Warnings: Planning weddings can get boring and writing them can make them even longer…

Chapter Thirty-Two: The Burning Heart

My sisters converged on me in the next few weeks, insisting on helping me plan my upcoming wedding. It wasn't that I disliked and spurned their help, but I was slowly becoming tired of the constant reminders of the entire ceremony.

"Elensar, do you like the Wyth silk for your dress?" Jeanette asked me, shoving a pale piece of fabric at me.

"Or," Faelyn bumped her out of the way, "Do you like the Lamaran satin better?" I looked at the swatch of cloth that was being practically pushed up my nose. I thought they looked the same, but apparently Jeanette and Faelyn didn't.

"Um." I ran my hands gingerly over both of the selections, hoping that the delicate fabrics wouldn't disintegrate beneath my touch. I noticed subtle differences; the silk was definitely lighter than the slippery satin, and the white satin had an intricate (if barely noticeable) pattern of flowers on it. "Um…" I said again, still indecisive. I knew September had a distinct possibility of being very warm, but the night would probably be slightly cooler, so I might be glad of the heavier cloth. "The Lamaran stuff," I finally decided.

Faelyn gave her sister a triumphant look. "See? I told you she'd pick the better material!"

Jeanette stuck her tongue out in a most unladylike manner, but laughed just the same. "So be it, then," she agreed, a better loser than Faelyn was winner. "Lamaran satin for a wedding dress."

They walked away together, bickering good naturedly over some other aspect of my dress, probably quite trivial, I was sure. I watched them for a time, wishing once more that I had had a twin, or better yet, two twins with which to share everything with- secrets, dreams, dislikes, whatever. I reminded myself that I had something better, because I had Adrian, but it just wasn't the same.

I spent hours every day picking out which trifling thing I wanted. Which of the Delrina colors did I wish to wear as jewels, emeralds, onyx or diamonds? I picked emeralds, but Evadne insisted that there must be diamonds as well, whichever gemstone I chose. Did I want the bridesmaids to match my dress, or should they be set apart? Which style of lace should I wear? How should my hair be coiffed? What dowry gifts would I bring with me? Should the rings be of silver or gold?

Soon the choices were whirling about my head at a dizzying pace so fast that I couldn't keep up. I begged out of the happy tumult to get fresh air, citing a headache as my ailment. I escaped to the farthest garden that I could before the guardsmen turned me back.

"Does it really matter what kind of sash I wear?" I wondered aloud to myself. I was beginning to think that weddings were far too prissy for my taste, and royal ones even more so. I was sick of being asked my opinion on every little detail- or at least that's how it felt to me.

I knew that there were plenty of people making decisions that I never even knew about; I had passed the proof of that on my walk through the flora.

Great pavilions were being erected in the lovely Kellsington Gardens, which were famous for their nighttime array of flowers. There was one for the commoner that would show up; it looked like we were preparing to house an army, when reality we were simply sheltering a host of merchants, craftsmen and the rest of Camlate's population. Another tent would be placed on the great lawns for the nobility of Meridian and an adjacent canopy was meant for the aristocracy of Delran. Yet another pavilion would simply be for everyone and anyone who wished to attend, noble and laborers alike.

Currently, they were skeletal structures, the wooden frame acting like bones that were waiting for skin to cover in and life to fill it. All of that would happen in time, I knew, but I wished for the thousandth time that it would happen now.

I couldn't wait until September.

Plopping down on the grass in a whoosh of skirts and petticoats, I relished the feeling of the sun on my face. "I spend far too much time inside!" I commented to a passing butterfly, quite content to talk to those who couldn't respond. At least I could pretend that they were listening to me.

"Hello, Elensar."

In my surprise at being addressed, I tipped over backwards and sprawled on the grass. "Owen!" I grinned happily up at him; I hadn't seen very much of him since my betrothal had been announced. For that matter, I hadn't seen much of anyone except my sisters and the wedding planners since the betrothal had been announced. "I've missed you!"

He gracefully settled onto the manicured grass next to me and smiled wryly. "It's not like I haven't tried, really."

"I know!" I pulled a face. "They've taken me prisoner, Owen," I whispered dramatically, "You've got to help me escape them!"

"'Lensar, you know I can't…" He shook his head sadly. "Alas, I am but a man! They have chased me with their needles and threatened me with work! They bested me, I'm sorry to say."

I laughed and hit him. "Like you were ever afraid of work."

Owen looked appalled. "But this was…needle work!"

I gasped, feigning horror. "No!"

"Yes!" Suddenly, the smile he had been trying to suppress burst forth. "It's so nice to just be together again, without all those girls around to bother us- you." Owen laughed and poked me. "With the amount of cloth I saw going in there the other day, I think you'll be wrapped up in so much dress that you won't be able to move!"

"Oh dear…" I bit my lip in mock worry. "How shall I handle it?"

He patted my arm comfortingly. "Just try not to fall and make a fool of yourself, right?"

"Right." My smile fell away then and I was all seriousness. "Owen, can I ask you a favor?"

"Sure," he said, smiling.

"Will you…" I wasn't quite sure how to ask him, even if he was my own brother. It felt kind of awkward, and my words came out in a torrential rush, "Willyouwalkmedowntheaisle?"

"What?" Owen raised an eyebrow in confusion.

I took another deep breath. "Will you walk me down the aisle?" I continued on quickly, not giving him a chance to answer, "Father's going to be presiding over the whole thing, so he'll be up there already and I need to have someone to escort me to the altar because it wouldn't be right if I didn't and- and- what if I fall? I mean, I'm sure if you didn't want to do it I could always find someone else to do it, like the Lord Chancellor or Duke Varring, but I'd really like you to do it and-"

Owen cut me off with a skeptical look. "Elensar? Don't worry, I'll do it."

I felt all my worries dissipate; even though Owen still didn't totally approve of Adrian, he would forget that because I was his sister. "Thanks, Owen." I leaned over and hugged him tightly. "It means a lot to me…"

He patted me awkwardly on the back, and I released him with a self-depreciating chuckle. "I know…it is your wedding after all."

"You know," I tried to keep my tones conversational and light, but I couldn't stop some of the panic from seeping in, "Sometimes I still can't believe that I'm getting married. It should be Evadne, if anyone!" A nervous giggle escaped my lips.

Owen's dry laughed echoed mine. "I can't believe it either! You're only a year older than I am, and I haven't even gotten one lady to even look at me yet!"

I snorted in a most unladylike fashion. "Just you wait until the Ladies Ilea and Jana get here; they were eyeing you from all the way across the ocean!"

"Really?" Owen grinned happily, smoothing his hair self consciously.

"Yes, really! Although…" A wicked smirk curved my lips, "Once they see you, I'm sure they'll lose interest and go for someone much more…sophisticated." I paused, as if considering some other word. "Perhaps they'll go for someone much more handsome, too. We do still have all our foreign guests here."

My brother punched me lightly in the arm. "You know I'm the best looking man at court!" He struck a pose that sent me into fits of giggles.

"Boy, yes, man? No!" The laughter threatened to spill out again. "The Duke Dylutez, however…now he is a man!"

This time it was Owen who burst out with gales of mirth; the Duke Dylutez was the oldest courtier by far still in attendance upon my father's court. He had to be nearing his seventh decade, but often acted as if he were in his second. "Stop it, Elensar, or I'll tell your King!"

I smacked him, earning five sore fingers in the process. "Don't you dare! And don't tell the Duke, either, or I'll tell Carina that it's been you who's been eavesdropping on her conversations with Menas and not Carmen!" It was true; Owen gave me reports, usually by page, of Carina's romantic endeavors with her former dancing partner, Menas. I, in turn, happened to leave the documents lying around, positioning them as often as I could near Carmen. It was one of my only sources of amusement amidst the wedding furor.

Owen didn't even dignify me with a response, but just kept right on snickering at me.

I sighed, gave him up once more as a lost cause, and laid down to enjoy the bright sunshine while I could.

The next week was a flurry of activity, since the Lamaran-made satin had finally arrived in the post. I was subjected to endless rounds of fitting and styling and who knows what else. I accepted it all fairly meekly, trusting my sisters and the seamstresses to know what they were doing.

I was poked by a fair amount of pins, and practically strangled on numerous occasions by endless skeins of lace. The seamstresses and tailors positioned me as if I were a mannequin, requiring me to hold awkward poses for what felt like eternities. I suffered it all without too much complaint, and Owen's correspondences were a great help to relive my boredom.

"'O Menas,'" I declaimed loudly one morning while the cobbler measured my feet. " 'Menas, how I love you! You are my all, my everything! I don't think I would want to live if you left.' 'But,'" I continued on, deepening my voice to imitate Menas's low rumble, " 'My love! Sweet Carina, just say that you love me and I will stay forever by your side. I swear not to move an inch lest you grant me leave to!'" I parodied the sound of someone vomiting. "This really isn't suitable, Cari!"

My sister ran towards me, blushing furiously as she snatched the papers out of my hands. "E-len-sar!" She gasped, reading their content quickly. "Stop reading my personal conversations right now! I don't know how you got these," Carina shot a dirty look at her twin, who had the grace to play along and look far too innocent, "But I don't ever- ever- want to hear you reading my private words again!" Her usually pale face was almost magenta with anger and frustration at my barely restrained giggles.

And so the days passsed, slowly at first, then more quickly as September approached. It suddenly seemed as if nothing was going to be ready in time, and all the fantasies we had constructed were only that, and nothing more substantial.

Adrian returned to our court in early September, arriving from Delran with a score of aristocrats. I had missed him while he was gone, but even when he came back, I barely had time enough to say but a few words or steal a single kiss.

The finishing touches were put on my dress only scant days before the ceremony itself; the stays that they would lace me into were a perfect fit, customized exactly to my torso. The white ribbons that were draped across the bodice of the gown lay in perfectly sculpted scallops, held in place by newly stitched designs carefully placed so as not to disrupt the rest of the dress.

Guests had started arriving in late August, and our palatial home at Camlate was beginning to have trouble finding the rooms and suites large enough to befit everyone's station. There were nobles from Delran, come with Adrian, and nobles from Meridian, who had made their way from country estates. We hosted the high-ranking officials of a dozen different countries, some including the princes that had once been enchanted. I couldn't say that I wasn't pleased with this overwhelming flood of blue blood, but it was quite daunting to think that I was important enough for them to come from eons away, just to see me.

I didn't think I wanted to see what would happen with my sisters' weddings, least of all Evadne's. As Crown Princess, there would likely be twice, or even thrice as many Princes and Princesses, Kings and Queens and other assorted nobility in attendance upon her. The mere thought of her guest list made mine seem paltry in comparison.

My birthday celebration was a subdued affair over breakfast one morning in late September. The chill air had already invaded the nighttime hours, so we had moved our dining inside once more.

I had come last to the table, Raquel letting me sleep slightly later than she was usually wont to, and when I arrived, I was greeted with smiles all around and even a song. My sisters sang in perfect harmony with one another; the only discordant note was Father's gravelly, tuneless rumbling beneath their lilting soprano song.

"Well." I was slightly taken aback by this display because my family had not celebrated me so on previous birthdays. "Good morning." My dry lips curled into a delighted smile as Alyssa appeared next to me and took my arm.

"Come, sit with me, sister-dearest." She guided me to the empty chair at the head of the table and pushed me gently into it. "Happy birthday, Elensar!"

Spontaneously, I hugged her. "Thanks, Alyssa."

Alyssa bent her blonde head over the purse she kept tied around her waist as she searched for some item inside of it. "Here," she pronounced, grinning, as she pressed a small wrapped object into my unresisting hands. "Open it!" My sister prompted when I stared stupidly at it.

"Right," I agreed, nodding. My fingers worked clumsily to untie the delicate silver ribbon that bound the cloth covering my gift together. Finally, I extracted a delicately crafted silver ring that was inlaid with rubies. I gasped in sheer pleasure, exclaiming, "It's beautiful, thank you!" I hugged Alyssa again, but tighter than before.

"To remind you of your home," She said, by way of unnecessary explanation. Meridian's standard was the silver suns on a field of red, and the ring encompassed both colors.

"My turn," Owen announced then, shoving a larger package at me.

I caught it, grinning like a mad cat. The paper fell away under my eager hands to reveal a leather-bound book, gleaming in its newness. I opened it, only to find pages devoid of any markings at all: drawing paper, all bound into one. "It's lovely!" I told him, and meaning each word.

Faelyn was next, presenting me with her gift, then the rest of my sisters followed in a blurred succession of joy, wrapping paper, ribbons and tears. At last, Evadne stepped up to me, cupping an oddly shaped parcel in her delicate hands.

"As a Princess of Meridian, you are entitled to this." My eldest sister spoke softly, but her words could be heard by all in the still silence. Her long fingers peeled off the gauzy white cloth to reveal a carefully contrived cornet. It matched the ring that Alyssa had given me and the necklace that Lark had presented me with perfectly; the rubies were all the exact same hue and the silver was as pure as it could practically be. The woven band was placed on my head with solemn ceremony, but I could barely feel its weight.

"Thank you, Evadne," I whispered, awed at this display of dignity. "Thank you." There wasn't much else to say for becoming legally an adult, so those two simple words would have to suffice.

"Of course, Elensar, of course," Evadne replied, equally as soft; it was a special moment between us two who had never gotten on as well as we could have.

"Elensar…" My father touched my arm briefly from where he sat next to me. "There is not much else I can gift to you, not after eleven sisters and one brother, but I would give you something nonetheless." From inside his own purse, he produced a minute portrait framed in gilt.

I took the painting in my hand, marveling at the artist's skill and how he had caught my likeness so well. "It's me," I murmured questioningly, not understanding.

"It is something that I would have sent off to some high ranking prince or another, my dear. It was how I planned to auction you off, as dreadful as that sounds. I think that Faerenyl did an excellent job on it, don't you?"

"Yes," I breathed, still amazed at how lifelike I seemed in the picture.

My father spoke on, not bothering to watch my rapt expression. "I would have sent it off, just as I would have sent you off, but it seems you have beat me to it. Give this to your husband, if you will, or keep it for yourself; it matters not. What matters yet is that I give yourself to you, to do with as you please."

I understood, suddenly, what he was about. He was acknowledging me, and my choice. I leaned over and kissed my father's wrinkled cheek, gently clutching the painting in my palm. "Thank you," I said, again at a loss for words.

"You're welcome," Father said, smiling rather foolishly, "Although it was never truly mine to give."

I smiled, and deciding that there need to be a respite from the sentimentality, declared, "I'm hungry. What's for breakfast?"

My family laughed, and we all settled into a happy camaraderie to eat our delicious food.

Later in the day, Adrian found me in my garden refuge.

"Elensar," he greeted me softly, startling me slightly.

I turned a smile upon him "Hello, love." I patted the ground next to me. "Have a seat, and talk to me!"

Adrian laughed and settled into the soft ground beside me. Nestling into his arms, I turned my face upwards for a kiss. He obliged me for a short time, before pulling away and sighing. "How I've missed you, Elensar!" A hand caressed my waist tenderly, the consistent movement relaxing me.

"And I you, Adrian." I watched the ground idly, admiring how green the grass was even in September.

"Just think!" I could feel his chest expand as he inhaled. "In two days time, we will be married, once and for all!"

"Isn't it wonderful?"

Adrian kissed the top of my head in acquiescence before murmuring, "Yes, indeed." His arms came around my tightly, then, encircling me with a protective barrier made of both flesh and love. "Elensar?"

"Yes?" I tilted my head backwards so I could look at him.

"Isn't today your name day?"

"Yes…" My eyes narrowed suspiciously; he was planning something, I was sure of it.

"Well…" The drawn out word only confirmed my thoughts, "I was thinking that perhaps we could go for a little hack in one of the unused parks. What do you say?"

I shrugged, "Why not?" Why not indeed? It would take my mind off of my nerves and yet still be fun because I was with Adrian.

"Come on then." He helped me to my feet and led me away. I could practically see the wheels in his head turning as he plotted.

We arrived at the royal stable hand in hand, just in time to catch one of the grooms before he went inside.

"Princess!" The boy exclaimed, startled. Then, in equal terror and discomfiture, "Your Majesty, King Adrian!" He gasped again, his blue eyes widening with shock. "How may I serve you, milord, milady?"

Adrian looked down his finely boned nose imperiously and informed the raven haired boy how he could serve us. "Bring us the finest two mounts you have: mine and Princess Elensar's." He waved a hand and the boy scampered off.

"You could have said 'please'," I grumbled at Adrian. "I'm sure it wouldn't have hurt. I always have to say please; if I don't, they take forever getting the horses," I added sullenly.

Adrian just smiled at me, his mouth dimpling at the corners.

After a relatively short wait, the grooms brought out our mounts, an older man holding Adrian's prancing grey and the original groom leading an unfamiliar chestnut mare.

"What…?" I looked at Adrian, and his grin was so wide that it seemed he had nothing but teeth for the bottom half of his face.

"For you, my lady love, for you." He only reeled slightly as I leapt at him, a squealing mass of exuberant girl.

"Oh, thank you, Adrian, thank you!" I wrapped my arms around him tightly, telling myself that I would never let go.

"Elensar?" He asked, after a time.

"Yes?" My reply was somewhat muffled, since my mouth was buried in his shoulder.

"Do you still want to go for a ride?"

"Oh!" I let go of him immediately and walked over to my present. "Of course!" I patted the reddish coat reverently. "What's her name?"

"That's for you to decide, but think on it a bit, love. Let's go riding." Adrian swung easily onto the back of his stallion and waited patiently for me.

"Just a minute," I told him, rushing off to quickly change into the pair of pants that I kept in the stable. As soon as I was back, I let the groom help me into the saddle, and then we were off.

We rode for quite some time, exulting in the semblance of freedom that we created for ourselves. My mare seemed to glide over the ground, her long strides eating up the distance easily. I didn't care that the wind was messing up the modest braid that my hair had been in because it simply wasn't important anymore. Speed was important, and so was catching Adrian's grey.

Finally, Adrian stopped beside the lake that cut this particular park in half, and we walked along the gravelly beach for a while, letting the horses cool off from their run.

"Have you picked out a name yet?" He asked me, only slightly winded himself.

"Not yet…" I couldn't think of a name that would be worthy of this beautiful horse. "Or maybe…what about Antigone?" I named a character from the legends of one of the island nations that were scattered about the Willoway Sea. Antigone had been rebellious, but in a good way, and very strong willed; she rarely let anyone tell her what to do.

"That sounds good," Adrian agreed readily. "Antigone it is, then."

I smiled at him, glad of his approval. "I think we should head back," I said after some time of walking. We had been out for a long time, and there were still things to do for the wedding…I felt the butterflies in my stomach flutter to life at the thought.

"Indeed," He said, nodding. "We've been out for long enough as it is." So, with great reluctance, Adrian turned his grey and I my Antigone and headed towards home.

As soon as we arrived in the stable yard, the grooms took our horses and a page dashed over to me. "Princess Elensar," he greeted me, bowing. "Your sisters wish you in your apartments immediately."

"Did they say why?" The butterflies flapped their wings uneasily.

"No, milady, just that you were wanted." The page bowed again. "They said that I was to escort you there as soon as you returned."

I sighed, "Of course." Turning to Adrian, I gave him a last, quick kiss and allowed the page to lead me off.

It turned out that they wanted me for more dress fittings, more approvals on last minute items, and a scolding for being out so long. I submitted wearily to all of their ministrations, knowing somewhere in the back of my mind that I wouldn't have such an escape again.

The next day, my last as an unmarried woman, and my first as a grownwoman, was spent being pampered to the nth degree. My sisters and a team of maidservants did everything imaginable to me: washing my hair with fine scented soaps and plying me with fine food and drink, and anything else completely wonderful. I went to sleep that night so relaxed that I was asleep before they finished tucking the covers in around my sleeping body.

The next morning dawned without my knowledge; once more, I was allowed to sleep late in deference to the day's activities. Soon enough though, the army of beauticians was back, and I was being bathed and pampered once more.

By noon, when the stopped for a lunch break, my hair had been put into an elegant coiffure, with half of it being swept up into a complex crown of braids and twists on my head, while the rest was curled and left to hang in cascading brown ripples down my back.

After we had a late lunch, my attendants hustled me back to my room, where they continued to fuss and dote on me. The under dress was slipped on over my head, its fitted form hugging my body snuggly. The lightweight fabric rested so gently on my skin that I could barely feel it.

Next, the slender skirt was wrapped around me and the cool satin felt like water sluicing across my legs. The connected bodice that had been hanging loosely on my shoulders was suddenly tightened and I gasped at the unexpected pain of the stays.

"Sweet life! Do you have to lace it so tightly?" I tried to twist around to see what exactly they were trying to do to me, but a pair of strong hands held me straight. I glared at the girl, who looked away but didn't release me.

"It's to shape milady's figure and to give her a waist," the woman behind me explained in rich accents.

"I've got a waist," I grumbled, "And I rather liked it just the way it was."

"It is to define and accentuate milady's waist," the melodious voice amended.

I huffed, but gave in. "Fine." The stays were pulled tighter, and I gasped. I thought that my waist didn't need to be quite so defined as they were making it. My breath hissed in between my clenched teeth as the ribbons that arched up my back felt tension once more and squeezed my lungs into an even tinier space.

By the time my determined army had finished dressing me in the sleek gown, the afternoon was already starting to fade into cooler evening. A new set of girls trooped in as the sun sank below my window to paint my face. They darkened the edges of my eyes with kohl and lightened the lids with a creamy powder. My lips they painted a deep crimson with imported carmine, and my cheeks were rouged with the same substance, only diluted.

By the time that the sun had sunk far enough to have half disappeared, I was ready. My sisters bustled in, all eleven of them, looking almost identical in their svelte silver dresses and relatively simple hair styles. Each of them wore a crown to signify their royal status and carried (or clenched) a delicate bouquet of white chrysanthemums interspersed with various decorative grasses.

Evadne, as my oldest sister, clasped the emerald and diamond necklace set in silver around my neck. "Beautiful," she declared softly.

I looked at myself in the mirror and had to agree; the delicately crafted emerald drop with its silver filigree hung just above the plunging neckline of my dress, catching the light perfectly. The smaller diamonds were set into the silver and ranged across my neck cresting my collarbones in a striking white froth. I glittered. "Oh," I breathed, stunned, "This is wonderful."

Evadne only smiled in her way. Alyssa leaned over and whispered in my ear, "Good luck," to which I replied, "I'll need it."

A page wearing a scarlet tabard burst into the room, bowed and then informed us hastily, "It is time now! Hurry!"

The world spun around me. I wasn't ready for this! I was too young! Adrian was far too old for me, how could I ever have thought that this would work? What did I think I was doing? The delicately ground edge of my vanity bit into my tightly gripping fingers; the butterflies came back in full force and threatened to escape via my mouth.

I must have looked pale, because all of my sisters gave me a sympathetic glance before leaving to go and get the dowry-tokens that they would carry down the aisle with them. I would be the last to come, bringing only myself as a gift.

The latch slid into place as the heavy door closed behind Maria, who had been the last to leave. As always, they had gone in chronological order; Evadne, as the oldest, led while Maria, as the youngest besides me, ended the line.

I twiddled my fingers, waiting for my call to come. I paced, I played with my dress, I rearranged my flowers, I stared at myself in the mirror, all while I waited.

It took forever.

I knew that Evadne would glide down the aisle on the arm of one of Adrian's lordlings, or perhaps a knight. The rest would follow her in a solemn procession, each carrying a jeweled box with a symbolic dowry-gift; Evadne would start with a gold coin on a velvet cushion, Lark would hold the cask with the orchestral music that had been composed by our own resident genius. Wren would bring with her a fine ruby and so on and so forth. The whole procession could take forever. Perhaps it was only half of an hour.

"Elensar, come on." Owen peered around the door at me. He did a double take. "Well I'll be damned!" Owen exclaimed happily. "Don't you look just amazing!"

"You think so?" I chewed nervously on my lip, hoping he was sincere.

"Of course," he assured me, grabbing my arm. "Now, hurry, it's almost our turn. Do you have the ring?"

I held up the ring that I had slipped on my thumb. It was still a little loose there, since it was a man's ring, but Adrian would have it soon and it would fit perfectly then.

"Let's go, then. Your music is coming." Owen looked dashing and far too mature in his red doublet, I thought, and I told him so. He just laughed at me and dragged me out of my room and down the hall.

We stepped up to the closed doors, which would open for us in mere seconds, but for now remained heavy wooden barriers against the outside world and my future. My fingers closed tightly around Owen's wrist and he grimaced slightly, but didn't protest otherwise.

The doors opened, and we stepped out in the candlelight.

Dusk had fallen hours ago, and now the night was a rich, deep blue that was sprinkled with shining silvery stars. The flames that wavered hesitantly on the candlewicks defined the path that led to the apex of a hill, which shimmered brightly with firelight. The faint silhouettes outlined against the sky moved slowly, as if through water. Orchestral music wafted lazily across the grassy park, alighting in the multitude of ears and pleasing all the senses. Cool air brushed against skin, and the rustle of fine fabrics were subtle undertones to the stately processional; the dying grass crunched underfoot with a percussive consistency.

I didn't glance around, just clung to Owen and watched my destination. I fancied that I could see him there, waiting for me among a host of my sisters and their escorts. The cool metal of the ring on my thumb grew warm as I fretted still.

The whisperings of the people who lined the path registered slowly, and it took me even longer to realize that they were talking about me. They were complimenting me, praising me and telling me how beautiful I looked. A few even tossed soft flower petals at me, white smudges in the soft light.

Owen and I walked onward, slowly nearing the bridal party. My vise-like grip on his arm grew even tighter and he glanced over at me worriedly. He frowned, and I shook my head slightly. I was fine. Really I was. I kept telling myself that, over and over again.

The dress seemed too tight, and I thought that I couldn't breathe. The breaths I did take came as ragged sobs.

"Shh," Owen murmured. "Shh."

I nodded. "Shh," I said, echoing him. My breathing slowed to a regular pace, and I composed myself once more.

Another step across the ground was another step closer to my destination. Was another step closer to Adrian. To my future.

I gulped; we stepped past Maria and the young Lord Nethal, and they both smiled slightly. Johanna stared straight ahead expressionlessly at Sir Larne, while he caught my eye and gave me a small nod. As we passed Alyssa, I saw that she wasn't even trying to hide her smile; her grin covered the entirety of her face, starting with her mouth and shining up through her eyes. I didn't see who had escorted her, and I couldn't remember from all the planning we had done. I just grinned shakily back at my sister. Owen and I walked past my sisters and the various aristocrats and knights of Delran at our torturously slow pace.

At long last we came to the end of the gauntlet: Evadne on my side and Lord Raven on Owen's. One more step was all that I had to take.

Owen let go of my arm and pushed me forward, taking the position of honor in front of Evadne and behind me.

"Adrian," I whispered, as his hand caught mine.

"Elensar," he replied, equally softly.

The King of Meridian began the ceremony is a timely manner, forgoing the fanciful frills that most royal weddings usually had. With his deep voice carrying easily across the fields, he told all present of his daughter and the king.

"There was one night, over a year ago, when a young and beautiful girl was stolen from her rooms by the bold actions of a young and rash king." That was what my father said by way of ceremony. He said many more things, I am sure, but I was too lost in my worries and Adrian to really notice.

I reminisced about sojourn in Delran, and about the first kiss I had shared with Adrian, the scented night enveloping us. The memories of fleeing from him surfaced, and I suppressed a smile at my brash stupidity. I had been so young, it seemed, so childish; of course, I was much more mature now, as grown up as I was now. I thought of that last night, with its final flight from my childhood; it had been panicked and chaotic, but still, it had been exhilarating and entirely worth it.

The smile that I had tried to hold back forced its way onto my lips, and I let it rest there, fondly thinking of my recent escapades for love.

Suddenly, Adrian was turning me towards him, and the veil was being lifted from my face. The night air, scented with nothing but impending frost, caressed my cheek, following Adrian's thumb. I shivered, and glanced up into Adrian's luminously joyous eyes.

A grin suffused my entire face as Adrian's mouth collided with mine in an awkward, passionate and all together wonderful kiss. I wrapped my arms around his neck, tangling my fingers in his hair and pulling him towards me.

We had to say our vows after that first kiss and after Adrian had promised to love and care for me forever, I promised the same, my voice shaking uncontrollably as I choked down huge gasps of air. I was nervous again, terrified to be binding myself to a man, to anyone. Adrian clenched my hand in his, our rings biting into the flesh of our palms.

We kissed again, although with much more grace and control than the previous one. His breath was warm on my skin, as were his lips on mine. I could hear someone near us suppressing soft snorts of laughter, and I suspected Owen but refused to let it bother me.

Adrian took my hand in his as my father looked on proudly. "Elensar," he murmured, "I love you." The small gold band that had been around his smallest finger slipped neatly onto my fourth finger.

"I love you too," I whispered back, feeling the tears that were blurring my vision running down my cheeks. We were almost done, if only I could get the damn ring on his finger. Adrian guided my hands gently; helping me slid the ring over his finger and down to the base.

"Please," My father said as I looked up again. "Please, one more kiss to seal your pact."

It took three kisses to make a wedding official, and as Adrian captured my grinning lips in the most daring public show that we had had yet. I loved every second of it.

The noise started slowly, like thunder from far away. It built steadily and quickly, rising to my ears in a wonderful, dizzying roar.

The people approved! They cheered for us- for Adrian and me!

I kissed him harder, which elicited a greater roar from the assemblage. I laughed; I was married! There was, however, one final tradition to go through.

My siblings moved in to surround us, encircling us with a glowing candle light. Evadne set the first burning candle on the ground by my feet. As she rose, Lark knelt to place her light on the ground. Each sister in succession dipped and bobbed upward once more in turn, until they came to Owen.

He smiled at the crowd and waved, and I supposed someone waved back. Then, with elegance I had not thought him capable of, he delicately set the white, scented candle down on the ground, completing the heart-shape that Evadne had started.

Adrian and I were ringing by a burning heart, the ultimate symbol of love. I rose on my tip toes to press my lips softly to his cheek on last time before we stepped off to the reception ball.

As the applause grew louder from the crowd, we turned to face the people for the first time. We were both grinning, and as Adrian swept me off my feet in one singly, sweeping motion, I felt like my smile would rip my cheeks so it could spread even wider.

He whisked me across the flames easily, holding me tightly in his arms as if he would never let go. I looked back just once as he carried me down the hill and towards the tents that had been set up, and I saw the flicker of the fire dancing on the hill top, burning as if it would never go out.

I hoped that it blazed forever.

Author's Note: I am terribly sorry about the wait! My vacations went well, although there was no way the Southwest could equal London, but the food was definitely worth it. (I like Mexican food…:) Unfortunately, the resulting jetlag really wasn't, and that was part of the reason that I didn't write…

Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter that took me forever and a day to write! It's extra long, though, so that should help make up for the wait. I couldn't figure out how to write the wedding, because I've only been to one wedding that I can actually remember, so I had to build off of that a bit. I hope I pulled it off!

Thanks for putting up with me everyone, you guys are really great! I love you all!

To My Splendiferous Reviewers:

Athena Diagon Cat: cheers along

Virgo-Valentina: I'm glad that they will have their happily ever after too…happy endings are my favorite. :)

Glaze: I think that I will elaborate on the explanations in the next (final!) chapter, so you'll have to tell me what you think of them then…:)

Lilred-007: Thank you! I'm amazed that I can inspire such emotion when I write…yay!

Mistyqueen: Ah…band…I love it. I'm a sucker for happy endings too…I hope that your friends were okay!

Tamaran Girl: Party! Fun:oP Anyway, the majority of your questions will be addressed and answered in the next chapter…I promise.

Tami: I think it's very likely that Evadne was jealous, although of whom (or what) I haven't decided yet.

GlitterPoison: Yes! They're married! celebrates

HalfBludPr1ncess: Thank you so very much for your praise! I really, really appreciate it. Did you get and read Harry Potter yet? I liked it a lot…did you:D

Fireworksinmybackpocket:A muffin? A cookie? A motorbike? Those are definitely incentives to update…:) I hope you enjoyed this chapter too!

Bookreader: I'm planning on one more chapter now…I can't think why it would go longer.

Eleatie: And there's still more:D I saw the townies while I was there! I did, I did! Of course, I saw lots of other people too…but still…:)

Twinkle toesies: Hello then! I'm glad you enjoyed this chapter, and say thank you to her for me! Thanks muchly!

HolmesIsMyHomie: I loved the Claidi books! And you think I sound like her? Wow! Thanks:oD

Cerri: Thanks for reading and the compliments, and I'm sorry I made you wait!

You guys are all wonderful and I don't know how to thank you enough for reading and reviewing! There's only going to one more chapter now, so we're almost done…that makes me kind of sad, but also happy to get a resolution at last.

Well, I hope you enjoyed this insanely long chapter and remember to tell me how much you love/hate it!