A massive hall opened up before her, larger than any she had ever seen. She walked onto a wide podium, with steps that descended down to the wide expanse of the hall. It was a dazzling view, with bright chandeliers and delicate overhanging decorations.
Numerous tables and seats littered the chamber, and a large number of guests were seated, engaged in small chatter.
Upon her entry, the muted conversations died, and the music was the only thing audible.
Her breath caught in her throat. There was a long dinner table situated on the podium. Its seats were occupied by envoys from Erzi. Seated opposite the nymphs were Lispan nobles.
At the end of the table were two large seats.
Iver occupied one.
His eyes, along with that of every single person in the hall, glued to her.
Ro averted her gaze, and with the priestesses flanking her sides, she slowly joined him. The younger priestess pushed Ro's chair in, and it felt as if the key to the lock of her cage had just been destroyed.
Her focus was fully drawn to the table and its arrangement. On her side, the Erzi envoys were seated, while Lispan nobles flanked Iver's side. They were all unfamiliar faces. Not even Geneva was there. And for some reason, this made her stomach drop.
Ro did not look at Iver. But she could feel his eyes digging into her side.
Most disturbing was the fact she could not read his expression.
The young priestess went to stand at the edge of the podium, overlooking the guests. Suddenly, the music subsided till it was barely discernible.
The young priestess spoke up, her soft voice surprisingly loud and clear, "We are gathered here tonight, under the guidance of the moon goddess, to witness the union of two nations, two cultures, and two souls."
The older priestess walked around the table to stand between Ro and Iver's seats. Ro then noticed the wide bowl on the table between them, filled to the brim with a silver-white liquid.
The guests began to stand up, and Ro's attention is diverted to the rising crowd. She then notices a few high tables at the forefront, and Geneva standing among one of the tables. Her pulse quickened as she glanced at the basin.
The wedding was proceeding. Why wasn't he doing anything to stop it if he knew the truth?
The younger priestess turned to face the table, her voice still carrying across the whole hall.
"As is tradition, we call upon those gathered to witness this sacred bond. To speak truth, to speak blessings, and to acknowledge what is joined here tonight," she said, spreading an arm wide across the podium.
Ro's hands clenched on her laps underneath the table.
'To speak truth?'
The young priestess continued, gesturing to the Lispans seated at the table. "Friends and relative Houses, please speak."
The first noble stood up, almost as tall as Iver. His eyes glistened with a gentle golden glow that was similar to Iver's.
A dimple spotted his cheeks as he spoke, smile on his face, "On behalf of my father, His Royal Magnificence, I congratulate the lovely couple."
A bead of sweat broke out at Ro's temple. Her pulse was steady with a looming dread. She had not forgotten. But the thought hadn't been at the forefront of her thoughts. Geneva had clearly told her Iver was related to the ruler. And to see the ruler's son here only solidified the immense gravity of the situation.
The noble continued speaking, but the words entered Ro's ears, muffled. She stared at the nymphs.
Tury looked unsettled. Annoyed even. And her gaze darted between Iver and the prince. The corner of Fern's eyes were slightly wrinkled. Disturbed. The other officials looked on at the prince, calm and collected, but the old noble that had previously yelled at Ro paled.
'Is he just now realising just how grave this is?'
Ro's nails dug into her palms. She should stop letting herself get bothered by it all. She was going to die anyway.
The prince finally seated, and one by one, the other Lispans rose. Contrary to the prince, their words were brief, formal, and felt so rehearsed that the further increased Ro's foreboding.
"May this bond be blessed by the moon goddess."
"As it has been, and as it will be, your House will continue to prosper."
"In honesty and in truth, this old soul blesses your days."
"May this union bring strength."
Each Lispan sat back down. Their faces were unreadable, and they had no warmth or joy. But rather, a strange sense of disgruntled duty. One of the nobles in particular, stared hard at the envoys.
Something tugged at Ro's insides. They knew! And they were clearly trying to unsettle the envoys.
The young priestess held out an arm to the envoys, her smile never leaving her lips. "The representatives of Erzi, please speak."
Fern immediately stood, nervously adjusting his attire. His voice came out weaker than the wolves that had previously spoken.
"We are honoured… to witness this union. May it bring peace between our nations." His smile was tight and forced. "It saddens me to see my sister go, but I am… glad to honour our nations in this wonderful manner."
Ro's eyes widened. She didn't care if anyone caught her expression or not. And she doubted if anyone was paying attention to her.
He had just said something utterly despicable, and the other Lispans would have surely noticed.
'Shut up.'
Another official spoke.
'Stop!'
And another.
'No…'
And another.
Ro's pulse roared in her ears. The air felt thick, suffocating. And every second that passed without Iver stopping this façade felt like another nail in her coffin.
'Why is he letting this go on? Stop it. End it now.'
After the last envoy spoke, the young priestess gestured towards the older one. "Now, we bind what has been witnessed by—"
"I cannot bless this union," the older priestess' voice cut through the air, deadpanned.