Ask Until Death Do Us Part

[Viola Enwynn]

Viola found it difficult to hold on with her hands cuffed together, and everytime they were airborne, she could feel herself slipping slightly against Ravus. She prayed to any gods that would listen and was greatful when they finally landed on flat ground- an underground forest stretching out into the darkness before them. She released a breath and did not complain when Ravus took the lead, taking a small bit of comfort knowing he was a very capable fighter and for whatever political reason, would protect Viola (at least) at all costs.

As they walked through the dark forest, the tree branches seemed to reach out at them; the bioluminescent fauna giving their surroundings an eerie glow. Viola walked at the back, knowing it would be pointless to try and escape now, so she hung back only to watch Mavyn's back.

@AdventCore

 

[Ravus Sephyre]

Ravus was on edge as they proceeded through the dim lit underforest. He had anticipated many more threats on their way to the outpost, but it seemed the usual creatures that lurked in the murky woods were lacking this time. Perhaps the patrols had been more effective than usual, but something didn't feel right about the lack of enemies. The crown prince furrowed his brow once they finally made it through, his vibroblade snapping back into place in its scabbard once he and his captives finally emerged from the other side of the vast forest.

It had been a long quiet journey through the underforest, and now the outpost Ravus had pointed out from the high cave wall was within a hundred meters of them. The prince motioned for the girls to follow as they made their way up to the tall durasteel walls. The guards stood firm as Ravus approached, their gaze continuing to watch the wilderness. He barely acknowledged them with a brief nod before he made his way through the security doors, making sure Viola and Mavyn were still close.

It wouldn't be long before he claimed one of the sleek black speeders at the small base, one which had a transparisteel glass to separate the driver and passenger in the front from those in the back. The back of course being where he forced the captives to ride. He made them wait in the back for a few moments while he stood outside, conversing with one of the guards about the monster activity in the area over the past few days.

He didn't wait long before finally rejoining the girls in the speeder, taking the driver's seat and starting the ignition of the finely purring engine. Then they'd lift a few meters from the ground as Ravus began to pilot them out and away from the outpost. The cavern was more than tall and wide enough for the speeder to gain a bit of altitude and still have plenty of room to maneuver.

For a little over an hour they'd fly from one cavern to the next, taking one massive corridor after another to reach their next destination. The sprawling underworld was gigantic, a mix of volcanic chambers and Skynaran exogorth tunnels. As Ravus continued flying the girls through the seemingly endless caverns, his attention remained on the ground and huge expanses of land. Not on the underground waterfalls or rivers that carved through them, but on large gatherings of monsters that could be seen gathering far away from the outposts.

"Something's not right..." Ravus grumbled under his breath, still more than loud enough for the Annfyns to hear him with their sensitive hearing. "It's almost like they're getting ready again..." He didn't finish sharing his thoughts out loud before the long wide tunnel they'd been traveling through for several minutes opened into the final chamber. There, atop what seemed to be the dull red glow of a dormant volcano's former magma chamber was a massive obsidian structure, the Sephyre Fortress.

"Try not to draw too much attention to yourselves while you're here." Ravus raised his voice enough for the girls to hear him more clearly while he piloted the speeder towards the courtyard between the large walls and massive fortress. A soft warm glow came down through the volcano's vent, illuminating more of the foreboding structure at the base of its ancient magma chamber.

"Some of the Alvaerians here value Ebanians such as yourself as their own personal prizes." The prince turned his head to his shoulder enough for his gaze to flick between each of the girls. "So do as you're told and stay out of trouble, or else things could get much worse for you."

@Reylo4evr

 

[Viola Enwynn]

Viola thought there might have been more things to fight off as they made the long journey through the underforest. Ravus seemed suspicious as well but didn't let it slow him down; rather, they moved faster and made it through the forest in what Viola guessed was a whole day. She figured it was nearing evening as they arrived at the base. Ravus made them wait inside a speeder and while his back was turned Viola took the chance to sag into the cushioned seat, extending her legs as far as they would go. Mavyn looked at her worriedly but Viola's reassuring smile seemed to appease her.

When Ravus got in the speeder she sat up straight and looked as imperious as she could in a dirty, torn dress. The caverns and tunnels seemed to go on forever and Viola did her best to memorize the path they took from the entrance of the cave to now, but it was difficult considering everything looked quite similar. She heard Ravus mumbling to himself, nearly complaining about the lack of monsters picking a fight, and while Viola thought it was a little strange as well, she was not complaining. However, she would not complain either if a monster did show up to finish off Ravus but the chances of that happening were little to none.

At last they arrived at the Sephyre Fortress, which was still underground. Never more had Viola wanted to see the sky than she did as they got closer to the ominous-looking fortress. The speeder touched down and Ravus warned them against Alvaerians who might take advantage of them and Viola could not hold her tongue to say "Isn't that what you're doing? Taking us for your 'personal prizes'? Do the Alvaerian girls not meet your standards?" Mavyn knew Viola enough that she did not look too surprised at this retort, but her eyes did widen slightly and she covered her mouth with her joined hands to hide a smile.

@AdventCore

 

[Ravus Sephyre]

"Hmph." Ravus half snorted in response to the Ebanian princess, then he parked the speeder and shut down the engine. Without looking back at the girls he opened the door, stepped out, and made his way back to the door of Viola's seat.

"You're not just some prize, Viola..." Ravus calmly began to explain as he opened her door and extended his left hand palm up to help her get out of the vehicle. Once she was on her feet, whether she took his hand or not, he'd then flick his sharp gaze down to her eyes and continue, "...You're my bride."

@Reylo4evr

 

[Viola Enwynn]

Viola was about to demand a more detailed answer when Ravus came around to open her door for her, and her pride distracted her when he extended a hand. She pointedly ignored it and got out on her own, willing herself not to stumble despite her exhaustion and weakness. She opened her mouth to say 'I should damn well think not' when she was out of the speeder, but Ravus spoke first, and the words that he spoke had certainly not been what she was expecting.

"Excuse me?" she said, momentarily forgetting that Mavyn was still in the speeder behind her. "Your bride?" Despite her shock, she could understand politically why she could be an advantageous partner; however, she had no intentions of letting Ravus try and marry her. She didn't know if the Alvaerian ceremony would be different from the Ebanian ceremony, but she figured it must be if they thought kidnapping a good way to get a bride. If she had ever married, she had fully intended to marry whomever she chose. She should've known; she never really got a choice.

@AdventCore

 

[Ravus Sephyre]

"It's not something I care for either." Ravus began to explain with a low grumble while he continued staring into Viola's eyes with his piercing gaze. The backs of his jaws clenched hard. His deep glare snapped from one of her eyes to the other, then back. The corners between his upper lips and cheeks creased ever so slightly while his gaze narrowed.

"But it's something we -must- do." He put much emphasis on the 'must', driving in the point that there was a greater reason this was happening. He continued staring down into her eyes, searching them and the rest of the princess's facial expressions to ascertain her reaction to this news.

"For Alvaeria, -and- Ebania." His smolder intensified, the serious demeanor he addressed her with amplified so the burden he'd been feeling would sink in to both Ebanians. He nearly opened his mouth to say more, revealing the tip of a fang for but a moment before he shut his mouth and held back a threat to use Mavyn against her. He'd already proven that point to her, and didn't feel the need to repeat himself. Instead, he began to turn and walk away towards his family's imposing fortress.

@Reylo4evr

 

[Viola Enwynn]

Viola opened and closed her mouth, not knowing what to say to Ravus, the crown prince of Alvaeria, her groom, her husband; in how long, she didn't know. She suddenly remembered Mavyn and turned her back to him as she helped Mavyn out of the speeder. When she turned back around he was already walking away and Viola marched after him. "You cannot just walk away without telling me more. What if I say no?" she said furiously, jogging to match his long strides. As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she knew he knew he could use Mavyn against her to get her to behave. She glanced over her shoulder at her maid and was filled with a rush of regret.

Viola was at a loss of words. He had executed his plan perfectly; even the backup Viola had called could not make it in time to pull her away from Alvaeria's clutches. If they married quickly enough, by the time they even discovered this fortress, it would be too late for them to do anything. Viola clenched her fists and followed Ravus into the fortress.

@AdventCore

 

[Ravus Sephyre]

"You won't say no, Viola -" Ravus began, no longer looking at the princess or her companion as they all walked towards the fortress. "- because if you do, things will get much worse for Mavyn." A half bluff. He certaintly wasn't proud to use her this way, but he spoke with enough conviction either way to likely convince the Ebanians he was serious.

"Ebania has been choking back the resources you owe us." The crown prince spoke with a slightly tense tone as he continued. "Those tunnels should've had much more monster activity the last couple days. Their absence means we're likely going to be seeing another siege soon." Ravus swept his gaze across the courtyard, noting the few dozen Alvaerian soldiers dressed in black uniforms. Each carried at a short vibroblade and a blaster rifle strapped across the front of their chests with the barrel pointed down.

"Our numbers aren't what they used to be. We've had to lower the age of conscription to recruit more soldiers. These aren't all of them, of course," he paused, noting that all of the soldiers stood with their spines straightened and their left fist over their chest. "nonetheless, we can't keep up with the growing Skynaran swarms. They began to outnumber us cycles ago." Ravus tapped his chest with his left fist then faintly bounced it off and opened it in the process to return the salute. Each of the soldiers did the same, then returned to their duties.

"We settled in this damn volcano for you people, and have even been sacrificing the lives of our citizens to defend your kingdom so you can sit in your cozy carriages and enjoy your fancy little strolls through the forest in peace." The half-Sephi continued explaining with a gradually rising intensity, each broad stride taking him further across the expansive courtyard and closer to the looming fortress. The few turrets that lined the upper tiers of the fortress would become more visible as the group drew near. He waited a moment, letting the stress he was feeling settle and come to a calm before he continued.

"We've been trying to obtain more weapons and supplies for a few dozen cycles now. We've tried to explain the situation and tried to convince your father to let us recruit Ebanians for our troops, but we've been denied these requests for too long." As Ravus continued and the group came closer to Sephyre Fortress they'd be able to more clearly see the enclosed lift that ran up the far side of the massive volcano's vast vent like an armored spine that was lined with blaster turrets. Further up the large lift was the suspended city of Alvaeria, a stark contrast to Ebania.

Unlike their sister kingdom, Alvaeria was not made of tall vanilla towers and other lavish architect. Instead, the multilevel kingdom was constructed more like the sinkhole cities of Utapau, but each level consisted of a series of rings that connected to each other with bridges and supports. At the center of each was a spire that ran up through each of the half-dozen levels to provide further support to the carefully constructed city.

"Tell me, Viola, have you ever even been here?" The golden setting sunlight poked through the large gaps between the suspended city's rings, which were created with enough space in them to allow fighters and small frigates to fly through them, though this was usually only done with speeders. With the Annfyn's sharp hearing, the pair of girls would easily be able to hear the many Alvaerian citizens far above them as they went about their daily lives.

"Do you even care what happens to these people?"

@Reylo4evr

 

[Viola Enwynn]

Ravus confirmed what Viola had already suspected, but it didn't make her any happier. She swallowed hard and glanced at Mavyn over her shoulder. Fear had entered the maid's eyes at the memory of Ravus choking her, and the sight sickened Viola. She turned back around, speeding up to a jog to keep up with his big strides. Tall men with their long legs, she thought derisively to herself.

"What you think we owe you seems to have increased beyond what it should be. Ebania only has those luxuries because we manage our resources and don't use them up. It's called self-sufficiency," she retorted to Ravus' explanation of why marriage was necessary for them. "And another thing," she continued, slowing a little to catch her breath before speeding up again. "You're the ones who wanted to live in the volcanoes; its not our fault they're teeming with monsters. As I recall, the Alvaerians brought the more nasty creatures here."

She slowed to a walk as they neared the front steps of the fortress, the floating city hanging above them. While it definitely wasn't as majestic or bright and beautiful as Ebania, it still had an intimidating kind of beauty about it.

"I do care; I'm not heartless," she said softly in response to Ravus' question. She slowly around at the ships arriving and leaving, listening to the faint hubbub, and then looked up into Ravus' sharp gaze. "Do you?"

@AdventCore

 

[Ravus Sephyre]

"Of course I care for these people, Viola. I even care about yours. Skynara needs to be united to deal with the threat lurking below its surface. We chose these volcanoes because they were the best route to cutting off the creatures from the rest of the planet's surface. Because Alvaeria has always been a shield for Ebania." Viola was right about the Alvaerians putting all of this on themselves in the first place, as much as Ravus didn't want to admit it.

"But we can't keep spreading ourselves thin and keep up this fight at this rate any more." There was a slight hint of concern in his tone as he began to reveal information that his father had been keeping from the Enwynn royal family.

"They've been strategizing, Viola." Ravus gave a salute to the guards at the grand imposing entrance of his family's fortress, then continued to proceed inside with his captives. "They've been hitting our weak points, taking out more outposts and checkpoints over the last few months than they have in the last few hundred cycles combined." There was no deception in his voice, no sign that he was trying to deceive her.

"It's almost like someone has started leading and controlling them, which we once thought to be impossible since they weren't anything like a hivemind last we knew. They're just a bunch of wild organisms." It was clear the case of the Skynaran monsters had become a mystery to the prince and Alvaeria. "Or so we once thought. We're not even sure anymore."

After ascending a couple large obsidian flights of stairs and turning down a few corridors, Ravus finally turned into one of the rooms. He remained quiet for a moment, letting the girls take in the sight of their new room before he moved in front of the door to block their exit.

"War with Ebania could lead to the end of Alvaeria, and essentially, the end of Ebania itself. The swarm would overrun the planet, and could eventually spread into the rest of the Galaxy. Viola, our marriage signifies a new hope for this planet. It'll force a peace between our people due to the customs of both kingdoms, and we'll finally have the resources we need to purge this infestation once and for all." The crown prince of Alvaeria glared at the crown princess of Ebania then prepared to leave the room if she and Mayvn weren't going to stop him.

"A maid will be in shortly to help you get ready." Ravus let out a huff through his nose, then pulled a small remote from his pocket and tapped one of the buttons to cause both of the girls' stun cuffs to detach and separate, though they still remained charged and prepped to activate. He then nodded his head towards a dark tall cabinet against the far wall of the moderately sized room, which if Viola opened she would find her new wedding dress inside.

"Your dress has been selected for you. Keep it in one piece." He then went to turn away, pausing for a moment before he'd leave to tend to other matters.

"Anything you need before I leave?" If neither of the girls needed anything more from him, or if they suggested something he didn't agree with, and didn't want to bring up any other points, then he'd finally leave and let the black metal door hiss closed and lock. Ravus would then nod to a pair of guards that had followed from a short distance, and would walk away while they took positions on either side of the door. It wouldn't be much longer before a pair of combat-trained maids would eventually make their way to Viola's new dull dim lit and windowless room, hardly even a glorified dungeon cell for the captive princess.

@Reylo4evr

 

[Viola Enwynn]

Viola was quiet as Ravus spoke; not because she had nothing to say- she had plenty things she would love to tell him- rather she was listening and taking mental note of the information he was giving her, the layout of the fortress as they walked inside, and sucking oxygen into her lungs, which was unusually difficult. She was secretly relieved when they arrived at her 'room', which felt more like a prison cell.

The room's stone walls were cast into shadows, with an obsidian bedframe. A deep red coverlet covered the sheets and mattress. Two dark wooden tables rested on either side of the bed. One held a plain candle encased in a glass lamp, and one the other rested a bottle of wine and two glasses. Unease filled her gut as she wondered why there were two glasses there. There was a connecting door in the back that stood ajar, leading to a smaller bedroom, where Viola figured Mavyn would sleep. On one side of the room was a door that led to a bathroom.

Viola turned around in time for Ravus to announce another maid was coming soon. He asked if she needing anything and she hesitated. I need my freedom, I need the ability to choose, but none of those were an option since Mavyn's life hung in the balance; they had never been an option. Viola shut her mouth and shook her head, glaring daggers at Ravus as he left.

Sure enough, two maids arrived, not speaking a word to either Mavyn or Viola. Mavyn took the chance to lay down on her bed in the adjoining room while the maids took out the dress and matching veil. Viola let them dress her with an unusual numbness. They stripped her of her clothes and threw them away, not bothering to hide their disgust. They put her in a slip and laced her up in a corset. They tied the petticoat around her waist and then the underskirt over that, and then finally pulled the mass of white satin over her head.

They adjusted her hair while Viola stood in front of the small mirror in her small bathroom. When they were done, and had pinned the veil in place, they stepped back to admire their work. One of them spoke for the first time. "Everyone downstairs is waiting," With a heavy, dramatic sigh, Viola followed them out of the room. She felt Mavyn's eyes on her as she left, and then the guards standing outside her door. She walked back down the flights of obsidian to meet her fate.

@AdventCore

 

[Ravus Sephyre]

Ravus took a heavy breath once he reached his room and locked the durasteel door behind him. His body began to relax now that he finally had a moment to himself, but the pressure was still on. It was time to get married, to that Ebanian princess with the fiery attitude. Viola Enwynn. His wife.

A long deep sigh escaped him. It was too late to back down now. Ebania's fleet was likely on their way, either because they'd figured out Alvaeria had captured the crown princess, or because they were still unaware of her whereabouts and planned to ask for aid in finding her. If the heads of the two families had already been in communication then his father was likely keeping the information from Ravus, not that he really needed the details to fulfill his purpose. Krug was also still busy diverting the ground forces that had closed in on the broken tracker, buying them a bit more time to finish the wedding.

The crown prince gradually made his way across the vast obsidian chamber, removing bits and pieces of his gear as he moved through the setting dusk that pierced through a large tinted transparisteel window along the far side of his room, which had a vast view of the bridge and the massive obsidian gate that led up to the fortress's courtyard.

He then unstrapped the vibrosword he'd been using and set it on one of the mounts built into the wall alongside a small arsenal of other swords and daggers. He dropped his sash on a dark stoney shelf nearby, along with his blaster pistol, what remained of his gloves, and the rest of his equipment.

Ravus stopped by the refresher for a brief moment to quickly rinse his hands, hair, and face, regretting that they didn't have the time to actually get washed up first. He could've really used a dip in one of the nearby springs before this monumental moment for him and Viola that would likely have a very heavy impact on both their lives.

After another deep breath he made his way over to a thick angular cabinet carved from the black trees of the subterranean forest. Without wasting much more time he then opened the cabinet to reveal his royal regalia and a new broad vibroblade behind it. He disrobed the rest of his clothes and slung them across the wide less-than luxurious bed, then bit by bit began assembling and doning his new attire meant specifically for this special occasion.

The mirror on the inside of the cabinet door helped him make the final adjustments he needed to his new princely raiment and hair to make sure he didn't look like a mess. Then Ravus strapped the new sword and its jet-black scabbard to the left side of his hip, making sure the weapon was angled enough so that it wouldn't drag along the ground.

With another hefty breath the husky prince gave himself one last look in the mirror. His jaws clenched. His sharp blues leered back at him. He paused, trying to keep his mind clear and calm despite the rising intensity of the situation. Then after another couple moments he shut the cabinet, and left the room.



A few minutes later he'd made his way through the vaulted corridors to the cavernous throne room of his family's obsidian fortress. King Sephyre, a tall and broad shouldered Sephi with long flowing silver hair, and the token queen with a slim frame and similarly silver hair sat at the far end of the expansive chamber on their thrones. In fact, most of the people in the room had some form of long silver hair, while the rest seemed to have black, not that there were many guests who'd arrived.

Everyone stood upon noticing Prince Ravus, and after feeling the nearly palpable tension for a moment, the crown prince then began to cut through the middle of his wedding. He recognized a few higher ranking officers and a few other prominent members of the kingdom as he made his way down the aisle alone. He could feel the eyes on him as he walked with as calm an expression as he could muster given the weight of the burden that was pressing down on his chest harder and harder.

Even though he knew some of the people here held some form of resentment against him for the conspiracy of his illegitimacy to the throne, he figured Viola would likely be facing much more disdain from the privileged and entitled nobles who cared little for Ebania.

The pressure continued to sink in with each step. One steady foot after the other he proceeded with his eyes forward, watching the guests from his peripherals. After what seemed like an eternity and an endless dark red carpet later he finally made his way to the front, nodding at his father and faux mother for a brief moment before taking his place next to them and pivoting on his feet to watch for Viola.

Now that the groom had arrived, the bride was expected any second.

@Reylo4evr

 

[Viola Enwynn]

Viola was led through the castle like a pig to slaughter. Nausea swirled in her stomach and she swallowed hard and attempted to take a deep breath, which wasn't easy considering the tightness of her corset. She paused in front of the large doors leading into the likely even larger chamber. With her cuffs off, she was half-tempted to set everything within a mile radius on fire and run from the burning fortress. In her state, however, she knew she would not be capable of such a feat, and it would hurt more innocent people than necessary. Besides, how was this different than back home? They treated her with more respect, sure, but when it came down to it, she was just a figurehead with a job to do, and at least Ravus was doing his.

One of the maids grabbed her arm and shoved her through the doors. Viola would have tripped over her skirt had she not had years of training on how to walk and carry oneself with grace. She recovered slower than perhaps she would have, but recovered nonetheless. She held her head high as she walked down the deep velvet rug laid out before her, leading to Ravus, who stood waiting in front of the pedestal the thrones rested on. The king of Alvaeria stood behind Ravus, holding a white ribbon in his hand, his mean gaze boring into her, as if waiting for a mistake on her part. Viola would not give him that pleasure.

The Alvaerians on either side of her glared at her with disdain; she wondered if they knew from their pampered positions how serious the situation actually was that caused an Alvaerian prince and an Ebanian princess to marry. She slowed to a stop in front of Ravus, glaring at him from underneath her lashes, not giving him the pleasure of her having to look up to him.

@AdventCore

 

[Ravus Sephyre]

Ravus stood tall, calm, and collected, nearly holding his breath from how nervous he actually felt on the inside. Then Viola appeared alone from the dark corridor like a beacon of light. His heart skipped, then began to pound. Despite the weight of the situation, and not having the time to fully prepare for the occasion, the crown princess of Ebania and her Alvaerian wedding dress shined beautifully.

The crown prince took a deep breath. He could hear the crowd do the same, and he could feel the sudden shift of intensity in the room as all eyes fell upon Viola.

With each step she took he felt his heart beat harder.
Ravus took another deep breath.
The crowd turned to follow her.
No smiles came from anyone.

Soft awes escaped few of the woman. The king, queen, and crown prince all kept as calm and stoney an expression as they could given what was happening. Ravus didn't quite know how his father and the queen felt about the situation, but none of that mattered now. Now all he could think about was how he was going to be expected to spend the rest of his life with Princess Viola.

Faint whispers murmured through the crowd as they all took their seats once the bride and groom were in position. The royal family all remained standing. Ravus kept his sharp gaze on Viola's eyes. The seething intensity he'd been holding back from the edge of his demeanor for the last few days gradually began to recede into something more chivalrous and driven.

King Sephyre gave a heavily judgemental glare to the bride and groom, then took a step forward. Unlike the cloth that most people wore here, the king was clad in an imposing suit of obsidian armor, with intimidating spires of metal curving up from its regal pauldrons. A long dark crimson cape flowed behind him. Then, with a deep and elegant tone he finally raised his voice to everyone in the throne room.

"Ravus Sephyre, Crown Prince of Alvaeria, do you take Viola Enwynn, Crown Princess of Ebania, by the hand and receive her unto yourself to be your lawfully wedded wife, for time and all eternity, with a covenant and promise that you will observe and keep all the laws, rites, and ordinances pertaining to this holy order of matrimony; and this you do in the presence of His Royal Majesty King Sephyre and Her Royal Majesty Queen Sephyre?" A subtle commanding tilt of the head and intimidating glare followed the king's statement, reminding his son of the monumental burden that was on their shoulders.

Ravus paused, bit back on his jaws, and took a heavy breath.
His piercing gaze didn't leave Viola's turquoise eyes.
Then he finally replied with a tone full of conviction.

"I do."

The king then slowly turned his head to Viola.
An even deeper glare sank into her before he continued.

"Viola Enwynn, Crown Princess of Ebania, do you take Ravus Sephyre, Crown Prince of Alvaeria, by the hand and give yourself to him to be his lawfully wedded wife, and receive him to be your lawfully wedded husband, for time and all eternity, with a covenant and promise that you will observe and keep all the laws, rites, and ordinances pertaining to this holy order of matrimony; and this you do in the presence of His Royal Majesty King Sephyre and Her Royal Majesty Queen Sephyre?"

All eyes once again fell upon the crown princess.

@Reylo4evr

 

[Viola Enwynn]

Through her own upset, Viola could feel Ravus' nervousness. She got some small satisfaction in it but it was all swallowed as the king began to speak. He gestured for them to grip the others' forearms, and Viola did so regrettably. As the king spoke to Ravus, Viola forced herself to take slow, deep breaths. When Ravus said 'I do', Viola's heart dropped an inch in her chest; she could hear its pounding in her ears. Her jaw tightened and her skin paled in fury.

When the king turned to Viola and repeated the same vow, she paused longer than Ravus had before finally speaking. "...I do," she said. Her voice was quiet but it seemed to echo in the entire room. She subconsciously gripped Ravus' arm tighter, her fingers digging into the sleeves of his suit.

The king started wrapping the white ribbon around their joined forearms. It was Ravus' turn to speak the vows mandated by the Alvaerian royalty.

@AdventCore

 

[Ravus Sephyre]

A massive wave of relief came from most of the people in the room when Viola finally broke the silence and played her part. Ravus too let out a partial sigh, but they weren't done yet, and he was the one that was going to have to be spending most of his time with her after this. Through her grip on his forearms he could tell she must've been feeling quite a bit more anxious than probably anyone else here. She'd never even been allowed into the fortress before, if she'd ever even visited Alvaeria before this, and now this would be her new home, to a husband who had kidnapped her and made her his bride.

Everything else gradually began to fade away as he continued to stare into her eyes. He gave a gentle and reassuring press of his fingers back against her forearms in hopes it would at least help ease some of the uneasy tension he assumed she must be feeling. Then he continued with the next part of the ceremony upon noticing the traditional white ribbon his father was beginning to drape around their forearms.

"I, Ravus Sephyre, take you, Viola Enwynn, as my lawfully wedded wife, my partner in the throne, in sickness and in health, until death do us part." Ravus spoke calmly, keeping the rest of his feelings at bay while the king continued to tie the ribbon around their forearms. he hoped the maids had enough time with Viola to teach her the next line of the vows, as now it was once again all attention on her.

@Reylo4evr

 

[Viola Enwynn]

Viola forced herself to take slower breaths but did not release her death grip on Ravus' arm, even after he squeezed back. As he said his vows, Viola was hit with a vivid fantasy of setting Ravus on fire. She blinked and it was gone. The room was silent, expecting her to say her part. Even though she couldn't light Ravus on fire, her mind still raced.

She suddenly ignited a crown of fire around her head, floating above her head. "I, Crown Princess Viola Enwynn of Ebania, take you, Ravus Sephyre, as my husband, in sickness and in health, until death do us part,"

The crowd murmured after a second once they realized she had changed her vows, and that it had definitely been intentional. Viola kept her glare levelled at Ravus, daring him to do something. She watched the king out of her peripherals, waiting with a small smirk on her face.

@AdventCore

 

[Ravus Sephyre]

Ravus narrowed his eyes at Viola. A few sighs of relief mixed in with several hushed gasps as the attendees noticed that Viola had changed the vows, though it was still good enough for the wedding to be concluded. King Sephyre rested his own glare, his expression of intimidation shifted to something more regal and uninterested. The pale Sephi then finally addressed the rest of the guests in attendance.

"Then by the power vested in me under the unified authority of Skynara, I, King Sephyre of Alvaeria, now pronounce you husband and wife." There were no cheers. No applause. A heavy breath escaped Ravus, his piercing gaze still fixed on Viola. The king paused for a few seconds, then lowered his chin back to the shorter bride and groom, his tone then became a deep and guttural command to dismiss the newlyweds. "Now, go."

Ravus bit back on his jaws again, then gave a faint nod to Viola. Once she was ready he'd finally turn his gaze away from her, sweeping it over the guests who then stood. All eyes turned to Ravus and Viola. The prince then began to take a step, slowly proceeding along with the princess if she did the same. The cold judging glare of the crowd stabbed into the two like a thousand knives. Ravus continued along slowly, and each heavy step back towards the hall felt like it took an eternity.

@Reylo4evr

 

[Viola Enwynn]

Viola gained little satisfaction from the crowd's reaction; she was grateful when the King dismissed them. She turned to face everyone with Ravus, keeping her crown ignited. They stood; no one clapped or cheered, and no smiles were genuine. She walked back down the red carpet, away from the thrones.

Despite the fact that it was over, with every step she took, her heart pounded in her ear. It took her a minute, but when the pair reached the hall, their forearms still bound loosely together, and Ravus began leading them up towards the stairs back to the sleeping quarters, she realized what it meant. Her mouth went dry and subconsciously she dug her nails deeper into Ravus skin.

Viola stopped suddenly not far outside her door and clawed almost frantically at the ribbon binding them together, as if once it had been removed, she would be freed. But the vows had been said, and there was no way she could back out now, unless she killed Ravus where he stood and that would create more problems than it solved.

The ribbon fell to the floor and Viola watched on the ground for a moment before looking back up at Ravus (damn him for being so tall) to see what he would do.

@AdventCore

 

[Ravus Sephyre]

Ravus let out a heavy sigh once they were alone in the halls. One of the most difficult parts was over, but they still weren't done yet. He was pretty sure Viola was going to hate what came next, though he wasn't fond of it either.

"Nice crown." He roughly stated as they entered her windowless chamber. The guards at the door remained silent. Ravus tapped into the Force to Pull the ribbon from the hot obsidian floor and back into his hand while he stepped inside the room. Without stopping he continued walking over to the side of the bed where a bucket of ice was waiting with a jet-black bottle covered in gold filigree. Next to that were two small goblets made from the very stone of the volcano.

"I assume you know what comes next." Ravus didn't look at Viola. He draped the ribbon onto the end table with the alcohol, then let it fall into a slump next to the goblets. The next moment he plucked the bottle from the ice, popped the cap off it, and began to fill both goblets with the dark potent liquor.

"We both have a duty to fulfill." His husky tone was calm and serious. He recapped the bottle and set it back into the ice.

@Reylo4evr