When the bride came, the crowd became quiet. The bride wore a white kosode kimono and uchikake outer-robe matched with a white floss silk headdress to cover her face.

Brother Hachiko and his bride went to the stage made for the couple as they sat on it, facing us. The crowd cheered them as the bride shyly smiled while covering her face and Brother Hachiko only sat there with a small smile lingering on his face.

My eyes moved in the crowd, searching for Arashi but I couldn't find him as Hayami and Chinami came to me.

"Where is brother Arashi?" They asked.

"He went with Prince Takashi," I said as they looked at each other and nodded.

"Did father know that brother Arashi served in the war?" Hayami asked.

"I don't know." I said because father never mentioned this before. Maybe he knew that was why he chose Arashi as my husband? I still wanted to ask Arashi why he married me.

"Anyways, let us watch the rituals. It has been a year, I had almost forgotten the rituals." Chinami said, a bit excited about the wedding.

Hayami complained, "But I still remember. I hated to change into different dresses in just a single day. Why don't they make the grooms do the same?"

Chinami hushed her immediately and scolded her in a low voice, "Shh! Hayami! If anyone hears you, you will be punished for being disrespectful to the deity."

Hayami made a face and looked at the bride. "She has some really expensive uchikake." She remarked on the bride's outer robe with a floral pattern. I followed her robe and certainly it was beautiful. The Amane clan must be very wealthy.

The wedding rituals began with them exchanging their sacred items. While the bride gave Katsuobushi(dried bonito). It was wrapped in a beautiful cloth and I asked in a low voice, "Why did she give him that?"

I had never been to a wedding ceremony because my sisters' wedding happened in their husbands' abode. Both the Dateko clan and Mr Bushida's clan wanted the wedding in their domain.

So the first lady never took me with them saying I would be a bad omen. Chinami said, "The preserved foods such as Katsuobushi symbolizes long lasting relationships. I had given my husband a fan though, for happiness."

I nodded as the wedding seemed fascinating. Then my mind reminded me that I had never given Arashi anything, had I? A strange feeling stirred in my belly as I kept watching the couple with my curious filled gaze.

Brother Hachiko gave a linen thread as Cinami said, "That is Tomoshiraga. That signifies strong ties in the marriage."

I nodded and saw they gave gifts, flowers and letters to their parents as well. While Chinami kept telling each of their meanings, I felt my belly tightening. All the things they did had some deep and sacred meanings and somehow I felt restless yet I didn't know why.

Then two cups came to their way as their families stood behind them, surrounding them. It seemed very sacred as all of their eyes stayed on them with serene yet proud expressions when they drank the liquid from the cups. Was it sake?

"Wh—what are they doing?" I asked again in a whisper.

"They are taking vows." Hayami said. "Don't ask me what the vows are. I don't even know that. I just drank it."

"Hayami! These are sacred rituals. Don't talk like that!" Chinami whisper-scolded her and said, "They will sip three times the sacred sake from three different bowls exchanging vows."

Chinami added with a dreamy smile as she clasped her hands on her chest, "When we were having the sake, we felt something binding us together. It was very magical."

I looked at her with wide, curious eyes and then moved my eyes toward the couple.

I saw they were given three bowls and both of them drank from it and the next their parents joined them and followed the same rituals. Were they exchanging vows as well between the families? All the while I looked at them with curiosity and with another feeling that I failed to decipher.

Did my father do that while marrying off to Chinami and Hayami? When had we taken vows? Me and Arashi?

A bile appeared in my throat and the strange feeling I had been feeling suddenly intensified as I clenched my palms against my cloth. Why was I feeling this way?

I wasn't the one who would get sad because I never had to experience these things but somehow I felt my heart sinking. I looked around but I couldn't find Arashi and I felt the desperate need of him beside me. I felt vulnerable.

The couple were led by their families as the crowd followed them but I didn't go. I stayed there with my face in a deep frown and shoulders slumped down. I wanted to see Arashi.

My chest rose and fell as my mind recalled that we had never done those. We had never made any vows. Nothing. My eyes puffed as I tried to say to myself that it was all right. It wasn't like I wanted it anyway.

My lips quivered because I knew at some point I wanted it as well. Somewhere I wanted our marriage to happen within rituals. It seemed really magical. But now we couldn't since I was already married without the rituals.

"What are you doing here?" A voice came as I looked behind and saw it was Arashi.

"I—I was searching for you." I said stammering and gave him a smile.

He nodded and took in my face for a moment as he said, "Alright. Then let's get going. We need to see the ending ritual."

I nodded and asked, "What is the ending ritual?"

"They will be offering small tree twigs(Sakaki) to God for happiness and blessings and prosperity." He said as I nodded while my eyes were at the ground.

There was a moment of silence as I followed Arashi then he halted. I stopped to see what happened and saw he was looking at me with a face that said he wanted to say something. He asked, "Did something happen?"

I shook my head.

His eyes swept over me as if he was trying to read my face. "Are you feeling ill?"

I shook my head.

He nodded. "Did anyone insult you about me?"

"No! No one did anything."

"Then why are you so quiet?" He raised a brow as I averted my eyes.

"It is nothing." I mumbled.

"That means it is something..." He said, crossing his hands above his chest.

I looked everywhere but him as I tried to find an excuse. However, his intense gaze was boring holes in my head and I couldn't find any excuse.

And I gave up. I blurted out. "I never gave you any symbolic item."

"But I gave you one, the hair pin." He said, looking at my pin which I was wearing.

"But what did I give you?" I asked.

He thought for a moment before saying, "Yourself."

I looked up with wide eyes as my face heated. "I—I was talking about things, not people..." I mumbled.

He smiled. "As long as you are with me, I don't want anything."

My heart skipped a bit as I lost my words.

"But I—em... We didn't take any...vows. " I mumbled the word 'vows' in a low voice and hoped he wouldn't hear it.

There was no sound from him as I looked up at him and saw his brows were crooked in the middle. He must n't like these things since I recalled he avoided those when my father said he would give a banquet. I bit my tongue.

I shouldn't have mentioned it when he never liked those. I immediately said with a smile, "I was just excited about those things since it is my first time watching this. Don't worry about it."

I took his hand and tried to drag him to where the couple went, saying, "Let's go, otherwise we will miss the last ritual. I am excited to see it."

But he didn't even bulge from where he stood and he caught my hand instead. I looked at him from over my shoulders with a questioning gaze.

He placed his hands on my shoulders and turned me around to face him. Now I stood just before him, facing him as he said, "I am sorry, I didn't realize Kosaki's marriage rituals are taken very seriously and everyone thinks it very sacred."

I shook my hand and said, "It is okay. I didn't even know about this until today."

But he didn't say anything as his eyes were gazing into my eyes and I felt a little weak in the knees. After a moment, he said, "How about we take our vows now?"

My eyes went wide. What did he mean by that? Taking our vows...now? How?

He came near, a bit too near as my heart started to take a pace and slowly he bent forward as his lips reached just above my forehead and he kissed me on my hair. My face heated and I froze. Did he just...kiss me?

He said as he pulled away, his eyes so gentle and deep that I was lost in him, "With this kiss,I vow to you that I will forever protect you. I will be your shield and no matter what I will reach you if you ever find yourself in a threat."

I couldn't say a word and could only look at him with two large eyes which were about to fall.

Then his face came near and he placed a kiss on my forehead and said, "With this kiss, I vow to you that I will forever make you happy and will take care of you with everything I have in my power."

He bent his back and now his face reached mine. I could feel his hot breath on my face and now my chest rapidly rose up and down.

My heart had stopped beating the moment he crashed his lips on my lips.

I couldn't move. I didn't breathe. I didn't blink. I didn't know what was happening as my surroundings became distant and all I knew were the gentle lips on me as if it was a promised kiss. He pulled away and stood straight as I looked up at him, my mind fuzzy and my knees resembling jelly.

He said with a determined voice, "With this kiss, I vow to you that in sickness, in health, in happiness, in sadness, I will forever be with you, by your side, together forever even after death do us apart."

____

Author's Note:

This is probably the longest chapter in this book. Fufufu... Let me know how you liked this chapter. ;)

A small history check:

In ancient Japanese culture, no ceremony was held. Most of the marriage happened just like Arashi took Bianka. Basic concept was: If a man and a woman appear (or stay) together after night for three days, they are considered married. That was why when families sent their daughters for a political marriage, they waited impatiently for three days. After one or two days, if the girl was sent back, they wouldn't be considered married. And there would be a problem for the girl to look for another man since she had spent two days with that man. (A cruel rule, if you ask me)

Then this was changed over time and came shinto style marriages (around 1600s) which I have used in this chapter.

First comes the ritual of purification, then the vows, then the bride and groom exchange sake in the 'san san kudo' ceremony that unites them and their two families. (The three times drinking from three different bowls which I have mentioned)

Although I have changed some things a little like at that time western marriages weren't that popular like now. But for this book, I have changed the ways and rituals of the three kingdoms with three different styles. ;)

While Kosaki follows the traditional version, Yokoto and Wansai follow different styles.

Now, a small question for you all... Why didn't Arashi follow their rituals? ;)

C'yall...

[Whoever answer this correctly, I will shotout them in the next chapter xD ]

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11th Jun, 2022
1809