23 Wedding Day

The warm morning sunshine spilled into the imperial capital, shinning on the aquiline stone structures and buildings, as its bright glow gleamed on the blue moon stones and vines adorning the city walls, enveloping the city of aurora in its radiance.

The whole imperial capital, from the outer city to the second and first inner cities, were bustling in excitement as merchants, traders, hunters, warriors, farmers, fishermen, and officials gathered on the streets and teashops discussing about the impending Empirial wedding as they took advantage of the festive atmosphere to boost their business.

The tinkling of trinkets and jewels reverberated in surroundings as housewives adorned themselves with their best jewels and wore colorful new clothes, while the fragrance of various kinds of delicacies and drinks permeated the air.

Red carpets were rolled out on every street in the city as pink and aqua petals were scattered upon the ground, giving off a fresh fragrance. On the sides of each main street, red-robed bands beat gongs and sounded drums. They formed a long line, stretching all the way from the entrance of the imperial city to the imperial palace, where the wedding would be formally held.

Distinguished individuals from the seven realms who were not formally invited arrived outside the city gates with gifts in their arms.

They dismounted their Myifs, Wains, Blue Flying Dolphins and other mounts outside the city and passed through the city gates on foot. Soon the whole imperial capital was so crowded, there was barely enough space for the wedding procession to pass through.

However, the number of people gathered outside the city was several times more than the number in the city. These were people who did not have the qualifications to enter the city, either in terms of status or personal strength and power.

The Amayan Empire immediately experienced the most glorious moment in its entire history. Even during the reign of the Emperor Emeritus, there had never been a case where half of the leading powers in the seven realms from three hundred years ago, gathered at one place.

For many people it was their first time entering the Amayan Empire. As they looked around, they pointed at their surroundings and sighed in wonder, mesmerized, astounded by the beauty and prosperity of the realm. Looking from above, there was an endless sea of heads, stretching toward the iridescent horizon.

At this moment, outside the gate of the aquamarine mansion in the first Inner city, a large group of female servants stood in an organized formation, waiting at the entrance to escort the brides.

Inside the mansion, Princess Nari and Princess Qamari were sitting in front of glass mirrors to get their hair and make-up done by the most famous make-up artist, Semu Alma, in the Amayan Empire.

As the news of the changed brides has not spread out yet, Semu decided to start with the prospect Crown Princess, Princess Nar, first. Taking out her tools, she sat in front of Princess Nari to draw her brows, do eye shadow, apply eyeliner, before adding a finishing touch of blush to her cheeks and gloss to her lips.

"Princess, I suggest you first wear your bridal dress, as a bride's hairstyle can be very complicated and could get ruined if you dress after getting your hair done. Although redoing it will not be a problem, it will delay the time of the procession." She said with a smile.

"Yes. Give me a moment." Standing up, Princess Nari strode to the group of maids holding the trays with the princesses' bridal gowns. Picking up the red gown with the golden peony with bright eyes, she proceeded to her inner chambers to change, a pair of maids obediently following behind to assist her.

"Princess, we can work on your make-up while Princess Nari is changing." Semu looked thoughtfully towards the silent, cold princess that had not said a word since her entrance. With the veil covering her face, she could only see the violet cold pupils, making her wonder what she looked like behind the veil.

"It is fine. I do not need to get any make-up, other than my brows, done. You can apply a little bit of eyeliner as well." Princess Qamari nonchalantly replied.

"How can that do? A woman gets married only once in her life and it is of the utmost importance to make that moment memorable and perfect." Semu firmly replied, a hint of stubbornness on her serious face.

"Thank you, but as I said, I do not need it. Marriage does happen only once in a woman's life, but the memorable part of the event is not in the way she looks, but in the sincerity and trust with which she joins and entrusts her life to another, with the promise that going forward their joys and sorrows will be one. You can do my eyes, there is no need for the rest." Princess Qamari reiterated without looking at her.

Semu nodded dazedly as she stared at the princess that was unlike any girl her age she had ever met. Throughout her years applying make-up for the noble ladies of the empire, there was only one thing that she had ever heard from their mouths which were to make them beautiful enough to stun the crowd.

And here was a princess, who was getting married to the royal prince of the empire, rejecting the proposal of looking beautiful on that significant day of her life.

"Is she not happy with this marriage? Is that why she does not care about her looks?" She privately wondered.

The moment she was done drawing the brows and applying liner to the princess's eyes, a servant came rushing into the room, a group of black-armored guards trailing behind.

"Your highness, the Crown Prince sent your bridal gown." The servant excitedly said, reverently looking at the guards behind her. The black-armored troops' fame was widespread in the empire, making them the object of adoration for the servants and maids in high-ranking households.

"Your highness, his highness Crown Prince Lail sent us to deliver your wedding robe as a form of his betrothal gift to you." The leading guard bowed deeply before moving forward to place the golden tray on the aquiline table.

Princess Qamari, Semu, and the maids looked towards the guards in stunned silence.

"Your highness, now that we have completed our task, we shall take our leave." Bowing one last time, the guards moved backward before turning, leaving the room in the manner they entered, swift.

It was only after the guards left that the Princess, Semu, and the maids reacted.

"Crown Prince? Is the Crown Prince not marrying Princess Nari? Why would he send Princess Qamari a wedding dress in the form of a betrothal? Or is Princess Nari not the one marrying the Crown Prince?" As realization dawned on her, Semu turned to look at Princess Qamari with apprehensive eyes, wondering if her oversight had somehow offended her.

But Princess Qamari was still caught up in the shock the Crown Prince's sudden gift brought her to pay Semu any attention.

The maid that entered the room with the guards and the one holding the tray with the Princess's original wedding gown, walked to the table and carried the heavy golden tray brought in by the guards together, dumping the original dress on the same table as they walked towards Princess Qamari.

Hoping to get the chance to see the wedding dress the Crown Prince sent the Princess, they looked at her with expectant eyes.

"Princess, it is almost time for the Procession, we will help you get ready." They said together.

At mid-noon, two golden sedans, surrounded by five hundred female servants scattering petals in the air and a thousand black armored guards with drawn swords pointing to the ground, proceeded through the aquiline streets of the First Inner city to the imperial palace gates.

Blue Flying dolphins, Crimson Light-Winged Nymphs', Fluorescent Flower Spirits, and Verdant Life Sparrows soared the skies as they twittered and chirped about joyously. The crowd gathered in the streets bustled as they fell in line, chasing after the wedding procession in an orderly fashion towards the imperial palace.