Untitled

by Riana Lucas

  “Please don’t say anything to anyone. We were only talking hypothetically. We have no intentions of getting married anytime soon. Poppy needs a chance to be free and have fun. That’s the only thing we have planned for now.” He looks at Willow, willing her to understand. Thankfully she does.

  “Of course. I would never say anything you wished to keep secret.” I can see the seriousness in her eyes and her understanding of how important it is to Reed and me. Then she looks at me, her eyes showing a bit of hurt. “Poppy, I hope you know that I would never spread rumors or tell your secrets. You can trust me.”

  “Oh, Willow, I do know that. I’m so sorry for sounding as if I didn’t. It’s just that I sort of freaked out this morning and again now and it’s keeping me from thinking straight. I just don’t want my mother getting any crazy ideas in her head. You know how she can get.” I smile at her to let her know I meant every word.

  The hurt disappears and is replaced by a similar smile. “I know. You are right about that. If she thought for one second that you two were even thinking about getting married, she’d have everything ready before you could even correct her.”

  “Exactly.”

  “Sorry I made you freak out again by mentioning you and Reed getting married. I truly didn’t realize until now why you were so upset this morning.” She moves in front of me to give a quick hug as she apologizes.

  I hug her back. “It’s okay. I promise.” I squeeze her one last time then pull away. I glance at Gideon and Reed, then Willow. “Now let’s get this wedding decorating over with. I am really not looking forward to this.”

  Willow, of course, lets out another squeal as she claps her hands together in delight. I give Gideon a look but he doesn’t see it. He is smiling fondly at Willow. I guess he doesn’t mind the wedding planning so much after all. I look over at Reed who quickly shakes his head. “Don’t look at me. I am definitely not looking forward to this part either. I’m only doing this because my mom asked me to.”

  “You are such a good son,” I say as we start making our way once again to the throne room.

  He rolls his eyes but grabs my hand. “Whatever.”

  23

  Decorating for the wedding turns out not to be as bad as I thought it would be. We stand next to Willow and watch her give orders to the other fae. She has no problem taking charge. Large ceramic pots with intricate designs line the walls, each container overflowing with pink and white roses. Scattered around them are strategically placed rose petals that she somehow makes look as if they have fallen there naturally. Willow also has the curtains and drapes on all of the windows changed to white silk pulled back with red bows so that the light can come through. The final touch is to cover the walls with green ivy.

  The interior is absolutely breathtaking by the time Willow is done. It looks more like an outdoor garden than the inside of my mother’s throne room. The open windows not only allow the cool breeze to flow through the room but the sounds of nature as well. The wonderful smell of fresh flowers only adds to the ambiance. Anna and Rowan will absolutely love it, we happily tell her.

  Willow blushes slightly at our praise but doesn’t try to hide how proud she is of what she has accomplished. Reed decides to express his appreciation as well, but not in a way that I care for at all.

  “Yeah, Willow, it looks great. My parents are going to love it.” He shoots me a look I don’t have time to interpret before continuing. “Hey, maybe you can decorate for my and Poppy’s wedd—“ His words are cut off by a sharp elbow to his stomach and a sharp glare from yours truly.

  “Too soon for jokes?” he asks while holding his slightly injured side.

  “You think?” I ask back with a smug smile.

  “Come on, you two. I’m done here and we have to get ready. I think we should do that before you two decide to really hurt each other.” Willow grabs Gideon’s hand. He follows along beside her without a word. I look at Reed with a raised eyebrow.

  “Love is in the air…” he begins to sing under his breath. I move to jab him with my elbow again but he sidesteps me and grabs me around the waist instead, lifting me off my feet. I let out a small squeal when he turns me around in a circle and then puts me on the ground again. He takes my hand and I grin up at him as he walks me to my room. I guess love really is in the air.

  This new feeling is amazing. It is so nice to be able to be so free and playful with Reed like this. It is the first time in my entire life that I have ever felt so carefree. The lack of upcoming battles, lurking enemies, and overall pending doom is very refreshing. I feel like a kid for the first time, even though I am no longer a child. I really like it.

  As we approach the door to my room, Reed tugs me to a stop. I glance up, pulled from my nice thoughts to focus on my present surrounding. Willow and Gideon are standing at my door, heads bent together as they talk softly. I smile at them as I look up at Reed. He is looking back at me. There is a small smile on his face as well, but it is not for Willow and Gideon. It is solely for me.

  “I love you,” he whispers softly as he brushes his lips across my forehead.

  I close my eyes so that I can savor the feel of his warm, soft lips and the words that just came from them. I don’t think I will ever get used to hearing them. The feeling is surreal, so much so that it sends a tingle down my spine causing my skin to break out in goose bumps. I shiver slightly.

  “You cold?” Reed asks softly, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me close without waiting for my answer.

  I smile at his protectiveness. “No,” I answer honestly, even though it will tell him why I was really shivering.

  “Oh,” is all he says as he holds me close. I wrap my arms around his waist, laying my palms flat on his back. We are quiet, savoring the feel of being in one another’s arms as well as the freedom of being able to do it. We finally but reluctantly pull apart when Gideon clears his throat.

  Neither of us looks toward him, though. “I’ll be back to get you in about an hour. Okay?” Reed says.

  “You don’t have to do that. Willow and I will meet you in the throne room.”

  “But…” Reed glances toward my room where Willow and Gideon are. He narrows his eyes but a small smile tugs at the corners of his lips. He looks back at me. “She didn’t tell you, did she?”

  My spine immediately stiffens as I look sharply over at Willow. She squeaks and runs into my room. “What?” I ask with gritted teeth, knowing already that I am not going to like this.

  Reed chuckles. He puts his hands on my hips and pulls me close. “Don’t get mad,” he says, which causes me to huff. He laughs again. “My mom wants us to be in the wedding.”

  “Huh?” I ask, confused. Not only by what he said but also because his warm hands on my hips are distracting. He knows this too because a sly smile slowly spreads across his face and a new look appears in his eyes, one that I have not seen before. He moves his thumbs slowly until they are under the hem of my shirt and touching my bare skin.

  I let out a gasp at the contact. Reed keeps talking while he rubs small circles on my bare skin with his thumbs. “My mom is human so she wants some of the things traditional in a human wedding. Like a best man and maid of honor. You’re the maid of honor. You’ll walk down the aisle before my mom and then stand up there beside her while she and my dad get married. I’ll be up there too, but on the other side by my dad.”

  “Okay,” I let out with a sigh, only having heard bits and pieces of what he said but not really caring anyway. His hands on me with our flesh touching is something new and wonderful. I can’t think of anything else right now.

  Reed chuckles softly in my ear before kissing and then whispering in it, all of which sends shivers up and down my spine. “See you in a little while.” He releases me and jogs toward Gideon. Once he reaches him, they both hurry down the hall. I stare after him.

  I must have been standing there for a while because Willow is beside me again. She gains my attention by waving her hands in front of my fa
ce, blocking my view. I shake my head and look at her. “What?”

  "So you’re not mad?” Willow asks nervously as we walk into my room. She immediately goes back to the forgotten dresses from earlier this morning to finish laying them out.

  “Mad about what?” I say as I sit on the edge of my bed, still thinking about Reed’s soft touches.

  “About walking down the aisle and standing up in front of the entire court while Rowan and Anna get married.” She actually sounds a little annoyed.

  My thoughts scatter and my head snaps toward her. “What?!” I screech.

  Willow shakes her head at me in a disapproving way but I can see the smile in her eyes. “You have got it so bad,” she states.

  “I’ve got what so bad?” I ask in confusion. “And what are you talking about? I have to walk in front of all those people and stand up there while they get married. I have never heard of such a thing. I might as well be the one getting married!”

  “You’d better be careful. Don’t let your mother hear you say that.” She brings the dresses over to me so that I can finally pick one. I glance at them quickly noting that they are all beautiful. I wish I had the one I wore at my coronation, but that thing is long gone. I could probably have someone make another but we spent so much time running around this morning that there isn’t time now. Willow brings me out of my thoughts. “Anyway, it’s a human tradition, and since Anna’s human she wanted some of the traditional human wedding things. Besides, you don’t have to do much. You just walk down and then stand there by her side. Easy.”

  “Yeah, easy for you to say. You won’t be the one with everyone’s eyes on you the entire time you walk down the aisle. I saw that aisle of yours, it’s really long!” I accuse, but Willow only laughs.

  “Come on, let’s pick out a dress. We have to do your hair and makeup then I still have to get ready. We only have an hour. That’s not a lot of time, you know!” This time her statement is an accusation, as if I’m the one that made us run out of time.

  Well, maybe I did, but we had important things to take care of.

  I huff at her but move to look over the dresses. They are all pretty and each one would complement me in some way. They are definitely a vast improvement over the ones put in my room when I first arrived here. I smile fondly at the memory.

  Not knowing who I was or the significance of my return here, I remember being so confused over the queen’s generosity. Waking up that first morning in a lush bed surrounded by fragrant flowers and bright sunlight was startling to say the least. Then to find a closet full of frilly dresses in bright colors was disturbing. I had never worn a dress before in my life, at least that I could recall. Much less things with ruffles and colors so bright they were almost blinding. I mostly didn’t wear any of them because I didn’t trust the queen’s motives behind such lavish gifts, but even if I did trust her I would have never worn one of those hideous things.

  Thankfully now my mother knows my taste much better.

  Willow has selected three dresses and laid them out on my bed. All three are floor length but that is the only similarity. One is black, one is red, and one is deep green. The green dress is the one I am instantly drawn to. “Are you sure these are okay? The colors you used in the throne room didn’t exactly match any of these?” I ask Willow, really wanting to wear this dress but not wishing to upset Anna in any way.

  “Absolutely. Anna said she wanted everyone comfortable and happy. You would not look good in something that did not complement you. These will look good on you, and they all do actually match the color scheme. Black goes with anything, of course, the red matches the roses, and the green, although it is a different shade, will match the ivy and as well as the greenery in the floral arrangements. Besides, the green will look amazing on you, it complements your eyes.”

  My eyes move over the green dress again, this time taking in all the details. Floor length, it is created from layers of soft chiffon. The color is almost a grass green but the different layers give it a darker or lighter color depending on the angle you are viewing the dress from. I can tell already that the skirt will billow out and sway when I walk as if it is being blown by the wind. Strapless, it features an empire waist, but the bodice is not tight or form fitting. It is crisscrossed with layers of chiffon as well, keeping with the soft theme of the dress. A pattern of flowers starts from the left side of the waist and climbs the dress at an angle. I can see that they will continue to climb past the dress, falling over my right shoulder. The flowers are green with just a hint of white to make them stand out more. I can tell by the wonderful fragrance that they are real flowers that have bloomed on the dress.

  Fae magic is absolutely beautiful.

  “I’ll take this one,” I say as I pick up the stunning dress. “Do you already have a dress or do you want to pick one of mine?” I ask Willow as I make my way toward the washroom so I can change.

  “The queen provided me with a few to choose from. I already picked one. You want to see it?” I can see the excitement rolling off her.

  “Only after you have put it on. I want to get the full effect.” I close the door, but yell through it. “Hurry and get it so you can change as soon as I’m finished. Then we can finish getting ready together.”

  “Okay,” is her muffled response through the closed door. I don’t hear the door shut but I know that she has left. I turn to look at myself in the mirror, wondering what I am going to do with my hair. I pull it from my ever-present braid and begin piling it on my head and pulling it straight. When I realize what I am doing, I drop my hair as if it burnt me and step away from the mirror with a look of horror on my face.

  What am I doing, I ask myself. I have never cared what I looked like, much less actually attempted to improve my looks myself. I turn from the mirror defiantly and quickly slip into my dress. It feels heavenly, the soft material smooth and cool on my skin. I feel a tickling sensation on my right shoulder and look down to see the flower growing from the gown, along my skin, and over my shoulder to connect with the back. I cannot help but look in the mirror once again. Willow was right; the dress does complement me. The color is not too dark, so my skin won’t appear paler than it already is, and it highlights my eyes perfectly. They are wide and bright, the green in them almost glowing.

  Before I can start messing with my hair again, I open the door and step into my room. Willow is already there, holding her dress in her hands. “I know you said you wanted to wait and see mine when I had it on, but I wanted to make sure you thought I picked the right one first,” she says, her earlier excitement turning to nervousness.

  “I am sure it’s perfect. You have a knack for these things. Go put it on. I don’t want to see it until you’re wearing it.” I move behind her and begin to push her into the washroom. She tries to protest but I cut her off with humming noises and grunts so that I cannot hear her. Once she is in the other room, I quickly pull the door shut. “I don’t want to hear another word until you are dressed.” I hold the doorknob until I am sure she won’t try to escape and then I step back and wait for her.

  It only takes her a moment to change. I can hear her clothes rustling, then a sigh when she has the dress on. I don’t know why she is so worried. She always picks the best dresses for me as well as herself. I have only seen her dress once for dinner when I first arrived here. She looked like a totally different fae and her dress was perfect for her.

  My thoughts scatter and I am pulled back to the present once again when the doorknob begins to turn. The door slowly opens, and Willow finally steps out.

  She is absolutely beautiful. Her dress is not floor length like mine, but much shorter. It reaches about mid-thigh, but because she is so petite it does not look too short. It is strapless, but unlike mine it leaves her shoulders completely bare. The top is snug but not too tight with a sash wrapped just under her breasts, leaving the rest of the dress to billow out until it sort of poofs out like a cloud around her legs. Its orange fabric is almost completely co
vered by tiny red, brown, yellow, and orange jewels, with only a glimpse of it seen at the base of the hem and along the small sash. The dress sparkles and glints, causing her eyes and hair to do the same.

  “What do you think? Is it okay for the wedding?” Although she is nervous, she is also hopeful. There is no mistaking how much she loves this dress. I do too.

  “I think it is absolutely perfect! Come on, let’s get ready!” I tug her toward the vanity on the other side of my room, both of us becoming giddy with excitement.

  24

  Willow and I are finishing up the last of our makeup when there is a soft knock at my door.

  “Just a second,” I yell before swiping the lip-gloss stick over my mouth one final time. I glance at my appearance in the mirror, extremely pleased with what I see. Willow was able to somehow pile my hair on top of my head and make it look both elegant and wispy. I have no idea how she did it, nor do I want to. She also used a little makeup, only highlighting my own natural beauty. I have to admit that looking at myself now, I actually feel beautiful. My gaze travels over to glance at Willow in the mirror beside me. She has used the same technique with the makeup on herself, giving her a soft, sweet look. She has left her hair down for only the second time since I met her, making her look once again completely different from the fae I met during my first few days here in the Seelie court. She is finally coming out of her shell and showing us the fae she truly is.

  Another soft knock sounds and since Willow is still finishing up, I turn toward the door. I walk carefully and a little more slowly than usual in my three-inch silver heels (which Willow assures me are not as high as they can get but are still entirely too high for me) to open the door.

  Reed and Gideon are standing there looking as handsome as I have ever seen them. They are both wearing dark suits, complete with ties. Fae do not usually wear clothes like this but I have seen them in the human world and know they are very common on formal occasions such as this. I just have never fully appreciated how they make a male look until now.