Wedding of Roses

Heir Princess Zoneen of the Summer Nation Shezon

----

A little over a month after the Royal Unity Celebration, Zoneen stared into her bedroom mirror. She wore a red dress with intricate white flowers embroidered on the skirt. Around her uncovered shoulders was a sheer red veil. She wore a golden bib necklace with clear jewels all around it. She wore a pair of golden ear cuffs that reached up to form a point, and had a chain that dangled from it, attached to her earlobe by a clip rather than a piercing. Her golden cuff bracelets had leaf designs. On her wrist, she wore her engagement bracelet.

Her wedding clothes.

"Oh, you look like a royal painting," Zoneen's handservant - a middle-aged person named Elo - said, holding a hand dramatically over their heart.

"Really?" Zoneen asked, beaming. "I thought it wasn't as much as other people's dresses."

"You don't have to worry about that. Your dress has far more details than most Queens have. And bib necklaces are rare - especially when they have jewels in them. This is quite an outfit."

Zoneen did a small twirl in the mirror.

Elo - despite being much shorter than Zoneen - reached up to put their hands on her shoulders.

"It's time for your hair."

Zoneen nodded and sat on the stool Elo had pulled forward. She watched as they made two braids out of her hair. They tied the two braids up with a ribbon, then stuck two golden hairsticks with red jewels dangling on chains behind where the ribbon was secured. Wrapping up the braids to make a bun, they added a large golden hairpiece in a flower-petal design. They placed a golden chain headpiece on Zoneen's head, tied the back of the chain around her bun, then let the ends (which had red jewels) hang down. They used a thin string and wooden needle to fasten everything in place to Zoneen's bun, then stepped back to admire their work.

"It's beautiful, Elo," Zoneen said, tilting her head to let the sunlight glitter through the jewels.

"I know it is," Elo said, patting Zoneen's shoulder. "Now, the makeup."

Elo sat on another stool in front of Zoneen and took out a box with various face decorations on it. They first painted a red, flame-like eyeliner that brought out the fox-like shape of Zoneen's eyes, then put a red stick-on jewel at the point of the paint. They used a blush to make Zoneen's cheekbones look higher and more similar to her mother's and red paint on her lips and made them look round. They painted a single black dot on Zoneen's left cheekbone, then stood up and stepped aside to let Zoneen see their work.

As a little girl, Zoneen loved to play dress-up. Even as she grew older, she loved to wear her very best clothes. She felt beautiful.

She was beautiful, and was glad that she knew it.

----

The sun would turn the sky orange and gold soon, and Zoneen sat in a side room near the throne room, waiting to be called out.

Zoneen was younger than Iris, so she would be the one to walk down the aisle. Of course, that was after Zoneen's father gave a speech. Next, Zoneen's mother would give a speech. Iris's father would have given a speech after that, but he was killed while hunting eleven years before - Iris and Zoneen were only eight at the time. So, Iris's mother - Ari - would be the only one to give a speech.

Zoneen heard the throne room quiet down, and she hurried to make sure her shawl sat just right.

"Welcome, people of all nations, to a very special event: the wedding of Heir Princess Zoneen and Iris the Healer!" Zoneen's father said to the crowd. "Let us welcome Iris the Healer!"

Claps and cheers filled the throne room, then died down moments later. Zoneen shifted from foot to foot.

"Today is a day that we welcome a future Queen Consort," Zoneen's father said. "It is the day that the classes are joined in a magical union. It is a day that brings a tear to my eye. Had I known that my daughter would find such an amazing woman to marry, my fears for her future that I had when the was born would be gone. Iris, I know you will be an amazing Queen Consort one day, and I believe you and my daughter will be happy even after death."

Applause, then a respectful silence as Zoneen's mother began her speech:

"I don't come to you today as Queen Consort Kirek. My husband does not come to you today as King Regnant Inzum. We come here today as a past generation - as parents who are so excited and proud for our daughter… and soon-to-be daughter-in-law. Iris, when I met you, I had no idea how close to my daughter you would become. Had I known, I probably would have been kinder." A quiet ripple of laughter reminded Zoneen of the crowd's existence. "But the past is past, and I believe you and Zoneen were truly meant to be."

Applause. Silence.

"Well, I'm not used to speeches," Iris's mother said, earning a laugh from the crowd. "I just want to say that I am so proud of you, Iris. Today, I see you as both my little girl and a smart and talented young lady. I can't wait to see what the future holds. And I know my future daughter-in-law is listening. To you, Zoneen, I want to say that you are the happiest and kindest person I've ever met. I'm sure my husband would have said the same. I know you and Iris will be happy together. Even nature agrees, with the beautiful sunset we see today."

There was applause, and a servant came to tell Zoneen that it was time. Zoneen followed them to the doors of the throne room. They opened, and Zoneen walked down the aisle.

She almost tripped when she saw Iris. Iris's red shirt had petal sleeves, and she wore a white skirt with a wide gold-colored belt made of cloth. As Zoneen neared, she saw the bangle bracelets that had been a gift to Iris from Zoneen's mother that day Zoneen and Iris got engaged.

Zoneen walked up the stairs and stood to face Iris. Tears were in Iris's eyes, and Zoneen softly wiped them away.

"I'm crying for both of us," Iris said. "I'm sure you don't want to mess up Elo's work."

Zoneen laughed softly.

"Heir Princess Zoneen, please place your right hand over Iris the Healer's heart," a priest wearing white said. Zoneen did what they said. "Now repeat after me: 'Tu elka tirina zhan fahadu loa au zusk.'"

"Tu elka tirina zhan fahadu loa au zusk."

"Iris the Healer, place your right hand over Heir Princess Zoneen's heart. And repeat: 'Tu anul sula tirina zhan ratdu.'"

"Tu anul tirina zhan ratdu."

"Now remove your hands from the heart and hold each other's hands in your own."

Zoneen and Iris did so.

"With the sun as my witness, and the moon as the scribe, I pronounce you wife and wife."

With the priest's final words, Zoneen and Iris kissed. Cheers erupted around them, and Zoneen stepped back to look around. She grabbed Iris's right hand with her left and leaned her head on her now-wife's shoulder.

"Well, you're royal now," Zoneen said.

"Yes, because that's clearly the reason I'm doing this," Iris said, rolling her eyes with a smile.

Zoneen laughed and stood straight as the throne room doors opened. She held out her hand and created rainbow flowers in the hanging plants around the throne room. She and Iris walked down and out of the throne room.

----

At the wedding dinner, Zoneen and Iris sat at a table reserved for the couple, their families, and very close friends. Zoneen's parents and Ari were already seated. The Imperial Shezum family was nearby, and the nations of Shezon and Shezum were close.

"Congratulations, Princess," Queen Consort Mesu said, reaching out to grab Zoneen's hand.

"Thank you," Zoneen said, nodding in a partial bow as she sat.

"So, when are you gonna get yourself a spouse?" Iris asked, poking Veiris's forehead from across the table.

Veiris laughed and glanced around the room. His ears were slowly turning red.

"I'll have to wait for someone I like."

"You're turning red," Iris said. "You definitely like someone."

Veiris made an awkward face and shrugged.

"Who are they?" Zoneen asked, leaning forward.

"I'm not telling you."

"Are they here?"

"Maybe. I don't know."

"Pronouns?"

Veiris looked as though he were considering telling Zoneen and Iris. He finally spoke:

"She/Her."

"That doesn't narrow it down much," Iris mumbled, leaning back and crossing her arms.

"If we guess the right nation, will you tell us?" Zoneen asked.

"I'll only say the nation."

"Good enough. Shezil?"

Veiris's hand dropped from where he was resting his head to the table. His mouth dropped open.

"How did you guess so quickly?"

"Wait, it's really Shezil?" Iris asked, leaning forward. "Is she a noble?"

Veiris shook his head.

"Commoner?"

Veiris shook his head, this time with more hesitation.

Zoneen and Iris shared a look. Zoneen leaned close, dropping her voice to a whisper:

"Is it Princess Kiran?"

Veiris collapsed his head into his arms on the table. Zoneen grabbed Iris's hand and made a high-pitched squealing sound.

"Oh, you're all red!" Zoneen said when Veiris sat up.

"I can see you two together," Iris said, tilting her head as Zoneen dropped her hand.

"Oh, but what about King Lonek?" Zoneen asked, face falling as she sat straighter. "My father thinks the two will be married."

Veiris shrugged.

"It's only a crush," he said. "They fade away pretty quickly."

"Well, no matter what..." Zoneen reached over and grabbed Veiris's hands. "You deserve the best there is to offer. Actually, second-best. You can't have Iris. Whatever. You deserve someone who cares for the real you, so I better not see you settling for any less. Okay?"

"Okay," Veiris said, laughing slightly.

"Good."

At that moment, a servant came forward and bowed to Zoneen and Iris.

"Would you prefer to give a speech now, or to go right to eating?" they asked from behind the red veil covering the bottom half of their face.

Iris shrugged.

"We'll eat," Zoneen said.

The servant bowed and walked away. Soon, countless other servants appeared. They held their plates and stood at the sides of the room.

A servant Zoneen knew - the head cook, Awz - stood at the head table.

"Tarati with deladang from Shezen," he said as he placed a platter with a pile of buns and a cup with sauce on the table. "Served with frozen engis."

"Thank you," Zoneen said.

Awz bowed and disappeared through a servant door.

Because Iris was older than Zoneen, she took the first tarati. She poured the sauce over it and handed it to Zoneen. Zoneen took a bite from it, then Iris took it back and took a bite. At that, the other servants in the room served their tables, then disappeared.

"Zoneen, you have sauce on your face," Zoneen's mother said, leaning forward to wipe deladang from Zoneen's mouth.

Zoneen's mother wore a black wig in a complex bun to hide her graying hair. Her father wore a similar one, only the bun was a simple braided one, rather than including the loops that Zoneen's mother wore. They both wore the Parental Crowns.

Parental Crowns were passed down through families, and each parent had two. Because Zoneen was royalty, her parents had some of the most intricate crowns possible. The crowns held up her parent's hair, but Zoneen worried how heavy they would be when included with wigs.

"Mother, your beads," Zoneen said. A string of beads hung from the double-sided hairstick that held her Mother Crown in her hair. They were coming loose.

"Oh, we can't let those fall." Zoneen's mother reached up to fix them. "These are half the price of this castle."

"They've been around longer than this castle, Kirek," Zoneen's father said, helping her fix the bun. "Their price back then is nothing compared to today's prices."

"Actually, it's way more expensive now," Veiris spoke up. Zoneen's parents turned to him. "Back then, the Imperial Parental Crowns were worth only one shozi. Now, they're at least three shokzi."

Everyone at the table was staring at Veiris.

"Because money has more value now," he explained.

"I don't think they're confused," Zoneen said.

"We're surprised that you know the details of currency," Zoneen's father said.

"I like numbers," Veiris said, shrugging.

"And that's what we love about you," Iris said.

----

The rest of the meal passed quickly. Because it was a royal wedding, there were four meal courses, representing the four kingdoms.

After the appetizer of tarati, the guests were served the main course: snah bread, upkima, and salad. Next was a chocolate cake for dessert.

The last course was a drinking event. All who were too young for alcohol had engis or milk.

As was tradition, Iris and Zoneen shared the beginning of each course before the other tables were served. Unlike most nations, Shezon royals and nobles were banned from having alcohol until they were married. Royal and noble weddings in Shezon were even more special, then, because it was the first time those getting married would have alcohol.

"Snekuz, agoron, and kei," Awz said, pointing to the three glass serving bottles in the middle of the table. He then pointed to a fourth that didn't have the symbol of alcohol: a red circle. "Engis for those who wish not to drink."

Awz bowed and disappeared again.

Iris poured a small cup of snekuz and gave it to Zoneen. Zoneen drank it, then refilled it with snekuz. She handed it to Iris, who drank it. The rest of the tables were served.

"That is much harsher than I thought it'd be," Zoneen said after clearing her throat. The drink burned as she swallowed, and she could already feel the buzz.

"That's why I rarely drink it," Ari said. "I much prefer agoron."

Zoneen nodded.

A guard Zoneen didn't know walked forward and bowed.

"Hello, Ehid," Iris said, turning to face the servant.

"Hello," the servant - who had curly dark hair and dark skin - said to Iris. "Would you like to return to the throne room for the dance?"

"Have the others finished drinking?"

"They have had their original drinks, but we will keep the doors open so they can come back for more."

"Let's do it, then," Zoneen said, shrugging.

Ehid bowed and disappeared the same way Awz did while serving the meal's courses.

Zoneen and Iris stood and stepped forward to the end of the platform that looked over the crowd of royals and nobles in the large dining hall.

"Thank you all for staying to dine with us," Zoneen said as a hush fell over the crowd. "Now, we would like to invite you all back to the throne room or the ending celebration: a dance."

Zoneen took Iris's hand, and the pair walked through the wide doors behind them to the side of the throne room. As the band prepared and the crowds entered the room through the main door, they stood in the center of the room.

Flutes and drums began to play a slow tune. The Wedding Waltz.

It was night, so the chandelier in the middle of the room sent rainbows all across the room from the glowing ball of magic it held. The curved roof of the throne room was held slightly above the walls, allowing a breeze to gently move the water-filled crystals of the chandelier, creating a soft ambient sound.

The hanging flower pots now had sheer red curtains hanging between them. Golden chains wrapped around red curtains hung from the bottom of the pots.

"Quite the scene," Iris said as they began to dance.

"It was your idea to make the flowers rainbow," Zoneen said.

"And yours to add the curtains. A team effort."

All too soon, but all too slow, the dance was completed. The crowd cheered as the band played a lively tune with flutes and zithers. Soon, most of the crowd was in the center of the room. They paired up and danced to the bright song.

----

Heir Prince Veiris of the Autumn Nation Shezum

----

Veiris stood on the edge of the room as Zoneen and Iris finished their dance. He was unmarried, so he followed the Shezum tradition of not having alcohol before marriage and held a cup of milk.

His eyes fell on Princess Kiran, who stood next to King Lonek. She wore a light blue, sleeveless dress with gold accents on it. King Lonek wore a white shirt and black pants, along with a cape that matched Princess Kiran's dress.

Princess Kiran didn't stand sitck-straight like the others in the room. She didn't slouch fully, but Veiris could see her looking like she was almost trying to hide.

Kiran's father - King Abil - walked up to the pair and spoke. He seemed to be convincing them of something.

Eventually, King Lonek held out his hand and led Princess Kiran to the dance floor.

Veiris leaned against the wall and looked into his milk.

"Prince, is something wrong?" a servant with dark skin and hair asked, bowing.

"No, nothing," Veiris answered.

The servant nodded.

"Well, if you need anything, please call for a servant. I am Ehid."

Veiris nodded as Ehid disappeared in a group of people. When the small crowd thinned, Ehid was nowhere to be seen.

Veiris left the throne room and walked back to the dining room, where he set down his drink.

"You look depressed," Yakel said. She was sitting at the table, holding a plate of snah bread.

"Shut up."

"It's true."

"Why aren't you in the throne room?"

"I'm hungry."

"You should be making friends."

"Nah."

Veiris reached over and took away Yakel's plate.

"Hey!"

"Go meet people."

"Only if you ask someone to dance."

"Oh, you little snake."

Yakel shrugged and stood.

"Have fun, aiza," she said, putting Veiris's shoulder before leaving the dining room.

Veiris sighed, ate one a snah bread, and walked out of the dining room.

In the entrance hall, he watched the images of past Shezon rulers glitter in the torchlight. They were all made of carvings on wooden rectangles. The indents were filled with gold.

Veiris enjoyed the moment of silence before he went back to the throne room."

----

Prince Zentik of the WInter Nation Shezen

----

Zentik was wandering around the throne room, exchanging quick greetings to the nobles who spoke to him.

He saw Prince Veiris enter the room from the main entrance.

Might as well find someone to talk to.

"Hello," Zentik said, walking up to Prince Veiris, who jumped at Zentik's greeting.

Prince Veiris faced Zentik, seeming to scan Zentik with his eyes.

"Oh, it's you," Prince Veiris said, sounding almost relieved when he recognized Zentik. "Hello."

"Did you get bored of the nobles?"

"You could say that."

Zentik nodded and glanced out at the crowd.

"They're having fun," he said, tilting his head.

"Who?"

Zentik gestured vaguely to the crowd. As he did, his hand shook.

Would everyone notice his hands?

"Just… everyone in general," he said, voice shaking.

Prince Veiris shrugged.

"I'd like it better if I had someone to go out there with."

Zentik hesitated, then spoke:

"Well, since you have nobody to go with, and the person I'd like to go with isn't allowed to attend royal events…"

He held out his hand to Veiries.

"What?" Veiris asked.

"C'mon. It'll be fun to see the nobles lose it."

Veiris laughed and took Zentik's cold hand. They entered the moving crowd and joined the lively dance.

As they did, the nobles began to lose their…

Heck.

Zentik and Veiris laughed as nobles pointed between him and where Lonek and Kiran danced.

"They're loving this," Zentik said as the song sped as it neared its end.

"I'm sure. They all thought me and Zoneen were crazy in love when we made eye contact for, like, a minute years ago at the Royal Unity Celebration."

"That obviously didn't turn out so well."

The song reached its peak, then stopped.

Zentik and Veiris stood straight and dramatically bowed to each other.

"Have fun with the rumors," Veiris said.

"Oh, you too."