Esmond looks at himself in the mirror as people around him run around getting things ready. He was prepared hours ago, albeit under duress. Despite attending numerous elegant events in the past, he had never been required to exert this level of effort before. He even made an effort to style his hair, something he typically wouldn't do. He believes a simpler wedding would be better, but his parents must ensure their image remains intact. The public should only witness the best. A maid spots him as he yawns, which makes his eyes water, and she rushes over to wipe the water away. Despite their assumption that everything must be perfect, they fail to notice a single imperfection.

Esmond has been to many weddings before, and he always found them boring. He would rather be away doing something else than sit and stand around all day. But this time it's his own wedding, and he can't let that show today, at least not in public. For the time being, he is simply lounging in the lounge, allowing himself to indulge in his idleness. His belly starts rumbling, and it reminds him of how he hasn't eaten all day. They offered no food for breakfast, forcing everyone to wait until the ceremony concluded. This only serves to exacerbate Esmond's misery; he anticipates that this day will be lengthy, but he believes it will be one of those that drags on interminably.

Suddenly the doors open as a tall young man with green eyes and blonde hair walks in, saying, "Couldn't you look at least somewhat happier on your day?" Esmond knows this man well, not only as a friend but also as an authority figure. This man was the prince, heir to the throne of Cotzerthe, and was also Esmond's long-time friend. His name was Lyle Alvarus Manlius Hruodsuind, and he and Esmond had practically grown up together. He was also one of the very few that didn't judge him for not having a dragon at the time. Almost every noble had a dragon, unless they chose not to have one or had one that died. So not having one made others shame him, with some even questioning his parentage. It was comforting to have someone who understood his situation. Lyle always believed in him and encouraged him to find his dragon. And he was right. However, Esmond was always jealous of him. Lyle has a silver-scaled dragon that hatched from his blood when he was a child. The egg came from his grandparents' dragons, who had bonded and laid one clutch. People always praised his dragon as one of the most beautiful, and Esmond couldn't deny its beauty, despite some exaggeration.

Lyle walks over and sits himself down on the sofa with a smile on his face.

"I never thought you would get married. Its kind of funny."

"Well, that's what my parents decided. At least she is someone who I think I can get along with." Says Esmond as he goes and sits down on the sofa opposite Lyle, and Lyle chuckles a bit. Lyle was already married years prior and has been teasing Esmond about when he would marry ever since, even though Esmond was still young.

Lyle leans forward before speaking again.

"I've come to congratulate you on both your marriage and acquiring a dragon, but I can't stay any longer." Be aware that an unfortunate event may be unfolding, necessitating my presence elsewhere. But congratulations, buddy!"

"Hey, that's ominous; if it's that important, you could have written, but thank you."

"No, I had to come and see you in person. What kind of friend would I be otherwise? Anyway, I can get back fast. I flew over on Argyros to make a quick visit."

"Oh really? I didn't even hear him or the others make a noise."

"I landed him a bit further away because I know what Miasma is like, though it did look like they were glaring at me as I was coming in."

Esmond laughs and gets up off the sofa, and Lyle follows suit. He guides him out, and they both engage in small talk on their way to the front door, but nothing of significance is said. He watches him walk off and wave as he sees him. He approaches two guards, and all three return to their dragons. Although he was relieved to see Lyle again, the brief conversation left him with a foreboding feeling. Had Lyle come to warn him about something, but couldn't explain what? The first thing that came to mind was a war, but he has never not warned him about any war before. Esmond, in fact, has participated in quite a few wars, albeit smaller ones involving only humans. Dragon-related wars are considered highly undesirable, and the most recent one his parents took part in led to the death of his father's dragon. After that, all the countries involved decided to never use dragons again, as the loss was tremendous. Though Lyle tends to always warn him about any upcoming wars, he has no clue what could be going on. For all he knew, everything was rather peaceful, apart from some occasional scuffles. Esmond tries and shrugs the thoughts away; for all he knows, Lyle could be messing with him. He retreats back inside and returns to the lounge to await further developments. The ceremony should begin soon, so he shouldn't have much longer to wait.

Soon after, they led him outside to the ceremony site, where he took his place. A meticulous arrangement of flowers surrounded the main stand and the chairs. A long carpet matched the colours of the flowers, strategically placed down the middle. The garden appeared more stunning than ever, yet it began to bustle with an increasing number of individuals occupying the seats, eventually leading to the full occupancy of every seat. Nicholas, Esmond's brother, appeared more nervous than Esmond himself. He never was good at things like this, even if today he barely had to do anything. Although Esmond was a little nervous, he was already over this wedding and wanted it to end quickly. Apart from the few days he had spent at the Ainsworth's house, Esmond had not seen Jeanna since. Jeanna did send him a few letters, to which he responded somewhat half-heartedly. Upon closer inspection, the audience appeared almost comical. One side was filled with wealthy nobles, while the other side consisted of poorer nobles, or perhaps even some commoners, though Esmond couldn't be certain. Each side would occasionally look awkwardly at each other, making the whole thing more awkward than it should have been, but it was something Esmond would have to get used to.

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Suddenly, Esmond noticed one of the maids approaching the musicians, and they immediately began to play their music, signaling the start of the ceremony. Not long later, Jeanna and her bridesmaids came walking down the aisle. Jeanna looked cheerful and was wearing a light blue dress. It had a simple design and probably wasn't that expensive, but it still looked beautiful on her and suited her well. She wore her hair down, except for two small plaits that extended from the front to the back of her head, encasing some flowers. She also held a small bouquet that had a mix of white, blue, and purple flowers. She approaches the stand, stands opposite Esmond, and smiles at him with a slight tilt of her head, to which Esmond reciprocates. Eventually the officiant starts reading out the script. Esmond doesn't really listen in on what he's saying, as their family isn't religious anyway, but it's still customary to have it done by one of them. Esmond continues to gaze at Jeanna, paying no attention until it's time for them to recite their vows. Esmond had to learn this many times over the past few weeks, so it was easy for him to say it off by heart. Jeanna also does the same, not missing a single word. After the officiant says a few more words, they both say "I do" simultaneously, marking the official completion of the ceremony. Although the two got married, both sides decided to keep their own names because neither one wanted a change, so it was easier to keep their own.

Since the ceremony was finally over, everyone made their way back into the house and into the main hall, where it was time for dinner. Esmond and his new wife Jeanna sat together with their close family at the main table, while the other guests dispersed to various tables around the hall. Each table was abundant with food, ensuring that no guest went hungry. Esmond ate a lot because he felt famished, while Jeanna only ate a small plate. He wonders why she was eating so little but doesn't comment on it. Many people came up and congratulated the newlyweds and brought presents over to a table that was next to them, and while Esmond was thankful, he thought the gifts were unnecessary as he didn't like having a load of stuff, especially stuff he would never use.

As the night progressed, the celebrations gradually began to wind down. There were many dances and entertainment, and while Esmond enjoyed the dances he had with Jeanna, he felt exhausted. The last thing Esmond and Jeanna needed to do was go to their new house. Esmond had no idea where or what this new house was, but it turns out that the Ainsworths had another house, which they could use before Jeanna takes over their family business. As the final song played, everyone stepped outside to bid the couple farewell, only to find their dragons waiting for them. While Dionaea looked untouched, Sweet Pea had flowers placed around her saddle and some silk material to make her look to occasion. Esmond chuckled to himself, knowing that Dionaea probably wouldn't allow anyone close to her to place such items on her. Both of them made their way over and mounted their dragons, and though Jeanna looked like she struggled a bit with getting sorted, she managed to get herself into the saddle properly. Jeanna led the way, and Esmond followed, as she was the one who knew were to go. Esmond took one last look back at the house he was leaving behind before finally setting off on his journey to his new house.

Once they arrived at the new house, Esmond could see that it wasn't too far from Ainsworth's main house, but it didn't look much different. It was around the same size and looked just as rundown. While it looked like there had been something done to make it look better, they probably didn't have enough time or money to properly renovate it. They both disembark from their dragons and walk towards the open doors, where a few maids and butlers were waiting for them. They attempted to apologize for the state of the house, but Jeanna interrupted them, stating that they didn't need to apologize because she already knew what to expect. After introducing them to their main room, the butler makes them feel at home before leaving them.

Despite their initial awkwardness and lack of words, this was their first night as newlyweds, so they both understood the expectations. Awkward and clumsy, they both made their way to the bed, spending their first night together.