Chapter 346: Opposition
Despite only looking up at him through her veil, Arabella still managed to note how sharp his gaze was on her.
The bright light in his eyes shrouded the world around her in haze until a masculine voice came right from the side.
"The groom may lift the veil off the bride," said the man after clearing his throat.
Silas did not need to be told twice as his hands moved almost immediately. Even though, he remained delicate while raising that thin lace cloak over her head to reveal her beauty.
The way her lashes batted every time her eyes flickered open and shut ever so slowly, made his heart skip many beats.
Black lines emphasized the gemstone irises that rested on him. So soft they were, Silas allowed himself to be sucked into them, minding the idea of forever living in them very little.
The red tracing her already perfect mouth was what hogged his attention next. The thought that, very soon, he’d finally taste them again turned his blood fervent in his veins.
But her scent was what truly weighed on his patience, lessening it with every second that passed. Simply holding her hands was no longer enough. Silas wanted more. He wanted all of her for himself.
There were audible gasps, but they were noticeable, not disruptive.
Arabella’s brain drummed with the battering of her own heart which was music to Silas’ ears.
"We are gathered here tonight in order to celebrate the union of these two... Young souls," the man to their side had spoken again, dragging the word young along as his eyes fell on Arabella.
"I oppose this union!" Reubon’s voice thundered across the hall, "I demand this masquerade be stopped right this instant!"
His howl wrenched Arabella’s eyes away from Silas and for the first time, she’d gotten to see the full placement of the stands.
They circled around the altar, leaving only the stretch from whence she’d come. The sight exacerbated the anxiety crushing her lungs as that formation was very reminiscent of tribunals in Lustris.
"And who might you be?" the officiant asked in the calmest of tones.
"I am her father!" Reubon pointed his finger straight at her, "And I therefore get a say in the matter!"
The officiant turned to Arabella and, in a steady voice, asked, "Would you like to proceed with this union, dear?"
"Yes," the word trembled like the rest of her body.
At that moment, her eyes combed the crowd but despite there being many people she recognized, for some reason, no face brought her solace. It was as though all of their features had been wiped, leaving but blank spaces for the taking.
No one reacted, not even Silas who simply continued to hold her hands, giving them little squeezes here and there.
Her stomach sang a frightening tune, churning and heaving with threats of expulsing her most recent meal out, right then and there.
"Well, beside congratulations or, in your case, my condolences, there is nothing more I have to say to you, my good sir," the officiant looked Reubon dead in the eyes, "We stand tonight on Umbrarian soil and as such, the union of two people requires only their blessing and not their parents’,"
"That is absurd! As my daughter, she has a duty to fulfill towards me and her family," his eyes then snapped onto her, "Do you honestly believe you can shirk your responsibilities this easily, girl?"
His words echoed throughout the hall, hitting the walls and bouncing so many times that by the time they’d faded, the reverberation had already claimed its place in one corner of Arabella’s mind indefinitely.
The officiant looked between her and Reubon and for a moment, she believed he’d turn her away... Just say that he was right. That he agreed and sympathized with her father’s pain. That she should be ashamed of herself for putting him through such an ordeal.
"What sort of responsibilities do you speak of? Do you have any substantial cause to put an end to this union before it starts?" his steel blue eyes were piercing, "Other than you being her father, of course," he added as soon as Reubon opened his mouth.
"She is betrothed to another man!" he declared.
One could hear a pin drop in that hall after that, but right as her heart threatened to pop, a stifled, little snort came from her side.
Ada’s cheeks turned beet red upon noting that all the attention had fallen on her. She cleared her throat but kept the smile on.
"And when did this... Betrothal occur, if I may ask?" the officiant pressed on his words as though they were hard to utter.
Either that or the man was out of patience.
"On the day she came to this world!" Reubon dropped that line with such confidence, even Arabella almost believed him.
The officiant muttered something barely audible to her ear. Something along the lines of, Lord and mercy.
"So, this young woman isn’t, as of this moment, legally married to another man," he half asked in the same tone as the first time.
"That is hardly relevant!" Red in the face, Reubon spat.
"On the contrary, my good sir, it is most relevant," the officiant’s voice rang louder, "In fact, it is the only thing that may stop this union. Now, please, unless you have something such as a marriage certificate to show, take a seat and keep your calm until the ceremony sees its end. You are also free to leave if you so choose to,"
Surprisingly, despite the veins that threatened to pop under Reubon’s skin, he chose to sit back down, but not without the most scathing of glares.
The officiant cleared his throat for the second time, "As I said before, this blessed night gathered us all under one roof to celebrate the union of these two precious souls,"
His gaze was no longer piercing, but kind and warm. The large sleeves of his pearl white robe dangled and swayed along every wave, every gesture he made.