Chapter thirty one:
A month and a half after the defeat of the Evil Queen, Darling was standing in the centre throne room of Raven's home castle opposite Raven. Darling could hardly believe that the day she would become betrothed to Raven was here as long last. Darling was unsurprised to find that she was thrilled, excited and incredibly nervous all at the same time today.
As Darling looked around the throne room, she could see that there were a lot of guests in attendance today, this included Darling's brothers, her parents and Raven's father. Most of the other's present were either friends to the couple, or representatives of various lands and kingdoms that wished to show their support for the royal couple and their new story.
Darling drew her mind away from the people who had come to the ceremony and focused instead on Raven. She had to admit that the outfit which Lizzy had designed for her lady princess was absolutely spell binding.
The dress was a stunning blackberry purple silk, it clung to Raven's figure, before opening out at her waist to fall in graceful folds to the floor. The dress had been delicately embroidered with many different flowers, all picked out in shimmering silver thread. This flower motif was carried on at the neck, where a delicate neckline of silver silk flowers where gathered, flattering her milky white skin and making look as if Raven had been born from the flowers themselves. Raven's dark tresses were not confined today, instead the curls fell long and free around her making her look even more princess like than ever before. Atop her head was a small ring of the same silver flowers which had been used at the neckline of the dress, from which rose a simple silver coronet.
Darling was rather pleased with her own clothes for today too, she felt that she looked every inch a prince Charming in them. Darling wore knee high silver boots, tight dove grey trousers, a matching undershirt over which was a long spectacular midnight blue coat. The coat was fastened closed at the front with six silver buttons holding it close to Darling's figure, it then cut back to flare around her hips, before the sides of coat curved back and came to a halt in a u shape at Darling's knees. The lapels of the coat folded back to show a delicate silver floral embroidery to match Raven's, this was repeated on the inside of the long back part of the coat. There was a sword belt of silver at Darling's waist and from it hung her sword, a clear sine to those around them of the fact she was the prince of this story and was always ready to defend her lady princess. Darling's hair was ornately braided back and again in a mirror of Raven except without the flowers atop her head sat a simple silver crown.
"You look utterly dashing today my Charming lady knight…Though I guess after rescuing me I should really be calling you my Charming lady prince now." Raven said softly to Darling, while a delicate blush covered her cheeks.
Darling smiled devilishly at Raven. "Or we could give everyone a headache and you could call me your prince Charming."
Raven nodded thoughtfully, before responding with. "You know I don't see why not. I mean after all you are my prince and you are a Charming…"
This had not been the response Darling had been expecting and both her eyebrows flew upwards. She had always secretly longed to be someone's prince Charming and to hear that Raven would be willing to give her the title caused her heart to soar in her chest. "You really wouldn't mind calling me your prince Charming?"
Quickly Raven shook her head and shot her a smile, but before she could say anything to Darling the Good King Stephan was stepping forwards and gaining the attention of all the guests in the room. "One and all! It is my great pleasure to have you all here to witness the betrothal of my daughter and only heir Raven Good King to Darling Charming. They are a couple who share a deep and sacred bond, as described in the greatest of tales, they have overcome a terrible trial and now they will begin to join their lives together forever."
These words were greeted with polite clapping from most of those present, but cheers and woops of delight from those guests who heralded from Wonderland. Smiling warmly the Good King then gestured to Darling and addressed her. "You may say your vow to my daughter now."
Darling bowed formally to the King, before turning back to Raven and commandingly holding her left hand out to her. Without any hesitation Raven placed her own left hand into Darling's. Darling took a breath, she brought out her ring, as she placed it carefully onto Raven's wedding finger and then she made her vow to her. "My lady princess, my heart is all yours, my soul is completely yours, all my life is yours too, this I swear to you is for all my life and beyond that. I am your sword and your shield for now and always. We are bound together by the rings we have exchanged today. They are a mark for all to see that we have sworn to be together for all time and show that in time we shall wed."
When Darling finished speaking, she released Raven's hand and waited for her to begin. Raven held out her right hand, there was a momentary glow of light purple magic and her ring appeared in the palm of Raven's hand. Raven then held her left hand out to Darling, who placed her left hand into hers. Gently Raven slipped the ring onto Darling's wedding finger, before she made her vow. "My prince Charming, my heart is all yours, my soul is completely yours, all my life is yours too, this I swear to you is for all my life and beyond that. I accept you as my sword and shield for the rest of my life. We are bound together by the rings we have exchanged today. They are a mark for all to see that we have sworn to be together for all time and show that in time we shall wed."
As Raven called Darling her prince Charming for the first time and for all those present to hear, Darling smiled at her radiantly. Raven returned her smile and squeezed her hand gently. They drew close to each other and shared a loving kiss, which brought forth for the guests to see the light of their shared true love.
All those present gasped at the sight of the golden light, which even though the kiss was short shone brightly and demonstrated to them all that Raven and Darling shared a deep true love. As they continued to kiss, the knots and threads of their soulmate bond could also be seen glowing brightly inside them and the guests became even more awed than before.
They were broken out of their overwhelmed state, as Lizzy, Maddie and the other guests from wonderland started to cheer and clap wildly for the newly betrothed couple. Quickly the other guests began to clap as well, determined to also demonstrate their support for Darling and Raven.
Slowly and reluctantly Darling and Raven broke their kiss. They smiled lovingly at each other, then holding hands the couple smiled warmly around at all of those present.
As the clapping and cheering subsided Darling's mother and father made their way over to Raven and Darling. Hope smiled warmly at Raven, she hugged her gently and then placed a kiss to both of Raven's cheeks, before pulling back saying to her in a cheerful voice. "I am so happy Darling managed to find her true love and soulmate in you. I can already tell that standing by your side will be all the adventure that Darling is going to need."
Raven gave the Queen a bright smile. "As I intend to revive the round table when I become Queen and have Darling rule over it with me, I am sure that she will be content with the grand adventure that will be."
The eyes of King Charming had gone wide and he said in shock. "So, the stories about your family being descended from Arthur, Merlin and Gwenivere are true?"
Raven nodded to him. "Yes, they are."
Darling reclaimed one of Raven's hands, she carried it to her lips and kissed the back of the hand, before saying in a soft voice. "I cannot wait to rule the round table with you my love or for our children to be born."
"Children? Are the two of you already considering adopting?" Victor asked them curiously.
Raven shook her head and then explained to the King. "Actually no…I can give Darling children. A side effect of Merlin using magic create a child from three parents is that all the heirs of his line with magic can have children with one of their own gender should they wish to and no we do not know exactly how it works."
As she explained this to them, the eyes of Hope and Victor went wide. Raven gave them a small smile and said softly. "I know it is shocking news for you both, but I hope when the time comes you will both be able to love a child born from us as you both would any other grandchild which might come from Daring or Dexter."
It was the Queen Charming who recovered herself first, she hugged Raven quickly and said in a deeply emotional voice. "I had already been willing to accept a child that you both chose to be your heir, so of course I will be more than happy to accept a such a child."
As she drew back Hope cast her husband a speaking look, which clearly said to him 'say something idiot'. Victor shook himself out of his startled state, he gave Raven a warm smile. "It is wonderful to know that when you both decide to have child you will be able to and I look forwards to being a grandfather one day."
A small sigh of relief left Raven and she smiled brilliantly at Darling's parents. "I am glad to know that you would both be accepting of a child of ours."
Darling squeezed her hand and then said to her parents. "If you will forgive us mother and father we need to go and see the other witnesses to today's ceremony."
"Of course." Hope assured them, while making a go-ahead gesture at them at the same time.
As Raven and Darling moved away from Hope and Victor, Darling protectively placed Raven's arm through hers. Raven shot Darling a loving smile and walked along beside her as they made their way over to her father.
As Stephan saw them coming towards him and a couple of the other guests, he smiled at them and said conversationally. "Ah, and here come the happy couple themselves."
"Father." Raven said happily, while they made their way up to his side, once they were there Raven leant in and kissed him softly on the cheek.
At the same time Darling bowed politely to him. "King Stephan."
"I am glad to see you are both happy with today's events." Stephan said to them with a cheerful smile.
"We are indeed." Raven assured both him and the guests around him.
"And may I ask when we might expect a wedding?" One weedy man asked Darling and Raven.
Darling did not hesitate to answer him in a firm voice which told him that any further questions on this topic would not be welcome. "We are yet to decide, but we wish to marry very soon. We are very well aware however that a royal wedding is no easy task to undertake, still my lady princess and I hope very much to be able to wed sooner rather than later."
"I see." The man ventured in a slightly embarrassed voice, before he coughed and addressed them again. "I offer you my congratulations on your betrothal."
"Thank you." Raven said to him, in a cool and formal voice.
With a polite bow of the head towards Raven's father, Darling then addressed Stephan and the guests around him. "If you will forgive us, we should go and great our other guests."
No one objected as the couple moved away from them. Side by side Darling and Raven made their way around the groups of guests, greeting them and accepting their good wishes on their betrothal, form either themselves or a kingdom they represented.
Eventually the couple reached the spot in the throne room where Kitty and Maddie stood as the representatives of Wonderland.
"Hello you two!" Raven greeted cheerfully.
"Hey Raven." Kitty responded.
"Many joyous ruckuses on this most gilded of days! From myself and I, the little heart and the hearted crown!" Maddie announced with great joy.
Darling instantly shot Raven a confused look. Raven was careful not to giggle or tell Darling she found that look adorable, saying to Maddie instead. "Many thanks for your good wishes from yourself Lizzy and the Queen of hearts, Maddie."
"Yes, many thanks." Darling agreed, before they moved on to great even more attendee.
Raven leant into Darling and whispered softly to her. "I can't believe that when we get back to school that we need to attend the huge party Briar has organised to celebrate our betrothal."
Darling grinned at her. "You know Briar any opportunity to throw another party!"
"Oh boy is that true!" Raven said with a chuckle.
"Personally I am looking forwards to the party." Darling told her with a possessive glint in her eyes.
"I see that look on your face…What are you thinking about my prince Charming?" Raven asks her curiously.
She shot Raven another smile. "Seeing everyone's face when you call me your prince Charming in front of them and being able to flaunt the fact that you are mine now to everyone there."
These words caused Raven to blush slightly, she shot Darling a loving smile and then snuggled closer to her side as they continued to meet more guests. As they made their way around them all Raven was well aware of Darling projecting an aura of possessiveness and protectiveness towards any guests who might try to somehow disrespect Raven or talk to her about political arrangements between her father's kingdom and their own.
By the time the last of those attending their betrothal ceremony had left it was late and both Raven and Darling were tired to the bone and very much done with being social and accommodating.
"I don't know about you, but all I have my mind on at this moment in time is bed and sleep." Raven confessed to Darling with a yawn.
Darling nodded in agreement while saying to Raven. "Me too, I thought they where never going to leave! Talking to most of them was the conversation equivalent of watching paint dry."
"I'm not going to disagree with you there." Raven said tiredly. "If one more person told me what the they thought our story should be called I think I would have screamed."
"Oh, by the ancestors that topic!" Darling said with aggravation.
Raven sighed deeply. "Hopefully the people will come up with a name for it soon and we won't need to be bothered by it any more."
"That would be bliss." Darling told her with a sigh of her own.
"Well, my prince Charming shall we retire for the night?" Raven suggested to her with a soft smile.
"That my lady princess sounds like an excellent idea." Darling agreed with a seductive purr to her voice, she took Raven's hand in hers, swept the giggling witch out of the great hall and up to where the bedrooms were.
