And he did this with crowds on either side of the boulevard, held back by Airenzian soldiers, what seemed like the lot of them throwing coral, purple and sky-blue bloody confetti at him.

Lahn and Circe, Frey and Finnie led the way.

Apollo and Madeleine, Noctorno and Cora rode behind them.

True and Farah rode side by side next to Jorie just ahead of Cass and his girls.

Aramus and Ha-Lah rode to his left.

Mars and Silence to his right.

A guard of twenty paraded before Lahn, Circe, Frey and Finnie.

And a guard of twenty trotted to Cass’s back.

Elena was somewhere even farther back, and the only argument he’d won in this hellish affair (notwithstanding him demanding their daughters rode with him, thus under his guard) was that Mac, Ian, Nero and Severus accompanied her, along with Hera, Serena and Chu.

When he’d married Liviana, they’d stolen inland, made their way to Abhainn Mouth, and married in a little chapel outside that port city.

The only people in attendance were Mac, Nero, Otho and Ian.

As well as Mars standing at his side.

And at Liv’s side, as her father was not best pleased his beloved daughter was going to marry into Airenzian royalty, this because his father and Trajan cast long wretched shadows, stood Ares.

They had all gotten far too inebriated after the ceremony.

But he had not gotten so inebriated he could not consummate his marriage to his wife in the little cottage by the sea he’d hired for just that occasion when one celebration was done, and another one had started.

It had been perfect.

This was not.

“Golly! Isn’t it pretty, Papa?” Aelia cried.

“Fairytale,” Dora murmured behind him, her thin arms around his middle tightening, and he felt her lay her cheek to his back.

Right, the feel of her cheek there, the word she said that she felt, he might be able to put up with this day.

Perhaps.

“Allo there!” Aelia called and waved to a boy child her age who had gotten through the legs of the soldiers and was scampering beside them.

“Princess Aelia!” he yelled. “Will you marry me?”

Aelia giggled.

Cassius scowled down at the child.

The boy caught Cassius’s look and fell back.

Mars chuckled.

Cassius turned his scowl to him.

“My brother, you marry today, and the Bay celebrates. This is no reason to appear dour, no?” Mars asked.

“I wish to be married. I do not wish for myself, or my daughters, to choke on confetti,” Cassius returned, only for Mars to throw his head back and roar his laughter.

Silence, riding between he and Mars, smiled happily up to Cass.

“Have you seen her gown?” she asked Cassius.

“No,” he grunted. “She has not allowed this.”

“Oh, I cannot wait for you to see her gown,” Silence replied while looking forward.

“Me either!” Aelia peeped.