Aurelia stood in the wedding hall along with Morgana and Louis Mograine, while on the bench next to them was the entire Garcia family.
Flowers were everywhere, and the garden outside was prepared with all kinds of beautiful decorations that signified the union that was happening today.
Aurelia wished that her Aurelian was here to witness this sight. He would've probably already been drunk; after all, this was his cousin's wedding. Sadly, he was at war, and he had earned an insane amount of money, allowing their city to be closer and closer to its full restoration. She soon shook the sad thought off her mind; Aurelian would wish for her to enjoy the moment for both of them.
Dain was on the altar as he lifted the veil of his bride, Arianna Valestride, daughter of Count Valestride, a border lord in the East. She was around twenty-three, and this was the happiest day of her life.
She had met him in the Capital and spilt a drink in his face, as he had drunk in a bar and opened the wrong restroom. Nothing happened after that; however, one fateful day, as she was working in the Imperial Palace as a medic, he brought Valtherion, who was now Aurelion, to be treated. He had been cut during training.
It was an awkward experience, especially for her, but Dain was a cool guy, and he said that he deserved it. From then on, Valtherion would be very often injured...and Dain's relationship with her gradually improved, until he had to leave for war.
Her father was a regional lord bordering Duke Garcia's territory, and she had decided to help in her father's army by being a medic. It was when the city was conquered and the armies headed towards Aurelion City that Arianna and Dain reunited, and their love blossomed.
They were perfect opposites to each other, as he was easygoing and relaxed, while she was timid; however, together, they filled everything that they lacked individually. She could see herself in his eyes right now, the reflection of her green eyes that went along with her brown hair. She barely reached his chest; however, it was enough, as she could hear his heart every time he embraced her.
"You may kiss the bride!"
Dain leaned in and kissed her, causing the whole hall to erupt in cheers. He was married to the love of his life, finally! It was the happiest day of his life, and he couldn't wait to have kids and let his cousin baptise them. It had been one month since his departure, and so far, everything was going well there.
Soon, the celebration was moved to the gardens, as the weather allowed it, and even if it did not...Dain's grandmother was Archmage Rose, who was now permanently in Aurelian City, guarding the Holy Mirror. Even if it was rainy, it wasn't anything that Granny couldn't fix.
Everyone was toasting and celebrating, talking among each other; however, a figure stood at a distance and avoided talking with everyone.
This lonely figure was Alexstraza Garcia, sister of Dain. Her white dress allowed only for her shoulders to be revealed, even if they were mostly hidden by her curly hair, while even her hands seemed to be wearing gloves. At least, she was fitting for the occasion; however, her eyes betrayed her.
She seemed tense as if something was clawing at her. Every time she looked at her brother, parents, as well as Morgana and Louis, her expression flickered, as if she would cry at any moment.
"Excuse me, little one!" A voice rang behind her, startling her. It was Louis Mograine himself.
"Oh, uncle! You startled me. How ar- are you?" Alexstraza spoke worriedly as she looked around to see if anyone was looking at her conversing with Louis Mograine - her uncle.
"Forgive me for being blunt, little one, but is there something wrong? We all understand that something must've happened between you and my son; however, that does not change that we are all your relatives. Plus, hey, even if you haven't talked to Aurelion for years now, he's not here. So, relax, it's your brother's wedding! Your aunt Morgana misses talking to you as well, and your parents are worried." Louis said as he observed her expression. He had a feeling there was more to this situation, as sometimes Alexstraza looked at her relatives with desire to speak, but would refrain from doing so. Even Julian, his brother-in-law, had complained months ago about how his daughter would avoid the whole family.
Alexstraza looked at her uncle's eyes, and she felt tears coming from her own, so she put her hands there, pretending to fix her hair. She remembered very well why Valtherion, who was now Aurelian, stopped talking to her. It was a mistake that she had made, in the heat of her youth, and even as she apologised, she thought something was wrong with Val's forgiveness.
He had stopped replying to her letters, inviting her to his pink mansion, inviting her to his birthday, or even being present at hers. He did not even smile at her as they passed each other at the Academy and avoided speaking to her entirely. She knew it was her fault as more and more time passed, but she knew there was no going back.
It was at that time that she met Marquis Frederick's son, Benjamin, and he had comforted her as she had shared most of her experiences with him. He was supportive of her and agreed that her relative's arrangements to push her to marry Valtherion had been a bit too much. It was normal to react like that at her age, and he advised her to stay away from Val.
One thing led to another, and he was openly courting her, to which she responded positively, even against her parents' wishes, even if she knew that something was wrong. It all had changed when Val's conquests in the war had brought him glory. Benjamin turned mad with envy and jealousy, and now she felt trapped, and she had been for years already.
Thankfully, the music was loud and everyone was busy dancing or eating the food whose aroma rivaled the flowers of the wedding place.