Chapter 17: Wedding Jitters
It wasn't until about two weeks after their trip to the Mystic Valley that Van, Hitomi and Allen arrived at the Zenadian palace. Merle, of course, was excited to see her beloved Lord Van again. Millerna didn't show it but made it somewhat obvious of her feelings towards Allen. Everything seemed to be in complete order again.
"You're getting married? But I thought you…"
"Yea, I know Mel. But it was bound to happen one day and I guess my parents would prefer now than later."
"Is Dryden okay with this?" Iris nodded and took another sip of her tea. The two friends were alone on Iris's private balcony. Iris sat at the small round table while Melody sat of the railing of the balcony. "And you're sure you're okay with this." Melody couldn't believe that Iris, one of her most stubborn friends, was letting their parents do that.
"Yes Mel I am. Any ways, we have more in common than I use to think. Remember when I ran away a week ago?" Melody nodded and remembered her talk with Iris after she returned. "Well I thought a lot about the situation and I realized I didn't want to go into this marriage because my parents arranged it." She took another sip of her tea and set it back down. "Any ways, who knows, maybe it won't be that bad."
"My lady." Iris and Melody turned their attention to the maid standing at the door. She bowed her head and continued, "His and Her highness request that you and the Lady Melody wash up and prepare for the rehearsal." Iris raised an eyebrow.
"Rehearsal? For what?" Iris asked.
"The wedding."
Iris and Melody arrived at the large, gothic-style cathedral in only just a few minutes. The two teens looked in awe as they entered through the large wooden doors. Rows of pews sat parallel to the long, red carpeted aisle leading to the alter. The beige stonewalls stretched high up and were decorated with elegant, stain glass windows depicting numerous events in both Zenadian and Gaean history. As their eyes strayed from the walls to the ceiling, they were in for a shock.
"Iris, there's no roof…" Melody stated, wondering if she was just seeing things or hallucinating.
"Well there is but we've just took it down and put it into storage." Both girls brought their attention from the clear blue sky to the woman wearing a long, red, crush velvet dress.
"Took it down?" Iris asked, looking back up at the sky.
"Yes darling." The woman replied.
"Well, where do you store it then mum?"
"There's a special shed around back where the parts of the roof are stored. However that's not really important." Rita, Iris's mother, explain.
"Wow…"was all that Melody could utter. She was lost for words.
"Now, come, we have to go over the ceremony." Rita led her daughter and Melody down the aisle and went over just the basics of a traditional Zenadian wedding. "When you reach the alter, your father will lift your veil, kiss both your cheeks and place your hand in Dryden's."
"Speaking of Dryden, where is he? Shouldn't he be here?" Iris asked with a hint of annoyance.
"Oh he and your father are rehearsing at the castle. Traditionally the bride-to-be rehearses with the women and the groom with the men." Iris nodded in acknowledgement and her mother Rita went on to explain where Iris was to stand and all the other events that would take place. After the long explanation, Rita took Iris through the ceremony step by step with the High Priestess, who would be performing the actual ceremony alongside with the High Priest.
"Alright, I think that's about it." The High Priestess announced, implying that the rehearsal was over.
"Okay you two girls hurry back to the castle and get ready for dinner." Iris and Melody turned to leave but were stopped by Rita. "oh and try to dress nice you two. We're having some guests for dinner."
Iris turned around with a raised eyebrow. "Guests?" she repeated. "who exactly is gonna be there?"
"Oh just a few of our country's noblemen."
"A few?" Iris repeated, not believing her mother. Iris knew her mother all too well and knew she'd never just invite a few people for dinner.
"Maybe a dozen or so." Iris didn't say anything but just continued to look at her mother with an unsatisfied look on her face. "Just a couple dozen, honestly Iris."
"So what are you two wearing tonight?" Millerna asked in her typical, cheerful manner.
Melody looked to Iris who shrugged her shoulders slightly. "Clothes." Melody replied.
"Well of course you'll be wearing clothes! But what type of gowns will you be dressed in? I don't want to be wearing the same thing as you two." Millerna began to sort through her half full closet, looking for possible dresses to wear. She needed to find something unique and that will catch a certain knight's attention.
"Don't worry Millerna. We wont wear anything that looks like yours." Iris replied, noticing the white and lavender gown in Millerna's hand. "What I wear will be a surprise." Iris winked to Melody who in turn suppressed a laugh.
"Well I guess we should be getting ready Iris." Melody suggested and headed for the door.
"See ya later Millerna!" Iris called as she followed her friend out.
Millerna watched the duo leave with wide eyes. "Those two are very strange…"
"So Iris, what are you wearing?" Iris shrugged and let herself collapse onto her bed. "But I thought you knew."
"Nope. I have no idea. I only said I knew so Millerna wouldn't be in here trying to dress me in some hideous pink frilly gown." Melody laughed softly to herself as she pictured the scenario. She could clearly imagine Millerna chasing her friend around the castle, trying to get Iris in some frilly dress.
"Well I guess I should head back to my room. See ya later Iris!" At the sound of the wooden door closing, Iris sat up. She gazed at her opened closet. Should I? She wondered. After sitting on the queen size bed and debating with herself on what to wear, she finally rose to her feet. I'll so it!
Melody sat quietly in her seat at the dinner table which had two extra tables set up perpendicular to the main table at the ends. Most of the seats had been filled, only a few were left empty. To Melody's left was an empty seat that would be filled by Iris when she finally decided to arrive. To her right sat Hitomi, who also felt somewhat out of place in the room full of royals.
Melody tugged at the blue skirt of her gown, straightening it out. She then did the same to the sleeves by tugging at the large bell shape cuffs. Why did I wear a bodice? They're so uncomfortable! She began to fidget in her seat, perhaps I they tied it too tight. A hush came over the room and everyone's attention was brought to the entranceway to the grand dinning hall. There Iris stood alone, dressed in a long, flowing blue gown. The dress clung to the curves of her breasts and waist, giving her a very feminine and adult-like figure. Her long blond hair was pulled back into a half bun so that her hair reached just past her shoulders.
Dryden looked at Iris wide eyed. He could hardly believe his eyes. Was this the same princess who he had met just a few short weeks ago? She hardly looked like the Iris he remembered. Ian, whom was sitting beside Dryden, nudged him and whispered to him, "Go escort her to her seat before someone else does." Dryden nodded and strode over to Iris.
Iris barely recognized Dryden. He was actually wearing "dressy" clothes, for once. He wore beige pants and a white dress shirt with a green leather dublet over top. His wavy brown hair was tied back in a low ponytail which, to Iris, made him seem or appear older. As she looked him over, she noticed something else was different. But what? She asked herself. Then it hit her. He shaved!
When Dryden approached Iris, he offered her his arm. Iris accepted it hesitantly. Her cheeks flushed a soft pink colour and her stomach felt as if it were doing summersaults inside her abdomen. Why do I feel this way? She wondered. Why do I feel nervous? Dryden led Iris to her seat and pulled out the chair for her.
Dinner went over smoothly, for the most part. Iris and Ian got into an argument which was typical for them. It began with Ian saying a chauvinistic comment about how men were better than women. Of course all other men in attendance agreed with the Prince. Iris however didn't laugh or even force a smile. Rather, she said, "If men are so great then why is it that woman are the ones who give birth?" and it went on from there.
When dinner was over, everyone made his or her way down the hall to the ballroom. Iris stood by the balcony entrance with Millerna, Melody, Merle and Hitomi. Millerna managed to make herself the head of the conversation. Every other minute she'd mention how amazing Allen was. Iris just smiled and nodded from time to time, not really paying much attention to the babbling princess. Her mind was too busy thinking about the wedding which would be taking place the following day.
As her sapphire eyes drifted from her small circle of friends, they landed on two men she didn't want to see. Quickly she looked away, hoping they hadn't seen her. But of course her curiosity got the best of her. She glanced back to where they were only to discover they were gone. Oh no…panic began to rise in her. Where did they go?
"Iris?" Millerna asked, noticing her friend's strange behaviour. "Are you alright?" Iris turned back to the group and nodded.
"Ya I'm fin-!" Iris squealed as two strong hands squeezed her sides. She turned on her heel and came face to face with the 'evil spawns of Satan'. "Will you two ever grow up!?!" yelled at the twin males standing before her.
"Probably not." Christopher, the older twin, answered. Iris suppressed her urge to smack both of them across the face.
"Awww…what's wrong princess?" Joseph, the younger twin, asked in a mocking manner while putting his arm around Iris's shoulders.
"Do you two not know that I am the heir to the throne?" Iris asked in a very cold tone.
Christopher and Joseph looked at each other confused. "How so? I thought Ian was to be king." Joseph asked.
"Well according to the prophecy, I'm the one who'll ascend to the one Zenadian throne. Now, if you don't mind, get your hands off of me and annoy someone else!"
"Alright, alright, no need to yell." Christopher replied while slowly backing away.
When the twins were gone and out of earshot, Melody asked, "Who were they?"
"Christopher and Joseph. They're twins. Their father is the Duke of Galass County. Both of them are just as annoying as Ian!"
Ian stood by the open bar along with Allen, Van and Dryden. All four of them were sipping back a glass of vino or another hard liqueur. They conversed together about anything and everything. They talked about new guymelef designs to just about anything considered "manly". Ian didn't really talk as much as Allen or Dryden did. He seemed and acted somewhat distant. He was still getting through the shock that his little sister had agreed to get married and so soon.
"Dryden," Ian began, talking for the first time since they arrived in the ballroom. "Can I talk to you in private?" Dryden's eyebrows knitted together but he obliged.
Ian led Dryden out of the hall and to a study just down the hallway. "What's wrong?" Dryden asked.
"It may not show at times but Iris is important to me; she's my little sister." Dryden looked at Ian with confusion written all over his face. Why was Ian saying this to him? Was all Dryden could wonder. "What I'm try to say is…if you ever hurt her in any way, you'll have to answer to me. And trust me, you don't want that."
"Is this a tradition from the Mystic Moon?" Dryden asked, unsure of what to say.
"Ya, but I'm serious. If you-!" Dryden cut him off before he could say more.
"Okay, I got it. Don't worry yourself. I'm not that type of man."
Iris jumped as she felt a soft hand tap her shoulder. She turned around and came face to face with Dryden, someone she wasn't really expecting to see. A surge of mixed feelings and emotions raced through her. Her stomach felt as if a huge swarm of butterflies were flying around inside. "Would you care to give me one dance, my lady." He held out his hand and waited for her to accept it.
Iris reached out and placed her hand in his. He led her from the circle of women to the center of the white marble dance floor. The other couples dancing stopped and cleared the way for the bride and groom to be. Their fingers became intertwined as they moved into their dance positions. Iris placed her arm on Dryden's right shoulder while he placed his right hand on the small of her back.
The orchestra changed songs and when the music began to play, Iris and Dryden began to dance a traditional Zenadan Waltz. Together they both elegantly glided across the dance floor and immediately became the center of attention. It seems like all those dance lessons are paying off……hey, he's not that bad of a dancer, surprisingly…Iris thought to herself as Dryden twirled her away from him.
When he twirled her back, Iris could feel the strength in his arms. Her body became pressed up hard against his body. Dryden took a quick note of that, reminding himself not to use so much force. Iris was the first "real" lady he had ever danced with. He had taken lessons but they were nothing like this.
Their eyes locked together in what seemed like an endless gaze. Wow…he has really beautiful green eyes…
A/N: Yes! Finally! I'm done! That chapter, lol! Sorry about the long wait. However, I should be updating for frequently now that school is almost done. I just have 2 more exams to write and then it'll be summer vacation! So I hope you enjoyed this chap and please review! Thanx!
