Astoria

f i f t y - s e v e n

"Kade of House Brewich: you have made known to the court your desire to unite, in marriage, with Isabella of House Westerholme." Antony glanced between Kade and Isabella, giving them a small smile before returning his gaze to the gathered crowd. "Every guest here stands as witness."

He locked eyes with Kade. "Kade, you have served as my trusted general, as well as friend. Do you confirm that it is your wish to marry Isabella?"

Kade nodded. "I do."

Antony continued. "Do you swear to always protect her, to love her, to cherish her, and to provide for her, for all the days of your life?"

"I do."

Antony smiled and turned to Isabella. She met his eyes and smiled back, her eyes shining with happiness and excitement.

"Isabella, my beloved cousin. Do you swear to love Kade, to support him in his decisions and efforts to care for you, and to stand by his side, for all the days of your life?"

"I do," said Isabella, breaking into a smile and glancing sideways at Kade, who squeezed her hand gently and continued to face Antony.

Antony turned and lifted the cushion, upon which was the rings, and presented it to the couple. Without needing to be prompted, Kade took Isabella's ring. She gave him her hand and he gently slid the ring onto her finger. Then he waited while she took his ring and placed it on his finger. Then they joined hands once more and turned to face one another in front of Antony.

Antony paused a moment, swallowing his pride and happiness at seeing his close friend and his cousin married, and then looked out over the audience.

"By the power given to me, as High King of Astoria, I pronounce Kade and Isabella husband and wife." He looked to each of them in turn. "Kade..." he gestured to Isabella. "Your wife. Isabella..." He gestured to Kade. "Your husband."

Kade smiled and leaned forward, lifting Isabella's veil and kissing her softly. They turned to face the crowd together and smiled at the applause, stepping down from the raised platform upon which they stood and beginning to make their way down the aisle.

Antony removed first his leather gloves, and then his crown, handing them to Parker.

"Thank you," he told the servant as the man took the items. Parker nodded and crossed the room, setting the gloves and crown on the dresser.

Antony stepped to the window and gazed out over the grounds, a small smile on his face. Kade had come to him, after speaking with Isabella the day he had first seen her after her capture, to let him know that, as long as Isabella agreed, he would prefer that the wedding be held as soon as possible.

Antony, knowing that Kade had wanted to help Isabella through her situation as much as he could, agreed. The wedding was announced for the end of the month and the castle's servants threw themselves into preparing for the grand event. Meredith had designed Isabella's dress carefully to allow the layers of fabric to disguise Isabella's growing stomach. Antony had to admit that his cousin's dress was perfectly lovely and that Meredith was quite a skilled designer.

Antony had gone to Kade immediately after Isabella had told him about Jurmala and the two had begun to make plans for an offensive, which would occur the week after the wedding. The plan was to allow the guests to continue to stay at the palace while the army began to move towards Jurmala, in an attempt to divert some of the enemy's suspicions of an attack.

Antony was drawn out of his thoughts by Parker's return from the other side of the room. He stood still as his servant removed the red cape, unfastening it and removing it from his shoulders. Antony turned as Parker brought his jacket. There would be a dance, of course, to celebrate Kade and Isabella's wedding, as well as a dinner.