Once there were two kingdoms long at war.  For generations they attacked, spied, assaulted, and generally tried to obliterate their sworn enemy.

  As is the way with such wars, the bloodshed halted when the Princess of one land fell hopelessly in love with the Prince of the other, and vice versa.  Their pure love shone like a beacon throughout the lands, and they hoped their wedding would end the feud that had been for as long as any one could remember.

  They were somewhat skeptical if their families, the royal court of the warring lands, would attend their wedding.  But their fears faded when every single courtesan responded to their invitations.

  Indeed, on the day of the wedding the full royal families of both houses were present and resplendent in their formal attire.  The bride and groom stood before the gathered houses, overjoyed that their love had joined so many together.  The King of the Prince's realm even raised a goblet in toast to his "long lost neighbors".

  The pair of lovers hugged then.  Their joy soon faded, when the King quickly lowered his raised hand shouting, "Now!"  The nobles of his land produced arms in the form of bows and launched volleys of arrows into the royal family of the Princess' realm.

  The bride's entire family fell under the onslaught of arrows.  The King of the Prince's realm let loose a mighty cry of victory, and began to dance a merry little jig.  The merriness left his steps when he heard the floor beneath his feet click.  The traps set on the groom's side of the room quickly lanced and impaled the remaining guests in attendance.

  The Prince and Princess witnessed the entire bloodbath, agape.  The priest, seeing their gloom, shared with them a bit of wisdom as he married the couple:

  Sometimes the slate of history must be wiped clean for the future to be written.