Alphonse fell white at the sight of the Pope and his cardinals. It took him all his mental strength to remain composed in front of him, but as the attention drifted further and further away from him, cracks were beginning to show in his facade.
He began to lightly sweat, and his heart began to race. The Alphonse who did not fear the Pope was no more. In the years after the civil war, Alphonse began to realise the folly of underestimating the Pope.
The matter with the Florent lands may have been settled, but the Pope's grand plan did not halt after securing a third of the lands. With the income flowing through those newly acquired lands, the Pope had begun to strengthen himself politically. Nobles from within the royal court and abroad were slowly being bought and turning to the Pope's side.
Alphonse slowly began to realise that the mood of the court had shifted. Whenever a new project or law was presented by Alphonse, a growing number of nobles opposed it. The attitude of courtiers had gone from pleasant and respectful to just respectful. There was no admiration or sense of loyalty with some of these courtiers. At least a third of Alphonse's court now sided with the Pope.
Even though Alphonse knew about the swaying loyalty of some of his courtiers, he initially dismissed it, assuming that it was a small minority of courtiers. But over the last year in particular, support for the Pope had grown.
This marriage was Alphonse's big statement. It would show that he had the backing of one of the world's most powerful men. Even the Pope could not take him lightly due to this, but with the Pope's offer of a venue and his services, Alphonse grew more uneasy, and with the Pope's appearance this evening, it made him worry more.
While everyone continued with their night, Alphonse remained on high alert. He could not afford to let the Pope weasel his way into the centre of this event. If people further disregarded Alphonse, then his political standing would drop even further.
Victor noticed the peculiar behaviour of Alphonse, and he had a pretty clear understanding of why that would be the case. He was no fool; Victor knew that the Pope was lobbying for more power on the continent. His involvement in the wedding was clearly a political move. If he could show that he had developed a good relationship with Victor, then it would cancel out Alphonse's plan.
Regardless of the painstaking political games being played at this event, everyone else enjoyed the food and drink while they danced the evening away.
The next few days were dedicated to the wedding preparations. This event needed to be flawless, and as such, extra care in organising the event was required. Security measures were of the utmost importance, and the safety of all important guests was paramount.
Marshal Bessières and the soldiers of the French Imperial Guard were included in these plans. They were the Luxenberg family's elite soldiers; it would be stupid to exclude them from any security tasks required for such a grand event.
Excitement began to brew as the wedding date drew nearer and nearer. Everyone in the city could feel it. More and more people began to pour into the city, most of them merchants. With such a large congregation of people, they would try their luck to peddle their wares to make a good profit.
The city was overflowing with people, and the total head count was continuing to rise. Victor could see the bustling city of Roma from his balcony; it was truly a sight to behold. People were travelling far and wide to catch a glimpse of a royal wedding. It was hard for him to compare his own wedding to this. From a simple and small wedding to an extravagant event that had the world converging on it. Everyone had a keen interest in it.
On the eve of the wedding, nerves began to strike the young couple. The pressure of such a big wedding had seemed to get into both their heads. Isabella had turned to her father for guidance, and for her, he was able to offer words of encouragement and remind her of how special the day would be for her.
On the other hand, Anton had sought out his father, Victor, for some words of advice. He visited him in his chambers and joined him on the balcony overlooking the city.
"Father, is it normal to be this nervous?" Anton asked, a small sound of doubt mixed into his tone.
Victor placed his hand on his son's shoulder and replied, "Usually yes, but that does not mean it should dictate your day."
Anton looked dead into his father's eyes, "What if I make a fool of myself and embarrass our family?"
Victor paused for a moment and looked upon his son with soft eyes, "Son, tomorrow is your special day. I know that both you and Isabella have been looking forward to this day for some time now. Do not let nerves spoil a day that is meant to be special."
Anton appreciated his father's words. Instead of offering thanks, he followed up with another question. "What is it like to be married, father?"
Victor grinned, "For the most part, it is great, but be warned, my dear boy, the scorn of a wife is a deadly thing. You will do well to remember that and tread carefully if by some how you upset your wife."
Anton's face stiffened, offering an almost scared look. "I will remember that, Father."
With the young couples' minds at ease, the night went by fast, and the morning sun began to kiss the earth. The long-awaited day had arrived. Birds were singing their songs, and the clouds refrained from showing any signs of rain. It was a good day to get married on.
With everything falling into place, the grand wedding of Isabella and Anton finally commenced.