"Auon to Rifabienn"

kana sipped his tea in the armchair in front of the fireplace. He was far more fascinated about the flames than the Frostking looking at him from the other side of the table. Although the fire clearly gave rise to heat, the ice, which the room was made of, did not melt.

Amazing. Akana started to make up theories on how this was possible when the king interrupted his thoughts.

"I'm sorry for my little demonstration in the throne room. It was not my intention to cause you dismay. I can be civilized when I feel like it," the king said, and Akana frown skeptically.

"Civilized when he feels like it." Akana put the teacup on the table and then turned towards the king.

"No harm was done. It was a breathtaking display. I've never seen magic like this one before," Akana replied, hoping he sounded polite.

Akana was surprised when he noticed that the king had leaned towards him and grabbed his chin. He muttered a few words, and Akana scrutinized the king with a baffled expression.

"What is he doing?"

The king himself seemed satisfied and shocked by something, and he began to caress Akana's cheek with his forefinger.

"Your Highness?"

The king leaned back and appeared to have decided to be content. He looked at the fireplace with a faint smile on his lips. Akana could only wonder what the mysterious king was pondering about. He decided to be more courageous in his statement.

"What's your intentions towards me?" he briskly asked.

The obvious answer was that Akana would become his ward, but he didn't show any special talent on the ball, and something in the king's conduct during the dance suggested that he was not interested in any ward

The king looked back at Akana and seemed to consider his answer before he tilted his head and said with a smile that would have suited a demon.

"I'm going to marry you."

"No," he replies, almost causing Sidastir to fall out of the armchair.

"No? What do you mean?"

"I have no interest in marrying you."

Sidastir stares at the boy, who did not show any particular emotion on his face

"No interest ... When did I give the impression that you had a choice? Did I ask a question?"

Sidastir thinks that it was better to try to argue. After all, he did not want to begin his marriage by chaining his future husband to the bed.

"Why are you not interested?" he asked with a soft voice, even though he still couldn't believe that the boy had denied him without a second thought.

"A marriage does not profit me and not you either." the boy declared and nodded

Sidastir could only stare. He could not know whether the boy was adorable or foolish.

"Do not profit you? You would be a partner to a king. How can you not see the profits of that?" Sidastir said

"How could I possibly be useful as a royal partner? I have no political background. I do not belong to wealthy families, so I can not give you wealth. I can not even give you a child, an heir. I have no gifts or talents that could possibly give me some usability as a royal consort," the boy talks slowly as if he was talking to a child.

Sidastir held back a remark that the boy's task was more fit towards the bed-chamber than the political field. It was clear that the boy wanted to be productive.

"You can get an education at Virtus Scolaris. I will sponsor your education if you want, but I do not want you because you are qualified to become a royal partner. I want you because you're capable of being my spouse," Sidastir said casually.

"How can I possibly qualify for that?" said the boy and frowned.

He leaned forward and grabbed the boy's cheek. Sidastir kissed him; they could not help but enjoy the heat that radiated from them.

The boy did not move; Sidastir thought that the boy's reaction was pale and wondered if he was as well. He stopped the kiss and leaned back, but the boy only frowned at Sidastir.

"What would that prove?" he asked and stared at Sidastir.

"Can I detect certain rage behind the emotionless mask?" Sidastir thought with a smile before replying.

"Everything. If you had been someone else, you would have iced now. I was ten years old the first time I kissed someone, and he ended up in a coma. You are capable because you are the only person I've met during my lifetime who has been able to touch me without freezing ice."

"Whatever your reason, I'm not capable because I cannot give birth to children. You are the last one of your lineage." said the boy slowly.

"That's no obstacle. There is a magic that's going to help us in that," said Sidastir

He wanted to ask how such magic would help us, but Sidastir decided that this would take too long.

"There is no reason to reject me any longer, is it?" he said, but the boy shakes his head.

"You've given me your profits to marriage, but I have very few of them," said the boy. "What should I do as your partner? Rule by your side? How?"

Sidastir did not care about these questions' answers but decided to answer them only because it seemed important for the boy.

"You will be educated as you planned, and you can help me rebuild my country again. As my spouse, you will also share my longevity and will be able to gain knowledge over hundreds of years. Your future will be secured. Do you have any better alternative in your homeland?" He asked, and the boy seemed to surrender.

"I have to contact my family to get their opinion about all of this," the boy finally said, and Sidastir was pleased he rose from his seat to end the conversation.

"I'll send a messenger to your family immediately. A servant can show the way to your bed-chamber when you feel like it," he said, noticing that the boy was examining him.

"What?"

"Do you even know my name?" asked the boy, and Sidastir started to sweat. He did not have a clue. The name was never something that stuck. Why bother to memorize their names when they would die within the next few years. The attitude is the result of being an elf who usually lives a thousand years while other races only live a hundred.

"My sweetheart?"

the boy sighed and stood up. "My name is Akana, you nitwit."

 *****

Nine days passed before the reply came from his home. Akana did not need to read the letter to know their answer. They had sent with the letter all his possessions, and a few things that he assumed were gifts. He sighed and opened the letter that had come with all items.

" My Son

We are happy for you and congratulate you on a well-designed contract. Marriage is a clear advantage over the original agreement, and your absence will give your siblings more space on the Watakau. Thank your spouse for the gifts he sent, and remember to be of use to your spouse. Being ineffective will reflect negatively on you, us, and your people. Live well.

Your mother Naira"

Akana noticed that Sidastir frowned after reading the letter.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

Sidastir merely shrugged. "The letter just sounds... Impersonal. It may as well be the last letter she writes to you, so why write so short and callous."

Akana shook his head. "It's effective, and she will not write to me again unless I get in touch. There is no need to keep in touch. With this marriage, I break all ties with my family to create a new one. It's not logical to hold on to a family on the other side of the world that does not give me an advantage in any way", he said, folding the letter and throwing it in the fire. Sidastir seemed to examine him. Perhaps he could not understand the thinking of the Auons. It was not uncommon for outsiders to be puzzled by their culture.

"Not because it matters. I have enrolled in Virtus Scolaris, and we will start within three weeks. I would like us to marry before then. You may decide on a day," Sidastir casually said and looked almost pleased with himself.

Akana felt perplexed even though he did not utter anything. Sidastir seems to think he was generous when he let Akana decide which day to marry.

"Should we not wait so we can have an official ceremony?" he pondered.

"For whom? We are a small country without allies. Only those who are important are those who live in Eitir, and everyone is within walking distance from us," said Sidastir, who descended upon an armchair and leaned back with eyes closed.

Akana did not care if it was a big ceremony or a private one as long as the oath was sworn, but he assumed that a king must have a public ceremony.

Sidastir seemed to have read his mind as he immediately replied.

"We'll send royal announcements to the ceremony that will announce you as royal consort before the other countries."

"I suppose that will do," Akana said after pondering upon the matter. He found that it was difficult to decide on the matter as he obviously had no knowledge of the subject.

"How soon can we have a ceremony?" Akana finally asked as he had no idea how long it takes to plan a wedding.

"It depends on how grand you want it to be, but if we plan it simply, we should be able to prepare the festivities within a week," Sidastir said, relatively uninterested.

Akana could not understand his willingness to marry when he seemed to have few interests in the whole affair.

"Let's have the wedding in two weeks, then we have a week to prepare for departure to Virtus Scolaris," Akana finally said, leaving the room to tell the servants about his decision.

*****

Year 782 of Octavus, 35th day on the fifth-month Auonus

Sidastir turned in front of the mirror. He had chosen a black coat with silver embroidery and a white silk shirt underneath.

He grimaced at the somber sight. A ghost looked more vividly. He loathed his white complexion, which gave him the visage of a wraith. It doesn't matter what colors he wore; he always looked as far from proper as he possibly could be.

"Dissatisfied with the choice of clothes, your Greatness?" uttered a garish voice from above the mirror. Sidastir managed to get rid of the impulse to make the little fairy to explode. Her voice was far too annoying.

"Tell me, Madin, do I look sensible for my wedding?" asked Sidastir and spun in front of the mirror.

"If you do not like your clothes, use magic to create new ones," Madin said while flying around him before she landed on his shoulder.

"I'm an ice mage. Why should I have the power to create clothes?" Sidastir huffed.

He let out a sigh and decided that this would have to do. He has no idea about Akana's taste anyway. Not that Akana seems to have a special fancy for anything, but he must admit he had been surprised by Akana's eye for details.

In a short time, Akana planned a wedding that was in no way inferior to all other weddings. He had also gotten to know the trolls and the fairies while giving orders to them with a mother's patience.

Akana had no problem explaining to the all too dumb trolls or the too rebellious fairies what he would want to be done. However, Akana seems to assume that all non-Auonian origins are less intelligent, so he is well accustomed to dealing with such situations.

Sidastir had tried to get to know Akana but soon noticed that his prospective husband prefers to work instead of enjoying himself and took up most of the palace's duties.

He has spent time writing royal announcements in all different languages ​​and sent them to the other kingdoms while planning the wedding and, in some way, found time to furnish their future bed-chambers.

Sidastir had no idea when this happened. One morning, he only woke up and realized that his chamber was filled with boxes of new things and trolls carried in new furniture and stumbled over the old.

He had tried to put an end to the unexpected invasion, but Akana had prevented this with only one glance.

His new husband had a frightening gaze.

Not that Sidastir was afraid, of course, but it is not wise to annoy the person who will share his bed in the future. That's what Sidastir tried to convince himself after he had retired from the chamber and sat upon his throne to brood.

Sidastir sighed and turned around to leave the room.

"Your Highness! You forgot this."

Madin had seized a silver tiara that symbolized the royal consort. The tiara was shaped like small-crystalline vines. Crystals decorated the tiara in the shape of leaves. In the middle of the tiara was an extinct sunstone, which shone in a golden glow despite its status.

Sidistir grabbed the tiara and looked satisfied at it. His consort would undoubtedly look handsome in it. Akana may look peculiar, but he was no doubt beautiful to look at. Although he seemed strangely unaware of it...

Sidastir stormed out of the room and could not wait to see his consort arrive at the altar.

Soon he would no longer be alone.

*****

Akana heard how the music began to play. A foreign melody that sounded antique from Akana's perspective.

Two trolls began to open the gate, and he started to walk down the hallway. He was wearing a silver-white suit with a silver belt around his waist. He had the royal consorts' ceremonial robes on him.

An odd piece with long wide arms and long enough, so the bottom of the piece was dragging on the floor. The fabric was white like snow but had an odd luster about itself that made it glitter.

Fairies flew to help the robes lie comfortably when Akana went down the hallway, but he tried to avoid the instinct to pull his robes and carry it in his arms.

Only one fool would let such beautiful clothes dragged on the floor and get dirty. Northerners were odd people.

Akana took a deep breath when the last door opened, and he went into the light from over a thousand candles. The Eitirans always had their wedding at sunset, so the only light came from the candles' pale fire and the sparkle of the moon.

Akana reviewed the room. Trolls crowded the place to see their future royal consort while the fairies flew along the roof, causing snowflakes to fall. Another thing that was a tradition and again Akana could not understand.

In front of the throne, there was now a small altar that Akana calls the basin. Sidastir stood in front of the basin and waited for his consort. Akana could only speculate why he had discreet clothes when he looked like a walking snowman. He even wore a dress.

Akana reached Sidastir and kneeled. He pulled down the white hood and closed his eyes. He had studied the ceremony carefully. Sidastir would say a few words in Canaan and splatter water on him. Afterwards, he would put on the tiara, and then they would be done. Short but effective.

"In the last light of the sun, the shining one raises. I choose this one to be mine. Mine to guard and respect. Mine now and forever."

"I give you my name, and in return, I'll take your future. A future we now share. Rise Akana of Auon. Do you accept my name?"

Yes, Akana let the word roll over the tongue. He washed water over Akana's hair. It should symbolize chasing away the old name or something superstitious that non-Auons believes in. Sidastir continued.

Then I will give you the name Akana den Rifabienn and the title Royal Consort. Celebrate what's mine or meet my wrath.

Akana turned around and met the roaring troll after Sidastir had put the tiara over his forehead. He was quite sure that the chant said to celebrate, not shout, but he had no issue with the troll's simple culture. It was honest in many aspects, and the majority were only shouting to make sure Sidastir would not freeze them on the spot.

Sidastir walked over to the left side of Akana. He was now Akana den Rifabeinn. Eitir's royal consort.

*****

The festivities lasted until midnight. Akana and Sidastir sat on the now two thrones and received gifts. Food and drinks were served, and when midnight came for the couple to start the wedding night, the trolls were lying around in great piles sleeping off the alcohol while the fairies flew into light and furniture in screaming laughter.

Sidastir took hold of Akana and led him out of the throne room and into their chamber, which lay in the palace's highest tower.

Sidastir examined Akana with a frown. He was spread out on the bed while Akana carefully folded the robes and clothes. He undressed and lay down beside Sidastir. The silence fell upon the room, and the newly wedded couple.

"Is something wrong?" asked Akana.

"I had hoped to undress you," Sidastir admitted. He took off his shirt and approached Akana.

"Why? I can undress," Akana said while frowning.

He lay flat on his back under the covers like a dead fish. Sidastir glared at him.

"Foreplay," he murmured.

"Foreplay," repeated Akana like he wanted to savor the word.

"What's the use of foreplay? We will complete the contract, not devote ourselves to play," said Akana and made no effort other than to play dead fish. Sidastir had straddled Akana's naked body and had his face just inches from Akana's beautiful albeit stiff face.

Sidastir had ice-elf blood in his veins, and with it came very few sexual needs, but it was a big difference between not wanting to have sexual intercourse to not being able to have sexual intercourse for the partner would be turned into a block of ice. He sighed, and Akana looked bewildered.

"Come on, Sidastir. Manhood, please don't fail me now! Firstly, I need to silence my beloved husband for something more off-putting than his comments does not exist."

*****

Akana woke up late in the day. His body ached from the nightly activity. He stretched his naked body but cringed again under the warm blanket. He had been surprised by all the furs, but he could now not help but adore them. It felt like he was sleeping on a cloud. He was sure that he would miss them when he went to school.

Something moved beside him. Sidastir embraced him while he mumbled something unintelligible and buried his head in Akana's neck. Akana could hear him sighing contentedly.

Akana let his body conform to his and found a more comfortable position. The heat from Sidastir got Akana to consider waking him to continue yesterday's activity, but he decided that the idea was vain. Sidastir needed his sleep, and Akana needed to heal his bottom before marital activities were possible.

Akana had not told Sidastir that he was a virgin because he had found it unnecessary. Knowing his lack of experience could not have helped Sidastir implement the act in any way. Akana had been concerned that his inexperience would affect Sidastir's ability in bed, but he had been satisfied with their marital responsibilities. Akana had been especially fond of his kisses. They had his blood boil.

Akana slowly turned, so he had his face against Sidastirs. He let his hand caress Sidastir's arm and brought it up to his husband's lips. They were cold but soft. Akana leaned forward and gently pressed his lips against Sidastirs. He enjoyed the feeling of their lips meeting before he retired. Sidastirs eyes met him, and a smile slowly broke out from Sidastirs lips.

"Good morning, husband!" Akana said in an effort not to look embarrassed.

"Good morning, Rial Cariad."