As the city of Antioch worked to complete work on their city gates it
became clear to the Stavennites that their siege on the desert city
would soon be futile. In a desperate attempt to achieve some tangible
gain from the siege, Stavennite Iriaen Nessaja, proposed to relax the
siege in exchange for the hand of Valaria Almarisse of Antioch.
Although her fellow citizens told Valaria that they would never beg of
her to accept such a proposal and would rather continue to fight, she
felt that she could not pass up this opportunity to save the lives of
the desert dwellers. Even as the wedding date grew near her fellow
citizens implored her not to go through with this act of insanity.
Preparations were made and a party was planned by Stavennite Mallackai
DeviSeer. Speeches would be made, the couple to be showered with gifts.
As dusk arrived bringing the night of the 11th day of Ultio, in the year
406 AD, the occasion was announce in the public marketplaces and all
were invited. Mortals arrived to the ruins of Caanae from throughout
Aetherius for the occasion. Some came to celebrate and others to witness
firsthand what they saw as a sick bonding. Among the guests were:
Cleric Azaghal
Gentle Cordia Farrell, Hand of Healing
Aronus Tal'Saraan, Hand of Vahin
Defender of Truth, Ildrion Anar'Aman, Shah of Antioch
Chaplain Mallackai DeviSeer
Arch-Wyvern Ayelus Nessaja, Wraith of Nature
Scientia Laureate, Circe Maelin Faris, Quinta Essentia
Lady Chasmina Morgor
Flagbearer Ryuken, Blade of Vahin's Truth
Bear of Vahin, Mukhtar Stavros Calamus, Enforcer of Law
Taringail Gai'don, Advocate of Peace
Forest Master Aidan Swiftpaw, Vahin's tracker
Cireb Cauthon
Kindled Spirit, Anatole Bharathian
Drakov D'Murne, Dragon of the North
Prophetess of Ki, Iluov Anar, the Wilting Lily
The bride wore a flowing peppermint green gown with a purple mask
serving as her veil. As the crowd awaited the ceremony they ate red
velvet cake and quaffed their thirst with goblets of red wine and mugs
of hot spiced wine. As they toasted the couple the speeches began. The
brother of the groom, Ayelus Nessaja, was first and announce that he'd
made special arrangements for the couple's honeymoon. Next spoke the
grooms friend and organiser of the event, Mallackai DeviSeer, who wished
that their bond never break. Drakov D'Murne joked that he hoped the
bride would stop smacking him around after she settled down into her
married life. Wishes of well-being were added by many other guests.
The ceremony began as midnight tolled, bringing the 12th day of Ultio,
in the year 406 AD. The groom, Iriaen Nessaja, spoke and expressed his
hope that this may be the start of a mending of the long-standing clash
between the demonologists of Stavenn and those in the desert city of
Antioch. He assured the bride that she would be very happy living
amongst the Stavennites. He then turned to his bride, asked to hear her
words and contentedly sipped some wine.
The hazel eyes of Valaria Almarisse sparkled as she gathered her
thoughts. With a smile on her face she spoke, "Before this assembled
host of friends, city-mates and well wishers, I would like to say that I
swear on the blessed rays of Lord Baar's suns that it will be a snowing
day in the desert before I take your hand or lay in your bed swollen
with child. I now grant you what you what your pompous assumption
warranted in proposing a marriage without first consulting the bride to
be!"
With those words the bride wielded a curved sabre and shield. Adeptly
she used them in concert to reply to the marriage proposal with certain
finality. She cut into the groom with the sabre, then sliced him with
the edge of the shield. Not understanding what was happening, the groom
queried, "What the..." Just then the bride knocked the stunned groom to
the ground and leaped in the air. One foot planted firmly in the groom's
chest, she let her plain leather sandals deal the final deadly blow. The
mortal body of Iriaen Nessaja went limp.
Gasps were heard from the wedding guests, some snickered, and Anatole
Bharathian, Mukhtar of Antioch, merely nodded his head, knowingly.
Penned by my hand on the 8th of Fas, in the year 407 AD.
