The prayers inside the church could be heard from the outside. Lucian peeked inside, spotting a priest standing in front of an altar, dressed in a white robe with a golden cross on his chest.
Reciting a prayer, Father Horace looked nothing like a normal priest. He was muscular, tall, and had a blindfold over his left eye. A rugged, tough fighter on the outside, a soft man of faith on the inside.
Lucian led Celine inside by the hand, both wearing cloaked caps. Sitting on the bench in the back row, they listened to the priest's sermon to the end. After the priest was done preaching, the people left, leaving the two of them alone.
"It's been a long time since you last came here," the priest approached them, recognizing one of them.
Lucian bowed in greeting, "Father Horace, can I have a moment of your time?"
Father Horace nodded, motioning for them to follow him into the confession room, where they could talk to him in private. "Speak, son," he said, closing the door behind him.
Lucian and Celine glanced at each other.
"We want to get married," Lucian said.
"My, my," Father Horace chuckled, "Don't you look a bit young for marriage?"
"..." Lucian and Celine exchanged glances again.
"I'm just kidding," Father Horace said with a touch of humor, "Of course I'll help you get married. But first, I have a few questions. Do you love each other?"
"Yes," Lucian and Celine nodded.
"Are you ready to spend the rest of your lives together?"
"...Yes," Lucian and Celine nodded a second time.
"Then I shall help you," the priest said, "I suppose it's a secret affair?"
"Yes," Lucian and Celine confirmed.
"Well then," the priest said, "Follow me. We will perform the ceremony in private."
Lucian and Celine followed the priest to the back of the church, where there was a small room with a single altar. The priest lit a candle on the altar, then began to recite a prayer, "State your names."
"Lucian Arclight."
"Celine Rochefort."
Father Horace choked on his words, and he turned to face them, "Celine? Celine Rochefort? The same Celine that was supposed to marry the Prince?"
"The very same one," Lucian said.
"But you...you're not...you're not the Prince," Father Horace stuttered.
"No, I'm not," Lucian agreed.
"I...I can't do it," the priest said, "You need the King's approval for this marriage."
A tear rolled down Celine's face, "I just want him to marry Lucian before I lose him. War is coming, and he will be out on the battlefield. I want to marry him before he goes away. Please, Father, I beg of you."
"War? What war?" the priest asked.
Celine began to wail, grabbing onto Lucian's arm. "Not only is my father being sent to the front, but even my fiance is going to fight. He didn't even have time to gain enough experience and is being forced to fight on the battlefield. He might not make it. He might die. I don't want him to die before I have the chance to marry him. Please, Father. I beg of you."
Lucian wrapped her arms around her and looked at the priest.
"I..." the priest hesitated. Rumors were truly just rumors, huh? This Lady was nothing like the others described her.
"Please," Celine begged again.
Lucian wrapped his arms around her, stroking her hair, "There, there, don't cry," he said, "I'll come back to you, I promise. I will put an end to the war and come back to you. Then we can have the ceremony in front of the whole kingdom."
Celine was moved by his words, hugging him more desperately, "Oh, Lucian," she sobbed, "You're so brave."
"..." Lucian looked at the Priest, "It's an area where unrest has been occurring for a while, but now the conflict is escalating. I need to take care of the problem before it spreads; otherwise, it will affect the whole kingdom. I might not make it back alive, but I will try my best. So please, Father, I beg of you, I need to marry her before I go."
The priest sighed, "I see... If that's the case, then I'll marry the two of you. But you must promise me that you'll come back alive. You have to come back and have a proper ceremony. Do you understand me?"
"Yes, Father," Lucian said, "I'll come back alive and have a proper ceremony with Celine."
"Good," the priest said, "Now, let's begin the ceremony."
Lucian and Celine exchanged their vows, letting the priest bless them with holy water. They then proceeded to exchange rings. The ceremony ended with the priest proclaiming them husband and wife, and congratulating them on their marriage.
"Are there any churches nearby?" Celine asked Lucian, "You need to pray to God for protection, and thank him for his blessings when you stay there."
"None that I know of," Lucian said. She bawled her eyes out in response, about to collapse from the distress.
"None?" Father asked.
"Not a single one," Lucian said, catching her in his arms, "It's a dangerous area. Even if I built one, it wouldn't last long. I'll have to rebuild it every time I return."
"I'm sure that God will protect you if you build a church in his honor," Celine said. The Priest was taken aback by her words as she continued, "He is always watching over us, and he will protect you if you believe in him."
Lucian looked at her, nodding, "It's still too dangerous for his followers. I'd rather not have them die in vain. But I'll see what I can do when the conflict dies down." He turned to look at the Priest again, "Will you bless me before I leave?"
"I will bless both of you," the Priest said, "And I will pray for your safe return."
"Thank you, Father," Lucian said. "I'm sorry for imposing on you, but I have no other choice. I need your help to protect my wife and my unborn child. If something happens to me, please take care of them. I trust in your judgment, and I know that you'll do the right thing. Thank you for everything you've done for me, and for everything you'll do in the future. I'll make sure to pay you back somehow."
"What could happen here? These lands are the safest in the kingdom," Celine hit Lucian's chest with her fists, letting him catch them playfully, "Focus on your safety."
The pressure on Father's shoulders increased tenfold with her words. "I remember when you asked me for help with dealing with the corruption in the church," he said, feeling sorry for both of their situations. "It has stabilized since, and the people are more willing to listen to the teachings of the God. However, the corruption is still there, and the people are still suffering. Tell me more about that land and if there's a way for me to help them."
"Marindale Coast is a region that's been controlled by a powerful crime syndicate, and a lot of people have been suffering under their rule. I'm not even sure if I'll be able to fix the problem with my current status, but I can't just leave the people to suffer," Lucian explained, "Is it possible to count on your help? I will provide you with the funds necessary to build a church. The people are in dire need of spiritual guidance, and I believe that only you can provide it to them. Will you accept?"
"Well, it's not like I can leave you hanging," Father Horace said, determined to spread his spiritual guidance even in the most dangerous of places, "Count me in. I'll help you however I can."
"Thank you, Father," Lucian said with a grateful smile, "Tell me when you are ready, and I'll send someone to help to pick you up."