The dawn of the wedding day came not with the clang of swords or the roar of beasts—but with music.
Drums echoed faintly through Base One, joined by the soft chime of bells. Soldiers who had grown used to war horns and alarms stopped in their tracks, looking around as though the sound itself was foreign. Civilians smiled for the first time in months, rushing to help hang flowers, polish lanterns, and prepare food.
By midday, the fortress no longer looked like a fortress.
The courtyard had been transformed into a glowing sea of crimson and gold. Silk drapes lined the walls, fluttering in the breeze. Thousands of lanterns hung overhead, ready to ignite at sunset like a second sky. Flowers bloomed across every surface—white jasmine, orange marigold, crimson roses—their fragrance mixing with the spices of the feast being cooked nearby.
