Chapter 560: Marriage Ceremony II
Elion couldn’t help smiling.
’She looks so jumpy and cute.’
Their eyes met, and Tessa’s cheeks immediately reddened.
Elion gave her a reassuring smile, and she took a breath, then slowly walked forward. Each step brought her closer and closer to where he stood.
Paul stood near the ceremonial altar with his arms folded, his expression unusually serious for once.
Terressa stood beside him, smiling warmly.
Paul cleared his throat.
"Well." He looked between the two of them. "Considering everything that happened today, I’m honestly surprised we’re still standing."
A few clansmen laughed.
Terressa elbowed him.
"Paul."
"What? It’s true."
Elion chuckled.
Tessa covered her face briefly.
"Father..."
"Fine, fine."
Paul straightened, and his expression became stern.
Elion glanced at Tessa.
She was looking at him with a mixture of anticipation and nervousness.
It was rather odd that Tessa of all people was going to be the first of his women to have a formal marriage ceremony.
When they had spoken about it earlier, none of them had a problem with it, apart from Aria, who had immediately written a letter to her father telling him to start making proper arrangements.
The Moon Family was quite different from the Crimson Family. It was considerably larger, being made up of a vast extended family along with numerous trusted aides and affiliated members.
Mira had been the one to put the matter into perspective.
’Getting formally married first doesn’t mean you’re the first wife. It’s just semantics.’
She had said.
Which was rather ironic, considering that Mira had said she didn’t care about having a formal ceremony to tie them together in the same breath.
Perhaps she had simply done it to set an example.
Elion had long since noticed that Mira seemed to consider herself the leader of his harem.
Celeste had also expressed her desire to hold that position, despite there being no real reason to create such a position in the first place.
When Elion had attempted to point that out, he had been chased out of the room immediately.
That had happened back in Dreadmoor Hollow.
’In any case, it’s going to be fun watching Mira and Celeste settle this little debate.’
If they actually ended up settling it with a contest of strength, however, it would be rather unfair to Mira.
Celeste was simply too powerful.
Elion would probably have to intervene and suggest something a little more reasonable before their friendly rivalry escalated into another completely unnecessary battle.
’I can already imagine them arguing over some ridiculous title.’
Suppressing a chuckle, Elion pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind and returned his attention to the ceremony.
Paul had stepped forward.
The usually carefree patriarch wore an unusually solemn expression as he looked between Elion and his daughter.
"Today, before the Crimson Family and our ancestors, we acknowledge the bond between these two."
The hall gradually fell silent.
Even the musicians stopped playing.
The only sounds that remained were the faint crackling of the ceremonial flames and the occasional shifting of robes as the gathered clansmen settled into place.
Paul’s gaze moved toward Elion.
"Elion Nova."
Elion straightened slightly.
"Do you accept Tessa Crimson as your wife?"
Paul paused.
"And do you swear that, regardless of whatever dangers may stand before you, you will protect her, stand beside her, and treat her as an equal?"
Elion glanced toward Tessa.
She was watching him intently.
Elion nodded, giving her a smile.
"Always."
Paul nodded.
Then he turned toward Tessa.
"Tessa Crimson. Do you accept Elion Nova as your husband, and do you swear to stand beside him even when the road ahead becomes dangerous?"
Tessa’s eyes remained fixed on Elion.
"I do."
Her voice was quiet.
Paul smiled.
"Then..."
A faint crimson glow suddenly spread across the ceremonial floor.
Elion’s eyes narrowed slightly as glowing runes appeared beneath their feet. He could feel a strange force gathering around them.
"The Crimson Family’s ancestral oath," Tessa whispered.
Elion looked down again. The runes began glowing brighter.
Paul raised one hand.
"From this moment onward, the Crimson Family acknowledges Elion Nova as Tessa Crimson’s husband."
The crimson light rose slowly around them.
"And should either of you call upon this family’s protection in a time of need, our blood will answer."
The words echoed throughout the hall as several clan elders lowered their heads. The atmosphere became strangely solemn.
Elion felt something seep into his body: A faint warmth that felt more like a budding connection. It lasted only for a moment before disappearing.
His eyes narrowed.
’Interesting.’
Whatever that ceremony had done, it had not simply been symbolic.
Tessa suddenly reached for his hand.
Elion looked at her, and she smiled.
Then Paul raised his voice.
"With the ancestors as witnesses and the Crimson Family as your foundation, I declare this union recognized."
The hall erupted with cheers, and drums began beating. Music erupted from the musicians positioned along the walls.
Tessa’s face turned bright red as several clansmen began shouting congratulations.
Paul laughed loudly.
Terressa smiled.
Elion squeezed Tessa’s hand.
"Well, wife, it’s about time that you do your wifely duties, don’t you think?"
Tessa looked at him, and her face became even redder.
"Don’t say it like that."
"Why?"
"Because..." She looked away. "...it sounds strange."
Elion grinned.
"You’ll get used to it."
"Cheers, guys!"
The newlywed couple had made their way toward Mira, Aria, Zenith, and Isla, who spared no effort in congratulating them, their happy smiles making Tessa’s already flushed face turn an even deeper shade of red.
After that came the rather boring, seemingly endless round of congratulations from the clansmen.
Elion endured it with a smile on his face, shaking hands, exchanging pleasantries, and nodding along as one person after another introduced themselves.
He wasn’t really committing most of the names to memory, though.
There were simply too many of them, and he doubted he was ever going to see most of these people more than once, anyway.
Eventually, after he had made his way through what felt like half the clan, Elion decided that he had done enough.
"You finish the rest," he whispered to Tessa.
She looked at him suspiciously.
"You’re leaving me?"
"Not leaving. Strategically withdrawing."
"That’s just a fancy way of saying you’re leaving."
Elion smiled innocently.
"You know me too well already."
Tessa rolled her eyes but continued greeting the remaining clansmen by herself.
Elion, meanwhile, decided to find the perfect opportunity for the two of them to slip away unnoticed once she was finished.
They hadn’t exactly discussed the sleeping arrangements with Terressa, and judging from the way her mother had been watching them throughout the evening, Elion had a feeling that simply asking might lead to an unnecessarily awkward conversation.
The Ark would solve that problem. He walked over to Mira and quietly handed her control over the artifact.
"Hold onto this for me."
Mira accepted it with a curious expression.
"Planning something?"
"Nothing suspicious."
"That’s exactly what someone planning something suspicious would say."
Elion chuckled.
"Just making sure guys have a comfortable place to sleep."
Mira gave him a knowing look.
"Be gentle with her." She advised.
"Of course, I am the most gentle person in the world!" He declared boldly.
"Sure you are..."