Page 26 of Courting the Dragon King

Grand Monk Ferdinand lifted his hands wide. “Today is a wondrous day! The last of the marriages for the peace treaty has been completed, and soon the treaty itself will be finalised.”

Applause broke out throughout the hall. Konrad clapped. Wraith joined in.

“Congratulations to King Konrad and King Consort Wraith.” The grand monk beamed. “We wish you a blessed union and a prosperous and happy future.”

Wraith’s hands spasmed as he clapped. King Consort Wraith. He’d forgotten he’d have a new title now.

The grand monk waited for the applause to die away. “One of the reasons I, like many of my brethren, joined the Monks of the Way of the Dove was to assist those directly impacted by the many atrocities caused by the war. We witnessed deaths of soldiers and civilians, destruction of homes, farmland, and villages, uncountable people injured, displaced individuals, and so many children made orphans. The war has caused immeasurable suffering.”

A silence followed in the hall.

“We tried to assist as best we could, providing healing, food, shelter, and supplies to those in need with the funds provided by your noble kingdoms. But what was really needed was an end to the war.” He smiled. “And now the war is behind us, and with the creation of the peace treaty, we can forge forward into a bright future for all!” the grand monk said, the euphoria in his voice undeniable.

More applause broke out. Wraith clapped. Perhaps this union between himself and Konrad would be completely wretched, but at least it had contributed to the peace treaty and less suffering for so many.

That I can be glad for.

“I am proud for the role that we, the Monks of the Way of the Dove, will play in creating this peace within the kingdoms. I am confident it will be lasting.” The grand monk beamed. “Now, before I invite you to return to celebrating the eighth and final marriage that will seal the treaty, we have a final ritual to perform.” The grand monk turned towards the head table for Necros. “High Priestess Shade.”

One of Wraith’s aunts in attendance stood. She walked towards Wraith and Konrad. Beside him, Konrad tensed.

The high priestess stopped in front of them. “In Necros it is tradition at weddings that both individuals provide a lock of their hair. We ask you, the two grooms, to provide this lock now. It will be woven together and placed into two lockets. One for each of you.”

Then the high priestess came around behind the table. She reached for Wraith’s hair without comment and snipped an inch from the end with ornate silver scissors. His aunt, like many in Necros, had mostly ignored Wraith’s existence, rarely talking to him or acknowledging he even existed.

She then turned to Konrad. “Your Majesty, may I take a lock of your hair?”

Konrad glared at her, and for a second, Wraith thought he’d refuse. He supposed it was wise for Konrad to be cautious about handing over a lock of his hair. Hair, like any part of an individual, held power. Not as much as blood. But still …

Then Konrad gave a sharp nod of his head.

High Priestess Shade snipped a much smaller amount from Konrad’s hair, since his hair lacked the length of Wraith’s. Then she wove their hair together, creating two locks of mixed hair.

“Bound together. Bound together,” she muttered over and over as her fingers moved. “Bound together.”

Konrad leaned away from her. His eyes narrowed.

A thought hit Wraith. Did Konrad hate all necromancers? Not just him?

The high priestess pulled out two lockets from her gown. She placed one of the woven strands into one locket and snapped it closed. She did the same with the other.

She smiled her thin lips at King Konrad and handed one locket to him with a bow. Then she handed the other to Wraith. She strode away from their table.

“Now that the tradition from Necros is complete, you may continue celebrating,” the grand monk said.

Noise resumed almost immediately throughout the banquet hall. Wraith hung the locket around his neck. But Konrad stared at his, glaring at the skull embossed on the front.

Wraith placed his hands in his lap. What was it that Konrad found so detestable about this locket? Was it that it symbolised the binding of Wraith and Konrad in marriage? Or was it because it was a part of a necromancer tradition?

Konrad put the locket on the table. Wraith picked at his food and sipped his wine as the banquet continued. They did not speak.

Wraith dreaded consummating the marriage. He did not have much experience with sex. At least not with the living. All his sexual experiences had involved ghosts.

A few times, spirits had found him attractive and made their interest clear. Some of those times, Wraith had been receptive. But he expected sex with Konrad would be different to sex with ghosts.

As the banquet wrapped up, the shadow king and queen rose and came towards them. Wraith straightened.

“Congratulations on your nuptials,” the shadow king said, looking only at Konrad.