Sweet Waters Throne

“What is it?” Olivia asked her.

“Would you want us to get wed?” Finally Aryan had the courage to speak.

Olivia was struck with wonderment. She released herself from the cuddle and locked eyes with Aryan, she saw how Aryan’s eyes were full of love and at the same time excitement.

“Us, getting married?” she had to ask again because she felt maybe she misunderstood her lover.

“Yes, would you like that?”

“Is that even possible?” Olivia asked and then she turned to look back, she saw Sir Thomas and Sir Tyriol busy instructing their men where to unload the grains and all the goods from the ships.

When she was certain they were far from where everyone stood and no one was eavesdropping to their conversation. Olivia went on to speak “Are you certain about this?”

.....

“About marrying you or if we are really going to pull this off?”

“Well... both! What High Septon will willingly bind two women in the eyes of the gods? They will say it’s an abomination and against the gods” Olivia expressed her concerns.

“They won’t refuse the Queen’s orders. Besides Father Stewart seems like an odd little man, if we bribe him with few gold coins he will definitely do the ritual” Aryan insisted and she seemed to truly want it.

Olivia was lost of words, she was eager to unite their love as much as Aryan was. No matter the circumstances she would literally move mountains for Aryan, and this was a good time to put themselves first.

Some of the former servants and washerwomen inside the main palace in Raven later on chronicled about the secret wedding between Queen Aryan and Olivia. They said it happened outside on the garden grounds surrounded by perfumed flowers and the cool breeze of the evening, while others went on to say they were actually wed outside the palace and that they had found a beach and right there, the wedding took place.

But all those were just misconceptions, only Sir Thomas Buken and Sir Tyriol stood as witnesses to this union between Aryan and Olivia, hence only them knew where exactly the wedding happened because not even us are fully aware as to where the wedding took place. We only know Father Stewart conducted the matrimony ceremony and binded Aryan and Olivia in the eyes of the gods, of course after his pockets were filled with gold.

Olivia chose a subtle pink silk dress, she was so fun of pink and the she added a light white satin scarf around her neck. She wore jewelries from head to toe; starting with a golden necklace, golden bracelets, earrings made from blue sapphires — these earrings matched Aryan’s crown which was gold with blue sapphires on the front. Olivia also adorned herself with golden anklets, her eyes were full of K’ohl like a true Prophisian bride she made herself to look like. Her dark black hairs were scented with heavy oils and they shone in the golden hour.

On the other side, there was nothing much from Aryan’s side. She wore a black trouser, and a silk brown shirt. Then on top of it’s all, she covered herself with the golden cloak which symbolized House Squire and their powerful lions, she wasn’t one for adornments hence that’s what she went for on her wedding day. Actually, her second wedding since the first one to Amabel Taelin.

Aryan said her vows and expressed how important Olivia was in her life, and she dared to say “Without you, I would be lost” and it was something Olivia took it to heart and deeply appreciated it. Olivia admitted that Aryan saved her life during the time when she wasn’t sure if she would survive, and with this she promised to never leave and die beside her.

Father Stewart then asked Aryan “Do you have the wedding bands?” and Aryan came prepared. She asked her Hand, Sir Thomas for the golden ring which she fashioned it just days after she decided she was ready to wed Olivia.

Olivia wept like a toddler when Aryan took her finger and placed the ring on it. The ring was so beautiful with a token of a blue sapphire at the top, Aryan wanted Olivia to have something which will bind them together. The sapphire seemed to be the only treasure which joined them perfectly.

Aryan received a golden ring in return from Olivia. It was plain circle with no token, just like those wedding bands men usually wore, and Aryan loved it.

After each of them had said their vows, and exchanged the wedding rings. Father Stewart finished the ritual by having Aryan cover the bride with her cloak — a sign of protection. Then he allowed them to kiss in front of the two witnesses, Sir Tyriol and Sir Thomas.

“With this sealed kiss in front of two witnesses. I now announce these two, married in the eyes of the gods and men” Father Stewart blessed the wedding with his holy water, and from there it was done.

None of the good folks were aware of their Queen’s wedding the day it happened, it was so intimate and beautiful and discreetly which made it even more beautiful.

All the while, Amabel Taelin was getting stronger in Whitebridge under the assistant of Aprophil. In a period of just a moon, he managed to secure one hundred thousand men on his side, and they were all ready to fight for him. As usual his army was made up of sell swords, trained slaves, knights in their shining armors and soldiers from fallen battles.

The number of men seemed promising enough to take over the kingdom. Aprophil dedicated his life in helping Amabel, but he forgot the war wasn’t just between Amabel and Queen Aryan. There was also Amabel’s uncle under the supervision of a convincing and uncanny Princess Thelma who managed to secure eighty thousand men for her brother, her campaign was set to convince the Lords that Amabel was nothing but a child. If they wanted a true King, then they must support Prince Ambrose, to which they did.

Neither Prince Amabel nor Prince Ambrose knew the number of men the other Taelin had. However, Prince Ambrose had already started to march his army towards North. They opted from crossing the sea because they didn’t have ships, hence they used the way which led them from Penrith towards the stiff grey mountains and then to the Mines. From the Mines, they will be joined by the thirty thousand men from Lord Leoric and by total they will be eighty thousand and maybe a few others.

It seemed like a solid plan, but it would take them a whole month to get to Raven while with ships it would have taken them a fortnight, if not just three weeks. A week to cross the sea from Penrith to the Mines, and then a fortnight to march from the Mines to Raven. A rather slow plan but that’s all they could do since they failed to secure the ships.

Now, who had all the ships from Master of the Sea? The answer is pretty much vividly clear, none other than Prince Amabel Taelin who was favored by Aprophil, the Master of the Sea.

Two thousands ships carried Prince Amabel Taelin’s one hundred and thousand men armed with weapons and well fed. Instead of flying his house’s sigil, an orange fire with a sun on top of it, Prince Amabel chose a different sigil, his own — a spear piercing through a brown moon. Only he knew what it meant because not even his mother was aware of why he chose that sign.

Amongst the ones who sailed beside Aprophil was Lord Balrus. Shocking right, well the Lord of Spies wasn’t going to let this historical moment pass through without witnessing it. He wasn’t going to fight the war, but he sure did want to help Aprophil on the matter which he decided to be apart of.

The big ship which Aprophil named it “Miranda” to honor his wife was luxurious and huge above all the ships which carried the soldiers. It was meant for the future King, his mother, the Lord of Free Hall and Master of the Sea, and of course the generals who were appointed to lead the men during the Battle.

This was a VIP stage and that’s where the most conversations were about winning, the number of weapons available, the tents which were carried and number of fur clothes to help protect the men from cold.

In Prince Amabel’s army, the men were treated so good and looked out after. The Prince made sure to provide for them everything they needed, after all it was them who would be fighting the war and hence they should be well looked after.