The arrival at Etherevalis was nothing short of legendary.
The caravan rolled through the capital gates beneath banners of silver and emerald silk. Crowds flooded the streets, lining every balcony, stairwell, and archway. Petals rained from above.
At the top of the grand marble steps stood the King and Queen of Etherevalis.
Surrounded by royal guards.
Advisors.
Nobles.
And the extended royal family.
Thousands knelt as the carriage came to a stop.
Guards parted the path with disciplined precision.
The door opened.
First to exit were the Veil.
Commander Vaelrith descended with measured calm, Dawnaris at his side, followed by the remaining operatives in ceremonial uniform.
Then—
Llandra stepped down.
The roar that followed shook the stone.
The King's breath caught.
The Queen's hand rose to her chest.
Their daughter stood radiant.
Silver silk cascading.
Hair woven with subtle royal accents.
Confidence in every movement.
Not a runaway princess.
Not a wandering adventurer.
But a woman returning home stronger than when she left.
She paused at the carriage entrance, composed.
Then Nyxian emerged.
Then Zee.
Then Bunny.
Each elegant.
Each powerful.
Llandra, in perfect royal instinct, signaled subtly for them to wave.
They did.
She embraced each one briefly, publicly affirming what the world now knew—
They stood with her.
Together.
Then—
Jax stepped down last.
He had insisted the women exit first.
He moved beside Llandra and offered his arm.
They had discussed this part.
Walk together.
Smile.
Project unity.
He took her arm.
They began ascending the steps.
Petals drifted around them.
The crowd chanted Llandra's name.
Jax waved casually.
Confident.
Relaxed.
Unaware of what came next.
The Mistake
They reached the top.
And the world changed posture.
The Veil dropped to one knee.
The Vixens followed.
Llandra bowed deeply.
Ten thousand citizens fell with them.
Jax took one more step forward—
And extended his hand.
For a handshake.
The silence that followed was almost audible.
The King blinked.
The Queen raised an eyebrow.
Jax's arm remained confidently outstretched.
Then—
The King smiled.
He had once been a warrior before he was a monarch.
He recognized the gesture.
Stepping forward, he clasped Jax's forearm in a firm warrior's grip.
Right as Jax glanced sideways and realized—
Everyone else was kneeling.
Including his fiancées.
He froze internally.
Ah.
Protocol.
Missed that.
The King held his grip firmly and spoke clearly.
"Welcome, Jax Darquebane. We are pleased to finally meet you."
Jax released the handshake carefully.
Was he supposed to kneel now?
Bow?
Run?
Before he could decide—
Queen Lysara stepped forward.
Graceful.
Poised.
Radiant.
She extended her hand in greeting.
Jax shook it instinctively.
Casually.
Like meeting a client.
Halfway through the shake, his brain caught up.
He paused.
Recalculated.
And gently lifted her hand toward his lips in a respectful kiss.
The transition was… not smooth.
But it was earnest.
A murmur rippled through the nobles.
The King's lips twitched.
The Queen's eyes sparkled.
"Rise," the King commanded, addressing the crowd.
Ten thousand people stood.
Including Jax, who had never knelt in the first place.
The Throne Room Incident
The royal couple turned and began walking toward the palace interior.
They gestured for Jax to follow beside them.
Llandra and the others trailed respectfully.
The throne room doors opened.
Gold-veined marble.
Living crystal chandeliers.
Over two thousand nobles in attendance.
Jax walked between the King and Queen, trying to read the rhythm of ceremony.
He failed.
When they reached the dais, the King stopped before the throne.
He extended his hand sideways toward the Queen in a long-practiced ceremonial gesture of unity.
Jax, still walking forward—
Grabbed it.
Firmly.
The throne room gasped.
Llandra's eyes widened.
Nyxian inhaled sharply.
Zee covered her mouth.
Bunny whispered, "Oh no."
The Queen blinked.
Then— smiled.
She gently pointed to the side.
"You are meant to stand over there."
Jax looked at their clasped hands.
Looked at the King.
Looked at the entire court.
And processed the situation in exactly the way Jax Darquebane always did.
"My bad!"
He released the King's hand and gave him two light, friendly shoulder bumps.
"Sorry about that."
Then he half-ran past the Queen, giving her a quick apologetic side-hug before darting over to stand beside the Vixens.
Nyxian closed her eyes in secondhand embarrassment.
Even Vaelrith's composure cracked slightly.
Then—
A sound echoed through the throne room.
The King laughed.
Not a polite chuckle.
A full, deep, uncontrolled laugh.
The kind that builds on itself.
The Queen tried to remain composed.
She failed.
Her own laughter escaped.
The sight of her husband losing composure only fueled it further.
Within seconds, the tension shattered.
The nobles were stunned.
In sixty years of rule—
They had never seen the King laugh like that in court.
Not at a noble.
Not at a rival.
Certainly not at a foreign suitor.
But this outsider—
This human—
Had just treated them like people.
Not untouchable icons.
Not distant monarchs.
Just… a man and his wife.
The King wiped his eyes, still grinning.
"This one," he thought, looking at Jax, "is going to be interesting."
And for the first time in decades—
Court felt less like ceremony.
And more like life.