Gregory and Jenn blushed slightly, but were looking at each other as Baltur spoke.
“You met because of Aether, and wed in his house. Let this drink be to him in thanks for his flame tying you together.”
Gregory and Jenn picked up the cups and drank, then exchanged them with each other to finish.
Baltur smiled and poured into the cups again. “The second drink is in thanks to your ancestors. It is because of them that this love can bloom today.”
Again, they drank from their cup, and then the other’s.
“The third drink,” Baltur went on, pouring again once they placed the cups back onto the altar, “is to each other. You wish to join your hearts together, and this pledges just that.”
Gregory and Jenn stared deeply into each other’s eyes as they drank for the last time.
The moment the cups were set down, Baltur spoke again, “You are now wed in the eyes of the gods, your ancestors, and your fellow wife. Once you turn the forms in, it’ll also be in the eyes of the empire.”
Yukiko let out a happy sound and rushed over to hug them both. Gregory and Jenn were also smiling as they held each other and Yukiko.
Baltur gave them a moment before clearing his throat. “Was there anything else I can do for you?”
“No, sir. Thank you,” Gregory said as he let go of his wives and bowed to Baltur.
“Thank you,” Jenn and Yukiko echoed.
“Go enjoy your day, for you have reason to celebrate.”
“Thank you, Grandmaster,” they each said before they left the temple.
As they walked a little way down the street, Gregory pulled the item from the altar out of his bag. The sun gleamed off the white metal of the medallion. The design etched into the metal was simple— a simple burning flame. The flame was solid ryuite that went all the way through the medallion.
“Mythrum and ryuite?” Yukiko half-asked in a whisper. “That is worth a fortune.”
“Is it enchanted?” Jenn asked.
Gregory swallowed, as he could feel the power in it. “Yes. It prickles my hand just holding it.”
“Mythrum is for holding aether,” Yukiko said. “That could hold much more than my earrings. I’m not sure what ryuite does, though.”
“Is it from the Eternal Flame?” Jenn asked. “The flame imagery is what they normally use.”
“No...” Gregory said softly. The medallion felt old, but also familiar, to him. “This doesn’t belong to the Eternal Flame. This is much older.”
Yukiko’s gaze jerked from it to Gregory. “It was yours? The ryuite of the Blade glowed for you.”
“I think it was... I touched the emblem on the altar and this came out of a cubby there. I pocketed it when Baltur asked if everything was okay. I had a feeling that telling him about the cubby would be bad.”
“You think it was tied to you?”
“It has to be. I’m sure other magi have touched the symbol before.”
“Which means the rock in the park was likely you, too,” Yukiko nodded slowly, “or someone close to you.”
“Baltur did say the temple had been here since before the town,” Gregory said.
“We should keep it secret,” Yukiko said. “Put it away, Greg. We can decide what to do with it later. We need to take the forms to the registrar.”
“Yes,” Jenn said quickly.
Gregory put the medallion into his pouch. “We’ll have to talk about it later. It makes me wonder what other temples might hold.”
“There is that,” Yukiko agreed, “but later. Today is Jenn’s day.”
Jenn smiled. “Thank you, Yuki.”
“After we drop it off, are we going to look through the shops and see if we can find something for Elsa and the others?” Gregory asked.
“Yes,” Jenn nodded. “I want to find them all something nice. Today will be like our day off at the academy.”
“Let’s go, then,” Gregory said.
~*~*~
The registrar didn’t comment as they took the marriage form and the vela required to have their marriage registered. Leaving the city building, they saw a guard standing outside. It was the first one they’d seen since being in Waterrock.
“Excuse me?” Gregory called out to the man in armor.
“Can I help you?” the guard asked with a put-upon look.
Gregory was surprised at his attitude, but pushed past it. “We were looking for a place to buy trinkets for children. Where would you suggest?”
Seeing their kimonos, the guard’s attitude changed. “Magi, I’m sorry. It depends on the children, but the market square is probably your best bet, unless you want custom-made items.”
“We’ll check there,” Gregory said.
“Magi, I hope you find what you seek. The square is down that way.”
“Thank you,” Gregory said.
It was only a few streets over to the market square. Stalls were set up, and the merchants were calling out to people who were browsing the items on display, but the majority had nothing they were interested in. They moved over to a stall with wood carvings on display.
The older woman sitting there gave them a bow of her head. “Magi, how might I help you?”
“We’re looking for things for some children we know,” Jenn said.
“Ah. Do they like wood carvings?”
“We aren’t sure, actually,” Yukiko said, “but you’re one of the few vendors who might have something suitable.”
Gregory picked up a wooden magi in a kimono, seated on a bench. “Do you have more like this one? Magi, I mean? And how much for this one?”
The woodworker pursed her lips before she stood up and looked over her table. She swiftly had another dozen magi set down in front of Gregory. Seven of them depicted men, and all thirteen pieces were in different poses, from meditative to weapon out and poised to attack. “Five vela each, magi.”
“These will work,” Gregory said. “I’ll take all of them, please.”
“There are seven with Elsa, Greg,” Yukiko said. “There aren’t enough for two each.”
“I could carve another in a day or two,” the woman said.
“That would be nice,” Jenn said. “Can you make it a woman to balance these, please?”
“Of course, magi.”
“We’re staying at Aether’s Rest,” Yukiko said. “If you could have it delivered for us?”
“Yes, magi,” the woman said.
Gregory pulled out eighty vela and placed it on the table. “For all of these, plus the extra, and having it delivered.”
“Thank you, magi,” the woman said, bowing her head and collecting the coin. “May Aether bless you.”
“May the Traveler watch over you,” Yukiko replied.
The three of them gathered up their carvings and headed back to the inn.
~*~*~
Entering the inn, they found Dia with a false smile on her face and Magus Yang seated at the table with her. Her eyes went to them and she gave them a questioning look.
“Excuse us, Magus,” Yukiko said, coming over to the table, “we have some questions we need to ask our senior. Is it okay to take her from you?”
Yang’s lips puffed out briefly before he rose to his feet. “Of course. She has her duty to help guide you, and I should be going to check on some business dealings.” He turned his attention back to Dia. “A pleasure, as always. I shall come back tomorrow so we might continue our conversation.”
“Of course,” Dia replied. “I shall look forward to it.”
Once he was gone, Dia exhaled and gave Yukiko a grateful smile. “What can I answer for you?”
“Would you like him to leave?” Yukiko asked with a small grin.
Dia laughed softly. “Yes. It is most appreciated. Did you complete everything that you wanted done today?”
“We did,” Jenn beamed.
“We even got gifts for the children,” Gregory added.
“I’ll let Brown know to make something special— and safe—
for dinner tonight,” Dia said. “A celebration for the wonderful event.”
“Thank you, Dia,” Jenn said.
“What are your plans until this evening?” Dia asked.
“Empire’s Gambit?” Yukiko asked the other two.
“The game is almost over,” Gregory agreed. “It would be good to finish. It might give us time for one more.”
“We are leaving in three days,” Dia told them. “We won’t be using the enchanted carriages for the return.”
“Not enough for another game,” Gregory said, sighing. “I hope I win this one, or I will have lost all of them.”
“But you’ve been competitive in all of them,” Yukiko said.
“I’ll see you for dinner,” Dia said, standing up. “Enjoy your game.”
With Dia gone, they went upstairs and put the carvings away, then moved Jenn’s things over to the other room. When that was done, they went down to finish their game.
~*~*~
Gregory smiled broadly. “I win!”
“Indeed, dear one,” Yukiko nodded. “That was a good ploy at the end. I hadn’t expected the light cavalry, nor it being combined with a charge.”
“Right when you were taking me out,” Jenn chuckled. “I thought that flank was secure, too. It was a brilliant combination, Greg. You were going to use them as skirmishers if that hadn’t come up, weren’t you?”
“They were going to raid your supply lines until my next unit could be brought in.” Gregory flipped over his last facedown card, showing them an Iron Hand magi. “The bonuses from him would have increased my morale to the point that I wouldn’t have had to worry about my conscripts breaking.”
“I had a fire magi coming up. I was going to use him to devastate your conscripts,” Yukiko sighed.
“I had a shadow magi, but he was turns away,” Jenn shrugged. “I was going to assassinate your commanders.”
“That would have broken my conscripts and gutted my soldiers,” Gregory said.
“I didn’t get the chance,” Jenn said, “and that is what this teaches us— war is fluid, and even your best plans might come to nothing. I should have played the turtle defense card three turns ago. It would have given me a chance to survive Yukiko’s attack, at least.”
“Let’s put everything away,” Yukiko said.
It took them a while to get everything cleaned up and get the table covered again.
“We have a few hours before dinner,” Yukiko said softly. “I was thinking, Greg... you should take our wife back to the room and enjoy some time alone.”
Gregory blinked and looked at Yukiko, who was smiling at him. His gaze shifted to Jenn, who was turning red as the implication of what Yukiko was suggesting registered.
“Jenn?” Gregory asked softly. “There’s no rush, but if you’d like—?”
“Yes.” The word was barely audible, and Jenn wasn’t looking at him as she shifted in place.
Gregory looked back at Yukiko, who gave him a soft smile.
“I’ll meditate and have some tea. I’ll let you know when it’s time to bathe,” Yukiko told him.
“Okay,” Gregory said slowly, searching but not seeing any distress in Yukiko’s face. “Upstairs, it is.”
Jenn followed Gregory, her face flushed and her breath coming a little faster with each step.
Chapter Eighteen
Gregory’s nerves were rising as he entered the bedroom. It wasn’t because he was worried about sleeping with Jenn— he was looking forward to it. He was nervous because he was worried about Yukiko.
I’m not sure she’s really okay with this... She says she is, but is she? The idea of her with another man makes me want to punch someone… but the idea of her with Jenn is exciting. Jenn wants this, even if she’s as nervous as I was with Ria. Is she worrying about what Yuki might be feeling?
Shutting the door behind Jenn, Gregory swallowed and tried to calm himself.
“Greg,” Jenn said softly, “I know you might be having doubts. I know how much you love Yuki. I understand. I worry some, too, that she’s only putting on a front for us... that this will hurt her.” Swallowing, she turned to face him. “So I have a big request to make.”
Seeing her concern, Gregory nodded. “What do you need, Jenn?”
“I do want some time with it being just us, but maybe...” She hesitated before rushing the words out, “Maybe Yuki should join us this time? I could use her guidance, and then we’d both know she was okay, and…” She trailed off, looking at him and trying to see if her request disturbed him.
Gregory just stood there, blinking at her, as his brain latched onto the thought of Jenn and Yukiko with him in bed. He forced the thoughts down with difficulty. “I worry about her, too, Jenn. I think she told us to do this so you could have time with me alone, as she’ll obviously be with us later tonight for bed.”
Jenn fidgeted, shifting from foot to foot. “Yeah, but this won’t be the only time it’ll be just us, right?”
Gregory felt his heart warm as he watched the fierce fighter being so uncertain. “No. It won’t be, but those moments might come infrequently.”
“Then,” Jenn paused again and licked her lips, “can you ask her?”
Gregory walked across the room and put his arms over her shoulders, pulling her to him gently. “If that’s what you want, Jenn, I will. I know that asking that has to be hard for you.”
“It is, but I can’t stand the thought of Yuki being hurt because of me,” Jenn murmured, her face in his chest.
Gregory bent his head and kissed the top of hers. “I can’t stand the thought of her hurt, either. I’ll go ask.”
Jenn’s arms wrapped around his waist and she hugged him tightly for a moment. “I’ll be waiting.”
Letting go of her, he leaned back enough to tilt her chin up so he could get a kiss. Jenn didn’t resist him, and her lips met his tentatively. Gregory didn’t push the kiss— he let it be a soft and sweet moment.
Jenn released his waist after a few seconds and broke the kiss, stepping back. She was breathing quickly and flushed, but not with embarrassment this time. “That was… nice.” A soft smile formed on her just-kissed lips.
“It was,” Gregory said. “Do you still want me to go ask Yuki?”
Jenn nodded. “Yes. I meant what I said.”
“I’ll be back,” Gregory said, moving to the door.
Stepping into the hallway, Gregory felt hot and his nerves tingled for a moment. After taking a deep breath, the feeling passed. He shook his head and went downstairs to find Yukiko.
Yukiko was seated by the window, looking out at the town. She had a melancholy look on her face as she sipped at a cup of tea.
“Yuki?” Gregory asked softly when he came to a stop beside her.
Yukiko jerked slightly, clearly not expecting him to be there. “Greg? What is it? Why aren’t you with Jenn?”
Gregory pulled the other chair over closer and sat down next to her so he could lower his voice, “She asked for you to come join us. Jenn said she wanted you there to help her.”
Yukiko just stared into his green eyes for a long moment. “What?” she asked as she set her cup on the table.
Gregory put his hand on hers. “We both worry that you’re putting on a brave face, and that us being alone hurts you. Jenn flatly asked me to come ask you to join us. She wants you to guide her so she would know that you aren’t being hurt.”
Yukiko swallowed, her eyes glistening. “She really asked and worried?”
“Yes. Honestly, I was still worried, too, even with it being your idea.”
“But she won’t get many chances to have you to herself,” Yukiko whispered, looking down at their hands.
“Neither will you. We’ll make it work, though. When my heart is involved, I will move mountains.”
Yukiko’s lips twitched and she exhaled slowly. “Did she really mean it? Wanting me there to help?”
“She did.”
“Okay. I do care for her, and I don’t wan
t to hurt her, either.”
Gregory gave her a soft smile when she glanced at him. “Our wife awaits us, dear one.”
“Yes. Let’s go ease her mind.”
When they entered the bedroom, Jenn rushed to Yukiko and hugged her hard. “I’m sorry, Yuki. I want him so bad, but not at the cost of your heart.”
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