The room fell silent as the bride and groom stood up. The Archbishop looked at them as he held up the cross on-high.

"Then allow me to administer your vows with a series of questions." He said

Usually a priest would have an agenda book with everything ready to be read out, but being a senior clergyman, the Archbishop had memorised it by heart. He began asking the groom a set of questions.

"Do you, Valamar Theodoros si Valamen, Crown Prince of the Harajaon ni Tanoruma, son of Valasaire XIX Vasilios si Valamen, hereby solemnly swear in front of the witnesses in this house of God, the Church, and in front of the LORD Himself, to take this lady as your lawfully wedded wife in sickness and in health, joy and in pain, and to love her as Christ so loved the Church and love her as you love yourself and become one with her till death do you part?"

"Yes, I do." Valamar answered with slight nervousness though with a calm appearance

"And do you, Cassandra Lucia de Castelli, Sovereign princess of the Florentinian Union, daughter of Antonio Lorenzo de Castelli, hereby solemnly swear to accept this man as your lawfully wedded husband in sickness and in health, in joy and in pain, and to love him and devote yourself to him as Christ devoted Himself to His Church, till death do you part?"

"Yes, I do! Forever and ever!" she answered with a little more excitement though with a slight blush

"You may exchange your wedding rings as a sign of your oath."

Valamar and Cassandra took turns putting their wedding rings which had been previously put on the table in front of their seat. As they put their rings on, Valamar and Cassandra could see some of their family tearing up, mainly the women. After they put on the rings, they showed their hands to the people who answered with loud applause and cheer.

"That's my boy!" Valamar could hear his father shout but immediately be flicked on his ear by his grandmother who sat behind him

Cassandra saw her family also happy with her mother wiping tears of joy at the event. Cassandra too felt like she wanted to cry, but she held back her tears. The couple then turned back towards the front where the Archbishop was smiling.

"You may proceed to sign the charter." he said and the two proceeded to do so. Cassandra noticed Valamar's signature was in fact the name Theodoros and she smiled a bit.

"Then by the power vested in me by the Church and the State, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss your bride."

When he said that, Valamar and Cassandra began to tense up again. They were mixed with excitement and embarrassment. Valamar was mentally preparing himself to do it but to his surprise, Cassandra had taken the initiative and kissed him while putting arms around his neck. The people cheered even louder as they saw that. The kiss felt soft, tender, and gentle. Afterwards, Valamar could see Cassandra was visibly flushed red.

The Archbishop then put the cross he was holding down and proceeded to sign the wedding charter as well. He then proceeded to stretch out his hands to bless the newlywed couple and began to bless them as a closure to the church ceremony. He began his words in the Terran language but then proceeded to change into using the Halak one.

The wedding ceremony at the church has officially been concluded. They were now legally man and wife in the eyes of the church. The Ceremony ended with singing another hymn.

"Now we really are married..." Cassandra said as she looked at Valamar with a huge smile "I am now officially my lord's wife!" she said as whilst proceeding to hug Valamar again.

"And I will love you forever and ever..." Valamar said with a smile as he looked at his new precious treasure "But can you drop the 'my lord' thing... it's getting a little odd... it would make people seem like I'm a dominating kind of person... You could call me by my name."

"But I've gotten used to calling you 'my lord'... Valamar... my Valamar... my one and only husband..." Cassandra started to go on in a sort of trance while she was smiling

"Cassandra!" Valamar said to call her out of it

"Oh forgive me, my lord! I was a bit out of it... hehehe... I mean, Valamar..."

"You know what, it's fine. You can call me whatever you want. My lord is fine. I can say I've also gotten used to it."

"Alright! Though maybe I'll call your name once in a while, my lord... So that's it, huh? We're now officially married."

"In the eyes of the church..." Valamar said with a sort of 'kind of...' tone

"What do you mean... Oh yes... ompung told me of this... there's still another ceremony after this, isn't there?" Cassandra asked

"Unfortunately so. Halak weddings last from dawn till dusk. We're merely halfway through. We must go through a mangadati."

"The ceremony where we have to go through traditional processions according to Rumasilian tradition?"

"Yes... I'm so sorry if this is a bit inconvenient to you. And I know you must be tired being up for this long. I wish there was-..."

"It's okay my lord!" Cassandra said happily "Whatever it is we have to go through, as long as I'm with you, I'm far more than happy."

Valamar smiled as he caressed his new wife's cheek. He then noticed his uncle Valaron stepping up in front of the altar looking like he was going to make an announcement.

"Forgive me, ladies and gentlemen, but after this, we will head straight for the palace gardens to have the traditional ceremonies. You may congratulate the newlywed couple there after the ceremonies are completed and after that, we have prepared the most delicious of Rumasilian cuisine for your enjoyment. Thank you for the attention.” As he said that, Valamar saw him motion to the door.

Valamar and Cassandra exited the Cathedral and got on a special white carriage with the flags of Rumasil and Florentia on it. It was to take them straight to the palace gardens.

***

As they arrived at the palace gardens, Valamar saw that most of the guests had already arrived. The place was decorated beautifully. Lanterns being hung everywhere, the scent of the flowers, the many ponds and fountains and bright colourful flowers really added to the atmosphere. Many of the servants were finishing the preparations of the tables and chairs where the guests were to be seated.

A stage had been sat at the forefront of the gardens with a large chair meant for them both to sit on as well as another one in front of the stage also for them. Next to the center chair on the stage were more chairs meant for the family of the bride and groom. Valasaire and Alessa sat to the right side along with Vera, Vald and Angelina, and Valerie and also Valaron at the far right. On the other side was Antonio and Avenne along with Enrico, along with some of Cassandra's uncles.

The two then took the seat as the ceremony was about to begin. Cassandra noticed that music was playing in the air as she saw a group of people playing instruments she had never seen before in her life.

"That is what you call the Gondang..." Valamar said as he noticed his wife looking at the people playing the instruments "Traditional Halak music. Some hardliners call it demonic, I call them idiots with no sense of tradition."

"Demonic?" Cassandra asked confused

"It's a really long story. Literally a lot of the aspects of Rumasilian tradition have been debated by theology for millenia... Anyways, the ceremonies are about to start."

As he said that, the music stopped and Cassandra could see an elderly looking man walk up in front of the stage and started addressing everyone there and welcoming all the guests, but most importantly the Rumasilian nobles and the Memnosi Imperial family.

"Who's that man?" Cassandra whispered

"Valahan si Valamen." Valamar answered "Formerly the Lord Commander of Rumasil's military."

"He's a Valamen?"

"Yes. In fact he's the oldest member of the Valamen family still currently living at eighty eight years of age."

"Eighty eight?"

"Yes."

"He's remarkably healthy for someone who's almost ninety. Why haven't I seen him around before?"

"Oh, he doesn't live in the palace. He's been living in some monastery in the countryside away from the city, though he sometimes goes to ceremonies like this as the elder representing the si Valamen family. By the way, he's the younger brother of King Valadar the just. He has served Rumasil's army from 1518. He became Lord Commander of the military in 1540 and retired from the position after twenty years in service. But even then, he participated during the Provarian invasion of Rumasil at almost seventy five. The man's a living legend."

"Amazing..."

After that, the old man invited the other elders to start speaking. They all began speaking in the Halak language which went right over Cassandra's, and in fact her entire family's head. Valamar could see the Florentinian family only nodding and smiling.

The people who were talking were even more elderly looking people. There were about seven more of them including Valamar's maternal grandfather, the Emperor of Auros.

"Besides the Emperor, who are the other people?" Cassandra asked again in a whisper to her husband

"Those are the elders of the other Great Houses of Rumasil. The Siyesa, Sihoras, Sianakranu, Sitoba, Simanaek, and the Silamen." Valamar answered

"Ah, so the seven great houses are expected to be in attendance?"

"Yes. Just bear with the talking, Cassandra. I know how boring this can get."

"It's alright, Valamar. Experiencing a new culture is most exciting! I love how fierce the Halak language sounds. But I don't get why your grandfather the Emperor is there. I'm even more surprised that he speaks Rumasilian like a native."

"You remember in that one ceremony before where we gave you the surname Memnos?"

"Yes I do. Your grandmother said it's because they have to give me a recognised marga. What confuses me is why the Memnos are even considered a Rumasilian family. They're Latinosi from Auros!"

"Remember, the Memnosi have been marrying off their daughter's to Rumasil for at least four thousand years not to mention the fact that we’ve also sent many daughters there for just as long. Our relations are close. As is the case, the House of Memnos has been recognised as an official marga of Rumasil. For the Castelli to be recognised, you'll need at least ten generations of Castelli queens. Anyways, it's because of that that the Memnosi Imperial family members learn both how to speak in the Halak language and the Aurosian tongue. The Rumasilian family in turn also knows the Aurosian language, though we much prefer the Halak tongue."

"You know how to speak Aurosian?"

"Of course I do."

"Why haven't I heard you speak it?"

"Εϊναι δύσκολη γλώσσα"

"Showoff!" Cassandra nudged at her husband's side slightly while giggling.

Finally, after quite a bit of time, the elders had finished with the opening statements and they motioned for the music to start playing again. Caassandra could see at the edge of the place people were lining up. The women had a sort of sack which they held on top of their heads while some held it close to their chests.

As the music was playing, the people started marching towards the stage in a sort of dance according to the beat of the music. They were the Rumasilian Noble Houses along with the Aurosian Imperial family. When they got to the front, they had poured the sacks over and filled a larger sack with rice. Cassandra looked on with curiosity

"This tradition stretches way back when the Halak were only simple farmers living in huts of villages." Valamar explained

After that, the elders motioned for Valamar and Cassandra to come down and sit on the chair in front of it. As they sat there, they could see the people again ready to march, but this time, an elder at the front of each group was holding an ulos. As each group marched, music played as they danced forward while holding their hands in a clasp. Each family had a few representatives who spoke, it had to be male as per Rumasilian tradition. Valamar and Cassandra smiled at all the people who had something to say. It was a form of representing a family and giving their blessings. After each family had concluded its blessings and advice, the music would start playing again as one member would signal it and the elders holding the ulos would wrap it around the couple as a symbol of God's blessings upon the two. After that, they would congratulate the couple and form the line and go to the stage to congratulate the families as well.

As the music kept on playing, the guests who were not part of the group were free to dance to the music with other guests holding a bag of coins and giving it to the other guests. It was a wonderful form of festivities. Sometimes, it was Valaron who joined the dancing people with a bag of coins, giving money to them. He was especially kind to little children. Valamar could see his sisters having fun dancing as well.

Finally it came to the last group to give their blessings. It was the Memnosi. Cassandra always found it amusing when she saw the Aurosian Imperial family take part in a foreign culture such as this one. As they got to the front, Alexios motioned for the music to stop and he came forward to officially confer his blessings. He was holding an ulos, but unlike the others, it was purple, the colour of Imperial royalty.

"Mauliate godang tu Debata di Jahowa asa boi ma hami marpungu dison!" The emperor said in perfect Rumasilian "However, for you foreign guests here, allow me to speak in the Terran tongue. I would just like to say, and I represent everyone standing here, at the sight of my second eldest grandchild, enjoying his wedding. It really is a sight to behold. And it really does remind me that I'm old. Without much small talk, I would just say, may God bless this union and may fortune and grace be with you two!"

After that, The Emperor stepped forward and placed the ulos around his grandson and his new wife and proceeded to hug them followed by the other family members. The Empress in turn came over them and wrapped her wings around them and said a small prayer in her native tongue before kissing both their foreheads. It was a Razyan custom.

After all of that, to conclude the meeting, Valamar had to address the guests who came. And so he stood and gave his thanks to the people who came to his wedding. It actually didn't take as long as expected. Finally, King Valasaire stood up to conclude it.

"Again, as my son had said, we thank you all for coming!" He said earnestly "Now, you won't be leaving before you eat, and my, do you all look famished. Please, enjoy the most delicious food Rumasil has to offer! And over all enjoy the party! There's more singing, dancing, and fun to be had!"

Everyone there cheered and immediately a line formed at the buffet tables.

Valamar and Cassandra remained seated as they enjoyed each other's warmth and Cassandra laying her head on his shoulder.

"Now, we are officially husband and wife." Valamar said

"I love you, my lord." Cassandra replied

"As do I."