Fairy Tale Wedding (Book One: The Road to Ever After)

Chapter Twenty-One

The horses nodded with deep reverence. Obeying orders was their cup of tea, even when the duty appeared so impossible. What were horses against dragons, after all?

"But you aren't thinking of going inside Lady Jacqueline's castle on your own," Knightley asked Gillroy, "With no one else to guard you or help you in times of need?"

"Princess Adeline went alone into that castle," Gill said, "And so shall I. But no matter how we go in, I promise, she and I will come out together."

With that, the six companions looked upon one another for what could very well be the last time. They were walking into the heart of evil and none of them knew what lay ahead.

* * *

Princess Adeline could not find a single mirror in the castle. But she had to know what she looked like on her wedding day. She fashioned her hair into a twisted bun on the back of her head. She had no white gown, no flowers and no veil, but no doubt she looked the part of a pure bride. Still, she needed to see for herself, to have a picture for her memory.

"Oh, I know," Adeline told herself. She moved across the dungeon to stand before one of the blood red windows. Her reflection in the glass was slim and exquisite, a lovely bride apart from her tattered gown. True, there was no pomp or splendor as there would have been if she was in Once-upon-a Time, but that didn't matter. It was her wedding day, nonetheless.

"But not quite right, is it," the princess bride said as she gazed into the glass. The red wash over her vision was so disturbing. And yet, Adeline felt it oddly appropriate. There was so much wrong with this wedding, it fairly broke Adeline's heart. Wrong place, wrong gown, wrong mirror, wrong groom.

"Gill would like this," she said. "Simplicity. Just two people and a ceremony." She swallowed tears away. "All that really matters is...love."

Adeline whimpered. She did not love the man she was about to marry. In her heart, she recognized this day was not white. She pitied Jarryd so deeply, but that was not enough. Not enough to cover up and utterly extinguish the vibrancy of her love for her best friend so far away.

"I'm sorry, Gill," Adeline whispered, forlorn. "I wasted so much time."

So this was it. There was no going back. Any life with Gillroy was impossible. Adeline had a prince to marry. There was no reason to keep him waiting.

Beyond the window's glass, something caught Princess Adeline's eye. She placed her palms on the windowpane and looked deeper into the crimson view. Her heart lifted and she smiled. Movement on the outside could mean only one thing...

But after what felt like a million heartbeats, Adeline was forced to admit she could see nothing. No one was outside. Her fingers slipped down, down to her waist. Nothing to see, nothing to look forward to today or any day in the future.

A cough sounded from the doorway. Adeline slowly turned to view the awkward intruder. Jarryd too was dressed in commonplace attire. In his eyes was a tint of expectation, of knowledge that his life was forever changing for the better with the events of this next hour. He came to collect his bride.

"You look quite lovely," he said. Princess Adeline could only smile with a little nod. Jarryd compassionately did not probe her with questions regarding her feelings. He only extended a hand and asked, "Shall we?"

Princess Adeline crossed the room and placed her delicate hand into his strong palm. He gave her a tiny grin and directed their steps toward the chapel. Before they left the room, Adeline chanced one glance over her shoulder to the window. She could not help but hope for some intervention from afar. Some hero to save her and Jarryd.