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"Pleasure to make your acquaintance," Lucien shook George's outstretched hand, spitting out a quick and spiteful greeting through gritted teeth.
"Please, the pleasure is all mine." George responded, somewhat nervous.
"This is Annette, Lucien's daughter." I cut in, before Lucien could scare George any further, "And this is his wife, Emile." Goerge offered them each a quick smile and a nod, before an awkward silence fell over us.
"Darling, Annette and I are heading in now." Emile said softly, before taking her child's hand and entering through the palace doors.
I looked back to George and Lucien, finding that Lucien was sending George a lethal glare. It was discouraging to see Lucien's distaste for George made so apparent, but at least he was trying to be... Civil, I suppose?
"So," Lucien spoke after a while, "I was promised a story of how this came to be," he folded his arms as he looked between George and I.
"Well, it's simple, really-" I began but was cut off.
"No. I want to hear it from you," he pointed menacingly to George.
"M-Me? Why?" George looked dumbfounded.
"Yes, from you. And does it really matter why? I need to be assured that you really love her, if you feel you must know." he said.
"Alright... Well, her regiment had come to the castle to steal some documents a few years ago, during the Revolution. Her regiment abandoned her here, and my men arrested her. And I was... I suppose you could say, curious about the French female soldier everyone talked of, and so, I paid her a visit and found myself quite captivated by her." he chuckled, "I believe her first words to me were something along the lines of 'What the fuck?' and it intrigued me, to have a woman, not of royal, rich, or noble descent address me as she did, speak to me in the manner that she did. And so, I arranged meetings with her nearly every day, called them interrogations, though I suppose she saw right through that..." he smiled.
"Well it wasn't hard, it wasn't as though you actually tried to interrogate me during your so called interrogations." I rolled my eyes.
"And then?" Lucien asked sternly, though his face looked somewhat softer.
"And then..." George cringed as he recalled Christain, what he'd done, "One of my soldiers, they'd grown tired of Rose's silence, and in my absence, took it upon themselves to get the information out of her through violence." he spat the word with a searing distaste, "Luckily, I caught him before he could do anything too serious. He fled from Britain. And I... I felt scared for the first time in a long time, scared that I would lose someone who'd become very dear to me, should that man return. So, I moved her to the palace as my-"
"It matters not what I was." I interjected, heat rising to my face, causing George to smirk.
"Anyways, we came to grow very close. And then there were some complications... She left for a year, and when I'd begun to give up hope, she returned, and in typical Rosalie Alcott fashion, made an extravagant production by saving my life. That's when she at last returned my feelings. And now, here we are." he said.
"When did you know?" Lucien asked, his tone a kinder one now.
"Know..?"
"When did you know for certain that you loved her?"
"I can't really say for certain. It just happened on its own, I never really paid it much mind. One moment there was this mysterious woman whom I longed to know better, and then suddenly as if by some magic spell, she'd become Rosalie Alcott, the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with." George smiled, grasping my hand.
"I think," Lucien began, extending his arm, "I've misjudged you. Let us become re-acquainted, this time on better terms."
"King George." George smiled, shaking Lucien's hand.
"Lucien Renaud." he replied, smiling.
"I have arrived!" a very thick and pompous French accent sounded from down the road, and I turned to find Lafayette, a huge smile plastered across his face.
"Laf!" I beamed, running to him and engulfing him in a hug.
"Its been far too long!" he laughed, returning my hug, "And to think, our reunion would be on your wedding day!"
"I'm sorry it's been such a long time." I apologized, letting him go.
"Ah, but there's nothing," he paused, pulling a bottle out from his bag, "Quite like alcohol, that can make up for lost time."
"Well said, my friend." I patted his shoulder, leading him to Lucien and George.
"This," I gestured to one of them, "Is my brother Lucien,"
"Bonjour," Lafayette said, and Lucien smiled.
"And this is my husband to be, the King of Great Britain."
"Oui... I'm not sure whether I should hit you, or hug you." Lafayette folded his arms, "But I will say something I've been meaning to say for a long time: Casse-toi."
"I suppose I deserve that." George laughed nervously.
"En effet tu fais." he frowned, "However, though you were once my enemy, you are now to be wed to one of my closest friends, and so, you are a friend of mine." Lafayette shook George's hand.
"Thank you." George said.
"Now, for the more pressing matter at hand," he turned to me, "Why, au nom de Dieu, are you not ready yet?"
Before I could get a word out, Lafayette had grabbed my arm, dragging me into the palace, whilst calling out for a maid. After a few moments of wandering aimlessly, Anthony rushed into the hallway, looking frantic. I smiled upon seeing him dressed up in a suit, his tie matching the bow he'd tied around Guy, who, like usual, tailed him closely.
"Rose! Why must you do this before every festivity?! We've been searching everywhere!" he said, before his gaze landed on Lafayette and a slight blush covered his cheeks, "Y-You're a friend of hers?"
"Indeed monsieur. Je m'appelle Lafayette." he bowed, a devilish look on his face.
"I'm Anthony, this is Guy." he smiled brightly, "Would you mind terribly if I borrowed Rose for a moment, so that the girls can prepare her as much as they can with the time she's left them?"
"Oui oui, mon cher." he nodded, releasing his steadfast grip on my arm.
"I'll be seeing you." Anthony waved before picking up Guy, and pulling me down the hall and into my bedroom, "Get undressed, I have to find Trinity, Fran, and Alice," he ordered me.
"Oh please, you're just going to find Lafayette. I saw the way you two were looking at each other." I smirked.
"Shush. I can't believe you think so little of me." he brushed off my comment, but I could tell I'd embarrassed him as he rushed out the door.
I sighed, striding to the window, and looking out at all the guests that were arriving and seating themselves in the garden where the ceremony would happen. Then my eyes fell on the wedding arch. Our wedding arch. And for what seemed like the hundredth time that day, the fact that I was getting married hit me as though for the first time. I felt butterflies in my stomach as my eyes trailed over the garden, at last coming to rest on George. And suddenly, the nausea was gone. As I beheld the face of the man I would marry, the man I loved, I felt a sense of pure peace and joy wash over me.
I was pulled out of my thoughts as the door cracked open, to reveal Fran, with Alice and Trinity in tow, all clad in lavender bridesmaid dresses. Fran sighed angrily upon seeing me, still dressed in casual wear, before rushing over and beginning to undress me, as the other two pulled out my wedding gown. Fran tied me into a corset, and ushered me to step into the dress. Alice applied some light makeup on my face, while Fran put on my stockings and shoes, and Trinity pulled my hair back into an elegant French twist, the same one I'd worn to that winter's ball, all that time ago. In a matter of moments, I was ready. I took a deep breath, looking myself over in the mirror.
"It's going to be okay, Rose." Trinity placed a hand on my shoulder.
"I know," I smiled at her.
I followed my friends down to the first floor, stopping at the open door that led to the altar, at the end of which George waited very eagerly, his heart likely hammering like my own.
First, Dot walked down the aisle, her short lavender dress bouncing as she tossed the carnation petals down the path before coming to a stop at the arch. Then went Anthony and Samuel, and I couldn't help but chuckle at the almost comic difference between the giant and the dwarf as they lined up beside George. After that, went Fran, Alice, and Trinity, who came to stand on the other side of the arch. And then it was my turn. I took a deep breath, and Lucien gave my arm a reassuring squeeze, before he led me down the aisle. All the guests turned as the piano sounded.
George froze as we met each other's gaze. His eyes widened, as his shoulders tensed and his mouth fell agape. I offered him a playful smirk before at last arriving at the arch.
"You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen." he whispered.
The pair of us smiled more brightly than we ever had as the priest began.
"Welcome. We are gathered here today to join this man," he gestured to George, and then me, "And this woman, in holy matrimony."
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