Avoiding War // Vol. 1

Chapter 1: Vows

Fredbear stood in front of the alter, his white dress and veil drooping sadly like his ears. He held the flowers his mother had given him tightly, feeling his heart race slightly. He looked up at his groom, his eyes having a glossy look as the wedding ring was slid onto his finger. He couldn't believe that his parents had actually arranged a marriage he didn't agree to.
Nightmare hadn't agreed to the marriage either, but was going through with it for the safety of his kingdom. For the safety of both their kingdoms. If they didn't marry, their kingdoms would go to war. And Nightmare didn't want that. He may have been a cold prince, but he didn't want an unnecessary war. He had his wedding ring on his own finger, making him sigh softly as he looked up to the priest from Fredbear's kingdom. It was time for their vows. The vows that neither of them wanted to commit to.
Fredbear kept his gaze downcast, avoiding looking at Nightmare's eyes. He heard the vows being said, and even though he didn't believe in them, he said his part of the vows. He had to. For the safety of his own kingdom as well.
Nightmare's ears lowered hearing the words "You may kiss the bride.", cringing internally since he hadn't even gotten to know Fredbear yet but was now locked in marriage with him. He did a quick peck on Fredbear's cheek, enough to satisfy the priest and the crowd without disgusting both princes in the process. He truly wished he would wake up from this nightmare.
Fredbear had to hide a look of revulsion on his face, trying as hard as he could to make it look like he was at ease. He felt the priest's eyes boring through him, making sure he gave the appropriate response. He didn't realize that it was over until he heard the priest's voice saying "you have now joined yourselves together as husband and wife."
Nightmare gave a quiet sigh, taking Fredbear's hand and leading him away once he had been excused by the priest. He didn't want all eyes on the both of them. In a more quiet corner, Nightmare sat down beside Fredbear on one of the window-side seats. He looked around once more sadly. All these elegant and beautiful decorations for their wedding didn't make him feel any better. After a few moments, he looked back at Fredbear. "I'm so sorry... I shouldn't have ever told my parents yes. Even if it would mean war, it had to have been better than this. It'll only be a loveless marriage, won't it? Our parents didn't even bother having us meet and get to know each other before they told us to marry." The dark furred prince had a sorrowed gaze in his eyes, knowing Fredbear would either despise him or avoid him in any means possible because of their arranged marriage.
Fredbear looked surprised when Nightmare apologized. It wasn't the Prince's fault that their parents had arranged the marriage. He was simply doing what his parents had told him to do. He didn't hate him. No, that was impossible. If anything, he hated their parents. In a slight change of heart, the younger man's ears drooped softly, his eyes becoming sadder. "It's not your fault. This isn't what I want either. My father had said that he will be expecting a daughter in law and grandchild in nine months. Our parents should've at least allowed us some say in this decision."
"Your father expects me to... have sex with you, and have a child with you... within' the next nine months?" Nightmare looked disgusted with the prospect, not even at the idea of sex with Fredbear, but at the fact that it was being expected of them to get to that point so soon.
The young man's ears drooped even further. "I know, it's disgusting, but our fathers both expect us to have at least 1 child by the end of this year. Not only that, but I am supposed to move to your kingdom with you, and become Queen. I'm not allowed to visit my parents until after I've had the first child. I...I don't know if I even want to have a child. Let alone right now."
"My father told me that my grandfather made him drink wine until he was drunk, both him and my mother. To... as my grandfather put it... 'make it easier to fulfill your duties and expectations'. I don't know if my father will try to do the same with us, but... I honestly think I'd refuse if he does. I don't like the taste of alchohol and you're too young to be drinking according to my kingdom's laws." Nightmare folded his hands in his lap. "I know you probably wouldn't want to, either. Which is another problem if that's what my father has planned."
Fredbear shuddered slightly, imagining the thought of having to drink alcohol. He had never even tried it before. The thought of actually having to drink alcohol to 'fulfill his duties as a prince' made him feel sick. "I don't want to drink alcohol either. My father hasn't told me about having to drink wine, but I wouldn't be surprised if he does tell me. And...the other thing." The young man said, shuddering again.
"According to my father, neither he or my mother remembered having sex on the night of their wedding, and only figured out they did when one of the advisors asked my mother to have one of the doctors test her for a potential pregnancy due to her missing one of her heats. And... that's how I was conceived. My parents being forced to drink so much they didn't remember something that they didn't want to consent to in the first place." Nightmare shook his head lightly. "If I have to be king and you my Queen, then the first law I'm changing is this stupid marriage law. Anyone who objects can be thrown into prison for all I care because forcing heirs from different kingdoms to marry is just criminal and should be treated as such."
The young man looked shocked at the revelation that his fiance had said. "I didn't know you were conceived like that. That shouldn't have happened to your parents. I am sorry that happened to them." Fredbear said softly, placing a gentle hand on his fiance's thigh to show support and comfort. He was shocked that his love life was going to be just like Nightmare's parents, with the potential for him to drink himself unconscious during a night with his husband. Fredbear shook his head softly, agreeing with his soon to be husband's new law.
"How long will our... wedding, as they want to call it, last?" Nightmare asked, fiddling his thumbs since he was still uncomfortable from being forced into this. "I was only brought here to meet you and to say 'my' vows. I wasn't told when I would leave with my parents. And I wasn't told you'd be coming with us, either..." Nightmare finished, looking down for a moment.
"My father wants this wedding ceremony to last about 3 days, until everything is complete. Then we both will leave immediately." Fredbear said, his gaze following Nightmare's hands as they fidgeted. The younger man felt uncomfortable, especially with what they were going to have to do during this marriage which made his stomach turn. "Do you want to...leave right now? Without the ceremony being over? I can tell my parents that you've had a serious emergency."
"No, no... I just wasn't sure. I don't believe my parents would be willing to go so soon either way. Unless something actually happens back in my kingdom... Like if one of my brothers falls sick or dies." Nightmare shook his head again, looking up at Fredbear. "Would you like to get something to eat in the meantime? I'm sure we have a long night ahead of us, and a lot of expectations that'll be forced upon us. If you're hungry... We might as well eat before we're taken to do something else by our parents."
The young man looked at him for a moment, contemplating the decision of eating now or doing the horrible 'duty' that their parents planned in the near future. "You're right." He said softly, rising to his feet. "Might as well enjoy the last free moments away from our parents that we have. We should go eat something before we must do something that we don't want to do because our parents said so." He grabbed Nightmare's arm gently, trying to smile reassuringly even though he was just as nervous as his fiance.