“I know but the wait will be worth it. I’ll see you later, okay? Don’t forget!”
I laughed and watched Zayden back away towards the door. “I don’t think that’s possible.”
“I love you.”
“You better. Now just get out of here before I make you stay.”
Zayden left me with one last sight of his smile and went out the door.
Silence hit and I was alone again. It was a better feeling. I felt relief with Izin’s new mood and I became excited for the day.
The Senian Princess crown was still sitting on the bed and I went right over, instantly taking it in my hands. “Now I have you and I’m never letting go.”
I smiled to my own words and sat down, holding the crown in my arms like an embrace. It was finally happening. All I had to do now was wait.
Chapter 23
Zayden
Though it didn’t feel like it, the rest of the day did go by quick. Everyone was getting anxious with every passing minute. Nerves were all shot and the reality of it all was hitting us.
“Are you ready? You don’t look ready.”
I was confused why my father would ask me that and I looked down at myself in my dress clothes. “Why don’t I look ready?” He didn’t say anything but glanced up at my head. “Oh, right.” I walked over to the stand in front of the mirror and opened the box on it, taking out my crown and placing it on my head.
“I know you never liked wearing it but today is a special day. It’s your wedding day and a day you should be honored to wear it. Now it’s time. The wedding of the year. The people will be talking about this for a long time to come so Zayden, limit the drinks tonight, would you?”
“Yes, father. Consider them limited.”
“And leave your fur accessory behind.”
“Rift? Why?”
“I don’t want him shedding all over the guests. Besides, he’s a wild animal.”
“Not anymore. He only listens to me.”
“Then tell him to stay.”
“But father he can stay hidden so no one sees him.”
“No.”
“He doesn’t like to be alone.”
He sighed and put his hand on my shoulder to make sure I was paying attention. “Zayden, just do this one thing and leave the mutt. This is your night, I don’t want anything getting in the way.”
“He won’t be in the way.”
“Of course not because he’ll be waiting for you in this room.”
He left the room with his final word and I looked down at Rift. “Sorry, boy. Looks like you’ve got to stay here.” He whined. “I’ll bring you something, okay? Just take a nap. You’re good at that.” He jumped up on my leg so I could pet him then laid in what I’m probably going to be calling his chair.
“He really does listen to you.” Troy said.
“I know. Come on. Time to get married.”
I turned both of them to the door and Darius grimaced to the word but I knew he wanted to. We were all anxious to see them and have been wondering how they were during this heart throbbing time.
Chapter 24
Adele
My father walked into Kathryn’s room with a box in his hand. “Look at you.”
“Father.”
“You look beautiful.”
“Thank you.”
“And you two.” He looked at Ruby and Jaylyn next. “Who would have thought that you three would be doing this all on the same day?”
They smiled and Kathryn held out the box he brought in to me. “You can’t be forgetting about this.”
I opened it and saw the Kaluian Princess crown sitting inside. “Wait. I thought—”
“Oh, no. Not for the ceremony. Izin will be the one to present it to you once you change into your other gown for the banquet.”
“I just got to stare at it all day and won’t even get to wear it?”
“Not yet.”
My father took the crown out of the open box and placed it on my head. “This is to show where the union comes from. No one in the world would have guessed that these two crowns would ever unite.”
“I guess that makes sense. Can we move it along? This dress weighs a ton. I’m being pulled to the floor right now.”
Kathryn smiled. “Just try and remember to keep your head high when you go down those stairs.”
“I see why no one wears it for very long. It takes some strength to do that.”
“All right.” My father said. “Let’s not complain when you’re only minutes away from getting married. You want to do this happy.”
“I am.”
“Then it’s time.”
Ruby and Jaylyn walked out the door and led the way to the ballroom while Kathryn snuck in some other way to take her seat.
The ballroom was filled with people. Zayden stood at the end of the long isle with Darius and Troy at his side. They stood tall, respectable but were probably more nervous than they’ve ever been. I knew I was. They were forced to keep away from us for the remainder of the day and at this point, we were all more than anxious to see each other.
The trumpets started to sound and the Great Seni Fighters turned around towards the entrance. People came marching down the stairs with dozens of flowers to coordinate with the thousands already laying around and just as soon as they cleared, Ruby and Jaylyn stepped in the doorway. They took the long walk and I waited by even more anxious.
My father nodded to me and we stood in the doorway next. Everyone in the ballroom stood up. I gripped my father’s arm a little tighter and he smiled while giving me a comforting pat on my hand, taking our first step.
All eyes were on us and I tried to keep a smile on my face while I kept my stare straight ahead on Zayden but it seemed everyone had something to say as I passed.
Some commented on how beautiful I looked, not directly to me but to those around them while others mentioned the Kaluian crown on my head and the rarity of this union. I tried not to focus too much on it. Everything I ever wanted was in front of me and I just wanted to get to him but he felt so far away. Each step brought me closer but it never felt soon enough.
When I finally reached Zayden, I turned to my father when he took both of my hands. “I’m so proud of you, my daughter and I know your mother is too.”
He kissed my cheeks and I did all I could to not cry while being handed off to Zayden. He took my hand gently and I stepped up next to him, wanting to say so many things but the moment was enough; we were finally going to be together. It was just moments away.
The minister approached us with a voice that echoed in the high ceilings of the ballroom. “Tonight is a glorious night. Our own Prince and young Lords have brought us all here to take witness to their unions to these three fine ladies. Kaluian born, perfectly chosen to complete their souls through this new time of peace. Their love was created for such a purpose, one that is quite understanding to sharing and forgiving, its loyalty through the good and the bad. Their love is content with the present for it hopes for the future and it does not dwell on the past.
“These couples are indeed blooming as one under the guidance of their devotion to one another and there is only one thing to be done with such a bond. I raise my hands to the skies and the stars shine down their light on their love, blessing them and encouraging them to drink from the ceremonial goblets to eternally proclaim them as the soul mates they were destined to be.” Six goblets of wine were brought over and we each took one, looking at the other. “Drink to each other. Drink to your love and may you share in all the blessings life has to offer you as pairs. Be one.” We crossed our arms with the others and took a drink. “I am delighted to be the first to congratulate and introduce these three couples as united in life.”
The crowd stood up and cheered. Applause echoed even more loudly than voices but I didn’t notice much. My eyes were on Zayden and I leaned in just the slightest.
Zayden tried leaning back as much as I leaned in and barely shook his head. “Not here.”
I didn’t understand but turned when Zayden turned and took my arm. He led me down off the steps and back through the people as they continued to applaud and he took me all the way back up the stairs.
Chapter 25
Ruby
“Well, that was exciting, wasn’t it?” Zayden asked once we made it out of sight upstairs.
I was heated and practically shaking if I could move in this dress. “Someone rip this thing off me.”
Darius laughed and pulled me closer. “But you look beautiful.”
I wasn’t laughing. I moved away so I wasn’t touching him and my eyes turned red. I ripped the dress off me myself right in the hallway.
“Classy.” Jaylyn said.
“Like I care about that. That dress was atrocious.”
Zayden smiled and turned to see Adele’s eyes on him. It was odd that she hadn’t said anything about me standing here almost naked. “You all right, Love?”
“I would be if I could kiss you.”
Zayden kept his smile and glanced at us. “Sorry. That’s not—”
“Tradition.” Kathryn just appeared out of nowhere it seemed and was standing down the hall.
“Mother.”
“You sure do know how to get around.” Darius smiled.
“Many years of practice. Your first kiss as husband and wife is choreographed to be at the most perfect moment when everyone will have their eyes on you.”
“What was not more perfect than that?” Adele asked.
Kathryn just smiled and turned. “You’ll see. Now come. We must get you ladies in your next dresses and Ruby, you just need to be dressed.”
“Another dress? I didn’t agree to that. This was bad enough.” I kicked the shredded mess at my feet.
“I can be a bit more flexible about what you wear next. The only stipulation is that it must be white.”
I sighed. “All white?”
“Majority white.”
“Adele, I’ll need you.” I pulled her with me into the room Kathryn was waiting for us by.
“You three can wait out here. They’ll only be just a minute so you can walk back in together.”
They nodded, respecting her request and let the door close.
“I think it’s going to take longer than a minute to get out of this.” Adele said, looking down at her dress.
“Which is why we have help.” Kathryn replied. She waved her hand and about a half a dozen maids came to us, ready to assist. “They’ll help you undress while I gather your other gowns from the closet.”
I would have been fine with ripping it off them to get it done faster but Adele’s dress was centuries old, so I guess I shouldn’t tamper with that one.
I was done first since I just needed my undergarments unlaced.
Jaylyn laughed. “That was a lot to take off, wasn’t it? I hope the next ones aren’t like that.”
“No. They’re much simpler.” Kathryn replied. “Now, Ruby, yours is right here.”
She pulled a white dress from the first box. It had one strap over the shoulder and the body was made up of several strips pieced diagonally to about the mid-thigh/knee area. It laced up one side with some kind of lace or something showing between the laces then the skirt puffed out and flowed on the floor. It was okay, not great. I liked the jeweled design like a bursting star over the chest where the strap was. I knew I could get Adele to make some of those red.
“Too white. Adele, it’s going to make my head look like it’s on fire if you don’t do something.”
Adele sighed and looked up at Kathryn. “Do you mind if it’s altered a little bit just to add some color?”
“Very well. I’m aware you can do it quite easily.”
I was glad all the maids left so no one witnessed this. Adele used her gift and made the fabric under that lace stuff red and even made the laces red without me having to say so. She even turned some of the jewels that were on it red to look like rubies, knowing it would satisfy me even more and it did. “Better?”
“It’s enough splash of color to be good enough I suppose.”
“Then get it on.” Kathryn said, handing it to me. “Jaylyn, I have yours right here.”
She took another dress from another box. It was white and slim down to just the waist with a cute puffy/twirling skirt in a few layers under the jeweled belt. The top was crisscrossed over the front to extenuate her assets with wide straps to frame them even more. It said Jaylyn allover it already so I didn’t know if she wanted anything on it to be changed.
“It’s adorable! I love it.”
“But?” Kathryn hinted towards it like she knew she wanted to do something to it like I did.
“Can you make the layers of lace netting green, Adele? And I mean like green like my eyes so maybe it draws some attention away from them. That ought to do it. I don’t have to be so drastic as Ruby.”
“Hey! You’d want to if your head looked like the top of a tree.”
“Yours doesn’t look like the top of a tree.”
I sighed. She obviously didn’t get it and I wasn’t in the mood to explain.
“I think she was suggesting that you don’t have green hair.” Adele whispered.
“Oh! Yeah, I guess I don’t.”
“Get it on. We’re running out of time.”
“Okay.”
“That’s a good idea.” Kathryn said. “Adele, your dress.”
Kathryn opened the last box and pulled out yet another white dress. Was the stipulation a wedding thing or Seni’s main color was white? Anyway, hers was a slim design in strips kind of like mine but the torso was lightly gathered all over to look elegant with its strapless sweetheart neck line and jeweled design to look like flowers. The skirt of the dress had streams of flowing sheer fabric that wasn’t all attached to each other but all separated.
“Of course it’s nice.” I said. “What’d you expect? Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to wait for you out in the hall with my—”
I didn’t even know if I could say it.
“Husband?” Jaylyn smiled as wide as she possibly could and the only thing I thought to do was turn from everyone, walking stiffly towards the door.
“Wow.” Troy muttered.
I looked up at him, my eyes slowly narrowing and turning red. “Don’t say another word.”
He laughed. “That’s not what I meant when I said, wow. You look—”
“Perfect.” Darius smiled, taking my hand.
I looked into his eyes and they caused mine to slowly fade while I smiled back. “Next to you? Now that is a compliment.”
“I’m glad you came.”
“Did you really think I’d miss it?”
“I wasn’t sure.”
I laughed, having a moment while I thought back to the anxiety I felt all day. “There were a few hurdles today but after working through it with a wall that’s no longer there, I decided, you’re worth it.”
“Wait. What wall that’s no longer there?” Zayden asked.
“Don’t worry. Adele fixed it. No one saw. I just had to work through the idea of marriage.” I felt sick after saying it. “I hate that word. It sounds like it’s for old people.”
They all laughed. “What?!”
“It does. Say it in your mind a few times. You’ll see.” They were quiet and I guess they were doing it because their expressions changed. “Told you but it’s too late to take it back now.”
“I wouldn’t.” Darius said. “I love you. We’ll just reframe from saying that word.”
I laughed to his cuteness and kissed him. I agreed but I wouldn’t let this happen with anyone but him.
“Awe, you two are just so sweet together.”
I turned and Jaylyn was standing in the doorway.
“Please, don’t.”
“Well, you are. It’s just delightful to watch.”
“All right, get moving.” Adele pushed Jaylyn out the door so she could walk through. “We’re on a schedule.”
“Yes,
we are.” Zayden walked to her with a smile and held out his arm.
She took it rather aggressively and pulled him closer. “And I’d like it to be done quickly.”
“What happened to the bond you had with him earlier?”
“It’s not getting in front of him I want over. It’s this entire night. I’m not really good around people.”
“You’ll grow to be.”
I tried not to laugh when I saw Kathryn behind her in the doorway. “Adele?! Yeah, right! She’s always hated it.”
“Yes but you’re also still very young even if you don’t think that. I understand how Assassin prospects are forced to grow up quickly and leave adolescence behind much sooner than they should but there’s still room to grow. Being here will teach you that and the things you have to leave behind won’t seem to matter.”
She was giving advice by speaking from experience and Jaylyn, Adele and I looked at each other with this unbelievable reality. It nearly brought us to tears and we approached her, proud to be in her presence.
“You’re still alive.” Adele said.
Kathryn smiled. “We were always family. Traits like that can never be given up on.”
We rushed into her, putting our arms around her anyway we could. We were beyond expression to have discovered her this way.
“Okay, we’re lost.” Zayden said from behind us. “What’s going on exactly?”
We turned and couldn’t stop smiling.
“Remember hearing about the Assassin leader that was lost in the field?” Jaylyn asked.
“Our first night together.” Troy said.
“Well, we found her!”
Their eyes widened and Zayden stumbled over his words. “What—how—why am I just hearing about this?”
“I didn’t exactly want you to be bombarded with all the details at once.” Kathryn said. “The day isn’t about me. In fact, we should probably be getting you downstairs. Time to make your grand entrance.”
“But—”
“Now.”
Zayden let out a long sigh but Adele kept close to him with a smile and started leading him forward. He went willingly and I could hear the ballroom stirring with activity as we got closer. The night it seemed wasn’t over.
Forgotten Days (Fate's Intent Book 6) Page 9
