A.N I don't know what's with me. I am so sorry again. I just lost myself and I couldn't get back to writing.
This chapter is very emotional. It brought tears to my eyes as I was writing it. I know, that's so sad...
*****
Alanna opened the envelope that contained an invitation to her daughter's wedding. She admired the fine calligraphy. It was a fine invitation: made from the finest of paper, the finest of inks. The best money could buy. Fit for a princess's wedding.
The realization of who her daughter would soon become had just settled in. Her daughter would be a princess. Though she would never rule, unless something should happy to Roald or Kalasin, this would still be considered a large step.
Her daughter would have an influence over what happened in Tortall, for sure.
She would be known all over Tortall.
Queen or not, she would still be influential.
And to Alanna, that was important. She wanted her daughter to have that power. But more than that, she wanted Ali to use it well. She wanted her daughter to be responsible. To be respectful. To be grateful. To be loving. To be faithful.
And, somehow, she knew Ali would be.
***
The wedding was a gallant affair. It was sophisticated and elegant. It was everything Alanna knew Ali could've hoped for. And that made her very happy.
She found her place at the front of the chapel. This was it. She thought that she'd been nervous at her own wedding, but this was even worse!
She found herself praying to the Great Mother Goddess that Ali may have a happy and loving marriage to this man Liam of Conte. She prayed that he would be good to her. She prayed for their love and devotion to each other. She prayed like the mother of the bride that she was.
When your children are small, you always hope they'll make the best of what you give them. You always hope that you're giving them enough to succeed, to do right. You wonder if you're teaching them right. Will they be able to handle being an adult? Have you done enough to help them? You can only pray to the gods that they'll be okay. That they'll make good decisions.
When she thought about how much she worried about how she was raising Ali, she realized that it was all in vain. She had worried that she wasn't a good mother. She didn't know enough about clothes or fashion. She couldn't help her daughter play dress-up. She wasn't good at it. She often worried that she had failed her.
But, when she watched George walk her daughter down the aisle to the man she was going to marry, Alanna knew that no matter how bad a mother she may have been Alianne was still a beautiful and wonderful daughter. She knew her love for Alianne for stronger than her love of Jonathan. She would do whatever it took to make Ali happy.
She watched with wet eyes as Ali professed her love for Liam. She watched the tears fall from Ali's eyes and felt the same upon her own face. She watched, remembering how it was when Ali was a little girl, always happy and cheerful.
She glanced at George beside her. His eyes were teary as well. He had just given his daughter away to another man. Someone else would now look after her forevermore. She took George's hand and held it tight.
Alianne, the beautiful little blonde girl that loved to chat with the men-at-arms at the Swoop and loved to sit by the water. The little girl who built sand castles and cried when her brother Alan had knocked it down.
She reached out for Alan's hand and squeezed it as well.
She watched as Liam and Alianne kissed for the first time as husband and wife, prince and princess. The tears could not restrain themselves any longer.
A blurred Alianne and Liam ran happily from the altar to the carriage awaiting them.
Alanna wiped her eyes and thanked the Great Mother for such a wonderful daughter.
This chapter is very emotional. It brought tears to my eyes as I was writing it. I know, that's so sad...
*****
Alanna opened the envelope that contained an invitation to her daughter's wedding. She admired the fine calligraphy. It was a fine invitation: made from the finest of paper, the finest of inks. The best money could buy. Fit for a princess's wedding.
The realization of who her daughter would soon become had just settled in. Her daughter would be a princess. Though she would never rule, unless something should happy to Roald or Kalasin, this would still be considered a large step.
Her daughter would have an influence over what happened in Tortall, for sure.
She would be known all over Tortall.
Queen or not, she would still be influential.
And to Alanna, that was important. She wanted her daughter to have that power. But more than that, she wanted Ali to use it well. She wanted her daughter to be responsible. To be respectful. To be grateful. To be loving. To be faithful.
And, somehow, she knew Ali would be.
***
The wedding was a gallant affair. It was sophisticated and elegant. It was everything Alanna knew Ali could've hoped for. And that made her very happy.
She found her place at the front of the chapel. This was it. She thought that she'd been nervous at her own wedding, but this was even worse!
She found herself praying to the Great Mother Goddess that Ali may have a happy and loving marriage to this man Liam of Conte. She prayed that he would be good to her. She prayed for their love and devotion to each other. She prayed like the mother of the bride that she was.
When your children are small, you always hope they'll make the best of what you give them. You always hope that you're giving them enough to succeed, to do right. You wonder if you're teaching them right. Will they be able to handle being an adult? Have you done enough to help them? You can only pray to the gods that they'll be okay. That they'll make good decisions.
When she thought about how much she worried about how she was raising Ali, she realized that it was all in vain. She had worried that she wasn't a good mother. She didn't know enough about clothes or fashion. She couldn't help her daughter play dress-up. She wasn't good at it. She often worried that she had failed her.
But, when she watched George walk her daughter down the aisle to the man she was going to marry, Alanna knew that no matter how bad a mother she may have been Alianne was still a beautiful and wonderful daughter. She knew her love for Alianne for stronger than her love of Jonathan. She would do whatever it took to make Ali happy.
She watched with wet eyes as Ali professed her love for Liam. She watched the tears fall from Ali's eyes and felt the same upon her own face. She watched, remembering how it was when Ali was a little girl, always happy and cheerful.
She glanced at George beside her. His eyes were teary as well. He had just given his daughter away to another man. Someone else would now look after her forevermore. She took George's hand and held it tight.
Alianne, the beautiful little blonde girl that loved to chat with the men-at-arms at the Swoop and loved to sit by the water. The little girl who built sand castles and cried when her brother Alan had knocked it down.
She reached out for Alan's hand and squeezed it as well.
She watched as Liam and Alianne kissed for the first time as husband and wife, prince and princess. The tears could not restrain themselves any longer.
A blurred Alianne and Liam ran happily from the altar to the carriage awaiting them.
Alanna wiped her eyes and thanked the Great Mother for such a wonderful daughter.