Light from the Shadow

Chapter 50 (End)

"Princess, you look gorgeous!" Maria cried as she made her last touch on Ayna's hair.

"Are you nervous, Your Highness? Your hands are shaking." Aria asked.

Ayna twisted her fingers and sighed. "Do we really have to do it like this?"

"You are the crown princess of Remblan! Our future queen! This is nothing! Of course everyone will want to come and congratulate you." Ayna noticed Maria's make up was also heavier than usual.

"Are you done?" Rishi entered the room.

"You really should learn how to knock before entering a room, much so a lady's room." Ayna eyed him angrily.

"Don't see the need to do that. After all, after today's ceremony, I can come in and out our room as I please, can't I?" He threw a smirk at her. The twin maids behind shrieked like banshees.

Ayna cross her arms and looked at him. "Maybe I should reconsider this marriage."

Rishi laughed and lifted her up. "No backing out, Your Highness. Let's go. The ceremony will start soon. We can't afford to be late."

"Hold on!! Put me down!!" Ayna cried.

Rishi ignored her and walked to the door. The maids opened the door for him as if they were suddenly unable to hear their master's cry for help.

***

"Are you crying?" Kuan asked as he leaned against the wall and sipped his drink. The new emperor had come from Solbaru to attend the royal wedding in Remblan.

"What the heck! Who is crying??" Jyaga wiped traces of tears from his eyes away.

"Cry baby." Kuan muttered and sipped his drink again.

"Are you looking for a fight?? Fine! Whatever! I can cry, can't I? My best friend is getting married today. These are tears of happiness! Happy now, Your Majesty??" Jyaga snarled at him.

"You love your friend very much, huh?" Kuan laughed.

Jyaga looked away. "Of course! We grew up and went through everything together!"

Kuan closed his eyes and smiled. "I love Ayna too..."

Jyaga looked taken aback. He forgot the man in front of him almost became his friend's fiancé once. "Oh... uh... I guess so..." He suddenly felt bad for him.

"Not in the same way you do though. I love her as a woman." Kuan added.

"Yeah, I know..." Jyaga did not know how to respond and looked elsewhere. He noticed Kuan was carrying the sword Ayna made for him.

"But I can't win from brother, can I? That time when Ayna almost lost her life, I could see how he cares about her very much..."

"Why are you telling me this?" Jyaga started to feel uncomfortable.

"Why can't it be me...? I love her too..." Kuan lamented, followed by a hiccup.

"Are you drunk??!"

"I'm not!! Tell me, Jyaga! Why can't it be me??" Kuan was now wailing like a baby. People started to turn their heads.

"Crap!! Stop crying!!" He dragged the young emperor out of the hall and slammed him to the wall in the back corridor just outside the hall. He wondered he would be arrested for doing that to him. Whatever. He would not remember anyway. Jyaga took a seat on the floor beside the drunk man.

"Because of you, I've lost the mood to cry." He grumbled and turned to the closed door they just passed through. He could still hear the loud cheers behind it. He closed his eyes and smiled. "Be happy, Ayna."

***

"I haven't seen Kuan and Jyaga since the ceremony. I wonder where they are." Ayna said as she walked back from the Grand Hall with Rishi.

Her husband snorted. "Probably crying somewhere in the corner. I stole you from them anyway."

Ayna laughed and slid her arm into his. She looked at him and smiled happily.

"What? Are you that happy to be married to me?" He asked.

"Are you not?" She asked back.

He smiled. "It's late but can we visit a place before returning to our room?"

Ayna titled her head. "Where?"

"Let's go see my father."

Qwentine was buried in a memorial garden not far from Rishi's old house. He was buried beside his parents. Rishi noticed the two older tombs had recently been repaired and a beautiful fresh flower wreath had been placed in front of his father's grave.

"I think it's father." Ayna said. Qwentine was the king's old friend, and his in-law too had he still alive today.

Rishi lowered his body in front of the grave and touched the headstone. "Father, I married the princess today. It's strange how things turn in the end and I wish you can see us now." He held her hand and smiled. "We met because of you and we are still alive today because of you. Thank you for saving me, and raising me up as your own. Thank you for being my father. I think I can finally say that I am happy now. Please rest well, father."

Ayna gripped Rishi's hand tightly. Tears were pouring down her cheeks. Rishi got up and hugged her.

"I'm sorry for lying to you for years, Qwentine."

Rishi gently patted her back. "His wish was to see you become a fine queen one day." He wiped her tears and added. "And it's my job to make sure you become one."

"Huh?" Ayna stared at him.

"I'm going back to my job as the head of the Grand Library and I have also received the order from the king to start your further education. We can start tomorrow morning."

"Wha... but... we just got married today... and why are you my teacher again?" They had not even spent their wedding night and he was already talking about study?? For tomorrow morning??

"Because there are so many things to learn and I know how to teach you better than any of your past instructors, don't I?" He smiled meaningfully.

Ayna bit her lip and pulled his shirt. "Come on~~ Aren't you being mean to me??" She begged with the sweetest voice she could make out.

"You think that will work on me?" He looked away.

She grabbed his face and turned it facing her.

"What?"

"I love you, Taya." She smiled widely.

Rishi could not hide his embarrassment. He pushed her face into his chest. "That's cheating."

And they both laughed. He lifted her up and began to walk back to the palace.

"You know... I may consider cancelling tomorrow lesson depends on your performance tonight." He smiled mischievously at her.

Ayna's face turned red. She smacked her husband's head. "Watch what you are saying in front of your father's grave!!" She rested her head on his shoulder. She took one last look at Qwentine's grave and whispered softly. "Thank you for bringing the sun to us." She closed her eyes and flicked her fingers. One, two flower buds followed by hundreds more, sprang up magically from the new grave.

"What are you doing?" Rishi asked without looking back.

"Nothing." Ayna shook her head. She continued to watch the green stems and leaves with different shapes and shades growing slowly. Pink, white, yellow petals opening up. They would continue to grow, and regrow through the seasons, through the years, enduring all the hardness that came at them. The flowers would never stop blooming. Ayna smiled at herself. She could imagine how Qwentine would be so proud of her once she showed him her creation when they met again one day.

Fin.