If Dominic hadn’t already figured out what was going on by the veil, the fact that the wedding march was playing as he approached the grand ballroom would have been more than enough.
By both Cygnia and Dagos tradition, the higher Ranking of the bride and groom was the one who waited at the altar.
In this case, it was the Princess.
{Good luck. You don’t have any family here that we know of, so you’ll have to walk alone down the aisle.} The butler whispered.
Dominic gave him a slight nod, and then strode confidently into the room.
He paused at the entrance to the aisle. There was one Wavemates tradition that he didn’t want to skip.
Traditionally, when the bride and groom first saw each other on the wedding day, the Groom would roar in approval, signifying his wholehearted acceptance of the bond. But Wavemates weddings didn’t have wedding vows like Cygnia or Dagos weddings did.
Tilting his head back slightly, Dominic felt the muscles in his throat shift, and he gave a full throated roar. Not the human approximation, a proper draconic roar that shook the decorations hung around the room.
The room fell silent at the noise, and then the soldiers lined up along the walls began to bang their ceremonial spears on their shields. The military version of applause as Dominic began taking slow, even strides down the aisle.
Princess Alexis shifted uneasily as Dominic stalked toward her. That roar didn’t sound like approval to her. It sounded like need, and the heat that it lit within her body was making it increasingly difficult to stand still and wait for him to make his way to the altar.
Those slow, regal strides should have made him look like the Prince he was born to be, stiff backed and shoulders back in perfect posture.
But the swaying of his hips, and the way that his eyes were locked on her behind his veil, were the confident stride of a predator stalking prey that has nowhere left to flee.
Instead of using the stairs, Dominic took advantage of the [Monstrous Strength] spell’s passive strength increase, and simply leapt from the aisle onto the stage, where he took Princess Alexis’ hands in his own.
For a moment, he hesitated. He had only recently memorized the traditional Cygnia wedding ritual.
"My love, sorry I am late." He spoke, a hint of teasing in his voice.
The Nobles in the front row smiled. Those were only the traditional words for a bride walking the aisle. Normally, a groom walking the aisle would thank his bride for waiting for him.
The bride and groom released each other’s hands and turned to the Priest, who had been sent from Cygnia for the occasion.
"Today, we join these two in Most Holy Matrimony. By the Grace of the Gods, and the Will of His Majesty, King Alfred Cygnus, First Of His Name, I bless this wedding.
First, Bow before the Gods."
Dominic and Alexis bowed in unison toward the altar set up behind the Priest.
"Second, Bow to the Elders."
They turned to the crowd and bowed toward the assembled guests.
"Third, Bow to your Eternal Spouse."
Dominic bowed to Alexis, who curtsied to him, nearly making him laugh.
Sure, it was a proper response, but a formal bow was still an option, and the curtsy was very out of character for her.
They straightened, and the Priest spoke again.
"You may lift the veils."
Dominic heard the room’s hushed cheering as Alexis’ veil was flipped up, but his whole attention was on Alexis, whose face was covered with a delicate golden mask. He could only see her eyes, as the mask covered the rest of her face, unlike his own, which left his mouth and chin bare.
But those eyes were all he needed to see.
Unlike the weddings of Commoners, there would be no kissing the bride in public today.
Well, not as part of the ceremony.
Instead, the Priest gave instructions. "Have the bride and groom prepared rings?"
Dominic took the ring from a waiting butler, and gently slid it on Alexis’ finger. He had to be careful not to scratch her, as his claws had grown out on him again, but the ring went on smoothly, and then Alexis placed the black gold band on his hand.
"Lords and Ladies, please welcome the new Duke and Duchess of Wistover."
Dominic froze in shock.
Duke of Wistover? Were they giving him back his hometown?
The Crown Prince and Second Prince were standing shoulder to shoulder in the front row, beaming up at the newlyweds as Dominic wrapped his arm around Princess Alexis’ waist.
This part was the most difficult part of the whole ceremony, Dominic thought.
They had to stand here and accept the wedding blessings of everyone who had gathered for the wedding before they could retreat to their room for the evening, while the wedding party would traditionally play loud music and party to drown out any sounds that might come from the marital chambers.
{Why are you looking at me like that?} Alexis whispered.
{Your eyes are glowing. You look like you are going to eat me.} She added.
{Oh, I fully intend to.}
Alexis blushed behind her mask and pinched Dominic’s leg to encourage him to behave.
Whoever designed these robes must have expected that, though. The multiple layers took much of the force out of even her strong grip.
The two Cygnia Princes stepped forward with red paper envelopes in their hands.
"Blessings on your union, may you find eternal happiness." They spoke in unison.
"Thank you brothers." Alexis replied, her voice a bit shaky.
The two princes gave Dominic amused smiles, but didn’t dare to ask what he might have said to her that would cause her voice to waver like that.
They were satisfied that they had done the right thing. Their sister was safely married off. The King of Dagos had agreed to cede the lands they had demanded as war reparations. And finally, the King of Cygnia had granted the bride and groom not only a large peerage, but the highest possible titles to go with it.
Now, they just needed to make it home to get started on turning the peerage from "Large" to "inhabited".
Preferably before the diplomatic fallout of the agreements started.