Chapter 5: The Wedding

Two weeks passed by slowly, as I was waiting for Char's and my day. Over those two weeks, we received notices that everyone we invited to the wedding accepted their invitation. Even Areida, Uaaxee, Slannen, zhulpH and zhatapH. I was overjoyed to be able to see Areida. She barely made it to the palace in time, as she arrived the night before the wedding. We had guest quarters set up for her, Uaaxee, Slannen, and zhulpH and zhatapH, who were all coming from different parts of the kingdom. Uaaxee came a week before the wedding and was a big help setting decorations up in the hall of the old castle, where the reception was to be held. Slannen helped the cook at little, as we did not want all the food to be liquid. zhulpH and zhatapH arrived the day before the wedding as well, and they were a great help in decorating the hall and ballroom.

My wedding dress was made, and it was beautiful. It was a long white dress with a beaded bodice and a four-foot train in the back. It was absolutely beautiful. Mandy helped Andrea and the other seamstresses make it as well as Char's doublet. His doublet remarkable as well. I was going to wear something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue as well. The something old was going to be the glass slippers that Char had found in the old castle's gardens when my father got married. The something new was going to be a set of earrings that Mandy had bought for me at the market. I had borrowed a bracelet from Areida for my something borrowed, and a blue flower pendant that Queen Daria had let me borrow would work for the something blue. I also had a beautiful bouquet of flowers that Mandy had made for me.

On the day of the wedding, I was incredibly and remarkably calm. Areida was my maid of honor, and Cecilia was my bridesmaid. Chris was Char's best man, and Will and John were to stand next to Chris at the altar, both supporting their brother. My father was not going to be home in time to guide me down the aisle, so Slannen was to do it instead. King Jerrold was going to perform the wedding ceremony.

When I was in my room changing before the wedding, Areida walked in looking alarmed. "What is it?" I asked her.

"Apple's is running a muck outside!" she said. I smiled. Apple, my centaur, was part of the ceremony as well. Instead of a flower girl, he was going to be walking down the aisle throwing flowers. Char had taken the time to train him to do this just yesterday, right before Areida arrived. It was quite funny to watch Char do this. Apple wouldn't listen at first, and Char became quite impatient. Finally, Char showed him an apple, and he was able to train him as long as he kept eating apples. That is why the aisle was full of apples to lead him to the front. Uaaxee had agreed to stand with him in the front so that he did not become rowdy during the ceremony.

I did worry about Lucinda showing up to the wedding, though. She was often at weddings and births, and even though she had vowed not to do big magic anymore, I was still quite scared that she would put a curse on me and Char like she had done to Father and Dame Olga. That would be horrible! There was going to be a fairy at our wedding, though. Mandy was going to be there, as she was my fairy godmother. I had spoken with Char and King Jerrold before the wedding, and we reserved the front benches for the servants in castle. Queen Daria was going to sit right next to them as well. zhulpH and zhatapH where there as well, and they were to sit in the front with the castle servants and Queen Daria.

It was finally time for the wedding reception to begin. I couldn't see the beginning of the ceremony, but I imagined it in my head quite clearly. I walked out of my room and saw Slannen waiting for me to lead me down the aisle. Areida had already left my room and was already down the aisle, and Apple had already been led down as well. As I walked to the doors to the hall, I remembered how Char and I had proposed to each other:

I tore off the rag that covered my hair. Then I curtsied to Char.

"When you asked for my hand a few minutes ago, I was still too young to marry." I looked up at him and saw a smile start. "I'm older now, so much older that not only can I marry, but I can beg you to marry me." I knelt and took his hand.

He didn't let me kneel before him. He pulled me up and kissed me again. I took that to signify his consent.

I smiled at the memory of us, and that gave me so much excitement that I walked really fast toward the doors and Slannen struggled to keep up with my pace. The doors opened up, and I heard a familiar sound: it was the song that Char was supposed to sing at the third ball. Ten Ayorthan singers were standing to the right of the hall, and were singing the song in their beautiful voices. I looked to Char in surprise, and he just smiled at me. I smiled back at him and walked down the aisle at a slower pace than before to stay with the beat of the singers. I had a large smile on my face as I looked to my handsome fiancee, and soon to be husband.

When I finally reached Char when the song was over, we both smiled at each other happily. I don't think that I had ever been so happy than when I saw him standing there, smiling at me. I think that that moment is as memorable as when I broke my horrid curse.

We both got on our knees and joined hands together, our arms both crossed so that when we joined hands, our arms formed a ring.

"The ring created by the couple before us symbolizes the unending love that these two share for each other. Because of this unending love, they are eternally bound at the heart," King Jerrold said before reading a passage. When he was done reading he nodded to Char for him to start saying his vows.

Char smiled at me. "Ella, since the first day I met you, I have loved you. You are the only person that I could ever see myself with, and I want to be with you forever and beyond. Who has your grace? Your expression? Your voice? I could extol your virtues endlessly."

I smiled as I remembered those words from his beautiful letter that he had sent me, confessing his love for me.

"The day of the third ball you not only saved me, but you also saved all of Kyrria. I could love no other as much as I love you. I will always be yours. You are my true queen." I started to cry silently, but they were not tears of sorrow, rather tears of joy. King Jerrold nodded to me to start my vows. I smiled and looked into Char's eyes.

"Char, all my life I had never met a man who I felt so pleased to be around. The first day I met you, you helped me in ways unlike any other. You showed me joy during a terrible time. I had a curse since I was born, and with your love you set me free. If you had not followed me back to Dame Olga's manor that day, there was no way that I would ever be free from that terrible curse, and my fate would have been sealed."Char's eyes were glistening from silent tears.

"I love you and there is nobody that I have ever loved this much. I see myself with nobody but you, where I will forever be in love. I will always and forever be yours. You are my king." I looked over toward King Jerrold, who was also silently crying. He quickly wiped his eyes with a handkerchief that was in his pocket.

"You may now present each other your rings," he said.

We both let go of each other's hands and turned behind us. Areida then handed me a ring, and Chris handed Char a ring. We took turns putting the rings on each other. Char put my ring on first on my left ring finger, and then I did the same to him with his ring. We then stood up, still facing each other. We sang the same song that the Ayorthan singers had been singing, but this time we were singing to each other.

Oak, granite,

Lilies by the road,

Remember me?

I remember you.

Clouds brushing

Clover hills,

Remember me?

Sister, child,

Grown tall,

Remember me?

I remember you.

Brother, child,

Always wise,

Remember me?

Love, love,

Forever endowed,

Remember me?

I remember you.

When we finished singing, the whole hall broke into great applause. I smiled at all of them, and then looked at Char. He was smiling as well.

After the applause had stopped, King Jerrold looked at us and smiled. "You may now kiss the bride," he said to Char. Char leaned forward, as did I, and kissed me gently on the mouth. Cheers and applause broke out in the hall for a second time. When the kiss broke, we stood up together, Char holding me around my waist, and walked to the doors of the hall. We were on the second floor, and walked over to the stair banister.

"Shall we slide?" Char asked me slyly.

I grinned at him. "Of course we should!" I said.

"I'll go first so I can catch you at the bottom." He flew down the banister quite fast.

It was my turn. It was quite hard to get on the banister with my gown, but it was worth the effort as I sailed down the banister. The hall rose up to meet me, and Char was there. He caught me and spun me around, kissing me. I smiled happily at him when we broke the kiss. From there he carried me into the ballroom.

Author's note:

I really hope that you all enjoyed this chapter! I enjoyed writing it so much! I honestly hope that I didn't mess up the wedding. Thank you to all of my reviewers! You are all so nice! Next, it will be the celebration after the wedding. Then, after that, they're adventures begin! I do have a question though. Where should they go first? Please tell me, as I will probably use one of those places.

Master Duelist Imposter Kaiba- I'm glad that you like the story! Thank you for reviewing.

barnesisnoble-Thanks for the review! I'll update as often as I can.

Jules713- I'm glad you liked this chapter! Thanks for reviewing!

Tempest Dragon- I liked writing that part so much. I could see it too! Thanks for your review!

EllaFreak- I apologize that I didn't update before June 26! But, by the time you read this, Chapter 6 will be up too! I'm glad that you liked this chapter! Thanks for the review!

NickieEnchanted- EllaFreak asked me to tell you thanks for saying happy birthday!

Melissa Black13- Of course that makes sense! :-) I hope that you liked the part about the banisters! Thank you for complimenting me on my writing style! You are so nice!

Again, I'm not going to ask for a specific amount of reviews this time. Instead, I will update as soon as I finish the next chapter. But reviews will inspire me to keep writing and push the story faster, so please keep reviewing! If you have anything to point out or say, please do so. Again, thank you all so much for reading this. You are all the best!