Devouring Monarch: Rebirth of the Profane Phoenix - Chapter 287

Chapter 287: First Wife – A Gentle Princess and her prince

Asura felt the pressure from each gaze upon him. With their expectations and selfish desires, some might seek to use him. Others shun him or use his misdeeds to affect Vela in the future. Yet shrugged it off and thought only one thing.

‘Today, I am lucky to marry one of the most enchanting women in the world,’ Asura thought, his mind filled with determination.

He couldn’t care about the kingdom’s nobles looking at him as a fresh piece of meat. Nor the jealous young nobles who clearly wanted to try their hand at marrying the princess if someone ‘like him’ could marry her.

The atmosphere engulfed him as he made his way down the aisle. The queen, seated above, observed the ceremony, yet her presence didn’t add to the weight of the moment. In fact, he felt sure she smiled at him gently with a wink.

‘Ah, there’s dad. He looks so stupid in a suit. And Mother is pulling his ear, haha.’

His father wore a black suit with golden buttons and the new emblem of the Phoenix family on his chest beside the old Fenix one and seemed to elbow a noble beside him.

‘Is dad showing off?’

The man’s black hair was as messy as ever, yet only pride and love flowed from his amber eyes as he smiled at Asura. He nodded in his direction before Ophelia pulled him back, the beautiful woman nodding to Asura and mouthing, ‘Do your best, Asura. I love you.’

‘I suppose I’ll be seeing a lot more of him now. He is retired,’ Asura thought with a smile.

‘Probably annoying me to death for the next few years. Yet, I don’t mind, haha.’

He looked back towards several young men, all looking at him with keen eyes, smiling and giving him a respectful now.

They might be the generals his father spoke of, but they all looked interesting and unique. So Asura wanted to meet them as he approached the front of the aisle, stepping to where the archbishop of light stood.

Asura tried to avoid looking at his other women; some of them could not hide their jealousy, while others looked excited to have their own with him.

However, before he could focus, the gentle theme and orchestra began playing; as the doors opened once more, a beauty of silver and amber appeared from the darkness.

Lost in her beauty, Asura forgot all his thoughts and just watched her elegant steps approaching him. Her beautiful white and gold dress was filled with the same style as his, and her lovely silver hair was tied into an elegant bun with two curling bangs barely touching her cheeks.

‘It doesn’t matter who watches. Not even the nobles or Gods in the high heavens. They cannot deny that my wife is the most beautiful!’

His eyes twinkled as she finally reached him, lost in each other’s gazes, the thin veil hiding her face, but with Asura’s eyes, he could see her beauty, unable to stop his two hearts from throbbing and beating in his chest, causing a slight ache.

“Ahem, Dearly beloved, you have come together into the house of the monarchy so that in the presence of myself, the archbishop of Veron, and the people of Silvara might strengthen your intention to enter marriage, convalesced by the Lord Varon and his sacred light.”

The two turned towards the priest and the ceremony beginning, yet neither of them cared about Varon or the people. Filled with devotion and the desire to spend eternity together, their eyes remained interwoven with each other.

“Princess Vela Silvara and Prince Asura Phoenix, have you come here to enter marriage without coercion, freely and wholeheartedly?”

“I have.”

“I have!”

Asura’s and Vela’s voices sounded resolute and full of energy, causing the archbishop to smile. His gentle aura helped soothe the wedding hall.

“Are you prepared, as you follow the path of marriage, to love and honour each other for as long as you both shall live?”

“I am!”

“I am!”

The surroundings murmured with various people’s voices, but mostly, like a sigh of relief, the bishop raised his sceptre before moving on to the fundamental question.

“Will you, Prince Asura Phoenix, earl of the Phoenix Glade, take thee, Princess Vela Silvara, to be your wedded wife, to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honour and keep her, forsaking all others, in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, for better, for worse, and in joy and sorrow until death do you part?”

“I do. I, Prince Asura Pheonix, swear to take Princess Vela Silvara and endure, prevail, trust and love her for eternity.”

“Do you, Princess Vela Silvara, take thee, Prince Asura Phoenix, earl of the Phoenix glade, to be your wedded husband, to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honour and keep him, forsaking all others, in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, in joy and sorrow until death do you part?”

“I do!” Vela’s voice resounded over the crowd as her eyes wavered with tears. “I, Princess Vela Silvara, swear to take Prince Asura Phoenix and to love, protect, endure, give my everything to him and stay by his side for eternity!”

A moment later, a lovely girl carried two rings on a pillow; she seemed to be one of the younger valkyries before offering them up to the pair.

“Princess Vela, please receive this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father and his undying light of blessing,” Asura whispered while placing the ring on Vela’s finger. He replaced the old ring with a new, beautiful silver ring, with a dark red ruby embedded around the entire ring, the colour identical to Asura’s eyes.

Vela gasped, her cheeks stained with tears under the veil, while she stared at the beautiful ring; even when the archbishops urged her on, she just remained focused on Asura.

“I love you, Prince Asura. Please receive this ring as a sign of my devotion and obsession, my love and hopes, in the name of Varon, who shall deem my oath truth and bless our union with his divine light. Take this ring and always be mine.”

Asura’s lips opened, his eyes wide, as the ring slipped onto his fingertip—a beautiful silver ring with a diamond-shaped dragon etched across the thick band. He swallowed Vela’s words and truly felt her love and was enchanted, in front of thousands of people.

“By the power granted to me by the Kingdom of Silvara and the church of Varon, I declare you to be married, in the name of the holy one,” the archbishop raised his hand before bringing it down to symbolise the union. “In the sight of God and these witnesses, I now pronounce you husband and wife! You may now kiss!”

With a radiant smile, Asura removed the veil blocking her face; his hands trembled slightly as he touched her soft, warm cheek.

“Honey, do you remember that promise? We’ll never be apart again?” Asura’s low voice was enough to melt the girl as she nodded in anticipation.

“Of course, Asura. Now, please let me enjoy your lips; I’ve been waiting too long,” Vela responded, causing the crowd to erupt in laughter and joyous sounds.

Asura smiled as he dragged her to him; their breaths intertwined with their souls, and their hearts beat in unison as he placed his lips on her.

The first kiss was husband and wife. The first seal between man and woman, joining as one.

Yet Asura poured out his soul through his lips, his hands dragging her ever closer. Her warm body pressed against him while he stroked her soft hair, his tongue tangling with hers in the most intimate of kisses.

Vela could hardly breathe as Asura seemed to want to eat her alive, yet she would offer her body and soul to him willingly, as she felt a warmth permeate through her entire existence.

Their breathing and hearts joined as one; their minds and souls, their entire beings, would become one.

This kiss lasted long after the archbishop spoke, so long that the hall soon became embarrassed, and a few faces turned red, especially the queen and a few of Asura’s women, with some ladies gently touching their cheeks, praying to meet a man with such passion. Some of the older noble women and men simply covered their faces as they awaited the end.

Since their kiss continued, the pair’s bond unbreakable, the archbishop continued at the last moments of the ceremony.

“Now let us humbly invoke God’s blessing upon this bride and groom, that in his kindness he

may favour with his help those on whom he has given the Sacrament of Matrimony.”

“Go in peace to glorify his divine grace with your life.”

“The Lord bless you and keep you.” The crowd chanted.

“The Lord makes his face shine upon you and be gracious to you.”

“The Lord turns his face towards you and offers you peace.” The crowd chanted.

“Go forth in peace! Glory be to Varon and his light everlasting!”

“Glory be to Varon and his light everlasting!” The crowd chanted.

With the service over, many felt a sense of relief.

First, the lower nobles waited for the upper nobles and royal blooded to prepare to depart, each leaving a small gift or monetary donation to the new couple. After the nobles finished, it would be the families.

This took less time because Vela had only her mother as the king was absent. However, Asura’s family seemed quite large, with several distant relatives coming to offer small gifts.

Because Asura wasn’t just the prince but their current lord, the only one who controlled their daily lives.

The queen saw the amount of affection her daughter held for Asura, though a little demerit. Their kiss lasted so long.

She had never experienced such passion and allowed it this once.

However, in the quiet ambience of a beautiful wedding, the entire city suddenly shook, a gigantic quake spreading through the streets. Screams replaced the shouts of joy, and blood seeped down the beautiful stone pathways.

“Glory be to Our Divine Son!” A man’s voice echoed like a dark shadow. He appeared at the head of the altar and sliced the throat of the archbishop without even alerting the guards and knights.

“Oh, Divine son, you have married a false saintess. Our lady feels disheartened. But worry not. She will forgive you with a small punishment this time.”

With that, the male snapped his fingertips, and the world turned into darkness after the distant sound of explosions hammered down from the sky.

The enemy had come, and the moment the ceremony ended, the true war began.