Princess Axelia
"What about the food?" I ask the women surrounding me at a round table in Queen Ida's study.
It's been a week since Leonidas proposed to me and after days of strenuous meetings between the Cadomian council and Royal Court it has been decided our Kingdoms will unite.
"Axelia, we just started discussing decorations. You haven't even picked the colors yet," Elysse says as she slides stacks of color pallets across the table.
Ereni, Corrine, and Kaisa loom over my shoulders as I leisurely skim through the options.
"Honestly, I don't care what colors we choose," I finally sigh. "They just have to be blue, white and gold to make Cassius happy. You guys choose the best shades."
I want to see the menu options.
Hopefully, Leonidas is on one.
We haven't had time to see each other since his proposal. He's been resting for days while his Kingdom repairs and cleans up bodies from the war to prepare us for tomorrow's wedding ceremony.
I miss him.
Tapping my fingers on my chin, I gaze over the various mountains of papers, sketches, design book and fabrics until I spot the menus at the end of the table.
"Ah ha!" I exclaim and reach only for Queen Ida to lightly tap my hand away.
"Focus, Princess," she insists. "The food choice can wait. Only half the guests will be human."
Bitter, I sit through hours of pointless debate over decorations, venues, placement of guests, flowers, invites, the bridal party, and then--
"Meat! There has to be meat. Steak!" I proclaim and nearly drool flipping through the menu lists. "Oh, potatoes are a must, green beans, corn-- wait, there are seafood options?" I blurt.
Ereni giggles while the others glare because I didn't express an ounce of this excitement towards anything else.
"For dessert?" Queen Ida grumbles.
"Sweet Potato Pie," we unanimously answer.
Queen Ida gazes over the menu at us with a quirked brow and shakes her head but still writes it down.
We continue discussing the glorious subject of fine dining until the door is nearly kicked off its hinges.
"How dare you plan a wedding in this region without me!" Queen Aiko storms into the room. Literally, a thunderous, dark cloud sparking above her head. "Queen Ida, I have never been more deeply offended."
Our eyes shift to Leo's mother, who guiltily lifts the menu in her hand up enough to hide her face.
We are only finalizing the details at this point.
"You were the first person I thought of," I snicker and Queen Ida reclines in her chair to shoot a bone-chilling death glare at me.
"I knew it," Aiko's cloud dissolves as she seems to float her way over to plant kisses on my cheekbones. "That is why I have arrived and you needn't worry or stress another second."
"Good because--"
"Who is the Maid of Honor?" she interrupts and everyone bites their tongues.
"Elysse," I shrug. "It's nice because her brother is Leo's Best Man."
That seems to ease the tension in her slim shoulders as she twirls her silky black hair between her fingers and takes a seat on the table.
"Which one of you humans is Elysse?" she questions them, and Elysse doesn't hesitate to step forward. "If you disappoint I will kill and replace you."
Ereni, Corrine, and Kaisa begin nibbling in their finger nails with little whines in fear and Elysse chuckles nervously.
"She's just kidding," I reassure them, and when Aiko laughs the rest of the girls do, too.
Then Aiko meets my gaze to secretly make the gesture of cutting off a head that only Queen Ida and I catch.
I adore her.
"Next on the agenda are the bridal gowns," Elysse informs us lifting up a clipboard to double check. When she goes to set it down Aiko is right in front of her face waiting. "Would you like to help the Princess choose?" Elysse offers.
"Oh, Elysse," Aiko exclaims as she yanks her into a hug, "I thought you'd never ask!"
Without warning, she grasps my arms and all I feel is wind before we are standing in a wardrobe closet of the Reriman castle where Queen Ida has had countless dresses sent from various designers and regions.
"Off with your clothes," Aiko demands and when I move too slow she nearly rips the fabric from my skin.
By the time the others arrive, I have tried on a dozen gowns already.
"The sheath, mermaid and A-line styles are an absolute no," Aiko updates them before ushering my human friends to the ball gown and empire designs.
"You're going to be here all day," Queen Ida sighs as she eases down into a long, white-linen couch.
She's been with us since the moment I arrived mostly to oversee our decisions and offer her advice. I can't tell if she is always so stoic or if it is just because she finds this tedious.
Even from my youth I recall her being reserved, quiet and picky about her company.
Now that I think about it, Leonidas isn't much different. I suppose being around my rambunctious personality gave him a higher tolerance.
"You don't have to stay," I mutter softly, not meaning it in a bitter or harsh way. "Don't you usually rest during the day? If Leonidas is sleeping perhaps you should be, too."
Her brown eyes appear glacial in contrast with her short silver hair and shift to me void of emotion.
"I wouldn't miss this," she assures me and pats a spot on the couch inviting me to join her side. "Your mother often dreamt of preparing you for your wedding day the moment we first introduced you and Leonidas to each other, and he let you drag him around your castle," she shares.
My cheeks flare with warmth knowing she is aware of just how rambunctious I can be.
"You just seem bored," I murmur and twiddle my fingers.
"That's just my face, Darling," she says and massages her fingers against her cheeks. "When you've lived as long as me expressing yourself gets old, too."
I open my mouth to respond but she holds up a finger cutting me off.
"Don't ask how old I am. It's the only secret I get to keep to myself," she finishes.
Iconic, I love her.
"Fair enough," I say and rise from my seat to begin untying the laces to the dress I'm currently suffocating in.
Queen Ida helps me with the back and my skin shivers when her fingers brush against my neck.
"I do wonder what you would be like at my age," she speaks more to herself than to me.
Swiveling around, I gape at her.
"Y-you mean if I was a vampire, like how you turned Elytis?" I inquire, and then slap a hand over my mouth realizing he could get in trouble for telling me who bit him.
"I mean nothing, Princess, just wondering out loud. Don't pay it any mind," she passively disregards her own statement and sits as the other women return to us with arms full of gowns.
It leaves me wondering as I go through another dozen dresses what I would be like with vampire abilities. I imagine being able to talk with animals or perhaps read minds. Any power would surely be fascinating and the thought excite me.
That is, until I realize I wouldn't be able to eat sweet potato pie anymore.
How bland life must be to only consume blood for eternity.
Pass.
Rolling my eyes, I finally allow myself to be present in debating over the dresses as they finish fastening the laces at the back of one I've just put on.
Suddenly the room falls silent as we all stare at my reflection in a set of three large mirrors.
"This is the one," I declare, and quickly turn to face my speechless audience before insecurities can plague my mind. "Quick, take it off!" I exclaim and they stumble over each other rushing up to me. "I don't want to see it again until wedding."
Once I am free of the gown, whose image I quickly burn from my mind, I slip into a casual clothes and sit on the couch beside Queen Ida to watch the ladies pick their bridesmaid dresses.
The dress was truly stunning on me but I spent so much of my life hating the emphasis on beauty and being forced to look flawlessly perfect for my role as a Princess. For a while, I stopped believing I was even pleasing to the eyes of men no thanks to years of Miss Isadora's body critiquing and my father validating her reasons for doing so.
Interestingly, Leonidas hasn't once called me beautiful.
It's a little discouraging now that I'm thinking about it but he has said and done so many other things that he must find me appealing-- right?
Yes, he has.
I don't need the verbal affirmation to know he is attracted to me.
His love is enough.
Sighing, I lean over on the bench to rest my head and end up falling asleep.
"Axelia, come along. We are going to be late to the rehearsal," Ereni says as they exit the room and pass by me.
"If you stay here you'll miss dinner," Elysse chimes in.
"And the last chance to see your fiancé before the wedding," Aiko sings.
I sit up so quick that my head spins and their giggles echo through the halls as Queen Ida helps me to my feet.
"Take your time to go change. We will meet you in the ballroom," she says and the moment they are out of sight I sprint to my guest room in the Queen's tower.
Am I beautiful to him?
The question reemerges as I wash my face and slip into a formal black gown only to change it when I don't want to look as though I'm attending a funeral.
"No," I groan.
I'm not sure how much time has passed before there is a light knock on the door.
Freezing, my eyes dart around the room that is now a mess of clothes.
A knock taps again so I throw on a bathrobe and crack the door open just enough to see who it is.
"Prince," I blurt and offer a fragment of a curtsey, only to bump my elbow against the door-frame in a way that makes the nerves buzz and tingle.
I wince from the discomfort, squeezing my lips shut while slightly bouncing to alleviate the pain.
His temperate eyes glow amber from the light of torches flickering through the hall and shift to my arm before meeting my gaze again. "Do you need to use the bathroom?" Leonidas wonders as his eyebrows tilt upwards at the center of his forehead. "I can wait--"
"No!" I blurt again, and his lips remain parted allowing me to see his tongue swipe along a fang while he stares at me puzzled. "I mean no I don't have to," I jab a thumb over my shoulder to gesture to the bathroom and then use the same finger to scratch my head, "but I would like for you to wait."
He lightly chuckles and backs away from the door so I can shut it.
Why am I so nervous?
After taking a few deep breathes and sobering up, I settle for a long-sleeve, navy blue dress that stops just above my knees and then head out of the room only to realize I forgot to re-do my makeup.
Pausing abruptly, Leonidas bumps into me and I feel an overwhelming urge to shove my face in a toilet.
"Axelia, is everything alright?"
I can't go on the rest of the evening like this.
"D-do you think I'm beautiful?" I ask, and feel every inch of my skin cringe as I stare down at the floor hoping my hair is still long enough to hide my face.
This is the first thing I choose to question him about after a week of space?
Shallow, just like toilet water.
"Depends, do you think I'm handsome?" he counters and my jaw drops only to shut when he tilts up my chin.
How have we gotten this far without ever saying these things?
"Yes, you are beautiful and most precious to me," he affirms.
Opening my mouth to return the compliment, it gets muffled when he presses a finger over my lips and lowers his mouth to my shoulder.
Chills run through my spine and he plants light, feathery kisses up the length of my neck until he reaches my ear, and his hands grab my waist drawing me closer before he continues.
"Soon I will have you naked in my bed to gaze upon and explore your insatiable body, Princess," he whispers. "After we make love, I'll be determined to fuck every insecure thought out of you," I gulp as his chest emits a soft purr and when he shifts his unwavering gaze to my own he conclusively adds, "however many times it takes."
W-well, alright.
Glad I asked.
Mhmm.
"There a-are quite a few inse-insecurities," I toss in and he smirks while he straightening his posture.
"You're a warrior, no? Hope you're prepared to test your stamina," he winks, rendering me speechless as my knees shake and heart skip a few beats.
Forming a triangle with his right arm, he offers for me to loop my left through and then escorts me towards the comforting aroma of food.
"You are strikingly handsome by the way," I make sure to tell him as we reach the main entrance to the ballroom.
He just gives me a poised side-glance before pulling open a door and holding it open for me.
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