I stood before my vanity, sucking in my reddened lips. My cheeks were flushed, my eyes brightened and my hair done up with roses scattered all through out it. A veil hung down my back. I was dressed lavishly in white and had pearls adorning my neck. How dollish I looked…

Music drifted all through out the mansion, stay notes landing inside my ears. He was nervous…you could even tell in his playing…I wanted to make him feel better, and I wanted to feel better myself by even just looking at him, but we were bound by protocol, and I was confined to my room. Italy was waiting for me outside to be sure I didn't go missing.

I looked outside, seeing my guard…oh, he had grown so much…

"Italy…you need to boy's clothes…" I told him in a whisper. He was nearly taller than I was and still dressed in those cute little frills of childhood.

"…But Hungary…boy's clothes are so uncomfortable…"

"Italy…today is my wedding…please, just for today…"

"…But…Who's going to watch you?"

"I can watch myself, dear…I promise, I won't go anywhere. Just go change! Everything will be fine."

"…oh…Well, alright, if you promise…"

"I promise."

Italy walked off and I watched as he turned he corner and made a break for it. I followed the music, leading me to his office, where I had been so many times before. Perhaps I could simply stand outside a while…it would be so much better than being so far away.

I leaned against one of the doors and listened for a moment, then, out of impulse opened it. The music stopped and he was staring at me.

"Lorelei! What are you doing?!" He closed his eyes and curled away from me. "You're not allowed in here!"

"…I'm sorry, Love…I couldn't stand anymore…" I took a spot next to him and let my gloved hands touch is shoulders. "…You look so nice…you even kept your little hair…" I embraced him. "I'm sorry…Your playing called me here…you sounded so troubled…I can tell…"

"…Oh, Lorelei…I'd be lying if I said I wanted to be alone…I'm so nervous…and you're so lovely…but you have to go. This is terrible luck."

"Since when have you believed in superstition, Darling? And…isn't the rule that you just can't see me? Just keep your eyes closed…and in a while…I'll go away…please, you're the only one who can make me feel any better." I gave him a demure kiss in the nape of his neck. "Get out of this ball you've curled into…"

Austria sat up and turned his face towards me, eyes still shut tight. There was a little smile on his lips. I pressed the pad of my index o them and was given a little kiss.

"You're so cute…" I traced his jaw line. "Can you believe we're going to be married so soon? I've been trying not to cry all day, I'm so happy…"

"Then maybe you should go before you ruin that perfect face of your, Lorelei…It's only for an hour more…I know you can make it…But seeing me is probably a bad thing…" One of his gloved palms found its way to my cheek. "…Besides…I just want to open my eyes and take you in…You look so gorgeous…"

"Well, I'll make it easy." I plucked the glasses from his face and put them onto my on, careful not ruin anything cardinal. "There! Now you can't see me and I can't see you….Goodness your sight is bad…" I was giggling. "…It's like an entire other world in here…"

"Oh stop. My vision isn't that bad…"

"It's like the inside of a fishbowl…"

He gave me a playful slap across the shoulder. I laughed. "Roderich…Teach me to play the piano…"

"How? I can't see."

"Here. You know this instrument too well." I took his hand and isolated his index finger, pressing a key at random. The note played out and finally died. "What was that?"

"…E."

"How about this one?" I selected another.

"…D."

Another.

"…F…I think."

"I don't know…It's just a bunch of white keys to me." I took his hand to myself and removed his glove, those lovely fingers visible again. I kissed his thumb.

"…Lorelei, You've already stolen my glasses…"

"Then we can trade." I slipped his spectacles back onto his face and looked over the fabric in my hands. "…You look so nice…"

"How is this trading, Love? It seems like you're just stealing parts of my outfit."

"Oh!" I smacked his arm with the glove and regrettably gave it back. "Fine."

He was laughing. "What a silly Lorelei."

"Mmm…" I tried not to kiss him. "Thank you…I feel better now…It's nice to have you calling me silly again."

"…I feel better too…even though you should really be locked away in that room of yours…Oh well." he adjusted his glasses. "There's no taking back what's already been seen."

I lingered there nearly twenty minutes before going back. I could hear the guests arriving…how noisy they were becoming.

Finally, the wedding began, and I waited for my time. The doors opened and I walking with my flowers in hand. I had no bride's maids, or anyone to give me away, but I didn't care. My husband was waiting for me…

We listened to the priest. We said our vows. We kissed. Everyone cheered and we went away. The reception started. We all changed rooms.

We were seated at the head table, the last ones in. Our hands were wrapped around each other's under the table and we exchanged kisses on the cheek quite often. I even took a moment to play with his stay lock of hair. It was as if no one existed besides the two of us.

Finally, the wedding ended and everyone went home. It was late and the moon was high over head with the stars dappling the sky. We were lingering outside, looking up at the sky.

"What a lovely day…" My husband said. "That was fun, Lorelei." I received a kiss.

"The fun hasn't started yet, love…" I returned the kiss. "Come on…it's late…and I don't want it to be too late…" I winked and he smiled.

"Alright, come on." He took me from my feet and carried me back to our new room, which was larger than either of our old chambers. We were giggling the entire way there. I opened the double doors and he walked in, lowering me onto the bed. The first things to come off were my shoes.

"Look at you! You're so silly! Taking off my shoes first…"

"Oh? Why is that silly?" he put them near the bed, one next to the other. "I'm saving the best for last."

"Oh, I see, you naughty man….well, before you do, let me get all of these stupid flowers out of my hair."

"Why?" He was pulling off his gloves. "Leave them. Your hair is wonderful like that."

"Darling…" I sat up, starting to pull away roses and hair pins. "It'll be hell to try and get them out when my hair is a mess tomorrow morning…it's even hell now…" I wet to my old vanity, which was sitting against the east wall. He followed me.

"You have so much hair…" He began pulling away pins. "This will take an eternity…" I large stand fell and rested against my back.

"No! Look! You already got one free." I pulled away another mess of petals. "We'll be done in no time, I promise."

He took a clip out and handed it to me. "Thank you."

Nearly fifteen minutes later, we finally had everything out, and my vanity was flooded with petals and pins. I sighed, looking at myself. "This mess!" I grabbed at a brush and he stopped me by the wrist.

"Love! I don't care! Please, come back to bed."

I put the comb down. "Really?"

"Yes! Really! You're lovely!" he kissed me.

"Thank you, darling."

He walked me to the bed and instead of putting me back; he began untying me where I stood. "All of these frills…" We slipped the main part of the dress of, and then my petticoat, which came in several layers. I lied down as soon as I was nude. Our new bed was so soft… My love was smiling and undressing himself.

"Do you remember the first time we did this?" His blouse came off. "You were wearing white, just like you were today."

"I was, wasn't I?" I smiled. "…You looked handsome then too…but you're always handsome."

He gave me a little grin and removed his own shoes. "I'm glad we're married, Hungary…" His trousers found their way to the pile of wedding garments on the floor. "I love you…" his hands brushed past my legs with his fingers.

"I love you too…Come here…"