“I wanted Roasa too, but Rania claimed her for her personal guard.” Aero says
“You mean Asna…” Matthew rebukes.
“Right, I’m having a hard time with her name. I hope Stephan wasn’t upset that I didn’t name him to my personal guard but until Asna and I have an heir, David is the heir. So I thought he would best to continue to protect David.”
“I’m sure he understands. He’s had a lot of experience over the years with crown politics.”
“I wish I had more. I’m still struggling with this. Me the King? Everyone in the Capital will laugh when they hear the name King Aero.”
“Let them laugh, then put them under foot.”
“I will not be a tyrant, Matt. I wish I was as comfortable in this role as Asna is… She has a passion for the future.”
“You don’t?”
“I um… have a passion for her.”
Matthew laughs. “Well let’s get you married then.”
Both men begin getting dressed in the formal Meegan clothes that Dabir sent over.
Across the city in the Governor’s Mansion, Asna is getting ready as well.
“Azka dropped off our dressed about an hour ago. She said she was going to make sure everything is on schedule.” Asna says.
“You just love getting me into your fancy dresses. You must think teal is my color.” Roasa replies.
“You look good in teal, but it’s just for the occasion. You are my personal guard now; you should want to look nice for the wedding. Besides, the last dress I put you in is on display in the square.”
“Covered in the blood of my enemies… I know, you don’t have to remind me.”
“Well, you are the greatest woman in the history of Meego. You proved once and for all that women are equal to men.”
“I seriously doubt that I will be remembered in Meego because a greater woman came after me. Queen Asna.”
“I’m just a servant of the people, you are the one who makes dresses legendary.” Asna says laughing.
“I would feel better about it if you would order Rain to wear a dress too, she’s your personal guard too.”
“Roasa, you know Bellumi women don’t wear dresses for any reason.”
“They do if their Queen commands them.”
“Roasa, you’re awful.”
Both women laugh.
There is a knock at the door.
“May I come in?” Dabir asks.
“Yes.” Asna responds.
Dabir walks in.
“Everything is ready.”
He looks at his daughter.
“You are so beautiful! I wish your mother was here to see you!”
“You make it sound like she is dead, she’s with Azka, she will soon.”
“I know, I’m just so excited for you… for Meego!”
“Let me get married, then we can plan Meego’s future, Father.”
“Of course, my dear. Take as much time as you like, everyone is ready.”
Dabir leaves the two women alone.
“Queen Asna, what is your most important plan immediately following the wedding? The restoration of the kingdom, ensuring the future of Meego? Something else?”
“Something else, Roasa. My most important plan is to get my hands all over Aero. Eventually, we will work on the other stuff.”
The two women share another laugh.
A half hour later the ceremony begins.
In the new city square, the cave lit up so eloquently. All of Meego has lined up outside the square to pay tribute to their new Queen and King.
Several expressions of unity take place, from lighting candles together to Ser Matthew taking Dabir’s son Isa to be his personal squire.
“In the old days, a Magi would oversee this joining of royalty. For the past few hundred years, in Meego the bride chooses someone of honor to lead in the ceremony. Asna has decided that, I should do the honors.” Dabir says. “I am humbled to join my daughter to this man, Prince Aero. This is a day that all of Meego has been yearning for… a day of promise. For the rest of the kingdom, it’s the beginning of reconciliation; even though they do not know it yet.”
Everyone present suddenly realizes the gravity of the marriage. To Aero’s group, it has been simply the joining of Aero and Asna; but now they realize that there will be a lot of work to do in the near future.
“But today, we can set all that aside because this is not a joining of government, but of love. True love…”
Aero and Asna look into each other’s eyes. Aero cannot believe the whirlwind ride that he has been on since entering Meego, but now he sees the value in her eyes. Everything was worth the end result. Even if he still struggles with the role of being king. He found true love.
“Asna, you chose this man, Aero to be yours. Do you take him now?”
“Yes, I do.” Asna says with a smile.
“Aero, Asna has chosen you to be hers, do you surrender to her choice?”
Matthew cannot help but let a small chuckle out under his breathe. The Meegan custom is still foreign to the mainlanders. Matthew can’t help but wonder what the Capital elite will think of this strong-willed Queen.
“With everything in me.” Aero says returning Asna’s smile.
“According to this agreement, you two will be sealed for all time with one final expression of unity.”
No one went over this part of the ceremony with Aero. He has a moment of panic not wanting to ruin the moment.
He looks to Dabir, “Which is?”
Asna reaches up her hand to Aero’s cheek and turns his head back to her. He looks into her bottomless brown eyes and loses himself.
Asna leans into him, embraces him tight and kisses him deeply.
The guest clap, which causes the Meegan public to cheer outside the square.
Dabir holds his hand up to quiet the celebration.
“For the first time, I present King Aero the First and Asna, the Desert Queen.”
Then, he kneels. Everyone follows his lead. Aero can’t help but to feel out of place. Especially when his brother David is kneeling too. He has been dreading this part, he has always hated public speaking.
“We would like to thank everyone for joining us for this occasion. We will soon return to the mainland to begin our reign as King and Queen, an equal partnership between us. This is the old way, and we have committed to returning to the agreement of our forefathers. We will reunite the kingdom, but tonight we celebrate.” Aero says.
Claps, cheers and yells ring throughout the cave city.
For several hours everyone parties. The Governor’s family put together a party that will be talked about for years to come.
Late in the evening, Roasa toasts her “two favorite people.” She’s drunk. Aero looks to Matthew who is smiling. He did it, he got her drunk.
Actually, its Meego. The city and its people have allowed her to feel comfortable enough to enjoy a drink. The people lean on each other for survival during the hard years. They have cultivated a community that is not found anywhere on the mainland.
Aero looks to his bride who leans in with a smile. “I want to take you somewhere before we go to bed. We need to try to sneak away.”
Aero agrees and waves Matthew over. “We want to sneak out, can you create a distraction?”
“No problem.” Matthew says. “Everyone, let me tell you the story of the Battle of Inland Docks!”
Cheers ring out, and Matthew walks away from his King and Queen to draw attention away from them.
“It was a dark night! Ali and I were enjoying a drink…”
Asna leads Aero out of the banquet, and the cave city. She leads him to the bench where they sat on their first date.
They sit down, they are alone in the Old City.
Aero pulls her in, she lays her head on his shoulder.
“We finally made it.” Aero says.
They sit in silence as they think over how these past months has changed them. For Asna, her story will finally bring an end to the Diary of the Daughter. For Aero, he found that his destiny wasn’t death but life.
Neither will ever be the same.
Aero kisses his brides head and looks up.
Something catches his eye. It’s the vague outline of the mountain like rock he saw when the Meego Light left. Their time in Meego is almost over.
Relics of the Old Age 