Exploring: Chapter 9

Titanium Blossom

(A/N:Final chapter, guys. Here goes.)

The Head Dyer, still alive, laughed as he tailored Cave's tunic.

"Well, there goes the codpiece. Isn't proper for a married man to flaunt his manhood, eh? And to think that not too long ago, I was tailoring garments for your birthday!"

Cave remained silent. He was quite nervous, for one of the first times in recent memory. It was the first time he didn't have an invasion plan. In fact, he wanted to end up married.

The marriage was scheduled for the next day, but for some reason, something nagged at him more than anything else ever had in his entire life. Yes, it was true that most marriages among the nobility took place on a moments notice for pretty much every reason but love, but to him the fact that he had just begun to get to know Hacié made the whole thing feel rushed.

His tunic was black, with white trim, and his pants were the same. At the same time of his marriage, there would be a coronation ceremony marking him as a prince of the Other Land. Before, he was prince of the Other Lands in the sense that he was delegated to a position of privileged servitude to the Crown Princess. Now, he was placed into a situation in which he might actually become the true King of the Other Lands. Of course, Hacie's position as the Queen would trump his, but the chance itself meant that Cave was then tied irreparably with the Other Lands, and being Crown Prince of his original country, that meant that the two lands were tied together politically in the deepest sense.

Of course, Hacié was glad for the opportunity, but in addition to that, she seemed infatuated with him, beyond anything he had ever observed before. Was his assistance in their flight from their first meeting, at the training arena really that endearing. He knew he didn't have much else to offer. Paler than most from his constant underground work and nocturnal habits, he didn't have the attractive complexion of his sister, nor her namesake hair. He was shorter than her, as well, and nowhere near as skilled with the bow.

He essentially had nothing to bring to the table, while in his eyes, Hacié had everything. She had the beauty, albeit otherworldly, of her purple eyes and the confidence and charisma with others to get them to do his bidding,

And if the marriage broke apart, it would result in the dissolution of whatever political bond had existed because of the marriage. Which could end up in permanent separation of the two nations.

A lot of pressure to place upon a marriage between two teens.

He would have laughed at the situation, if he wasn't one of the primary actors in the whole thing. After all, it was his wedding.

He just wondered what Hacié thought about the whole thing.

"I've never worn a dress,", Hacié complained to a lounging Wheat, as the Vice-Dyer worked on altering a wedding gown for Hacié's use. "So forgive me if I can't provide any help as to what style I prefer. In my culture, marriage is much more subdued. The ceremony involves signing a bit of paper that is entered into a book, so I don't really understand all this pomp and circumstance."

Wheat looked passively out the window, her only response a noncommital "Hmm"

Hacié, noticing this response, observed, "The scars of war run deep in warriors, Wheat. It takes more than just a day to get around them. Maybe your time for happiness will come. Maybe it will not. But the most important part is to live without centering on the scars. Things change."

Wheat smiled sadly to herself at Hacié's words. She knew them to be true, and had come to the same conclusion before.

Although her brother's love would come to fruition, her's wouldn't. In fact, it hadn't even blossomed, her relationship with Emilio instead hanging on the tree, the last, browning leaf on a bare tree.

But not everything had a happy ending, she reminded herself, looking over the rebuilding remains of her town, and the embolus of wreckage that lay in their harbor. Things were changed.

Dignitaries from both sides sat mingled in auditorium-like seating in front of a curved stage, which had an altar-like chapel in its center. The King and Queen of Cave's nation were on one side, with the King of the Other Land on the other side.

Upon signal, the bride and groom walked in their paths, towards the middle. When they met, there was a small oath presented by the two kings, which the two accepted. Then a kiss, gentle and brief, before they left through the newly opened door behind them, and as they walked through the door, their parents crossed to exit on the opposite side. There was a lot of applause, and cheers from the people outside of the royal event hall. Fireworks were sent up into the air, and there was much celebration.

Inside of the boat already freshly departing for the developing colony in the center of the ocean, Cave and Hacié sat staring down each other. Cave was the first to stand and move to her, and look into her eyes.

"This ache in my heart when I see you... Is it love?", Cave asked.

Hacié lifted her hand to cup his face.

"Let's find out.", she suggested wryly.

They kissed, and everything became right with their world.