Marriage Contract with Two Husbands

“What? Marriage? Did you just say he’s getting married?”

“Shh, Damien. You are too loud.”

“Well, I can’t help it, Assistant Heinz!” exclaimed Damien. “Why does His Excellency want to marry Lady Crimson Rose all of a sudden?”  Damien couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

Damien knew that there was something wrong with the Grand Duke’s past. He understood the Grand Duke’s need to protect Roseline because she looked like the woman he once loved. He would always protect her. He had even driven out the Empress’ younger brother, Count Vigelhofen.

Damien did feel sorry for Roseline so he tried to be nice to her. But this was shocking. If Melchor intended to marry Roseline and be her official guardian, the Crimson Rose family would then be subordinate to the Grand Duchess of Postenmeyer. Damien would fully support that decision.

However, marriage was just so sudden.

“This isn’t really very sudden, Damien. Besides, rumor has it that the marriage contract was mentioned before.”

“That’s not true.”

“It is not very unusual. When aristocrats get married, packaged stories appear everywhere.”

Marriage between noble families usually was contractual to form an alliance. It was customary to pretend that these marriages weren’t just a political agreement but a fruit of love between young couples. Everyone was aware of this but still pretended as though marriages were based on absolute love and devotion.

“Don’t be nonsensical, Damien. Lady… no, she won’t be a ‘Lady’ anymore.”

“Did she agree to it?”

The Black Knights were also disturbed by this turn of events. Only Melchor knew why he wanted to marry Roseline. Others who found out about this assume one of the two things:

Either, Melchor felt so sorry for Roseline’s situation that he agreed to marry her in order to protect her.

Or, Melchor really did fall in love with Roseline at first glance and proposed to her to be his wife which Roseline gladly accepted.

Damien could not really believe either of those reasons. “I don’t think either of them is true, Assistant Heinz.”

“I think the reason could be both at the same time.”

“Do you have any evidence?”

“Well, nothing tangible but only those who have felt true love towards another know this, Damien. I don’t think you would understand.”

“Isn’t it the same for you too, Assistant Heinz?”

“No! I have someone who has promised to be by my side for a lifetime.”

“Oh, yeah…,” Damien said without much sincerity.

Even Damien and Assistant Heinz who knew Melchor very well couldn’t come to a definitive conclusion. Perhaps those directly involved, Melchor and Roseline, didn’t know what they were doing with any certainty either.

* * *

Melchor visited the palace to report on the news of his marriage. Many complaints were waiting for him there as well.

“I got in big trouble with Bill Helminay.”

“Your Majesty?”

“The Grand Duchess to be chosen for Postenmeyer will be the pride and joy of the empire. How could you proceed with the wedding so rashly?”

The emperor had already approved the marriage so the outcome could not really be reversed. Perhaps he had faced pressure from the Empress. The news had indeed come as a blow. Melchor understood that the emperor might have been caught in the middle of the whole situation but he did not feel any empathy for him.

“I see. I apologize.”

“Melchor, please tell me you at least had a grand wedding.”

“I can’t really say that. Though I will be ever so grateful to you for allowing me to marry her.”

“If you are indeed so grateful, why don’t you try expressing that gratitude in a more appropriate way?’

Melchor brushed off the emperor’s remarks. It was an annoying habit of the emperor to share too much with Melchor, even the most intimate things. He seemed to like talking about a series of his dirty escapades with the empress. The royal couple had a good sense of humor but Melchor wasn’t feeling so humorous at the moment. He needed to find out everything about the Empress.