It's mind-boggling to think that people are actually enjoying this book enough so it got to #12 in the Joji tag and all the way up to #5 on the georgemiller tag.
Thank you so much! <3
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Since I was just a little girl I knew that I would be given away in an arranged marriage as soon as I was of age. My family's kingdom, Troston, had been at the brink of war with the bordering land, Cusain, for as long as I could remember.
It troubled me for a very long time, the thought of marrying not for love but for a business move, but I guess I decided to grow up and just accept it. No matter how hard or how often I argued with my parents, it never worked. I eventually broke in and gave up any hope of a happy and loving marriage in my future.
Sad, I know, but the boy I was to marry for our kingdom's longevity at the age of only 16, was in nice terms, a coldhearted shell. I had met him several times during our lives at different points, mostly for political debates or gatherings of the kingdom's leaders. He had never said much to me ever. He always had kind of a bitter expression.
Maybe his mother or father had been feeding him negativity about Troston his whole life, or maybe he just learned on his own. Or even more understandably, he knew that I would block out the chance for any sort of real love in his life. I'm not sure.
After the wedding, I was to pack and leave my childhood, family, friends, and all my happy memories and move north to Cusain for the rest of my miserable days.
Unfortunately, the week of my long-awaited marriage came sooner than I had ever wanted it to. Palace servants ran about, taking out the finest plates, rugs, and candles so the guests from our Rival would be comfortable in our fairly spacious castle for the time they would be staying. Others cleaned every surface and inch of the floor until it gleamed. More cleared out my room of all of my clothing and other belongings, Minus the dreaded wedding dress of course, and packed it all into wooden boxes for travel.
Then, The day I would mourn the rest of my life arrived.
I was awoken by three of the female palace workers. I was told to strip down completely to my bare skin and to get into the wooden basin in the corner of my bed chamber. After insisting I could wash just fine, I was told that my mother had ordered them to do it, so it was guaranteed that it was done properly. So, I stood there awkwardly for a couple of minutes as a couple of people I didn't know all that well, scrubbed me down.
I was immensely relieved when they finally handed me a cloth to dry myself off with. After I had dried myself, I was tossed a pair of my drawers and told to sit down at my vanity once I was ready. I knew stalling wouldn't help my case at all, so I did as told and sat.
Right away, they started tugging my hair into a fancy hairstyle atop my head and applying a light coat of lipstick. After Coal was put on to line my eyes, I stood and cooperated as they helped me into my wedding gown.
I was tied into a corset and hoop cage before yards of fabric and layers were added over it. Lastly, and a jacket-like bodice with belled out sleeves was added over my Corset and underdress, completing my process of being prepared for my kingdom's big day.
The ladies who helped me get ready all collected themselves and left the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I made eye contact with myself in the mirror, my mind absolutely scrambled with emotions and other thoughts. I was swept out of my thoughts when I heard a very familiar voice come from the side.
"My lady, your tiara." My best friend Winston's voice said. I looked over at him and put on the weary smile that I had been wearing so often these days. He was the head butler of our palace and had been there since before I was born. Seeing as I was an only child, the gentle old man had been my friend all of my life. He was more of a father to me than my real father was, as my real father was too busy being to the king to pay much attention to me. I would miss Winston most of all.
I stood up and gently took the silver tiara off of the cushion and placed it in the same place that I always did atop my head. I tried my very best to hold back my tears as I looked at Winston for one of the very last times. His wrinkly face and trimmed mustache moved into a small, bittersweet smile before pulling me into a hug.
"I don't want to go," I said into his jacket.
"I don't want you to either." He said, squeezing me one last time before letting me go.
"I'll write every chance I get," I promised, smiling a little. He smiled back and nodded, fixing his circular glasses.
A light warning knock came at the heavy wooden doors to my bed chamber and my mother walked in, wearing the light purple dress she was to wear during the ceremony. She smiled at Winston and me as she walked across the room to us. Winston bowed his head as she approached.
She nodded to Winston before beginning to speak to me.
"The ceremony starts soon; we best get going." She said, linking our arms and beginning to walk me from my room for most likely the last time. I took a glance around the empty walls and then looked to Winston, gave him a brave face, and walked out of the comfort of my own space and into the stone halls of the castle.
The walk was silent until we got to a door where I could hear guests and music on the other side.
"Smile, (Y/N). All eyes on you." my mother said sternly before throwing on her own smile and opening the door, where everyone was waiting on the other side.
Everyone turned to look at me, the people lined up on each side of the aisle that led to the grand altar that had the officiator and a pipe organ playing.
My mother kissed my cheek, and I gulped as she left my side to go and sit next to my father.
I saw my childhood friends, the palace servants, everyone who had been in my life here was present to watch me be torn away.
Finally, I saw him. George.
He looked truly like a prince. He wore his country's traditional martial attire. Red velvet cape with mink fur trimming it, along with a red tunic and tights, gold threads and beads adding embellishments to the garment.
A gold-handled sword placed in its Sheath hung from his belt, that matched the golden crown that sat on his dark hair.
I made eye contact with his dark eyes and I nodded, his head and stature remaining stiff like a statue.
I shook off his slightly rude action and began walking towards him and the altar to get this over with. The walk up seemed like it took forever, as everyone was looking at me, but I made it up without tripping over my skirts or, heavens forbid, sneezing.
George and I bowed to each other, and we got kneeled down at the altar, as per usual. The officiator began saying prayers over us. I felt George's stare on me but I pretended to not notice as to not make it more awkward than it already was.
"Please rise and join hands." The Officiator finally said after about five minutes of him speaking about his wishes and prayers over us.
We rose to our feet and joined hands, facing each other, and making eye contact for what was to be an awkward couple of minutes. The officiator took about another forty-five seconds reading out rights and other things like that until it was the time to say the things we needed to. George started, as the man.
"Yes, I take (Y/N) of Troston to be my wife for as long as we both shall live, until death do us part." He spoke, a twinge of remorse in his voice. Next was my turn.
"Yes, I take George of Cusain to be my Husband for as long as we both shall live, and until death do us part," I said, a very similar tone to which George had used.
"Then I pronounce you as officially married." The officiator said. He nodded at us and closed the bible that lay on his podium. The next part was what I had been dreading.
Luckily, George had been too, and he just briefly leaned in and with a completely closed mouth game me a peck on the lips.
The people in the audience clapped and applauded as George and I turned to face them, smiling and waving, arms linked together as we walked down the stairs and walked down the aisle together, both trying to get out as fast as possible without it seeming too rushed.
Once we had finally made it out of the chapel and into the hall where the audience could no longer see us we slipped our arms away from each other, walking to the entrance, where there would be a carriage to take us to Cusain, seeing as the celebration wasn't for another week or two.
George helped me into the carriage first, briefly placing his hand on my back as I got in, him following afterward. soon after we were on our way out of the gates.
I looked out the window, sorrow filling me knowing I'd never see my room again, never run around the halls again, all that was gone now. Sure, I'd see the main hall again, but it would never be the same.
When it was out of sight, I turned back to face the man I had just married too. who was silently looking out the window at the rolling farmland and little homes where the farmers lived.
He certainly had a pretty face. I just wish he didn't always act like it.
"I hope we can learn to at least be friends seeing, as we're stuck with each other until either of us dies," I said politely, looking at him. He never even looked form the window to respond.
"We'll see."
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alright, I actually really enjoyed writing that.
I think I might make a second part?? I'm not sure.
comment on your opinions, please!!
I hope you enjoyed.
~v