After going to bed early and spending who knew how long tossing and turning--too busy daydreaming of Dex to be able to fall asleep quickly--Biana finally managed a few hours of sleep.
And then...the sun was up and it was her wedding day.
Today, Biana Vacker would become Biana Dizznee.
She couldn't wait.
She bounded down the stairs to eat a quick breakfast with her family. It was bittersweet, knowing this was the last time it would be the four of them in this house together like this.
But she wasn't really losing anything, and she was gaining everything.
She took just a moment to remember Alvar and wish things had been different with him. She wished so badly that he could be there at her wedding, healthy and happy and fighting on the right side.
The four of them leapt together to Rimeshire, so that Biana and Della would have plenty of time to get ready, and Fitz and Alden could help Juline and Kesler with the setup.
The triplets were already arguing--Bex and Lex especially--and Fitz looked downright alarmed.
"Um...suddenly I'm wishing I was needed inside after all. You sure I don't need a makeover?"
Biana laughed. "And risk Linh not recognizing you when she gets here? Don't worry, you'll be fine."
Juline had set aside one of the guest rooms for Della, Biana and Sophie to use to get ready. Sophie was due a little bit later, and Biana wasted no time laying out her multiple beauty products and getting to work on her makeup.
By the time she'd finished and started on her hair, her mom was finishing up. And right on time, Sophie walked through the door, bed head and all.
But the smile Sophie flashed at both of them was so beautiful that the messy hair didn't matter.
Biana was so excited that her best friend would be by her side today.
"You both look amazing," Sophie told them.
Biana beamed. "Just wait until I get into my dress!"
While Biana finished her own look, her mom helped Sophie tame her wild hair before doing Sophie's makeup.
"Can you do me one favor?" Sophie asked Della. "Can you not tell Keefe how many hair elixirs and hair products it took to get my hair under control today? He was teasing me about it this morning."
Biana, who had just finished her work on herself, couldn't help but grin. Good old Keefe.
Her mom must've been thinking along the same lines, and laughed. "Keefe wouldn't know what to do if he wasn't cracking jokes. He's been that way as long as we've known him."
By the time they finished hair and makeup, it was time for a quick lunch and then time to get into their dresses.
Sophie's dress was a flowy, off-the-shoulder gown with a sweetheart neckline. Biana had chosen to put Sophie in a deep red gown embroidered with golden thread, insisting that red was her best color and the gold would accentuate her eyes. Not to mention she knew that Keefe also loved seeing his wife in red. He'd go crazy when he saw her in that dress.
Biana felt like she was living in a sort of dream-like state as she slipped into her wedding gown. A halter style with a deep v-neckline, it was white but accented all along the very full skirt with gems that they'd had dyed the precise shade of periwinkle blue to match Dex's eyes.
She turned to Sophie. "What do you think?" she asked.
Tears filled Sophie's eyes. "Biana, I have no words," she said quietly.
Biana noticed that her mom, too, was working very hard not to cry. But Biana couldn't stop grinning. "I can't wait to see Dex," she said. "Do you think he'll like seeing me in the dress?"
"Of course he will," her mom assured her.
"He'll like taking it off of you, too," Sophie said with a grin.
Whoa. Biana suppressed a giggle as her mom coughed awkwardly.
"And on that note," Della said, "I'll go see what I can help with outside." As she left the room, she mumbled something about Sophie spending too much time with Keefe.
"Sorry," Sophie said, blushing slightly as she giggled. "That just kind of came out, I don't know what got into me."
Biana just giggled too. "Keefe did. He was bound to rub off on you eventually." She smiled at Sophie, serious now. "Marriage really suits you both. It's nice to see him so happy. Fitz and I were just talking about that the other day."
"We are definitely well suited for each other," Sophie agreed. "We balance each other well. But today isn't about me and Keefe, it's about you and Dex."
Before they knew it, it was time. Sophie and Della left the room to head out to the marquee where the ceremony would take place.
And then there was a quiet knock on the door. Biana smiled widely at her dad as he opened the door.
"Oh, wow," he breathed, tears filling his eyes. "My little girl, all grown up and getting married today." He reached for her and pulled her into his arms. "Where did the time go?"
He leaned back to look at her again before lightly kissing her forehead. "You look beautiful, Biana. Now let's go. Dex is waiting."
And Dex looked impossibly handsome, his periwinkle eyes widening as he saw her. It took all of Biana's self control not to rush the rest of the way down the aisle to get to him.
Once they reached the front, Alden took Biana and Dex's hands in his, placing their hands together. "Take care of each other," he whispered. "We love you both."
And with that, Kenric began the ceremony.
Dex's eyes never left Biana, not for a moment. "I love you," he whispered under his breath even as Kenric spoke.
And the moment Kenric pronounced them husband and wife, Dex took her into his arms and kissed her deeply, joyfully.
As they made their way back up the aisle, he grinned at her. "Biana...I didn't know it was possible for you to get any more beautiful, but today, you look...wow."
She laughed. "I'll take wow. Wow is a good compliment."
Rex soon got up and gave a subdued but earnest speech, thanking Dex and Biana for their support and for standing firm in the face of prejudice.
As music began to play, they got up to dance. She wrapped her arms firmly around Dex's neck. He drew her in as close as her dress allowed and kissed her.
"You know," Dex said with a roguish grin, "it's kind of unfair that, now that you're officially my wife and I'm allowed to get as close to you as I want, you're wearing a big poofy dress that kind of keeps me at arm's length."
Remembering what Sophie had said to her earlier, Biana bit her lip and looked up at Dex. "Well then...guess you'll have to take it off of me."
He raised his eyebrows. "If you keep talking to me like that, it's going to be a very short reception. Everyone will realize the bride and groom have already left, and they'll all go home."
"Hey, you started it," she reminded him, craning her neck to kiss him again.
He rolled his eyes. "Okay, okay. We'll return to this...conversation...later."
As the evening wore on, they took it in turns to dance with their parents. Alden teared up again at the sight of his daughter in a wedding gown, and Kesler heartily told her he was glad to have another daughter--and then reminded her he was a short hail away.
"You know, in case he's driving you crazy and you need me to come slip him an elixir or two," he said with a mischievous grin.
Biana just laughed. "Thanks, Dad," she told him.
But when she found herself back in Dex's arms, the look in his eyes drove everything but him from her mind.
Before long, it was time for them to slip away.
They'd chosen an estate with plenty of ancient trees. It was warm, and the house was bright and open and cheery.
They were married. And this was their home.
"Well..." Dex said softly as they slowly made their way through the house, heading for their room.
A thrill ran through Biana at the thought of their room.
"Well?" she prompted.
Dex turned toward her, heat in his eyes as he studied her. "You know what I've always wanted to do?"
Another thrill coursed through her, like fire in her veins, at the tone of his voice. "Hmm?" she managed to reply.
He smiled and brought one hand up to her arm, trailing his fingers lightly along her scars, tracing them all the way up to her shoulder before gently brushing her hair back, away from her neck, sweeping it all over the other shoulder.
And then he leaned in and began pressing his lips softly to the scars. First on her shoulder, then moving slowly towards her neck, kissing the scars no longer hidden behind her hair.
Biana found that she was trembling.
"I've always told you that these scars add to your beauty," he whispered as he continued tracing the pattern of the scars with his lips.
Biana had to remind herself to breathe.
Nothing was real but Dex. The touch of his hand, the feel of his lips on her skin, the look in his eyes as he told her he loved her.
And the perfect feeling of rightness that came from being with him.