The tokens exchanged were not rings.
Guilliman handed Yvraine a metal seal bearing the Ultramarines sigil. It was a replica representing the authority of the Master of Ultramar.
In return, Yvraine presented Guilliman with an exquisite rune stone carved from wraithbone. Its interior shimmered with a faint light that resembled a miniature Webway node.
This action carried intense symbolic meaning as it signified a transfer of power and the delivery of the key to the Webway.
The entire process was rapid and precise, void of any superfluous movements or eye contact. Everyone understood that the core value of this marriage lay in the alliance key Yvraine brought: the Aeldari Webway.
The Archmagos announced in a flat, unmodulated tone, "Roboute Guilliman, Master of Ultramar and Primarch of the Ultramarines, and Yvraine, Emissary of the God of Death. Under the gaze of the Emperor and the God of the Dead, the covenant is established."
As the voice faded, enthusiastic applause rang out in the hall. The necessary formalities had to be observed.
Superficial procedures, blessings, and a grand banquet were mandatory.
Guilliman began accepting the blessings of the Ultramarines and his sons. With some reluctance, the sons of Guilliman knelt before their mother, their father's wife, the High Prophetess of the Aeldari God of Death, Yvraine.
"Hehe! Rise, my children." A playful smile tugged at the corner of Yvraine's mouth. During their first meeting, the Chapter Master named Calgar had called her a xenos repeatedly. Yet in the blink of an eye, the man now had to address her as mother.
It felt slightly strange to suddenly gain hundreds of thousands of sons.
"That is merely a title of respect. We have no blood relation with you, my lady," Calgar said as he raised his head to look at Yvraine.
It was stifling. Although he was overjoyed by the return of their father, him marrying an Aeldari woman made Calgar feel extremely awkward. But all of this was for the Imperium. They had to follow the Father to quell the chaos on Holy Terra.
"A mother nonetheless. I shall consider you my adopted children. My age is likely greater than everyone present here, so I am worthy of the title," Yvraine said with a smile.
The lifespan possessed by the Aeldari was something humans could never catch up to; her age far exceeded that of the Space Marines.
"Enough. Calgar, now that you have paid respects to your mother, stand aside," Guilliman stepped in to mediate. It seemed the relationship between his nominal wife and his sons would not be very harmonious in the short term.
"Yes! Father!" Calgar nodded and moved to stand elsewhere with the remaining Ultramarines.
At this time, the representatives of the Craftworld Aeldari, several Farseers of the Phoenix Lords, stepped forward to offer nominal blessings to the newlyweds.
"According to your human customs, the Emperor protects you. But according to our customs, may the Phoenix King protect you." The Craftworld Farseers blessed the couple one by one.
Through psychic powers, they could foresee that this alliance between humanity and the Aeldari would bring great benefits to their race. Although the Aeldari had dominated the universe for sixty million years, humanity was the new hegemon. Humans also possessed the galaxy's fifth Chaos God equivalent. Although the Aeldari God of Death had been born, he still fell short compared to a Chaos God.
They hoped their leader would receive the protection of this 'fifth god' and not be cast aside after being used.
"Thank you for your blessings. Please stay here to dine. I have prepared a sumptuous feast," Guilliman said with a nod to the Aeldari seers.
"Thank you for your blessings, Farseers," Yvraine also nodded and said.
After the blessings from the Phoenix Lords' representatives ended, the Aeldari God of the Dead, Ynnead, personally approached the couple.
"A blessing of death is not auspicious. However, as the deity in charge of death, I bless you both with one opportunity to be exempt from it. When you are grievously wounded and on the brink of dying, you shall break free from death's embrace." Ynnead spread his arms and bestowed his blessing upon the newlyweds. When the shadow of death loomed over them, both would have a chance to nullify it. This was the blessing of the God of Death.
This blessing shocked everyone present. A chance to negate death was incredibly precious. The gift from the Aeldari God of Death was indeed substantial.
"Thank you for your blessing, great Ynnead. I promise you that as long as the Aeldari do not betray humanity, this alliance treaty shall be permanently effective." Guilliman stepped forward and bowed to the God of the Dead.
With this blessing, he essentially had an extra life. For Guilliman, who frequently ended up in critical condition and had to be carried back on a stretcher, this was truly precious.
"Thank you for your blessing, Great God of Death!" Yvraine also knelt before the deity she worshipped.
Ynnead nodded to the pair and then ceded the position to Axis.
"For your wedding, I cannot be stingy. This is my gift to you. You know the efficacy of these items." Axis directly produced two Fruits of the Tree of Might. They were the first-generation versions, and he handed them to the couple.
"This item is indeed precious. Axis, thank you."
"Many thanks, Lord Axis."
Yvraine and Guilliman bowed in return to Axis.
Next came the various human nobles and officials. Kasha stepped forward to present gifts to Guilliman and Yvraine. However, the remaining gifts paled in comparison to those from Axis and the Aeldari God of Death. When the ceremony concluded, the grand banquet began.
Since it was the wedding of their Father, the Ultramarines had prepared meticulously despite their reluctance. Various dishes catered to both human and Aeldari palates. The dinner atmosphere was reasonably pleasant. During the meal, the couple sat at the main table with the Aeldari God of Death and Axis's family.
After the banquet ended, Guilliman and Yvraine were escorted to the bridal chamber.
Axis stored away his recorded footage.
This precious wedding footage had to be shown to the other Primarchs later. As for installing monitoring equipment in the couple's room, Axis was not depraved enough to enjoy watching live broadcasts of that nature.
The atmosphere in the bridal chamber was slightly awkward. Yvraine sat to the side, revealing a charming smile directed at Guilliman.
But to Guilliman, that smile resembled a tigress eyeing her prey.
"It is getting late. Let us rest early. Tomorrow we must lead the army to Holy Terra," Guilliman was the first to break the silence.
"Very well, let us rest." Yvraine nodded, removed her outer garments, and sat on the large wedding bed.
"I will sleep on the floor," Guilliman said, shaking his head.
"Relax, do not be shy. Come here and join me. How can you sleep on the floor on your wedding day?" Yvraine said, somewhat speechless.
"It is purely for appearances. Actually, as a Primarch, I do not require sleep," Guilliman explained.
"Of course. Just ordinary sleeping," Yvraine smiled and said, though she meant otherwise.
Guilliman nodded at hearing this. He removed his massive armor, and the three-and-a-half-meter-tall giant lay on the bed wearing nightclothes.
"You truly are massive," Yvraine said, touching the small giant beside her.
"This is the standard physique of a Primarch. Among all my brothers, I am considered one of the more normal ones," Guilliman replied.
"maybe, but for us Aeldari..." She leaned in slightly, her breath carrying a mysterious fragrance that brushed past Guilliman's ear. "...You are like a walking mountain, containing... breathtaking power." Her voice dropped low, carrying pure appreciation and a trace of imperceptible seduction.
"Yvraine..." At this moment, Guilliman was slightly nervous.
Yvraine turned to her side, her fingertips tracing the battle scars on his arm, medals left by countless campaigns. "The body of a Primarch is indeed extraordinary. Even the scars exude beauty."
'If this boy were in Commorragh, he would have been claimed countless times already. He looks shrewd, but he is actually a novice,' the elven woman thought with sudden interest.
"The Aeldari have long lifespans. You must have witnessed many things in the universe," he attempted to pull the topic back to a neutral track, deftly avoiding a sharp proposal as if in the Imperial Senate.
But this tactic seemed ineffective against her.
"I have indeed seen much," Yvraine laughed softly, her fingertips suddenly pausing at the hollow of his collarbone. "But I have never seen a warrior turn a bed into a command deck on his wedding night. What are you afraid of, Roboute Guilliman? Are you afraid that I, the 'xenos,' will eat you?"
"I do not fear. It is simply that our alliance is built upon reason. There is no need..." Guilliman tried to steer their marriage toward politics.
"Relax." Yvraine's kiss landed gently on his brow bone, melting quietly like a snowflake. "Think of it... as two people burdened by their respective races taking a breath this night. At least... do not let this bed become a frontline of confrontation between two species, alright?"
Guilliman's arm tightened instinctively, yet he did not push her away. The Aeldari woman before him had been a key piece on the political chessboard moments ago, but now she shed the aloofness of a Prophet, revealing a vivid warmth.
He thought of Calgar's awkward salute, of Ynnead's death blessing, and the crumbling defense lines of the Imperium. Even the mightiest Primarch had moments where responsibility was suffocating.
Guilliman's eyelashes trembled.
He had spent a lifetime in war, accustomed to suppressing all emotion with reason. But now, that taut string slowly loosened under her gentle touch.
When Yvraine's kiss fell again, he did not dodge. It was no longer a tactical compromise, but a tacit consent after a defense line had collapsed.
He raised his hand, hesitated for half a second, and finally wrapped it around her waist. As his fingertips touched her cool skin, Yvraine chuckled softly and whispered in his ear, "That is the way, my big boy. Let your reason rest occasionally. The sky will not fall."
The carved patterns on the canopy blurred into shadows in the dim light. Guilliman closed his eyes. For the first time after removing his armor, he did not think about tactical deployments, he did not deduce the pros and cons of the alliance, and he did not worry for the Imperium of Man.
Perhaps, as this Aeldari woman who had lived for a thousand years said, sometimes laying down tension and one's innate responsibilities required more courage than gripping a longsword.
And he, in the end, was quietly conquered by this sudden softness.
Just rest properly for today. My wife is also quite beautiful.
Two silhouettes gradually merged.
[Omitted ten thousand words. No necessary key plot points.]
At noon the next day, Guilliman arrived before the entire army dressed neatly in his power armor, accompanied by Yvraine.
The Primarch was glowing with health, the gloom completely faded from his face as if he were a changed man overnight. For some reason, everyone had the feeling that Guilliman had seemingly grown up overnight.
He nodded to Axis and the others. Guilliman faced the elite Ultramarines gathered in the square, the members of dozens of successor chapters, and the tens of thousands of Primaris Space Marines who had arrived in the first batch. These were warriors who had slumbered in the mechanical arks, now fully awakened by Belisarius Cawl. A vast number of Primaris Marines still slept within the Mars bases and would only be retrieved after Guilliman returned to Terra.
"Warriors! My sons!" Guilliman's voice echoed through the amplifiers into the clouds, carrying the unique majesty and inspiring power of a Primarch. "The corruption and usurpation of the High Lords have led the Imperium astray from the path guided by the Emperor! In the name of a god, they commit betrayal, leading humanity into the abyss! Today, we tolerate this no longer! Through the path granted by the Emperor's ally..." He glanced at Yvraine. "...We shall strike directly at the heart of the tumor, Holy Terra! For the Emperor! For Humanity! Purge!"
"For the Emperor! For the Primarch! Purge!" The response was like a tsunami, shaking the entirety of Macragge.
The blue ocean of the Ultramarines and the silver-gray torrent of the Primaris Marines erupted with soaring battle intent.
Axis patted his son's shoulder. "Let's go. We head for Holy Terra."
With that, he, Kasha, Guilliman, Yvraine, and the core command team boarded the ship under the escort of the Ultramarines. They were followed by the various successor chapters of the Ultramarines in Battle Barges, Cruisers, and Battleships of various models.
A massive fleet slowly sailed into the Webway portal, which shimmered with a mesmerizing halo opened by Yvraine. Led by the Aeldari ships, they made their way toward Holy Terra.
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ps?