Chapter Twenty-Five.
Despite the fact it was the middle of November, the following day was rather pleasant. A little cold perhaps, but the sun was shining.
Bianca found me later on, still sitting on the bench in my nightgown. She told me that she'd initially thought I escaped in the middle of the night to find Jack, but once she saw my expression, she knew something was up.
And in true Bea fashion… she wouldn't stop pestering me until I told her everything.
It took almost an hour to talk it through with her. Just saying it out loud made it all feel more real.
Everything that had happened to be me had been for a reason. Everything I had previously thought to be true; had been luck…was all manipulations.
I'd sobbed on Bianca's shoulder as I thought about James. I thought I'd fallen in love with him freely. That, despite everything I had suffered, I'd had the slightest amount of control over that one detail. It had all been planned. I was simply a pawn in someone else's game.
I realised of course that this was silly.
Of all the things the faerie had told me, that was not the part to dwell on.
Bea told me that I should be focusing on the fact that my actions had saved thousands of people, even if I hadn't known it at the time. I might have done very little, other than being moved into place, but I'd still endured that pain and suffering; that was the price paid for those men's lives.
It felt more like reality than it ever had, but it still didn't feel like it was all possible. Part of me knew deep down that it was true; even though it sounded utterly insane to speak.
Bianca herself, was a little disturbed when I told her everything.
How everything had been because Nerissa had stolen power. And how everything was only avoided because she succeeded in overthrowing her. At first, it only served to make her feel more guilty for running away. She argued that if she had only stayed and challenged her stepmother then, or had thought of a way to expose the truth, then none of this would have happened. I would never have been a part of any of it. Jack wouldn't have been cursed, and my family would never have been cursed either. I would have happily married Jack; never any the wiser.
But I shook my head at that.
While it was true that I would have married Jack…I couldn't bring myself to regret my time with James. Despite what had happened, and the fact that none of it was my own free will; I still loved him, and wouldn't have traded those few months I had for anything in the world.
Those few months made me who I was that day. It was painful, and sorrowful. But I had known true happiness as well.
'Urgh, am I going to have to put up with these romantic speeches all the time in the future?' She complained.
'Not the entire time. But there will be a few, yes.' I told her.
Once Gwen had woken (Clara, as predictable as ever; slept until well into the morning…), there was no avoiding re-entering the cottage. Both Bea and I decided it was probably best not to tell the others. At least not yet. Not until we could both wrap our own heads around it. All my siblings had appeared to have moved on, they didn't stay up late at night questioning why we were all put through so much suffering. I needed answers…I wasn't so sure they did.
At some point, I imagined the truth would come out. If they asked me, I wasn't going to lie to them. There had already been enough deception without me adding to the list. However, Gwen was only ten years old. The concept of a war, and the violence that might have occurred, I feared would still be a little beyond her.
And, as much as I hated to admit it, I was scared too.
The faerie had promised me that I would never see his kind again. But what if something changed? What if another Nerissa took power, and something like this happened again? We might have been preventing thousands of deaths, but I still was not overly fond of the idea that there was someone out there completely able to manipulate me and the lives of my family. I didn't want to worry them for no reason.
Alexander, in particular, seemed not to notice much outside Scarlett. It was really quite sweet, but he no longer seemed interested in going over the events of the past year. None of my siblings really talked about the curse. It was a few months of their lives that they got through, and had no desire to visit again.
I supposed the only reason I wanted answers was because of what I had lost in James. And Bianca wanted to know about Nerissa.
Even though Scarlett would also be interested in knowing about Nerissa, we both guessed that if she knew what her daughter would become, then that would maybe not be the best idea in the world.
As much as Bianca had turned out to be an amazing Duchess, she'd known that was her destiny from the moment she had been born. The pressure to live a certain life, the lessons and judgments that would be made on her niece… Bea didn't want to force that on the poor child. Nearly every waking moment, Bea claimed she had to spend with a governess or tutor, regardless of the fact that she had probably learned more about the people she would be governing in the several years she spent as an outlaw, not in lessons.
And while girls like Gwen begged for the chance to go to school and be educated, Bea's upbringing seemed a little extreme. None of it was learning because she was interested; it was what she had to know to survive the court. She thought our niece would be far better suited learning about her fate later in life, and giving her the chance to enjoy her childhood while she could.
Bea eventually left later on the in morning to talk with Christopher and Weston. She had much to learn from Christopher, and as Lord Weston was officially one of her landowners, there were many things they had to sort out.
Whereas, I found myself almost falling down the path to Jack's house. I'd finally pulled myself around enough to get dressed, but everything the Faerie had said was still playing over and over again in my mind.
The horrid war, those men lying dead, the smoke that filled the air with the scent of death.
We had stopped that. Me and James.
And Jack had suffered for it. He'd been cursed and forgotten about because of me and what I had to do.
So when I saw him open the door after several minutes of incessant knocking, I practically jumped into his arms.
'Hello?' He whispered.
I simply clung to him tightly.
'Are you alright?' He asked, trying to pull back a little. But I wouldn't let him.
'No. I don't think I am.' I told him honestly.
'What happened?'
'Just a nightmare.' I told him. It might as well have been a nightmare. I might have preferred it that way, so I wouldn't have felt so cold this morning.
'A nightmare about what?' He asked softly.
I froze, unsure of what to tell him.
How did you explain to your betrothed that even though you adored him with all your heart, it turned out you were the reason he was locked away and forgotten about for nearly two years? That he'd only suffered because I'd been about to marry the wrong man. And that the Faerie that he hated with all his might was actually trying to prevent the slaughter of thousands of people.
'Nothing.' I ended up telling him. 'It just scared me, that's all.'
His arms tightened around me.
'It's alright. You're safe. It was just a dream.'
I snuggled my head into his neck.
How many times was I going to make him console me after a nightmare, or a long night? Poor Jack had only been free a few days, and I'd already made him deal with my 'Nightmares' twice.
'I know. I just needed to see you.' I told him.
'I'll always be right here. Or at least, for another six days. Then I'll be with you.' He said.
Six days.
That was how long until our wedding.
Closer that it had been before the curse. Even if neither of us said it out loud. After last time, we didn't want to bring any bad luck down on us.
Despite that, I knew I had no reason to worry.
The fae could see the future. And the faerie had said my days would be bright. That was as good as promise as I was likely to get.
It would be fine. It would all be alright.
I just had to keep reminding myself of that.
The faerie had shaken me more than I cared to admit.
Part of me was still questioning what was real. Had Jack only found me because he had been pointed on the right path? Was I in that glade by design?
What about Isabelle and Adam? Were they also manipulated? The faerie had gone as far as to curse Adam, but had he also made provision for Isabelle to find the castle? Had they also been tricked?
No.
Tricked was the wrong word for it.
They had put me in the right place at the right time, that much was certain. But tricked? All my feelings had been my own. Everything I felt was because that was truly felt, not because of what they said. That part had been me and me alone.
Maybe Isabelle and Adam were the same. They wouldn't have fallen in love any other way, despite the fact that they were destined to be true loves. Everything needed to be in the right situation for them to realise.
The faerie was right about one thing, if I'd known Jack was out there, I never would have looked twice at James. I was simply just not that sort of person. If they truly needed me to marry James, they did have to take drastic measures to separate Jack and myself.
'I know it was a dream.' I told him. 'It will be alright. It will.'
Jack nodded against my shoulder.
'Would a cup of tea help?' He asked.
At that, I did pull back.
'It always helps.'
He smiled.
'Be warned. My mother wants to know every detail of the planning. Prepare to be ambushed.' He whispered.
'I'm sure I'll manage.' I replied, as we entered the house.
The rest of the day disappeared in a blur after that. Once I'd had breakfast with Jack, his mother, and Daniel (who was staying with them), it was straight back to the house, to a very impatient Clara. She practically dragged us to the dress shop.
Amelia and Madam Cartwright were not surprised to see us though. I think Amelia would have guessed that Jack and I would be announcing our revived engagement. I hadn't seen her though, since the castle on the day the curse broke.
She was clearly very eager to find out what had happened, but Madam Cartwright insisted that she should be working. However, there was no rule against talking while measuring and sewing.
It seemed like a good idea at first…
Until Clara and Amelia were properly introduced. They'd never met before.
And for good reason.
My sister was rather talkative, even at the worst of times. At her best, she could go for entire speeches without pausing for breath. And Amelia…was Amelia. In the two short years I had worked with her in the dress shop, I think I managed to get one hour of silence in total.
So the two of them together…was an experience.
I don't think I actually told Amelia even one phrase of my story. I could hardly get a word in. Clara embellished in great romantic detail, as she always did. I don't think I'd ever been in a conversation with so many words in such a short space of time.
Bea jaw dropped at one point, unable to fathom how two people could make so much noise.
She was so stunned in fact, that Amelia managed to fit her for a dress.
Bea did not wear dresses.
She wore one of the day of her ascension to Duchess, and not since, if she could help it. She did wear one to Scarlett and Alexander's wedding, but that was because we didn't want to attract attention to her. If she'd been sat in trousers, it would have stood out more, risking herself. I honestly had thought that she would be wearing trousers to my wedding.
But somehow, she was either too stunned, or Clara somehow convinced her to wear a dress. She even chose fabric and a colour for it.
At that point, even I was too stunned to say anything.
She did choose a subtle burgundy velvet. Nothing too fancy. If anyone didn't know, they never would guess that she was a Duchess.
Unlike Ella.
Ella now seemed to have the grace and confidence that came with her rank. And she certainly had the clothes to match.
It was something Clara was very jealous of. She loved Ella's clothes. Which was why she spent an agonisingly long amount of time trying to pick the fabric and style. She wanted to dress like the highborn she wanted to be. She eventually settled on a lavender flowing dress. One that flared out whenever she spun around. She took so long to choose, that Gwen managed to get fitted and select her colour before Clara had reached a decision.
Gwen picked a pretty shade of pink for her dress. It wasn't quite as flowing as Clara's was going to be, but it was close. With some ribbons in her hair, she would look like a little princess.
Clara reminded us several times that we simply had to invite Robert, the soldier she'd taken a liking to. I knew someone wanted to dance the night away…
As long as Clara took over choosing her dress, it surprisingly wasn't the longest it took to get measured.
Because after my sisters, was Scarlett.
It should have been a straightforward fitting. However, the fact remained that Scarlett's dresses were getting tighter and tighter.
She'd only just begun to show. It was hardly noticeable to anyone who didn't already know. But it was almost impossible to judge if she'd grow any larger over the course of a week.
Everyone seemed to have different opinions. It almost escalated into a fight.
But in the end, Scarlett decided that a less restricting gown was probably in order. The waistline was lifted an inch or two, and the fastening would not be as tight as usual. Scar chose a green gown, which matched her hair very nicely.
Which only left one person.
Me.
The bride.
It felt so strange to be thinking about my wedding dress.
All the way through my first betrothal, it had already been decided for me. The one single ball gown I owned.
My lovely emerald green gown. I still had it. Hanging somewhere in the wardrobe at the Palace. The dress I was meant to marry Jack in.
But now, after everything that happened, I just couldn't wear it.
That dress was now my wedding dress…to James.
It had been creased and crinkled, and hadn't fit very well, but it had still been my wedding dress.
And simply the thought of wearing it to marry someone who wasn't James…I couldn't bear it.
The day was going to be emotional enough, without all the memories of my first marriage resurfacing.
The girl who had worn that dress to her wedding was not the same woman I was now.
And it somehow felt almost disrespectful to James to wear it again. That was our day. It was a mad, rushed, insane and unbelievable day; but it was still ours.
Jack and I deserved to make our own memories. Just as good, but separate.
So when Amelia began to fit me for a dress, I took great pleasure in describing the wedding dress I wanted. At least now, I could afford it. Or at least, Bianca could afford it, and I completely abused that privilege.
Amelia grinned when she noted the exact colour of fabric I chose. I knew she would understand. She, after all, was the only other person in the room when that moment occurred. Clara was too busy talking to notice, and Bea had better things to think about than the colour of my dress.
The fittings took all morning, but once we were done, it was straight onto the next task.
Bea disappeared up to the castle to go over more things with Christopher, whilst I went to ask Isabelle a rather large favour.
Before my brothers and sisters had left for Milton the day before, Alexander had written a letter to the headmaster of Ashburne school and one to our brothers, telling them of the upcoming wedding. Scar had found out from Bianca and their birds. My brothers were to take a few days off school to come to my wedding.
But we currently had nowhere for them to stay.
I was hoping to ask Isabelle if she would help me ask Weston if we could use some more spare rooms. He did after all, have more than enough space.
However, Isabelle would have none of it.
'No! They can't stay there! It far too far away from you all!' She cried, grinning.
I simply sat in her house, rather confused.
This was not how I imagined this conversation going.
'I'm sorry to ask Isabelle, but I don't know where else they can stay.' I told her, completely bewildered by the happy look on her face.
'Let me think.' She said, with a tone that implied she was not thinking of this, right this second. She already had a solution. 'Why don't they stay here?'
'Here?'
'Yes, here.' She told me. 'In this house. That's normally what here means.'
'Isabelle, that's very kind of you. But your father needs tending to, and hosting three young boys…I couldn't put that strain on you.' I said.
'No, it would be fine. And I wouldn't need to host.' She smiled.
'What?'
'I was thinking, that my father would be far more comfortable in different surroundings…richer surroundings, don't you think?' She said. 'This cottage isn't exactly the height of comfort. Especially if you aren't feeling well.'
I was utterly confused.
But suddenly, I understood it.
Of course.
She was using that as an excuse.
'So, you want to take your father somewhere nicer to recover. A certain Castle perhaps?' I asked. 'And of course he'd need his daughter to go with him.'
Isabelle sighed.
'I know. I know how it sounds. It sounds like I've lost my mind, and will do anything to be near Adam.' She said.
'It does rather.'
'But…I miss it. The castle. I don't bump into Adam in the middle of the night when I'm fetching water. We don't stay up late telling each other stories. We don't all have meals together like we did. And I know it sounds stupid, because he is only a short walk away, but I truly do miss him when I'm here.'
Her shoulder's slumped.
'It does sound mad, but I understand.' I told her. 'It wasn't exactly the same, but when my curse broke, with James…I faced the choice of going home or staying with him. And I couldn't bear to leave him. We were lucky though, because we were already married. So I understand the urge to be back in the castle.'
'Yes! But, don't you see! If your brothers are using my house to stay in, and my father would benefit from soft mattresses and feather pillows, then I could justifiably stay at the castle. You could use whatever you like in here, I wouldn't mind. You'd be helping me, Marion. Please?'
I grinned at her.
'As long as my brothers have somewhere to stay, I don't mind how it gets done.' I said.
Isabelle beamed.
'Thank you!' She cried, wrapping her arms around me. 'I know it's no castle, but there's two bedrooms and enough blankets. And if you need anything else, I'm sure I can send it from the castle.'
'Does Adam know you're planning on staying?'
'I'm sure I'll talk him round to it. And besides, he's got a lot of apologising to my father to make up for.' She said confidently.
'Not to put any pressure on you, but my brothers are due to arrive tomorrow.' I told her.
Isabelle practically flew to her feet.
'No time to waste then! Are you coming with me to the castle?' She asked.
'If that's alright? Jack should be up there.'
'Why is Jack up there?'
'He was going to ask Adam for something.'
'What?'
I glanced out of the window.
'We haven't exactly chosen the most…perfect time of year for a wedding. November can be rather cold on nights.' I explained. 'So, we need somewhere inside to host everyone. And there aren't that many place in the village that can hold so many people. I can't think of anywhere.'
Isabelle raised her eyebrows.
'And you thought Jack could handle that? All you had to do was ask me.'
'You seem awfully confident of your power over Adam.'
'So I should be. You should be too, with Jack. I heard you managed to convince him to move into a Palace!'
That was true. It would be an enormous adjustment for him, to go from servant to master. And not one that would be a comfortable transition.
'And,' Isabelle continued, 'It works both ways. I know if he asked me to do anything like that, I would agree just as easily.'
'Yes, but you don't have a castle to lend out.'
'Not yet I don't.' Isabelle teased. I knew it was in jest, but some small part of me knew that it would be true before long. No, not even a small part of me. All of me. There was something about the way that Isabelle spoke of her relationship with Adam, that left us all in no doubt of what exactly would be happening in the near future.
So, as Isabelle and myself made out way up to the Castle, my mind began to wander.
If circumstances had been different, then the Palace would have been an ideal place to host a wedding in November. But I was already making Jack move there; having him get married in a place that he hadn't spent his any of his life in, seemed a little cruel. We'd planned to get married here in Milton before. And as long as I married him, I didn't really care. We could be married in a field, and I wouldn't mind. But Milton meant Home for Jack, just as the Palace was home for me.
Jack and I had been apart for so long. My heart almost hurt with how much he must have gone through. I knew I had no right to grieve for the time we had lost, seeing as though I was ignorant for the entire time. But part of me did now. I knew what I had done to him, and that made my heart heavy.
Two years in that castle. Isabelle might have been there, but she had been free to leave if she had wanted to. Jack had been trapped. No escape, and knowing all the time that I was out there somewhere, living my own life and forgetting all about him. And now I knew that all the while, it had partially been my fault, to avert the war.
There was no way I could possibly repay him for what he had done for me. And I knew that Jack would not think of it as a debt, but I in some small way…did.
Jack loved me. Just as strongly as I loved him. He was fiercely loyal and kind, and would do anything for me. I needed to show that to him.
The resolve settled in me as the castle came into sight.
I had an entire lifetime with Jack to prove that to him.
And by the stars, I was going to.
I had no idea where the next few days went by.
I never seemed to stop. Every moment was filled with some form of organising or tasks to be accomplished.
But I supposed we had rather brought this upon ourselves, trying to plan a wedding in a week.
Despite the fact that my first wedding had been planned in a few hours, this still took up all my time. But, in my other one, all that had been organised was the priest and the church. I'd brought my own dress, and Gwen had picked some forest flowers for me. We hadn't had a reception to celebrate afterwards, or anyone other than family in attendance.
For this, we possibly had the Prince and Princess arriving.
It was my own fault. I'd felt guilty that Rose had invited me to her wedding, and even though I hadn't gone, I still felt obliged to repay the favour. I knew their lives were very busy, but I'd gotten to know Philip rather well whilst at the war camp. They hadn't sent word to say they would be attending, however, they also hadn't said they wouldn't be.
It was quite a different affair to my wedding to James.
At that one, we'd only had my newly humanised brothers and sisters.
At this one, there would be two Duchesses, a Duke, three Lords, several ladies and knights, as well as most of the population of Milton, and possibly members of the Royal Family.
We'd had a week to plan this.
And yet, I couldn't bring myself to regret it.
Because the day had finally come. In only a few hours…We would be married.
After nearly two years of delay, I would finally be able to call Jack my husband.
I'd tried to get what sleep I could, but was woken well before dawn, by my sister almost dragging me out of bed. There was a unanimous agreement, that Clara might be more excited about the wedding herself, than everyone else combined.
Yes, I was excited for the wedding. But I was more excited about spending the rest of my life with Jack.
Whereas, Clara had spent just as much time as both me and Jack, in planning for it. Whilst Jack and I had been visiting friends to invite them, or writing letters, she'd been organising the flower arrangements, the decorations at the church and castle, the food and drink, the musicians, and any other small detail that needed to be sorted.
I knew I should have played a more active role in organising, but she seemed quite happy to take charge. I only had a few small requests, which, to her credit, she did manage to sort out.
My sisters and I had gone for our final fitting with Amelia yesterday. I'd offered to give Amelia some money for her own dress, but she claimed she didn't want it. Apparently, she still had her dress that she was going to wear two years ago, that she hadn't had a chance to wear yet.
Madam Cartwright, on the other hand, was more than happy to take Bianca's money from her. She did run a business after all.
So, we returned to the cottage with our new dresses. And I was told I was under strict orders not to see Jack until the church the next day.
At least I didn't have the Fae to worry about. No more surprise visits in the middle of the night.
Just a surprise waking up from Clara.
She insisted that we didn't have much time. Six hours didn't count as much time. I thought she was being ridiculous.
However, it took at least an hour to brush through and style Gwen's curls. The flowers just did not want to stay in place. Luckily, Scarlett arrived once the sun had risen, and she had a gift with being able to control Gwen's hair.
'Nervous?' Bea asked me, as I tried to lace her into her dress.
'Actually,' I said, 'No.'
'Oh, don't start. If you're going to get all 'lovey dovey' on me, you can be quiet right now.' She complained.
'More excited than nervous.' I said.
'I was talking more about the whole being the centre of attention in front of the whole town and all those people you've invited.'
'Are you still bitter about Antony?'
'No! Why would you think of such a thing?' Bea cried.
I'd invited Antony to the wedding. It only seemed fair. Christopher and Philip had both been invited, and Antony had been a good friend to me at the War camp. However, this would be the first time Antony and Bianca would see each other, since their…ending of…whatever they had. Bianca had raised some objections when I told her the letter had been sent.
'Are you?' I asked.
'No, just don't ask me to talk to him.'
'Even if I did, you wouldn't.
'Very true.'
I pulled her laces suddenly very tight, making Bea gasp in air.
'It's my wedding day, you don't have to talk to him, but I ask that you are civil if he finds you.'
Bea had no response to that. It was my wedding day, the one and only day I was allowed to control everything. Even if I had delegated a large portion of the responsibility to Clara.
She grumbled something in response that I couldn't quite hear. She knew that today, she was not winning any argument.
I released her, and she immediately wanted her revenge on me by fastening me into my wedding dress.
'Arry?' Gwen asked, staring at the dress I pulled out of the wardrobe, 'Why is your dress that colour?'
Clara, Scar, and Bea all turned to face me.
'Because I wanted it to be.' I told them all bluntly.
'But, Ella had a white wedding dress. And you and Scarlett both had green wedding dresses. So why are you wearing blue now?' She asked.
I draped my dress over the nearby chair.
'It's not just blue.' I told them honestly, 'It's a sort of joke.'
'A Joke?' Clara cried. 'Your wedding cannot be a joke.'
'No, not like that. Jack will understand.' I told them.
'Why is it only Jack who gets to understand?' Bea demanded.
That made me pause.
It had just felt right, choosing that colour. There was no point in me wearing a white dress. I wasn't exactly….as pure as white dresses were meant to represent. This was my second wedding after all. So, I had chosen a colour that meant something to both Jack and myself.
'It's called 'Forget-me-not blue'. They were the last flowers Jack gave me before the curse hit.' I told them. 'I thought it was rather funny, given the circumstances.'
They all froze.
Nothing.
Until, surprisingly, it was Gwen who burst out laughing.
'You are wearing a forget-me-not dress, to get married to someone you forgot for a long time?' She asked.
'Yes.' I told her honestly.
Clara's jaw dropped.
But Bea just burst out laughing.
'I also think that I look rather fine in this colour.' I told them.
'Well, there's no time to change it now. Get it on!' Clara snapped at me, whilst trying to move some pots off the table so the flowers could go there.
I grinned as I disappeared into the bedroom to change out of my nightgown. I quickly removed it and pulled the silk dress on for warmth. Early November mornings were not exactly the warmest time.
Bea took great pride in her revenge in tightening the laces, before I sat at the small dressing table and let Scarlett loosen the ribbons that had been tied in my hair overnight. Soft ringlets fell, which faded into curls, once Scar brushed them out a little. Clara took it upon herself to try and use what little rouge and powders Ella had lent us. It took her several attempts on Gwen first to get it right.
But once everything was finally sorted, the anticipation began to curl inside my stomach.
I was getting married.
After all this time, I was finally getting married to Jack.
No more curses, no more separation. We would live together, wake up together, share the day together.
Today was not a day of melancholy that it had been delayed. Now that I knew why, it only made today all the sweeter.
We had managed it. Despite Fae plots and schemes, we had still made it to our wedding day. As well as saving a few thousand men from death along the way. There were several reasons to celebrate.
But that didn't stop the nerves.
The anticipation grew too much; I couldn't eat. Clara thought it was romantic, and Bea thought it was a waste of a perfectly good breakfast, that she hadn't made. Luckily, her sister was a much better cook than Bea, and everyone else enjoyed the meal.
I spent a fair amount of time trying to calm myself down. I hadn't been this nervous for my first wedding. But, then again, there hadn't really been enough time to get this nervous.
This time, there was.
Despite the nerves growing within me, the time still seemed to pass quickly.
Far too quickly.
Because, before I knew it, I was walking out of the cottage, a small bunch of flowers in my hand and a lace veil thrown back over my hair.
It was only a short walk from the cottage to the Church, but I noted every step. The streets were nearly deserted. I hadn't expected so many people to attend, but I guessed the rumour about the Prince and Princess possibly coming to visit had rather aided that aspect.
Who could possibly refuse the chance to meet royalty?
As I walked, I did begin to wonder….
How did Lowborn me, end up exactly like this? I'd been born the eldest daughter of a Farm labourer, I'd never had money, or titles, or any sort of status. And somehow, by manipulations and possibly luck; I was a lady, with a Duchess for a sister-in-Law and closest friend, with two knighted brothers, and a niece that was going to become our future Duchess, and Royalty attending my wedding.
I would never claim to know why I was chosen for any of this. Any small part of this grand adventure. Any girl could have wandered into Bianca's path on the road, with better connections than me; helping in her war against her stepmother. But somehow, it had been me.
The Church loomed before us, and the distinct hum of conversation seemed to buzz from within.
This was it. The moment that I had planned for nearly two years ago, it was finally here.
The start of my new life with Jack. No curses, or silence, or misery. Simply, a normal life.
Or as normal a life that I was able to have.
But a life with Jack at my side. Not just him though.
For much of the past year, I'd felt so sorry for myself. After James' death, part of me thought that I was going to spend the rest of my life alone, with no one to share it with.
Little did I realise how I was never going to be alone.
My family had been there with me, every single step of the way. James had not been my entire life, despite how much I grieved for him.
I had wonderful sisters, and amazing brothers who had stood by my through everything I had gone through. This day had all been put together due to Clara's hard work. Gwen had kept me in the real world. My three younger brothers had always tried their best to distract me; Robbie with his games, Tom with his conversation and Richard with his knowledge and books. Daniel had always been there to put a smile on my face, and Alexander had talked about Scarlett until my ears wanted to bleed.
But they had all stood by me, in their own way. I don't quite know why I'd been so focused on being alone if I didn't have a husband, when that would never have been the case. I suppose that what you get when you have seven siblings.
And now that family was growing ever larger. First with the addition of Scarlett and Bea, who had turned out to be some of the best people I have ever had the privilege to know. Then, with the new baby, and now finally, with Jack.
May it grow ever larger.
It wasn't just my family I had with me today either. I'd had so many friend along the way, every one of them changing me somehow.
I was quite a different person from the young girl that wandered up the path to the manor house all those years ago. Nearly eight years of growing up and life does that to you.
But, it all lead me here.
To now.
And, for one of the first time in my life, I could almost finally admit that I was content.
I'd been happy for brief days before this. Of course I had. But there always seemed to be another event or something; that altered everything. I seemed to always be waiting for something to go wrong.
Not today.
Today was for celebrating.
And celebrate we would.
All of us stopped outside the front of the church, while I let loose a long held breath.
Scarlett and Bea said a brief good luck, before disappearing inside the church. Scarlett gave Alexander a quick peck on the cheek, before she ran through the door. All my brothers were inside, apart from Alexander. He was going to walk me down the aisle. Just as he had the last time. Only this time, he genuinely approved.
'Nervous?' He asked.
'Excited, and worried about tripping over my own feet. So, nothing new there.' I told him, ignoring the growing butterflies in my stomach.
'At least this time you can speak.' He tried to joke.
'No!' Clara shouted. 'No jokes of any sort today. I've spent far too long planning for everything to not run smoothly due to messing around.'
I caught the corner of Gwen's eye, which left me in no doubt that she was going to do everything in her power to irritate Clara today. What sister wouldn't?
We quickly lined up, aware that time was marching past us.
Alexander coughed.
'Without wishing to sound rude,' He whispered, 'But are you planning on wearing your emerald?'
My hand instantly went to my neck, where James' emerald did indeed hang. I simply put it on as a matter of habit, as I did every morning.
It was still there, just like the day he had placed it around my neck.
And, as much as it pained me…I knew it was time to take it off.
I loved James. And some part of me always would. He wasn't my first love, but I had thought of him that way. Those few months we had would forever be a part of me.
But, this is what he wanted.
He'd said himself, he had wanted me to be happy. Just as I would have wanted him to be happy if I'd been the one to go.
What time we'd had had been so special, and so incredible. But that time was over.
I could finally accept that.
Slowly, I passed my flowers to my brother, as my hands reached round to the clasp at the back of my neck.
Unclipping, I felt the emerald sink past my collarbone, and then finally leave my skin.
It was time to let him go. I could let go of his sense of humour, his smirk, the way his eyes used to shine just the same shade as this emerald.
And that was alright. I had a new chapter of my life to begin.
James would have agreed with me. I just knew he would have. He was too good not to.
I handed my necklace to Alexander.
'Can you put that in your pocket?' I asked. 'I want that back.'
He nodded, and securely tucked it inside his left pocket, handing me my flowers back.
'He would want this for you.' My brother told me.
I could only nod.
'Just as I would want for him.' I whispered in response.
Alexander smiled and held out his arm to me.
'For the last time, Lady Thorne.' He said.
'Ready?' Clara asked, standing as straight as she possibly could, proudly bearing herself like a lady.
I sighed deeply.
'Yes, I am.' I said, looping my arm through my brother's.
I was ready.
I was ready for this wedding, for what came after, for the life ahead.
After curses and magic; death, manipulations and coincidences; I was ready for anything.
And I was ready for love.
Jack was it for me. This shy, sweet, handsome boy I had met all those years ago, would finally live alongside me.
And part of me knew, that this truly was the end of one large chapter of my life. It would be different after this.
But it was also the start of something just as good.
The doors to the church opened before us, and we took our first step inside.
Towards my new life.
Not just an end, but a beginning.
A grand adventure still to come.
Not an adventure in stories, or legends, or any of that.
Just a normal story in a normal life.
And that was enough for me.
It was more than enough.
Simple things are vastly underrated. There truly is such beauty in normal things. It simply took me far too long to see that.
But now I do.
I truly do.
For, I was finally happy, and exactly where I wanted to be.
A heroine no more.
Just me, Marion.
And my incredible story.