Indenuel woke the morning of his wedding, sunlight streaming on his face. He winced, turning away. He sat up, rubbing his head. He felt like his body was still trying to make up for the month of strange sleep he had gotten. He had drained three more mugs of dreamless tea and slept soundly throughout the night, yet he still felt so groggy.
Indenuel let the male servants dress him in his wedding clothes. Indenuel stared at the mirror in front of him, simply trying to wake up. He needed to be focused. The white clothes absorbed the sunlight, and he became a lantern himself in his room. Eventually the male servants bowed and left and Indenuel thanked them quietly.
He looked at himself in the mirror, straightening his jacket as Tolomon walked in.
“The children?” Indenuel asked.
“Still asleep. The staff will take care of them,” Tolomon said. “You need to get to the Cathedral to meditate.”
Indenuel nodded. It was still early. He climbed into his carriage, sitting down as the carriage moved. He closed his eyes.
“Everything alright?” Tolomon asked.
“My clothes are too bright,” Indenuel said.
Tolomon chuckled. “You can always spill something on them. Maybe after the ceremony."
"Yeah. Right," Indenuel said. He sighed, cracking an eye open to see his clothes again, but the morning light hit them just right.
Tolomon lowered the privacy blinds to block the sun. “You look nice.”
“This whole thing is just for show,” he mumbled, lifting a corner of his wedding jacket. “The entire thing. Dinners, ceremonies, all this so I can finally have permission to sleep with her again.”
“It’s a union before God.” Indenuel gave Tolomon a look. He was forced to look away. “It’s a commitment to her. A promise you’ll never leave.”
“Which the High Elders demand money for. And a plethora of shame if you break the promise,” Indenuel said.
Tolomon watched Indenuel, worry playing over his face. “Indenuel?”
The carriage turned, hitting his white clothes just right, forcing him to close his eyes. “I’m fine,” he said, his eyes still closed. “Just… nerves.”
Tolomon said nothing as the carriage pulled up to the Cathedral. Tolomon got out before ushering Indenuel out. Indenuel folded his arms, staring at the ground as he made his way up the steps and into the worship hall, heading straight for the High Elder’s meditation room.
He worked on his powers, feeling frustrated. He knew what they were like not that long ago. He was no longer practicing with the sword, or with his powers. They were not nearly what they used to, and it hurt more knowing what they had been once before. It would take years to build his powers back. Now that the world treaty was in place, he had the time. But there was still something that always bothered him. Martin’s powers returned to him in full force, while his needed practice. He was fully aware that it was his own fault his powers were in this state. He was more annoyed that Martin once again covered it up. He went about living like he never lost his powers. He doubted his own family knew what he went through. He didn’t know if that was because of his noble upbringing, or because Martin was just really good at hiding things from his family.
He continued to work on his powers, feeling how fragile they were. He sensed the congregation coming into the worship hall, most of them elites who he had heard their name once, back in the autumn where they had the banquet in his honor. He realized the Warrior’s wedding was probably the biggest social event in Santollia City. He remembered Tolomon’s worried expression, the terror when Inessa said she wanted to make a statement. He knew it would be dangerous, but now he was more aware of it than ever. But he wasn’t going to ask her to stop. He promised Empress Minai, and he had a duty to his people. He knew better than most what kind of leaders the High Elders were.
Martin knocked on the door of the meditation room. “Ready, Indenuel?”
“Yes,” Indenuel said, standing up. He walked with Martin to the front of the worship hall, and they stood patiently. Indenuel could not stop fiddling with his jacket.
“Nervous?” Martin asked.
“No, of course not. I’m not nervous,” Indenuel said far too quickly. Martin smiled. Indenuel didn’t bother looking at him. He folded his arms before he realized it might make his jacket wrinkle. He unfolded them.
“It is an honor to be the one to wed you,” Martin said. “You both will be happy.”
Indenuel finally looked at him, knowing a taste of what was to come. “I was afraid you would take it as an insult.”
“An insult? Why?” Martin asked.
“Because she was once yours,” Indenuel said.
Martin dropped his gaze. “No. No longer. I was more afraid Inessa wouldn’t want to.”
“Better you than literally any of the other High Elders,” Indenuel mumbled.
He knew Martin could hear. He counted on him hearing, yet he acted as though he didn’t. It made it easier for him to be at ease with Inessa’s statement. For a long time, Indenuel was afraid of going against Martin, but if Martin chose to be a High Elder, then he wasn’t going to protect his feelings by not calling out the other High Elders.
It was a top honor having a High Elder be the one to wed a couple, and since Indenuel was the Warrior, no one else was expected to wed them except a High Elder. In fact, if he wanted to make a statement of his own, he would have asked a humble minister to marry them. But he would let Inessa have this statement.
The doors opened, and a huge wave of noise hit them. Martin glanced up from his notes before his eyes widened and he gasped. Indenuel turned, glancing behind his shoulder as Inessa walked in the worship hall.
She warned him, and he still stared. It was like the first time he had ever seen her, or the time in Martin’s study. He didn’t think she would surprise him like that anymore, but here she was, on their wedding day, and the entire Cathedral disappeared from his notice as she walked down the aisle toward him. Her dress was a work of art in the most seductive way. It had black lace wrapped around black silk, and there were parts of her body that just had lace. Her arms, her shoulders, silk barely covering her bodice. She looked at him, that knowing smirk of hers as she stared right at him.
She walked forward, the silk parting to reveal so much leg. He stared, oblivious to everything else around him. The entire dress gave the impression that it could come off at any moment, and yet it stayed as a taunt. He heard many things about Tima, but he would have to meet her personally so he could stop being so surprised by her work.
Inessa’s quiet smirk was finally close enough to him that she reached over and closed his mouth. He hadn’t even realized his jaw had dropped. As his jaw came together, he heard the noise once again. The elites were loud, trying to make their point known, drowning each other out. It just took one to stand up and walk out before there were many more who followed suit.
“Nice dress,” Indenuel said.
“Why thank you. This is my favorite part,” Inessa said, fiddling with the lace at her neck. The part that was just lace. The part that let him see so much of her. “She made it so the lace was the same measurements as the concubine dresses.”
“Yeah,” Indenuel said, not sure he could say much else but that.
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Inessa smiled. “Never mind. We’ll talk about it later.”
“Yep. Later,” Indenuel said.
“Indenuel!” Martin’s voice was sharp. He honestly forgot the man was standing not that far away. He was purposefully not looking at Inessa. “What have you done?”
“This is all my idea, Martin.” Inessa looked at Martin full in the face, even though he refused to look at her. “You know how I feel about the concubine law.”
Martin closed his eyes, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Indenuel smiled, the Cathedral somehow still loud despite the numbers already dwindling.
“This is an impossible situation you’ve put me in.” Martin opened his eyes, looking at the ceiling, not daring to look at either one of them.
“Then do what you do in every impossible situation,” Indenuel said, reaching over and taking Inessa’s hands in his. “Go along with it and then ignore you did anything in the first place.”
That did not lighten Martin’s glare in the slightest.
“Martin!” Navir shouted from the front of the group. “Don’t do it! Don’t marry them!”
Tolomon was doing his best to hold the crowd back. No one was allowed near the couple except for Martin, even though a few of the nobility tried.
“This is blatant disrespect,” Martin said, still not looking at Inessa.
“So is the concubine law,” Indenuel said, smiling at Inessa. “And speaking of the concubine law, if you do not marry us right now, there is nothing stopping the High Elders from giving her back to you.” Indenuel stared Martin down, trying to smile. “So marry us, Martin. Or you will be forced to sleep with Inessa again.”
Inessa raised an eyebrow before turning to Martin, judging his reaction. Martin glared before he closed his eyes again, making a movement that looked like a shudder. There was another pause before he lifted his hands in the air. “May God look down on this union in mercy. May He fill it with compassion and joy.”
“NO!” Navir screamed.
Indenuel smirked. Martin opened his eyes, looking at the ceiling. “May God be there as they grow together, and may their love strengthen our city.”
“Martin! STOP IT!” Fadrique shouted.
More guards were coming to help Tolomon hold back the High Elders.
“Indenuel, do you agree to take Inessa as she was, who she is, and the woman she will become?” Martin asked.
“I will,” Indenuel said, still smiling and looking at Inessa again.
“Inessa, do you agree to take Indenuel as he was, who he is, and the man he will become?” Martin asked. He didn’t look at her. He made a point not to. Fadrique was screaming at Tolomon to let him go, that he would have him murdered for blocking a High Elder in such a fashion.
Inessa smiled as she looked at Indenuel. “I absolutely do.”
“As High Elder Martin, I proclaim you husband and wife, may your unity be a blessing on those around you.” It was the words of the ceremony, but Indenuel could sense how little conviction Martin felt in those words. He turned around and walked away, heading for a different room. Indenuel didn’t let Inessa say a word. He honestly didn’t care. They were married, it was done. He grabbed his new wife and kissed her as the chaos grew around them.
***
Martin walked into the High Elder’s meeting room, tearing up the notes from his wedding speech and stuffing them in his pocket. It didn’t take long for Navir to storm in, followed closely by Fadrique and Dalius. Cristoval was probably with his own guard somewhere. Most likely blissfully unaware of everything that had happened.
“What in the devil’s despicable name did you just do!” Navir was livid.
“I married them,” Martin said.
Dalius closed the door, the chaos of the worship hall was quiet enough that they could have a conversation.
“You saw her dress! It was an insult to everything we have given her, and you still married them!” Navir said. “Do you realize what this says? About us?”
“It says I agree with her,” Martin said. “The concubine law is wrong. It is a law of rape, and never should have been created.” Despite how deeply uncomfortable he was about Inessa’s dress, he realized why she did it. Inessa had been holding back her anger about what she had been asked to do, and now, with such a powerful husband, she could tell them all exactly how she felt about it.
“She must be punished,” Fadrique said.
“No, she doesn’t. She is well within the law to choose whatever dress color she wants,” Martin said.
“Color, yes. I doubt she was allowed to dress like a slut,” Fadrique said.
“Fadrique, enough,” Martin said. “Inessa has suffered enough with us. We just need to leave her alone.”
“This is as bad as if that woman declared war on us,” Navir said, his voice full of hate. “We cannot let it go. We need to make an example of her. We need to show that the High Elders are unified and no one can disrespect us in such a disgusting manner.”
Martin frowned as Navir glared at him. “I will not do this mental battle with you, Navir. I will not destroy Inessa’s character. It is not in my nature.”
“Then stay out of my way,” Navir said.
“This is wrong. You all know it. The war with Kiam is done. There is finally peace in the world. We do not need to resort to such harsh measures to keep the peace,” Martin said.
“The first few years after a war are never peaceful,” Navir said. “The people need to know their leaders are strong. The High Elders cannot tolerate such insurrection.”
“There was nothing violent at all about what Inessa did! We are not at war! A woman who had not been allowed to share her ideas for over four years finally was given the ability!” Martin said, trying not to get angry but felt it happening anyway.
“That is violence!” Fadrique sneered.
“It’s an act of insurrection, and we cannot go along with it!” Navir added.
“We need to find a better way to get money to the people. This law is disgusting and is the one of the reasons all of us are headed straight for Hell,” Martin said.
Navir’s face was dark. “We brought the people out of poverty!”
“No, we haven’t! We’ve created a poverty of a different kind!” Martin couldn’t stop himself from yelling. There was still chaos in the worship hall, so he figured no one could hear him anyway. “The lower classes no longer respect us! Our leadership isn’t unified, it’s a joke! The poor classes don’t have leaders they can look up to! We are liars and hypocrites, every single one of us!” The anger burned through his system as he glared at his fellow High Elders.
Navir began to laugh. It was cold, higher pitched than normal. “What is this nonsense you speak? A poverty of a different kind? Those people aren’t worried about what kind of leaders they have, they’re worried about where their next meal will be.”
“And now that they have it, what then? What’s to keep them from storming the Cathedrals to get their daughters back?” Martin asked.
Navir shook his head, the laughter replaced with determination. “They won’t. Because we will keep them in line. And that can only happen when we give Inessa the proper consequences for her gross behavior today. You were wrong to marry them, but we cannot change the past.” He placed a finger to his chin, his mind already moving. “We simply work with what we have.”
“Navir, don’t,” Martin said, feeling his heart start to drop. He knew that look. Navir was already planning the complete assassination of Inessa’s character. “Don’t do this. Show them mercy.”
“No. Indenuel got too close to the devil to deserve mercy. And now that Inessa is married to him, they must be punished accordingly. It is the only way to keep them on the safe path to heaven,” Navir said.
“You are far too focused on making sure other sinners are punished that you forget your own,” Martin said.
“My conscious is clear,” Navir said.
Martin walked right up to the Acting Senior High Elder, glaring. “No, you have been ignoring your conscious for so long that you only think it’s clear. Walk away from the situation now. Take the much-needed steps to reform the concubine law now that the war is done. Do what is right for Santollia.”
Navir glared. “I am doing what is right for Santollia. The people need a good leader, and swift punishment is what brings respect.”
“Respect? Or fear?” Martin asked.
“Both work well enough,” Navir said.
“The warrior project is done. We have the money now to return to full support of the poor without taking their daughters,” Martin said. “Please. Please stop it.”
“The law will remain. The economic boost is too helpful to ignore.” Navir paused, then his eyes narrowed. “Did you sleep with Inessa like I asked you to before you handed her over to Indenuel?” Martin said nothing, his eyes narrowing, his jaw set. He refused to react, which is what made Navir glare. “Did you disobey a direct order from the Acting Senior High Elder of God’s Holy Church?”
“Don’t,” Martin said, another wave of anger threatening to come over him. He refused to let them know what he learned about Inessa, even as she was safely married to Indenuel now. “Don’t you dare threaten me like that. Not after what you did to Indenuel. You performed the greater sin here.”
“So, you didn’t sleep with her?” Navir said, ignoring everything else Martin said.
“I couldn’t,” Martin said. “She didn’t want it.”
“That doesn’t matter,” Fadrique said. “You do it anyway.”
“No, Fadrique, you don’t. What you are describing is literally rape. Inessa is right to be disgusted by it. Disgusted by us,” Martin said.
“And she will bend,” Fadrique said. “That’s what we’ve all found out about her.”
Martin’s face dropped.
“If you do not join us, Martin, we will be forced to destroy your character too,” Navir said.
Martin knew exactly how they could destroy his character. They just needed to unearth his new darkest secret, and it would destroy both him and Inessa. “You can’t do that without tainting your own title of High Elder.”
“Test me, Martin,” Navir said, the indignation clear. “Just try it.”
Martin glared at Navir. Despite them not knowing who Inessa was, there was still the secret Navir hung over his head. The secret of the burnt book that, if it were to be revealed, would destroy Martin. It would hurt Navir, too, but Martin would absolutely be the one who suffered worse for it. There were too many secrets, and Navir always had a way of finding them out.
So there they were, dangling over a precipice, holding the safety ropes to each other’s lives. If one fell, they both fell. It was just a matter of whether or not they would survive it.
“All you are required to do is stay out of our way,” Navir said. “Do not stop us, do not fight us. Leave the three of us alone to form a plan.”
Martin kept his glare, knowing he’d lost. Again. There was a sickening lump in the pit of his stomach. Martin knew he should fight back, but he already had. Called them liars and hypocrites. Warned them they were bound for hell. But it didn’t matter. They’d threaten to reveal his secret, which might reveal his even deeper secret.
As he walked past Navir, Fadrique, and Dalius, he wondered if his younger self ever thought he would regret the day he became a High Elder.