FOUR MONTHS AFTER THE RETURN OF KELLER.
She stared into her mirror, one would never know that she had been tortured so. Illiana had done a good job – a great job – of making her look like the old Keller. Unfortunately, she was sitting at the mirror in her underwear, and it might be a good job to put her dress on before getting to the church, were she and Galen would be joined forever in front of…oh…only all the shape shifters and Daybreakers. Okay, not that many would be allowed into the church, but she wouldn't be surprised if she found the wedding was videotaped and passed among those who weren't invited.
It was a scary thought, but at least she'd look good.
Her looks had been the point of much disruption between her and Galen for the first two months. She had, insecure for the first time in her life, told him that she understood if he married someone who looked better than her, because who wanted to marry someone ugly? He couldn't possibly be attracted to her…
He had diminished those thoughts, even in her darkest hours, he had given her the herbs the witches had advised for depression and just held her, willing her to believe he loved her for more than looks.
Luckily, since then she had healed somewhat. Her face wasn't quite as scarred, although her leg especially would never be unscarred, whatever Thea had insisted she came putting into them was working, her face wounds had been reduced to two small scars – one in front of her ear, one underneath her eye.
"Illiana?" she asked, "did you ever regret letting me promise to Galen instead?"
"After what happened to you just because you were engaged?" the other girl laughed, "no. I wasn't in love with him, Keller, not really. It was attraction. I'm glad he makes you happy, and that you make him happy. I love him like a brother, not like a husband," Illiana made a face, "and I still have my freedom!" she sang the word so high that Keller flinched, she was as loud and high-pitched as a five year old on ecstasy.
In the past months, her mother had deteriorated. She wasn't dead yet, but soon…she and Keller had gotten to know one another and even though she was dying, Keller hadn't forgave her. She didn't see her mother dying as a reason why she should forgive her, but she had learnt not to despise her. Her mother had insisted she name the son, and – so that he wouldn't go around called it or him for the rest of his life – she had suddenly came out with Malak. Angel in Arabic, maybe with a name like that he'd be better guided than she had been.
Malak Panter, a weird name, but pretty cute, Keller thought. The kid annoyed her in the same was Illiana's brother had, but at the same time she adored him. He would stay with her and Galen forever, she wouldn't let him be passed from foster family to foster family like she had been.
Slipping on the strapless black dress with the red lace, she twirled. She put on her shorts underneath, but she didn't anticipate any fighting. Everything was perfect.
"Beautiful," Illiana smiled, then scrunched up her nose, "but my blue earings don't go."
"Nothing blue would go," Keller laughed, "and these are covered by my hair," they sure were, hair that had been sleek and straight before but was now in a spiral of curls.
"Still…" Illiana sighed, "we can't change it I suppose."
"sure we could, how about red? Head, bed, lead, dead," she paled, okay not red, "Or white. I know, something loose, something tight, something stolen and something white…"
Illiana giggled, "just wear the earrings, leave the poetry to Galen," she reached behind Keller's throat to clasp the necklace – leant from Thea – it had a red stone in the centre, was in the shape of a heart with beautiful patterns entwined, something Blaise had given her. She knew it meant a lot for Thea to lend her the necklace, all the girls had offered to lend stuff, but Thea had practically insisted.
"What's your something old?" Illiana asked impatiently, scouring the dresser, Keller pointed towards her skirts, "my shorts. Had them since I was a kid, they fit like hot pants now," Illiana laughed again, then put the something new around her wrist: a glittering ruby bracelet Galen had bought for her.
She glanced at herself in the mirror again. Asked herself for the fifteenth time if she was ready for this.
Thought of Galen, sweet Galen, patient and understanding and gentle. Loving her even though she wasn't as beautiful as she'd been when they first met.
Yes. She was ready.
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Galen couldn't help the goofy smile that he knew was spreading across his face as he and Keller looked at one another from either side of the aisle, she – of course – was as composed and as emotionally blank as ever, but that was okay, Galen knew that inside she was happy, if not as over-the-moon ecstatic as he.
He heard his own voice say 'I do' even though he couldn't hear what the priest was saying, he was too enticed by the way Keller's small smile was a big improvement on her usual frown, how she outshone those standing behind her: Nissa, Winnie and Illiana easily. She didn't need all the makeup she was wearing; she would have looked beautiful doused in green powder.
The dress was black: dark and with a lot of red, the colour of love, of blood, of anger, it couldn't have suited Keller more.
My god, what did I ever do to deserve her? He asked himself, he knew that the reason they were getting married so early was because technically they had to, but that didn't change a thing. It would have happened eventually.
Both of them had had their families snatched away from them all too cruelly, and Galen felt that his entire purpose in life was to change that, he knew that they were too young for kids really, that Keller wouldn't want anything to jeopardize her life as a warrior, and that they couldn't bring a child into a life where it could stand to lose both its parents easily…but one day…
The rest of the ceremony rushed past in a blur for Galen, later he would look at the video Lira insisted on making and not remember most of it, except the adoring way he couldn't stop looking at his wife, funny how that felt to say – his wife – he wasn't sure he would be able to get used to it, but when eventually it was said 'you may kiss the bride' he moved in, almost tripping over his own shoes in order to seal their marriage. He bit her lip by accident, so she bit his tongue as payback. They both smiled.
FINISHED! WOOHOO! LOL
I HAVE IDEAS FOR A SEQUEL, WANT ONE? WOULD KILL ME IF I WROTE ONE? EITHER WAY, I'M GOING TO, BUT YOU CAN TELL ME YOUR OPINION ON THE MATTER ANYWAY :D HEHE PLEASE STILL REVIEW, EVEN THOUGH IT'S FINISHED
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ASH
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