The Prince's Arranged Marriage
Chapter 35: Velmara

Chapter 35: Velmara

The rhythmic sway of the royal gondola mirrored the unease churning in Lucien’s chest as they drifted down the Grand Canal toward Velmara. Unlike in Valtoria, where grand avenues and towering architecture defined the landscape, Velmara was a city built upon water, a delicate masterpiece of interconnected canals, floating platforms, and wooden piers that stretched like veins through its thriving heart. The air was thick with the scent of salt, spice, and freshly caught fish, a reminder that this city thrived upon the sea’s generosity.

The route to Velmara wound through Avaloria’s lush countryside, a patchwork of golden fields, rolling vineyards, and mist-cloaked rivers stretching toward the horizon. Unlike the rigid architecture of Valtoria, the landscape here felt freer, wilder—though no less breathtaking.

Lucien sat across from Alexander, the air between them thick with unspoken thoughts. The sail had been quiet for the first hour, save for the occasional exchange of pleasantries with the guards riding alongside them. But silence had never suited them for long.

"I imagine Velmara will be quite the change from Valtoria," Lucien remarked, watching the scenery shift beyond the river.

Alexander, who had been scanning over a set of diplomatic documents, lifted his gaze. "It will be. Velmara thrives on movement. Unlike Valtoria, which holds its strength in history, Velmara adapts to the shifting tides—both literal and political."

Lucien smirked. "Sounds almost Veridian."

Alexander’s lips twitched slightly. "Perhaps. But where Veridia charges forward with innovation, Velmara moves with subtlety, flowing like water around obstacles rather than breaking through them."

Lucien tapped his fingers against the armrest. "A poetic way of saying they’re master manipulators."

"Or master negotiators," Alexander countered. "The people of Velmara are traders at heart. They can read intentions like a seasoned captain reads the wind. If we’re not careful, we’ll find ourselves indebted to a deal we never agreed to."

Lucien chuckled. "So, this will be a battle of words rather than swords?"

"Precisely."

The conversation settled into a comfortable rhythm, but just as it seemed they were on the verge of something resembling camaraderie, Alexander shifted back into his usual diplomatic detachment. He returned his attention to his documents, effectively ending the discussion.

Velmara was a realm of movement, a place where nothing stood still. Market stalls bobbed with the tide, gondoliers weaved expertly through the waterway streets, and banners bearing Avaloria’s crest rippled in the breeze. Along the canal’s edge, citizens gathered in clusters, waving silk scarves and throwing petals into the water in greeting. The cheers of the people echoed off the pastel-colored buildings that lined the waterways, their ornate balconies adorned with hanging lanterns that swayed with the gentle wind.

Lucien sat stiffly beside Alexander, his hands resting on his lap as they made their ceremonial entrance. The Grand Canal Procession was meant to symbolize their unity—two princes gliding through the heart of Avaloria’s trade capital in perfect harmony. The irony was almost laughable. Lucien stole a glance at Alexander, whose expression remained composed, regal, unreadable as ever.

"Try to look as if you’re enjoying this," Alexander murmured, his voice just low enough for Lucien to hear over the cheers.

Lucien exhaled sharply, a smirk tugging at his lips. "I’d enjoy it more if I weren’t forced to sit beside you for the entirety of this procession."

Alexander turned his head slightly, his golden eyes gleaming with something almost amused. "Likewise."

Ever since they got to Avaloria Alexander had become cold and distant, reverting their relationship to how it was at the beginning, the push and pull between them had only grown sharper since Valtoria. Every fleeting moment of uneasy understanding was swiftly followed by another barb, another cold remark that forced them back into the roles they had been playing since the beginning. Yet, despite the tension, Lucien couldn’t deny the way the people of Velmara looked at them—with hope, with expectation, with a belief that this union was more than just political strategy.

By late afternoon, the landscape transformed. The dense fields and rolling hills gave way to glimmering canals and towering wooden structures built upon floating platforms. The scent of brine and fresh spices filled the air as the sound of water lapping against the docks became a steady backdrop.

Velmara was alive in a way Valtoria had not been. The city pulsed with movement—boats weaving effortlessly through narrow canals, merchants calling out their wares from market stalls bobbing on the water’s surface, and performers twirling on rope bridges suspended over the waterways.

Their grand arrival was nothing short of spectacle. A fleet of ornately decorated gondolas awaited them at the city’s outer docks, their hulls painted in Avalorian blues and golds, each one rowed by expert gondoliers in embroidered uniforms. The central canal had been cleared for their passage, lined on either side by citizens waving Avalorian banners.

Lucien and Alexander stepped onto their designated gondola, flanked by royal guards in sleek naval attire. As the procession began, cheers erupted from the gathered crowds, their voices carrying over the water. Despite himself, Lucien couldn’t help but marvel at the seamless choreography of it all.

He leaned slightly toward Alexander. "I see Avaloria never does anything halfway."

Alexander smirked. "Would you expect anything less?"

The gondolas carried them through Velmara’s heart, passing beneath arching bridges adorned with hanging lanterns. The entire city seemed to glisten, the setting sun casting golden hues over the rippling water.

At the central floating plaza, a grand platform had been constructed, draped in royal banners. City officials and trade guild representatives awaited them, dressed in fine silk robes, their expressions warm yet assessing.

The gondola finally slowed as they approached the Floating Plaza, an expansive platform where the city’s officials awaited them. At the center stood Lord Cassian Velmont, the governor of Velmara, dressed in flowing robes embroidered with the sigil of a gilded wave. His silver hair was tied back neatly, and his keen eyes held the sharpness of a man who had spent his life navigating both politics and commerce.

"Your Highnesses, welcome to Velmara," Lord Cassian greeted, bowing deeply. "It is an honor to host you in Avaloria’s jewel of the sea."

Lucien stepped onto the platform first, the wood shifting slightly beneath his boots. The feeling of standing on something so impermanent unsettled him. In Veridia, cities were built upon solid foundations, upon land that did not move with the will of the tides. Here, everything was fluid, constantly shifting.

Alexander joined him, offering a polite nod. "Velmara’s reputation precedes it. We are eager to see all that your city has to offer."

"Then allow me to guide you," Lord Cassian said, motioning toward the market district. "I believe you will find Velmara’s treasures quite unlike any other."

The next stop on their itinerary was Velmara’s legendary floating markets. A vast network of interconnected wooden platforms, the markets swayed gently with the tide, creating a dynamic and ever-changing maze of trade.

Lucien found himself intrigued by the sheer variety of goods on display. Merchants called out their wares in melodic tones, offering everything from enchanted gemstones that glowed with inner light to rare spices carried across the seas.

Jewelers sold enchanted gemstones that shimmered like captured starlight, spice traders boasted exotic blends from across the continent, and artisans wove intricate tapestries dyed in colors so vibrant they seemed almost alive.

As they moved through the market, they stopped to interact with local vendors.

Lucien lingered at a stall displaying intricate Avalorian textiles, running his fingers over the silk embroidered with swirling oceanic patterns. The merchant, a woman with dark, salt-kissed curls, beamed at him.

"You have an eye for quality, Your Highness," she said. "This fabric is woven with threads blessed by the tides. It brings prosperity to those who wear it."

Lucien arched a brow. "Is that so?"

She nodded sagely. "The sea gives, just as it takes. Those who honor it are rewarded."

Lucien was about to respond when Alexander stepped beside him, reaching out to inspect the same fabric. Their fingers brushed against the cloth simultaneously, and Lucien withdrew his hand as if burned.

"You should take it," Alexander said casually.

Lucien scoffed. "I hardly believe in fabric granting prosperity."

Alexander smirked. "Perhaps you should start."

Lucien turned away, ignoring the way Alexander’s presence felt uncomfortably close.

One elderly merchant, a woman with sun-weathered skin and knowing eyes, pressed a small velvet pouch into Lucien’s hands.

"For luck," she said cryptically before disappearing into the crowd.

Lucien frowned, opening the pouch to reveal a single pearl, its surface gleaming with an unnatural luminescence. He glanced at Alexander. "Do people always hand out mysterious artifacts here?"

Alexander chuckled. "Velmara is built on tradition and superstition. Pearls are considered symbols of safe passage. Perhaps she thinks you need it."

Lucien rolled his eyes. "Charming."

Their next stop was at the Grand Shipyard. The Grand Shipyard was a marvel of engineering, a vast expanse where colossal naval vessels were meticulously crafted by Velmara’s skilled shipwrights. The scent of sawdust and salt filled the air as craftsmen worked tirelessly, their hands shaping wood and metal into vessels that would one day sail the world’s oceans.

Alexander, naturally, was in his element. He spoke with the shipbuilders with ease, inquiring about Avaloria’s latest naval advancements. Lucien, meanwhile, observed quietly, his mind tracing the differences between Avaloria’s fleet and Veridia’s.

"These ships," Lucien finally spoke, "are built to withstand the harshest storms."

A shipwright, a broad-shouldered man with calloused hands, grinned. "Aye, Your Highness. The sea is unforgiving. A weak ship is a coffin waiting to sink."

Lucien nodded in understanding. Strength was not merely an advantage here—it was a necessity.

Alexander turned to him, tilting his head slightly. "You seem deep in thought."

Lucien met his gaze, crossing his arms. "Just considering how different our worlds are."

Alexander was silent for a moment before murmuring, "Perhaps they’re not so different after all."

Lucien wasn’t sure how to respond to that.

As the day progressed, the unspoken tension between them remained. Lucien could feel it in the way Alexander occasionally glanced at him—guarded, hesitant. It was as if something between them was shifting, but neither dared acknowledge it.

During the evening’s cultural showcase, where Avalorian musicians and poets performed at the Moonlit Pavilion, Lucien found himself seated beside Alexander once more. The air between them crackled with an energy neither could quite place.

"You’ve been quieter than usual," Alexander murmured.

Lucien sipped his wine, eyes trained on the performers. "Just thinking."

"About?"

Lucien turned to meet his gaze, searching for something—some hint of vulnerability beneath Alexander’s carefully maintained composure. But before he could answer, the crowd erupted into applause as the final performance concluded, pulling them back into the present.

Later, as they boarded the grand gondola for the private banquet, the unspoken words between them lingered, floating just beneath the surface like the tides of Velmara itself.

Their journey together was far from over. And with every passing day, the waters between them grew deeper.