Chapter 1783 - The Day Of Fate (Part 3)
Zinya wore a magnificent bright red dress with a v neckline decorated with white lace and emeralds as big as a nut. It left her shoulder and arms exposed, emphasizing her features and the jewelry.
She wore a golden circlet on her head, a white gold necklace and earrings with emeralds, and several small bracelets at her thin wrists. Zinya had clearly enjoyed Vastor's skill as a rejuvenator, if not even Invigoration, because she looked way younger than her age.
The Master, instead, even with his hair regrowing on his bald head and turning black again still looked like her father at best. Yet if the age gap bothered him, it was impossible to tell.
Lith had never seen Vastor smile so much and so honestly. Even for those who'd known him for years, it was hard to recognize him without the bitter light of envy that usually tainted his eyes.
"Lith, my boy! You finally made it." The two men shook hands the moment the healers finished checking the Verhens.
"Congratulations, Vastor and Zinya. I'm so happy for you. Gods, you two look amazing." Lith replied.
While the adults exchanged their niceties the kids were happy to meet again. Aran and Leria had been allowed to ride their steeds since their hosts would do the same. Frey and Filia welcomed them respectively atop a red and blue wolf, each with four tails.
They were actually both Tezka that ever since the attack on Zinya's house had become their nanny and best friend.
"Hey, kids. Want to see something cool?" The red wolf said, making his tails merge and split non-stop with the grace of dancing flames.
"Cool!" Aran and Leria said in unison.
Unlike their parents, hearing the beast talk didn't scare them, it only added more charm to him. They broke the ice immediately and they felt as if they hadn't seen each other for days instead of months.
"It talks?" Elina had seen a lot in her life, but she still flinched in surprise.
"Yes, but don't worry." Zinya said. "It makes forcing the kids to do their homework and behave much easier since they know that Tezka doesn't lie to me."
"That's Tezka? I mean, it's amazing. I never saw it that way." Elina said, sighing in relief after recognizing the Eldritch.
"We can talk too." Abominus felt jealous seeing Leria complimenting the other beast so much for something he could do as well so he broke Lith's order.
"Yeah." Onyx nodded, revealing a feminine voice.
"Cool! I'm going to marry Onyx when I grow up then." Aran said while kissing the feline's head who purred in reply, making his parents turn pale.
Knowing about Ryman and Selia, and with all the time the kids spent with the beasts, those weren't words that Elina and Raaz could take lightly.
"That's marvelous. Where are the drinks? I need something strong." Elina said.
"I'll accompany you." Zinya said. "You are the last to arrive and the ceremony will start in a while."
She led them to the Ballroom that had been repurposed for the ceremony. In times of war, even an ancient and powerful noble Household like Vastor's preferred keeping things small and only inviting a few people for a rushed marriage.
Lined along the walls, there were several rectangular tables covered with pristine white cloths embroidered with gold and silver, the colors of the Kingdom. They lacked tableware and food to not distract the guest during the ceremony with their aroma.
The room was split in half by a long red and gold carpet that went from the entrance to the end of the room, where Princess Peonia would officiate the wedding on behalf of the Royal family.
She was a young woman, 20 years old, about 1.58 (5'2") tall. She had blonde hair streaked silver, black, and blue all over. Her silver eyes and Tyris' blood smoothened the sharp features she had inherited from her mother.
That along with her slender figure and diminutive stature made her as cute as a button. Peonia wore a pale ocean green day dress, tailored to emphasized her curves and pale skin.
'Goddammit. There must be something in Lutia's water.' The Princess thought in envy while looking at the Verhens.
Every woman in the family was taller, better looking, and more endowed than she was. Despite her short stature, even the lady in waiting made heads turn.
On the left side of the carpet sat the guests of the groom. Among them, there were the Ernas, Marth with his spouse, the Abomination-hybrids disguised in human form, and some of the most important figures from the Kingdom.
After Manohar's death, Vastor was the second-best healer of the country and the most likely to become the Royal Healer, making people prone to suck up to him again. Marth would soon be too busy with the academy, the war, and his family to take the position.
Lith noticed that the grey hair had disappeared from the Headmaster's head. He looked younger, more fit, and most of all, ready to kill. Manohar had been his best friend and Duke Marth was determined to avenge him.
'I guess that Marth finally used rejuvenation on himself and exploited his light magic to endure grueling training sessions. Otherwise there's no way he could have gotten those muscles this quickly.' Lith thought.
On the right side of the room sat the guests of the bride, yet Zinya had no relatives outside Kamila and no friends aside from the Verhens. It was the reason she had raised no objection when Elina had asked her if they could bring Solus along.
Kamila sat in the front row alone, the rest of the chairs empty.
"Thank you for inviting me as your plus one, but I'll seat on Zinya's side of the room. We've know each other for quite some time and I don't want to make her feel alone during such a special day." Nalrond said to Friya.
"That's really sweet of you. Mind if I join you?" She nodded. "I could use some space and Morok wouldn't get a stiff neck in the attempt of not talking to my chest."
"You are going to pay for this." Quylla snarled in embarrassment.
Neither of their dresses had a neckline, but it was still like comparing hills to mountains.
"Why? I didn't look at her once." The poor ex-Ranger was telling the truth. He had resorted to every trick he knew to look at Friya's head whenever they talked.
The Ernas couple looked at the man from the Desert and sighed at their daughter's poor taste in men.
"At least she has a boyfriend." Jirni glared at Phloria who didn't reply.
"At least he seems a gentleman. He didn't look at Friya like a slab of meat." Orion glared at every man in the room that had trouble taking his eyes off her ass as she walked away.
Unlike the poor Morok, after spending enough time with the Verhens in general and Tista in particular, Nalrond had become immune to such problems.
A few seats in front of them, another person was staring at a woman for too long and too intensely for it to be polite.. Reproving murmurs filled the room while many pointed at the rude guest who dared to lust after a mere lady in waiting.