Chapter 20
The afternoon had felt awfully slow, and time continued to drag past Niles as he waited for his bride at the chapel. He'd arrived twenty minutes ago and, if he wasn't mistaken, it wouldn't be long until C.C.'s arrival, either.
Their friends had already arrived and were sitting and waiting far more patiently than he was. They all knew it wouldn't be long at all, but to them, twenty minutes had felt like a much shorter time than it had done for him.
He didn't know much longer he'd be able to tell himself that it wouldn't be long. The night had been unbearable; so much so, he'd actually tried to sneak out to get to C.C.'s room, only to be turned back by his mother the moment he'd thought he'd made it. Marie had been on her anti-pre-marital-consummation patrol, even if she hadn't told him quite as much, and she'd ordered him back to bed with threats of denying him access to his bride post-marriage, if he didn't leave her be until the morning.
He'd had to leave it. He knew she meant it, and he wasn't taking the risk.
Not when they were both so close to spending the rest of their lives together, with nobody to come between them. They had been kept apart for the past day and a half, but he knew that their separation would soon be over.
They'd never be apart again, once this ceremony was complete. It was the thought he kept in mind as he waited, imagining each part of how their life would be starting tomorrow, and eventually, he heard the chapel doors open behind him.
His beloved had arrived, ready at last to become his wife.
He had to keep himself facing forward until she got to his side. But it was so difficult – he could hear the gasps and admiration coming from Fran, Margaret and his mother, so it already suggested how beautiful C.C. looked.
Well, he knew she would look beautiful anyway. But he wanted to see how she looked in the regalia she would be crowned in. Though he knew that would be some time in the future, yet.
It seemed an age until she made it to his side.
But when she did, on the arm of her beaming brother, it was worth every second of the wait.
His mother had said the dress was beautiful, but the truth was more complicated than that – it was more like the dress was an extension of her beauty; royal blue, with the finest trim and matching jewellery that mortal eye ever did see. Her golden hair was brushed back and lifted, perfect for a crown to sit on her head one day, even if today only a gorgeous tiara lay there.
She was every inch a future queen, and more than half-way to being divine.
Had they not been in a place of worship for the one true God, he would have insisted that the little congregation bring tribute and lay it at her feet, before singing her praises so that she might bestow blessings upon them.
When C.C. and Noel, who was dressed in his absolute finest clothes, reached Niles, he placed his sister's hand in Niles'. He knew the prince would take care of his sister, and make her the happiest woman on Earth.
He bowed to the prince and then went to take his seat next to Margaret, his eyes suspiciously glassy.
The Reverend Smith stepped forward, cleared his throat, and began to speak. The ceremony had started.
"Dearly beloved," he said, "we are gathered here in the sight of God to join this man and this woman together in holy matrimony."
The bride and groom smiled at each other, clearly lost in their own little world. Anyone who had eyes could easily see just how in love they were, and that no force on this Earth would break them apart. They drifted in and out of the reverend's speech, replying to the anthems and prayers when necessary, but for them the world consisted of only the both of them.
And then, finally, the moment to say their vows came. The rings were ready to be made one, and so were they.
After joining their hands, Niles spoke.
"I, Niles, take thee Chastity-Claire to be my lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, 'til death do us part."
Then, it was C.C.'s turn.
"I, Chastity-Claire, take thee Niles to be my lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, 'til death do us part."
The reverend said something that they barely heard, they were looking at each other so much. But they knew what was to happen; now it was time for the ring – singular, not plural – to go where Niles had dreamed of it being for ages.
He took the half of the ring he had worn off his finger, preparing it for its new place.
He then took her hand in his, the ring half in the fingers of his other. They were trembling from the adrenaline, but he was steady enough to repeat the vows he was to give.
"Chastity-Claire, I give you this ring as a sign of our marriage," he said. "With my body, I worship you..."
He would. Every chance he would get, for the rest of their lives.
"All that I am, I give to you..."
He was hers. That would never change; all she had to do was ask something of him, and it would be done.
"All that I have, I share with you..."
He'd do more than share his future kingdom with her. He would gift it to her, and consider it a worthy exchange, even if she only smiled at him in return.
"Within the love of God; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit."
With that said, he slipped his half of the ring onto her finger, carefully fitting the two parts together. They fit snugly and securely, forming the symbol of his and C.C's lifelong unity.
It made his heart swell with love and joy to know it would stay there, too. To Niles, the glittering stones could never compare with the sparkle in her eyes, and the band could not hope to outshine to her golden hair. But it shone so nicely on his wife's finger, and it was one of the many signs that she was his, and no one could take her away.
It was much the same when she began her own vows, her voice sounding like music in his ears. She might have had no ring to put on his finger, but it didn't matter. He would – eventually – show the world his devotion to her in his actions and his words.
Until that day, he would simply show his devotion to the person who mattered the most: his bride.
"Niles, I receive this ring as a sign of our marriage. With my body I worship you..."
That was something they would broach later that night, and he could hear the nervousness in her tone, even as she did her best to hide it. But he adored her, and would see to it that he did everything to make her comfortable.
"All that I am, I give to you..."
He couldn't have asked for anything more. He wasn't sure he deserved such an honour, but he was grateful beyond words for it.
"All that I have, I share with you..."
They could've had nothing and he wouldn't have minded at all. As long as he got to share life with her, it was all that mattered.
"Within the love of God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit."
After the rings had been given over and made one, the reverend went straight back to his part in the ceremony.
"In the presence of God, and before this congregation, His Royal Highness and Lady Chastity-Claire have given their consent and made their marriage vows to each other," he said. "They have declared their marriage by the joining of hands and by the giving and receiving of rings. I therefore proclaim that they be husband and wife together."
He took their joined hands and covered them with his own.
"What God has put together, let no man put asunder," he declared, and the little congregation burst into cheers as loud as if they had filled an entire cathedral. Niles then kissed his bride – a chaste peck on the lips, that was all – and then turned to their friends and family.
"I hereby present Their Royal Highnesses, the Prince and Princess of Wales!"
The Prince and Princess of Wales. The title almost sounded foreign to Niles, even though he'd held half of it for his entire life!
It was foreign like...like a whole new world had just opened up in front of his eyes. A different country that no one had ever discovered before, teeming with wildlife on its wide open plains, running with crystal-clear rivers and lakes that lapped gently at banks and shores, trees hanging ripe with sweet, untried fruit just waiting to be plucked...
It was a magnificent feeling. A feeling of adventure, and excitement. And he got to share it all with the woman he loved, just as one day they'd share a crown.
C.C., meanwhile, had almost looked towards the door when the reverend had announced the Prince and Princess of Wales. For a split second in her mind, she had wondered who else had been invited and since when had there ever been another Prince of Wales...?
Then she'd remembered. Well, "realised" was more the word.
That was them. She was the Princess of Wales now!
She...was the Princess of Wales...!
It was fortunate that she was holding onto Niles' arm as they made their way down through the chapel – it made not collapsing at the mere knowledge so much easier!
Princess...she was a princess…
In the space of just a few months, she'd lost everything she'd ever had, been reduced to a maid, risen the servant ranks, and now...now, she was in love, married as of seconds prior, and her love had made her a princess!
Part of her wanted to weep for joy. She didn't know what she'd done to deserve a second chance – in as high and mighty a position, either – after almost her whole family had been taken away. But she knew she was going to use it. She'd be as loving and attentive a wife as ever there was, and she'd...do what princesses did?
She had so little experience of royal life from that side! Perhaps she'd do the things that Marie did, when she was serving her? She'd have to ask, when she got the chance...
Her head was spinning though, so she thought she might give it some time and wait for everything to calm down before she tried!
Besides, she had a party to get going to. Their wedding celebration wouldn't be a grand affair, like most royal weddings were, but it would certainly be special. Niles and Marie had spared no expense, and as such a magnificent spread would already be waiting for them at the house, complete with wedding cake, live music and litres of the finest liquor money could buy.
C.C. simply couldn't wait. She'd never been one to daydream about her wedding day, but the celebration couldn't have been any more perfect if they'd tried! Well, if she was being honest, they could have eloped at some dingy little chapel lost in the middle of the woods with only God as their witness and it would have still been perfect – as long as it was the two of them and she got to call him her husband at the end of the day, then anything would do.
Together, the newlywed couple made their way out of the chapel, hands joined and hearts bursting with happiness in their chests, There was no angelical choir, or fanfare, or gilded carriage at the exit – no pomp and circumstance. There was only a short walk up to their house, lined with a few smiling servants who'd been tasked with throwing rice at the happy couple. And it was enough.
More than enough, C.C. thought to herself as she and her new husband shared a loving smile and a quick peck on the lips. They'd be doing a lot more than that that, soon enough, but for the time being they had to keep decorum and be dignified in front of their few guests.
They were a prince and a princess, now, after all. There were expectations on them that didn't exist for most other people in society, even it was obvious that most brides and grooms had to keep their wedding day a formal affair.
It was an extra level of chastity and restraint, C.C. supposed. But it didn't matter – it was only for a few hours; anyone could wait that amount of time.
She tried not to let nerves creep up on her when she thought that. Only a few hours, and she'd be...finding out what everybody else had been talking about for so long. Finding out if she even liked it. Finding out if Niles liked it with her...
She had to distract herself from those thoughts. They'd swallow up her entire evening if she kept them in her mind, and that was the last thing she wanted.
She could be nervous about it when the time came, not before.
Having extra expectations didn't appear to stop Niles from practically skidding to a halt when they reached the front door, either. C.C. couldn't help but look at him with a quirked eyebrow when he did.
What were they waiting for? They had a wedding celebration to get to, just through that front door!
He appeared to know what she was thinking, however, because he gave her a lopsided grin in return.
"Are you ready to enter a home as only a bride should?" he asked.
C.C. wasn't sure what that meant entirely, but she trusted him. Even if that grin of his always made her think that he was up to something!
"I...I suppose I am..."
As soon as those words were out of her mouth, she found Niles scooping her up in his arms and planting a kiss on her lips as he carried her over the threshold and into the lodge.
This, they knew, symbolised a new beginning.
The beginning, hopefully, of the rest of their lives.