Can love be green? [Vinsmoke Yonji]

03. The wedding

It was the day. The faithful morning had finally arrived.

She had been awake for several minutes already, yet she had not moved from her bed. The warmth of the blankets still surrounded her, offering a small comfort she knew she would soon have to leave behind.

For now, she allowed herself a few more moments of silence.

Her eyes remained fixed on the white ceiling above her as her mind wandered back through everything that had happened over the past few days.

It felt impossible that such a short amount of time could change so much. Only days ago, the arrival of Germa 66 in the Aogu Kingdom had seemed like nothing more than a political visit. A simple meeting between two powerful nations. She had never imagined that it would end with her being promised to the youngest son of the Vinsmoke family. Yonji.

At first, her answer had been immediate. "No, absolutely not." The idea of being forced into a marriage had gone against everything she believed in. She had always hated the expectations placed upon royalty; the unspoken rule that she should simply accept whatever was decided for her, smile politely, and sacrifice her own wishes for the sake of duty. She wanted freedom. She had always wanted freedom and yet things were never as simple as she wished they could be.

After countless hours of thinking, arguing with herself, and imagining every possible outcome, she had changed her mind. Not because she suddenly wanted this or because she had fallen in love but because she understood what was at stake. She had nothing against Yonji himself. In fact, after spending time with him, she had discovered that he was far more tolerable than she had originally expected. Annoying? Absolutely. Arrogant? Definitely. The true problem was not him. It was everything surrounding their marriage. Both kingdoms wanted something from the other. Aogu sought Germa's advanced scientific knowledge, especially their expertise in genetics and modifications. Meanwhile, Germa desired Aogu's mechanical knowledge and powerful weapon technology. Both sides had something the other lacked and a marriage between their families would create an alliance stronger than any simple agreement.

She could have refused.

She knew that.

She had planned to.

However, the more she thought about it, the more she realized the consequences would not only affect her. Germa 66 did not have a kingdom built upon territory like most nations, but everyone knew their reputation. Their army was feared for a reason. If negotiations failed, if pride took over and if their alliance turned into hostility...She didn't want to imagine what would happen next. A conflict, a battle or worse, a war. The ones who would suffer would not be the kings sitting safely behind their walls. It would be the people. The citizens of Aogu. The people she had sworn to protect.mThat was the part she could not ignore. She could not allow thousands of innocent people to pay the price for her refusing something she personally disliked. Even if it meant sacrificing her own happiness and freedom. She had accepted the marriage because of them.