All for One
Chapter 12
The Wedding
Vicky stood in front of the mirror looking at her reflection. In Just a few hours she would be walking down the aisle to marry Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond, but right now all she could see was plain old Vicky Nelson. "Mom I need some help here." Then added to herself: hair, makeup, plastic surgeon.
"Ok dear we're ready for you now" Marjory said as she opened the door into the dressing area of Coreen's condo. "It's about time" she grumbled as she walked into the other room, the stopped dead at what she saw before her. There on a mannequin was the most beautiful wedding dress she'd ever seen. It was strapless chiffon with an empire waist, and an extra piece of chiffon with tiny diamond-like glitter hung from the center of the bust line. Placed there was an antique brooch of blood red rubies. She reached out to touch the brooch when Coreen stopped her.
"Not yet, we need to get you ready first." Coreen said.
Two hours later Vicky had been manicured, pedicured, waxed, tweezed and made up like never before. Her hair was up in a French twist with tiny bits of baby's breath and pearls weaved within it. She was wearing new and barely there panties and a lacy strapless bra. And a lacy blue garter high on her leg.
"Now we can do the dress" Marjory said and helped Vicky put it on. There we lots of tiny pearl buttons doing up the back. "This ought to slow Henry down a bit" Marjory laughed. "Don't count on it." Katherine and Coreen said together. And for once in her life Vicky blushed.
When the limo headed out of town Vicky asked them where they were going. "Henry made us promise not to tell you" Katherine told her. "He planned everything and made us swear to secrecy. He knew exactly what he wanted. The only thing we did was pick out the dress."
After awhile they pulled onto a long gravel road that led to an old, tiny white chapel. It was covered in vines and was in definite need of painting but there was a real old world charm to it that she loved immediately. It was surrounded by a large grove of trees and the moonlight shining on the patches of snow made it seem like a fairy tale.
Once inside she was ushered to a small anti-room to wait. Miles followed her in and shut the door. "If you don't mind lass I'd like to give you my blessings now" and he reached out and touched he wrists. "Looks can be deceiving, always trust your heart, not your eyes." Then he said something so quiet and in a language she didn't understand that it made he look at his hands. Her scars were gone. "Where…..How…." she started to stammer.
"They're still there Lass, no magic of mine can change that, but at least now there's no need to look at them. Tis' my wedding gift to you." Vicky leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you" was all that could get past the lump in here throat.
"We're ready" Katherine said as she entered the room and handed Vicky a bouquet of six long-stemmed white roses, with one perfect blood red rose in the center to match the brooch, all tied together with silk ribbon. "Now let's see, something old: the brooch. Something new: the dress. Something borrowed: the teardrop earrings of mine and something blue: the garter. Ok that's everything."
"And just who's giving the bride away?" Miles asked.
"I am" and Mike strode into the room. He looked extremely handsome in his tux. Now get out there so we can get this thing started." And he nudged Miles and Katherine out of the room.
"Aren't you supposed to be the best man?" Vicky asked as Mike walked over to her and held out his arm.
"Yes I am. Life's a bitch isn't it?" then he gave her a big grin. "Seriously, is there any one more entitled to give you away to Fitzroy than me?" they both new there was one person but he was no longer in Vicky's life.
"Mike the things between us in the past…" she started but Mike stopped her.
"Are in the past. There is a part of me that will always love you Vick, but I love Katherine now and you love Fang Face. I'll always be there for you, you know that, but we both deserve to be happy. Now come on and lets get in there before we end up with a really pissed off vampire."
The room was lit entirely by candlelight, but the only thing Vicky saw was Henry. He was dressed all in black except for a blood red rose in his lapel. And all Henry saw was Vicky and she walked, no floated down the aisle towards him. He didn't even care that she was on the arm of Celluci, because he knew she was looking at him alone.
Doctor Sagara, Doctor Mohadavahn, and Miles sat on one side of the aisle. Gerald, Marjory and a teary eyed Coreen were on the other. Katherine was matron of honor and was up front with Henry. Henry had ordered roses for the altar and classical music played softly in the background. As Vicky reached the altar the music stopped. Mike kissed her on the cheek and whispered "Be Happy" then placed her hand in Henry's, then he took his place at the side.
The priest was an old and trusted friend of Henry's. The ceremony was short and traditional. They repeated their vows (omitting the word obey for cherish) then exchanged rings. Simple gold bands engraved with the date and their initials intertwined inside.
When Henry leaned over and kissed her at the end you could have heard a pin drop. Everyone in the room could feel the love in that kiss.
After the ceremony they were all to meet at Gerald and Coreen's for champagne and a late dinner. But after Vicky and Henry got into the limo it started to head in a different direction than the others. Before Vicky could ask where they were going, Henry took her hands in his and asked about the missing scars. Vicky explained about Miles and his gift.
"I don't like it Vicky, Leprechauns don't have that kind of power, there is something he's not telling us."
"But you said he was a Leprechaun remember?"
"He is, but he could be a mixed blood, I just know that we need to watch our backs till this whole mess with Jean Paul is taken care of. I don't think there is evil associated with Miles, but there is definitely something we don't know about. And I think we need to watch our backs."
"Where are we going? We're going in the wrong direction to head home aren't we?" Vicky asked curiously.
"We may have to postpone the honeymoon to go to the States tomorrow, but we're NOT postponing the wedding night." And he kissed her deeply as they drove off in the night.
