Adina hurried out of the dressing room, her skirt rustling. She walked through a small hallway, and back into the main room. Tristan stood up when he saw her, wishing he could go hug her, and tell her just how beautiful she looked, but with the heads of both the angels and the demons there, he didn't want to risk it.

Ajax followed Adina at a respectful distance and entered the main room. He loathed his father very much right now and wished more than anything he could give him peace of his mind.

But, if anything was going to go right at the wedding, he couldn't show any violence unless he wanted to scare his betrothed even more than he already had. He hadn't missed the fearful looks that the female angel had shot him.

He hated how Echo was standing closer to Tristan than him, but he knew it was neither her fault nor the male angel's. He went over to stand near Adina, singing through his nose while leaning against the wall.

Adina carefully folded her hands, and tried to not look at the demon next to her. She wished she'd picked the ugliest dress she could've found, and then maybe he'd go away.

Tristan couldn't help staring at Adina. She looked like a delicate blossom in the dress, her feathery wings folded neatly behind her. He mentally slapped himself, and stared at the floor. She couldn't be his. He glanced at Echo, but couldn't bring himself to smile at her.

Echo glanced up as she felt the angel's eyes on her and nodded softly at him, before looking back at the ground and sighing lightly.

Ajax couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness as he stared at Echo's hopeless form. It was as if she had lost her spark, her fire. She had never looked so defeated, so...tired. She was always ready to fight against something, or tease him.

Tristan stopped paying attention to the others in the room, not caring what they had to say. Most likely it would be something else to ruin his life, and put him with a girl he couldn't love.

Ajax looked at the head of the angels, ignoring his father. "What now?" He asked, narrowing his eyes. "We're all decked out in your pretty clothes and ready." He couldn't help but let a little spite into his voice.

Maritza sighed.

"I'm going to let your father explain what's happening next," she said, turning towards the head demon. Tristan was still barely listening, looking at Adina out of the corner of his eye.

Ajax turned his burning gaze to his father, and Echo looked up to see him talk.

Khaos shifted from one foot to the other, sighing. "The wedding is going to take place next. We shall go to the Embassy, as that is the only other building that's a union of the two Realms. There, you will exchange rings and be bonded by marriage."

Tristan flinched at his words, and put his head in his hands. He couldn't marry Echo. He just couldn't bring himself to be by her side forevermore. He stood up, shaking, and left the room. He didn't care that he was going to get in trouble, or that the demons were going to be hurt. He needed space.

Ajax clenched his fist and glowered at his father. "Are you two really going to make us do this?!" He yelled at them. "You're ruining our lives! Do you really think that'll bring our species closer together? By forcing us together?"

Khaos sighed, running a hand down his face. "Son...You don't understand-"

"No! I don't. Please, dear father, enlighten me." He snarled.