"I understand if you say no," Bruce said in a quiet but firm tone. "We haven't been on the greatest of terms for some time. But I fully believe this is best for the realms."

It was a huge blow to the Winter Archon's pride to ask for the Starlight Archon's hand in marriage. The pair had been at odds for centuries now, their views on matters of justice and governance and military far too opposed to allow them to see eye to eye. But now that the other realms had agreed to stand united against the Night Realm's transgressions, a political alliance through marriage of the two long-standing rivals would be a powerful show of unity and loyalty.

Besides, if he was to convince his children that their arranged marriages were for the good of the realms, he needed to set an example. His eldest had already expressed deep discomfort with the prospect, and the others weren't faring much better.

"So I ask that you set our differences aside and consider joining our realms together. We are geographical neighbors, and the Night Realm would need to go through us to get to any of the others. By combining our territories, armies, and borders, we would be a force to be reckoned with. And of course, my children's marriages will form alliances with the other realms as well. That should assuage their fears of our union creating a power imbalance."

Bruce was many things, but he wasn't stupid. The Winter Realm had the most powerful army in all of the realms, but Starlight, being its neighbor and with its skilled magic users, could still realistically pose a threat. Not only that, he knew of the gossip surrounding his son with the Night Archon's daughter, and that some in the other realms questioned his loyalty because of it.

By joining the two realms together, he improved their odds against Night while simultaneously ensuring that the other realms couldn't turn on Winter at their convenience using his past dalliances as an excuse.

"We may face some opposition. But you're shrewd. I'm certain you'll make the right decision."