We Three Kings [FLASHBACK/CLOSED]

Nobunaga had been invited to the wedding of the the Light King, Sallan V Wynphyra.  And while Nobunaga knew of Sallan, and had spent time with him growing up--more out of political obligation that actual desire at first.  To be honest, the invitation sent to the Fire Lord's Palace invited Honno-ji, the Fire Lord and Nobunaga's grandfather.

Sallan V had wanted to keep the wedding contained.  Nothing extravagant, or opulent.  Nothing unnecessary.  Nation leaders, their wives, and the family of the bridegroom.  Light Kingdom nobles out of respect and requirements.

But Honno-ji wasn't well as of late.  To be fair, who would expect him to be?  In his sixty first year of reign, and at the age of seventy-six, he was not the man he had been in his youth.  Fire Lord since fifteen, Honno-ji had spend his old age deteriorating from wasting sickness as Nobunaga took the place of his long dead father.

Crown Prince Nobunaga.  Crown Prince long before his time.  Nobunaga now filled in for Honno-ji at most of the old Fire Lord's obligations.  The great Fire Lord of days past was no more...now a frail old man had replaced him.  It was a shame.

But Nobunaga was an apt successor.

But of course, being successor did not come without its bores.  Like attending what Nobunaga expected to be a boring, formal, uptight wedding.  He only showed up out of duty, and because Geun-Tae, his cousin and the Earth King, had sent Nobunaga a formal missive begging his attendance.

In reality, it was a hand written note sent through official and formal channels between royalty that said:

"Please come.  
Come, or I'll tell everyone you used to be afraid of koi fish.  
Also it's open bar.  
We can get hammered together.

After Nobunaga finished laughing his ass off in the middle of the Throne Room, he replied with the affirmative, and returned to his day.

Nobunaga now arrived, in his best robes--and yes Makoto had forced him to wear BOTH sleeves of his haori--with his wife by his side.  The two of them were being carried by their servants in the Royal Palanquin, while a retinue of ten soldiers guarded their every move.

Honno-ji took no chances with his heir.  He had already lost one to a War.  And another son, who would've been Nobunaga's uncle Mangoro, to sickness when the boy was only ten.

Nobunaga sighed.  "At least I get to get sloshed with my cousin," he muttered to no one in particular.

Makoto chuckled.  "Yes dear.  Just please, try not to make a fool of yourself in front of the other royals?  You are going to be Fire Lord one day.  You want them to respect you."

Nobunaga snorted.  "Respect should be earned!  I earned plenty of that at Ise-Nagashima and Ishiyama-Hongan-ji!"

Makoto sighed.  "A lot of people fear you for it now, too."

Nobunaga merely grunted a response and peeked out the silk curtain to his left.  He could see people.  People he knew were going to restrain is fun-loving, eccentric nature.  Nobunaga hated those kinds of people.

They were the worst.

He sighed, resting his head on his chin.  Bored out of his skull.  The only redeeming thought was that he would soon be by the open bar, and his favourite friend and drinking buddy, Geun-Tae.