Chapter 431 A Wedding on Earth
The wedding began beneath a clear blue sky.
White flowers formed arches across the green lawn, and beyond them, the ocean stretched toward the horizon.
Guests from Earth sat beside visitors from the Divine World.
Allen spent most of the morning making sure no one accidentally revealed a nonhuman form in front of the cameras.
The Snow Dragon complained that being asked to remain human was discrimination.
Aurelion argued that he and Pyrelion should fly above the island carrying a wedding banner.
Zara threatened to throw them into the ocean.
They remained on the ground.
Enoch arrived with Vivian and Spencer. He wore a dark suit and looked entirely ordinary, which was exactly what he wanted.
Soraya came through the passage with Cyranth shortly before the ceremony.
Her spirit had fully stabilized, and she had regained her original adult form. Yet when she saw Zara in her wedding dress, she still smiled and called, "Mom."
Several guests turned in confusion.
Zara pointed at her. "Do not start."
Soraya laughed and embraced her.
"Thank you for bringing me home."
Zara's expression softened.
"Take care of yourself. If Cyranth annoys you, send him back to the forbidden zone and come live with me."
Cyranth stood nearby. "I can hear you."
"Good."
The ceremony began.
Zara wore a white gown designed on Earth, but the crown on her head had come from the Divine World. Its dark blue stones reflected the stars hidden beyond the daylight.
Owen waited beside her.
Their relationship had always been complicated. He was not truly her father in the ordinary sense, but he had given her a chance to awaken on Earth, and Zara had chosen to accept him as family.
He offered his arm.
"Ready?"
Zara looked toward the end of the aisle.
Lucian stood beneath the final flower arch in a white suit.
He was no longer carrying her power. He no longer possessed the overwhelming presence of the Holy Sovereign.
He was simply Lucian.
The man who had once sworn he would never marry her.
The man who had signed inheritance documents while suspecting she wanted him dead.
The man who had returned every fragment of her power when keeping it would have made him nearly invincible.
Zara smiled.
"Ready."
They walked down the aisle.
Lucian watched her approach without looking away.
For once, Zara did not hide behind sunglasses.
[He really does look good.]
Lucian's mouth curved.
[That suit was probably expensive.]
His smile deepened.
Zara narrowed her eyes.
[He can't still hear me, can he?]
Lucian immediately looked solemn.
She decided to investigate later.
Owen placed her hand in Lucian's.
"Take care of her."
Lucian answered, "I will."
Zara said, "I can take care of myself."
"No one asked," they replied together.
She glared at both of them.
The officiant began the ceremony.
The vows had been kept simple.
Lucian spoke first.
"I once believed power could give me certainty. Then I lost my memories and learned that even without knowing who you were, I still trusted you."
Zara looked at him.
"You are unreasonable, greedy, reckless, and almost impossible to live with."
The guests laughed.
"But when I thought I had lost you, none of the power I possessed mattered."
His fingers tightened around hers.
"I choose you with or without power, in either world, for however long we are given."
Zara had not prepared a speech that sounded nearly as good.
She looked down at their joined hands.
Then she spoke honestly.
"I don't know how humans usually describe love."
Lucian's expression softened.
"I lived a long time before I came to Earth. Most of it meant very little to me. I thought caring about people only made losing them more painful."
She looked toward her family, Soraya, Enoch, and the friends gathered around them.
"Then I met all of you."
Finally, she faced Lucian.
"You are annoying. You hear things you shouldn't. You tore up my inheritance papers, and you still haven't apologized."
Lucian said, "I never will."
"But when you were dying, I couldn't leave you."
The humor faded from her voice.
"And when I was falling, you came back for me."
Her eyes brightened.
"So I choose you too."
The rings were exchanged.
Lucian slipped the wedding band onto her finger beside the sapphire.
Zara placed his ring on his hand, then held on for an extra second.
A thread of starlight moved from her fingers into his body.
Lucian inhaled sharply.
Her source essence settled around his heart.
The connection between them became permanent.
Not ownership.
Not a debt.
A life willingly shared.
The officiant smiled.
"You may kiss the bride."
Zara immediately said, "Forehead only."
Lucian lowered his voice. "We discussed this."
"We discussed one kiss."
"Yes."
"You didn't specify where."
He stared at her.
Zara looked pleased with her argument.
Lucian leaned down and kissed her forehead.
The guests applauded.
White birds rose from the lawn, sweeping into the sky as the cameras captured the moment.
Lucian remained close.
"Happy?"
Zara glanced at the ring, the ocean, and the people around them.
"Mostly."
"What's missing?"
She looked at him.
"The final version of your will."
Lucian laughed.
Zara's thoughts drifted toward him through the connection.
[It doesn't matter.]
[He can keep the money for now.]
[I'll keep him.]
Lucian heard every word.
This time, he said nothing.
He took her hand and led her beneath the falling petals, toward their families and the future waiting beyond the shore.
Behind them, the passage between Earth and the Divine World glowed beneath the open sky.
It was no longer a doorway to war.
It was a bridge.
And for the first time in her long existence, Zara had no desire to disappear into sleep.
She had a home in both worlds.
More importantly, she had someone she wanted beside her in each of them.
---The End---