Wildfire

Seventy Three

"A-Are you sure we should be doing this?" I swear to the gods if my cheeks burn any brighter than they already are I might faint right here and now in Emrys's arms, "Should we instead be somber and thoughtful?"

All of the attention paid to me this morning upon waking... All of yesterday's peace given to us by the staff and the court being respectful of our need for space and time alone with each other, even after we involved them all in the tasting of the cake yesterday morning... And even though it had been fun... Having Emrys tell me of the smiles that had been shared upon the tasting of the test confection it had truly warmed my heart... But opening the palace to the village as we had originally planned to celebrate what should have been our wedding day seems like a risk that we should not be taking with two less than stable men after us both... I feel as though maybe we should be hiding away instead of readying me to be shown off to the public. 

"No... They are not robbing us or our people the chance to celebrate our wedding properly... You deserve to feel as though you are every bit the title you've inherited, and we all deserve a good smile and to laugh and make merry..." My husband is so sweet as he reaches for me, my mother and sisters releasing me from their grasp, my hair rewound into the crown that had graced my head during our secret ceremony, my face painted and set with enough power to make me feel as though maybe... Just maybe... Not everyone will be able to see how hard I am blushing... 

...

Emrys

...

Xiang and Shen will not ruin what was meant to be our wedding day... They have already stolen so much from Rayne... So much from me... They will not take away this day... No... We will eat, drink, and be merry... Or at least... Rayne will... I intend to keep my wits about me to keep watch over him with the guards... The two of us shall be surrounded by soldiers hidden and posed and my sweet wife will be the safest that he has ever been, no matter how many villagers come and join us for today's celebration. 

All I have ever wanted was my own piece of happiness... A wife... A happy family... And for the kingdom that I was born to rule over to be happy and so filled with joy that it becomes known for never letting its citizens frown... For my father to behave like a father for once instead of only thinking of himself. 

And now I find myself so close to achieving everything I've ever wanted though I know one of those things will likely always be out of reach, Xiang proving himself as no real father a very long time ago even if I did not have it in my heart to acknowledge our situation as so... 

But he has soured me not... For I have found the most lovely of wives, and the family that comes with him has already accepted me into the fold, and very happy they are... And as soon as we take care of the threat of Xiang and Shen the kingdom shall be happy as well, though currently none of them could have any idea of the true threat looming over us all, "You'll be perfectly safe, my sweet Moon Beam... I'll be right by your side and we shall sing and dance and have our minds completely wiped free of the stain of Shen and Xiang... Neither one of them would dream of trying to execute a plan on today of all days... Not with how much the people already adore you..." 

It would be pure madness for either one of them to think that there would not be an uprising if they were to try and come after us so very publically... Right then and there I can picture it in my head if the reaction to him by the staff is any indication... Rayne truly is the people's Queen, if not just for the very fact that they feel as though they are understood and respected by his gentleness if not for his original station of birth...The staff has already grown to love him, and he has made more than one member of court smile with his genuine care of those of us lucky enough to find ourselves blessed with his kind presence... 

...

Rayne

...

"I never feel unsafe with you by my side, Emmy... I just fear that it might come off in bad taste with everything else going on right now...Just... We're preparing for a war..." I know that my husband shall always keep me safe... He will never allow those two men or anyone else who wishes to hurt me anywhere near my person... But I cannot help but feel as though we should be focusing our efforts on fortifying the palace rather than opening it up for everyone to join us... 

"Celebrating our marriage will never appear as though it is in bad taste... We have all been waiting so long for this moment..." Emrys is so gentle as he lowers his lips to my forehead before allowing the two of us to stand from where I had tumbled into his lap after being declared finished by Mama, the two of us finding ourselves alone so that we might help each other back into the gilded robes we had worn while taking our vows... Mine smelling slightly of smoke from clinging to my waist during my branding... " I am sure that everyone will be rejoicing over the fact that Xiang is no longer the one with any kind of power over them."

"You sound so sure of the fact that they may already love me..." I cannot help but feel the tiniest bit nervous over possibly being rejected by the new people with all of the rumors that  Shen has spread about me...

"Because I already love you... I do not see any possibility of the people not finding you just as charming and lovely as I do..."