Estelle sat rooted to her seat, feeling like the biggest joke in the room. Her nails dug into her palms until half-moon marks formed in her skin, but there was nothing she could do now. The opportunity had slipped through her fingers, and no amount of anger could bring it back. Her breathing came shallowly as she watched Alexander standing beside Aevia, his attention fixed entirely on the woman who was about to become his wife.
Then a hand settled gently over her clenched knuckles, warm and reassuring. She glanced up and met Yvonne’s gentle smile. The other woman gave her hand a soft pat as she watched the couple on the altar. Her voice slipped quietly into Estelle’s mind.
’It isn’t the end of the world,’ she reassured her gently.
Estelle swallowed, forcing herself to breathe, but the words left a bitter taste in her mouth. Perhaps it wasn’t the end of the world, but it certainly felt like the end of hers.
On the altar, the High Priestess continued with the ceremony as though nothing had happened. She reached towards the silver tray beside her and carefully lifted a length of shimmering silver rope with a pair of ceremonial gloves. The rope caught the moonlight streaming through the cathedral’s high windows, glowing almost white against the darkness surrounding them. She raised it for everyone to see before lowering it between the couple.
"The golden thread represents the bond of fated mates," the High Priestess explained, her measured voice carrying through the silent cathedral. "But when fate does not choose for you, a different thread must bind your souls. The silver thread represents a chosen bond, willingly accepted by two people who have decided to walk the same path."
A murmur moved through the crowd before silence settled over them again. The High Priestess turned towards Aevia, holding the silver rope between them.
"Now that the families and the gathered witnesses have accepted this union, there is only one thing left to ask." Her gaze settled firmly on the bride. "Aevia, do you willingly join your fate with Alexander? Will you stand beside him in prosperity and hardship, in happiness and sorrow, in health and illness, through every triumph and every trial, forsaking all others and remaining at his side until death separates you?"
Aevia’s fingers curled slightly around her bouquet before she slowly lifted her gaze to Alexander. Their eyes met, and a gentle curve touched her lips beneath the veil. Even through the delicate fabric, Alexander could see the brightness of her smile, and his breath caught for the briefest moment.
"I do," Aevia answered brightly.
The High Priestess smiled before turning towards Alexander.
"Alexander, do you willingly take Aevia as your wife? Will you stand beside her in prosperity and hardship, in happiness and sorrow, in health and illness, through every triumph and every trial, forsaking all others and remaining at her side until death separates you?"
"I do," Alexander answered without hesitation, his deep voice carrying clearly through the cathedral.
Light applause rose from the nobles, quickly spreading through the hall before fading again. The High Priestess waited for silence before lifting one hand.
"Marriage is not merely the union of two people. It is the joining of families, bloodlines and legacies. The couple may make the vow, but their families must also acknowledge the bond. May the family representatives come forward?"
Kaden’s gaze immediately flickered towards Killian, and for a brief moment their eyes met. There was something almost absurd about the situation. Despite their unwillingness, they had to stand there and agree to their father marrying his mistress. Neither of them wanted to be part of it, yet neither had the luxury of refusing. Killian exhaled quietly through his nose before rising from his seat and adjusting the sleeve of his suit.
Beside Yuki, Declan leaned closer. "It’s your turn," he reminded her in a quiet voice.
Yuki blinked, momentarily realising that she had been staring blankly ahead. Then she straightened and offered a small smile. "Right." She gathered her gown and rose from her seat, her gaze immediately meeting Killian’s. He was waiting at the end of the aisle, and under the watchful eyes of the entire cathedral, they walked towards the altar together, their footsteps echoing softly against the polished stone.
Moonlight poured through the tall arched windows above them, casting a pale glow across the altar and the four figures waiting there. Killian’s expression was unreadable as he reached his father, while Yuki offered Aevia a soft smile. They stopped beside the couple, and Alexander gave Killian a quiet nod.
"Thank you," Alexander said sincerely, his voice low enough for only those closest to him to hear. He knew his eldest son. If Killian wanted to make a scene, he could have done so. Even if he couldn’t legally stop the marriage, causing a disturbance during the ceremony would have created a headache Alexander did not need tonight.
Killian met his father’s gaze, the absurdity of the situation almost enough to make him laugh. It wasn’t every day a son was asked to stand on an altar and help marry his father to the woman who had once been his mistress. The corner of his mouth lifted into a faint, humourless smile.
"There wasn’t much of a choice," he murmured dryly.
Before Alexander could respond, Aevia reached for Yuki’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Thank you," she whispered warmly.
Yuki returned the squeeze. The High Priestess lifted the silver rope, her expression solemn as she looked between the family representatives and the couple.
"Shall we proceed?"
"Yes," Aevia and Alexander answered together.
The lower priestess stepped forward and presented the rope. Killian reached for one end with his bare fingers while Yuki reached for the other. The moment the silver touched Yuki’s fingertips, a sharp sting shot through her hand. She sucked in a quiet breath as the cold metal lasted for less than a heartbeat before the pain changed into something far worse. It burned. The sensation spread beneath her skin as though she had pressed her fingers against an open flame. A faint wisp of smoke curled from the points of contact, carrying the sharp metallic scent of scorched skin. Her fingertips flushed red almost immediately, tiny angry marks appearing across them as she fought the instinct to pull away.
Yuki’s shoulders tensed, but she bit the inside of her cheek and forced herself to remain still. Across from her, Killian didn’t even flinch. His face remained stoic as he took the rope, his fingers closing around the silver as though the metal weren’t searing into his skin. Yuki swallowed and tightened her grip despite the pain. Her duty was simple. She only needed to help tie the knot. Aevia, however, would have to carry the silver bond against her skin until the ceremony was completed.
The High Priestess gestured towards them. "Bind the couple."
Yuki and Killian moved at the same time. Each carried an end of the silver rope towards their respective family member. Yuki approached Aevia while Killian stood before Alexander. Aevia extended her left wrist, and Yuki carefully wrapped the silver rope around it. The moment it touched her skin, Aevia’s fingers twitched, but she didn’t pull away. Neither did Killian when he wrapped the other end around Alexander’s left wrist.
Their eyes remained locked. There were no complaints or hesitation in their gazes, just silent acceptance.
*********
I apologise for the updates this morning. If you remember I mentioned previously in my author’s note that I was travelling for my national service as a graduate in my country. So I travelled yesterday and was unfortunate to get robbed which left me pretty disorganised as I lost access to my books. Although I am yet to recover the lost files I was able to manage to replace the Chapters. I had no choice than to upload a placeholder Chapter... I apologise once again. Hopefully another Chapter would be uploaded soon.
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