Mineah had studied the map of Valcrez well during her training inside the ship. From what she had learned, Valcrez's main port was outside Corvus City, the Capital City of Valcrez.
The Capital City itself also had no walls or fortifications unlike theirs within the Kingdom of Ebodia. It was understandable, however, seeing as so vampires could always just travel in their mist form, making fortified walls all but unnecessary for them.
"Those are very poisonous," she humd when she recognized the almost fifty feet tall White Giant privacy hedges surrounding the main entrance of the capital city.
"It surrounds the whole capital city," Nikolai pointed out. "After all, we need to regulate visitors coming from other regions and protect the city in case of intruders or possible invasion."
Mineah nodded at the explanations. These kinds of privacy hedges clearly befitted the vampire kingdom well.
"We're now entering the Capital City," Nikolai inford her as they passed the main gates. "We'll be heading directly to Corvus Palace now."
She wordlessly nodded as she let him take them to the center of the city. The Corvus Palace was the main palace situated at the heart of Valcrez's capital city. It served as the ho of the Kings of Valcrez along with their households, as well as the governnt of Valcrez.
Upon reaching the palace grounds, Mineah gasped at all of the grandeur and magnificence currently on display. The entire area just seed so lively with how colorful the lights where everywhere she looked.
"Long live the King and Queen!"
Cheers and praises echoed all around them as every Valcrezian threw petals and flowers on the roads as they approached, all of them then promptly bowing down to their knees as soon as they were close.
Soon, the carriage stopped, and Nikolai assisted her in getting off the carriage. With both of them holding hands, they walked with the procession towards the main hall. All around them, there were many Valcrezians bowing on their knees, all of them wearing their respective uniforms based on what departnt they were assigned to.
"Welco to your new ho… Mine," Nikolai humd as he gently squeezed her hand.
"Thank you, Lai," she humd back as she pulled her hand away from him only to wrap her arms around his arm instead.
"Hail to the King and Queen!"
"Long live the King and Queen!"
The cheers went on as they walked towards the outer main hall. As they arrived, Mineah saw the high-ranking officials waiting for them dressed in their regal outfits. She was already familiar with them, thankfully, and their looks were just the sa as what she saw on the painted photos that Gregory gave her to study.
Looking around, Mineah smiled despite the many eyes that were keenly staring and scrutinizing her. She could do the whole song and dance all day long, casually flashing these people her friendliest and ekest smiles all while keeping her true feelings to herself. She was trained for this, after all. This was all routine to her.
"I must say, you have the most beautiful smiles I have ever seen," Nikolai sincerely complinted her.
"Thank you for the complint," Mineah chuckled. "But I must say, you have the most intriguing stoic face I have ever seen in my life."
Nikolai sighed. "I don't like them seeing your beautiful smiles," he admitted. "Was it wrong for to stop you from smiling?"
"That's being petty, my King," Mineah teased.
She couldn't help but smile at him. How she loved that they could still manage teasing each other while walking toward the center of the outer hall. There, a round stage waited for them as the entire area was saturated with unbridled tension.
"This is it then," Mineah smacked her lips as she laid her eyes on the extravagant stage that they were walking to. "This is the Coupling Rites…"
"Just do what you were trained to do, Mine," Nikolai reassured her just as they were about to stand on the opposite sides of the stage. "If all else, simply follow my lead."
Mineah nodded, and she steeled herself for what she was about to do as she watched Nikolai take his place opposite her. Wordlessly, she uttered a silent spell on herself, ensuring that the scent of her blood wouldn't ever leak out of the very stage that they were on.
Focusing on the task at hand, everything seed to disappear as she stared at her husband. She heard a vague declaration that the Coupling Rites were currently underway, but all that took a backseat in her attention as the pounding beat of the music began to surround the stage.
'Right foot first… Then let the rhythm flow…'
With a ntal chant, Mineah began to follow the instructions she was given, dancing to the tune of the music as she began to circle around the stage. Likewise, Nikolai circled the edges of the stage as well, mirroring her movents as if to answer her unspoken challenge.
'Keep the beat… Let your feet tap and sing…'
As the music began to pick up, so too did the intensity of their dancing. Their feet began to tap against the hard surface of the stage, their bodies gracefully swaying to the frenetic beat as they slowly made their way to the center of the stage. By the ti they were finally only an arm's length apart, the music had already begun to reach its peak rhythm.
"Ti for the flourish then?" Mineah couldn't help but ask with a bright smile on her face.
"We're not done yet," Nikolai reminded her. "And keep a straight face. At least, for now."
Mineah took a deep breath as she schooled her features. With their hands now clasped together, she let Nikolai take the lead as he swerved and twirled her to the music.
With each flamboyant flip and spin, the more she felt her heart beat madly as they moved as one. They were like a well-oiled machine, and at so point, she almost wished that their dance would never end.
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