The Alchemists

"It was really nice, indeed," JM replied to her brother's remark. "It's truly the wedding of the decade."

"Are you thinking of getting married soon?" Terry looked at his sister with narrowed eyes. "Has Altair proposed to you?"

At that question, JM only smiled sheepishly. She didn't reply. Her attitude made Terry purse his lips. He was wondering if that was really the case.

Did Altair propose to his sister? But.. but.. they were only 26. Why would they want to get married so early?

Terry was now almost 50 but even he didn't have a steady girlfriend, let alone thinking about getting married.

He could understand Rune was trying to approach Rose and he might already fall in love with her. But Rune was a m.a.t.u.r.e man. He was currently in his forties. Altair was only 26.

What would a 26-year-old man do as a husband and maybe father?

Too young....

Definitely too young.

Terry narrowed his eyes and grabbed JM's hands. He asked her urgently. "Tell me, did he really propose to you? Aren't you both too young to get married?"

"Uhmm.. not too young," JM shrugged. "His mother got married when she was 20."

She took a bottle of chilled champagne from the minibar next to her and asked Rose if she could open it. "I am a little parched after the long ceremony. Can we drink this?"

Rose nodded with a smile. "Of course. Let me open it for you."

Before she took it from JM's hand, Rune had taken the bottle and shook his head at Rose. "Let me do it, Rose. I'm a man. Ladies shouldn't do the hard work."

"It's not hard work," said Rose. "It's nothing."

"Well.. please at least let me do this simple thing for you," Rune insisted.

Finally, Rose gave in and nodded. "Fine."

"Hehehe... Thank you," said Rune with a broad smile. He carefully opened the champagne bottle and asked JM to give him glasses to fill. "Who else wants to drink?"

Rose raised her hand. After the long ceremony earlier, she also thought she needed a drink.

Not because she was parched like JM though.

In fact... she wished they kept a stronger liquor in this car. 

Oh, wait.. no. It's not good to get drunk in front of strangers on the day of Leon's wedding, she thought again. People would talk. She couldn't take the risk.

Rune poured wine into the glasses handed to him. JM took one glass, then Rose, then Terry, and finally, he poured champagne for himself.

After he put the bottle on the ice bucket, he quickly drank his champagne, to prevent Terry or JM to toast for the wedding. This champagne was not a celebratory drink for Rose. It meant nothing, just like bottled water.

Uff.. JM should have taken water, not champagne, Rune complained inwardly. This girl must be so used to drinking in her profession that she automatically took champagne from the minibar.

"This is good stuff," JM commented. "As expected from the Medion's royal family."

"Thank you," Rose said with a smile. 

"Well.. my father is trying his hands on winery lately, so I grow to appreciate more types of wine," JM explained. "We don't live in Champagne, so our wine will never be called champagne, but I believe, someday our production would be as popular."

"That sounds amazing," said Rose. "I like going to vineyards. I think it has a unique charm."

"Well, you are invited to come to our vineyard whenever you want," JM winked at Rune. "Just let my uncle over there know, and he will take you."

Rune cleared his throat. "Ahem.. I also have never been to your family's vineyard."

"Ah, then, it's the more reason why you both should come and visit,"

"Wait.. you still haven't replied to my question if you and Altair want to get married?" Terry interrupted their conversation. "Tell me, is it true?"

JM shrugged. "Why do you want to know so much?"

"Because you are too young... Too young," said Terry, slowly looking frustrated.

"You forgot that Altair's mother got married when she was twenty. I am now 26, brother," replied JM.

"Yes, but it was a long time ago. Time has changed," said Terry. "Now is the modern time. Women don't get married until they are at least forty."

Rose and JM spouted their drinks when they heard the man. Both ladies exchanged glances and wiped their lips with napkins.

"Forty?" JM pursed her lips. "We literally just attended a wedding where the bride is twenty, or half the age you said to be the age for a woman to get married."

Terry stood his ground. He sipped his drink and then replied smugly. "It's different with the royal family. I think you don't know this, but to them, v.i.r.g.i.n.i.t.y is very important to ensure that the child given birth in the marriage is really the rightful heir."

He turned to Rose with an apologetic look. "I am sorry if my words offended you, Your Grace."

Rose bit her lip and waved her hand, pretended to be cool about it. "You are not offending me. Don't worry. That's the truth."

JM furrowed her brows. She didn't understand what Terry was trying to say. "Is that really the reason why the bride is really young? But, I think it's because the groom is also quite young. I think he is only 25."

"How could you doubt my word?" Now, Terry was annoyed. "Have I ever lied to you?"

JM chuckled, "Yes, many times in fact."

"Well.. okay, fair enough, BUT I don't lie about the world's facts, okay? This is just public knowledge. Royal families, everywhere in the world care a lot about the rightful heirs. So, to make sure that the children born to the king are really his, his bride must be a v.i.r.g.i.n who has never had s.e.x with anyone before," Terry explained smugly. 

He added, "In the past, the bride and groom will consummate their marriage under the supervision of the king or some doctors to ensure that they do it properly. Without the consummation, a marriage can be annulled."

JM was horrified to hear the explanation from her older brother. Her face paled and she pressed her lips in shock.

She couldn't imagine doing the deed for the first time under the observation of other people...

It must be super stressful... right?

"That is.... horrible," she said before she downed her champagne in one go.