Her wedding dress has been carefully made before news of Prince Darius' death had spread throughout the realms. The Queen Consort of Bymar had ensured that not only the gown be fashionable, but jaw-droppingly stunning. While her bridal gown symbolized choosing her country's needs over her own, Princess Amarinda loved it.
Though after she found out about Darius' death, the gown became an omen of what she would never have.
It was locked away in a trunk, hidden deep in her closet, awaiting the day when she would wear it to marry Darius' brother, Jaron.
However, as fate would have it, Amarinda received a miracle. Jaron had set aside the betrothal; Amarinda could marry her one true love.
The day after Tobias asked her to marry him, Amarinda finally dragged the jewelled trunk from hiding in the room housing her gowns. She coughed as dust poofed into the air. Had it really been that long since she'd last opened it?
Alone in her chambers, Amarinda pulled out the bridal gown. The bodice was still embroidered with little flowers, and the flower shaped diamonds were still in their places. Seed pearls still dotted the top of the full skirt. She remembered how fragile they'd been. She wondered if the sleeves would still fit. The deep blue decorum made the gown even whiter than it really was; the long train spilled all over the floor.
Carefully she laid out her bridal gown on an elegant brocade couch, there were other bridal accessories to be retrieved from deep within her closet. A small trunk held several details to her bridal uniform safe and sound. A second chest housed a lace veil, and a third contained a thin silver circlet. The final trunk was used for nothing except for her low heeled slippers; the trunks had done their duties in protecting those baubles from invasive dust bunnies.
She managed to pull the dress on without assistance, though she found herself struggling for several moments as she tried to lace up the corset back. Amarinda had never been vain enough to spend extended periods of time staring at herself in the mirror, but she made an exception as she caught a glance of herself in the large mirror beside her wardrobe. The gown fit her like a glove, it knew every curve of her body and its soft fabric make up was a welcomed feeling.
Memories of her grand plans with Darius came flooding back. They'd written several times about visiting the clans of Gelyn and participating in their wild forms of entertainment. He'd promised her to take her away to the desert land of Shamra, they'd had everything decided. News of his death had punched a hole into her heart, Darius had been her very best friend. His loss was still always lurking in the corners of her mind, but over time, it didn't hurt so deeply.
Amarinda first took off the veil and circlet, uncharacteristically intrusive thoughts hijacking her mind.
Coming to love Tobias had solidified that she was healing. She was mending. Tobias had stood by her side through unimaginable situations. The intrusive thoughts faded away the more she thought of him and the little quirks that made her weak in the knees, especially his thin shoulders and the single dimple he got in his left cheek whenever he smiled.
Amarinda loved Tobias.
Once again, Amarinda tucked away her wedding dress into its respective trunk. It would be stowed away until she would need it again. The sun hung low in the sky, perhaps she'd go to bed early.
Somebody knocked at her door, one of her maids no doubt sent to find out what she was up to. She'd been lucky to have escaped her hounding servants for so long. Unlike many other princesses and duchesses she'd met, Amarinda preferred to take care of herself. Her independence was quite iconic in the realms surrounding Carthya.
"Come in!" Amarinda called, tugging a nightdress over her head. The door opened, but whoever had opened it had yet to shut it. Amarinda turned her head as she began to braid her hair, grinning as she saw her visitor. Tobias stood by the half opened door with cheeks redder than any summer strawberry.
Amarinda crossed to her bedside table, snatching a ribbon to tie off the end of her braid, "Are you going to shut the door?"
Tobias was still speechless, but he did close the door, "Morn- how are y- good even-uh-evening. Good evening Amarinda."
"Embarrassed to see me in my nightdress?" Amarinda gave a little twirl, showing off the innocent pale nightgown. "We are getting married, you know, I hope you're aware of what that entails."
He turned an even deeper shade of pink, his eyes never leaving Amarinda's face, "Is it alright? Me coming to see you, I mean."
"Of course it's alright Tobias," Amarinda smiled, keeping her distance from Tobias. His embarrassment was easily caught. "I always want to see you."
"Well good because I can't stand it when we're apart," Tobias said, grinning from ear to ear. It appeared he'd regained his confidence. In a moment of spontaneity, Tobias rushed forwards, pulling his bride-to-be tight in an embrace. "I can't believe I get to marry you."
Amarinda threw her arms around Tobias' neck, sometimes she was afraid she'd squeeze him to death, "I can, I've got a hidden calendar counting down the days."
Slowly, they began to sway, dancing to an unheard song. Tobias' hand remained firmly at the middle of Amarinda's back while the other led them in their innocent dance. The sunset cast golden light all about the room, much like the romantic stories Amarinda read when she had been younger.
"Are you always going to be this chaste?" She asked abruptly.
"Well..." Tobias began, his cheeks once again turning a little pink. He'd never been ashamed of what he felt for Amarinda, though he did get easily flustered around her on occasion. "Um.."
She didn't press her shy lover for an answer. Amarinda set her head on Tobias' chest, listening to his heart beat faster and faster through his shirt. His breathing was steady; her eyelids drifted shut. Tobias was outspoken yet a little shy, that trait had made it onto Amarinda's list of favorite things. Well, all of Tobias really was at the very top of her favorites list.
Tobias tilted Amarinda's chin up with his hand, she became acutely aware of the hand at her back coming to rest at the base of her spine. He leaned his forehead against hers, practically murmuring into her lips once he spoke. "I can't give all of my tricks away before our wedding night now can I?"
Her first reaction was to giggle, but she forced herself not to laugh, yet she did smile from ear to ear, "You're tempting me."
"You're the first person to have ever told me that," Now Tobias was trying to keep from laughing; he chuckled. "I hope you don't find me silly now."
"I only ever find you completely perfect, Tobias," Amarinda whispered, pressing a lingering kiss to Tobias' cheek. The lip stain that she'd put on that morning left a faint shadow on Tobias' face, that only made him grin wider.
They met halfway, Amarinda's fingers laced in Tobias' dark hair and with his arms around her waist, Tobias picked her up off of her feet. Tobias' faint scruff scratched at Amarinda's skin as they continued their sudden kiss.
Momentarily, Tobias broke away, his pale eyes searching Amarinda's face, "So, how do you feel about eloping?"
