The announcement of their plans to marry—and by extension unite their worlds—required more than just courage. Aeliana and Lucian understood that their union would send ripples through both realms, creating a fragile bridge between species that had been at war for centuries. Together, they agreed to approach each faction head-on, beginning with the leaders of the Demonkin clans and later confronting the Light Council.
The Demonkin were a fractured coalition of powerful and dangerous species. Each clan had its own hierarchy, its own traditions, and its own grudges. Convincing them to back a marriage that would shift the balance of power was no small task.
The first arrival was, Ulric Fangclaw, an imposing alpha with amber eyes and a deep mistrust of diplomacy led the werewolves. "You think an alliance with an elf will temper our bloodlust?" he scoffed, pacing like a restless predator. "You'll have to prove it, Overlord."
Alongside, Lady Seraphine Bloodthorn, the vampire matriarch, was elegant and cunning, her crimson eyes gleaming with amusement. "A marriage between a Demon Lord and an Elf Princess? How… deliciously ironic. I'll support it—if only for the entertainment it promises."
The witches were represented by Matron Eryndra Spellshade, a stoic figure adorned with charms and runes. "Peace?" she asked, her tone skeptical. "We've lived in the shadows for centuries because of their kind. Convince me why this won't end in betrayal, and perhaps I'll consider it."
The Dark Creatures—shadowy, often misunderstood beings like banshees, wraiths, and ghouls—were unified under the enigmatic Lord Vryss Nocturne, a towering figure cloaked in darkness. His voice was a low rumble. "We thrive in war, yet you speak of peace. Explain why we should abandon the chaos that sustains us."
The dragons, led by Erythrax the Eternal Flame, were the most ancient and proud of the Demonkin. Erythrax's golden eyes burned with disdain. "You ask us to lower ourselves to diplomacy with the Light? Prove that this 'union' can protect our kind, or your flames will be extinguished."
The goblins, led by the shrewd and greedy Chief Skraal Ironfang, were more interested in what they could gain. "Marriage? Bah! What's in it for us? Tribute, resources, protection—convince me it's worth my time."
The Light Council was no less challenging. Their disdain for Demonkin was deeply rooted, and their unity was tenuous at best.
Queen Lyssara Sunwing, ruler of the fairies, was delicate but fierce. "You bring the promise of peace, but I see only shadows. What assurances do we have that this isn't a ploy to weaken us further?"
The pixie representative, Ambassador Tyllia Twinklefall, was less hostile but wary, nonetheless. "We've lived long lives avoiding Demonkin. Why now? Why you?"
Aeliana's own people, represented by Elder Thalorin Starshade, were among the most resistant. "You dare return after consorting with our greatest enemy? This union is an affront to every life lost in the wars!"
The angelic host, led by the radiant Archangel Seraphiel, loomed above the council. "The heavens have no love for demons," he declared. "Why should we entertain the idea of peace with creatures of the abyss?"
The Celestials, an enigmatic collective of beings like astral giants and starlight sentinels, were represented by Luminaris known as the Eternal Beacon, a figure of pure, blinding light. "You propose an unprecedented harmony. Speak your truth, Elf Princess, and we shall see if it shines brighter than the darkness you align with."
Standing at the center of both councils—her head high despite the tension pressing down on her—Aeliana addressed them all. Her voice was steady, though each word carried the weight of centuries of pain and conflict.
"For generations, our races have fought, spilling blood in the name of old grudges and endless hatred. But where has it brought us? Our numbers dwindle. Our lands are ravaged. Our children grow up knowing only war."
She glanced at Lucian, whose expression was unreadable but whose presence gave her strength.
"Peace is not weakness," she continued. "It is a choice—a choice to preserve what we have left for the next generation. I know what I'm asking seems impossible. Trust is hard to rebuild. But if we don't try now, we risk losing everything. This marriage isn't just about us; it's a symbol of what could be. A new beginning."
The room buzzed with murmurs, skepticism thick in the air.
Lucian stepped forward then, his voice deep and commanding. "I've led armies. I've burned cities. But even I can see that this war has run its course. If all of us continue down this path, there will be no victors—only ash. So, is that what you want? Will you cling to hatred until it destroys you, or will you gamble on something greater?"
The councils remained silent, their leaders exchanging wary glances. Aeliana and Lucian stood firm, their hands brushing as a subtle show of unity.
Finally, Ulric Fangclaw of the Werewolves growled, "Fine. But if this fails, Overlord, I'll be the first to come for your head."
"Likewise," added Elder Thalorin, his glare fixed on Aeliana. "You bear the weight of this choice, Princess."
As the meeting was ended as soon as it started, Elder Thalorin, grand great-uncle of Kael Thalorin pardons Aeliana to have a word with her, in private before heading back to the Elven Kingdom that was accessible through a magic portal that can only be opened up by the light beings.
"Before I go, may I ask the princess a rather—two personal questions?" He stated, inches away from the magic glittering portal of different hues of iridescent rainbow shimmers.
"Does Queen Celithe Faelith have knowledge of this 'engagement'?"
"No, Your Excellence."
"I see." He strokes his beard as he contemplates on the answer that was given to him
"As for my last question, this isn't a grand play for a much bigger plan, is it?"
She shook her head in decline.
"N-No!, Your Excellence. I am serious with this man."
He chuckles "If you say so, My-my! children can be so reckless, nowadays.."
"Very well, then. I will be seeing you at home." As the portal closes,
"Who is Queen Celithe Faelith?" asked my soon-to-be fiancée, Lucian
"My step-mother."