Ares awoke before dawn and went off on a run. Yet he could not concentrate on it. Ares pushed up a boulder. Yet he could not concentrate.

The fluttering within his stomach, the queasiness from his wound, the tingling going through his body.

Today was the day, after all.

Ares dropped into the river, the cold rushing through his body as he shook violently. Yet he could not concentrate on it. The flutter did not leave, nor did the queasiness, nor the tingling.

He stood up away from the water and then stared out to the forest ahead. He was half terrified and half excited, and he was sure there were other halves out there that he couldn’t feel at the moment.

Ares then finished bathing and walked back to his tent where he slipped into some casual clothes, before then Orndu walked up to him. He motioned with his head and Ares followed, taking with him his three children.

“How are you feeling?” Rori asked when Ares approached him.

Ares raised his brows. “Weird… giddy.” Ares sat down beside him. Next to Rori was the outfit that the tailors had made, with the long cloak and the feathers that lined it.

“We will start the festivities soon,” Rori said.

“Have the watches been sorted out?”

Rori nodded his head. “We have made it so that not a single Rivean will miss the event.”

With that said Ares visibly relaxed, his shoulders dropped and he rested his head into his hands. “This is the most terrifying day of my life.”

Was Ares overreacting?

He didn’t feel so.

Even now he felt his gut squeeze and he inhaled deeply before letting out a larger breath.

“Do not sweat too much, Ares, you will not wish to smell in your weddress.” Rori handed over a bowl of water to Ares.

Ares drank down the cool water and then pulled back. He stared over at Rori.

“Just… the thousands of people that will be watching me and such…”

Ares had been briefly briefed on how the marriage went. First they would dress, there would be some words exchanged, the dancing and the food, then some rites, and then they would travel about, then finally some more rites, and then some painting, and then they would have their first night together.

The entirety of it stressed him out. He had been slightly anxious about it, but he just assumed as the time approached, he’d be able to handle it. That did not work out in the slightest.

Instead he was still feeling the panic flow through him. Rori placed a hand onto his back.

“No one expected our King to fall to his wedding,” Rori said.

Ares began to laugh at Rori’s joke and shook his head. “Well, a wedding is the death of every man.” Ares couldn’t help but joke, the light air causing him to smile. “Thanks, Rori-kin.”

Rori nodded his head as the drumming began. “It is time for you to dress,” Rori said.

With that Ares left, heading around to somewhere a little more private. His Roaring Tridents watched over the area as he changed, though Ares had become rather comfortable around his warriors to the point he didn’t mind if they watched him change.

Once he was changed, Ares stepped out with his guards flanking him. He was surprised to see Xan, though he smiled at the much older man.

“I see you decided to come after all,” Ares said as he waved at Xan and then shook his arm.

“Thank you for inviting me.”

“No problem, no problem.” Ares grinned as he led Xan around. “How do I look?”

“Like a man on his wedding day.”

“That depressed?” Ares frowned, but smirked towards Xan who did not seem to react. Ares laughed.

It was then that he saw his children, this time in their attire. Runar wore a light cherry colour, whereas Ozar and Ozri wore something close to maroon.

Their clothing was similar to that of the uniform, though they also had a small cape over one side of their arm, the right for Runar, and the left for the twins.

Ares inhaled deeply as he hoisted the trio up and then embraced them tight. Something swelled within his chest. He rocked from side to side.

“Too cute! Too cute!” Ares cried out, laughing as he continued to rock around with his children. Ares showered them with kisses, causing Runar to giggle and then headbutt him, and Ozar reached over to slap around Ares’ face. Ozri just hugged him tight.

Finally he was torn away from his children by Rori, who tried to lead Ares ahead.

“You cannot be late to your own wedding,” Rori said.

“I think you’ll find that I can be late to my own wedding.”

“It was not a challenge.”

Ares laughed, before Rori reminded Ares just who he was getting married to. Ares fell silent.

Ares was led to the centre of the city. Most of the army was around for the occasion, and Ares made a quick note of where he and his family could get to safety in case something happened.

Ares could see Asyllia, Saykkera and the First Dragon nearby, along with the other dragonfolk that had decided to grace the wedding. He threw a wave over towards them before pointing to his kids and then puffing up his chest.

Asyllia leapt up moments later and then began to sweep the area with her eyes, checking to see if anything was amiss.

However, it was Xan that straightened up. “I must leave.”

Ares turned to look at him with a raised brow. “You have to leave?”

Xan nodded his head, not looking at Ares, but rather far into the mountains off in the distance. Ares had yet to fully explore that area, and so wondered just exactly what it was that had caught Xan’s attention.

“Do you need any help?” Ares asked.

“No. Please enjoy your wedding.” With that Xan left.

Ares was rather eager to head on ahead with Xan, but considering it was his wedding and al-

Ares caught his breath.

Lana was being led by two women, one of them Gantal, and the other was Emerli who seemed as though she was going to have a panic attack any moment. Emerli wore something black, but Ares couldn’t really make much out as his attention was on Lana.

Her dress was completely white, and she wore something very close to the uniform assigned to the Riveans. Yet the hem of the outfit was completely different, embroidered along every inch with…

Ares could see it wasn’t quite a pattern, but rather… more like a tapestry. Then he realised it was a story, his story. He was rather surprised, there must have been so many stitches within the hem, and yet no one would have probably noticed such a thing.

There was also a long cape that flowed down her back, yet it did not quite reach the ground. It covered around her shoulders and even slightly ahead of them. It was white and plain, yet looked rather heavy. Then Ares noticed that the shoulder area was padded with what seemed to be the segmented armour of the humans.

A sudden flash of annoyance struck through Ares. Didn’t they understand that she was pregnant? Such a thing was-

Yet he was disarmed from his thoughts by the look in Lana’s eye. She was… “Gorgeous,” Ares whispered.

As she stepped over to Ares, she reached out for his hands. His own found hers and he could feel her warmth. His throat started to close up as he tried to find the words.

Lana smiled up at him in that way, the way she did when she knew she had made him into putty to shape as she willed.

Ares stared into her eyes. He could hear the zapping off in the distance, no doubt Xan dealing with some creature or another, but he didn’t want to be there. No, he wanted to be here.

He could hear Rori say something, but he couldn’t make it out. Instead he pulled Lana in and then kissed her, ruining whatever Rori was trying to say.

Ares’ heart pounded wildly, though soon it calmed as Lana returned the kiss. Her hands rubbed down his chest before she wrapped her arms around his waist.

Ares pulled her in even closer and some powdery substances began to assault the pair. Ares pulled back, a little confused before he noticed that her beautiful outfit had been… ruined wasn’t the word, covered in the coloured powders, and so had his own.

With that Rori allowed the food to be served, and Ares led Lana away, where he saw Zika and Zaka had finally arrived. Ares nodded towards them, and then he looked to see the members of Omni Nine, as well as those that had come with him to conquer Dragon’s Spine. He nodded as his eyes met each of theirs, before he finally helped Lana sit and sat beside her.

Then they bit into the food, and though it was delicious, in fact they had even had Ezak help with making some kind of curry, Ares couldn’t really focus on it. He was happy, too happy, and his eyes were glued to Lana. His awareness was spread out, in case anything happened, but otherwise he was focused on his bride.

Lana reached up and fed Ares some crumbly pastry of some kind, before Ares returned the favour. He felt her lips with his finger tips once she accepted the food and then Ares felt his heart pound a little harder.

Rori said some rites, and Ares agreed to them. They were about the stars, the moon, the plains and such, something poetic no doubt, but Ares couldn’t really hear anything.

Then finally Lana tried to stand, and Ares held her hand and helped her up. He held her ahead of him as they rode on an oxen together, heading towards the fort. Ares couldn’t help but kiss her neck repeatedly on the way there, marking it red.

The children were riding on some oxen as well; Runar riding with Emerli, Ozar with Torak, Ozri with Rori. The Flying Wolves, every single member, was on guard and on duty, leading and following the procession.

When they arrived at the fort, they could see the long ranks of the Reptai, uniform and at the ready, none of them looking towards Ares, but looking out for any enemy. They were terrifying, even Ares felt a little uneasy and yet… there was something about the sight. When they approached the fort, whoever had been assigned to guard it, turned and then saluted them.

Lana waved at them and Ares followed her lead. Then they were served even more food, and Rori continued with the poetry and rites.

Yet even now, Ares was still focused on Lana. She seemed to glow today, though he was certain that was in no small part due to the tailors and whoever else helped her get ready.

“Thank you,” Ares said as Lana fed him.

“Thank you,” she replied as he returned the favour.

Even now Ares was praying for the night to come already, and then they could spend it together. Torak assured Ares that the children would be safe and sound so they could spend their time together.

Once they were done, they returned back to Rivea, with the Flying Wolves once again making sure to guard them.

When they arrived at Rivea, the people seemed to be winding down from all the dancing. Ares figured he may as well make a speech.

“Strip,” Lana said once she was down in the centre. She began to strip down herself.

Ares summoned some dirt walls around them. “I’m sorry, what?” Ares said.

“Strip. It is time.”

“Time for what?”

“Mating.”

“It’s time for… mating?” Ares asked.

“Our first night.” Lana smiled, now completely nude.

Ares raised his brows. “Excuse me?”

Lana reached over to grab at him. She forced him to create a doorway for Emerli to arrive, who had a bowl with red paste.

Ares looked at her, a little confused.

“What?”

Emerli then began to draw onto Lana’s slightly thicker than usual stomach.

Ares’ brows raised, still not understanding what was happening. “We aren’t fucking,” Ares whispered.

Lana stared at him. “You would deny me our first night?”

“Well, no, but I don’t want to do it in front of everyone.”

“You are a queer man…”

“That doesn’t make me queer! How does that make me queer.”

Even Emerli had turned to give Ares a look. The look hurt Ares, because it was coming from someone that was apparently a witch and one of the last of her kind, if anything, Emerli was queer.

“Come.” Lana grabbed his wrist and then pulled him on top of her.

Ares was unable to resist, and so though no one could see them, they could certainly hear their rulers go at it.

Ares also heard the other Riveans go at it too. Yet soon he was lost in Lana’s embrace and so nothing mattered anymore.