The Maiden's Song (draft-editing)

Chapter 46 Nuptias

Chapter 46 Nuptias



Lady Charlotte opened the leather envelope delivered this morning with the royal seal on top and which enclosed a fine parchment engraved in gilded letters.

You are invited to celebrate with us



the wedding festivities of our son



The Prince Alasther Burkhart



to Lady Amalthea de Albis.



It would be a pleasure to count with your presence.



Her hands were shaking with the paper in hands. This were sad news instead of a reason for joy, as every wedding should be.How would she tell his son of this? He was in love with the beautiful maiden. Lord Roderick will die of sadness when he finds out that Amalthea would marry Prince Alasther instead of him. He had hopes on that since the last time she was in Lannishire when she told the Prince the person she was going to marry with was Lord Roderick. How did everything turn against her beloved son? Yet it wasn't surprising after all...Lady Charlotte noticed the attraction between the Prince and Am. In the soirée she observed how they blended both physically and emotionally when they danced... and the looks they exchanged...
Then the prince himself came to inquire of the lady staying in the manor... lots of details that a woman would never be unaware of...
Lady Charlotte liked Am a lot. She enjoyed her company and her good character made her the first choice for a wife to her son... It was a pity... It was going to be devastating...



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As Lord Roderick read the invitation one time after another, he couldn't believe what was happening. His brain denied the facts... Her beloved Am was going to marry... with Prince Alasther. It was final... and devastating. Tears ran down his cheeks as he stared out the window to the waterfall and the beach. He closed his eyes and the memories of him and Am running in that same beach gathering clams and seashells came to his mind. Also he recalled with bitter sweetness that kiss they shared in the studio...

The Duke was abashed in sadness. He had lost the love of the woman he had really cared the most for. Am was the most charming, tender, innocent and talented lady he had ever met... He was so in love with her that he had decided to travel to let her be and give her some space to think about what her decision would be... maybe if he had stayed and fight for her... but deeply in his heart he knew that her love belonged to the prince, and not to him. He realized now her selection for the person that would share her life for eternity... and it was not him.



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Everything was a fuss in the castle that morning. Servants were running in and out the Throne's Salon organizing, decorating, moving tables, benches and chairs. Flowers were hung and the bronzed candelabra were placed in the corners of the grand hall. Sheers hung from the ceiling in drapes, and flower garlands were assembled to their later collocation in the salon. Final touches were given for in a few hours the wedding ceremony would take place. Today was the day of the wedding of the Prince and Lady Amalthea...

Guests from far away kingdoms had arrived since the day before to stay in the castle. Others were just arriving. Everybody was dressed in their finest garments. It was a parade of exquisiteness and high couture! Nobles from all the part of the Continent were there to share this special moment with the Royal Family of Abhainn. Well... Everyone but Lady Katharina and the people of Cadocia...

In the room Am was occupying - until now, because she would sleep (if she was able to) another room tonight after the wedding ceremony-, Am was looking herself in the mirror. She was wearing a luxurious light ivory color dress. It was embroidered from top to bottom in light gilded arabesques and embellished with pearls and sequins. She looked like a goddess, like the princess she was about to become. The wedding gown was composed by a loose sheered blouse with wide sleeves that opened flair. The middle section was fabulous corset that accentuated Am's thin waist. Finally, the wide white embroidered skirt made her look like an angel as she walked like floating. Am was wearing her hair loose and an opulent golden tiara was the only adorn on her red mane. Am was, without any doubt, the fairest bride of all.

Am felt so happy. She couldn't believe she was going to marry her prince in a few minutes. Al the things that had happened during the last year seemed to be part of a terrible nightmare she had just woke up... yet she knew certain things, bad things would be gone forever...

Jocelyn looked at her daughter with pride and happiness. Finally she would have the chance of end this tortuous chapter of her life. Amalthea was about to marry the prince of Abhainn. Anibal was right when he said her daughter will meet people and go to places she would never dream of... Jocelyn couldn't be more happy...

 Queen Cephora also was bursting with joy. She knew as a mom that his son had made the right choice on this fair lady. They would make a happy marriage and would rule in a future the kingdom with grace annd wisdom... and her grandsons would be so adorable... They would be little red haired cutie things!

The trail of thoughts and all the weeping mom-thing was interrupted when King Ataro came to tell the three emotional ladies the ceremony was about to start. They wiped away their tears and headed towards the Grand Throne Salon.

Am entered the salon, by the arm of King Ataro. Everyone ar each side of the path arose as she passed by. Every detail was carefully taken care of. She was walkig over a path of white roses petals. With each step over the delicate pieces, the aroma of the roses was expelled to the air. She Everything was so beautiful... ethereal. The sun light shone through the windows and reflected on every surface, object, flowers, drapes, candles... It was a display of gold and white that resembled the Heaven described in the Latin Bible that she used to read... The same Heaven her best friend Maik and her Papah were now looking from above.

The maiden saw her friends standing in a corner and she was happy they could come to her wedding. As she walked she met the smiling faces of every guest, the even more smiling face of her Mamah and the emotive expression of the Queen... and right in front of the Altar was the love of her life... her beloved prince... Alasther... He looked so handsome in his white tunic and trousers. Wearing that golden crown made him appear more regal than he in fact was... Am's heart beated fast and faster with the emotion as she came closer to her prince.

Alasther was spellbounded by the beauty of Am. She was so beautiful in her wedding dress... His love for this maiden grew stronger minute after minute. Finally they were here, in their wedding ceremony, in front of the altar... They conquered all the obstacles, physical and not physical that interposed on their road to happiness.

Finally Am was by his side. He took both hands of her as they stood facing each other. The prince whispered to her how beautiful she looked and a tender "I love you". Am blushed and smiled nervously. She replied with a soft whisper , "I love you too."

The priest dressed in an elegant robe began the ceremony in Latin:

"Hodie est dies dilectus munera Deus fecisset celebritatem nuptialem inter



Alasther Bukhart et Amalthea de Albis..."



The bishop asked for the rings.

"Quod signum anuli adducamus unio in nuptiis amorem..."



King Ataro gave the rings to the priest who blessed them and gave them to the groom and bride who placed them in their annular finger as they said their vows.

Alasther: - "Amalthea de Albis. I promise to love you for eternity and beyond. I will cherish you, care for you and protect you with my life. You would be my only reason to wake up in the morning and my only dream at night."

Amalthea: -"My Prince, Alasther, I promise to love you and be by your side for eternity and beyond. I will devote my life for you and you and only you will be the king of my heart, forever and ever... For I will be your beloved wife and you will be my beloved husband."

They were looking at each other with tenderness. Her eyes filled with love spoke the same language they uttered in their vows. I was a lovely weddding taking place.

The Priest: - "Now you can kiss the bride." -

They sealed their love with a tender kiss that made all the guests, friends and relatives burst in joy with cheers and laughter as they chanted together: "Long life to the prince and princess!"