Princess Of The Skulls - Chapter 85: Chapter 85

The wedding took place in the castle's repaired great hall, under skies that still showed faint traces of dimensional scarring.
I stood before the assembled nobility of both kingdoms, wearing a gown of midnight blue silk that complemented the skull relics around my neck. The dress had been specially designed to accommodate my new status, not just as a princess being married for political alliance, but as a queen who had earned her crown through battle and sacrifice.
Beside me, Aldric looked every inch the prince he had been born to be, but I could see the weight of recent revelations in his eyes. Learning that his father had been manipulated by the same forces that had killed his uncle had shaken him deeply, but it had also strengthened his resolve to be a better leader than those who had come before.
"Dearly beloved," Master Dorian began, his voice carrying clearly through the hall, "we are gathered here today, not just to witness the union of two individuals, but to celebrate the alliance between two kingdoms that have chosen cooperation over conflict, understanding over hatred."
The ceremony itself was a careful balance of tradition and innovation. We spoke the ancient vows that bound royal marriages, but we also added new elements—promises to protect not just our people, but all those who lived in the spaces between worlds, acknowledgments that our authority came not from birthright alone, but from the willingness to sacrifice for others.
When Aldric took my hand to place the ring on my finger, I felt the weight of the promise we were making. Not a promise of love, though there was genuine affection between us, but a promise of partnership, of shared responsibility for the future we were building together.
"You may kiss the bride," Master Dorian announced, and Aldric leaned forward to press his lips to mine in a kiss that was gentle, respectful, and entirely appropriate for a political alliance disguised as a romantic union.
The celebration that followed was more subdued than typical royal weddings, partly because of the recent battles and partly because everyone involved understood the temporary nature of the arrangement. But there was genuine joy in the hall, relief that the long conflict between the kingdoms was finally over, hope that the alliance would bring prosperity and peace.
I danced with my new husband, maintaining the appearance of a happy bride while my eyes repeatedly found Kael across the room. He had been given an official position as a diplomatic liaison between the kingdoms, a role that would keep him close while respecting the boundaries that now existed between us.
"He's watching you," Aldric murmured as we moved through the steps of a traditional wedding dance.
"I know," I replied, not bothering to deny it.
"And you're watching him," he continued, his tone more amused than accusatory. "It's going to be an interesting year."
"Are you having second thoughts?" I asked, studying his face for signs of regret or resentment.
"No," he said firmly. "This is the right choice, for both of us and our people. Besides," he added with a slight smile, "I've had my distractions to consider."
I followed his gaze to where Lydia Ravencrest stood with a group of other nobles, her attention focused on our conversation with obvious interest. She had been quiet since the battle, processing the role she had played in the larger conspiracy, but I could see the intelligence in her eyes that had made her such a valuable ally before she became a rival.
"Lydia?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"She's brilliant," Aldric said. "Ambitious, ruthless when necessary, but genuinely committed to serving something larger than herself. Once she understood the real stakes involved, she became one of our most valuable assets in the reconstruction planning."
"And you think she might be interested in a political alliance of her own?" I asked, beginning to see the shape of what he was suggesting.
"I think she might be interested in a lot of things," he replied diplomatically. "But that's a conversation for another time. Tonight is about the alliance we've already made, and the work we have ahead of us."
The evening continued with speeches and toasts, political discussions disguised as casual conversation, and the careful dance of diplomacy that would define the next year of our lives. But underneath it all, I felt a current of anticipation, a sense that this was not an ending but a beginning.
When the formal celebration finally wound down, I found myself on the battlements again, looking out over the lands that were now my responsibility. The dimensional scars were healing, but they would leave permanent marks on the landscape, reminders of how close we had come to losing everything.
"My queen," Kael said softly, approaching from behind.
"My lord," I replied formally, maintaining the proper distance while my heart raced at his nearness.
"One year," he said, echoing the words that had defined our agreement.
"One year," I confirmed. "And then ."
"And then we see what the future holds," he finished, his eyes holding mine in the moonlight.
The year ahead would be filled with challenges—rebuilding damaged infrastructure, negotiating new trade agreements, managing the political complexities of a marriage alliance built on necessity rather than love. But it would also be filled with possibilities, chances to prove that cooperation could be stronger than conflict, that trust could be rebuilt even after the deepest betrayals.
As I looked out over the kingdom I now shared with Aldric, I felt the weight of the crown I had earned and the freedom it represented. I was no longer just the Princess of Skulls, bound by duty and expectation. I was the Queen of Bones, and I would choose my destiny.
One year from now, I will be free to make that choice. But until then, I had work to do, and I intended to do it well.