Cardinal Flynn smiled broadly. "Through the power granted me by God, I confirm and bless what you have promised each other. I pronounce you man and wife." He hesitated a moment, then added in a lower voice, "You may kiss the bride."

Smiling, Hanse slowly lifted the veil from his wife's face. They stared lovingly at each other for a moment, then the Prince lowered his face to hers. Delicate and brief, their first kiss as man and wife wordlessly affirmed everything the ceremony had so eloquently described.

With his face lit with unabashed joy, Morgan Hasek-Davion turned to the crowd. He pointed his right hand at the royal couple as the assembly came to its feet and applauded. In a voice booming with pleasure, Morgan announced, "It is my great honor and distinct pleasure to introduce to you Prince Hanse Davion of the Federated Suns and his wife, Princess Melissa Arthur Steiner-Davion!"

40

ComStar First Circuit Compound

Hilton Head Island, North America, Terra

20 August 3028

Justin nodded gratefully as the ComStar acolyte directed him to the nearest of the long tables set up to ring the room in a roughly hexagonal pattern. The head table sat on a dais directly across from the one reserved for House Liao. At an angle to the right of the House Liao table, Justin saw the members of House Marik gathering at their own table. This placed House Marik directly opposite the table reserved for the nobles of House Steiner. House Kurita's dignitaries were seated at House Liao's left, where, across the sea of tables meant for less important guests, they faced the House Davion nobility.

Justin drew Candace's chair away from the table for her, then seated himself as he answered the question she'd just posed. "Walking beneath the crossed swords is an old tradition among those who have graduated from a military academy. All the groomsmen had graduated from Albion, as had the Prince." Justin grinned mischievously. "I imagine ComStar was nervous about those ceremonial swords. They collected them rather quickly after the bride and groom had passed under."

Tsen looked past Candace at Justin. "What are you talking about?"

Candace answered before Justin could. "You recall, as the newlyweds left the church, how the groomsmen performed that little ceremony with the swords. Each of the three pairs lowered the swords to bar passage until the groom kissed his bride. That pair would then raise the swords, and the couple would pass on." Candace glanced back at Justin. "What I really wanted to know is why Ardan Sortek, being the last man on the bride's side, slapped her posterior—albeit lightly—with his sword as she went past?"

Justin smiled openly. "That's to ensure many children—or so the superstition goes."

Candace raised an eyebrow. "And do the graduates of the Sakhara Academy subscribe to the same superstition, Citizen Xiang?"

Justin shook his head. "Those of us at Sakhara were smart enough to figure out where children came from, and we had other ideas about how to be sure there'd be plenty of them."

Peering down the table from beyond Shang and Romano, Maximilian Liao growled in a deep voice. "Let us hope no one from Sakhara advises Prince Davion about having many children. The last thing the Successor States need is a plague of Davions hungry for conquest."

Justin narrowed his eyes. Max is already planning a war against the next generation of Davions!"Would that truly be so bad, Celestial Wisdom? Many Davion daughters could mean many women to marry off in strong alliances to your grandchildren."

"Perhaps, Citizen Xiang, but I have no grandchildren."

Justin nodded. "The point is well taken, though the situation is not yet utterly lost. Consider this, though. Many sons could mean a division of the Federated Suns. You have seen it before. The destruction that comes when brother pits himself against brother can shred an empire that no outside force has ever been able to dent." Justin glanced over at Janos Marik.

Maximilian Liao stroked the long wisps of his mustache. "Your insights, Citizen Xiang, bear further consideration. Perhaps, with this wedding, we enter into a new peace in which the conflicts will be more political than military."

The Chancellor's wife laid her hand upon his forearm. "Soul of my soul, let us not ruin this celebration with talk of politics and war."

As the Chancellor nodded agreement with his wife, Justin sank back in his chair. Candace handed him a card printed in gold script. "Does this say what I believe it does, Justin?"

Justin read quickly. "Hmm. Most interesting. It says that the crystal, cutlery, and china being used at this reception banquet were specially created for the celebration. Each piece will be washed and packed up after use so that each guest may take away his place setting as a reminder of this celebration."

Candace smiled as she held up her crystal water glass and slowly turned it to study the four crests etched on it. "I recognize the Steiner Fist and the Federated Suns Sword and Starburst symbols, but what are the other two?"

Justin shrugged. "I think the dirk is from the Campbell family crest, which would represent Hanse's mother. And I would suppose that the lyre is for Arthur Luvon, Melissa's father." Glancing at the long, slender champagne glass, Justin narrowed his eyes. "Oh, this is a switch."

Candace frowned. "What's wrong? Isn't it the Hasek Lion crest?"

"Yes and no. In one paw, the lion bears the Davion Sword and Sunburst. That's how the crest used to appear when George Hasek was Duke of New Syrtis. After Michael's battle with Hanse for the throne, he deleted the Davion symbol from the Hasek crest."

Candace shook her head. "Why the return to the old symbol? Is it a slap at Michael?"

"Worse." Justin nodded toward where Morgan Hasek-Davion stood speaking with some guests while awaiting the arrival of the royal couple. "The best man offers the first toast to the couple, hence the crest on the glass is his. Adding the sword and sunburst back into the Hasek crest must have been Morgan's choice. Duke Michael has a son, but he has no heir."

The arrival of Hanse and Melissa cut off further discussion as spontaneous applause arose from the guests. Hanse led his bride to the dais, then gently lifted her up over the steps. Melissa took the centermost seat at the head table and the Prince took the seat to her left. Morgan Hasek-Davion sat on the Prince's left and Misha Auburn on Melissa's right, with the rest of the wedding party filling out both wings of the table.

ComStar Acolytes passed throughout the room filling the champagne glasses from heavy bottles of champagne or with a sparkling paffelcider from the Lyran Commonwealth for those who wished no alcohol. Watching them intently, Justin noticed how automatically each Acolyte matched the name at the place setting with the choice of beverage before pouring. Incredible that ComStar could have compiled enough information to know who drinks and who does not, but apparently they've done it. In a universe where knowledge is power, ComStar's peaceful facade seems to hide a very strong body.

Once all the glasses had been filled and the ComStar Acolytes had left the floor, Morgan Hasek-Davion stood and raised his glass. "I would like you to join me in a toast to the Prince and Princess." He beamed as he turned to face the newlyweds. "May your love be greater each day than the last, yet not as great as in the day to come, and may anyone who hopes to cause you trouble fail as miserably as did those who attempted to interfere with Melissa's passage aboard the Silver Eagle."