New chapter of May Our Village be Happy is out (2/2 chapters)

 

 

 

Wedding Ceremony (1)

(Thank you for reading at bayabuscotranslation.com)

In early September of the Holy Calendar year 1044, on the eve of Mika and Ayla’s wedding, the delegations of the Hewitt Household and the Yutilainen Household arrived. Having apparently joined up in Eltpoli, they reached the Valentine territory together.

“When the former ruling household governed this land, I passed through here only once on my way west. Compared with that time, it has visibly developed. The rule of a capable lord can bring about such change.” (Sandra)

Stepping down from the carriage, Sandra Yutilainen surveyed the village and offered that appraisal. Mika and Ayla approached together to greet her.

“Lord Yutilainen, welcome. You are most sincerely welcome.” (Mika)

“Sandra-sama, it has been a long time.” (Ayla)

“Thank you for the welcome, Lord Valentine. And you as well, Ayla. I have been looking forward to this visit. Please accord me your kindness while I stay.” (Sandra)

“It is a small and poor territory, but we shall do our utmost to receive you.” (Mika)

After concluding greetings with Sandra, Mika turned to the members of the Hewitt Household, the head Patrick Hewitt and his eldest daughter Glenda Hewitt.

“Lord Hewitt, and Glenda-dono, welcome to the Valentine territory.” (Mika)

“It has been a long time, Lord Valentine. We will be in your care on this visit.” (Patrick)

“It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am glad to meet you.” (Glenda)

Glenda returned the greeting while standing beside her father. Unlike the gentle Ayla, Glenda was a composed woman whose bearing conveyed strength.

“Otou-sama, Onee-sama, it has been a long time.” (Ayla)

“Yes. I had heard reports from the retainers we sent here, but I am glad to see you in good health.” (Patrick)

“You are even brighter than last year. You must have been enjoying yourself here.” (Glenda)

Ayla stepped forward with a dependent, sweet expression. Patrick and Glenda answered with warm smiles. From their interaction, Mika understood anew that Ayla had been doted upon as the youngest child of the household. Having had no siblings in his previous life and strained relations with them in this one, Mika felt a small pang of envy.

“Now then, everyone, please make yourselves comfortable inside the manor. Though it is a far humbler residence than those you command, we will do our utmost to receive you.” (Mika)

Mika said this and led the party into the lord’s manor.

The manor’s smallness and age could not be helped, but it had been cleaned thoroughly for the day. Until this very morning, Helga, Ivan, Bianca, Dimitri, and even Ayla and Mika had been busied preparing to receive lords far wealthier and more powerful than the Valentine Household. There was not a speck of dust within. All coverings on the beds had been freshly washed and the straw inside replaced with new.

Sandra and Patrick surely understood that the Valentine territory remained a minor fief. If one offered hospitality appropriate to the visitors’ station, no discourtesy would be taken. At the very least, the lodging was clean and comfortable. Nothing had been left undone in the preparations.

 

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After the guests arrived and a moment of repose followed, Patrick presented Mika with Ayla’s dowry.

The dowry comprised 150 gold coins and a young warhorse. Although the Valentine Household’s income had risen dramatically compared with two years before, they remained poor. From the Valentine perspective, the dowry was extraordinary. It appeared to embody not only the relative wealth of the Hewitt house but also Patrick’s personal feelings as a father.

For Mika, who planned to pursue a genuine expansion of his territory beginning next year, funds were of utmost importance. One could never have too many funds. A lump sum of coin was therefore most welcome. The warhorse likewise mattered. Even a minor lord ought to be seen with his own mount. For Mika, the exceptionally fine warhorse was akin to a high-end sports car in his former life. To receive such a steed gratis was an invaluable boon.

That day was spent in amiable conversation among family and kin. On the following day, with guests arriving from neighboring territories in the afternoon, a high-ranking priest who had accompanied Sandra from Eltpoli officiated the wedding rites for Mika and Ayla.

“Child of God, Mika. Do you vow to take this Ayla as your lifelong partner, to dedicate your body, your heart, and the years of your life to her?” (High Priest)

“I vow.” (Mika)

Before family, kin, and assembled guests, Mika knelt before the priest and answered solemnly.

“Child of God, Ayla. Do you vow to take this Mika as your lifelong partner, to dedicate your body, your heart, and the years of your life to him?” (High Priest)

“I… I vow.” (Ayla)

Ayla knelt beside Mika and answered with a faintly nervous countenance.

She wore the black veil prepared for the day and the black ceremonial dress with additional ornamentation. As the day’s principal, she presented a presence entirely fitting. Even the stuffed bear Amber sat in a prepared chair, dressed in the celebratory outfit Ayla had sewn and watching the ceremony alongside family and kin.

“Very well. Exchange your vows with a kiss.” (High Priest)

Mika and Ayla rose, faced one another, and pressed their lips together. Outwardly, this was to be the couple’s first kiss.

When they parted, they looked at one another and exchanged smiles. Ayla’s smile was so endearing that Mika restrained his desire to embrace her and to kiss her again.

“Their vows have been accepted by God. Under the one and absolute deity, you are now husband and wife.” (High Priest)

At the priest’s declaration, Mika and Ayla, and all those arrayed around them, drew their right hands in an arc before their chests and offered prayers to God.

On that day, Mika took Ayla as his spouse. Ayla Hewitt became Ayla Valentine.

 

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After the ceremony, there followed a great banquet. The villagers ate, drank, and made merry in the village square while the lords, guests, and retainers spent the feast in the front garden of the manor.

The lord of the territory, Mika offered words of gratitude to the attendees and raised a toast, and so the banquet began. The beverages were of better quality than the common fare and the dishes employed spices lavishly. The merchant Ernest, who had also come to the celebration, had arranged the supply of wine and ingredients.

Soon after the banquet had commenced, Sandra approached Mika and Ayla anew to offer congratulations and a wedding present.

“Eltpoli’s strength lies in being a hub of trade where many goods accumulate. From our house I have brought rare and valuable items from distant places as a gift.” (Sandra)

As she spoke, Yutilainen retainers displayed the offerings. Fine wines, foreign spices, and bolts of silk were among the gifts. Each was something rarely seen in this region.

“These are splendid indeed. They bring joy both to Ayla and to me. We are grateful.” (Mika)

“There is no need for thanks. You make my cousin happy, and for that I am the grateful one.” (Sandra)

Her smile then was not a mere social smile but a private one.

After Sandra departed, other guests stepped forward with felicitations and presents.

“Lord Valentine, and to the lady as well, my sincere congratulations.” (Lorenz)

“Thank you, Lord Meldars. We owe the peaceful holding of this ceremony to your efforts in maintaining stability in the region.” (Mika)

Lorenz offered his congratulations with his usual genial manner, and Mika replied with a smile. Had Lorenz not rallied the local lords, the Valentine territory might have been exposed to marauder threats. Mika’s gratitude was genuine.

“No, no. Victory was possible only because of your strength. With talent for magic and skill at governance, and so charming a wife, you are enviable both as a lord and as a man.” (Lorenz)

At this, Ayla blushed slightly and inclined her head in a demure bow.

Some among the guests whispered while glancing at Ayla’s attire and the Amber doll she held. Even so, Lorenz comported himself impeccably and showed none of the curious gaze others displayed. He had brought his wife with him. Mika and Ayla spoke with her in pleasant exchange. Lady Meldars likewise showed no sign of discomfort at Ayla’s peculiarities.

During their conversation, Lorenz related the present condition of the northern hills. He said that tension had arisen between the lords who had cooperated to repel the marauders and those who had refused to join or had withdrawn at the last moment. Some lords now vied to seize the abandoned Terezio territory, producing friction among them.

In that atmosphere, Lorenz had been acting to mediate disputes and to preserve contact with lords who had not joined the alliance. He sought thereby to ease the friction and to contribute to maintaining peace in the region. Through such measures, the Meldars Household would further increase its influence in the northern hills and likely become the foremost power in that area. Mika admired his habitual shrewdness.

“Also, I have learned some details about the Mortimer Household’s recent movements. They seem to be handling matters quite adeptly.” (Lorenz)

He then shared what he had gathered about the Mortimer territory. The force led by Lord Beatrice Mortimer had achieved great success in plundering small neighboring territories on their return march. They secured sufficient provisions and abundant spoils, and the retainers and villagers who profited from those spoils gave Lord Beatrice strong support.

Furthermore, Lord Beatrice had taken the mercenaries who had aided the campaign into her retinue, thereby restoring her regular forces. For the time being she had succeeded in maintaining her authority, though neighboring minor lords regarded her with wariness and her future administration would likely be arduous.

“At this rate, the Mortimer territory and its neighbors will likely continue to quarrel. That is not much of our concern anymore.” (Lorenz)

“Indeed. Unless their conflict spills over this way, it is honestly another’s problem.” (Mika)

For the present, the Mortimer territory had returned to being a distant fief of little immediate relevance, and that was enough.

When their conversation wound down, Lorenz delivered his wedding present, a set of expensive tableware intended for wealthy households. Such items were lacking in the Valentine house and would aid in maintaining the dignity appropriate to a lord’s domestic establishment.

After the Meldars couple withdrew, greetings with the other guests continued.

 

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(Thank you for reading at bayabuscotranslation.com)