The First Kiss

Rio felt a cold, feathery hand placed on his palm. His heartbeat quickened. He never imagined that the girl who moved his heart when he first saw her in enemy territory would marry him.

"Now pray to God to accept each other as husband and wife, and swear on mana, blood, family, ancestors, and heaven that you will both love each other dearly and support each other in difficult times. You will be happy in each other's glory and take care of each other when you're sick," Dylan explained the process with a cheerful voice, as he was happy his daughter was getting married.

"I, Rio Havenglow, pray to God to take this girl right in front of my eyes, who is more beautiful than the angels of heaven, as my wife. I swear on my mana, my blood, my family, my ancestors, and heaven to always love her dearly. I will be happy in her glory and support her in her difficult times. I'll take good care of her whenever she is sick. I'll keep these words as long as she doesn't betray me," Rio said while looking into her jewel-like red eyes.

Lia's coldness melted slightly upon hearing his oath. She felt warmth taking over her heart.

She looked at her father, as she was nervous, but he encouraged her with his eyes.

She spoke after some hesitation, "I, Lia Devlin, pray to God to take Rio Havenglow as my husband. I swear on my mana, my blood, my family, my ancestors, and heaven to always love him dearly. I will be happy in his glory and support him in his difficult times. I'll take good care of him whenever he is sick."

She spoke these words but looked in a different direction because her face was getting redder.

"That's perfect. Now seal the deal with a kiss, and the marriage will be officially complete," Dylan said, smiling from ear to ear, while smoke seemed to come out of Lia's ears due to shyness.

Dylan gestured to Rio with his eyes.

He understood and moved towards Lia. He was a head taller than her, so when he stood in front of her, she could see his sea-green eyes.

He grabbed her waist with one hand and supported the other hand on her head. Then he moved his face closer to hers. He could feel her flowery scent invading his nostrils.

Lia didn't resist and closed her eyes. She felt warm lips pressing down on hers, while Rio felt an electric current running down his body. Her soft lips, like the petals of a rose, were intoxicating. Their heartbeats resounded in each other's ears.

A light shone around them, and a warm feeling entered their bodies. Dylan saw a leaf tattoo appearing on their opposite shoulders.

"Whoa… who would've expected heaven to bless you two. I have only heard about it in legends. Those leaves on your shoulders are a blessing from heaven, where they link your souls to each other. You will feel each other's location even from a long distance and be able to talk to each other in your thoughts," Dylan was amazed by the results, while Lia was embarrassed by the kiss.

She didn't want to admit it, but she wished for the kiss to last a little longer. She felt a strange kind of bliss.

Rio touched the tattoo on his left shoulder, which was the same as the one on Lia's right shoulder.

"Now, you're my son-in-law. I'll announce this news to everyone," Dylan said.

Rio moved his hand in front of his face and said, "Wait a second."

"What happened?" The duo of father and daughter looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"I would be in trouble if you spread the news of a human marrying the Asura Empress. Please alter the words so that I'm also an Asura, and make sure no one knows, even here, that I am a human," Rio said, worried he would be captured by humans.

"Oh… you're right… We should keep some information secret. I wouldn't want my newlywed daughter to become a widow," Emperor Dylan said with a bittersweet smile.

He continued, "Later, I'll help you learn a spell that will disguise you as an Asura. You can go with Lia to see your room for now. We will start your training from tomorrow morning. Have a memorable night, you two."

Saying that, he winked at them and walked out of the hall.

An awkward silence fell between them.

"I still don't understand. I don't believe that he wanted me to marry you just because he wants me to inherit his power. There is more to it than how it appears," Rio decided to break the silence by asking her his doubts.

"You are not as stupid as you look, but why didn't you ask him?" Lia asked with an amusing glint in her eyes.

"Don't you fear those oaths, making fun of your husband and calling him stupid? I didn't ask him because he wouldn't tell me, and besides, you're my closest bond in this foreign land among Asura, so I asked you," Rio said, knowing she had become his closest family in this life.

"The holy oath doesn't restrict wives from teasing their husbands, and yeah, there is another reason why a human was chosen to be my husband," Lia said with a stiff voice.

"What reason?" Rio scrunched his eyebrows as he looked at her with curious eyes.

"When I was born, they said I'll become the greatest enemy of the human race and I'll be killed by human warriors on my twenty-second birthday. But…" Lia spoke with a grave tone, then paused in the middle, hesitating to say any further.

"But???" Rio asked back.