Crossdressing stops wars (Riven and Dimitrios)

[Dimitrios]

Arthuria and Tarus, two countries that had been neighbors for hundreds of years, Arthuria was a country of great military power, they liked to settle their differences with combat rather then speaking about it. Arthuria was one of the largest empires in the world at the time, another would be the peaceful yet technologically advanced country of Tarus, they were a country that sought to settle any dispute with words rather than combat. These two countries were neutral neither really fighting but never really agreeing with one another, so to set their differences aside and to lay down a new foundation for an alliance a wedding was to be held. But not just any wedding, this wedding would be for the prince of Arthuria and the princess of Tarus, with the two of them married the two countries would be bound together as allies once and for all. Some had doubted it would ever happen after all it had been talked about for years as a mere rumor, but now it was to happen for real and two of the largest empires in the world would unite to become one allied force. It would be the greatest alliance in history they said, the people of both countries were overjoyed to hear that the day was finally coming as only good things could follow. Things would change for the better they all said, with Arthurian soldiers to protect the weak and Tarus technology to help the sick people all thought things were going to change for the better.

However there was one Arthurian who was not overjoyed like everyone else, his name was Dante prince of Athruia and future king of it, he was not really interested in the marriage at all. He had been basically forced into it by his father, literally his father had threatened to cast him out of the royal family if he did not agree to marry the princess, he had no choice but to agree though he did it very reluctantly. He had no interest in marrying right now, sure he was a young hybrid male only about twenty now and sure he liked having someone to fuck quite a bit to be honest but he did not want to be married. A young hybrid warrior in his prime standing at six foot eight which was tall even among his family, chocolate colored fur covered his rippling body from head to toe hiding the battle scars for the most part, eyes a deep blue color almost purple in the right light. He had been in the middle of a battle camp when summoned for this marriage, he had been in battle just hours ago and now he was told he was going to be married to a woman who he hardly knew how perfect he thought sarcastically. He was a warrior like all Arthurian's how could he be expected to go to war married, it was already enough trouble being a prince in battle it had taken months to get his father to relent on this request. But now that he was going to be married to the princess to seal the alliance it would never happen, if he died in battle the alliance would falter is all he would hear when he requested to go to battle and as such he would not be allowed anymore which a rather annoying thought. How could he who was known as the prince of death due to his prowess on the battlefield not be allowed onto the battlefield he thought angrily to himself as he and the caravan of royalty, nobles, and servants rode to the main city of Tarus, a city called Carthus. They had reached the gates now and as they opened he could see this place was not going to fit him well, he was used to fighting and grime this place seemed all peaceful and clean down to the very streets they were walking on.

 

[riven]

Everyone expected a marriage. Something to protect them and future generations from the prospect of war and ruination. It was all very good for them that they were getting what they wanted. It had been said by the Queen on multiple occasions that the needs of the many outweigh those of the few and that privilege involved immense sacrifice. In fact, the woman whose hair was graying and face showed her wisdom, was going on about it as she sat perched at the edge of a chair, hands in her lap looking remarkably regal considering the circumstances.

They had sat in a large room, extravagant and unnecessary but customary for the family. A maid was yanking on the cord of a corset, pulling the air out of the prince, now princess. His slender hands were pressed to his stomach trying to ease the pain of being so confined while ignoring the soapbox lecture his mother had deemed necessary about the importance of the union. The fight had already been had about how it would fall apart and how he was clearly a boy and his husband might notice a thing like that. It was done to death and he couldn't manage another conversation about it.

Besides, the country, all countries, knew him as nothing more than an enigma. The family was conniving in that way. They had planned a union and kept their heir out of the spotlight, referring to him as Cass, which was short, supposedly, for Cassandra, but really was a nickname for Cassian. It made his family much more disturbing, in his opinion, than any Arthurian warmonger. That did not, however, mean Cass was interested in the least in posing as someone's future wife.

Unfortunately for him, and fortunately for his parents, Cass was a slight creature, not quite reaching six feet, with large vibrant blue-green eyes and fair skin. It made him look absurdly innocent and fragile, especially in contrast to dark hair that sat just below his shoulders – thanks to his parents. The woman yanked again on the corset and nearly sent both of them tumbling backward. The dress itself was almost white, tinted toward gray with gold embroidered at the edges. His mother had said something about looking youthful, virginal. Pretending to be a woman was bad enough, he couldn't imagine being one.

Carthus was a sprawling city that crept out toward the countryside subtly. Without warning one would be amongst farmers in no time, but it was a civil and bright place with only the occasional dark and ominous alley. Except the castle, which had no frightening corners or shadowy places. It had gardens and stained glass in excess. And on this occasion, in an effort to inform the masses if they didn't already know, it had been decorated with the most alarming flowers and banners and ridiculous nonsense anyone had ever seen. It was, Cass hated to admit, pretty.

There was a sound in the distance, an instrument chiming an arrival, that snapped the Queen from her tirade. “Hurry Mary, that will be our guests,” she stated as she rose from her place. “Cass,” she started in her stern mother voice, “Our future depends on your. Now, no dawdling. Come straight down when Mary is finished with you.” With that, she departed to greet her soon-to-be relatives.

 

[Dimitrios]

As they walked along the streets entering the capital of their greatest rival Dante thought he would never like this place, the people were too weak, that was the way he would have described them as he looked at those of the edges of the streets. The people looked at them happily rather than giving them wary or resentful looks, even their soldiers looked at them with respect and joy rather than being on guard like their countries had never once clashed in battle though they had on several occasions. He was dressed in a more appropriate attire now rather than the armor he usually wore in battle, he was wearing dark brown hard leather with his swords at his side. Those were the things he had refused to give up even if his father threatened to disown him he would not go anywhere without his swords, his muscles rippled even underneath the fur and leather showing that he was all the warrior that many said he was. He could see the Taruans waiting at the front of their castle to greet them, he waited for the posh greeting from the king and queen who focused mainly on his parents right now which he found better as he was not good with politeness.

He did his best to seem interested when his bride's parent came to greet him as if they were already family but his own men could tell the prince was tired of this ceremony already. For Dante this world was alien to him, he had no business having people cheer for him by waving their hands or throwing flowers at him. His place was upon the battlefield having soldier chant his name as he cut down the enemies champion or when he led the charge to show that even as a prince he was not afraid to attack the enemy head on. He gave a polite smile the the king and queen that would become his in-laws, he gave the proper greeting but as he did these things he had already noted that there were several ways into the city if an invasion was planned. He wasn't harboring violent tendencies towards them, it was just his brain doing what it did best finding the weak point of any place anywhere because there might come a time when he had to do such a thing.

Finally with the polite greetings out of the way Dante did something no proper diplomat would ever do, he was extremely blunt with what he wanted to their faces. "So I have heard much about this Cassandra, they say that she has no equal in all the kingdoms" his voice deep and commanding with a smooth edge to it that made it seem like silk caressed the ears when he spoke. "But I have yet to see her so where might my future wife be?" it was not an accusing tone exactly but at the same time one might believe he was doing just that. Dante's father was already looking quite upset with his son, he was an older, fatter, slower, and shorter version of Dante but one could see where Dante got his handsome features, "do forgive my son he is rather restless after such a long ride is all, I'm sure". Dante could feel the anger in the last words which of course had been directed at him but he chose to ignore it though he said nothing else for now he just stood as still as a menacing statue while the parents talked to one another.

 

[riven]

While the king looked mildly alarmed at the forward question, the queen was more adept in coping with those of varying natures. Her hand was set at her husbands shoulder and she smiled endearingly to her king before turning back to her guests. “Oh, there's no need to be forgiven. He's come a long way for a girl he hasn't yet seen, but I assure you,” her attention turning to Dante and her smile widening a fraction, “you will not be disappointed. There is no one like her in all the world. She will join us shortly.” However, Cass's mother was obligated to stall a bit and as such returned to polite and a tempered enthusiasm for business and the unity of kingdoms. Lengthy documents had been drawn up and needed to be reviewed before the wedding proceeded. Nothing out of the ordinary but a clear understanding of what will take place because of the union for both countries.

It gave Cass time to get outside. He could hardly breathe in the corset, but it did give him a more pronounced shape; a slight curve at his waist, and his hips more prominent. Unlike his mother's attire, the dress didn't flare out but was meant to utilize the natural jut of a woman's hips, causing the fabric to fall and pool like water at the wearer's feet. Thankfully, his parents having planned for occasions like this, made sure it wasn't a new event for Cass and he moved with a specter's grace.

It didn't take long for him to follow out after his mother but several feet away from the company he paused. By clothing and age alone it wasn't difficult to decide which of them was which and his husband was, by all accounts, intimidating. Dante was going to kill Cass, he was certain. His mother had sentenced her only child to death and their country to war after this charade was up. It was at that thought that his mother turned, having heard the approach. “Cassandra,” she stated smoothly, “come over.” The queen's hand was held out to her child.

Cass had his eyes fixated on Dante, imagining a thousand horrible moments of discovery, but at the prompting, which he knew was less friendly than it appeared, he moved. At the side of his mother he came to stop. The elder woman preformed introductions and suggested to the other supposed adults to leave the children for a time and go inside for something to eat after their journey. “Dante and Cassandra may certainly join when they feel ready, but perhaps they would enjoy a moment alone.”

It had been remarkable that Cass had gotten away with mere nods and limited curtseys until now. His eyes flicked to her at the suggestion and he smiled mildly. “Thank you, Mother.” Cass's voice was quiet and light. Without force behind it there wasn't a trace of masculinity though it certainly avoided any childlike quality. He was not thrilled about being alone with... that – his gaze returned to Dante and then dropped to the ground. The longer he went on staring the more his mother would notice and think it rude. Not that looking down was any better, though it may have appeared coy, Cass had caught sight of the swords and could feel himself pale. Not that Dante needed them to end his wife whom he could break with his hands, but...

Cass set his hand to his stomach again, knowing it wasn't going to help him breathe, but doing it should have been comforting. He'd seen women do it thousands of times. And it was comforting to some extent, calming to feel a pressure that wasn't the bite of a corset.

When their parents had agreed and retreated to the indoors and there was no one left to watch leave, Cassian turned back to Dante. “Thank you for coming. They'll be so pleased with this marriage.” Cass couldn't include himself. “Everyone will. I've heard so much about you and your victories.” It was disgusting small talk, a habit he'd adopted from his mother under unpleasant situations. He didn't understand the point of it other than it was a feminine hobby to talk of nothing.

 

[Dimitrios]

Dante was not satisfied with the answer that his soon to be in-law mother gave to him but he knew better than to press the issue any further as well daggers were being glared at him by both his parents and that was more troublesome than being bored so he left the matter to them. While they spoke he couldn't help but feel rather fidgety, he was not used to just standing around doing nothing while others talked, when he was on the battlefield there was always a fight to be had, something to build, or hunt for food. Unlike most princes Dante accepted the role of warrior eagerly it was in his nature and in his blood to be a warrior, he did not simply accompany the soldiers to the battle area and let them do all the hard work, he fought beside them, he shed sweat beside them, he shed tears beside them, and he bled with them on numerous occasions.

He was a good warrior, some claimed that he was the best warrior but Dante knew this to be false as there were several warriors in their army that could best him. He was confident in his skills but not arrogant as he believed arrogance was a fools tool to getting ones self killed, his fingers drummed against his legs trying to release some energy but that didn't help the young hybrid male much. His teeth ground together and he was about to say something when his wife to be finally made her appearance, he had to admit that she was an appealing thing, her body seemed to draw the eyes in until they could no longer look away. His gaze was slow but not lewd like most males it was as if he were gauging Cass's worth rather than looking at her like a piece of meat, at the very least he was thankful that his wife to be was attractive rather than ugly.

As 'Cassandra' came closer at the urging of her mother Dante couldn't help but think she smelled just a bit different, like most hybrids his senses were enhanced which included smell so he could differentiate people or things just from their smell. There was a soft almost flowery scent that many noble females liked to have upon their body but Cassandra also had an earthy scent to her, it was hardly noticeable so he chalked it up to her being in a garden or something like that recently. It seemed that Cassandra was either a shy female or she was nervous around him as she would not look up at him, he didn't blame the petite thing as well this was not the best way to meet your soon to be husband that she hardly knew but she wasn't completely shy it seemed as she spoke to him finally.

"Yes the parents are always happy about their children's wedding even if they had to threaten to disown them if they didn't go through with it" he said in a joking tone with that powerful voice of his. "Not that it had anything to do with you milady, I just wasn't quite ready to have the stories of me end so early" he explained in a neutral tone so he didn't offend the princess somehow. "I am a bit happy to hear that my stories have reached even the noble ears of the princess but it is a shame because I have heard no tales of you princess Cassandra" his tone playful as he looked over her form once more. "Perhaps you are just a spirit here to trick me into believing that you are real" he was playing but at the same time he did find the fact that he knew nothing not even whispers of her to be a bit odd to say the least. In a war having information was vital it allowed you to counter or attack the enemy in the best way, with Cassandra it seemed like there was a complete information shut down as he didn't even know how old she actually was.

 

[riven]

Cass pressed his lips together; it wasn't a firm action, but only enough to be a change in expression. “They are determined.” He glanced back to the door that his family had disappeared into, expecting them to be lurking in the corners to see how the conversation was progressing. Apparently, they really did have business to attend to and there wasn't a trace of them, only guards milling about and the occasional servant with a bowl or a bag of something. He turned his gaze back to Dante.

“You'll have to give up battle?” This concerned him. Of course, Cassian assumed that the illusion would be found out quickly, but if Dante had been bent on returning to the field then it may have taken longer. “I'm sorry. I would never prevent you... but I do understand the importance of your assured safety.” It meant the livelihood of Cass's country and was the only purpose in saying it. He would have encouraged Dante to return to his soldiers, but his mother's voice nagged at the back of his head and told him to remember the purpose of the union.

There was a flicker of a smile; amusement of the stories he'd heard, but he gave something of a sly look at being such a mystery. Cass would have had to appreciate it or gone mad with isolation. And now, being the enigma was even more advantageous. “Please, call me Cass.” Cassandra was formal and implied, more than anything, that he was female. The name also ran the risk of being ignored as it was such a seldom used pseudonym. “It would mean a great deal to me.”

The bright eyes peered steadily at Dante. The fear had been pushed to some recess of his mind and Cass was finding his balance in his current position. Perhaps his parents hadn't made a mistake, at least not entirely. “I'm afraid I'm no warrior, so there would be no interesting stories to tell.” Only one: he wasn't what he pretended. “You must be tired coming all this way, let me show you to your room for the night.” Tomorrow there would be a wedding and that unnerved Cassian, made him jittery. His hands were clasped tightly in front of him to keep them from fidgeting at the thought as he turned to return to the former safe haven of his home and bring the inevitable enemy into it.

 

[Dimitrios]

Dante nodded to the they are determined comment though it hardly did his parents justice, the parents were the ones that usually knew their children best which in theory meant his parents should understand how he felt about leaving the battlefield, yet they still shoved him into this marriage head first without giving him the choice to say yes or no. At the question of him giving up battle the young hybrid male nodded once again, "the future of our marriage and our countries alliance depends on both of us being alive unfortunately so the battlefield my home has been taken from me now" he said in a bittersweet tone, "I'll continue to train and perhaps consult on strategies but it is doubtful that I will ever be able to enter the battlefield as long as our parents are alive".

He shrugged lightly "so when I become king I suppose I can do whatever I want but that old man of mine probably won't die off for another twenty years probably" he said in a joking but serious tone. "Your apology is not needed after all it is not as if you were the one that made me go through with this" he said in a calm tone, he wasn't being nice or understanding he was just being honest. If it had been Cass who trapped him in this marriage then yes he would have been rather upset with her rather than talking so calmly with her but that was not the case so he was civil enough for now.

"Alright Cass it is then" he said in a rather blunt tone now, most royals or nobles would never be so open in how they spoke when around people like themselves as they believed that it ruined their image but Dante had not a care what other people thought of him. Unlike the nobles who wore decorative swords that had never shed blood Dante's swords were thick and suited for battle which they had seen many times. In some ways his blunt honesty and force were great but when it came to subtle or politics he definitely was going to need advisers. "So Cass do tell me does your country also have the rule of not having the soon to be married spend the night together?" he asked in a curious almost playful tone, he wanted to see what kind of reaction he could pull out of his soon to be wife with such a question while following behind her.

 

[riven]

(Cassian) Cassandra. Cass.

If Cass had cruel parents, truly cruel, and not just those that schemed and lied, the next of their plans may have been to kill Dante's parents to protect their son from discovery. Not for his sake, but for their country. As it was, that sort of thing would never cross their minds. Bitterly, Cassian could only think at this moment that it was tragic they weren't vicious people. He hummed faintly, a sound of disappointment or sympathy for Dante's inability to do as he pleased, which would very much have benefited them both. “That would be a trait of the elderly: to simply go on living indefinitely. I'm certain my parents have decided to live forever.” Not that they would, but they were stubborn enough to try.

“I'm sorry nonetheless. You'll give up so much. Were I male you might go on as you were.” The facade that Cass had been keeping might have cracked a little into bitterness at the statement. If his bone structure had been slightly different and he had been raised foolishly the option of marriage would never have been presented. Though he dwelled on it incessantly there was no changing it, but speaking about it seemed to be a means of subtly venting his annoyance. Perhaps if Dante knew the truth both of them would be much happier and Cassian's subconscious was attempting sabotage despite his awareness of the situation.

However, that final question pushed heat into Cass's face, tinting his skin and his head turned sharply to Dante. His eyes had gone wide for only a moment. It was a wildly inappropriate question but more than that, it was a terrifying idea. “It isn't a rule,” was the first honestly stupid thing Cassian blurted out. It was true, it wasn't a rule and the reflex to give proper information hadn't been pushed out of him by his parents, especially when so surprised. “It's a strong suggestion and looked down on.” Cass made his voice sound a little stronger that the final explanation, determined. He didn't find that question funny in the least. “I'll be across the hall if you should need me for any reason.” Except spending the night. Now he was sure he wasn't going to be sleeping at all.

The inside of the castle was brightly lit and decorated in like colors one might find in a garden. At least in the main rooms. There was no sign of their parents but more sly glances were given as the pair of them passed workers and guards. In places the halls echoed where they walked, the wall hangings only accomplishing so much to absorb sound.

 

[Dimitrios]

To live forever was something Dante didn't want unlike most people, because their time on this earth was so short they could see the world in a way that those that lived forever, if one lived forever they would lose all interest in everything around them. After all if you lived forever then you would eventually have done everything and seen everything that there is to see in this world, once that happened in would appear as nothing more than something to annoy you over and over while others enjoyed being alive you would probably come to resent them and the very gift of immortality. It might take one hundred years, five hundred years, a thousand years, maybe even thousands of years but eventually such a thing would come to pass and Dante felt like such an existence would be worse than any sort of death that could be given to anyone that was not immortal.

But that kind of deep thinking was for another time as Cassandra gave a reaction to his question, the red tint to Cass's face made the attractive female become even more attractive as she still had the feminine charm with the naive innocence it seemed. Cass's eyes had gotten wide and he could see that he had thrown her for a loop with that question for a second, at the comment that it wasn't a rule the hybrid's eyebrow arched up questioningly as if to ask Cass if she were hinting at something. But those hopes were soon dashed away as she explained it was a strong suggestion and looked down on while making her voice a bit firmer as if she agree with such a thing. It had been weeks since Dante had managed to sleep with anyone, he had been called to the castle in his homeland then they had to ride in the caravan the whole way here which he expected to get something at least but the men were ordered by the parents not to let anyone near him for that.

"Well that is a shame as I have been rather pent up these last few weeks due to the trip" he said it openly as if there was nothing wrong with it, "not to mention you are far more attractive than I thought you would be" he said in a half joking tone. "Truth be told since I knew nothing of you I thought perhaps you were ugly or homely, it was quite the nice surprise to see that there was no merit to my way of think" his tone now charming as he thought maybe a few praises might get his wife to be to loosen up if even a little bit. "I suppose I'll just have to wait until tomorrow night to show you a world of real pleasure" he said confidently, to him it was perfectly natural to talk like this because it was all true thought he might have been exaggerating his prowess in bed a bit.

 

[riven]

This time Cass abruptly stopped and stared at Dante. The color in his face hadn't gone down, it might have even gotten worse. It was, if nothing else, a contrast to his otherwise pale skin. His eyes had widened slightly not so much out of the shock of being spoken to like he wasn't pretending to be female, but the idea that Dante may not be dissuaded from attempting to have sex tomorrow. It would be a terribly short-lived plan if he knew so soon, at least before Cassian could find some leverage against forfeiting the marriage and all that came with it.

“Tomorrow?” He knew it was a post-marriage ritual, but the rush of it still made him not unreasonably nervous for the near future. “You'll forgive me if I find that to be soon. We've only just met.” It was a very weak attempt at an excuse. “I wouldn't even think it would be something to bring up in my company considering the lack of comment I could make on it.” Cass's mother might have forced him into a youthful dress implying innocence but it wasn't a lie. Isolation did come with a price.

In an effort to dismiss the conversation Cass moved again, up a flight of stairs and down a corridor. It sadly seemed to take far longer than he would have liked. The more he knew of Dante the less he felt manipulation and concealment was going to be easy. Not that he assumed it would be but one might always hope for fair weather.

He stopped at a closed door on the right and forced a smile. It never crossed his mind that there would be anything physical between them but just for a moment there was an attempt to imagine it. It was hopeless and something awful. After all, Dante was more creature than human. Had Cassian actually been a woman he would have blatantly refused to marry, would have rather been disowned than face sleeping with an Arthurian. “Your room. You're welcome to move about as you please, and as I've said, should you need me, I'm only in that room.” He glanced briefly at the room directly across, the door slightly ajar. “If you need nothing from me, then I will see you tomorrow.”

 

[Dimitrios]

If it weren't for the fact that he was certain his parents would give him an earful he would have laughed at Cass's expression right then, the color was cherry red at this point and the expression was on of complete shock like the idea had never crossed her mind. He held himself in check as he did not want to hear anything from his parents since they were more than happy to give him an earful, so he listened to Cass's excuses of why they wouldn't do such a thing tomorrow. Now this was a surprise to Dante as he hadn't really expected Cass to put up any kind of argument seeing as Cass was going to be the wife and usually the wives just went with whatever was going to happen or at least that is how the young hybrid saw it.

When they reached the rooms he decided to speak again before Cass could decide to disappear, "while we hardly know each other there are two things that are part of a Arthurian wedding" he said in a calm tone. "The first is for the groom to do before the wedding, it is called the sword breaking" he looked at his own swords now "a newly forged sword is placed upon two stones and the groom is to strike the sword with his own swords using all his power". He drew in a breath to continue explaining "if the sword should break then those who are about to married shall be blessed with good luck, if the sword should not break it is a bad omen as it means the man lacks strength". Dante had sen this many times before most Arthurians could break a sword like that easily "it is a tradition that is as old as our very country" he said firmly.

"Now the second tradition which I'm guessing that you didn't know about is consummating the marriage after the wedding, in the old days it was in front of everyone to prove that it had been done but that is a little too vulgar even for my kind" he said in a playful tone. "Regardless the tradition still stands and if not fulfilled many Arthurians will feel as if the wedding was not real and the alliance may crumble since it is as fragile as glass" he explained in a calm tone. Everything that Dante said had a ring of truth to it but at the same time he was using the traditions to get his own way, he was tired of being restless in the pants he needed to sate his animal instincts else he would go insane with desire.

 

[riven]

Of course Cass would fight it. Female though he was in appearance his mentality was decidedly male and that came with a certain level of stubborn determination for things to go a certain way. His will hadn't been pushed out of him to the point of blank submission. However, that didn't mean that the explanation of Dante being obligated by tradition to break a sword didn't cause a great deal of anxiety. If it went wrong it was a sign. Logically, Cass knew it was nonsense, but if it went wrong it would set a tone that at least one country would be scrutinizing for however long it took for Dante to realize his wife wasn't who she claimed.

This sort of concern prompted a look that mirrored the emotion. Even though by look alone, Dante was more than capable of handling such a tradition, it was another thing that now weighed on Cass's mind. “I don't wish to cast any bad luck upon you by saying so, but I have no doubt you are capable of easily fulfilling that tradition.”

However, Cassian already felt the pressure of anxiety clamping down firmly on his lungs, further constricting them. The second tradition was more worrisome than the first. The palm of his hand was pressed against the corset and he struggled to breathe in a reasonable amount of air while maintaining some form of calm demeanor. “You'll have to forgive me,” he started in a faint tone, “the wedding and its expectations seem overwhelming.”

If he failed, if anything went wrong... Thinking it over was making it worse and the damned clothing he was wearing prevented any fix. It felt as though the corridor twisted and swayed for a moment; Cass closed his eyes briefly, forcing them back open. He only had to say goodbye and make it across the hall. It was meant to be a simple task. A smile was forced onto his lips. “Our marriage will be without fault,” he assured in the same quiet tone, but it was more to comfort himself than to calm any worry Dante might have had.

 

[Dimitrios]

Dante was not just some dumb brute who only knew about war, he could read expressions quite well and as soon as he explained the second tradition of his people he could see that Cass was becoming very nervous perhaps even panicky. He suspected it was because she didn't expect to actually have to sleep with him, this marriage was a sham neither of them really wanting it yet they would have to go through with it, Dante wasn't going to get nothing out of this though if he had to give something up he would get something in return.

"It is understandable to be overwhelmed by all of this after all it was sprung upon us without warning" Cass probably hadn't reacted the way Dante had when he first got the information. While it didn't show anymore his father got quite the bruise upon his cheek when he told Dante he was going to be married and that he would have to give up the battlefield. Dante didn't even think he just socked his father with his big right hand, he would have done more if his mother hadn't walked forward and slapped him while screaming up a storm of obscenities towards both of them.

"But I am glad to see that you understand" he said in a calm tone before turning towards his own door "I won't be locking this door tonight" he said to Cass in a playful tone before he opened it up and made his way into the room. From the way Cass acted earlier he would not have been surprised if she locked her own door in response but one could hope he would get lucky and she would come over for a bit of fun before the stress filled wedding day was upon them.

 

[riven]

Cass felt a good deal of pressure to keep the utter horror off of his face, at least until Dante had disappeared into his room. The moment the door had closed, Cass tried pulling in harsh gasps of air and the horrified look like he'd seen a corpse for the first time took over. For several moments he was stunned into standing where he was, struggling to regain some composure. What he needed was a conversation with his mother on avoiding the awful event that would follow the wedding, while at the same time he would have rather avoided said conversation in favor of find his own solution. Either way seemed complex when he was still fighting the corset and general sense of impending doom just to get a solid breath.

Quickly enough, Cass found the ability to rush across the hall, shove the door to his room open and close it sharply behind him. Of course, the door was locked behind. Cassian pulled at the clothes constricting him, frantic to be rid of them and while he managed the dress on his own he couldn't quite reach the strings to the damned corset. He had to settle for waiting, rather impatiently, until a maid decided to stroll in. Then he could demand from her to be released from infuriating confines.

Cass would not be seen for the remainder of the night. His mother would call it 'an over-excitement for the wedding.' When really it was Cassian refusing to degrade himself further for the sake of entertainment. And he had predicted correctly: it was a fitful night of trying to sleep, having exhausted him for the following morning. His mother had been no consolation and his father, ever chagrined to have a more feminine male heir, rarely had anything to say to his son unless it concerned the business of the country.

The following day, Cass had been thrust back into a dress despite protests and several maids having to fight with him over it. Eventually, his mother was called in to extinguish his temper and make him stand still long enough to have the white material fitted to his frame. Unlike the last horrendous bit of clothing he'd worn, the wedding dress was disgustingly old fashioned and traditional. It didn't simply fall but spanned out – though thankfully only a few inches past his shoulders. His hair was forced, despite complaint, into some elaborate concoction that required flowers. The whole thing made him sick. It wasn't the pageantry, it was what would follow.

The church was expansive. The lower classes milled about outside, waiting expectantly, and the nobility had found the indoors to suit them well. Cassian considered a range of options from stealing a horse to taking the priest as hostage in an escape, but for that people would suffer, so though he was shaking, he found himself moving cautiously down an aisle. His father held tightly to his arm, keeping him moving forward and upright. It was possible the grip would bruise the way he clutched his son but the dull ache of it was grounding. At least until the king pried himself away and left his son there, standing in front of Dante, who Cass was not eager to meet eyes with and seemed very content to avoid it. Dante's shoulder became a point of interest for no other reason than it was not his face and would not draw any suspicion from an audience that was somewhat removed.

 

[Dimitrios]

Unlike Cass Dante was far less worried about almost everything because in the end he wasn't having to do anything like Cass was, if anyone ever tried to do such a thing he would have killed them even his parents would have tasted his sword. In his room he found the same type of decorations as the rest of this castle too bright and cheerful for his tastes, when he found the showers he was confused for some time as Arthurians didn't have showers they only had baths, when he finally figured out how to make the shower work he had to admit that he was slightly impressed with the way the shower worked. While Dante would probably never admit it he knew that Cass's country had things his would never have because of their advancement in technology, it was the one reason that they actually rivaled Arthuria at all but perhaps with this alliance he could bring some of their things to Arthuria.

For the rest of the night Dante kept to himself mostly though around midnight he did go down to the barracks to talk to his soldiers, these were his personal men loyal only to him night to his parents. He had specifically told them to look for any kind of threat towards him or his parents but they reported back that there seemed to be no foul play in motion, while Dante didn't think there was a plot he was a cautious person and would not take any chance so with the reporting done he went back to his room to rest up for the big day tomorrow. Though there was to be a feast after the wedding Dante put away more than enough food for three men to eat when eating breakfast, then before they dressed him up for the wedding was the sword breaking tradition which ended perfectly as Dante smashed through the newly forged sword as if it were made of paper.

The came the dressing up which Dante hated more than anything as he was used to wool, leather, and armor not fancy clothes that felt soft against him, he was ready to go along with the entire outfit until they tried adding a cape that had jewels sewn into it. When that came out he literally ripped it to pieces in front of his parents and told them that if they wanted to disown him right before the wedding because of it they should go right ahead because he would never wear something so pompous. They dressed him in solid black as was the way of the Arthurians, the fabric the finest silk that they could buy and Dante felt like he would slip out of the clothing at any moment if he moved wrong.

Now he stood there watching as Cass was escorted by her father up to him yet Cass would not look at him, while everyone else might not have noticed they also weren't as close to Cass as he was. He didn't really care since he already knew that Cass was not comfortable with him so instead he faced the priest as he spoke and went through listening to all the crap he talked about, finally it was time for the ring and he held Cass's hand up gently before placing it upon her slender finger. The priest came to the last part the I do's and now he nodded at the question "I do" his voice firm though he just wanted all this to be over with already, the priest turned to Cass now asking the same of her.

 

[riven]

What Cass did end up watching was the way the ring slipped onto his finger. His hands looked as unsteady as they felt; trembling. Dante was going to kill him. That was the renewed mantra of the day. It was only a matter of time before his husband found out. Cassian had come up with very few options to escape his fate and his mother, wise though she was, offered nothing in the way of consolation but seemed to have turned everything over to her son. She must have thought him capable enough. If he was old enough to be married he was old enough to scheme. It wasn't true. It felt like drowning.

The question posed to him had been faintly heard and almost vacantly, distractedly, he nodded. “I do,” was said quietly, strangely secretive as if it might fool everyone in the church into thinking they weren't witnessing a wedding but merely a signed contract that was bound to be broken. The priest was pleased enough with the response. He had seen women more nervous than Cassandra. In fact, the queen had been a nervous mess on her wedding day, squeaking out the words. She had loathed her soon-to-be husband and looked prepared to faint. Cass had appeared to have a stronger will than that, but it was strictly illusion.

And then it was over. Dante was permitted, if he liked, to kiss his bride, but there was no obligation and by all accounts most didn't expect it. Cassian was more eager to leave and be done with the ceremony than face the potential of being kissed. Except his parents were looking rather expectantly at him. They wanted their son to seem eager and pleased, not resigned. For the first time Cass actually looked at Dante, trying to be as unassuming as possible, praying he would ignore the silly idea and lead his wife down the aisle and away from the church.

 

[Dimitrios]

Dante didn't intentionally decide to crush Cass's hopes his plan was for both sides to see that this was a real marriage rather than just some alliance sham, for Arthurians it had to be real because if it wasn't then they would gladly go back to war as well they were a warring people. Dante was a warrior so of course this sat fine with him but if this went badly they would have to fight their way out of their rivals capital, even if they managed to do that then he would have to deal with his parents anger and then the banishment which of course would result in no more fighting for him anyways. The only good thing that could come out of this was the fact that he had someone to sleep with finally, granted he probably could have brought women or men to his chambers if he wished to after their marriage but the law of Arthurians was that if you got married you were faithful.

If Dante wasn't faithful to Cass then he would be considered an oath breaker and the alliance would shatter completely along with his reputation, then he would never ascend to the throne because the people would never accept it. So to prove that this was the real deal he stepped forward while using once strong arm to pull Cass close to him, the slender frame of Cass against his muscular form probably looked a bit odd but there was nothing else on Dante's mind except the kiss. He did not hesitate to lean his head down and claim Cass's lips quickly before she could even think to pull away and ruin the moment for both of them, his lips easily claiming Cass's in a deep kiss though he wasn't all at that rough with Cass.

The people from both side immediately began to cheer, clap, and roar with delight as the alliance had finally be sealed with this kiss, Dante could hear his father speaking in the background "alright time for a feast that even the gods would be envious of!" he roared out cheerfully drawing out the cheers of everyone who could hear him. Finally after about thirty seconds of their lips pressed against one another Dante pulled away from the kiss, his eyes staring into Cass's to gauge the reaction he would get from her.

 

[riven]

While he hadn't been expecting it, Cassian was quick enough to know to close his eyes and not jerk away. It was fantastically embarrassing, though only to Cass. No one else but his parents and those who worked near him knew he was male – and none of them would certainly feel so awkward about the situation. It was, if anything, pleasing to his parents, and had any of them been permitted into the church, it would have been entertaining to the servants. It wasn't until the noise erupted from their audience that Cass flushed. A streak of pink running across his face.

It would have been unacceptable at that time to yell out that it was all a hoax. It also wouldn't have gone over well to simply collapse. Instead, Cassian stared back at Dante with a vague smile he had pressed onto his lips; mentally trying to extinguish the color in his face. His gaze shifted away and he peered out toward his parents who looked pleased enough though they were chatting, conspiring, with each other over something.

The feast was not a dull event for Cassian. Eating wasn't his priority and most of his time was spent relaying messages through an attendant to his mother and back again. He had been placed next to Dante, though had very little to say to the warrior. What exactly did they have in common?

After several minutes of speaking through a third party, Cass left his place to seek out his mother on her request. She stole him quickly from the room, holding him firmly by the wrist and expecting him to stumble after her. She unraveled a questionable plot, whispering it hastily into his ear though the halls were mostly deserted.

In the end, Cassian was sent to his room to remain there while the queen returned to the feast. Quite quickly she approached the groom, gently touching his shoulder and leaning in to whisper: “I'm afraid your wife has taken ill. The excitement must have weakened her. I've told her to rest. Cassandra's health is of the utmost importance.”

 

[Dimitrios]

During the kiss Dante could not feel a single thing from Cass which was odd, even if the kiss was disliked he would have felt something but the way Cass reacted was like nothing was happening as if he refused to accept the reality that she was being kissed at all. In a way it was more annoying than if Cass had denied the kiss from him, the moment was washed out of his way as food was offered to him along with drink which of course as a self respecting Arthurian Dante could not refuse. Dante hadn't even realized that Cass had left his side because he was so busy speaking with some of his soldiers about what they were doing since there was to be no fighting here, they filled him in that the women here were quite fun to be around and with that Dante was done with them as he didn't need to hear the stories of them getting rid of their stress when he could not.

At the touch to his shoulder he looked over to find Cass's mother which surprised him as he had no reason to speak to her or so he thought, the mention of Cass taking ill came off as a complete and utter lie to Dante as he would have smelled an illness if there had been one. But he didn't say anything like that for now "well that is a shame for her she shall miss all of the festivities" he said in a calm playful tone before raising a glass of ale drawing a cheer from the people, while he acted calm Dante was far from it as he felt something was off. Dante was not stupid with the conversation he had with Cass last night about the tradition and now this at the most convenient it would have been obvious to even someone that was stupid, his teeth ground against one another as he thought about why this was happening.

His first and only thought was that Cass did not wish to sleep with him because he was an Arthurian, just that thought got Dante angry as he had kept himself in check yet she probably still considered him a barbarian. Dante was tired of stepping around the issue it was time to deal with this directly he thought as he drained the last of his ale before slipping away from the crowd of people, he made his way to Cass's room and stopped at the door only to knock on it softly thinking that Cass was more likely to open the door if she believed it was someone else at the door.

 

[riven]

In fact, it wasn't Cass who came to the door, but a maid. The door was pried open and for one fleeting moment her eyes were set on Dante before dropping somewhere safe. The nervous creature shifted and glanced back behind her though she hadn't opened the door completely, certainly not enough to reveal Cassian. “Very sorry, she isn't seeing no one.” The woman, young though she was, was not made to speak to the inhabitants of the castle let alone their guests and even she knew this. Her voice was quiet and uncertain; her movement fidgety as she put her weight on one foot and then on the other.

Cass was sitting at a sturdy writing desk near a window. The desk itself was empty except for the flowers that had been pulled from his hair. He had his arms folded and his head resting down on them, at least until he heard the girl speak. Cassian jerked his head up. His hair, from pulling out the decoration, had fallen slightly, but the dress he still wore and for a moment Cass was thankful for it. Instead of forcing the girl to stumble idiotically through explaining that Dante wasn't permitted to see his own wife, Cass pulled himself up and went to the door.

“You may go,” he told her quickly. A quick curtsey and she had slipped passed Dante as Cass opened the door wider but wasn't inclined to invite him in. After all, it was Cassian's room, and there was a sort of protectiveness that came with it. Still, he peered at Dante with an almost accusatory look. “You've heard I'm not well.” It wasn't a question but an observation considering he was standing there and not enjoying the party.

“You should return to the feast; enjoy it. My mother said she would explain my absence to those who inquired.” Other than looking mildly sleep deprived and vaguely disheveled from pulling flowers away from himself, there was nothing that indicated illness. He was in perfect health, at least physically. Not that Dante needed that information and Cassian had every intention of protesting any observation that called into question the claim his mother had made. It was part of the plan.