Asteron

ASTERON

A king…a warrior king, should not be this nervous. Not about marrying a female I'm already married to and who I've been lucky enough to mate more than once.

A delicious female who squirms beneath me, taking my knot like it belongs to her, because it does. A mate I will not allow to wear any clothing for the next nova-month because I want to fill her at every opportunity.

"Is everything ready?" I fire at Phinade for probably the sixth time in as many minutes. "Where is my bride?"

"She is on her way, sire," Phinade says calmly above the buzz in the throne room.

All the clans are represented. Those from the North are decked out in furs and armor as is their warring nature, although they're clearly here for the ale and food. Those from the South have expressions on their faces as if all of this is beneath them, but at the same time they are looking around at the opulence of my castle, impressed by what they see. The Southern clans remain my staunch allies, but only because of what my Western region produces, the fine fabrics and foods they prefer, along with the gemstones mined to adorn their bodies and provide wealth to the entire planet.

The Eastern clan is represented by Clan Roaan and Minoran. He grins at me from the corner he has claimed, and it is not a smile I return.

His warriors refused to surrender their weapons on entering my realm, and I am not best pleased. Not when I have a mate to protect. If he places as much honor on mating as he claims, he would surely have agreed to my request.

As it stands, I have had to place extra guards to ensure no fighting breaks out during my nuptials. I am not amused in the slightest. Not with everything else going on, and regardless of what Phinade tries to take over.

"Fanfare," I growl at my vizier. "I want my bride to have the very best."

He indicates to the royal buglers, and they start up their wailing, a sound I've hated since childhood but which is expected by all gathered here.

I could have been any sort of ruler, but I am slowly being suffocated by the rules which are binding me to Xnos and the old ways which I always vowed would not.

"Sire," Phinade hisses at me, and I see all eyes are on the far end of my throne room.

I look over my shoulder and what I see has my body spinning to face her.

My queen. She's dressed, not in the strange outfit she wore the first time we got married, but in a gown of the softest silk Xnos can provide in a deep red color, an exact match for that on my standard. The entire assembly is holding its breath, because my female is the most beautiful in the room…on the planet.

Ginny makes her way up the aisle to me, the longest train Xnos has surely ever seen flowing behind her. When I said I didn't care about the color or the dress, I didn't consider how well she would wear it.

She is beautiful.

Starlight Brides haven't just found me a mate, they have found me a queen fit for my throne.

"Hi," Ginny says shyly as she reaches me. "That's an awful noise," she adds in a whisper.

I'm not entirely sure I can speak. She is so beautiful. I stare at her, wanting to get lost in the moment. But Ginny is completely correct. The fanfare is terrible.

I make the gesture for it to cease. Her eyes widen.