Adeline
This was the second time maids and servants were fussing over me preparing me for the rest of my life. The first time it was against my will. Now I felt that cliché nervousness, that my mother had once told me about when I was eight.
“Here,” Irene said smiling at me, “this was your mother’s gown. Maid Marion altered it to fit you better.” She held it out to me.
“Thank you Irene,” I said throwing my robe clad arms around her.
“Get your hands off me your wrinkling the dress,” Irene said playfully, “we need to get you ready. Your Majesty.”
“I’m not Your Majesty yet, Irene,” I said taking my arms off her.
My mother’s former wedding dress was beautiful. It was the traditional sky blue of all Air Kingdom wedding dresses: royal and village. The dress was sleeveless and satin. It had a full skirt; I could feel the tulle under the overskirt as it chafed against my legs and a tight bodice which was speckled with small diamonds.
I wore gloves that went above my elbows. They weren’t like normal gloves for they didn’t have any place for me to put my hands. They stopped just below my wrist bone. They were more like detachable sleeves.
Of course I was wearing the sapphire pendant, which I had discovered was jewel which had manifested the Speak’s power from within when I was claiming to be the king’s successor
Now the people of Air Kingdom had accepted me as their next leader and Josh as their next king even though he was not of royal bloodline. Somehow, King Felix made this fact known amongst the kingdom during Josh’s mourning day.
“Okay Princess,” Irene said combing my hair, “are you ready to get married?”
“Well, I’m more certain about marrying Josh than I was the first time,” I said staring at myself in my mirror.
“But you want to marry him right?” Irene asked.
“Definitely,” I said smiling.
Irene left my hair down and curly. She topped my hair with my second-best everyday tiara. The one with mostly made of diamonds. She topped the tiara with a piece of unadorned tulle veil that trailed to the small of my back in one layer then extended in another layer to the ground dragging out behind him.
I stood up and twirled. I felt my skirt twirl and sway as I spun around. When I stopped my veil whipped me in the face. Irene and my maids laughed as I tried to unlatch my veil from my face and tiara. I started giggling as Maid Elise tried to pry my veil from my tiara.
The maids exited my room and I looked at Irene.
“Irene,” I confessed, “I’m scared. What if I’m a bad wife and ruler?”
“You honey?” she asked incredulously, “I’ve known you since you were six months old and you’ve always demanded attention, ever since you started to cry.”
I laughed and she continued, “And you’ll have Josh, your sisters and me to look after you.”
“Thank you Irene,” I said again throwing satin gloved hands around her.
“Are you ready Princess?” Sir Steven asked coming into my room and offering his elbow to me.
“Lead the way Steven,” I said taking his elbow.
“So are you ready, Princess?” Steven asked again. This time it was softer.
“Of course I am,” I said twirling my necklace around my fingers, a nervous habit that Irene tried to break me of when I was twelve.
“I spoke with Josh earlier today,” Sir Steven said.
“What did he say?” I asked curiously.
“That this was the most exciting day of his life,” he said smiling at me.
“Thank you Steven,” I said quietly.
“No problem, Princess,” he replied.
He left me in front of the castle exit where I would make my entrance.
“Just wait for the music to cue your arrival,” he said as he left me. Before he left he handed me my bouquet of white daisies.
I stood there waiting for the music to start and I twirled my necklace at fast pace. This is the most exciting moment of my life too. More exciting than when I finished all the duvet embroidery, more excited than when I found the secret warrior room and more exciting than when I knew my father knew that my favorite color was blue.
I heard the music begin and I pushed open the doors. All heads swiveled to look at me but I kept my eyes on Josh as I walked down the aisle clutching the flowers in my hands.
Josh was smiling so hard I was sure that my face matched his exactly. He looked at me with a twinkle of mischief.
I surveyed the audience and saw Estelle sitting next to Prince Arthur of Earth Kingdom, Angelica sitting at her left looking at the King of Water Kingdom who was sitting in front of her, Selena sat next to Josh’s now-step brother Prince Miles with her head on his shoulder, and Penny sitting next to Sir Steven holding his hands.
I looked at Alice standing next to the priest holding an empty basket, which I knew was once full of daisy petals. She was looking at me smiling slightly and glanced at Josh. I returned my gaze to him as I reached the marriage arch.
I heard the priest say things about marriage and eternal love but all I noticed was my knees getting weak, the heat of Josh’s gaze and our intertwined hands.
“Do you Joshua of Fire Kingdom take Princess Adeline of Air Kingdom as your wife?” the priest asked looking at him.
“I do,” he said smiling down at me.
“And do you Princess Adeline take Joshua as your husband?”
It was the second time I had heard these words. When it was in Krush I was certain that I was against marriage, never wanting to be in that question of devotion again. But as I stared at Josh’s hazel eyes I knew that this wasn’t true.
“I do,” I whispered.
“Then I pronounce you husband and wife, King and Queen of Air Kingdom,” the priest said joyfully.
Josh released our grip and cupped his hands under my chin, bringing my face closer to his and kissed me. I heard fireworks in my brain that were louder than the ground shattering clapping that was reality.
I knew that this was the start of something great.
Joshua
The reception was outside in the training field. Servants and slaves brought out tables and decorated them with blue ribbons and daisies.
Addy and I sat at the table of honor holding hands as Sir Steven got up and clinked his wineglass with a silver fork.
“I’d like your attention please,” he said, “Queen Addy requested I make a speech during the reception.”
I glanced towards Addy as she smiled at me, her entire face beaming and her sapphire eyes sparkling in the afternoon sun.
“I’d like to make a toast to King Joshua and Queen Adeline, because they know that with true love comes friends,” Steven looked at me, “family,” as he looked at Addy, “and that someone special that you wish to spend your life with,” he said looking down at Princess Penny who blushed a shade of pink which matched her gown.
“Both of you know that this is what drives us, these three things that we sometimes take for granted,” he continued, “To Josh and Addy, May you rule together, forever.”
“To King Joshua and Princess Adeline,” the audience said wiping their eyes and clinking their glasses.
After the dinner, Addy gathered her skirt and stood on her chair, “Okay it’s time for what I know half the ladies in this room have been looking forward to.”
There were screams and rushing of the single maidens to the front of our table. I looked up at Addy who had her bouquet of daisies in her grasp. She turned around so her back was facing the ladies.
I watched the bouquet as she threw it, flying through the air into the hands of one lucky lady.
Addy leaped down from the chair to congratulate the catcher and saw that it was Princess Penny, who stared at the bouquet then turned around to Sir Steven. He was ready on his knees holding the silver promise ring of Air Kingdom.
I saw from my seat the princess’s eyes fill with tears. I helped her down from her chair. Addy returned to her seat and I held her hand. We watch Penny nod her head and Sir Steven get up. He slipped the ring on her pointer finger and they kissed. The crowd clapped loudly.
I looked down at Addy who smiled at me. We started something great: our marriage and now the marriage of our friends.
With that thought in mind I kissed Addy.
Suddenly the sound of an arrow being shot filled the air. I leapt in front of Addy and searched for the source of the noise.
In front of me stood an arrow driven into the ground with a note on it.
It read:
“The battle begins now.”
I gave it to Addy and a cloud of darkness came across her face as she searched the air for more arrows.
“Men,” I yelled, “Ready positions.”
Sir Steven gathered the guards and royal hunters as well as the Fire warriors who had come with Miles. A loud battle cry filled the air and one lone warrior emerged from the forest.
He was dressed head to toe in Krush armor.
“What do you come here for?” I asked angrily.
“We come to avenge King Fox,” the traveler said wearily.
“Do you realize…” I started but was cut off by the angry voice of Addy.
“Do you realize you are interrupting my wedding,” she cried in rage walking past me staring at him murderously, her teeth bared and the audience took an involuntary step back.
“Yes,” he said, “that was the plan, to ruin your wedding like you ruined his.”
In a second all the guards surrounded him. I didn’t notice that Addy had reached under the table for something.
“Everyone stop,” she said using the Speak calmly walking to the front of the table. She had taken off those gloves and was now holding a bow and arrow, tightly strung.
“Sir Steven lead your men away from the traitor,” she said.
“But Your Majesty,” Steven said looking at her holding back an arrow against his will in awe.
“You heard me Steven,” she Spoke, her eyes locked on the Krush warrior.
“I am going to kill you,” she said simply.
“But I am covered in armor,” he said gesturing to his body.
She smiled coldly, “Before you die I will tell you something: Never mess with a woman who is getting married. It is very hormonal.” She winked at him.
He looked confuse and she sent the arrow flying. It struck him in the center of his forehead. He wavered a little and fell to the ground. The Fire Warriors, eager to get away from the wedding, picked up the fallen body and left.
Everyone’s gaze swiveled to Addy who had put down the bow and sat back down in her chair like nothing had happened.
There was an eternal silence.
“Well,” said Sir Steven, “at least now we know we’re safe until the rest of his warriors come.”
The crowd responded with laughter and more applause. I took my seat next to Addy as everyone rejoined to their festivities.
She looked at me her blue eyes clear, “I did it.”
She sounded so surprised that I laughed and kissed her again.
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Okay so this is the last chapter. There will be an Epilogue but this is it. When I first wrote this I didn't think it would get more than 1000 reads...but it was exciting. I might not be Wattpad famous but one read was good enough for me. :)
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