The Fire and The Storm - The Nexus of Kellaran #2
Chapter 135

Part 20

"Your sense of responsibility does you proud, but I think you are missing the greater social and political implications of the situation.

"We have always benefited from our alliance with The High People, and been very proud of it, and we know that our powerful alliance with them is based on your close personal friendship with Prince Yazadril, which gives our alliance a greater dimension than the merely political.

"Hilia is universally recognized as the most dynamic and progressive nation in The Just Alliance, and your bonding with Prince Mark should represent an alliance between Hilia and The People of Life of an even more profound nature than our alliance with the High People, which is itself strengthened by your bonding with Talia, and by Bezedil's marriage to Dalia. The fact that Mark and Talia are Key to The Just Alliance and key to the nexus in no way diminishes their popularity and appeal.

"We ask only that you three make it official, both your marriage to Mark and Talia, and the resulting social and political alliance between Hilia and The People of Life.

"Rather than abdicate in favor of Dalia and Bezedil, you should make them co-Regent, or even ruling Prince and Princess Regent if you wish to avoid sessions like this one and to give them a taste of true ruling responsibility. As you know, I would gladly give up the responsibilities of being Regent. But you should not abdicate your rule, Your Majesty, rather you must retain it, it order to strengthen as much as possible our alliance with Hilia. And because you are still our most preferred and cherished choice as monarch.

"That alliance with Hilia may be politically redundant now that we are all allied within The Just Alliance, but you can be certain that our people will still have strong feelings of pride from such a joining."

"I see." Alilia nodded. "And you think no one will mind that I would marry a human who already has another wife?"

"Please." Smogin grinned. "Talia is already beloved by our people for being very capable, adorable, and a genuine war hero. And as far as we're concerned, Mark isn't a human, he's a warlock. So that's okay. The attitude doesn't make much sense, but there it is."

"Thank you Smogin." Alilia smiled as she considered his response, then looked around at the faces of her petitioners.

"Do your thoughts on this reflect his?"

She had to grin in surprise at the mighty cheer her people gave in enthusiastic agreement.

"Thank you. I'll most certainly take that into consideration."

With that subtle but well-understood dismissal, her people bid her and her guests farewell, and took their leave.

As soon as they were gone, Six rose from his chair and walked around the table. He stood beside Alilia, bowed to her most deeply and humbly, then hugged her with warm love and affection. "Princess Alilia, co-mother of my heart, I salute you." he told her, then he did salute her, with the salute of a Finitran ranger to his superior officer. "It's so easy to take you for granted, as simply one of our family, a beautiful woman whom I love and respect. But since we've been here in the lands of The People of Life your demeanor has changed, and not subtly. Here, your bearing is that of powerful royalty. For the first time, you've shown us what you truly are; a mighty monarch who has successfully ruled a great people for almost five thousand years. The love and respect that your subjects have for you is a beautiful thing to see, and the intelligence, speed, and wisdom of your administrative decisions was wondrous to observe.

"I am humbled. I suddenly feel very young and very inexperienced indeed. To know you and to share your presence and your love is an honor and a privilege."

For a moment Alilia was at a loss for words, and she felt tears of profound love and joy gathering in her eyes. She reached out and wrapped him in her arms and gave him a firm hug, and before she could speak, Mark did so.

"My son, you've again spoken well, with words that say what's in all of our hearts." Mark told him with a grin and a firm rub on his back.

He exchanged a quick smile full of communication with Talia, then the two of them rose hand in hand from their chairs and knelt beside Alilia as Six astutely made way for them. Mark held out his hand and a diamond ring appeared held in his fingertips, almost a duplicate of Talia's engagement ring. "Alilia, we're reminded again how lucky and blessed we are to have your love, and to share your life as your lovers and partners. Smogin and your other subjects are right. The time has come to make our union official; to formally join your life with ours, and to formalize a permanent and close alliance between Hilia and The People of Life."

Talia continued as Mark left off. "Princess Alilia, we would be forever honored if you would marry us."

At this point Alilia's eyes were so full of happy tears that she could barely see, and she was so choked up with emotion that she could barely talk, but she held out her hand and gasped; "Oh yes! A million times yes!" as Mark slipped the ring onto her finger.

Then the three of them were hugging and laughing and crying with desperate affection, while the rest of them rose and cheered with uncontainable joy and enthusiasm. Soon all three of their children joined their hug and shared their tears of joy.

"We shall have to be married in Laylas chapel, of course." Alilia happily declared when she could comfortably speak again. "But when?"

"Very soon." Mark decided. "Before they resume the time-bubble, for sure, or almost no one I know will be able to come. I suggest tomorrow night, after the meeting of The Assembly.

"As for guests, I suggest we invite those that we're truly emotionally close to, for our own fulfillment, and the ruling members of The Assembly to satisfy the political requirements. No others. As much as I enjoyed Talia's and my wedding, I'd prefer that this wedding not be such a circus as that one was."

"And a few skilled and discreet newsmongers, to share the event with all those who can't attend." Talia added. "And Kenesir of Sming, to make the official recording of the event."

"Agreed." Alilia nodded with a huge and happy grin. "Shall we announce it then?"

"Go ahead, Love." Mark chuckled. "I'm sure most of the guests will be those you're close to anyway, since I'm sure you have more close friends and family than Talia and me put together." "That's likely true." Alilia chuckled. "Certainly one of the results of a long life is the accumulation of a great many kith and kin.

"But before we announce it," Talia insisted with a smile, "We need to decide on bridesmaids and groomsmen. I shall have Fire as my maid of honor, and I suggest you have Val as yours, and Mark have Six as his best man."

"Sure!" Mark agreed with a chuckled. "I'll have Kragorram, Karzog, and Silaran as my other groomsmen."

"I'll have Povon, Dalia, Hilsith, and Equemev as my bridesmaids." Talia decided.

"I'll have my friends and cousins from here in Heartwood as my bridesmaids." Alilia said with a happy grin. "You haven't met them, but I've been unjustly ignoring them recently, and it'll be good to see them again."

"I think we should state that no wedding gifts will be accepted." Mark said as he rubbed his chin. "I don't want the nations of The Just Alliance competing to see who can give the most impressive gift, we don't need anything anyway, and in these times of universal sacrifice, I don't think it would be right to suddenly be given another huge fortune that we've done nothing to deserve."

"All right." Alilia smiled. "Anything else? No? Then I'll compose the invitations."

Within a few minutes the list of invitees was finalized and the invitations were dispatched by Alilia as a mass Sending of an ornate parchment that had been quickly duplicated into over a thousand copies and individualized for each guest.

"And now," Alilia mused, "Since the decorations and catering at an elven wedding are traditionally planned by the mother of the bride, I should call my mother. That is, if you approve, my loves? Nemia did get to plan your wedding quite recently after all, and my mother may never forgive me if we deny her the responsibility. She planned my wedding to Gorsh almost five millennia ago, but that's a long time in the past now, and she hasn't had the chance to do any mothering for a very long time."☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐

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