Ordained

Chapter One Hundred and Four

The wake was held within the Palace. The King had given a great speech in the temple, over the grave for the masses to hear. It spoke of sacrifice, or duty, of glory in battle and such. It had been received well, thunderous applause hammering from all directions. However, the speech the King gave within the Palace was quite different.

With a goblet held aloft he spoke softly instead of projecting a strong bellow over the crowds. "Victor was three years younger than me, but in so many ways he acted like the older sibling. When our uncle passed on, and the duchy of Marcelia fell to Victor, he never shrank away from the challenge, the weight of responsibility."

Emmeline glanced at Cassius, reaching to cover his hand with hers. She knew what the weight of that responsibility looked like. Virgil smiled at them briefly but didn't break his stride. Pacing slowly back and forth, he addressed the room like they were all old friends, rather than the upper echelons of the nobility. "Whereas I was more interested in swords and wrestling, my brother was expanding Marcelia's waterways to ensure the people there had fresh water all year round." There was a smattering of applause.

"And when Victor finally agreed that he needed a strong duchess by his side, and the selection process was complete, I know that he was thrilled that the lovely Carmen Vincenzo became his wife, just as I was."

Carmen let out a small sob at the King's words, the ladies around her smothering in support instantly. "Carmen, dear sister, Victor adored you. Your devotion to him and Marcelia is a shining example that we may strive to replicate."

Carmen just nodded, pressing a hand over her heart in thanks. Emmeline smiled, it was a nice tribute. One that she was sure meant a great deal to Carmen. As much as she might not like the woman, there was no denying that she was dedicated.

"Cassius." King Virgil continued, turning his and the room's attention to where they sat. "Your father was so proud of you nephew, as am I. A better son and heir, no man could ask for. I look forward to the era of prosperity you and your ordained pair will bring to your duchy."

Cassius stood and toasted the King, Emmeline mirroring him. She felt unsure how to react to being addressed by the King, something that she had never dreamed of happening, but that wasn't her concern right now. Her sole focus was on supporting the man beside her. His stance was strong, stoic as always, but she could see the twitch in the corners of his eyes that revealed the sadness he was hiding.

She knew he didn't believe he was a good son, still blaming himself for not being at Victor's side when the end came. Reaching for him on instinct she captured his free hand, squeezing it. He glanced down at her, his features softening a little. The King didn't miss the silent exchange. "I have long respected the sanctity of the pairing. One of our oldest and most illustrious traditions. It brings me, and the nation, great joy to see such a beautiful couple, crafted by the pairing. To the pairing." The response was more muted than the other toasts had been, but Cassius' smile made her forget her concerns. She was glad to see him smile on such a heavy day. The nobility didn't like the pairing, it was an obstacle to political alliances and messed with the carefully crafted lines of class and power they had spent generations creating. Emmeline, according to these rules, shouldn't have even been in the room, and yet here she sat in a place of honour at her pair's side.

Virgil drank along with everyone else before finishing his speech. "Victor was not just a dedicated grand duke, not just an excellent commander, not just a devoted advisor. He was my brother, and my dearest friend and I shall miss him greatly. His sacrifice will be remembered, and his duchy will flourish for generations to come built on the back of his hard work. To the Duke." He toasted, the words ringing out around the room as everyone toasted with their king.

The meal that followed the king's speech was pleasant. Emmeline took tiny tentative mouthfuls, waiting between bites to see how she felt. Twice people at their table had commented on her lack of appetite and she had simply smiled, blaming it on how upset she was as Victor's passing, and tiredness from the day's events. That seemed to mollify everyone, but Cassius kept a close eye on her.

When the meal was finished everyone was ushered into the long hallways-like rooms she had seen on her first visit to the palace. This, Cassius whispered in her ear, was where the court tended to entertain themselves when larger events weren't happening. Musicians played on a gantry above their heads, small tables covered in card games and gambling were surrounded by lords and ladies alike. Emmeline walked through the crowds at a gentle pace, her arm tucked safely through Cassius' as they perused the room.

"What happens next?" She asked him when they walked away from yet another table of card players who had urged them to join them and were politely rejected.

Cassius sighed. "Well, the feast tonight will -" Emmeline stopped him.

"That wasn't the feast?" She asked, the meal they had just eaten being so vast she had just assumed it was the feast Cassius had informed her off.

"Oh no, we haven't even gotten started yet." He groaned. At times Emmeline could see he enjoyed being sociable, but at other times it was plain that such public events, with so many eyes on him drained Cassius. She understood the feeling.

"That was the King's private wake for my father. The court will lounge and entertain themselves here for a while before tonight's celebration ball."

Emmeline nodded, smiling a hello to a woman she didn't know that waved at her. "And the celebration ball lasts for three days?"

Cassius nodded. "To celebrate the fact we have battled and defeated Listillia three times." She chewed on the inside of her cheek as she considered this. Their closest neighbour must really hate them to invade three times, but then again, if she lived somewhere as cold as Listillia, she might try and snatch a bit of warmer territory too. She didn't agree with it, but part of her could understand.

Cassius was steering them towards the entrance hall. Emmeline had noticed a while ago, but hadn't commented until they were at the doors. "Are we leaving?" She asked. He shook his head, but kept them walking.

She quickly got the hint of where he wanted to go when they stalked past the carriages and headed into the palace gardens. She gasped at the scene unfolding before her, the very shape of the ground itself having been manipulated into carefully measured tiers. She had of course heard of the famous tiered palace gardens, but she had just imagined there to be some small areas accessible by steps or something. She had never dreamed that it would be possible to achieve such a thing without the hands of the gods themselves. The large expanses of flat gardens, all exquisitely decorated and planted, fell away from them towards the horizon, the ground dropping by ten or twenty feet each time. Waterfalls, koi ponds, and fountains studded every level, the water shimmering in the early evening sun. It was a masterpiece on the eyes. Nowhere, save a royal palace could have housed such a sight.

"This is beautiful." She admired aloud, hearing him chuckle at her side.

"Hmm, I thought you might enjoy the view." He pulled her against his side, wrapping an arm to rest low around her waist. His thumb rubbed small tantalising circles on her hip bone, distracting her completely.

"What time do we need to go back to the house to get ready?" She asked. Cassius checked his watch.

"Let's say an hour."

"A whole hour." She hummed. "Shall we go explore a little?" She asked, glancing up at him with a smile.

He returned her expression, his hold on her tightening for a second before he let her go and took her hand to lead the way. 

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Author's Note:

Vote for my story please if you enjoyed this chapter! It helps a great deal!

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