The royal wedding was 5 days away. Aisha's family would be arriving in Pantoran in 2 days. She couldn't hold in her excitement. Even the King and Queen had noticed.
"You are buzzing with excitement this morning, Aisha." Said the Queen.
"Yes, Queen Izella. I'm very excited about my family's arrival here." Aisha beamed as she ate her breakfast.
"We're glad your family will be able to witness your nuptials and spend some time you," said the King.
"Indeed. I have been missing my siblings dearly."
Especially Nef, her younger sister.
"I'm positive they will have much to catch you up on, and likewise with you."
"Aisha, would you like to go into town today to pick out some new dresses and fabrics?" Asked the Queen.
"I would love to your majesty. I am running out of warm dresses to wear."
"Great, after breakfast I shall have the guards escort us into the city."
Before heading out into town with the Queen, Aisha went to her room to gather a warm cloak. On her way out of her room she ran into Atticus.
"Oof."
"Are you okay?" Atticus asked concerned. He held her in his arms and looked her over.
"Yes, I'm fine." She said with a smile as she straightened herself out.
"Where are you going?"
"Your mother has invited me out to purchase dresses and fabrics," she said smiling.
"That's wonderful. I hope you and my mother get along. Don't let her talk your ear off though, she likes to give advice, that is not always wanted." He advises.
"I'll be sure to stay on her good side and listen to anything she has to say. Do you not know that is the way to gain a woman's favor?"
"I would listen to anything you had to say, Aisha," he says with a smirk.
She smiles coyly at him.
"I will be looking for you when you get back," he says kissing her hand before they depart from each other.
Aisha walks to the front of the castle where the Queen is waiting with a guard and her lady maid. She lights up as Aisha approaches.
"I am very happy. I have not had a companion for shopping in such a longtime."
"I am happy I can attend with you, my Queen. May we find many fine things that suit our fancy."
"We are going to go into the finest shops Pantoran has to offer. Oh! Maybe we can look for your wedding dress too."
The dress that had been made was not to Aisha's liking. It was a dress modeled after fashions that were no longer fashionable even to the King's male eyes. She was grateful that no one found it offensive that she did not want to wear that ugly thing.
They both were escorted out of the castle and into a carriage that took them into town.
"Has my son been treating you well?" Izella inquired curiously.
"Yes, your majesty. He is a fine gentleman. He seems to always be thinking of me," she says.
"And how do you feel about him?"
"Pardon?"
"How do you feel about him? I know you came here out of duty to your country- and what an honorable thing to do, but how do you feel about him? Do you think you could actually grow to love Atticus," she asks earnestly as she gazes into Aisha's eyes.
Now she saw what Atticus meant.
"Well, I am here out of duty and loyalty to my people, but Atticus has proven to be a man that is worth growing to love. He makes it easy to learn to love him. Honestly, I have found myself quite enamored with him. He makes me feel things that make me giddy with the thought of what could be and for this wedding. Just a week ago it made me sick to my stomach."
The Queen smiles. "I prayed for a woman like you. I prayed."
They ride on in comfortable silence, while the smile stays plastered on the Queen's face.
When they enter the market both the queen and Aisha get out of the carriage followed by two guards and a handmaid. The first store they enter is a multifaceted shop. It is a dress shop with a hair stylist that works in the back of the store.
Aisha is shocked to see that the women are brown. Not quite brown like her, but definitely not the cream color that most of the people of Pantoran were. They sported curly hair almost similar to hers, wide angular noses and plump lips. One's hair was tinted ginger with very light brown eyes and the other had golden brown hair with green eyes.
"Hello, your majesties. Welcome to Mona and Maeve's. I'm Mona," said the ginger, "and this is my sister Maeve."
"It is an honor to have you here." Maeve replied.
"Hello," Aisha said peering around the room at the beautiful dresses.
"Well I don't remember this being here last time I came into town."
"We're new here," Maeve said. "We just opened up 3 months ago, but business hasn't picked up yet."
Aisha was shocked. The dresses were beautiful. The dresses reminded her of the dresses she wore back home, bold, flowy, and accentuating to the body, mixed with the style of Pantoranian dresses, long, warm, with Celtic traditional elements. These dresses embodied the celtic style mixed with the bold and accentuated style she loved.
"I love everything here, this reminds me of the dresses from Mardalia."
"Our mother is from Mardalia," Mona chimes in.
Aisha's eyes fly open. "I am from Mardalia. I am Princess Aisha daughter of Kind Adamako. I am betrothed to Prince Atticus."
Both sisters look at each other in amazement.
"It is an honor to meet you, Your highness. Please let us assist you in any way we can," Maeve says bowing again.
"Thank you, I think I will be in use of services," she says. "Which one of you does the hair?"
"I do, your majesty," Maeve says.
"I am getting married in 5 days. I have not chosen my wedding dress," she said to Mona, "and my lady's maid does her best on my hair, but I will need a hairstylist too. I would like to employ your services."
"Of course your majesty!"
Aisha smiled. She was excited, her wedding dress, in their hands, was going to be just perfect for her. She began pointing out styles of dresses she liked around the shop as the Queen chimed in to give her opinion on things.
Maeve took her measurements and pulled fabrics to run by her. By the end of the visit Aisha was going home with a few dresses they had given her and a jar of hair cream.
"Thank you so much! I will you see you in 3 days time."
The Queen and Aisha went to another store where the queen selected many fabrics to take home. They went from shop to shop picking and choosing various things and finally got into the carriage to go home.
"Today was a very successful day, I would say," the Queen said.
"It was! I am so happy we went into that shop. This week is proving to be a great one."
"I cannot wait to officially welcome you into our family, Aisha, and an heir." She said giddily.
Princess Aisha awkwardly chuckled at the heir comment. She had forgotten all about producing an heir. Atticus had been so polite with her thus far, it stopped being a nagging worry. They had their own separate chambers, they hadn't even shared a kiss yet.
Now, she wondered if that would change after they wed.
Of course it would, how could she be so clueless. They would have to validate their marriage at some point and what better time than after the wedding.
He would probably be pressing for it.
Aisha mulled this over as she walked the castle halls, bumping into Aurelius.
"Oof!" She said running into his armored chest.
"Are you okay Princess?"
She rubbed her head and looked up at Aurelius whose face was marred with worry.
"That is my second time running into one of you brothers today. I don't know what is wrong with me," she said with a light smile.
"You seemed to be very preoccupied with your thoughts."
"I was."
"May I inquire as to what is troubling you?"
She sighed as they began walking in stride with each other.
"I am nervous about getting married, I guess, and all that entails."
"What do you mean? You seemed pretty excited about it before."
Aurelius watched as she chewed her plush lips and made a face that was worried but focused. She pushed a stray curl behind her ears before looking at him.
"I am nervous for after the wedding."
He made a confused face.
"You know, for the coming together of husband and wife."
"Oh!" It suddenly dawned on him what she meant and it made his body heat up.
"I've just never done anything like that before," she continues not noticing his discomfort. "Being a princess, I have kept myself pure. My brothers' wives did tell me things I should do, but I wonder how can I trust their judgement. Shouldn't I ask a man for his opinion?"
"No!" He said abruptly stopping them in their tracks. He could not have her thinking this was a topic to converse with men about. He was to be her brother in law and he did not trust himself to have the conversation with her.
He grabbed her by her shoulders and looked her in her eyes. "You should not talk to any man about what should happen in the privacy of your bedroom with my brother. Understood?"
She nodded quietly. Aurelius was very serious about this subject.
"Your brothers' wives are probably very knowledgeable and gave you great advice. If you are nervous the right thing to do is talk to Atticus. Other men cannot be trusted."
"Yes, Aurelius. Thank you for the advice. You are a good brother to Atticus."
He released his hold on her as they continued walking. He couldn't believe she had been untouched.
Of course she was a princess, but the effortless way she exuded sensuality made it hard not to pine after her.
He could tell in the way she walked and the natural sway of her hips that there was a sexual being underneath her innocent exterior. Everything about her oozed femininity and desirability.
Was she aware of it? Maybe, he did not know. But he saw it and he knew others saw it too. Her station as Princess and Atticus' betrothed kept her from being called upon like men would desire.
He would need to talk to Atticus promptly.
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"You should talk to your betrothed about your wedding night."
Atticus looked up from the paper in front of him.
"Pardon?"
"Princess Aisha. You should have a discussion with her about your marital duties after the wedding." Aurelius stated more clearly.
"What? You mean fucking her," Axel piped up from his position in a chair.
Both of the older brothers snapped their heads at him. Atticus' eyes stared him down in distaste while Aurelius' eyes burned with disdain for their brother.
"I'm not fucking her. She is a princess and I respect her too much to handle her that way."
Axel sighed and rolled his eyes. "So sorry my romantic brother. I meant when you lay her down to gently and passionately make love to her body- you two are ridiculous." He scoffed.
Aurelius turned his attention back to his older brother.
"I think you should clear the air with her. She's very nervous and curious to have a man's input. I told her she should not converse with any man except you."
"Thank you brother. You are most loyal."
Atticus didn't know how he was going to broach the topic with her. He had been with many women, but the thought of laying down with her, made him nervous too. She looked so innocent. Her big eyes and beautiful smile made her seem so young and pure all the time.
"If you had met who I met in Maldaria, you would not second guess the idea of ravaging her on her wedding night. I know I would have not an ounce of control if I were you Atticus." Axel said, then whispered under his breath, "not an ounce."
"What is so different about her here then?"
Atticus was curious. The person here was lovely, kind, and a breath of fresh hair in these halls.
"Maldaria is hot and the fashion and clothes reflect that. The women do not wear big, heavy dresses like they do here. It is thinner, lighter, more revealing. And from what I noticed it is not noted by the people. They are not dressed for sexualization," he described as if in a dream, "Aisha is by far one of the most beautiful women from her land too. To see her in her home country is to truly see her. We've only gotten a ghost of her true self here in Pantoran."
Atticus thought this over. To hear Axel talk about Aisha in Maldaria versus here made him want to see that version of her. He wanted to see what his soon to be wife was like in her home.
He couldn't imagine her oozing anymore of the sexiness he found evident in her already, but if Axel had seen it, he had to see it too then.
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The following day Atticus requested Aisha for a stroll around the garden. The pair walked around the green house in comfortable companionship.
Atticus cleared his throat thinking of how to bring this up.
"You've done that 3 times now and have said nothing. Are you feeling unwell, Atticus," Aisha asked.
"No I am feeling just fine, but I did want to ask you something."
A bench came into view, so he beckoned them to sit. Once seated Atticus gently grabbed Aisha's hand. The tingle that went up his body at their touch brought blood to his face. Aisha could feel it too.
"How do you feel about our upcoming wedding?"
"I feel," she paused, "anxious- but an excited anxious."
"What are you anxious about?"
"Well," she began as her eyes darted all around the garden. She knew exactly why she was nervous. She did not know if she could fulfill her wifely duties or produce an heir.
Her eyes met Atticus' as he stared at her intently. She could not fathom how she had gotten lucky to be betrothed to a man so handsome.
"I am nervous- about our wedding night."
He chuckled a little as his face heated up and he rubbed the back of his neck.
"Do not laugh. Your mother made a comment about making heirs and I have been spiraling out of control since then."
Of course his mother was somehow involved in this too.
"Aisha, there is no worry. It will be fine."
"But how do you know? What if I am absolutely bad at it? Or you don't like it? Or I-I do it wrong?" Her eyes were wide with worry.
"Trust me you will not be bad at it and I will like it."
"How do you know?" She looked Atticus straight in his eyes and he could feel his resolve crumbling. Her big doe eyes did something unnatural to him. The innocence in her worried expression ignited his whole body.
How could this woman be so oblivious to the way she made him feel?
"Because Aisha, you are divine. A blind man could see that wedding you and having you intimately would be the greatest honor," he said as his hand caressed her face softly. "I am honored to have you. Do not doubt the pleasure you can give me, I will savor every ounce of you."
Aisha's body was on fire. She felt so naked in front of him, but could not escape the hold Atticus had on her. Her hand reached up to hold the hand on her face as her eyes fluttered close and she leaned in to kiss Atticus.
The feel of his lips on hers was sweet and packed with emotion. Atticus' hands moved to her waist to pull her in closer to him. He was savoring this kiss.
Her lips moved against his like magic and was better than he imagined. He never wanted it to end.
They both pulled away from each other. A smile grace Aisha and Atticus' face.
"I've been wanting to do that for a very long time," He whispered.
She looked down bashfully before meeting his eyes again. "I liked it too."
"Please don't worry about our wedding night. You don't have to do anything you don't want to. I am content getting to know you more like this. Even when I am your husband, you will never be forced to share your body with me."
Aisha felt a rush of butterflies and want surge through her again. She kissed him again, this time light and quick.
"You are a good man, Atticus. I am lucky to be marrying you."
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The next day Aisha's family was coming to Pantoran. The servants were getting horses ready to travel to the port to bring her family back to the castle.
"Are you sure you want to go?"
"Yes! I want to see them as soon as they get off the ship."
Aisha kissed Atticus chastely on the cheek before bounding down the castle stairs in excitement. Atticus would not be accompanying them to the docks. He had to oversee some royal business.
Aurelius was on his black steed waiting to head out.
"Could you help me up?"
He looked down at Aisha who was looking up at him with a big grin and her hands on her hips. He surveyed her face as snow flakes fell on the tip of her nose.
"You cannot ride your own horse?" He asked annoyed.
"I can, but it is very cold, and I would feel safer."
Aurelius studied her again. She was in a long thick dress, a cloak with the hood on and gloves. He reached his arm down to her and she grabbed it excitedly as he hauled her up, behind him.
His horse brayed. He patted his neck and shushed him.
"It's okay Fenrir. It is just the princess," he said as he calmed the horse down.
They began their trek to the port in comfortable silence. Aurelius was trying to keep his breathing even. Being this close to Aisha was taking a lot out of him. The way her arms tightened around his waist when there was a bump was driving him insane. Just the feel of her body pressed against his back was sending him spiraling. He could not wait to get her off of his horse.
"Your heart rate keeps accelerating very fast. Are you okay?"
Of course he wasn't.
"I am fine."
"What is the matter Aurelius?"
"I am fine, Princess." He snapped.
He did not want to talk right now.
"You are always so hot and cold with me. One minute we are friends the next nothing."
He sighed loudly.
"What do you want from me?"
Her arms quickly pulled away from his abdomen.
"For you to be friendly and kind to me at all times! Not just sometimes."
He was getting more annoyed. This girl was demanding he be nice to her. He was trying not to like her and failing miserably.
"Just because you will be Queen someday does not make you the boss of me."
He heard her audibly gasp behind him.
"Stop this horse right now. I want to get off."
"And what will you do? Walk?"
The rest of the party had gone on ahead of them.
"Yes. I do have two feet."
"No."
"Pardon me," she started pushing against him and trying to maneuver herself off of the horse. Aurelius stopped Fenrir as she hopped off.
He looked down at her as she stomped off with her arms crossed.
"Please get back on the horse princess. My brother will skin me if anything happens to you."
"Well then you shall be skinned," she said haughtily.
He rode along side of her, keeping pace. She refused to look at him.
"Let us see your family. Get on."
She ignored him.
"Princess."
Silence.
"You're being very dramatic, Aisha," he said exasperated, letting her name slip out of his mouth.
She looked up at him with a mischievous smile on her face.
"I did not mean that, Princess."
"You call me Aisha, or I shall never get up on that horse," she threatened.
God. Who is this woman that will be the death of me?
"Please," he began.
She made a look at him as if to say 'continue'.
"Please get back on the horse," he paused, "Aisha."
She squealed giddily before extending her hand.
"I want to sit in front this time."
He lifted her up in front of him.
"You will have to steer then, for all the trouble you have put me through, Aisha." He whispered near her ear.
A chill ran down her back at the sound of her name and his breath on her ear.
"Are you cold?"
"Yes!"
He wrapped his arms around her as they rode on. Now her heart was beating out of her chest.
What was going on?
She tried to relax and steer the horse, but every bump she was made more aware of Aurelius' hard chest behind her. Anytime they walked off course and his hands would fly onto hers to guide them back. Every touch sent tingles through her body.
Before she knew it they were approaching the docks. They arrived just in time as the men were anchoring the boat to the pier.
Aurelius jumped down from his horse and lead them into the throng of people. Soon enough Aisha's family began departing the boat. Her younger sister Nef made eye contact with her and began running down the dock.
Aisha hurriedly got down from the horse and ran to embrace her little sister.
"Nef!"
They hugged for a long time as the rest of her family joined around them. She let go of Nef and embraced her brothers and sisters. She was even happy to see Olori's bossy self.
"How was your voyage my family?" She asked in Mardalian.
"So long. How have you not frozen over yet?," one of her brother's wives complained.
"You will get used to it. It is much better inside the castle."
All of her brothers and their wives were in attendance, some Mardalian royal guards and some highly esteemed court guest.
"Come I want you all to meet Aurelius."
Aisha led her family to Aurelius.
"Family this is Prince Aurelius."
"It is a pleasure to meet you all." He bowed to all of them.
"This is your husband?! He's very cute," Nef said.
Aisha and Aurelius both shouted, "No!"
"I am Prince Aurelius 2nd son of King Eirik. Princess Aisha is betrothed to my brother Prince Atticus. He sends his apologies for not coming out here to greet you all. He is taking care of royal matters."
"I understand all too well the duties of being the eldest," her older brother spoke.
The wagons and horses were loaded up as Aisha continued to catch up with her family before they all began the short journey back to the castle.
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