The Wedding: Elisabeth

After that one moment we shared together, time seemed to fly by as the wedding day finally arrived. I swallowed, looking at myself in the mirror, wondering exactly how much different my life was going to be from now on. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves as mother finished pinning my hair.

"Oh Elisabeth, you look…you look lovely." I could see her trying to hold back her tears, and I stifled the urge I had to roll my eyes. Sometimes she tried so hard to act like a proper lady she would refuse to allow any of her emotions show.

I turned to face her, still trying to calm the thousands of butterflies in my stomach.

"Mother, it will be alright…you don't have to worry."

"But there is still so much that you need to learn, the proper behaviors for an…an Empress of Austria." I heard her voice crack as she spoke, and I placed a hand on her arm, smiling at her. She looked at me for a moment, before allowing me to pull her into a light embrace.

I caught Helene's eye over my mother's shoulder, and I saw her glance quickly away. Although we had been together for a great deal of time during the planning, she had almost stopped speaking to me completely. I would always catch her eyes on me, but a soon a she saw me looking she would glance away, refusing to meet my eyes.

I think that was the one thing that was worrying me greatly about my marriage to Franz: Helene pulling away from me. I tried to talk to her, to explain that I hadn't planned things to work out the way they did, but she didn't seem to listen. I understood her coldness to me, I had unexpectedly taken the position that should have been hers, and she had been brushed to the back round.

Indeed, after Franz's announcement of our engagement Helene had been almost ignored. I felt guilty for what I had done to her, and I had no idea what I could do to make up for what had happened.

I pulled away from my mother, walking slowly to Helene, taking a deep breath as I placed my hand on her shoulder, turning her to face me.

"Helene…please." I heard her slight intake of breath before she finally looked up and locked eyes with me. I could see many different emotions in her eyes, sadness, anger, bitterness, and confusion. I saw her shake her head, then she suddenly threw her arms around me, pulling me close to her.

"Elisabeth…I'm so sorry, I just…I don't know what happened, everything went by so quickly and…" I heard her stifle a small sob, pulling away and gaining control of herself. "Congratulations, Elisabeth…you will be a wonderful Empress."

I smiled at Helene, feeling a weight lift from my chest.

A bell sounded in the distance, and the butterflies seemed to intensify inside of me.

"Oh, Elisabeth, it's time!" Mother straightened my veil, her hand resting on my cheek for a moment. "Congratulations darling."

"Thank you mother."

I fought the strong urge I had to lock myself in a closet and never come out when the double doors opened to the Sanctuary of St. Augustine's Church. Franz was standing just inside the door, looking every bit like the Emperor he was, dressed in royal finery, even more handsome than usual.

His smile lit up his face when his eyes landed on me. He bowed deeply while I curtseyed, his eyes catching mine as he gently kissed my hand. I took another deep breath as he placed my hand on his arm, and the guests rose to their feet as we began to walk down the aisle.

The noise of the organ seemed deafening to me, and I could feel everyone's eyes on us as we took our place at the front of the Church. I tried desperately to remember all of the etiquette that I had been taught in the past few months. I felt Franz give my hand a reassuring squeeze, as I glanced nervously at him,

"Don't worry, you'll be fine."

I smiled at him, swallowing and looking ahead at the Priest who was speaking.

After that, the actual ceremony seemed to fly by, and before I knew it, I was gazing at Franz, hearing the Priest say his final words.

"If it this union is your wish, then answer with 'yes'" His eyes were on me.

I looked in Franz's blue eyes, and felt all of my nervousness and worry melt away under his gaze.

"Yes."

As Franz and I kissed, I could hear the bells of the Church sounding, along with the applause of the guests who were assembled. But they all seemed muted, insignificant when compared to Franz.

That was, until we broke our kiss and I looked out the window towards the bell tower. Even though I could barely make out the figure swinging from the ropes that rang the bells, the white-blonde hair was unmistakable. It was him.

Der Tod.

I hope everyone is enjoying the story so far! I am back at college now, so I won't be able to update quite as much as I have been, but I will

try my hardest to post a new chapter every week. Please Read and Review!