Saintess Naraina

Princess Dione was convinced that this was just a scheme fabricated by Valerie to ensure that Duke Devland could never escape her grasp. She thought back to the earlier conversation with him in the lounge chamber and had to silently agree with him in her heart - they really were in similar predicaments.

She cast a sidelong glance to Ezra who stood beside her, soaking in his handsome side profile.

Still, she would not change her decision. Call it her pride or call it stubbornness but she would never allow herself to marry a stranger when her heart was with another. This was not only a promise to herself but also the one thing she would never allow her brother to take from her.

High Priest Lael was the next to speak. He stepped to the golden rail that overlooked the second floor into the swarming sea of noblemen and ladies alike.

To Dione, his gaze was still as arrogant and brimming with holiness as it had always been. But there was something in his gaze that seemed off.

Was that…a hint of fear?

The Priest clears his throat, "As Emperor William has said, the Holy Church has not blessed a marriage in many generations. Duke Devland, the war hero of the Salian Empire, is a man deserving of far more than just a blessing from the church. With that being said, tonight, Duke Devland will not be receiving a sacred marriage blessing but instead, he will be granted a Divine Bond."

"A Divine Bond? What is that?"

"Aren't you just making up names now? Do you believe it's easy to hoodwink us?"

Not only the nobles but even Princess Dione frowned in confusion. Even she had never heard of such a thing and with one look at her half-siblings, neither did they.

Dione glanced at the Duke, noticing the subtle smirk that danced on his plump lips. Briefly, their gazes locked and his lips raised inconspicuously at her.

She looked away.

The polite smile on Emperor William's face slowly dimmed. What Divine Bond? Just what type of nonsense was this damned priest spewing? He had spent an enormous amount of resources to bribe this greedy fool so why had he suddenly decided to go off script?

Was he intending to go back on his word?

Whatever the reasoning, there was a terrible sense of foreboding that Emperor William could not quite shake. He stepped forward, his palm resting on the Priest's shoulder, "I believe there's been a misunderstanding.."

Just as the Emperor began to speak, he was interrupted by the large entrance doors of the second floor dragging open behind him. His frown deepened even more and he looked back to see the person who dared to interrupt him like this.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone present, a youthful woman with shoulder-length white-silver hair emerged. She was dressed in white robes with delicate gold detailing, much similar to the robes the High Priest wore. Most just assumed this woman was merely a low-level Priestess and did not mind her much but their expressions changed drastically when they heard the way the High Priest addressed her.

High Priest Lael respectfully dropped his head low and greeted, "Eternal blessings to the chosen vessel of the divine, Saintess Naraina."

Saintess Naraina?

Princess Valerie felt as if she had just been punched in the gut. She turned to look at Azriel who faced her with a small smile that made her clench her fists silently.

She was positive that the Duke had something to do with this development. Was this what he had been hinting at when he mentioned Saintess Naraina's name without reason?

Emperor William might have been the most surprised of them all. Not only had the Saintess of the Salian Empire not appear in all the time she had been appointed but when asked if she would be an issue, High Priest Lael scoffed in disdain and had spoken of her as if she were of no importance.

However, now here he stood, greeting her with his head bowed and unwavering loyalty. Just what was going on here?

Behind the Saintess trailed a group of four high-ranking priests who carried a large circular marble basin with gold detailing.

As the crowd of nobles watched on with newfound interest, Ezra turned to Princess Dione and whispered, "Do you know what's going on?"

Dione shook her head. There was no way she would have a clue about what was going on, she could barely be considered a resident of her own home.

As the basin was placed, the Saintess turned to the Emperor and nodded her head slightly in greeting, "Your Majesty the Emperor, Sun of the Salian Empire." The Saintess then turned her head and greeted the Duke, not sparing a second thought to the Emperor.

"William…" Valerie's voice was low as she tugged uneasily at her brother's sleeve. It was still unclear as to what was happening but she wasn't stupid enough to believe it would be anything to benefit her.

She wanted to complain and get her brother to do something but his silent glare ceased any further complaints.

William's hands clenched discreetly at his side. His gaze fixed steadily on Azriel who did not turn to look at him. He had been absolutely positive that he had trapped the Duke this time.

In the first place, it was very difficult to go against the Holy Church, even for the Emperor. There had once been an Emperor who mocked the Gods and the country began to experience droughts, war, and famine until that Emperor had been sacrificed by his people. Since then, the Salian Empire had always been deeply religious, and while the Holy Church had never been one to involve itself in political matters, even the Emperor would have to give them face.

It had been easy to bribe a few greedy High Priests especially when their Saintess had not been active for years. But now, with her sudden appearance and her clear siding with the Duke, Emperor William did not even have the face to step forward.

He watched as the Saintess began to speak, "A Divine Bond is something granted even less than a Sacred Marriage Blessing. The last Divine Bond was granted over 300 years ago, to Emperor Otto and Empress Sina. Instead of simply blessing a union between two people, a Divine Bond is the will of the Gods themselves granting you a prophesied marriage partner."

A prophesied marriage partner from the God's themselves? The heads of the nobles below began to reel but they did not get time to properly digest such mind-blowing information before they saw the Saintess instruct the Duke to cut a line across his palm and squeeze his blood into the basin of water.

Saintess Naraina closed her eyes, put her hands together, and mumbled a familiar prayer - the Salian Empire's national prayer - as it slowly got more and more incoherent.

Just when they felt the Saintess had been speaking nonsense for ages, her eyes flew open, a deep golden color that was unlike her natural eye color. Her aura had completely changed and a sudden chill and oppressive nature set over the crowd.

Even Ezra, a knight who had trained for over a decade, felt his chest tighten and found it increasingly difficult to stand, much less breathe. He caught Dione as she stumbled into his arms with a pale face.

There was a single realization that went through everyone's mind - They were facing a God!

Dione managed to raise her head in time for the Saintess' eyes to lock with hers as her lips parted slightly.

"Come forth, Dione Celani Salian, second princess of the Salian Empire."