a willow branch as I turned to face the Sovereign.
The pedestal dedicated to the Patriarchal Ceremony had a creepy feel to it but I chose not to focus on the atmosphere and instead focus on my script.
My left hand was now being tied to his right hand so our unity would be more sure.
The people were surrounding us and gawking at us with their wide eyes and sneering mouths. I swallowed and said in a strong voice, "My Sovereign, I vow to be a loyal and loving wife, a devoted queen. I vow to serve you and-" I swallowed and cleared my throat as I choked out the next words, "And I ask that the Primals bless me with a plentiful womb," I inhaled shakily, "That I may produce you many heirs. May the Primals hold me to my words that I shall never break these sacred vows."
The smile on his face felt like a death blow. I felt like I was nothing, how can I live like this? I don't want to be a breeding cow. I do not want to become my mother. But deep down I felt as though I was now truly becoming her.
I closed my eyes for just a moment to silence my thoughts.
We turned, my eyes opened as I painted yet another smile on my face. Our stance was awkward with both our hands being tied together but we made our way carefully as we descended the steps to the most important ceremony.
The Union Ceremony.