CHAPTER 235: UNDER ONE SKY

The village leader then turned to conduct the marriage ceremony. First, she stood before Aphila and Dargo, who both rose to greet her. She took out a single red cord and handed it to them, letting each hold one end.

"Do you swear to live together, side by side, from this day forward?" she asked solemnly.

Aphila answered first.

"We will share our joys and sorrows, our pleasures and our pains, always together."

Then Dargo spoke firmly.

"I swear to live with him until death parts us."

The leader nodded approvingly and handed Aphila an oval-shaped white stone, about the size of two palms placed together.

"Aphila, may this be your cradle of life. May you be blessed with healthy children."

Then she began to chant a long spell in a language Dominic couldn’t understand.

The white stone began to glow softly, and the light spread over Aphila’s body like a gentle wave.

It lasted only a brief moment, so brief that Dominic almost wondered if it had been an illusion.

It seemed that the ceremony had ended.

Dominic wondered if the chant and the flash of light just now had some effect that turned the man into a female. Or perhaps these people were naturally both male and female.

When Dominic glanced at Shiao Yi beside him, he noticed that Shiao Yi seemed to be thinking the exact same thing. His eyes were wide open, staring intently at Aphila and Dargo as if trying to figure it out.

Then the village chief approached them, and Dominic spoke to her quietly.

"I may be dressed like this," he said, "but I would like the ceremony to proceed with Shiao Yi as the bride instead."

He assumed that only this particular race had the ability for males to give birth, but there was always the slightest chance it could happen otherwise.

If that ever turned out to be true, Dominic definitely wanted Shiao Yi to be the one to take the role of the bride.

The chief looked surprised for a moment, then chuckled softly.

"That’s a strange thing to say. Just look at him, that body of his isn’t built for a bride’s role at all. But, well, every race has its own customs, I suppose. All right, I’ll do as you wish."

Though she seemed half amused, she agreed to Dominic’s request.

"Do you swear to live together from this day forward?" she asked.

Dominic gripped the red cord tightly in his hand and with firm determination, he swore his vow.

"In every moment, through every season, I will love Shiao Yi. Even if death parts us, beyond death and until the end of this world, I swear to stay with him forever."

Shiao Yi looked straight at Dominic and answered, his voice steady.

"I love Dominic. I swear to stay with him always. I will never leave him again."

Then the chief handed Shiao Yi the white stone and began chanting the spell. A bright light burst forth, covering Shiao Yi completely in a warm radiance.

"The marriage is complete," the chief declared. "The gods have witnessed and accepted your union. Congratulations! The ceremony is over."

Her kind smile spread across her face, and at that, the cheers erupted all around them.

The gathered villagers began bringing out the feast they had been preparing earlier, setting it across the wide square.

What followed was a loud, lively celebration that filled the entire village with laughter and joy.

Aphila and Dargo stepped down from the platform, joining the crowd as everyone clapped their shoulders and backs, offering congratulations and good wishes.

The llates full of food were handed around and cups of strong drink were raised high as the celebration began in earnest.

Dominic turned toward Shiao Yi, meeting his gaze. They both smiled, silently sharing the same joy.

How long had he wished for this moment?

Even if it was in some faraway village in a foreign land, a marriage was still a marriage.

Finally, they were truly and officially partners husband and wife.

The leaves of the trees glowed crimson in the light of the setting sun and as Dominic looked up at the darkening sky, he thought of his distant homeland.

That same sky stretched all the way back to Rosaria.

There was only one sky, and it had witnessed their vows.

Dominic’s heart swelled with pride and warmth

Soon, Bona came to fetch them, pulling them into the crowd with friendly insistence.

The villagers smiled at the outsiders, welcoming them as if they had always been part of the community.

Dominic ate the catfish Bona had caught, it was surprisingly delicious, he eat it while drinking the local liquor.

Even Shiao Yi, who rarely drank, took a few sips.

His face flushed with color and Dominic couldn’t help but laugh softly.

It was a perfect ending to their strange but beautiful wedding day.

Everyone was sitting freely around the wooden square, enjoying the wedding feast that was still going strong.

The celebration was loud and full of laughter.

Shiao Yi suddenly found himself pulled into Dominic’s lap, his legs crossed firmly beneath him, completely surrounded by the man’s arms.

"Hey!" he protested, raising his voice in embarrassment. But then he noticed the other newlywed couple, the bride, Aphila, was sitting with her husband, Dargo, on her lap in the exact same way.

No one seemed to think anything strange about it.

Nobody teased them or even looked surprised.

It was simply accepted as a normal, everyday sight.

Even the men who had earlier challenged Shiao Yi for Dominic’s hand were now part of the crowd, laughing and drinking with no sign of resentment.

Some of them even looked at Shiao Yi with open admiration, saying things like, "Man, you’re tiny, but you’re incredible."

The people of this village seemed to be remarkably easygoing and open-hearted.

They treated everyone equally, without prejudice and genuinely celebrated the happiness of others.

There was a warm, free feeling among them no ranks, no social burdens, no jealousy.