The Princess of Elfhame

I do, forever

Catalan: 

When I wake up after several hours of sleep, it's sunset, and Rhea's head is turned away from me but her back is pressed against my chest as she sleeps.

She looks so beautiful when she sleeps and my arm draped over her makes me smile as I watch her breathing which is even and calm as I smile down at her and press a kiss to the side of her head. 

She groans a little and stretches before her eyes flutter open and she smiles when she sees me. 

"Hi," she says happily and she closes her eyes as I press another kiss to her head and as she rolls to face me, she kisses me and I feel myself grow hard again.

"What if," I say quietly, "We canceled our wedding and got married in secret instead? That way we could stay in bed all night," I say and she laughs but she shakes her head.

"Absolutely not. I didn't have my seamstresses work day and night to prepare our garbs. And besides," she says as she sits up and nibbles on my lower lip, "I want to become Rhea Greenbriar-Clintendon tonight."

"Well when you put it that way, my last name sounds so sexy on your lips," I tease as I kiss her and she groans as she rolls out of the bed and dressing her perfectly beautiful naked body in a silk robe.

"It's bad luck to see my future husband the day of our wedding, less lucky that I slept with him," she says and I roll my eyes.

"First, that's a human superstition and we don't believe in those anyway, and second... I didn't hear you complaining last night," I say as I rise out of bed and she laughs as I pull her toward me and run my hand through her hair.

"But fine. I will respect your wishes and see you," I accent every word with a kiss, "at the altar."

"I'll see you soon, Mrs. Greenbriar-Clintendon," I whisper against her lips after I dress in my shirt and pants before I leave her room and she laughs as I close her door.

God I can't believe how lucky I am. 

But I just wish my family were here to see her and be happy for us. 

They would have loved her. 

There's happiness I feel at getting to marry her, but there's a sadness that I wish my family were here to meet her and accept her as their daughter-in-law. 

Rhea 

It's such a perfect night for a wedding. 

After my panic attack when I escaped to the mortal realm, I requested that I get myself ready for my own wedding day. 

I wanted privacy to be ready to accept the woman I was going to become when I married Catalan, and as I prepare, I can hear the steady stream of voices below as they make their way to the garden and the soft music that splashes together with the voices. 

I close my eyes as I feel a soft breeze come in through the window and smile to myself as I clip on my earrings. 

The only people who could help me to get ready was my aunts.

 Vivi enters first in a striking violent dress with feathers and jewels stitched into the fabric while Taryn wearing a dark green and dove gray dress.

 They smile with pride when they see me getting ready and taryn brushes out my hair with a smile. 

"Rhea, you look lovely today," she compliments and as I look down at the engagement ring that Catalan had given me three months ago, I can't help but feel perfectly at ease in this moment.