Chapter 56 – Once Upon A Time- by Elliot Grey

Grace's POV

No one is moving. I am slightly aware that Carrick is rubbing my back gently as Ana and Christian move around the dance floor to their first dance. What a beautiful song and this is such a window inside their most intimate moments. I have got to stop this crying, but as I watch my son dance so gracefully with his wife and whisper in her ear after each meaningful lyric I can barely contain myself. If this isn't the deepest form of love I don't know what is. The dance ends and Christian reaches down and kisses Ana tenderly and they just hold each other. Goodness.

"Well, this is a joy to see and be a part of." I look up to see John Flynn just beaming."Congratulations Grace and Carrick, you have a lovely daughter-in-law and I couldn't be happier for your son." We chat with John and his wife for a few minutes and I am sure John could tell me things that would shock me about Christian as it appears he was never the innocent work alcoholic I thought he was. Carrick thinks that the new knowledge that Christian was with many women is much better as it means he hasn't run off and married his first girlfriend. It just means he finally fell in love with one enough to marry. Oh my, it has worked out so perfectly.

We work our way around the room to greet the guest and see Ana and Christian doing the same. Evelyn, the wedding planner approaches me and asks where Elliot is as it is soon time for the toast and Best Man speech. I look around and I don't see either Kate or Elliot. Well, I am not stupid. For goodness sake, they couldn't wait several more hours?

Everyone makes way to their seats. Christian and Ana didn't want a head table, but chose to sit at a round table next to both parents tables. They are sitting with Elliot, Kate, Ethan and Mia. We are sitting with my parents, brother and family and Ana's parents are sitting with Maggie and Bob, Taylor, Gail and Sawyer. I think this was Christian's way of making Taylor feel like an extension of his family which he is in my opinion.

As we are all being seated, Elliot and Kate come in looking like they have just had a rumble. For goodness sake! I see Kate's mother pull her aside and it looks like she is lecturing her. Christian is laughing as Elliot sits down next to him and they are whispering to each other. Carrick is murmuring. "For god sakes that boy can't keep his dick in his pants for five minutes."

"Shhh, Carrick". I can't believe he just said that with my sister-in-law sitting down next to him. I try to catch Elliot's eye but he won't look over at me. He slams his drink, kisses Kate and walks towards the stage.

"I will ring his neck if he doesn't keep this clean," Carrick whispers in my ear. Fortunately, Elliot came over the other day and gave me his speech, as he wanted to make sure it was okay and I know what to expect. He can act responsibly when he wants to and fortunately he decided that his brother's wedding toast was just such an occasion, thrown in with a few Elliotism's.

Christian's POV

Elliot has just returned making good on his promise to fuck Kate in the boathouse. He came rushing in and I asked him if he felt better.

"Fuck, we didn't even make it up the boathouse steps. Ahhh, that cured the hangover." He raises his eyebrow at me and we start laughing. I am looking forward to my own alone time with Ana. Feels like it has been forever even though it was just yesterday morning and my dick isn't happy about that.

I look over to see Ray staring at us, well it appears he is looking at Ana and he has a smile but behind his eyes there is something else. Is he worried? I guess he probably is feeling a bit down right now. His pride and joy in life is now my wife. I know how close they are and I am reminded frequently that I have just married a daddy's girl. He is protective of her and I understand that. I nod at him and he doesn't appear to see me as he is mesmerized looking at his daughter. I look at her and she is talking to Mia. She looks so beautiful and I smile thinking how we are looking at the same vision but in such different ways. He sees his little girl all grown up and vulnerable and no longer his. I see my wife, my lover and the woman I am proud to have by my side, who is mine forever. I need to make a point of talking to him tonight to reassure him that I will never come between them. Now, I can't say the same about Carla. She is sitting at her table being loud and I can hear her from here tell Gail how she showed Ana how to cook. That is bullshit. Ana learned on her own from self preservation. How do you teach someone to cook when you don't even know how to boil water yourself or live somewhere else? I look over at my parents table and my mom blows me a kiss but glares at Elliot.

"I think mom is giving you the evil eye, don't look over at her. She is pissed." I tell him as I catch my parents shaking their heads. Come on we are grown men, maybe we don't act like it at times, but no one knows they were missing for a few minutes. No harm done. Elliot gets up and walks to the stage.

"Good evening everyone. I am Elliot Grey, and I would like to welcome you to the Grey home for this wonderful occasion, the wedding of my brother, Christian to the vivacious, wonderful and beautiful Anastasia."

"So, I have been in several weddings for my buddies but never been a best man so I needed to do a little internet research about what the best man speech should entail. My research indicated that my speech should only be as long as the groom can last making love on his wedding night. So with that said," Elliot looks at his watch, "I have taken too much of your time already." He heads back towards our table and everyone is laughing hysterically, especially Gramps. He then turns around again towards the stage and looks at me. I lift my gin and tonic at him and mouth, "good one, bro." I have my arm around Ana who is blushing bright red and I am rubbing her back. Elliot heads back to the stage.

"Seriously, well maybe that was serious, I don't know, but I do want to surprise those of you that know me quite well and do something I rarely do, take this moment and this event seriously. As most of you know, I am a pretty laid back dude and the complete opposite in many ways to my little brother. Everyone here knows the public image of that guy over there," he points to me and I look up with my eyes keeping my head down, playing with my drink. I hate being the center of attention. The wait staff is pouring some Bollinger in preparation for the toast.

"So, I know it's not quite bedtime, but I have a fairy tale to read to you."

Once upon a time there was a young prince name Christian that lived and worked in a big castle in the sky called House of Grey." Everyone laughs at the name reversal to fit the story. "So this prince was rarely seen in public and the rumor throughout the land was that he was a rather unfriendly and allusive man although quite generous. He made the land very rich and had a lot of people working for him in his kingdom and they were all quite nervous around him, because they didn't really know him. He worked in his office all day and night for years, making the land richer and even those that worked for him benefitted greatly. He shared his riches and while allusive he gave quite a bit of his hard earnings away and did a lot for the people, although he never admitted he was the one that was doing so. He just didn't want recognition, it wasn't his way.

The only people that Prince Christian ever spent time with were his parents, the beautiful Queen Grace, his father, the stern but fair King Carrick, his sister, the young and chatty Princess Mia and his most trusted advisor from his royal court his grandfather, Theo. He also worshipped his loving grandmother Adelaide and of course no one was more important to him than his very, very handsome and beloved brother, Prince Elliot." He pauses and of course the crowd laughs as Elliot struts back and forth telling his story.

"Ladies from across the land wanted the handsome prince, but he was too busy building his empire. "Oh there is Prince Christian, he is so handsome." Elliot mimics a female voice. "There were some that said the Prince was only interested in ruling the world, until one day he owned it all and he would never marry. He found most women to be boring and didn't have the time that was needed to court them. He told his brother that women were just too much of a distraction. Poor Queen Grace worried every day that her son, now one of the wealthiest princes in the land would be alone forever. But Prince Christian didn't seem to mind. He promised his parents he was happy just a busy man who occasionally found time to soar the skies and sail the waters, but even that was far too rare. The ladies of the land mostly from 87 different villages that he spent time with, well let's just say were not long term investments, a dinner here and there, and whatever else a young handsome bachelor prince might need, I mean want to do when in the company of eligible maidens." The wedding guest all laugh, especially Taylor who knows exactly what Elliot is really saying. Elliot shrugs his shoulders and says he has no idea. He looks over at me and I can't believe he just said 87 villages. That Fucker. But I laugh at our private joke until Ana pinches my leg and I remember she knows about that.

"Life went on for the young bachelor prince. The Town Criers from near and far followed his every move never giving him much privacy. He worked, ran, exercised to be strong like a bull, then worked some more. Life was a routine. But then one day a young lass contacted the House of Grey to seek council with the Prince. He was very unhappy and repeatedly refused any meetings with anyone that wasn't able to bring him more gold. Who was this maiden that dare interrupt his day with trivial questions and request. But at last he agreed to see the Lady Kate, and reluctantly cleared his schedule.

The young maiden arrived and was led to the very top of the castle into the private chambers of the prince where she fell at his feet." Ana starts laughing and puts her face in her hands and looks at me. I reach over and kiss her cheek and smile. "Literally fell at his feet. The prince was aghast. Who is this clumsy creature he thought? But as Queen Grace had raised him to be a gentleman he reached down and helped her up. She looked up at him, quite embarrassed and he was stunned, he was speechless and his heart beat very fast. For what he saw, was the most beautiful maiden in the land and he could barely find words. But at last he spoke. "Lady Kate." The handsome prince reached out to shake her hand. The young beautiful maiden shook his hand and she was quite speechless as well as she gazed into the grey penetrating eyes of the prince and thought, 'Not bad, although I believe Prince Elliot is better.' Everyone laughs again and I shake my head. Cheeky bastard.

'No, I am Lady Ana, daughter of Raymond Steele from a nearby land, and the Lady Carla. Lady Kate has fallen ill and I am here in her place.' Well at this point it didn't matter, the prince was beguiled, he was mesmerized and he knew he would do anything for this lovely woman. The Lady Ana gathered the information on behalf of the Lady Kate and went on her way. The young prince was beside himself. He couldn't get the vision of loveliness out of his mind and he summoned his round table of men.

'You must find out more about this beauty. Is she married, available, where does she live, I need to know everything.' He was relentless. I look behind me at Welch and he is laughing his ass off, as that pretty much was the way it happened. "So his men, the brave Knights, Taylor and Welch went about learning everything they could about the Lady Ana and reported back that she was indeed available. Soon Prince Christian traveled south on his flying horse named Charlie Tango and secretly waited in the land that Lady Ana resided in for over a week under the pretense he had work to do in the village of Portland.…Side note, hundreds of years later, that would be known as stalking, but in these days and times, it was considered, going after what you wanted." Again everyone laughs. Thanks for telling everyone I work with that I was hanging around Portland with my dick in my hands waiting on Ana. Christ Ros will bust my chops for that.

"After several days of waiting for the beautiful Lady Ana to emerge and only getting glimpses of her and reports from the brave knight Taylor, the Prince grew restless and sent the fair maiden a priceless book collection of her favorites…..which on the surface seemed lame to Prince Elliot until he found out she was into that kind of stuff." I smile when Elliot says this because he thought the books were the stupidest way to get a woman he had ever heard of and still teases me about that. "He summoned his handsome, smart and much wiser older brother Prince Elliot as he was in great need of counsel and if anyone knew about the ladies it was Prince Elliot." Elliot takes a drink pulls on his tie a bit to make a point, raises his eyebrows, shrugs and walks around the room like isn't it obvious. Everyone is laughing.

"So, the courageous and brilliant Prince Elliot arrived to the strange land and found his brother Prince Christian hiding in a large hotel in the village of Portland where he had taken over most of the innkeepers rooms. 'Brother, why so forlorn, why are you hiding?' Prince Elliot asks." Elliot does a deep super hero voice and I am laughing out loud at him and see my dad's shoulders moving he is laughing so hard. I can't stop grinning and shaking my head at him. He is such a fucking ham. Ana is laughing pretty hard too.

"Suddenly, the young Prince received a message from the Lady Ana thanking him for the gifts he sent her. As he was all but a stranger he had sent extravagant gifts and she was taken aback by this. The prince jumped up after getting the message and pulled his brother the handsome, strong, wise and brave Prince Elliot to go with him and see for himself what had him so forlorn. Now Prince Elliot had never seen his brother, the powerful and work obsessed Christian in such a state, so he went with him gladly. He had to see with his own eyes what was it that had the calm, cool and collected Prince Christian in such a state." Elliot pauses and walks over to our table with the microphone in hand.

"For you see he loved his younger brother very much and only wished for his happiness. He saw a great man, one that was wise, kind and generous. He saw a young man that had more wealth than he could ever need but no one to share his riches and someone with more drive and conviction than that of fifty men. But he saw a void and an emptiness that sometimes felt like pain and Prince Elliot would do anything to take that away from his beloved brother. He pleaded with him not to work so hard and enjoy life more, but nothing and no one could get through to the handsome lonely prince. Not even his best friend and older brother. They traveled a short distance and Prince Elliot didn't know what was the urgency or what would await them. But what Prince Elliot saw that night he will never forget." Elliot's voice becomes quieter and serious. He stops for a minute and fuck, I can tell he is having a tough time saying what he wants to say. He pauses.

"He saw his brother happy. Really, really happy. He saw his brother smile, carefree and yes very, very much in love. He saw his brother tenderly look into the beautiful eyes of the lovely Lady Ana and he knew at that moment, his brother and been saved from a life of loneliness and there would never be another for Prince Christian." Elliot says softly before raising his voice again and holding up a finger. "The wise and handsome Prince Elliot was right. Within days, Prince Christian brought the Lady Ana to his parent's castle and they wholeheartedly approved. They like Christian fell in love with her beauty, her grace, her intelligence, her smile and her ability to make Prince Christian so happy and enjoy life. Lady Ana soon became revered by the entire Grey dynasty and Prince Elliot was very pleased and happy for his brother. He was even more pleased to discover that the beautiful Lady Ana's dear friend Lady Kate was also quite available and very beautiful." Elliot looks our way and winks at Kate.

"One evening Prince Christian who up until this time proclaimed to not have a romantic bone in his body, had florist bring every species of flower ever made by god delivered to the Kings' private boathouse. He filled it with flowers and twinkling lights and then he brought the Lady Ana to the boathouse on the night of his 28th birthday and on his knees he asked for her hand in marriage. He loved her more than life itself and he told her he wanted her to be his Princess forever. Thankfully, and I mean this with all my heart because we love you so much Ana, she accepted his proposal; and ladies and gentleman, if those two awesome people sitting right theredon't live happily ever, than I don't know if anyone will. There love is a strong, true love and what fairy tales are made of. This is not the end of this fairy tale, this is just the beginning." I look over and Ana has tears coming down her face and I kiss her.

"I love you my fair lady." I whisper to her. I realize I too have a tear. God damn Elliot, who knew he had it in him. He walks over and takes Kate's hand and she stands up.

"Please join Kate and me, by raising your glass in a toast to my brother and my best friend in the world, and his beautiful and wonderful wife, Prince Christian and now our Princess Ana."

Everyone raises their glass and I take Ana's hand and we stand up to meet Elliot. He kisses her on the cheek and picks her up when he hugs her. I hear her thank him, "Thank you Elliot! You are his best friend, I am so happy he has you and he loves you so much."

"No, Ana, thank you for making him so happy." Elliot smiles at her and me.

He puts her down and we shake hands and then I hug my brother and tell him myself. 'I love you ole wise Prince Lelliot."

We have a few dances to get through, the garter and their departure and that will be one chapter- so next chapter is the end of the wedding and then one of the first morning/day in London. That's it! So two more chapters. Hope you liked Elliot's speech. It was tough coming up with something that wasn't too predictable. But I had fun with it. Sorry about the confusion on the Chapter 56 notice. Hopefully it is all straightened out now. Lilly