His mother was dressed in white silk with a stunning black velvet wrap over her shoulders. His father wore a white tuxedo with black cumberbund. His mother kissed him and Valerius. His father hugged them both. Tilly rocked back and forth on her heels as she gazed happily upon both of them.
“I’m so nervous and I don’t know why! This is the absolute perfect day and I am so thrilled for you both,” his mother said.
“I’m so proud of you, Caden,” his father said as he squeezed him tight. He drew back and there were tears in his eyes. “You’re a Dragon King that we can all believe in.”
Valerius made a small sound, which had his father looking over at the Black Dragon King. Caden could still remember his father’s distrust of Valerius, though it had disappeared after the Behemoth incident--or so Caden hoped--but now his father was looking at Valerius with narrowed eyes. But then his father grasped Valerius’ hands in his and shook them warmly.
“I am trusting you with a piece of my wife and my heart, King Valerius. One of two greatest treasures. I don’t think I have to tell you to live up to that trust,” his father said.
“You do not. I am honored and I will always keep you and your wife’s trust,” Valerius promised solemnly.
His father then gave the Black Dragon King a big hug, which surprised Valerius who hesitated before hugging his father back with a rather touched expression on his face.
The doors were already opening and people were starting to filter out towards the throne room where they would walk up the aisle. Tilly though came up to them both, wrapping her arms around both of them. Caden noticed she had her dagger at her waist that Valerius had given her.
“I love you both,” Tilly told them through happy tears. “And I can’t think of anything better than the two of you getting married. Have the best day. The best life!”
“Oh, Tilly, we love you too, and you will be a part of that life,” Caden assured her, hugging her back tightly.
“A big part,” Valerius added as he kissed Tilly’s head.
“I’ve got to stop crying or else my makeup will run! And there are like a bazillion cameras out there!” Tilly said as she pulled back and carefully dabbed her eyes. “How do I look?”
“Not like a racoon. You’re good,” Caden told her.
“You look beautiful, Tilly,” Valerius said.
“Thank you, King Valerius. Caden, you’re an idiot.” Tilly stuck her tongue out at him, but he’d made her laugh so that was the best part.
She turned and raced after the line of people leaving the room. Valerius and Caden stood there for a long moment.
“Are you nervous?” Valerius asked.
“I really hope I remember my vows. I practiced them, but I’m not sure I’ll remember,” Caden confessed.
Valerius cupped his face. “I already know them. As you know mine.”
“So if I freeze like a deer in headlights you know to just kiss me, right? Save us both?” Caden laughed anxiously.
“Absolutely. Just as you have saved me every day.” Valerius kissed him then.
Caden’s eyes closed and he leaned into the kiss. Inside his mind, he saw Raziel and Iolaire. The two Dragon Spirits were wide awake and gazing at everything with rapt attention. Raziel leaned down and nosed the side of Iolarie’s snout. They turned to each other and pressed their foreheads together in a Dragon kiss.
“Valerius! Caden! We cannot do this without you!” Chione called from the doorway.
“We’re coming,” Valerius said as they broke apart.
They walked down the hallway together, hand in hand, but they had to separate as Valerius would be walking ahead of him. Caden was the last person in line. His eyes tracked the Black Dragon King until Valerius vanished through the doors to the throne room.
Flashes from cameras were going off repeatedly and Caden was half blinded as he kept an eye on his parents’ backs. He tried to remember his vows, but they slipped through his mind like grains of sand through an hourglass.
All I need to tell him is that I love him and will forever. That’s it. Just hold onto that, Caden told himself.
He was just outside of the open doors of the throne room. Pews rather like one would see in a church had been set up on either side of the throne room before the dais. Cameras lined the outer edges of the pews, packed so tightly together that Caden could hardly see the mirror behind them on the right hand side or the doors out onto the courtyard to the left.
He could see past his parents all of the Dragon Shifters walking up the aisle, looking glorious and noble and ethereal. Even Illarion appeared sober and full of great age and wisdom. In the mirror, he caught glimpses of their Dragon Spirits who joined Iolaire and Raziel to watch the nuptials. He was pleased and surprised to see how Xipil cuddled against Iolaire. Mephous sat comfortably against Raziel. Lana and Eldoron, of course, were a matched pair. Evern and Zephyra were like the wise older parents watching over their flock.
Caden nearly laughed as he caught sight of Vozyth, too! She was in the entrance to the lair. Raziel and Iolaire inclined their heads to welcome her in. And it wasn’t just her! All of the Dragons that they had saved from the Behemoth came inside to watch. The banana yellow one definitely did have its eye on Lana.
