9

A Wedding Present

The Celebration of Spirits revolves around honoring Yeva, the Deity of Life, and Letum, the Deity of Death, through a tradition of a lantern ceremony. During the lighting of each flame, one chooses which deity to honor. If choosing Letum, you whisper your gratitude for knowing and loving the ones passed on. If choosing Yeva, you wish for the blessing of new life.

The lantern ceremony has become one of my favorite celebrations these last five years. The beautiful beacons of light filling the winter sky feel as if my family's spirits are the closest they'll ever be.

Every year since their passing, I have lit three lanterns and honored Letum, but as I turn toward my staff and light the first one, I decide I am going to honor Yeva.

Ahead of me in the courtyard, guests are bundled together, seeking warmth from the frigid, bitter breeze while waiting for me to speak.

My hands are shaking despite holding a flame. While it could be due to the weather, it is really because I'm terrible when addressing a crowd.

Swallowing a gulp as I steady my breathing, I take a step forward, and the guests slip into a hush.

"Thank you all for attending the past week of celebration that we have dedicated to honor our Makers." Looking toward Niko, I am met with an encouraging nod.

His sweet presence shines through the onyx leather jacket and trousers. Gold accents line his vest, complementing my gown, but not enough to cause questions.

His auburn hair is combed into place, and his eyes gaze into mine, dropping down to my lips.

I square my shoulders, my own mask of indifference slipping when his grin sends heat into my cheeks.

As I veer to the guests, I scan each individual and attempt my shot at smiling. I want to show them there is more than what they whisper. Regardless of their feelings about me, the people will be overjoyed in my choosing of Niko.

But my brief burst of delight fizzles when I stop on a familiar face.

Rick.

He studies me carefully, but I shake off the grip his blue eyes have on me.

Announcing my engagement now will leave no room for Rick to speak out against me and Niko. I hold on to that thought.

I continue, "Many of you know, on this day, we shall light these lanterns to honor Yeva and Letum, the creators of all living things, but I have another reason for celebration tonight."

The crowd's voices grow into hushed discussions, and I thank the Makers that today my cycle is more manageable. If I had started my cycle today, I would have fainted and vomited on the spot while giving this speech.

"My hope for tonight is that you, the people of Axidoria, not only honor the Deities but also join me in celebrating my marriage to Lord Nikolaj Drost of Thosow." I extend a hand to Niko, my friend, royal advisor, and soon-to-be husband.

Cheers rise from the crowd as a huff of air escapes his lips. Their yipping and hollering are nothing but a muted noise in my ears as Niko steps forward, smiling and holding my hand.

His smile warms my entire body, my heart overjoyed to call him mine.

He raises his hand to silence them. "Queen Tove and I will wed at the end of the week and would be honored if you would join us in our union."

The head of my guard stands to attention, forcing the others to follow suit.

They withdraw their swords, angling them to the sky, and chant in unison, "All Hail, Queen Tove Clemmensen and future King Consort Nikolaj Drost!"

The chant is repeated by the giddy crowd as Niko and I look at each other, beaming from cheek to cheek.

Niko takes my hand, bringing it to his lips and kissing my knuckles.

A wave of heat crashes against me when he leans in, placing a gentle kiss on my lips.

I giggle when the crowd coaxes him on, and our lips meet again.

He pulls away, sunshine itself lighting up the entire courtyard.

Facing the crowd, he says, "Now let's really celebrate!"

Our guests sing their praises again as I send my first lantern dedicated to my father into the sky.

Inching forward on the steps above the courtyard, I whisper my reverence to Yeva as well as a wish.

My father taught us about the Makers and believed that wishing gives us extra luck in our future. Keeping the tradition, I wish for my kingdom to be blessed.

As I turn to begin my second and third, guests light their own lanterns, releasing them into the sky.

My second lantern goes to my mother. Honoring her and loving her was always difficult, but since she blessed me with magic, my second wish is to harness my magic for my people and find a way to end the ongoing winter.

But when Runa's lantern is lit, I hold it close, counting my breaths and trying to settle on a wish. Smiling slightly, I think of one that will always be my wish from here on out, to heal, to love, and to find my happy again with my husband by my side.

My lips lift as my final lantern tilts up to the sky.

The clusters of lanterns soar upward, illuminating the darkened purple night.

Niko holds my hand tight, and he leans in to kiss my cheek. The heat he naturally radiates lures me in.

We stand arm in arm as the lanterns soar higher and higher in the sky.

The crowd starts trickling into the main ballroom, and Niko turns to follow, but I hold him in place. "Just a little while longer."

He says nothing as he faces the courtyard and observes the lanterns.

The ballroom entrances echo lively music and cheery laughter, and while many would want to join in the fun, I can't seem to move from this spot.

Niko asks, "What did you wish for?"

I swat his hand. "Like I am going to tell you!"

He knows telling wishes is bad luck and surrenders with a boyish laugh. "Fine, fine. I thought husbands earned that right."

"You're not my husband yet."

"Yet." He chuckles, earning a laugh from me.

A shiver shoots up my spine as I squeeze Niko's hand.

He responds by huddling nearer, guiding me back into the ballroom. Heat bombards my pale skin when we pass through the threshold, and we are met by guests hovering nearby.

The entire ballroom is drenched in sheer black fabric, climbing up every pillar, across every wall, everywhere adorned with baby's breath and white roses. The intertwining of darkness and light is a beautiful sight to see, and even everyone's ensembles reflect the decorations.

Guests are dressed either in the darkest of hues or the palest, creating more contrast between Letum and Yeva. Many tilt glasses up, extending their salutations.

Niko and I bob our heads in gratitude, knowing that, while many appear to be happy, others who were potential choices glare through their masked happiness.

The power-hungry bastards, no doubt, as Niko would say.

Approaching the dais, I barely have a moment to sit down before Lord Ulrik approaches with a scowl. Like many of the guests tonight, he is dressed in warm fabric, but instead of opting for the colors of black or white for Letum and Yeva, he is adorned in a deep navy.

I grit my teeth through my false smile, knowing pleasantries with him are important with so many watching Niko and me now. Extending my hand forward, Lord Ulrik's scowl alters briefly, the side of his lips ticking up when his dark-blue eyes meet mine.

He bows, kissing my knuckles as the stench of tobacco stings my nostrils, forcing me to clench every muscle to not gag.

Sweet Makers, I would take my menstrual pain from yesterday to avoid the headache his stench brings.

A small piece of hair falls from his blond slicked-back style when he rises. He runs a hand over it to smooth it into place, a grimace slipping when he gazes at Niko.

"Your Majesty," Lord Ulrik drawls, his speech slurring from a few too many drinks. "I must offer my felicitations to you and your future husband."

I swear to Yeva, if he wasn't intoxicated, maybe he would not have verbalized his true feelings to my face.

But Lord Ulrik's blue eyes darken as he looks between Niko and me. "Had I known you were going to choose someone that works with you so closely, I would have inserted myself into your good graces sooner."

Niko inhales sharply as my blood heats.

Ulrik narrows his gaze at Niko, and all I can do is squeeze Niko's hand as my own fury flares to life.

I cannot believe I almost considered him. He and so many other noblemen are the reason my entire kingdom knows of my powers and why they all whisper my nickname.

Niko opens his mouth, but I raise my hand, stopping him, remaining intent on my clash with Lord Ulrik. Whether he is drunk and whether he is a noble, I am not going to stand idly by, letting others think they can step over me and my future husband.

"Lord Ulrik," I jeer, "had I not known you were so heavy on the drinks and tobacco, I might have given you a second glance."

A startled scoff erupts from Lord Ulrik, and I smirk.

Lifting a brow, I challenge him to try to push me further.

He can say whatever the Oblivion he wants, but I am not going to play nice and be docile anymore.

Staring him down, I wait for him to break.

A low, rich voice comes from behind Ulrik. "Who knew the queen had such balls?"

Our heads snap to Rick, a few steps behind Ulrik, as the rest of the guests dance, drink, and converse, completely unaware.

Rick's attention is down, inspecting his boots, as if none of us heard what he said.

I am stunned that Rick said something so blunt. Surely, he knows of Lord Ulrik's social standing.

I watch in curiosity as Ulrik levels his anger on a new person.

Lord Ulrik raises his voice. "Who are you to say such a thing in front of a woman?"

Rick straightens to his full height as he steps into the lord's vicinity, eyes raking up and down Lord Ulrik as if he could swallow him.

He leans in, too close for comfort, and Lord Ulrik arches away slightly.

"I'm the man who will chop off your balls and give them to her as a wedding present if you insult her again," Rick threatens.

My eyes widen, my heartbeat thumping loud against my heart, stunned.

Sweet Makers.

A blur of black covers my view of Rick and Lord Ulrik.

"Alright, gentlemen," Niko says, hands raised as he separates me from the two men. "Let's not start anything tonight."

I peer over Niko's shoulder, the three men fallen into silence. I glance between them, trying to predict who will take down who.

Niko is well trained with weaponry and blades. Runa and I used to watch all the castle guards train when we were in our teens.

Niko still trains every day. That, I know.

And Lord Ulrik, while he is nobility, I don't find him as skilled as Niko.

But Rick?

I inhale. I do not know what he can do. But I would wager he is at least capable of following through on his threats.

Ulrik breaks first, whirling to me and offering me a short, brief bow before storming away.

I sag in relief and Niko matches my actions, smiling.

Rick watches Ulrik depart before directing his attention to Niko and me, offering a subtle bow.

Niko laughs, waving him off. All signs of jealousy are vacant from Niko's demeanor as he addresses Rick.

"How can we extend our thanks, my lord?"

Rick's eyes meet Niko's, fleeting before finding mine. His eyes appear darker, less blue and more black, as they give me a once-over.

He blinks, and his features soften, offering me a kind smile. "If My Queen allows it, I'd like to have the next dance."

Niko grins, patting him on the arm and gesturing to the dance floor. It is reassuring to see Niko unbothered by this man, despite the mishap Rick witnessed last night.

I don't necessarily need Niko's permission to accept a dance with another man, but he still offers me a quick nod.

Last night is still fresh between Rick and me, but in using this dance to explain myself and thank him, maybe I could make a friend. I cling to the idea, hoping that leaning more into optimism might also bless my future.

Warmth surges up my body as I take Rick's hand.

He drapes my arm along his elbow, inclining his thanks to Niko. When his eyes meet mine, they are brighter and filled with blue.

As we drift to the dance floor, my guilt festers in the back of my mind that I still find him attractive.

I should not be feeling anything for this man. I have Niko, yet my gut still clenches when heat radiates from Rick's every touch.

The ensemble plays a harmonious ballad, and my steps falter after a few movements. My only saving grace is Rick's hand placement, gripping me tighter to keep embarrassment at a minimum.

He chuckles at my misstep as a blush explodes on my cheeks.

"In need of saving again so soon?" he chides.

I don't answer his remark, avoiding his gaze as we sidestep and spin.

The silence is suffocating, his gaze penetrating, as if he is waiting on me like prey to respond.

I feed him the silence as my emotions simmer down, waiting until I am ready to engage as a queen. I need to keep my features calm and cool and converse with him, as I would any other person here tonight.

Like cutting the tension with a knife, I jump into making amends for the awkwardness of last night. "I never did thank you for retrieving medicine from my lady-in-waiting yesterday."

"You are feeling better, I take it?"

"Yes, very much so."

I smile lightly, and Rick grins with a nod, his one dimple pinching his scar, making my stomach somersault.

Sweet Makers, please don't let me be blushing.

I need to think of Niko and only Niko.

Not one thought should drag me back to Rick.

We lift our hands above our heads as we turn in circles, our gazes holding as our breaths sync. Twisting and twirling, Rick spins me out, then draws me back in, his touch setting the skin beneath my onyx velvet gown ablaze.

"I find it amusing that many of your guests are congratulating your future husband instead of you. I would have imagined they'd be singing your praises, not his," he states nonchalantly.

I find Niko on the dais surrounded by many noblemen and women who clasp his hands and raise their glasses to him. I am happy to defend him.

"The people love him. It is to be expected to offer good wishes to the betrothed."

The small symphony builds the ballad for the last few bars of the song.

I try to ease into the music, but I can't stop dwelling over Rick's comment. If the people didn't know of my abilities, if they didn't succumb to this ever-growing winter, they might feel differently about me.

My mood darkens, and I wish I had not gone down that path of thought.

"Relax, My Queen," Rick coos. "Or you'll freeze over the whole ballroom if you keep that up."

What the fuck?

I blanch at Rick, stunned into silence as the song ends. I assumed he had known about my nickname, but for some reason, I wasn't expecting him to voice it so bluntly.

Coldness drapes over my features as the men and women surrounding us bow to their partners.

Rick and I hold each other's gazes.

I don't know whether to react or stay silent.

Instead, I break away harshly, returning to Niko and not giving Rick another glance.

I had not expected our conversation to end that way. I had hoped to make a friend, but I should have known Rick would be like the rest of them.

I don't dwell on the thought for long because the entire world blurs when Niko's face comes into view.

Niko tilts his head in concern as I rush to him. But when I reach him, I rise to my tiptoes to kiss his lips.

It catches him off guard.

He hesitates, unsure of how to react, but I have already lowered back down as he asks with a shocked breath, "What was that for?"

I take his hand, guiding him from the guests to sit with me. "You. You just make everything better."

Niko's eyes flash as he leans in, caressing my hand. His lips are soft against my knuckles.

"You make me better," he says.

Niko scoots his chair closer to the throne, and pure joy erupts.

I am compelled to keep touching him for the rest of the night.