Abernathy waits impatiently by Bellezza’s bedside. It’s been hours since she’d stopped convulsing and she hasn’t moved since. Her eyes closed and she became very still much like how she looked before. Her skin has gone to its original pigment since then and her temperature is back to normal. He never leaves her side. Not when his stomach begs for food or when his eyes threaten to close from exhaustion. His skin has gone sickly pale as he sits by the bed stroking the princess’ hair and kissing her hand. Milis often checks on her son and is horrified by the grotesque creature he has become.
“Amharach,” Milis steps into the room where Aber sits holding Bellezza’s hand and staring at her face. “Would you like some tea or a piece of toast?” He shakes his head silently, his gaze never wavering. “Please, my son. You have to eat something.” Again he shakes his head. Angry, Milis marches up to him and yanks him by his collar, forcing the prince to stand. “You are going to eat something,” she shouts. “She will still be here when you get back.”
Aber pulls himself from his mother’s grasp and sits back down. “You don’t know that,” he sneers. “Say I go with you and sit at the table and eat. Who’s to say that she’ll still be alive when I return? Who’s to say that if I turn my back for more than a minute, she won’t die?” His eyes find Belle’s face and he frowns. “I’m not leaving her. She may die while sitting here but at least I will honestly be able to say that I was with her until the end.”
Milis flinches involuntarily at his tone and begins to walk from the room. Before she leaves, she turns to face her son. “At this rate, you’ll be dead.” She shuts the door behind her and covers her eyes with her hands as the tears begin streak down her cheeks.
Abernathy continues to stare at Belle’s face, willing her eyes to open. Sighing, he rests his head against hers and silently begs her to wake up. His eyes sting with the coming tears as he squeezes her frail hand.
“Belle,” he sighs her name. “My beautiful Belle, please wake up. If not for yourself, then do it for me. I need you here with me, Belle. I need you to be with me. Please, have mercy.”
As Aber’s tears fall onto her face, Bellezza’s eyes slowly open. She looks at her lover hovering over her, crying. It breaks her heart. Slowly, weakly, she reaches up to stroke his wet cheek. Startled, Aber jumps back and a grin appears on his face once he sees the princess. Their lips meet in a fit of passion. Their kiss is filled with longing, yearning, and happiness. When Abernathy breaks the kiss, he wastes no time lying beside her to hold her in his arms. He nuzzles her neck and breathes in her scent.
“Belle,” he says her name over and over again. “What happened?”
Sighing, Bellezza turns in his arms to face him. “I’m not sure. One minute I was so excited for the wedding and then the next, I could barely walk. It was like my strength was leaving me. And then there was nothing. I couldn’t open my eyes for the life of me. It took all that I had just to remember to breathe.” She shakes her head and buries her face in his chest. “I felt lost and afraid. I was calling your name in the darkness, but it was like you couldn’t hear me. And then something else happened, something that’s hard to explain. It was like everything was on fire- I was on fire but I wasn’t burning, I wasn’t dying. It was horrible.” Tears begin to leak from her eyes as she recalls the intense heat that engulfed her during her slumber and the memories of Teddy that came with it.
“I opened my eyes and I saw you and Milis and Neamh but at the same time I didn’t see you. I could only focus on the pain. It was when I felt you squeeze my hand that I was able to regain some control. But it was short lived. My body was betraying me and I knew that at some point I was going to die.”
Abernathy holds her tighter in his arms, never wanting to let go. He smoothes her hair as she cries and whispers soothing words. “It’s alright. You’re safe now.”
She looks up and allows him to wipe away the still falling tears. “I thought I was done for. But then I saw a light. It was warm and inviting. The closer it got the more the pain seemed to disappear. I saw a woman too. She put her hand on my shoulder and smiled. She told me that I’d live to see another day and that I should thank my friend.” Puzzled, Bellezza bites her lip and tries to think of who the woman could have meant. “I wonder who she was.”
“No matter,” Aber stands from the bed and gathers his love in his arms. “You’re alive and I’m going to make sure that you stay that way.”
For the rest of the day, Abernathy tends to Bellezza with the upmost care. He brings her food to her room and refuses to let her walk anywhere by herself. He brings her fresh flowers from the garden and makes sure to kiss her every chance he gets. Never will he take for granted what she means to him- not again. Now realizing how short life can be, Aber refuses to let a moment go by where Bellezza is unsure of his feelings for her.
As the sun disappears from sight and the moon takes its place, Abernathy takes slips beside Bellezza in the bed. Having just eaten and taken a shower, he feels like his old self- better than his old self- with this girl in his arms. She snuggles against him and feels secure in his embrace.
“Aber,” Belle whispers in the darkness of the room. He mumbles a reply, already lost in the world of dreams. “Aber I want to get married tomorrow.”
His eyes snap open and he turns Belle around his arms to look her in the eye. “Tomorrow,” he repeats, mulling over the thought. “That’s really soon. Are you sure?”
She nods and kisses his neck and then his cheek before looking into those familiar ocean-like eyes. “I don’t want to wait anymore. I want to be with you forever.”
Grinning, Aber pulls her close against him before giving her the softest kiss manageable. Bellezza deepens the kiss, filling it with love and want. Before they know it, they’re pulling away, gasping for breath.
“What do you say?” She asks after awhile. “Do you want to be my husband?”
“I’ve always wanted to be your husband.”
Belle lays her head on his chest giggling. Closing her eyes, she slowly drifts off to sleep listening to the rhythmic beating of her prince’s heart.
***
The next afternoon, Bellezza is rushed into her room with the door locked behind her. After telling everyone their plans to get married today, the entire kingdom is put on high alert. The church has to be prepared and the food has to be tasted. Decorations need to be put up and the bride and groom have to be kept apart.
Belle is forced into chair as maids begin dressing her in a wedding gown. Belle immediately realizes that it’s not the same dress she had worn before. She looks at her mother who has been standing the corner watching the ordeal.
“What happened to the other dress?” She asks curiously.
Vita shrugs and crosses her arms. “Why does it matter? I had a new one made for the occasion. We can’t have you walking down the aisle in the same dress you wore to marry another man, can we?”
“I guess not,” the princess mumbles before observing her reflection in the full length mirror.
The new dress hugs her curves much like the other one but the bodice isn’t nearly as tight. Diamonds fall from her waist and down the skirt, glittering in the light. Belle lets her fingers run over the smooth silk of the sleeves and the plunging neckline. At last she looks at her eyes and finds herself smiling. She looks beautiful.
Her mind wanders back to the day she met all of those princes in her courtyard. She remembers how lifeless she looked and how sad her eyes were. Comparing herself, Bellezza finds that she looks much different now. Her face is aglow with happiness and she is no longer sad. In fact, she’s better than happy. She is at peace.
Bellezza shoos the maids out of the room and faces her mother with a brush in her hands. “Will you do the honor?”
Smiling Vita takes the brush and begins to the style her daughter’s hair. She lets the thick vines of hair snake around Bellezza’s neck and down her back in smooth, natural waves. She looks at her daughter’s reflection and grins. Before the tears have time to show, Vita turns and grabs a small jewelry box from the bed. Slowly, she hands it to Bellezza.
“What is it?” The princess eyes the box curiously. Vita only nods for her to open it and when she does, a gasp escapes her throat. Inside sitting in the dark velvet lined box is an aquamarine pendant on a silver chain. Bellezza slowly removes the necklace from its place and fingers the rare gem. She looks at her mother with a raised brow. “Where did you get this?”
“I wore it on my wedding day. It was a gift from my mother.”
Vita turns Bellezza around and takes the necklace. Carefully, she places it around Belle’s neck and marvels as it rests on her collarbone- the perfect length. The princess wraps her arms around her mother’s waist. They hold each other for what seems like the longest time.
“Thank you,” Bellezza whispers.
Vita pulls back and puts the veil over her daughter’s face. “You’re groom is waiting.”
Grinning, Bellezza hikes up her skirt and walks out of the room. She descends the staircase carefully but before she exits the castle, she looks up at her mother at the top of the stairs.
“I love you,” she says with a smile.
Vita blows her daughter a kiss and watches as she enters the cool evening air.
***
Aber stands at the altar with his hands clasped in front of him. His heart is beating like crazy and his thoughts are everywhere at once. He’s thinking about how his bride will look as she walks towards him, how wide he’ll grin when he slides the gold wedding band on her finger. He’s thinking about how long he’ll kiss her when it’s all said and done and how he’ll carry her out of the church while she laughs and begs him to put her down. And while thinking about all of this, he wonders where his sister is. He hasn’t seen her since he told her to get help. Maybe she’s with Alex, or at a friend’s? Shaking his head, Aber rids himself of thoughts of his sister. He can’t worry about her now, not when he sees the love of his life standing in the doorway.
Abernathy waits expectantly for the wedding march to ring through the church but it surprised when he hears something different entirely. His song, the song he wrote with Neamh for Bellezza, blasts through the speakers but it’s different somehow. In addition to his and Neamh’s voice, Bellezza’s wind chime-like vocals jump in. She sings her own verse and harmonizes with his nicely.
His eyes find hers and she’s smiling, pleased by look on his face- pure shock. When she’s barely a foot away from him, he grabs her hand and pulls her near. He strokes her fingers and longs to kiss her right then but is stopped by the annoyed grunt of the priest. Blushing, Bellezza takes a step back and smiles at her groom. Soon, the music stops and the priest starts his long and overbearing speech.
When it’s time for the rings, Aber is anxious. The priest’s slow, monotone voice has tried his patience.
“Your vows, my prince,” the priest prompts Aber to begin the vows.
Clearing his throat, he squeezes Belle’s hands and begins:
“I, Prince Amharach Smithy of Liam, take you, Princess Bellezza-Marie Johnson of Sahara,
to be my wife, knowing in my heart that you will be
my constant friend,
my faithful partner in life,
and my one true love.
On this special day,
I give to you
in the presence of the Gods and these witnesses
my sacred promise to stay by your side as your faithful husband
in sickness and in health,
in joy and in sorrow, as well as
through the good times and the bad.
I further promise to love you without reservation,
honor and respect you,
provide for your needs as best I can,
protect you from harm,
comfort you in times of distress,
grow with you in mind and spirit,
always be open and honest with you,
and cherish you for as long as we both shall live.”
He slides the gold ring on Bellezza’s finger and waits for her to begin her vows:
“I, Princess Bellezza-Marie Johnson of Sahara, take you, Prince Amharach Smithy of Liam,
to be my husband, secure in the knowledge that you will be
my constant friend,
my faithful partner in life,
and my one true love.
On this special day,
I give to you
in the presence of the Gods and these witnesses
my sacred promise to stay by your side as your faithful wife
in sickness and in health,
in joy and in sorrow, as well as
through the good times and the bad.
I further promise to love you without reservation,
comfort you in times of distress,
encourage you to achieve all of your goals,
laugh with you and cry with you,
grow with you in mind and spirit,
always be open and honest with you,
and cherish you for as long as we both shall live.”
After sliding the ring on Aber’s finger, the priest even get to say his last words before their lips are together. The crowd roars with applause as Abernathy pulls his wife closer to him, deepening the kiss. Slowly, he pulls away and picks the princess up with ease.
“Bellezza-Marie Smithy,” the prince muses as he holds his wife close to his chest. “Has a nice ring to it don’t you think?”
Bellezza laughs and nods before kissing his cheek. Carefully, Abernathy carries her out of the church and down the stairs. He walks the short distance to the castle and sets her on her feet. She tries to get away from him but she’s too slow. The prince of Liam has her in his grasp once again and kisses her neck as she laughs.
“Where do you think you’re going, Mrs. Smithy?” He mumbles against her tender flesh. “I believe we have business to take care of.”
Before Bellezza can respond, a maid interrupts. She mumbles her apologies and offers Aber a letter.
“My prince, this just arrived for you and the princess,” the dark haired girl says quickly.
Aber takes the envelope and opens it. His eyes scan the white page and his face pales. Upon seeing her husband’s reaction, Belle takes the letter and reads it. After awhile she covers her mouth with her hand. “It’s from Neamh,” she says slowly. “She’s with the woman who saved me. She says that she’s fine and doesn’t want us to worry but she won’t be home for awhile.” Bellezza looks up at Aber, whose expression is unreadable.
“We have to go find her,” the princess marches for the door but is stopped by Aber’s hand.
“We can’t. You read the letter. If we even try to look for her, you’ll go back to being sick.” He shakes his head. “I can’t let that happen.”
“So you want to just leave her there?” Her voice rises to a monstrous level. “Who cares what happens to me? She could be in danger! She has her whole life ahead of her.”
“And you don’t?” Aber is shouting now too, angry that his love would speak about herself that way- as if she meant nothing. “I just got you back,” he whispers as he grabs her hands. “Please don’t force me to let you go.”
Sighing, Bellezza lets him pull her into a tight embrace. “What are we going to do?”
“I think she’s fine.”
“How do you know?”
“It’s a feeling. Call it a farmer’s intuition.”
Belle smiles and looks up at her prince. “What now?”
“Now,” Aber kisses her lips lightly and grins. “We have things to do, no?”
Bellezza laughs and pulls away from him. “I’ll meet you in your room.”
***
The moon has already risen when Belle deems herself ready. Dressed in a tight silk shift with her hair freshly curled, she smiles at her reflection. Her stomach does nervous flip flops as she walks down the hallway to Aber’s room.
What if he doesn’t like the shift? What if everything goes wrong? Maybe I shouldn’t do this. I mean, I’m sixteen. I’ve got plenty of time right? But he’ll be disappointed, won’t he? This is our wedding night. It’s supposed to be special. I don’t want to ruin it.
Belle pinches the bridge of her nose confused and nervous out of her mind.
I have to do this- for him. It’ll be magical.
Taking a deep breath, she approaches the door and opens it slowly. The bed is empty. She steps further into the room. Aber is nowhere in sight.
“Abernathy?” Bellezza calls into the dark of the room.
A figure with blonde hair emerges from the darkened corner. “I’m afraid he’s not in at the moment, can I take a message?”
Suddenly a knife flies past the princess’ head and embeds itself into the door. She looks from the silver knife to the woman in the room.
“Damn,” she says slowly. “I didn’t think I’d miss.”
“Who are you?” Bellezza asks, trying not to show the fear in her voice.
The girl smiles at Belle. “I’m the woman who slept with your husband.”
Aber’s message replays itself in her head. ‘I’ve done something terrible – I was with someone else.’
Anger replaces the princess’ fear and she wretches the knife from its place in the door as she locks the wooden barrier behind her. “So you’re the whore who seduced my husband?”
The blonde nods enthusiastically. “Sure did,” she says with a grin. “Mary Cloverman.”
Smirking, Bellezza stares at the smiling woman.
She thinks this is a game. She doesn’t know how wrong she is.
“You might want to consider writing your will.”
Mary tilts her head, adrenaline pumping. “Why’s that?”
“Because,” Belle tightens her grip on the knife, “you’re about to be one dead bitch.” With the knife raised, the princess of Sahara charges at the woman with bloodlust in her eyes.
~~~
Oh how I love the drama! ♥
About 3 chapters left. I'm anxious to get to the end. I think yall will love it!!!
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Thanks eveyone. Next one should be up very soon :)