The Emperor's Rose

Chapter 67//Marriage

Her eyes slowly fluttered to his. Their pupils connecting.

The monk started chanting a prayer. The whole room repeated after him. Aiko didn't. Her eyes never leaving the Emperor's. Neither did the Emperor. He was too focused on his beating heart.

The chanting slowly died. A mix of trembling voices, loud and clear and those that were merely whispers.
The sudden silence of the room clashed with the couple's beating heart.

The monk clapped his hands. A servant, with her head held low, scuttled near the monk. Her trembling hands were holding a white pillow. Two small sake cups were placed on the top. Their inside red like blood while the outside was black. Both cups were lacquered to perfection.

The monk passed the cups to the priest that had been sitting down in front of the couple. The sake pouring was the most important part and was left to the priest himself which usually only prayed in the shadows at weddings. The sake was also extremely important. It had been purified for one week by the highest priests and was considered the sake of the gods. His hat swished as he gently took the sake bottle. A lotus had been painted carefully on the side.

The priest uncorked the bottle. The cap dropping in his lap. He quietly took the first cup and poured the clear liquid to the top. The ripples distorting the calm surface. He bowed down as he raised the cup to the Emperor.

The Emperor took it. His hands trembling, almost letting the sake spill over.

The priest repeated the same procedure for Aiko's cup and then handed it to her. She bowed slightly as well and brought her cup to her lips, ready to drink.
Her hands weren't shaking, but her mind was a jumble. No coherent thought seemed to pass through it. Only two word bounced around.
The Emperor

The priest stood up. His hands holding amulets. He purified the air around the couple by throwing salt around them. The soft clinks resonating in the room like thunder. He slowly moved back to his seat, although he didn't sit down. "As soon as the couple has drank, they must exchange their cups and drink again, their bond will then be created. And everyone in this room is a witness of their everlasting bond. Musubi-No-Kami(God of marriage) is in this room with us today. We honor and thank him for spreading good fortune on this couple!" The priest ended his speech by clapping his hands.
He sat back down.

The flute player in the corner of the room started playing a soft melody. Delicate and sweet. Her swift fingers moved on the holes, covering and uncovering to create a wonderful sound.

That was the signal the couple had to start drinking.
Aiko felt her heart beat so hard against her chest it almost hurt. She was about to become the Emperor's wife. The Empress. The life she had known until then died with the sake running down her throat today. She closed her eyes.

She sensed a soft touch between her shoulder blades.
"Do not worry...I'm here watching you..."
Her mother's voice whispered in her ear.
She slowly loosened her grip around the cup. Her mom was next to her. She could do anything.

And staring at the Emperor, her eyes aflame with pride, she tipped the sake cup against her lips. Drinking the burning liquid. Her insides aflame with fear for the future.

The Emperor quickly did the same. The ice in his eyes melting. His hands shaking.
He was not scared. He tried telling himself but failed. His senses overpowered by an excitement and fear he had never felt before as he drank as well.
The both made sure to not to drink everything. And as soon as they both pulled the cups away from their respective mouths, the flute stopped playing and the shamisen followed. The strings reverberated
Aiko bowed down on her knees as she slid her lacquered cup across the floor to the Emperor.
He quickly knelt down as well. His cup gently placed in front of her.

They both grasped the cup gently. Aiko shivered as the warm material touched her hand. The warmness of the Emperor. One which she hadn't felt in days.

She stood up. Her kimono rustling around her feet.
Aiko shivered. This was the last seconds as Aiko the country girl. She thought. Tears springing in her burning eyes.

She quickly placed the sake cup to her lips. Mimicking Aiko, the Emperor did the same. As soon as they both had started drinking the flute and shamisen started playing in symphony.

They both downed the small remaining of the liquid down. Over run by tremors.

The whole crowd held their breaths.
The priest stood up. In his hands he had dried rose petals. "Their bond is now forever lasting! Let us cheer to this reunion desires by the gods!"
He said as he started showering the couple with rose petals.

Aiko knew very well this union was not desired by the gods, but, she felt like in the bubble of the moment, it did, and had been planned all along by the mischievous red string of fate. And as the Emperor approached, she felt the fear slowly wither away. A genuine smile lighting up her eyes and smile.

The Emperor froze slightly at the brightness of her smile. His own body going against his will and smiling as well.

"You may now take her hat off." The monk said.

The Emperor nodded, dazed, as he gently slipped off her hat. Careful not to ruin her hairstyle.
He gripped it, holding it in front of both of them.

He leaned closer.
Aiko did as well.

Their lips joined. Molding against each other behind the coverage of the hat as the crowd cheered at the couple's "first kiss". Aiko giggled in her mind as she realized this was not their first kiss. But another voice contradicted her.

It was their first kiss, as a married couple.