xymnovel Chapter 99 The Big Wedding
Chapter 99 The Big Wedding
In mid-December of 1182 in the Julian calendar, when Princess Isabella's fleet arrived at the Golden Horn in Constantinople, the setting sun was draping the "Queen of Cities" in a purple-gold hue.
Isabella stood on the ship's railing, gazing at the gradually clearing land and magnificent city walls, a slight unease creeping into her heart.
She picked up the glass mirror Lyon had given her and held it up to look out over Golden Horn Bay.
In the mirror, the people and things of Golden Horn Bay are magnified and clearly projected into Isabella's eyes.
The extraordinary sight before her eyes dispelled Isabella's unease, instead filling her with intense curiosity about this ancient capital and its inhabitants.
The ship quickly docked, and at the royal pier reserved for the Golden Horn, the honor guard representing Basilius Alexius II was lined up and waiting.
According to the strict court etiquette of the Roman Empire, Basilius would not easily leave the Grand Palace to welcome a foreign princess who was not yet married.
Therefore, Basilius was replaced by Theodosius, the Ecumenical Patriarch of the Empire, and his prominent courtiers, including Ioannis, the Imperial Foreign Minister who had dealt with Count Raymond.
As Isabella stepped onto the gangway draped in imperial purple silk, the protocol officer recited a welcoming address in fluent Latin.
Two court maids dressed in pure white silk robes and wearing gold rings stepped forward and draped a dark purple cloak embroidered with gold thread over her shoulders, symbolizing that she had been initially accepted into the imperial family.
She nodded slightly and greeted the Patriarch with a simple Greek phrase taught to her by her mother and brother. The princess's politeness elicited a subtle hint of approval from some of the serious faces around her.
The royal road leading to the Grand Palace was crowded with curious citizens of Constantinople.
Isabella's carriage was not completely enclosed; the royal family intended for the future queen to be shown to the public to a certain extent before the wedding.
Following the teachings of the bishops and her mother, she maintained an elegant posture, waving to the window with a smile on her face that was neither overly warm nor distant, befitting a princess.
She heard conversations in various languages coming from the crowd, about her appearance, about her dowry, and about rumors about distant Jerusalem.
In the wedding procession, Earl Raymond, his expression solemn, spoke in a low voice to Lyon, who was a quarter of a horse ahead of him: "Your Highness, these people... they only seem hospitable, but there's still a shadow of hatred in their eyes. Should we order the guards to be strengthened and have Her Highness keep a low profile?"
Lyon waved his hand confidently and said, "It's alright, I've already made arrangements, nothing will go wrong."
He glanced discreetly at the rooftops of houses on both sides of the street, exchanged a knowing look with Altaïr, who had been hiding on the rooftops monitoring the entire scene, and then turned his gaze back to the front.
What follows is a series of elaborate pre-wedding preparation ceremonies, the first of which is the conversion to Orthodox Christianity and communion with the Holy Body.
Although Isabella was a Christian Catholic, according to ancient Orthodox tradition, Latin Christians must first receive the Holy Anointing and communion with the Eucharist before they can become co-samonic with Barthelizabeth.
The ceremony was held in the chapel of the Hagia Sophia and was presided over by Patriarch Theodosius.
Patriarch Theodosius performed an oiling ceremony on the princess and bestowed upon her the Greek name "Elena," symbolizing her becoming the peacekeeper of the Roman Empire.
As the holy water was poured onto her forehead, Isabella silently prayed to God, realizing that this was a politically significant step she had to take to integrate into her new environment.
She told herself that the essence of Christianity is universal; the difference between Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy lies only in the form of worship and the interpretation of scriptures. This name embodied the shared aspirations of the Roman Empire and the Kingdom of Jerusalem, aligned with her mission, and she had no reason to refuse or resist it.
Archbishop Heraclius was present to witness the event, his expression complex, but for the long-term benefit of the kingdom, he remained silent and cooperative.
Holy artifacts from the Kingdom of Jerusalem, rare treasures from the East, and exquisite goldware were displayed in the main hall of the Blakhna Palace for the imperial elders and noblewomen to view.
Isabella, surrounded by court ladies, entered the luxurious royal baths.
Traditionally, rose essential oil and expensive spices were added to the bathwater. After bathing, she changed into a pure white silk robe symbolizing virginity and wore a wreath of peach blossoms on her head.
This process symbolizes shedding one's old identity and preparing for a new beginning, and therefore cannot be arbitrarily omitted.
On the morning of the wedding day, the entire city of Constantinople awoke to the sound of bells.
With the help of her lady-in-waiting, Isabella donned a heavy and elaborate wedding gown, woven with gold thread and adorned with pearls and gemstones, featuring a double-headed eagle and the Jerusalem cross.
When the heavy ceremonial crown was placed on her head, it was almost impossible for her to lift her head.
But when she stood before the silver mirror and saw the majestic and beautiful image of Baselis, as if she had stepped out of a mosaic painting, an unprecedented sense of responsibility arose within her.
Surrounded by ladies-in-waiting, Isabella stepped into a gold-decorated carriage, where a boy with an innocent, childlike face was looking at her with shy yet curious eyes.
The boy was dressed in a ceremonial Brazilian robe with ornate ribbons, draped in a purple cloak, wearing a Komnenos crown with an openwork cross, and Cangeon boots. His expression was tense.
Isabella realized without thinking that the boy before her was Basilius of the Roman Empire, her future husband—Alexius Komnenos.
Despite having rehearsed it many times, when Basilius actually appeared before her, staring intently at her, Isabella completely forgot all manners and greetings. She simply nodded to him shyly and sat down awkwardly.
However, this moment of awkwardness strangely eased the tension. Beside her, Alexius Komnenos did not blame her, for he too had completely forgotten the etiquette and greetings the Patriarch had taught him, and Isabella's reaction allowed him, who had been striving to maintain his imperial dignity, to breathe a sigh of relief.
They rode in a golden carriage to the Hagia Sophia, receiving cheers from the crowds along the way. On both sides of the street, choirs composed of the Blue and Green teams, both members of the Vigilante Party, arranged by the Empire, sang hymns.
Inside the Hagia Sophia, candles were lit.
The wedding was officiated by Patriarch Theodosius. Since the emperor had already been crowned as a child, no coronation ceremony was held today.
In the presence of Latin Archbishop Heraclius, the Patriarch raised his scepter and first blessed the people for the joint rule of the Emperor and Empress. Then, he gently placed the formal Crown of Basel on Isabella's hair, symbolizing that the bride would henceforth share royal power and imperial responsibilities.
Count Raymond and his entourage, representing the Kingdom of Jerusalem, stood at the head of the guests, their expressions solemn. Lyon, standing slightly behind, watched with interest as Alexius and Isabella prepared to carry out the ceremony.
Alexius was clearly distracted by nervousness, and his gaze inadvertently swept over the guests present, where he was pleasantly surprised to see Leon next to Raymond.
Lyon made a face at him, and Alexius, feeling guilty, glanced at the Patriarch and the Archbishop, who were busy reciting their long-winded speeches to each other, and then quickly returned the face to Lyon.
The Patriarch and the Archbishop sang: "May the Lord grant peace and unity to the two of us, making this marriage the anchor of the Empire and the beacon of the Church..."
Their chanting stopped, and their gazes fell upon the two newlyweds.
Isabella answered softly, "Amen."
Only one voice? The Patriarch and the Archbishop stared at the stunned Alexius.
Alexius didn't react for a moment. He first looked up at the Patriarch, then at Isabella opposite him, and finally realized what was happening, his expression comical: "Ah...uh...Amen!"
Isabella couldn't help but laugh, but she quickly suppressed it and didn't make a sound.
After the prayer, Patriarch Theodosius of the Empire and Latin Archbishop Heraclius of Jerusalem stepped forward together.
Patriarch Theodosius spoke first, his voice echoing under the dome: "May God bless Queen Elena, like the wise Sophia, to be the glory of the empire and the steadfast support of Basilius."
Archbishop Heraclius then solemnly proclaimed in Latin: "May this holy union, like the light of Jerusalem meeting the light of Constantinople's wisdom, unite against external aggression and safeguard the land of Christ."
Finally, the two prominent figures of the Christian world declared together in Greek and Latin: "In the name of God, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, bless this newlywed couple; may their rule be as firm as a rock; and may peace be restored to the Roman Empire and the Kingdom of Jerusalem!"