A Dance Of Blades and Hearts

what family is made of

“you really didn’t have to do this tera” I say from behind the curtain where tera stands waiting for me.

“Are you kidding me? this is my only life’s mission, of course I had too” she teases and I smile before stepping out.

Her eyes gleam when she looks at me, at the red blouse and white trousers I’m wearing.

How in contrast to her own sinbu pati where my top had been short, now its long.

I’m getting married tomorrow.

The palace has been buzzing all week, the people had been having night festivals in honour.

The dignitaries had started arriving from all the regions combined, most of them already coming to see and congratulate me personally.

I was more than overwhelmed by everything.

Although I wanted a small gathering of family and friends at the wedding, orlan is an emperor and there are some people that have to be there, like the rois of the nations.

He apologized again and again even though he didn’t need too cuz I understand.

I know what I’m getting into with him, I know marrying him equates marrying his nation, because I know being an emperor is much more than obligation to him.

He does love his people and I love him for that, and if saying yes to forever with him makes them my people too then I will, with all my heart.

Tera had taken it upon herself to throw me a sinbu pati even though it wasn’t necessary, we weren’t on zethnan land, but she was adamant about it.

The gesture was sweet and a small part of me did want to experience the passing of rights that had been in our home for generations.

I hadn’t seen orlan all day today, it was a part of both our customs, we couldn’t see each other till our wedding day.

I didn’t exactly understand it, but I didn’t question it either, it only made me more eager. A part of me was also nervous, I couldn’t deny that.

Tera takes me to orlans mothers garden and somehow, immediately I step in the first thing I remember is the first time I ever stepped in here,

How much I wanted to be anywhere else, but of course, a lot has changed since then, and I couldn’t be more grateful.

Lia and sunan beam at me as we enter and my answering grin is wide.

They’re dressed similarly in traditional zethnan sinbu pati attire and once again I’m reminded just how much I love them.

“Oh kia, you’re getting married tomorrow’ lia says hugging me, sunan giggles.

“About time if you asked me, I thought they were gonna dance around each other forever” she says with an exaggerated eye roll and everyone laughs

The pati is much more intimate than anything that I’d ever attended back home, and I realise it’s because we’re all family here.

Back home its done with all the women in the city, people you only smile at on your way but rarely ever talk too. But this, with women I can call sisters, there’s really nothing more I could have wished for the passage of rights.

we go through the talk, through the dance, lia and sunan not looking out of place at all with everything, they must have practiced for this.

The thought warms my heart, the dancing turns into giggling till tera sits it out for a while, exhausted from all the standing.