Princess in Training (Prince Harry #3)

Chapter Forty-Nine

Even if there was tiredness in Meredith's bones, she didn't feel it. Nerves gnawed at her stomach, but excitement coursed through her veins. She was really to collapse and vomit, as well as jump so high into the sky with excitement that she might fly into the space. None of this was possible in her mind, especially as she came to stand in the mirror, all dolled up for her big wedding day.

Smoothing down her dress, Meredith just wanted to feel the fabric between her fingertips. The straight cut dress was simple, somewhat. There was some design and lace to the white wedding dress. A train stretched behind her as she walked, but it was pulled up in the front for easy movement. All in all, it was simple; Meredith wanted it that way. Others didn't like the dress, but she loved it.

"Have you been practicing with the dummy tiara, ma'am?" Jessica asked.

"You know I have."

Set aside was the tiara for Meredith's wedding, and she had yet to touch it. It glistened with the soft light coming from around the room on a rainy London day. Meredith feared she might break if she did touch it, shattering into a million pieces.

"It's almost time to put on the veil and tiara, unless there are any last minute changes you want."

Meredith shook her head no.

Gently, Jessica picked up the tiara while a few other women held her long veil off the ground. Standing on a chair, Jessica hovered over Meredith's head. Jessica held the tiara while another women placed bobby-pins through Meredith's blonde hair to secure it in place.

Stepping down from the chair, Jessica watched as the veil was slid on her charge's head. "Her Majesty the Queen offered you the tiara as a wedding present. Did you accept it, ma'am?"

"I wasn't sure if I wanted it," Meredith admitted. While it was beautiful, this many jewels, comparatively small to other tiaras, was all a bit much. "Harry gave the answer for me, and now it is mine."

"As it should be for any Duchess of Windsor."

Now that the name was going to be used for the rest of her life after today, Meredith longed for her old name. Was it too late to not accept the title? Could she just be known as Meredith Rogue? As Meredith looked into the large mirror with a tiara on her head, there was no going back now.

She didn't want to go back from Harry, even though they had met less than three years ago. Meredith knew in her heart, body and mind that she loved Harry, but there was the daunting task of everything that came with marrying Harry. This tiara and wedding dress, and especially what she was going to step out into, proved the the point.

"Ma'am?" Jessica asked from behind, pulling Meredith out of her thoughts.

"Yeah, sorry, what?"

"Do you want to go over everything one more time?"

Meredith needed more and more preparation, but at this point, it was cramming. "No. I'll just have to follow Harry's lead." And if he doesn't know, we'll make it up at as we go.

"We'll be leaving soon, ma'am."

She nodded.

"You may want to try to eat something before we go."

Not eating all day wasn't because of last night, but Meredith feared she might not be able to keep anything down. She wasn't even able to drink much, but she forced herself with water so she wouldn't pass out while the world watched. Her stomach twisted and turned, much like the world around her, and she went along on the roller coaster.

"I think I'll have to pass." The thought of food made Meredith want to vomit.

Deep breaths, she commanded herself, and Meredith closed her eyes, forcing them down. Pile arose in her stomach, and she locked her lips shut. Breathing through her nose, she just wanted to relax. There wasn't need for a panic attack today. Already Meredith had a migraine, and the pain twisted around her skull like a leather belt. She even felt dizzy.

"Do you mean pass out?" Jessica asked.

"I'll take more water, please." A glass of water was brought over, and if Meredith hadn't chosen such a straight dress, perhaps she'd be wearing a diaper. "I think I'll have to pee again before leaving."

"It's expected, ma'am."

Kyra, Rachel and Chloe entered the room, wearing not the same dress but each dress was of the same color and fabric. The plum colored bridesmaids dressed fell perfectly into the theme of autumn, and it matched the other colored flowers that were in the bouquet. Chloe's dress hugged her figure while Rachel's flowed outward to cover her ever-growing belly.

Kyra's dress was a bit different, since she was the Maid of Honor, and her dress matched a bit of Meredith's in style. Purple lace covered her dress and white sash was laced around her belly. The similarities in the dress were distinct, but Meredith's certainly popped more.

"You look like you're about to pass out," Kyra said, touching her friend's shoulder's.

"I want to marry Harry, but--

Kyra cut off her friend, "You have this. You got this. You, Meredith Rogue, are not weak. You are not weak. Say it."

"I am not weak. I am not weak. I am not weak," Meredith repeated.

"Now, we're going to go out there, and you're going to make your wedding your bitch."

"I'm going to make it my bitch." If there was any challenge ahead of Meredith, it was this: the need to stop swearing.

The door opened again, and Meredith's father froze in the doorway. Tears prickled in his eyes, and his bottom lip began to tremble. Her eyes roamed over his daughter, trying to take in all her beauty, but it wasn't possible. Kyra, Rachel and Chloe stepped back.

My little girl is all grown up, he signed, and Meredith blinked away her own tears; she couldn't risk her makeup. Coming over, her father wrapped her in a massive hug, which she didn't want to escape. She let her head rest on his shoulder. "I love... you, Meredith Rogue."

She let out a giggle and then pulled back. She signed: I love you too.

Harry will collapse when he sees you, her father signed.

I need him to keep me steady, like the way you have my entire life. She looked up at the ceiling and blinked away more tears. Meredith knew she was going to see him again-- and she hadn't seen him too much recently-- but she was off now.

No, Mere, you have been doing that for yourself since you were a child. I just helped. Her father patted her hand. 

"Ma'am," Jessica called and walked in, "it's time to go."

Taking another deep breath through her nose, it was time to go, whether she liked it or not. Swallowing her fears, Meredith started to walk. Her dress was picked up around her so it didn't yet get dirty, and her veil threatened to blow off. A soft mist blew through, and umbrellas popped up over her head.

"In the car, in the car," Jessica commanded, and Meredith slid in her. Her father came around the other side.

Slowly the car pulled away with Meredith and her father loaded inside. White fabric sprawled out around her. The car in front of them held her friends. As she entered the wedding route, it only became louder, like a boom.