Warin
The hall of the great Fabian Temple on Bastion were filled with guests from all over the Commonwealth, Fabian Space, and what Warin guessed were peoples from outside Fabian Space as well. He could see styles of dress he had never envisioned nor would he ever wish to try to wear, as well as hair styles that he had only seen on the Holos.
Warin had been on the world of Bastion for several weeks as he met with lord after lord in place of his father. He had pressed for a meeting with the King but the summons had not come. He had seen the King during several meetings of the House of Lords and other chambers of parliament, but he had been refused a private meeting with the King.
King Oswald had proved a busy man in the weeks since Warin arrived on Bastion, and he could not blame the king. A wedding on top of his normal duties and the arrival of System-lords throughout the Commonwealth. It would leave little time for one of the several dozen Under-lords on the world, even if it was an Under-lord who stood to become one of if not the most powerful lord of the Commonwealth when his father passed.
It did not bother Warin though. In fact he were glad that no meeting could be arranged. He had no love of the king, and no real business with him. He had no proof that King Oswald was a member of the cult known as the Fabian Order of Drala but he had heard and learned enough to know that even if he was not he was a supporter of many of it’s key members. At least the members which Warin and his people were able to uncover. The order proved a well hidden secret order that protected it’s members as they took what they wanted.
Warin did manage to meet several System-lords and members of the royal family before the wedding. Several of the king’s own children were of an age with him, and Warin met some of the princes and princesses.
Warin found that he enjoyed the wedding to his surprise. It had been weeks of none stop meetings for the council. All his time had been managed by the House of lords of Holderness. Although not as powerful as the House of Lords of the Commonwealth, the House of Lords of Holderness nonetheless ruled his free time with it’s delegation sent along with Warin. Finally it was quiet, and he could enjoy himself with his wife, and she had been looking forward to the events of the wedding. He was surrounded by thousands but felt alone with her, and enjoyed the feeling.
Bethany was gorgous, and even when the bride walked down the aisle Warin had found his eyes moving back to take in his own wife and had agreed with himself that she was more beautiful than the soon to be queen of the Commonwealth.
All day lord of this, and lord of that. Trade guilds, countless Orders, and all manner of people he was forced to meet and listen to. Now for the first time since he arrived everyone was focused elsewhere. Their eyes were on the King and his new bride instead of the rebellious son who had come close to launching a rebellion against his own father. He could close his eyes and take a breath.
The world faded away into darkness as he closed his eyes and fell asleep among the hundreds of other sitting lords and ladies of the Commonwealth. He didn’t know when or for how long he had slept in his seat. They had been clapping and cheering long before he woke though and already on their feet by the time he opened his eyes and tried not to look startled as he rose and clapped with a large yawn.
