Raising Beast Cubs to Find a Husband-Chapter 186: Operation Matrimony
The Royal Conference Room was usually reserved for discussing treaties, famine relief, and war strategy.
Today, it was being used for something far more dangerous: The Seating Chart.
Rajah stood at the head of the table, holding a pointer stick. He was sweating. Next to him, his nine-year-old son Arjun stood at attention, holding a stack of color-coded flags.
"Situation Report," Rajah barked. "Sector 4: The Buffet Line."
"High risk of congestion, General Dad," Arjun reported, slamming a red flag onto the map. "If we put the Wolf Clan near the Roast Beef Station, they will form a blockade. The Herbivores will starve."
"Agreed," Rajah nodded gravely. "We must deploy a distraction. Rurik, you are in charge of the Wolves."
Rurik, who was currently eating a sample wedding cookie, looked up. "I can’t control them when there is beef, Rajah. It’s biology."
"Then we flank them!" Arjun shouted, pointing to the map. "We place the Salad Bar here as a defensive perimeter!"
Primrose sat at the other end of the table, her head in her hands. Her nine silver tails were twitching with agitation, knocking over inkwells.
"It’s a wedding," Primrose groaned. "Not a siege. Can’t we just... let people sit where they want?"
"Anarchy!" Rajah roared. "Do you want the Serpent Alchemists sitting next to the Bear Warriors? The Bears are allergic to glitter! The Serpents are 40% glitter! It will be a diplomatic incident!"
"He has a point," Caspian admitted, looking at the map. "My Uncle’s remaining loyalists are coming. If we put them near the sharks, they might get eaten."
"Fine," Primrose waved a hand. "Arjun, execute the seating plan. But if I see a trench dug around the cake, you’re grounded."
"Affirmative, Auntie Prim," Arjun saluted. "Operation: Cake Security is a go."
While the boys played war with the tables, Primrose had a bigger problem.
She needed a dress.
In the Royal Fitting Room, the most famous seamstress in the Beast Empire—a frantic Spider-Kin named Madame Arachne—was currently having a panic attack.
"It is impossible!" Madame Arachne wailed, waving six of her eight arms. "Nine tails? Nine! Where do I put the fabric? If I cut a hole, the structural integrity of the bodice fails! If I make it backless, it looks scandalous!"
Primrose stood on the podium in her underwear, her tails fanning out behind her like a peacock.
"Can’t we just... wrap them up?" Primrose suggested.
She tried to bundle her tails together. They immediately rebelled, thumping against the floor. One of them slapped Madame Arachne gently on the head.
"They have a mind of their own," Leonora observed from the couch, sipping tea. "It’s the Ophelia influence. She hates being confined."
"I have an idea," Luna said. She walked over with a measuring tape. "Don’t fight the tails. Feature them."
She turned to Madame Arachne.
"What if the dress is open-backed, but we use a sheer illusion mesh? And instead of a train... the tails are the train."
Madame Arachne’s multiple eyes lit up. "A living train... spun from silver fur and mana... yes. Yes! Hand me the silk! I need 40 yards of Stardust Chiffon!"
In the workshop, Jax was working on his own contribution.
"I present to you," Jax announced to Jasper and Silas, "The Ring-Drone 3000."
He pulled a tarp off a small, hovering mechanical orb. It had a little pillow on top and several spinning blades on the bottom.
"It flies down the aisle," Jax explained proudly. "It uses facial recognition to find Caspian. It delivers the rings. And if anyone objects to the marriage..."
He pressed a button. A small dart gun popped out of the drone.
Pew.
A rubber dart hit the wall.
"Non-lethal takedown," Jax grinned.
Jasper (Snake, 6) adjusted his imaginary glasses (he didn’t wear them, but he mimicked the gesture from reading so many books).
"Calculations indicate a 40% chance of the rotor blades chopping off the Groom’s nose," Jasper stated flatly.
"And it’s loud," Silas (Panther) whispered. "Scary."
"It is not scary!" Jax defended. "It’s efficient!"
"Why not just let Orion do it?" Jasper suggested. "He is the Groom’s son. It is tradition."
Jax looked at the drone. He looked at the rubber dart.
"But... does Orion have a dart gun?"
"No," Jasper said. "Because he is six."
"Fine," Jax sighed, deactivating the drone. "We’ll do it the boring, organic way. But if someone objects, I’m shooting them myself."
In the kitchen, the most important battle was being fought.
The Cake Tasting.
Rurik and Vali were the judges. They sat side-by-side, identical expressions of serious concentration on their faces.
Primrose placed three plates in front of them.
Vanilla Bean with Raspberry Filling.
Dark Chocolate with Salted Caramel.
Spiced Rum (The Primrose Special).
Rurik took a bite of Number 1. He chewed. He frowned.
"Too... fluffy," Rurik grunted. "Like eating a cloud. A warrior needs substance."
Vali took a bite. "It tastes like flowers, Dad."
Rurik took a bite of Number 2. His eyes widened.
"Dark. Bitter. Sweet. Like a complex enemy."
Vali nodded. "Good mouth-feel."
Then, they tried Number 3.
Rurik took a bite. He stopped. He looked at the ceiling.
"Rum," Rurik whispered reverently.
Vali took a bite. "Spicy!"
"This is the one," Rurik slammed his fist on the table. "It puts hair on your chest. It warms the belly. It makes me want to sing."
"It makes me want to run," Vali agreed, vibrating slightly from the sugar rush.
"Rum cake it is," Primrose checked her list. "Though I might need a non-alcoholic version for the kids, or the reception will turn into a riot."
That night, the palace quieted down.
Primrose sat on the balcony of her room. Her tails were wrapped around her against the chill night air.
Caspian stepped out. He looked tired but happy.
"Rajah has finally stopped moving flags around," Caspian reported, sitting next to her. "The seating chart is done. He has placed sentries at the exits in case the Wolves try to rush the buffet."
Primrose laughed. She leaned her head on his shoulder.
"Are we crazy?" she asked. "Planning a wedding in a week?"
"We fought a war in a month," Caspian reminded her. "This is easy. The worst thing that can happen is the cake falls over."
"Or I set the dress on fire with my tail," Primrose pointed out.
"I have Water Magic," Caspian kissed her temple. "I will put you out."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, velvet book.
"I wrote my vows," he said softly.
Primrose sat up. "You did? I haven’t even started! I was too busy arguing with the Spider Lady!"
"Do you want to hear a preview?" Caspian asked.
"Is it bad luck?"
"We make our own luck," Caspian smiled. He opened the book.
"Primrose. I spent my life guarding an empty ocean. I thought my duty was to the tide, to the throne, to the past. I was a King of cold water and silence."
He looked at her, his teal eyes shimmering.
"Then you fell from the sky. You were loud. You were messy. You smelled like spices and fire. You didn’t just wake up the ocean; you woke up the man."
He closed the book.
"I promise to feed you when you are hungry. I promise to hold you when the memories get too loud. And I promise that as long as there is water in the sea, you will never be alone again."
Primrose stared at him. Her silver eyes filled with tears. Her tails wrapped around him instinctively, pulling him closer.
"That’s cheating," Primrose choked out. "That’s too good. How am I supposed to top that? ’I promise not to burn your house down’?"
"That is a good promise," Caspian laughed. "I would appreciate that."
Primrose wiped her eyes. She looked at the moon.
"I love you, Caspian," she whispered. "And Ophelia loves Etienne. And the Fox loves the Fish. It’s all of us. All the way down."
Caspian pulled her into a kiss. It wasn’t the desperate kiss of wartime, or the tentative kiss of new lovers. It was a promise.
Below them, in the garden, Arjun was doing a final perimeter sweep with a flashlight.
"Sector 7 clear!" the boy shouted to a sleeping bird. "Perimeter secure for matrimony!"
Primrose laughed against Caspian’s lips.
"We’re ready," she said. "Let’s get married."
