Aurore le soleil: A Cinderella story.

Chapter 12

3 months later

I twisted the diamond encrusted gold ring on my finger, anxious about what lay beyond these oak doors. The blue dress curled out around me, and the two little girls behind me picked it up off the floor. In exactly 5 minutes time, I would walk through the doors of this castle and become a princess. A year ago, my situation seemed hopeless. I was abused by my stepmother and stepsister, but now they lay in a dungeon deep below me, waiting for their judgement. In those years of my life, it seemed impossible that even a pig could ever love me. I shook my head to clear it of these poisonous thoughts. This day, it was going to be the happiest day of my life, I was determined. I was to be married to the Crown Prince, Edmund Frederick Rothsmund. 3 months ago, I nearly died. I was stabbed with a red hot poker and lashed with a riding crop. I ran my hand over the scars on my neck where the boiling metal had struck, remembering the pain and suffering. Both my parents had died when I was young. I still remembered my father’s laugh, the beautiful face of my mother in the portrait that was now burned to ash. The page boy announced that it was time for me to enter. My breath stuck in my throat as the doors swung open, every eye in that room, whether it be blue, brown or green, was upon me. I felt a red blush creeping into my cheeks as I moved forward. But then, as I raised my eyes to the altar, Edmund’s eyes were looking straight at me. Their crystal blue depths enchanted me still, and I almost stopped walking because I was so entranced by them. The Prince radiated happiness; it seemed to shine through from his very core like a beacon of light. He wore royal robes of deep blue with gold trim, and they look quite nice on him. My two little bridesmaids wore blue dresses covered with gold lace. This defined us as very rich, because only the very rich could afford even small amounts of lace. Alice and Camille walked behind me, shining in deep blue dresses. As I reached the altar he took my delicately gloved hand in his, his touch formal but warm. As I looked around, everybody who was not a guest and who was actually part of the ceremony wore blue, because it was the national colour of our country. The priest began the sacred vows, but I wasn’t paying attention. I just looked into his eyes and beamed. When the time came for me to say my vows, I said them to him, with love in my voice.

“I, Aurore, take you, Edmund,

to be my husband,

to have and to hold from this day forward,

for better or for worse,

for richer, for poorer,

in sickness and in health,

to love and to cherish;

till death separates us.”

He responded in kind, his blue eyes searching my green.

I, Edmund, take you, Aurore,

to be my wife,

to have and to hold from this day forward,

for better or for worse,

for richer, for poorer,

in sickness and in health,

to love and to cherish;

till death separates us.”

And then we were married. We were bound to each other for all eternity, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. He led me out of the church by my hand, and it was as if he couldn’t wait to get into the sunlight. He tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear and quickly kissed me when nobody was looking.

I met many people during the party after the wedding. Lords and Ladies approached and congratulated us and wished us happiness. The ladies all seemed vain and conceited and the men always had large stomachs. However there was only one person who stuck in my mind. He was an Earl, and a very rich one I had heard. He had a pointed black beard and cold calculating black eyes. His demeanour was haughty and he had an air of unkindness about him.