The morning of our wedding day started very differently.
Immediately after waking up, Isabella and I began getting ready for the day.
By that, I mean the bridesmaids requested that I leave Isabella's room and get dressed by myself.
I wasn't allowed to see Isabella again until the ceremony
Since security was much tighter around the castle, today, Walter had several butlers help me get ready as well.
After I was dressed, I headed over to the room where the ceremony would be taking place. Despite security being so strict, I was concerned about intrusions.
The incident a couple of days prior had left us all a little shaken. Mainly Isabella and myself.
I looked around the room at the expensive decorations and well-dressed nobles.
I still felt out of place here, but that was alright. I was determined to enjoy this day to the fullest and wouldn't stand for anything bothering me.
Walter was to be the best man at the wedding today. He stuck by my side at all times.
This must be what Isabella feels like... It's quite comforting.
"Mizik, are you familiar with the ceremony?" Walter said suddenly.
"Yes. Mostly anyways..." I said nervously.
"Calm yourself, Mizik. Today you truly become a man. You mustn't falter now!" He said cheerfully.
I felt a lot of eyes on me and I surveyed the room, looking for something to take my mind off of the current situation.
Isabella had done a spectacular job decorating the place. It was truly astonishing.
As I continued looking around, I saw Sir Gordon standing and speaking to a well-dressed woman. He was actually wearing a suit today instead of his usual armor.
I approached and waved at him.
"Ah! Mizik! It's good to see you. How are you today?" He asked.
"Nervous, but otherwise okay," I said.
"I'm sure things will be fine, Mizik. We're here for you if you need anything."
"Is this the groom?" The woman standing next to Sir Gordon said.
She looked older. Around Gordon's age.
"Ah, yes. He is. Mizik, I'd like you to meet my wife," Sir Gordon said with a smile.
"Hello, ma'am. It's a pleasure," I said as I bowed my head.
"Oh come now, there's no need for that. You're going to be a Prince once you marry that sweet young lady, aren't you? Hold your head high! Be proud of yourself!" She said gleefully.
"Th-thank you, ma'am," I said.
"Please, call me Halia," she said with a warm smile.
I talked a bit more with Sir Gordon and his wife before leaving with Walter to mentally prepare myself.
It was almost time.
* * *
Once the moment came around, I strode proudly up to the altar where I would be married.
A priest stood by in his elegant white and gold robes with an open tome in his hands.
I looked around the room and everything suddenly went silent as the doors opened.
King Ronald walked in and extended his hand. An elegant white-gloved hand took his and another person walked into the room.
I felt my face heat up as I stared at the woman. My heart was pounding in my chest.
Isabella looked absolutely stunning.
She wore an extravagant long white dress accentuated with gold threading in the shape of a rose on her chest.
A thin veil covered her face and she held a bouquet of roses within her other hand.
Fitting.
The King escorted her up to the altar and bowed his head.
I couldn't take my eyes off of her. She averted her gaze from me as her face turned red.
"D-don't stare too much..." She said quietly.
"S-sorry..." I muttered.
"Ahem," the priest cleared his throat.
"We are all joined together on this day in the sight of the gods to witness the joining of two souls in a bond of eternal love," the priest said aloud.
I glanced around the room and saw the King sit down next to Evryss. He smiled at her and she simply shook her head. Almost in a truly defeated way.
Sorry, Evryss. But I have every intention of keeping Isabella.
I had made quite the attempt to gain her favor and so far, I thought she at least tolerated me. That would be enough for now.
"Baron Mizik Iratus, heir to the Iratus household, warrior hailing from Lorelei, and wielder of the Legendary Sword Vengeance, do you take Isabella to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold for the rest of your days? Giving yourself fully and only to her in sickness and in health till death do you part?" The priest asked.
"I do," I said simply.
The priest turned to Isabella and opened his mouth to speak.
As he did so, I heard a sound far away.
It sounded like a crashing noise.
I looked around but it seemed no one had noticed.
It was probably nothing...
"First-Princess Isabella Victoria Albatross, heir to the throne of our beloved country of Albatross, do you take Mizik to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold for the rest of your days? Giving yourself fully and only to him in sickness and in health till death do you part?" The priest said.
I looked at Evryss and saw that Ronald had placed a hand over her mouth. She still looked utterly defeated.
Isabella smiled wide and opened her mouth to speak.
"I-"
Suddenly there was a loud crash before Isabella could finish her sentence.
The doors to the room were flung wide open and in walked a familiar face.
"ISABELLA! STOP THIS NONSENSE!" he shouted.
It was Arvild.
I glanced at Isabella and saw her face change immediately. Her joyful demeanor faded and was replaced by an expression of rage mixed with sadness. She began tearing up, immediately.
Arvild strode quickly up to the altar as a group of guards followed in after him.
Already, I could see Walter unsheathing his sword.
Arvild stood before the two of us and glared daggers at me. He wore a suit of light armor instead of his usual formal attire.
"Isabella! Please listen to reason! This man is unworthy of you! I demand that you cancel this farce of a-"
"That's it. THAT'S IT! YOU'VE DONE IT NOW, ARVILD!!!" Isabella screamed.
I'd really hate to be you right now, Arvild...
"Isabella?" Arvild said with a look of confusion.
Do you have any idea how much she hates you?
"I have told you over and over that I'm not interested. You treat me like I'm not smart enough to decide who I want to marry for myself, so I'll be blunt with you. Ever since the Academy, you have stalked me nonstop. I have told you no, well over a thousand times for the past FIVE YEARS!!! YOU ARE A GARBAGE HEAP OF A HUMAN BEING, ARVILD!!! I WOULD RATHER MARRY A ROTTING CORPSE THAN SPEND ONE MOMENT WITH YOU!!!" Isabella screamed again.
Arvild actually began to look genuinely hurt by these words.
And best of all, he was completely speechless.
"Mizik is one hundred times the man you are! And even that is a generous comparison! You're filth! Worse than the corpse of a dead ogre! WORSE THAN THE MAGGOTS THAT INFEST IT EVEN! YOU'RE A PEST AND I WANT YOU TO DIE!!! I WANT YOU TO DROP DEAD AND DISAPPEAR FOREVER!!! HOW DARE YOU RUIN THE HAPPIEST DAY OF MY LIFE, YOU SUBHUMAN MONSTER!!!"
Arvild's eyes were wide in complete shock.
It was like Isabella just crushed what tiny part of his mind was still functioning.
Then he looked at me.
"You. YOU! THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" He screamed at me.
"Me? It wouldn't take someone like me to show her how awful you are. Like she said, she hated you long before I showed up. You're nothing but a homeless criminal at this point, Arvild. Hey, now that I think about it, haven't the tables turned? You know I'm a Baron, right?" I said mockingly.
Arvild's eyes were filled with jealous anger.
I was starting to worry that he might do something drastic.
"Fine. Fine then. FINE! IF I CAN'T HAVE HER, NO ONE WILL!!!" he yelled as he pulled Bravery from his side and attacked Isabella.
Luckily, his rage caused his movements to be clumsy.
I pulled out Vengeance and parried the blow away from her.
I felt the power in his swing, however... It was heavy. This guy might have been a laughing stock, but he was seriously strong.
"You damn bastard! Get away from her! SHE'S MINE!!! SHE ALWAYS HAS BEEN!!!" Arvild yelled.
"I HATE YOU, ARVILD!!! I DON'T BELONG TO ANYONE OTHER THAN MIZIK!!! ESPECIALLY NOT A PILE OF GOBLIN DUNG LIKE YOU!!!" Isabella screamed.
After that, she began crying hysterically.
"Why!? Why did this happen! Why would you do this, you bastard! You ruined everything!!!" She cried.
The guards closed in behind Arvild at that point and Walter stepped forward as well.
For a moment, everything seemed still.
I stood between Arvild and Isabella as I came to a realization.
This was personal.
This man was the reason I had been captured and tortured. He had done nothing but harass my beloved for far lonnger than I'd known her and just crashed our wedding.
Then, the icing on the cake was that he literally just tried to kill her right in front of me. All the while claiming that she belonged to him as if she were some kind of possession and not a human being.
Arvild Darius, you are the scum of Avernia.
"Duel me," I said simply.
Arvild paused and Walter looked at me in shock.
"Excuse me?" Arvild said. "You want a battle between us? Man to man?"
"Are you daft? I said DUEL ME! YES!" I shouted.
He laughed at me.
You pile of shit. Are you really in a position to be doing that right now?
"I accept. What are your terms?" Arvild said.
"Mizik! No!" Isabella cried as she grabbed hold of my arm.
"I agree, Mizik, let me take care of him for you! I'll make it quick!" Walter said.
Vengeance told me that one day I would have to kill him. That day is today.
"No. This is personal. I won't be satisfied until his head rolls for all he's done," I said as I glanced down at Vengeance. "Arvild, I want this to be a duel to the death. Although, since you have nothing to give me, request whatever terms you want," I said.
"I want Isabella. If I kill you, she is to be my wife," he said.
"Is that all you ever think about, you damn pervert!?" Isabella said angrily.
"QUIET!" Arvild screamed.
"Arvild, Isabella isn't an object, you know? She's a human being. Say what you want, but I don't have the power to give her away. That's her choice. And if you kill me, she likely won't stop until you're hanged," I said plainly.
Arvild gritted his teeth and smirked.
"Then at least I'll have the pleasure of ending your miserable life!" He shouted.
* * *
After that, we set the area that we would be fighting in.
There was a small arena used for gladiator fights in the northeastern part of the city near the Darius Estate. It was owned by Arvild's family.
I had seen it before, but I never bothered to go near it.
I sat in the waiting room in my armor and spoke to my sword.
"Vengeance, do you want Arvild dead?" I asked.
I knew the answer, but the last time I heard it speak was months ago.
For the longest time now, my sword had refused to be cooperative. It was a tad worrying, to be honest...
I was met with silence, yet again.
Regardless, soon I would be fighting Arvild and I needed to focus.
I'm going to make him pay for everything he's done.