The goddess was the supreme entity that was worshiped in the empire of Ardos and a union between a man and woman must be blessed by the eternal, all encompassing mother under all circumstances meaning that even if there was a war at doorsteps a marriage cannot occur if it was not done in the shrine.
Empress mother of Zeyphyr clan- Queen Ciana and noble aristocrats of the empire were summoned by the imperial decree to the holy temple which was situated in the valley of beasts. It was said that the ancient temple was covered with thick lush forests infested by wild creatures and only when Ardos was formed did the temple also emerged.
The monarch and his bride kneeled to the statue of the goddess as the holy priest asked them to take the solemn oath of life and death by slashing their palms and dropping their blood together in a vial that was at the end thrown into the fire that burned with its flames rising so high that it almost touched the ceilings of the arena.
"With the blessings of the goddess we bow down to the heavens and ask for our sacred union." The couple had to kneel until the fire had died down thus when it finally ended after three hours the moons and stars were already playing behind the curtains of cumulus clouds in the skies.
Icarus and Layla first saw the queen mother and bowed to her expressing their respect before greeting the nobles who congratulated them.
Soon the ceremony ended and Layla who was curious yet afraid of what was now going to happen followed Icarus that looked pleased but even in his smile there was a twisted desire.
"Close your eyes princess and follow your monarch." A blindfold was soon wrapped around her irises and she was led to an unknown destination.
"You all are dismissed." They walked further ahead as the female was guided by the masculine male who after a while unveiled her irises.
"Why are we in this abandoned place...?"Layla first had her doubts and but then when Icarus held her hands and took her to the place that she had taken an oath to never visit, her eyes widened.
"W-Why are we here?"Today it seemed like he had finally fulfilled his carnal impulse, the violet irises of the woman in the painting that she saw some days ago were now even more glittering and beautiful as if someone had finally gained the courage and wiped off the dust that had accumulated after years of not visiting.
"Doesn't my pretty dove knows that it is our wedding night?" Icarus glared at the woman in the painting and closed his eyes before sweetly calling out Layla's name instead.
"Here Layla,
here at this place I will enter your sacred innocence and take it away forever, here will be our first union and also this is the place where I would have you whimpering under me as I take you so many times...this is the place that I have prepared for you my love."
Layla looked at Icarus whose eyes were not golden at the moment and she realized it was never her illusion earlier because they always changed when he talked about Illaria whose smile was so lovely and filled with warmth...who just looked like her.
Even though her body was trembling with how carnal the male sounded she still persisted.
Layla for the first time did not relented to his seduction and charm and looked at the woman in the painting before her pink irises clashed with dark vermilion ones.
"Please not now...not here...."
There was a silence so long that it extended to several minutes before Icarus threw his head back and laughed.
"Then so be it little dove...not now but soon and it will be here infront of her." Layla was afraid of him but at that moment when he looked at her as if he was pained to see her fear she could not help but seek his embrace as if at that moment he was repenting for his sins and she for her previous mistakes.