"Yes, I would like to follow through," he answered. His eyes were gleaming, like he was looking forward to it. Weird, I thought.
"So, shall we do it now?" he prompted. Why do I feel like he was excited about this whole ordeal? It couldn't be. I was just imagining things. After I got my thoughts in order, I spoke.
"We need paper, ink, a knife, and a cup, along with witnesses from both sides," I told him. He nodded, got up, and went outside. I sat there, watching his back. He's very muscular. His shoulders are broad—broader even than Salime's. Thinking about him made me sigh.
He insisted he'd come along with me, but I rejected his offer, reminding him that he was the regent now and our people needed him. Then he insisted on sending soldiers with me, which I also declined.
"I'm going over to sign a peace treaty, not to start a war," I told him. He sighed. Then he looked at me.
"Can I hug you—" escaped his mouth. Then, as he finally comprehended what he said, he took a step backward, fear visible on his face.
"No," I told him. At the age of sixteen, I had shared my first kiss with him. We were very much in love. He was my first love. When we were about to share our second kiss, the adults caught us; we were separated. I was castle-bound, and he was sent to the border village with his father.
I was told that I couldn't marry him because his hair was flaming red and his eyes were emerald.
"That will activate the curse of the Dragon," they told me. I was locked up in a restricted section of the castle library, forced to read and study all the books and scrolls there. My mother personally took the role of teaching me. I cried and protested, yet she wasn't going to go easy on me.
"Is it so wrong to fall in love?" I once screamed at her.
"Yes, it is. For our Dragon kind, it is our curse," my mother softly replied. Somehow, I grew up. I had given up on love. He also grew up. When we saw each other again, I was already sitting on the throne. He took the blood oath. It seems years apart hadn't extinguished the old flame.
"Forgive me, my queen," he said, his eyes sad. There were a thousand things I wanted to say, but I couldn't.
"You're forgiven," I told him instead. I felt a pang in my chest. The irony of all this was that I was still going to marry someone with another hair and eye color. It made me laugh, but my eyes watered, and I started crying. I buried my face in my hands and just let the tears fall. I didn't realize the tent was open, and my future husband had entered.
"Rhia," he called. It made me freeze. His voice was so tender, softer. The fact that he just called me by my nickname, one I reserved for my closest ones, didn't really offend me either. It made me feel like I was home. I looked up at him, trying to swallow my sobs.
He looked concerned, his eyes softening at the sight. He kneeled in front of me and widened his arms. I looked at him, confused.
"You can cry in my arms, if you like," he said. I was a bit dumbfounded, but he looked so serious. He wasn't making fun of my emotional outburst. So, I took it. I buried my head on his shoulder, held on to him, and cried to my heart's content. He hugged me and patted my back. He smelled like sandalwood and a hint of a flower I had heard the name of—ah, yes, jasmine. Jiao had brought me some when he came back from the south. I remember liking that flower's fragrance. It was soothing. His embrace was soothing.
It took me a while to calm down. After I did, he provided me with a handkerchief to fix my face. I used it to wipe my tears away, and then he helped me fix my hair. His hands were gentle.
"You can take more time if you like," he told me.
"No, I'm fine. Is it ready?" I asked him. He nodded and helped me up. We walked out hand in hand. I smiled at Jiao, who was waiting for me anxiously. He let out a relieved sigh. In front of us was a table with paper, ink, a brush, a golden goblet, and a knife.
Jiao took the brush to write on the paper. They were waiting. I suddenly felt like words were stolen from me, so it was the Selon Emperor's first condition and agreement.
"I, Arvid von Senayak, will marry the Queen of Draga, Rhianne Serenna Draga, and in exchange, we become a family and will never question Draga Kingdom's sovereignty. We will never bring war upon this land and will protect the Draga Kingdom if the lands are threatened. This promise will be upheld by the generations to come until the Draga Kingdom and the Selon Empire cease to exist." His words were clear; his tone never wavered. Then it was my turn.
"I, Rhiaenne Serenna Draga, the Queen of Draga, will marry Arvid von Senayak, the Emperor of Selon. And as we become a family, I will uphold my duty as his wife, remaining by his side till the end of my days. I will not betray him or the Selon Empire. May the Gods above the Mountains of Serana witness our union."
That was all. Am I really going to become nothing, aren't I? I was a queen; now I'll become one with a man's shadow, ceasing to truly exist. It felt bitter on my tongue, but there weren't any other choices.
Then, after Jiao wrote down all that, and someone from the empire's side checked the writing, came the barbaric part of the agreement. I hated this.
I took the knife and cut open my palm. Then I poured the blood into the goblet. The atmosphere went quiet. Too quiet. No one breathed; no one said anything. After enough blood was collected, I picked up the goblet and handed it over to my very surprised—horrified—future husband.
"Drink it," I told him.