Chasing Sya

Wedding (1)

As the Priest chanted the marriage vows and tied the red silk string from one hand to the other, Ju Long's hand held on to Sya's hand tightly.  Once the red silk string was tied, it was then roped around them as the Priest walked around the couple several times, binding their fates tighter and tighter together.  After the third time, the Priest tied the red string where it began and said the final words of blessing and love.  

Hideo sat up with a smile on his face as he watched his grandson marry the beautiful Sya.  How his fool of a grandson did it, he couldn't figure it out, but now Sya was now his Granddaughter-in-law and that was all that mattered. 

Once the ceremony was finished, Hideo stood up and made a toast.  

"This Grandpa has always wanted a beautiful daughter-in-law, and now she stands hand in hand with my Grandson, Ju Long.  The Commander of 320,000 soldiers!  The wielder of the Tiger Seal!"  Hideo said proudly.  "From this day forth, their fates are tied with Wei!  And Wei's fate is tied with them!  As the Head of Wei and as Grandfather, I welcome you, Lady Sya, to our home with open arms and open hearts, you are our Lady of Wei!" 

There were several people who clapped and toasted the great news, but there were also several people who did not share in the happy marriage of Duke Ju Long.  

Ken, Xiu, and Naoko sat with unhappy faces and did not drink their toast to Hideo's speech.  How could they object to the marriage when Hideo and the Elders dare not raise any objections to the marriage that Ju Long sprung on them.  As Ju Long's father, Ken could have disrupted the wedding and cause a scandal in front of everyone, but the one thing he cared the most, was how people perceived him and his clan.  Because of this he sat quietly with a stern smile on his face, but he did not voice his thoughts.  

There were several young ladies in the crowd who hated the new bride with a vengeance.  They had planned over the course of the winter, spring and summer to run into Ju Long and they have met with some success in managing to talk to him, but never being able to win his attention and love.  However because no one could ever get his attention and affections, every young lady who was chasing him was on equal ground.  

However, from thin air, Ju Long produces a woman who had caught his attention and suddenly announces to everyone on his Grandfather's birthday banquet that it was now his wedding day? It made them hate the lucky woman to their very core.  

Who was she?  What does she have that made Duke Ju Long decide to marry her?  How did she catch his attention?  How did they meet?  Who are her parents?  What kind of connection does she have?  

Questions upon questions ran through the ladies and their mother's heads.  Their intentions to tie their family to the Wei Clan was now broken and the only way would be through the Second Young Master, Naoko.  Although he had beauty and rumors of a brain, he didn't have any  accomplishments that could compare to Ju Long's.  

Ju Long lead the way with Sya in his arms to the head of the table where he once sat alone with his Grandfather.  Another seat had already been set out next to his.  The couple sits down next to each other, careful to not break the red silk rope.  For breaking it before they reach their bridal chambers would mean they were not meant to be.  

For the next two hours, families from each nobility and royalty stood up from their tables and walked up to the raised platform and made their toast.  First, to wish Hideo good fortune on his birthday and second, to bless the new married couple.  

From behind her veil, Sya could still see everyone and their reactions as they walk up to her and Ju Long.  Whether their blessing was genuine or not, she could only see their true intentions as she read their facial features and body language.  Ju Long's enemies were now her enemies.  Her hand and fate is now tied with his, so his burdens became hers.  His happiness became hers.  His worry became hers.  Everything that made him, him. Now half of it belonged to her and she was willing to help carry them along with him.  

Sya's smile became a snicker as she watched the slow procession of Prime Minister Note and Lady Ruby as they were the last to come up to the raised platform.  A servant pours wine into a clean cups and hands it over to Prime Minister Note and Lady Ruby.  He takes the cup with his one hand while his other hand is tucked inside his pocket, while Lady Ruby accepts the wine with grace.  

The disrespectful gesture made by Prime Minister Note, made Hideo's eyebrow twitch and a frown appear on his face.  

"Many blessings to the newly wed couple.  May they bear strong sons like their father and beautiful daughters like their mother."  Peter said as he raised the cup and drank it down in one gulp.  

Ruby followed suit as she too raised her cup of wine then drown it down in one gulp.  

Hideo didn't drink to Peter's toast.  He held his wine in his hand as he swirls it around.  

"Even at this age one would think the Prime Minister of Meya Country would know how to properly act with etiquette, especially in front of his own child."  Hideo said as he scoffed at Peter.  "But I guess, even the Prime Minister is getting too old to remember such small things as manners."  

Peter angrily throws the porcelain cup towards the platform, causing it to shatter and break.  Which causes everyone to stop what they were doing and listen to the two enemies bicker.  Everyone knows of the blood feud between the Wei's and the Note's.  The feud had started several generations ago and now that feud has carried on through generation over generation.  With new issues and problems adding on to the past feuds.  

"I only came here to give you face old man!"  Peter said as he snarled.  

"You? Came here to give, ME face?"  Hideo said sarcastically.  "How would you coming here give ME face when you can't even give a proper toast?  Ha!  What a joke!" 

"I only came here with my daughter at YOUR Wei's request!"  Peter yelled.

"As if my Ju Long would let a Note into MY WEI home!"  Hideo shouted.  

"Your Grandson might not have, but you son did."  Peter said as he smiled victoriously at Hideo.  

"Ah... and just because my son gave you an invitation, you thought you should come?  HA!  My son only gave you that invitation to give YOU face, not the other way around."  Hideo said back smugly, but truthfully he wanted to beat his son for his son's stupid actions.  That would have to happen after everyone left.  "And you came, with all your lack of manners and etiquette, as if you were giving us face!  Ha!  Thanks to my son, I got a good laugh on my birthday!" 

"There is something he must not have told you."  Peter said as he smiled bigger. His gaze was towards Ju Long as he made his last statement.  "I was invited here on behalf of your son, to talk to him about tying our Clans together.  His son and my daughter."