People from all parts of the province gathered to celebrate the union of two souls, forever binding their families together. People gossiped in corners about what this new alliance of families meant for the balance of power in the local region, others eagerly pondered when they’d be blessed with their first child. Some wondered whether the couple would be happy together in ten years’ time, while others were merely content to enjoy the moment and celebrate. One member of the new couple Kaewyn knew rather well. He’d known this person for much of his life and wished them all the happiness in the world, but he struggled to find any reason to be happy himself as he looked at them together, dancing in the middle of an excited and mostly inebriated crowd of onlookers. His thoughts turned inward and he could only think of his own heartache, his own desires to be with the one he loved. Watching them only brought his own pain into focus and magnified it tenfold.

The newly wedded couple danced together in the centre of the large room. Onlookers and family members of the new husband and wife cheered them on and celebrated their joining with drinking and dancing. The mood was joyous as more food and drink were brought in by the servants, who could also be seen sampling some for themselves when their masters weren’t looking. Kaewyn though, remained seated in his position upon the dais and watched as he downed cup after cup of wine.

He had been invited as the guest of honour for the wedding, an honour he didn’t much care for. He must have been introduced to every single person who had made the journey for the wedding, though he forgot almost all their names within the next ten minutes. More than once he’d had to excuse himself to avoid a conversation with sycophants who only wished to gain his favour. The music was loud and constant for which he was thankful as it meant most conversations that he did get stuck in were difficult and easily trailed off. The one person he wouldn’t mind talking to, however, was busy enjoying himself amongst the revelry and dancing. Kaewyn watched Yohren laughing and speaking with the other guests with a smile on his face. As someone without a noble family name behind him, he thought it must be quite rare for someone like Yohren to be dancing amongst the others who were mostly of the minor nobility. Those of similar status would only ever take part in such celebrations as servants or guards, but Yohren was Kaewyn’s retainer and thus enjoyed privileges beyond his humble station. It got him thinking back to the annual celebrations his father held back in Xu Castle, where commoners and nobles alike danced and celebrated side by side and he realised then, that he much preferred it that way.

After downing yet another cup of wine and feeling the effects of it, he decided that he should retire for the evening and get some much-needed sleep. Before he could excuse himself, he supposed that he must personally congratulate the new couple before slinking away, so he stood up and made his way down from the dais and ventured into the crowd of people. It was odd to be amongst such a large crowd of people whom all knew him by name. Most of the faces he saw blurred together in a vague haze of partial recognition and familiarity, and many tried to engage him in conversation, including one, particularly eager woman.

The first thing Kaewyn noticed about this woman was that she had the most striking, hawk-like features. The second thing he realised, is that she was rather large in body. She was both tall and wide, the size of her arms and legs easily dwarfed his own. She wore a dress that was three different shades of red that complimented her rosy cheeks and auburn hair. The curvaceous woman eyed him with an almost predatory gaze, and when Kaewyn tried to politely excuse himself, she made no secret that she wasn’t impressed by his weak excuse, though she said no more and allowed him to leave.

Eventually, he stumbled through enough people that he managed to find the newly wedded couple sitting together at the table that the less prestigious guests had sat at during the earlier feast. They seemed tired, but Kaewyn saw a great big smile on the newly wedded man’s face.

“My congratulations…” Kaewyn managed to get out before the couple could say a word. “I am retiring for the night, but I just thought I’d say…” He paused and looked at the bride. “…That out of the two of you, the lady bride certainly shines the brighter. You are a lucky man, Alaric.”

General Alaric let out a boisterous laugh. “Aye, my lord. I am grateful you could attend. You haven’t met my bride, have you?”

Kaewyn shook his head. “Not properly, no.” He was tired of introductions and new faces, but he could make an exception for the bride.

“Then allow me to introduce to you my… wife. Loretta.” The way the general said wife told Kaewyn he was enjoying the use of the word. “A lass I’ve had my eye on all but before I left to serve as the Gate Captain of Xu Castle.”

“A pleasure, my lady.” Said Kaewyn with a bow of the head. Though his head was pounding from the wine, he would never forget his lessons on etiquette. “The General is a fine man to make a husband of. I am sure you two will be happy.”

“The pleasure is mine, lord.” The girl blushed. “I never thought I’d get to meet the lord of the province.”

“Get used to it love,” The General laughed. “You are an Alaric now. Second in prestige only to the Edderfields in all of Greystone Province.”

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Loretta elbowed her husband’s side. “Don’t gloat in front of the lord. It’s unbecoming of you.”

“He doesn’t mind! Besides, it’s our wedding. If a man cannot gloat on his wedding night, then when can he do so?” General Alaric boomed. “Come! Join us Kaewyn!”

“Forgive me but I think I have had too much to drink already.” He said apologetically. “If I were to drink any more, I fear I would make a fool of myself.”

“Very well, have it your way.” The General grumbled. “When you get back to Xu Castle, tell Arlan not to go easy on the men while I’m gone. I don’t want them going soft.”

Kaewyn nodded and then said his farewells. He then left the happy couple to their celebrations and tried to remember where the room he had been given for the night was located.

The Alaric mansion was not a large building. It was comprised of two floors with twelve modest rooms and a small yet luxurious hall. The Alaric lands were located in the northern region of Greystone Province and the mansion itself was nestled by the mountain range that served as the border of the province. As the foremost vassals of the Edderfield family, the Alarics enjoyed privileges and responsibilities that the other minor noble families could only dream of. The Alarics were also the oldest family to inhabit these lands and had served Kaewyn’s family for many generations.

Kaewyn saw the way out of the hall and crowds of people and gently pushed his way in that direction, but an insistent hand on his shoulder kept him from progressing. He was sick and tired of all the people clamouring for his attention, especially one so insistent as to physically prevent him from leaving. He turned around intending to give this person a mouthful, but he paused when he realised who it was.

Yohren let go of his shoulder and greeted him with a nod of the head. In his off-hand, he held a cup of wine. His retainer then asked him where he was going between gulps from his cup and after Kaewyn explained that he was retiring for the night, he offered to escort him to his quarters. Kaewyn didn’t want Yohren to miss out on the celebrations, and he made that known to his retainer, but in the same breath, he confessed that he had completely forgotten where he had been quartered and so, accepted the generous offer. Yohren finished his cup in one go and made a face after doing so, then gestured for Kaewyn to follow him in the opposite direction to which he had initially been going. Soon enough, they emerged from the crowd and made their way to the entry hall.

Kaewyn’s head immediately throbbed less now that he was free of the loud music and chattering of the crowds in the confined space of the hall. Feeling better, he followed Yohren through a doorway and came to a hallway with many doors. He recalled then that this is where the guest rooms were located. He even remembered which of the rooms was his for the night. He thanked Yohren for his help and implored him to return to the festivities and to enjoy himself, but before his retainer could answer, a feminine voice called out to them.

“Lord Edderfield himself!” The woman said. Kaewyn turned and saw that it was the woman in the red dress that he had brushed off earlier. “Going to bed so soon? Does my cousin’s wedding bore you so?”

Ahh, so she is a cousin. But a cousin of the General or of his lady wife, I wonder?

He put on a smile and bowed his head courteously. “Indeed, my lady. I am tired and my warm bed beckons me. My retainer was just showing me where that bed Is, as I am afraid the drink has addled my mind somewhat.”

“But you are the guest of honour, are you not my lord?” She said as she moved closer and closer, that predatory gaze of hers was fixed on him. “As such, you should not be content to just slip away unnoticed. My family is hosting you here and I…” She paused and played with her auburn hair in her hands. “We would be shamed if we had not treated you properly. A man of your rank and station… You deserve to be entertained.”

The way she said that last word seemed provocative to him, as though she wanted something else, but he couldn’t be certain. The throbbing in his head had returned and he knew he was not thinking as well as he usually did. He had enough sense to know that she should sleep, but he could not deny that there was a small part of him that wanted to return to the celebrations and drink some more.

“No, no.” He forced a chuckle. “I really should rest. It is a long journey back to Xu Castle and we intend to set out at some point in the morning.”

“You can still do so…” She said softly. The curvaceous woman fluttered her eyebrows and bit her lip as she came so close that he could smell her perfumed scent. It was as intoxicating as the wine and he couldn’t deny that her advances stirred something within him. “Rather than retire to your room… you could join me in mine, my lord. You could rest there, and I could attend to you. In private.”

The woman brushed up against him and looked up into his eyes, completely ignoring Yohren’s presence. He heard his retainer weakly mumble something resembling a protest, but he couldn’t be sure what he had said. Even in his wine-addled state, even with this woman throwing herself at him with her wonderful-smelling perfume, he could never forget Camilla, not even for a second.

Kaewyn stepped back.

“Forgive me, my lady.” He said. “But I do not even know your name.”

The large woman giggled. “How silly of me. I am called Phae, my lord. Your General Alaric is my dearest cousin.”

“Then do me this one favour, Phae.”

“Anything, my lord?”

“Go to your cousin and tell him I was honoured, to be his guest of honour.” He said with a smirk. “Have a wonderful night.”

Phae eyed him for a moment in disbelief. But when Kaewyn remained stoic and unmoved, she simply shrugged her shoulders and apparently gave up on her quest. Instead, she turned to Yohren.

“How about you then?” She said without the seductive and suggestive tone she had been using up until now. It was almost as if she were at court or taking part in a matter of business.

Yohren stammered nervously and looked to Kaewyn, who shrugged his shoulders. “I’m going to bed. Enjoy yourself Yohren, in whatever manner you desire.”

That was all the incentive Phae needed. She grabbed a hold of Yohren’s arm and tugged on it until he begrudgingly allowed himself to be pulled where she wanted him to go. Kaewyn watched with amusement as Yohren half followed and was half dragged down the hall. After they had disappeared around the corner at the end of the hallway, Kaewyn found his room and immediately fell into bed.