Union

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THE WEDDING

Kara and Lena's wedding was the grandest the empire had seen in decades. The most superb food, flowers, and decorations filled Kieran Castle. Preferring the romanticism of the night, Kara and Lena decided the wedding should take place in the evening where the glow of the candles and the sparkle of the stars would set the mood and fill everyone's hearts with warmth and peace.

The surprising union of the Sapphire and Emerald queens was an occasion celebrated throughout Pavia. The strength of their united realms and their quick and decisive handling of the dreaded Ruby Queen renewed the faith of the lesser realms and brought a stability the empire desperately craved since the death of the Pearl Queen.

When news of Andrea's death spread throughout the West, the people celebrated, trade channels opened once more, and the empire breathed a collective sigh of relief knowing the madwoman was gone for good. It wasn't until weeks later that Kara learned much of the unrest in Pavia was Andrea's doing. She not only held a grudge against Lena and Aoife, but did whatever she could to disrupt the peace Eliza worked so hard to negotiate and maintain. She whispered rumors and spread discontent where she could, simply for the pleasure of bringing other people pain. It was Andrea who led the charge against Argos with the lesser realms, sewing seeds of malcontent and lies and stirring the pot of fear and anxiety until the lesser realms hit a breaking point.

Kara, possessing the most honorable and forgiving heart, trusted in her former enemies to gather and celebrate, hopeful an invitation would show the lesser realms that the new united Kieran and Argos were only interested in bringing peace and prosperity back to the glorious empire of Pavia. With Andrea gone, the air felt lighter, and there was a sense of hopefulness all around.

Guests from all over Pavia came to celebrate the wedding and feast for three days and three nights. Kara wore a shimmering blue gown made from the finest silk and lace in the West and wore her hair pulled back at her temples, as Lena preferred. She never wanted Kara's hair to hide her beautiful face, even though they often joked about the state of Kara's hair the night they met. Lena wore a fabulously elegant and expensive silken gown in emerald that matched her eyes and the Verdant Pendant that hung around her neck.

Blue and green flowers filled the church and banners with their new crest, two circles intertwined on a background of viridian, hung on all the church walls.

Blue and green flowers filled the church and banners with their new crest, two circles intertwined on a background of viridian, hung on all the church walls

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Kara and Lena stood at the altar, flanked by Sam, Alex, Aoife, and Alura. They stood close, stared deep into each other's eyes, and recited their vows before the cleric, as though not another living soul was present. Breaking from tradition, the ceremony was not about the loss of freedom or the swearing of fealty of one queen to another. Their wedding was a true union of souls, matched in their beauty, heart, and love for one another.

Honoring the Pavian wedding tradition, they each presented gifts to one another in front of their guests. Lena gave Kara her grandmother's silver bracelet, one of her most precious possessions. She wore it every day of her adult life and she knew it would protect Kara as it had protected her. Kara presented Lena with two gifts. The first, a beautiful garter made of silk to solidify their bond and ensure a long and happy marriage. The second, a stunning sapphire robe to replace the one she gave to Kara. They knew they must maintain their composure, but they desperately wanted to embrace and kiss each other wildly upon receiving such meaningful gifts.

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