A week had passed since the siege. The damage that the east river fort and the outer city had endured was quickly patched up.
There were at least a thousand different funerals over the past week for those that had died during the siege. With there being so much happening in such a short time Akira was unable to go to all of them while also taking care of Kodria's management.
With the cost of paying for the city upgrades, war materials, and funeral wages Kodria's yearly budget was quickly disappearing. Even so, Akira had handed over a large sum of gold to Grandelder Hegir for him to buy enough equipment and materials to start mass-producing the potion that the shamen had developed.
Akira placed his feather pen back into its holder now that he was finished with his paperwork. As he stood up he stretched his arms and rolled his head around trying to loosen the tight muscles.
Fluffball lay in front of the nearby fireplace and yawned at Akira when he saw him stand up. Seeing this caused Akira to also yawn as he walked around his desk and over to Mileena who had fallen asleep on the couch. Her blanket had slipped off and was now only covering half of her body, the other half was laying on the ground.
Akira stood a few steps in front of the couch and looked at her for a few seconds. Messy hair, drool coming out of the side of her mouth, and a twitching tail and cat ears.
Without saying anything he nodded his head and reached over to the sleeping beauty.
“Mileena...” said Akira as he shook her lightly.
“Huh? I'm not sleeping...” said Mileena, as she shot up into a sitting position her hair and clothes frazzled and disheveled with drool still on her face.
“Let's get married,” said Akira with a serious face.
“What...?” said Mileena, not registering what he just said. The hand that was rising to wipe away the drool on her cheek stopped in midair as she looked at Akira trying to figure out what he had just said.
Fluffball with his tail wagging furiously, watched the two closely to see what was going on.
“Let's get married.”
“Why now?” asked Mileena.
“I wanted to have the wedding in the summer but... With all that is going on and all that we have to do I doubt there will be much free time for a long while. We should strike while the metal is hot.”
“Pinch me... I must be dreaming.”
Akira pinched Mileena's cheek and pulled it side to side.
A quick blur shot out from under the blankets and kicked Akira in the side of his stomach.
“Fine... since you asked, I guess it's okay,” said Mileena with a red face as she turned away from Akira, too embarrassed to look at him. Her ears and tail were twitching erratically.
***
The news of the wedding spread quickly through both the inner and outer city of Kodria.
With all the negative events that had been happening everyone was happy to talk about and turn their attention to the wedding.
The taverns and bakeries were working non-stop in their kitchens to gather ingredients and started prepping it all for the massive festival that would be thrown because of the wedding.
Of course, Akira had permitted them to use more than the allotted rations and paid them to create the food. He even went on hunts with Fluffball and others to find more meat for the city but due to the Molten onyx infected army having been so close not long ago there were only slim pickings.
The fishermen had a better haul as they gathered fish from the ocean along with a small portion taken from the fish hatcheries near Kodria.
The allied races that had come to Kodria's aide were ready to return home but upon hearing the news of the wedding they stayed to celebrate the event along with everyone else.
***
Akira stood at the entrance to Kodria's castle gates. He wore his best dark blue clothes with Kodria's crest and his heavy fur cape. His hair was slicked back with a special mysterious goop that he had received from Fleur.
Next to Akira was Fluffball who had been forced to take a bath and have his hair trimmed and thoroughly combed by Maya and Azura who took great glee in the task.
Dolph, Vilkas, Zundar, and several other royal guards stood behind Akira and Fluffball, their armors freshly oiled to the point of shining brightly in the winter morning light.
The delegates from the other races were all standing behind them as they waited for the wedding march to start.
The several minutes of waiting felt like an eternity to Akira.
Clack clack creak! The castle gates were unlocked and opened revealing those standing behind them.
Akira was mesmerized when he looked to see Mileena. She wore a simple dark blue dress and a dark blue thick fur cape similar to Akira's with Kodria's crest on the back.
Her face was covered by a thin silk veil. Her long hair had been tightly pinned into a bun on top of her head styled in a way that made it look like a crown. Her bangs were free from the bun and had been curled by the maids who had helped her prepare for the wedding.
The only makeup that the maids had applied to Mileena was a pink glossy lip balm to keep her lips moisturized for the outside winter wedding.
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Mileena slowly moved forward with Maya and Azura standing on either side of her as bridesmaids.
Behind her was a solemn Chack in several fur layers along with several other maids.
Akira held out his arm for Mileena when she stopped next to him. She linked her arm with his and the two turned to the main street that led through all of Kodria's inner city.
“Are you ready?” asked Akira in a quiet hoarse voice.
Mileena only nodded her head not speaking.
Du-du-du duuuuuu-! A nearby bugler blew out a loud tune signaling to all who could hear it that the wedding march was going to start.
The royal guard walked several paces ahead and to the side of the two as they started walking down the main road. The Grand elders and delegates all followed behind them.
The sides of the streets as well as the doors and windows of the buildings were filled with the residents all trying to get a look at the lord and his soon-to-be wife.
When the crowd saw the two walking past them, they let out a wild cheer and threw dried flowers into the air covering the road, Akira, and Mileena as they passed.
This happened all through the city as they made their way out and onto a flat transport ship. The inner-city citizens all flowed out of the city and stood near the shore as close as the guards would allow them.
Several people had already gotten into small rowboats but were being herded away by Captain Walcott and his naval ships.
As the flat transport ship moved to the center of the lake between the inner and outer city Akira could see that the outer city walls and the nearby shore were packed with all the residents as they also wanted to watch the wedding ceremony.
With tens of thousands of civilians, soldiers, and allied warriors all watching Akira and Mileena, they gave their vows in loud booming voices that echoed across the lake so that all could hear.
With their vows said they placed rings on each other's hands and kissed.
Loud cheers erupted from both shores of the lake as the several tens of thousands of people cheered upon the completion of the marriage ceremony.
***
Several hours later Akira was once again in the castle making his way towards the large bath pool to wash away the day's stress.
As he entered the outer changing room he found Mileena already inside with three other maids trying to help her out of the dress that had been tightly tied up at the back out of her reach.
“Lord, do you need help undressing?” asked a meek and bashful girl.
Akira vehemently shook his head no.
After being traumatized by his bath experience in Vussia's capital, he had vowed to not be like the perverted nobles that could not dress or wash their own body. He did not have any maids that helped him with anything and so Mileena was the only one that they served.
“You three can leave us,” said Mileena.
The maids bowed and left the room quietly with knowing looks.
Akira walked over to Mileena and picked up where the maids had left off and started to try and unfasten the several knots that had been tied to keep the dress tightly hugging her body.
“Those girls acting all shy...,” Mileena shook her head. “They normally all have some loud mouths on them. But now they are acting so reserved.”
“How can you even breath in this?” asked Akira as he picked at the knots that were troublesome since some were wet from the ice that had formed on them and then melted soaking the thread.
“It's not that bad,” was all Mileena said.
The two were silent for several minutes as Akira made slow progress in loosening the knots.
When the dress was loose enough Akira turned around and undressed down to his underwear before heading into the large warm steam-filled room where the warm pool bath was.
The windows to the outside were open showing the starry night sky. Akira quickly rinsed himself before getting into the pool and settling down with his eyes closed.
As he let the warm water seep into his body he could hear the loud festival activity outside happening everywhere throughout the inner and outer cities.
A soft click was heard as the door to the room was opened and closed. Akira could hear the soft footsteps of Mileena and the splash of the cool water as she rinsed herself.
“Scooch forward so I can wash your back for you,” said Mileena.
Akira didn't want to have others wash his back but felt it was okay since she was now his wife.
Akira moved forward and heard a small splash as Mileena got into the steaming pool behind him.
“When did you get all these ugly creatures drawn on your back?” asked Mileena as she ran a washcloth across his back and inspected the many new tattoos.
Akira shrugged and said, “I stopped paying attention to it a long time ago so I don't really know what's there.”
When Mileena finished washing his back the two of them rested against the smooth warm stone and quietly listened to the night activity outside while watching the stars.
A half-hour of soaking passed by before Akira felt fully refreshed from the day's stressful events. He got out of the pool first followed by Mileena and they both dried off and put on their warm fluffy robes.
Akira turned to Mileena and swooped her off her feet into a princess carry.
“It is time for me to do my husband's duties,” said Akira as he quickly walked to their new shared bedroom.
“And what is that?” asked Mileena shyly.
“Don't worry I will show you my fighting technique is not the only thing I am good at!”
Akira tossed Mileena onto the bed and belly-flopped onto the large bed sinking into the feather bed next to Mileena.
Mileena pulled Akira over to her and started to passionately kiss him.
The two were rolling back and forth on top of the bed and [Redacted].
With the fierce movements of the two, the covers and sheets were thrown off the bed as the two [Redacted].
Mileena pounced on Akira pressing him down and [Redacted].
Akira picked up the wild Mileena and [Redacted].
Mileena bit Akira's shoulder as [Redacted].
Akira could hear several system messages popping up, but paid no attention to them as he was busy fighting a tough battle where he was [Redacted].
And so, the dark and cold winter wedding night was filled with much [Redacted].
***
Akira woke up with the winter morning light falling on his face. He had only slept for a few hours due to [Redacted]. His body was filled with red scrapes and bite marks making him look like he had been through a life and death battle with a monster.
Beside him Mileena lay silently sleeping, her hair was a mess and partly covered her face that had drool on her cheek.
Akira turned his attention to the system messages from the night before.
Ding!
The Blue ring has activated!
...
The effects of the Blue ring have begun to take effect!
50%...
100!...
Ding!
Achievement completed!
You have made Babies!
Congratulations!
“What?”