Aedrik sighed inside his room, dawn was about to break, and he had not been able to sleep at all. He had left Frey at her room well past midnight, they had talked the entire time, he would never tire of talking with her. He was sure she had wanted to keep talking with him as well, that had eased him up when he insisted, they should go to sleep.

They had talked as if was a day after they had met at the library. She had showed him her city, and true her eyes he found Lune de Neige beautiful. He saw how much she loved her home, he loved his land and people, but not in the way she did. He worried about her, but she had made up her mind. She welcomed the idea of building a home with him, he smiled in the darkness of the room. He did not talk about where they would live, that was left for another time, but it had to be soon. He had been thinking about it, but after seeing her tonight, it changed. They could have a chance to truly built a home together, he had considered, he would tell her.

He was thrilled about her ideas; he could not understand how Loire had allowed itself to miss so much by not giving its ladies an opportunity. There were still parts on the Empire who shared the same views, but they would change, the imperial law was clear in that regard.

Aedrik passed a hand behind his neck as he tried to calm down. He still felt his lips burning when he had kissed her good night. He had missed her dearly, and when he saw her waiting for him at the bright room, with that silver dress. He had tried to avoid touching her as much as possible he was not sure he could keep his hands to himself, his skin burned, a more abrasive sensation than the one he felt after he left Kirn’s tent.

He had been walking inside his room, trying to work, anything that would distract him with little success. As the hours passed, he dressed himself to wait for dawn, he would go for the training grounds as soon as the break of dawn.

He waited a little more inside his room, watching closely at the space beneath the door, there was a window facing east, he stood there until a small ray of light pass through the small gap and lighted the room. That was enough for him, he left the room and headed for the barracks, as he tried to navigate himself inside the castle, Frey had explained the general distribution from above, but he had always had a good sense for navigation.

Château Lunebleau was decorated with paintings, sculptures, and other adornments, he had been given a room on the east wing, close to Siv’s, the room was large and comfortable but smaller those from the royal castle at Meury.

As he walked around the castle corridors, he met with several people who were working or on their way to work. He saw several kitchen attendants, or he guessed they were by their clothes, and a couple of armsman on guard duty. Most of them stared at him for a moment before saluting him. They were all clearly informed of his arrival yesterday, and he guessed lady Margaux had talked with the castle residents on how to address him.

He left the east wing chambers and entered the main corrido that lead to the central yard, if he remembered correctly, the barracks were close to the west walls, so he went in that direction. Aedrik was counting the guards and patrols as he walked, looking for a pattern on their rout, he sighed. It was a habit, his father had made it a game among his siblings, to understand the patrols and guards’ routines, to spot chances or errors.

“You may never know when you’ll have to run for it or have to enter a place without knocking on the door” those were his father’s words. If they managed to decipher the patrons, he would gift them something, so it had become a habit, Aedrik had become the most talented in this, his mind already taking notes on the inner workings of the safeguard of the castle.

“Good morning sire, do you also train early in the morning like lady Siv? Is it a custom from the empire?” a young and amicable guard asked a few meters from him. The man had a tabard with the colors of house Lunebleau over a chainmail shirt.

"Good morning, sir..."

"I am not a knight, sire, I am just armsman Matt, although I do wish to become one" the guard, Matt, answered happily, Aedrik saw his partner frown at Matt’s familiar behavior with him.

"Good morning to you, all the same, armsman Matt, my name is Aedrik, I am lady Frey fiancé" Aedrik bowed as any knight would to another, and that confused the young armsman, he even turned toward his more senior companion who was at a loss as well by Aedrik’s behavior “Don’t worry armsman, I am grateful for you as you are charge with keeping lady Frey and her family safe, I am sure you will become a fine knight one day” Aedrik replied and the armsman relaxed once he saw Aedrik was not upset by the way he addressed him.

"You say lady Siv comes here often?"

"She does sire, almost every day after lady Frey returned from Meury with her, I have had the chance to spar with her, she sure knows how to fight, lady Frey is in good hands with her" the armsman explain happily “I am sorry to intrude sire, but, is it true that you defeated Sir Belmont on single combat?” Aedrik saw the expectant look on the armsman face, and he notice his companion attention was on him as well.

"You spared with lady Siv? how did it go?" the armsman face went red with Aedrik’s words

"She beat me hard, sire" the young man answered embarrassed

"Do not feel bad about it, armsman Matt, lady Siv is a respected norkrieger from the Empire, she also beat lieutenant Clovis Gérard at the friendly joust in Meury, and she was the one who thought me how to fight” the armsman face was dumbstruck, it was clear the other men who had accompanied the Lunebleaus had told the stories of their trip while they had been at Meury, but clearly they had forgotten to mention Siv’s involvement in the friendly joust, the other guard was likewise surprised by his words.

"For how long have you been an armsman of house Lunebleau?” Aedrik asked before the guard asked anything else.

"I was accepted from the city guard this last year, sire" the young man answered honestly "I was in the city guard for 2 years" he added after considering it for a moment.

"Well there you have it armsman, not everyone the chance to learn how to wield a weapon from a youn age, and yet you have already been accepted as an armsman, you learn quickly. I am guessing no one had wanted to spar with Siv when she came to train, that’s why you offered to spar with her, didn’t you?” the guard was baffled by Aedrik’s words, it seemed that was how things had gone. Siv must have been training alone for a while, and then the armsman had offered to spar, after a moment the guard nodded, Aedrik already liked the young man.

"Thank you for sparring with lady Siv, armsman Matt. I understand most Loirians had their reservations over seeing a woman wield a weapon, but the Empire does no. If you were beaten badly it was because lady Siv did not held back, she replied to your good will with her respect, and anyone who thinks lady Siv is not a good fighter, should challenger her, or if they had trouble with sparring with a woman they may come and ask me for a challenger, I will answer for her” Aedrik smiled and after a moment the worried guard did as well “You know armsman, I’ve just arrived at the castle yesterday and I am still finding may way around, as you said I was on my way to the training ground, would you care to point me on the right direction?”

"You have to reach the barracks and then head to the west wall, turn right once you reach the wall, that space is the training ground, there are weapons at racks for training if you need one sire” the guard replied happily, Aedrik gave the armsman another bow.

"Thank you armsman, your directions are more than enough, perhaps we will be looking at each other while I stay at the castle” Aedrik moved in the direction the armsman had pointed,

"Wait sire, what about your duel with Sir Belmont, did you honestly win?” the armsman had not forgotten about his question, Aedrik smiled.

Aedrik stopped but did not turn as he answered "You should not believe everything every says armsman” and with that Aedrik went to the training ground, both guards were looking at lady Frey’s fiancé for a time before sighing, and returned to minding their own business.

----------------------------------------------------

The main dining room in château was a grand and elegant space, it was placed at the center of the castle, large windows allowed the natural light to enter the grand space. Since Frey and Aedrik had managed to avoid everyone yesterday, his official welcome had this been during breakfast.

The large table had most of house Lunebleau, lord and lady Lunebleau were at the head of it, Mrs. Ferlin next to lady Margaux, followed by Noelle, Danielle, René, lady Liliane and her daughters Cecile and Ide, and from lord Damian, Sir Lois, Lean, Anne, Siv and lastly Frey and Aedrik.

Frey had been surprised by how familiar Aedrik was with everyone, if was as if he had not left, for all he was polite his personality was too straightforward. The breakfast however ended quickly, no one dared delay or stretch a conversation, lady Margaux needed to speak with the young couple, there were to many details pending, in her words.

Frey learned by Lea that her mother had been roaming the castle like a caged lion. Mrs. Ferlin had been the only one who had managed to calm her down enough to stop her from sending arms men to fetch the young couple.

"Well, darling I have several things I must attend with Sir Lois about the Auvernier lands, if you need me I’ll be at the stud... at the barracks” lord Damian was the first to retreat from the table “Aedrik is good to see you again, let’s see if we had a chance to tomorrow to review some things about the campaign” Aedrik nodded quickly, Frey raised an eyebrow, how mad was her mother that her father was delaying meeting Aedrik a day, possibly two.

"We have to try out the dresses for the wedding, we’ll hope to see you at dinner” Noelle followed her father, and every woman in the room, except for lady Margaux, Mrs. Ferlin and Siv left the room. Frey turned pleading to anyone, but no one dare look back at the table.

"Oh my, seeing as how it is just us, why don’t we move a more comfortable space and start addressing some of the details pending regarding your wedding, that is if you have time for it…” Frey felt her mother’s eyes piercing her, Aedrik smiled seeing as how lady Margaux was having no prisoners.

Lady Margaux did not wait for an answer she stood up, and Aedrik did the same out of respect, he helped Frey, and Mrs. Ferlin and they followed lady Lunebleau. They were heading for the garden hall, it was the newest addition to the castle, a wall was made entire by windows facing a small garden, hidden between the west and east wings of the castle, it was incredibly beautiful, Frey had pointed it to Aedrik from the lookout, it was lady Margaux’s work.

The hall was small, Frey knew her mother did not wish to be interrupted, and she would entertain no one. Aedrik saw the place look much like his command tent, parchments and list, even maps, one of the castle, the city and the Lunebleau demesne.

Lady Margaux have them all sit at arranged places, and like a general she addressing her troops she started "Aedrik, we have covered most of the preparations for the wedding, but as I told you we have too many details missing, the most urging one has to do with the sitting arrangements for the ceremony, would you care to explain Mrs. Ferlin”

"Certainly dear, as you requested of me prince, we went for a traditional wedding, as such how we accommodate the guests will say many things, from their importance to the families, to their status of society. I understand you and Frey wanted an open ceremony witnessed by everyone, not just nobles. I support fully the idea, as the first knights of the kingdom took their vows and married in this way, it represents a commitment and even Loirian law still respects vows made this way. The problem lies on the status of our guest, and your family. We’ve worked around the idea of Frey of respecting status and familiarity, here this is the layout we’ve been considering” Mrs. Ferlin passed Aedrik a parchment with a drawing of the space where the wedding ceremony would happen, dots represented the guest, their names carefully written bellow, Frey reclined on him to look at it much to his delight.

Frey had seen the arrangement already, and she knew the problem started with the royal Duke and his wife, for their status as well as Aedrik’s sisters superseded the rest, they should be considered closest to the couple. They had adjusted with familiarity, but as they move along the guests, they knew many would complain and some might even be offended. They had considered having the ceremony near the north wall, with the river passing on the back.

“We were considering having the ceremony in the highest place, it had enough space for placing the guest in arcs from the center, I suggested we could leave one side for anyone two come and witness the event, an open wedding of sorts. This place would be used as a dance floor and the food would be placed in the outer rings, and these tents will display the tokens every noble had been sending from their lands” Frey explained the layout to Aedrik, she had told him about it but he had not seen it.

The wedding had a subtle division to separate the nobles from the commoners, but the center they could mingle. It was a bold idea, Frey’s mother had been against it, but Mrs. Ferlin backed Frey, and tradition was also behind them, and it also served the purpose of displaying the alliance between the two countries.

House Lunebleau treated their subjects with care and respect, but lady Margaux wanted a grand and elegant wedding, like Luka’s and hers, but this idea screamed Frey all over, and it seemed Aedrik shared the sentiment. Hence why they had managed to make the current arrangement. The Beaumonts and Pan were on the second layer with the rest of Loire’s dukes, the rest of the nobles were spread in the next layers as lady Margaux and Mrs. Ferlin had seen appropriate, Frey had placed Mrs. Ferlin and her family on Aedrik’s side, almost at the front, her mother had approved the gesture, and Mrs. Ferlin was delighted by it.

In a struck of genius, Mrs. Ferlin had the idea of having the royal Duke and his wife perform the ceremony itself, it had solved their placement problem, but they wanted Aedrik’s opinion since his sisters had the highest rank still.

"I would go for familiarity, but in my opinion the Beaumonts are closer to you the same goes for Pan, I consider him my brother, we have enough space they should be at the first circle, and I would also place those who Frey consider her closest friends at the same circle or the immediate one, in my case as Frey said if you agreed I would like for you and your family to take that place Mrs. Ferlin, and have the rest of the nobles as you suggested” Frey smiled, she knew he would go for a more direct approach, her mother was not convinced and Mrs. Ferlin was surprised by how much Aedrik thought of her.

“You know your peers; in the case of my sisters they wouldn’t mind as long as they are there in the same ring as Frey’s family for me. The men escorting them should be spread along the edges on guard duty” Frey and her mother were about to argue but Aedrik raised his hands politely “I don’t mean to be rude, and I am certain Mrs. Ferlin can vouch me on this, a hundred men escorting half the empire heirs is a token number, I am fully confident in the men of house Lunebleau, but I have to give the Empire some face as well, it was hard enough for my father to send only a hundred men to represent and guard house Lachdanan le Fay, it is a sign of trust”

Frey closed her mouth; she had not put enough thought on it. Aedrik was right, for all she had waned to argue that they would take care of everything, the Empire was trusting their heirs to their allies. A hundred men were a token, and they were suggesting an open wedding, Frey saw her mother also considering what Aedrik had said.

She had loved the idea of having the Beaumonts closer, the same with Lea and Anne, she wanted them close. Frey did not really have other lady friends, she knew some and even like a few, but she did not consider any her friends. She saw her mother nodding slowly at Aedrik.

"I am all for it" Frey answered before her mother processed everything

"It is true a hundred men, is really just a token force, and a true sign of trust for the Empire, I have taken the liberty of sending a letter for the royal Duke explaining the same thing to him, and I already talked with lord Lunebleau about it, I think he wanted to discuss the subject with you prince” both Frey and her mother were surprised by the master librarian, Aedrik smiled and nodded “I am grateful for your consideration prince, but in case of familiarity taking precedence over status…”

"It is an imperial tradition Mrs. Ferlin, and please call me Aedrik. It is a tradition made by the Fey Danan Empire, I suppose there are records of accepting or adapting a custom from a foreign nation if the wedding involved two nations” Aedrik said smiling, Mrs. Ferlin raised an eyebrow and after a moment, she winked at Frey, who was looking at her expectantly.

“There is, an I will make sure, every one of our nobles hears about this” the master librarian said with a mischievous smile

"Then I agree as well, and I guess Danielle will have something to brag to the rest of her lady friends” lady Margaux said after a small sigh.

"You know, there is actually one people I would like to move closer, if you find it prudent, and there is someone else I would like to invite” the three-woman turned to him with a mix of emotions, Frey was curious, her mother preoccupied, Mrs. Ferlin intrigued “I would like to have Sir Belmont closer” the ladies turned to the parchment with the layout and noticed that indeed the famous knight was almost at the end, his nobility status was not high for all he was famous.

“A wonderful idea, honoring a notable knight, one who is acquaintance with you, Aedrik, the nobles would see the gesture” Mrs. Ferlin said, Frey had no trouble with the idea, she nodded, after all Aedrik had made it possible for Lea and Anne to be close to her.

“Damian would also approve it, I will talk with him, and see where we can place him, but we will move him closer” lady Margaux said after a moment “and who did you want to invite?”

"I wanted to invite another knight, Sir Lance Larouse, I understand he got engaged the day of the joust, to lady Velden if I remember correctly, I saw her name on the list but not his” Frey was surprised he remembered the knight and the proposal, he was right, Danielle had been talking about it, she liked lady Velden, René as well.

"Well of course, we can invite him, I just hope he does not get offended since we invited him so close to the date, and after most invitations had already arrived” lady Margaux said preoccupied, and she was right, they had already sent every invitation.

"Then I’ll send the invitation, I’ll explain the truth, I was away at the warring hills campaign, and I had just started helping with the preparations, hence why I could not sent him an invitation sooner. For what I saw the man was very straightforward, he’ll understand” Aedrik tried to reassured lady Margaux, Frey was nodding happily, she liked the idea as well.

"It is a grand gesture, and it shows the Empire respects Loire’s knights, and I heard from my husband that Sir Larouse is a knight on the rise and an exemplar one, he comes from no noble house, but he earned his knighthood by his skills and deeds, I suggest we send the invitation” Mrs. Ferlin commented.

"It is settled then, I’ll revise Sir Belmont place, and Aedrik will send an invitation to Sir Larouse, I like your proposal, but I am worried Aedrik, would it truly be alright with your sisters?” lady Margaux added, Frey had heard from Aedrik that it would not matter, but her mother and Mrs. Ferlin were adamant on this issue, they were princesses after all.

"It is lady Margaux; I was not kidding when I said it was a tradition from the empire. You see, since we have so many different customs, the empire has been considering a new etiquette, trying to consider the rest of traditions or customs, or in case they are too varied, to dismiss them all completely. We even have different noble titles, if we tried to address a ceremony by status, it could provoke a civil war, the old Danan Kingdom, encouraged the idea of addressing nobles with no distinction in social gatherings and ignore most formalities, the Empire and the Emperor are trying to make it a trend, and it applies here” Frey was marveled by the idea, but it made sense, she saw the other two ladies convinced by him as well.

"Well, with this we have resolve the first pending, we need to attend fourteen more, and then we could take a break or continue” lady Margaux smile was radiant as she crossed the issue on her list, Mrs. Ferlin did as well, Frey laughed as she saw Aedrik smile wavering on his lips, she was right, it seem it was easier to go fight orcs, than this.