Chapter 127
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 127
Chapter Title: A Joyful Wedding (3)
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There’s a joke that a wedding is a joyous celebration for everyone except the bride and groom.
Strictly speaking, it’s not entirely wrong, as the couple is usually in a state of extreme tension and has so much to worry about that it’s difficult for them to fully enjoy the atmosphere of the ceremony.
But this was a royal wedding, and it was no exaggeration to say there was virtually nothing for me to do myself.
From the moment I sat in the carriage that came to fetch me to St. James's Palace, I didn't have to do a single thing on my own.
“Her Majesty will arrive after passing through the crowds waiting in the park. Sir Gore, you are to arrive first and await Her Majesty.”
“Did Her Majesty seem well today?”
“Yes. She slept soundly and had a good breakfast at precisely nine in the morning. Baroness Lehzen and the Duchess of Inverness, the lady-in-waiting, will accompany Her Majesty.”
I’d been awake since dawn, yet she’d slept soundly until morning. Was it possible she had stronger nerves than I did?
They said Victoria’s type tended to become bolder in critical moments, and it seemed this was one of them.
I made small talk with Wellesley, who was offering an endless stream of advice—or something like it—beside me, and entered the chapel where the wedding was to be held.
As I made my way toward Queen Anne's Room, prominent figures from both parties, as well as foreign ministers with whom I had recently discussed grim political matters, offered their congratulations.
“Minister, congratulations!”
“I suppose this is the last day we’ll be calling you Minister. Congratulations! I wish you happiness!”
“I’m so envious, Minister!”
Ironically, it was the opposition members, rather than those from the ruling party, who congratulated me with beaming smiles. Their intentions were so transparent it was almost comical.
Their expressions practically screamed, ‘Finally, we’re rid of that blasted fellow! What a relief!’
Especially you, Palmerston and Russell.
Gladstone, at least, had the decency to look somewhat apologetic, though I hadn’t really lost anything, so there was no need. Still, I decided not to say anything.
If he felt even a little indebted to me, I could use it to my advantage later.
“Thank you for your congratulations. With your support, I will live a happier life than anyone!”
After accepting their pleasantries, I took my place at the altar. The royal family members, lined up to the side, greeted me one by one.
At the very front were my adoptive parents and the great elders of the royal family, the Duke of Sussex and his wife, the Duchess of Inverness.
Beside them were Queen Victoria's mother, the Duke of Cambridge, her aunt Princess Augusta, and the still-young princesses Mary, George, and Sophia Matilda, all gathered together.
Prime Minister Wellesley stood firmly by my side, lending me his prestige.
Soon, Victoria entered the hall in a pure white dress, and the somewhat scattered attention of the room instantly focused on her.
Wearing a wreath of orange blossoms, a symbol of fertility, she walked gracefully toward the altar in the wedding heels I had gifted her.
A torrent of words swirled around me, and I could hear the bishop droning on, but surprisingly, not a single word registered.
When I came to my senses, I was slipping a ring onto her finger, and then we were waving to the cheering crowd as we left the chapel.
Victoria looked at me, half dazed, and couldn't wipe the amused smile from her face.
From morning until afternoon, we went from one place to another without a moment's rest, receiving congratulations, greeting people, and waving to the cheering citizens. Yet, astonishingly, the schedule was not even half over.
Afterward, we spoke with our beloved royal elders, shared a glass of wine with the Prime Minister, and played with the young and adorable royal children before heading to Windsor Castle for the evening banquet.
Along the way, endless crowds of people continued to cheer, and Victoria smiled and waved at them ceaselessly.
Perhaps due to lack of sleep, my stamina was completely drained by this point, and I have no memory of what happened next.
When I finally regained my senses, it was past nine in the evening. Only then was I able to have some time alone with Victoria in our room.
A grueling twelve-hour marathon… a royal wedding is truly something else!
As I tried to soothe my exhausted body in one of our future bedrooms at Windsor Castle, Victoria, clad in a silk gown of swan's down, scurried over and sat beside me.
“You looked like you were in a trance from about the halfway point. Are you alright?”
“...I’m fine. Because I am fine.”
“So you’re not fine. But there’s nothing else on the schedule, so let’s get some rest. From now on… well, we can always sleep together here…”
Sleep together? The moment I heard those words, something inside me stirred, and the drowsiness that had been washing over me vanished in an instant.
Until now, our nights had consisted of nothing more than kisses and embraces, and I need not explain what torture that was for a young man and woman in their prime.
“It didn't feel real before, but now that we've had the wedding, it’s finally sinking in. The fact that we're married.”
“I know, right? You are now officially the Prince Consort of the British Empire and my husband. My beloved Killian.”
Was it because she no longer needed to hide or be shy about her affections?
She called my name more eagerly than ever before, pressing her body against mine.
Her moist eyes seemed to yearn for something, her lips slightly parted.
And the owner of that voice, so desperately craving love, was none other than the queen of this nation.
Any man who didn't feel a surge of passion in this situation must have something seriously wrong with him.
And while my mind might be weary, my body was that of a robust man in his early twenties.
In a different sense than during the wedding ceremony, the thread of my reason snapped. I took Victoria's hand, and we collapsed onto the bed together.
Her body trembled, her breathing grew ragged, and her sweet whispers of love became increasingly breathless with exertion.
Our enchanting first night together did not end until the break of dawn.
***
Long after the sun had risen the next day, Victoria finally opened her eyes in bed.
She had slept well past her usual waking hour, but she wasn't particularly flustered.
Having stayed awake until dawn, it was only natural to wake when the sun was high in the sky.
The servants, likely aware of this, were probably staying far away from the room today.
Seeing herself clad in only a thin, flowing gown, she felt a momentary pang of shyness as she recalled the events of the previous night.
Her gaze shifted, and she saw the face of the man still sleeping soundly beside her—the man who was now her husband, Killian.
She was at a loss for words to describe it.
How could the sight of his white nape, exposed by his thin shirt, be so lovely?
Victoria watched his sleeping face, careful not to wake him.
As she did, the memories of yesterday grew more vivid, and a soft smile escaped her lips.
Truly, she swore, in the name of God, she had never in her life experienced such a blissful time as she had last night.
An avid diarist, she felt the need to record this feeling before it faded and carefully retrieved her journal.
-My dearest Killian, whom I love more, more, more than anyone in the world, is asleep beside me now. The affection and love he gave me yesterday brought me such immense happiness that I feel my writing skills are utterly inadequate to express it.
I doubt even entering heaven could bring more happiness than I felt yesterday.
Killian, who always seemed so gentle, held my arm tightly last night and wouldn't let go. Then he kissed me, and kissed me, and kissed me again, whispering words of love in my ear!
His beautiful face, the way his touch was both powerful and gentle. I am so incredibly happy that this will now be a part of my life. If this joy is a gift from God, I will live my life forever in gratitude to Him.
And as for how vigorous he was….
Even she blushed at her own explicit descriptions, but what did it matter?
It was a private diary, after all, and she was writing to preserve this overwhelming emotion. A few such expressions were hardly a problem.
After writing down her sincere feelings for a while longer, she closed the journal and returned to bed.
He must have been very tired; despite all her rustling about, Killian remained asleep, his breathing steady and rhythmic.
No one would disturb them today. When he woke up, she would ask him to hold her close again, just like yesterday.
She was the happiest woman in the world.
Filled with a sense of complete bliss, Victoria snuggled into Killian's sleeping embrace and closed her eyes contentedly.
***
Several months after the wedding of the century, the peaceful palace of Joseon was thrown into an uproar.
A single letter from Shanghai had completely overturned the Bibyeonsa, the Border Defense Council, which was the de facto ruling body of Joseon.
“What? Killian Gore married the Queen of Britain!”
“Wait! Doesn’t this mean that, genealogically, our royal house is now intertwined with theirs?”
“Even if he is royalty, Killian Gore is a kinsman in name only, with no right to claim any real power. It’s not an issue.”
“Regardless, it means our royal bloodline is now mixed with theirs. At least, that’s how it is on paper!”
“Wasn’t it a mistake in the first place to stoop to the same level as those damn Japanese? And speaking of which, what has been the reaction from the Japanese? Their Shogun's family has also been linked to the British royal family.”
“Nonsense! Stoop to their level? Killian Gore is a true kinsman of Joseon’s royal family. And who cares about the Japanese reaction? They are liars who forged their genealogy.”
From the Chief State Councilors to the State Councilors and even the Deputy State Councilors, no one could agree. This was an unimaginable catastrophe.
They had belatedly learned that in Europe, the barbarians—as was their nature—intermarried among royalty, corrupting their own bloodlines.
But in the civilized nation of Joseon, such a case was so rare as to be practically unheard of, almost impossible.
And this wasn't just any royal; it was the Queen of Britain herself.
The situation was completely unprecedented, and their heads ached to the point of breaking as they tried to figure out how to handle it.
Naturally, the blame was directed at Kim Jwa-geun, who had first brought the proposal.
“If anything goes wrong, you will take full responsibility as you initially promised. We will claim to know nothing of it.”
“That was my intention from the start. But my lords, why do you see this only as a disaster? If you read the rest of the report, you will see this is actually a fortunate turn of events for us.”
“The rest of the report?”
The news of the marriage had been so shocking that they hadn't even bothered to see what other reports had come in.
Kim Jwa-geun gave a bitter smile and read aloud the contents of the urgent dispatch from Shanghai.
“Do you know the current situation? The Qing Dynasty has been utterly defeated by the British, and the great powers of Europe are beginning to reveal their ambitions toward Asia. France, the nation that sent missionaries to disrupt our Confucian order, is reportedly preparing to send warships. The British consul in Shanghai was kind enough to add that they are likely to use our past persecution of missionaries as a pretext.
He also secretly informed us that the Russians may attack the Maritime Province. These are the same barbarians our King Hyojong sent troops north to fight. They are now a nation powerful enough to compete with Britain for the second-highest position in Europe.”
“Good heavens… Not one, but two European powers?”
“Yes. The Maritime Province is technically Qing territory, but do you think they will be content to simply share a border with us and remain quiet? Russia, in particular, has a history of starting numerous conflicts in Europe to secure ice-free ports. If they take the Maritime Province, it is highly likely they will then move south, targeting our ports.”
Joseon was no stranger to foreign invasions, and no one here would tremble in fear at the mere threat of an enemy attack.
But that was when facing a single enemy.
If France revealed its claws in the West Sea while Russia emerged in the north, Joseon's current national strength made it impossible to fend off both, no matter what they did.
Moreover, France and Russia, while weaker than Britain, were said to possess enough power to vie for the second spot in Europe.
That meant they were stronger than the Qing Dynasty, which had been so soundly beaten by the British. Could Joseon, as it was now, possibly survive being exposed to threats from two nations stronger than the Qing?
“Th-then what should we do if these Westerners truly approach us and demand trade?”
“If such a thing truly happens, wouldn't we have no choice but to ask Britain for mediation? The fact that Killian Gore has provided us with this information in advance and warned us to prepare surely means he is greatly pleased that we have accepted him as a royal kinsman.”
“Could this not be an opportunity for the British to extend their influence into Joseon?”
“If that were the case, wouldn’t they have waited for the situation to escalate before appearing as saviors? If we prepare in advance and fend off the threats, Britain gains nothing.”
The councilors of the Bibyeonsa couldn't refute Kim Jwa-geun's logical reasoning and seemed to be in agreement.
“If Killian Gore is truly satisfied with our treatment of him, then mediation may not be as difficult as we think.”
Wasn't it a characteristic of barbarians to become friendly and satisfied with a little flattery and praise?
Killian Gore might be a different matter, but the British barbarians in Shanghai could perhaps be manipulated to act as they wished.
The fundamental strategy for dealing with barbarians was to use barbarians to fight barbarians.
Soon, the Bibyeonsa meeting hall was filled with voices discussing how to use Britain's power without giving anything in return.
‘As if it would be that easy!’
Kim Jwa-geun scoffed inwardly, then smiled bitterly as he realized that, for now, he seemed to be the only one who understood the truth.
For better or for worse, that was the reality of the situation.