Alice tied up the back of the silk dress, and placed a black veil on her head. Serenity wanted so badly to have her wedding veil put back on, but of course, it was an absurd thought.
Serenity had hoped the white veil would be the only one she lived to wear, but as it turned out, it was not. She closed her eyes as more memories overwhelmed her conscious mind.
Serenity's mind brought her back six years.
A tender, seventeen year old Serenity was being prepared for her wedding. It seemed everyone had cold feet except Serenity, and she wondered if every wedding was that chaotic.
About an hour before she was supposed to be in the chapel, Serenity went out into the gardens to pray for her final moments as a single woman. She prayed for her children and that she would be the best wife in the universe.
As her prayer came to an end, she felt a kiss on her cheek. Serenity gasped in delight. Eternity was before her, in his tuxedo, holding a Moon Lilly, the signature flower of the Moon. She flashed a sly grin.
"Eternity, it's bad luck for the groom to see the bride within the twenty-four hours before the ceremony."
"I know that's what they've told you," he said with a smile. "But the truth of the matter is that if you don't give a Moon bride a Moon Lilly before the ceremony, her love will fade. Of course, I was never worried. I just figured it would be better to be safe than sorry."
Serenity put her arms around his neck and said,
"You have no reason to worry my darling. 'Till death do us part and beyond, I am yours."
Eternity leaned down to kiss her, but Serenity put her hand between them.
"I know for sure this is bad luck!"
And so he left her, and within two hours time, they were joined in holy matrimony.
...Serenity smiled distantly, for she was no longer the happy bride she once was. After the two days of the wake, she would bury her husband; the love of her life. Serenity was alone all over again.
A knock sounded at the door, awakening Serenity from her troubling thoughts. Lightly she called,
"Come in."
Serenity's dear friend Queen Celestia of Venus walked in. They shared a long embrace without a single word spoken.
"Dearest Serenity," the queen of Venus finally spoke. "How are you holding up?"
"I am holding up as best as a pregnant widow can. Every time my stomach churns I cannot tell whether it is the fatherless child within me or my emptiness."
"You shouldn't talk like that Serenity. After all, the child is innocent."
"Yes, and she has incredibly bad timing." Serenity sighed and continued, "What if I grow to resent the child? I just don't know if I can look into her eyes every day seeing Eternity in them without going completely mad."
"I know it feels that way now," Celestia said, leading her friend to sit on the bed. "But once the pain of mourning has passed, you will find that there is no greater love than the love you feel for your children. And since I too am to bear a daughter in late spring, our children will grow in love and happiness together."
With a glance that seemed a million miles away, Serenity nodded, and walked to the door.
"Do you think Eternity would like my dress, Celestia?"
The queen of Venus sighed a sigh of great sorrow and said,
"Eternity would think you beautiful, as always, Serenity."
...The procession of people through the funeral parlor seemed to go on forever. The entire kingdom waited in line to pay their respects to the king they so adored. Serenity sat in a golden throne next to the coffin.
The room had high arched ceilings, and the entire room was made of black marble. The sound of shoes clicking on the floors and the quiet sobs drove Serenity to the brink of insanity. After an hour, she could take it no longer. She summoned a guard to her side.
"I need to be alone. Shoo the people outside until I say otherwise." she said.
"Shall I tell them to go home or to wait, your highness?" the guard asked.
"Tell them to wait. I don't think I'll be too long."
"Your will shall be done, my queen."
The guards talked for a moment, and then made the announcement of Serenity's orders. The people filed silently out of the dreary parlor as quickly as they could, but even still it took twenty minutes before the queen finally received her well deserved privacy.
She walked beside her husband's open casket. The dressers had done their best to cover the wounds which had brought upon the king's death, but it was so painfully obvious what he had been through. Nevertheless, Serenity looked at him and saw the same beauty Eternity had shown when he was living and breathing.
Serenity looked at him as fondly as the day she married him. Eternity lay peacefully in his full army uniform, his metals of honor still on his jacket. Serenity held her belly where their child rested. She touched her husband's cold hand, and the stillness of him frightened her. Serenity had the sudden impulse to pull away, but reminded herself that it was just her husband's armor she touched...just the shell which once housed his soul.
"I know you are no longer in there, dearest Eternity," she said, tears falling freely down her pale cheeks. "But I know you are here with me...with us."
Serenity rubbed her stomach in gentle circles. She continued,
"I promise I'll be a good mother to your daughter. She will miss you so very much. I miss you! I love you so much Eternity!"
The queen fell into heavy sobs so powerful that her knees failed her, causing her to kneel beside her husband's casket, letting go of his limp hand.
The pregnant queen, using every bit of strength within her, brought herself to her feet, and looked at her husband's face again.
Shaking, she took hold of her husband's dead hand once more. And when she felt a hand on her shoulder, she whirled around and started screaming, her eyes tightly shut, afraid to see the reality that it wasn't her husband.
"Serenity! It's just me!"
Dario tried to overcome her screams, but to no avail. Her wailing echoed endlessly into the high parlor ceilings, and Serenity refused to open her eyes. Unsure of what to do, Dario put his arms around her as her screams turned to raging sobs.
She cried out for him,
"Eternity! My darling husband! Please come home to us!"
Serenity then felt Dario shake. He too was sobbing for the loss. She took hold of his hand.
"Dario, tell me that we're going to survive this. If you tell me, I shall believe you!"
He sobbed twice, and fell to sit beside Serenity on the cold, dark floor.
"I have to believe that we will go on. No matter what happens, I have to believe there is a me. I bid you, Serenity, please do not lose the light Eternity fell in love with."
Serenity, with a bit of help, got back of her feet once more and summoned the guard. She ordered to have the doors opened to the public again.
"I cannot stay any longer." Serenity said to the guard before he opened the large, oak doors. "Let them in, watch over his remains, and give my apologies to anyone who inquires of my location."
"It shall be done, majesty." the guard replied with a low bow.
Dario turned to see Serenity exit out a back door.
An hour went by, but Dario would not leave his friend's body unguarded until it was safely buried, and being the general of the army, it was his job to make sure the guards were doing their jobs. After a while, chatter of the queen's absence began.
He heard the gossip of a silly, inconsequential group of washwomen. He heard them say things like, "Not even here for her husband," and "Embarrassed for her..." among other crude remarks. Didn't they understand? Dario Tinugio was so angry, he had to calm himself down before he struck the women dead.
After a few moments of staring at the women, thanking the Heavens above that he had the ability to suppress his violent urges, he approached them and shouted,
"Our queen is the most noble of women in the Moon Kingdom, or any other kingdom for that matter. She loves her subjects, and she loved her husband with more heart than you could possibly fathom! How dare you gossip in this place. How dare you soil the name of your queen and the memory of your king!"
By now, Tinugio had gathered the attention of all in the parlor. The guards thought to hush him, but as they approached, the voice of their queen rang out, authoritatively commanding,
"Leave him!"
Serenity had gathered herself and come back, a fresh glow about her. She walked toward where the group of women were being berated by the general she so admired. Serenity could not recall him becoming so emotional, with the exception of the breakdown they had both earlier experienced. The group of women and all in the parlor bowed before their queen.
"General Tinugio," she said gracefully. "Why do you offend these women who come to mourn the great king Eternity?"
"I ask forgiveness for my shouting, queen Serenity. But these women offended ::me:: so greatly that I could no longer control myself."
The guards were telling the people to continue the precession, but none did. Instead they stood and watched the unfolding events. A group of senators made their way over to listen from behind the three large guards that stood about the queen.
"What have these women done to offend you so?"
"They spoke horribly of you, my queen. I became irate at their careless gossip."
Before Serentiy could say another word, two senator made their way alongside the queen and shouted in outrage,
"How dare they!"
"Punish them for what they've said, majesty."
The women looked fearful, but Serenity's eyes softened.
"I shall do nothing of the sort. What they think of me is their opinion, and no one should have the right to take it from them or punish them for it. When people can no longer voice what they feel, we shall be a sorry country indeed."
The women looked at each other in shock. One of the younger ones asked,
"May we ask your forgiveness, your highness?"
She replied,
"You already have it."
Dario smiled, and shouted,
"All hail the wise and merciful queen Serenity! Long live the queen!"
The citizens of the Moon joyously repeated wishes of the queen's long and happy life. Everyone left the funeral parlor that day hopeful for the future.
That's it for now. What do you think? E-mails and reviews are appreciated. Thanks!
Tori