Ancient Empire Calendar Year 1817
Ricardo and his personnel team arrived in the city of Ashterah, the center of the Ashterah Dynasty, in the first days of the new year.
Marco, the first Lord of the Ashterah Dynasty, welcomed the delegation at the city's entrance.
"Welcome, and welcome again. You have brought honor."
Ricardo, still on his horse, acknowledged Marco's greeting.
"Thank you, Dynasty Lord of Ashterah. In response to your request for aid, we have come with five thousand personnel. I hope that with these five thousand people, we will restore the Eastern Lands to their former unique beauty, as they were before the wars."
Marco smiled, stepped aside, and gestured towards the city entrance with his arm.
"Then please, enter my city and my palace."
Ricardo and the delegation entered the city, encountering intense public interest, and proceeded through the crowd into the Ashterah palace.
"I have arranged a feast in honor of your arrival. You've come a long way; you can be sure it will wash away all your fatigue," said Marco Ashterah.
"We are grateful for your consideration, Dynasty Lord of Ashterah," said Ricardo with a smile.
Marco's eyes briefly focused on Ricardo's wife, Xiao Meiran.
"I heard that you have a daughter with Meiran, the last surviving child of XXI Carl, the final Lord of the Ashbrum Dynasty, Dynasty Heir of Kislavein."
A sincere smile appeared on Ricardo's face.
"Yes, we have a daughter. Her name is Selia. She's just one year old; honestly, it feels like she was born just yesterday, but now she's turned one. I didn't even realize how time passed. Why do you ask?"
Marco quickly interjected.
"I wish to betroth your daughter Selia to my son and heir, Tajong. This way, both our familial bonds and the relationship between our Dynasties will strengthen, and strong generations will come from the union of our bloodlines."
Tajong had been born in 1810, one year after the Second Great Kislavein-Ashbrum War.
"He's six years older than my daughter... Well, a two-year age difference is one thing, but this situation would cause a great uproar in the Western Lands. It's against our laws."
Marco remembered that marriages with large age differences were prohibited under Kislavein law.
"But there is an exception to this law, is there not? In a marriage between two Ancient Dynasties, this law is flexible."
Ricardo was impressed that Marco remembered this detail.
"You have other children too, Marco. Is it guaranteed that Tajong will be the future heir to the throne?"
Marco briefly explained the succession system in the Eastern Lands.
"Unlike your system, our Heirs' War is not fought with blood but with minds. We select our Heirs based on merit. The one superior in intelligence and power becomes the next Leader."
Ricardo laughed.
"Hahaha, wow, I wish we had that system. Centuries of promising young boys wouldn't have been killed."
Marco disagreed with this idea.
"In a land like the Western Lands, where history is written and ruled with blood, establishing the Eastern system would be nearly impossible, Dynasty Heir."
Ricardo knew this too; his fantasy would remain just a fantasy.
"Alright, let's drop this subject. I will send a letter to my father. If he approves, I will betroth my daughter Selia to your son Tajong Ashterah. When my daughter turns 18, she will marry Tajong, and the future Lords of the Ashterah Dynasty will come from our lineage."
Marco's dream had come true; he would be leaving the strongest genetic legacy for his future generations.
Noticing his state, Ricardo laughed.
"You seem very happy."
"Yes, Dynasty Heir," Marco replied.
The later hours of the day passed with a magnificent feast. While the Kislaveins enjoyed the feast, Ricardo and Marco conversed throughout.
"I heard you only have one wife," said Ricardo.
"Yes," Marco answered.
"Didn't you receive any marriage proposals after ascending the throne?" Ricardo asked.
"I did, but there is only one woman in my heart," said Marco.
Ricardo found this answer ridiculous.
"Dynasty Lord Marco, you cannot mix matters of love with politics, especially as the Lord of a newly established Dynasty. You need political wives who will give you power. You can handle matters of love with concubines."
Marco was surprised; he hadn't expected to find someone so old-fashioned among the new generation.
"Perhaps one day you will understand me, Dynasty Heir."
Ricardo didn't care.
"I will never understand."
Marco asked curiously.
"Have you ever been in love?"
Ricardo wasn't expecting this question and became angry.
"We are not close enough to discuss matters of love."
Marco realized the seriousness of the situation.
"But our children will marry in the future; doesn't that make us close?"
Ricardo did not drop his seriousness.
"Look at that. Should I be close to my father, Dynasty Lord IV Orsman, XIII Boran, or XXI Carl?"
Marco shuddered inside.
"No, I suppose not."
Ricardo had finished his drink and his meal. The steward beside him bowed.
"Do you have any other requests, Dynasty Heir?"
"No, you may go."
The servants collected the plates and glasses from the table and moved away.
As Ricardo watched the dancing women, his anger subsided.
"I don't know if it's called love, but I had felt something for a woman I shouldn't have had feelings for. Thinking about it now, I disgust myself."
Marco thought there was something hidden beneath these words and wanted to probe further.
"I'm curious, what kind of woman was she?"
Ricardo became lost in thought, remembering Marilin.
"She was a beautiful woman. Brave, daring, and very strong."
Marco's curiosity grew even more.
"Who was she, and why shouldn't you have feelings for her?"
Ricardo was silent for a while.
"Even if I told you, you wouldn't believe me."
"Is it related to your curse?" said Marco.
Ricardo decided to end the conversation.
"You could say that, I suppose."
Ricardo stood up. Everyone in the banquet hall stood up and bowed their heads.
After Ricardo left the hall, everyone continued the feast.
Guided by the steward, Ricardo entered the room reserved for him and his wives. His wife Meiran and his concubine Dilara were waiting for him.
"I've talked enough for today," Ricardo thought.
He took both women in his arms, kissed their lips. They didn't speak, just enjoyed the pleasure.
Throughout the night, the three of them together shed all the stress of the journey.