As the title implies, this is only the first part of my promise epilogue. The second will come when I have time to write. School has been kicking my butt this semester so I haven't been able to update as much as I wanted to. I won't be doing a sequel to this story, however, there is still one more chapter than I originally planned for all of you (epilogue part 2)! Thank you for all your support and your reviews throughout the last few months. If I find more time after this story is completed, I plan on trying to write a story for Once Upon a Time (if any of you are apart of that fandom, keep an eye out for my story, please.)
America's POV
It had been nearly three months since Kriss and Maxon had ended their engagement. The Report had gone surprisingly well. A majority of the people in the lower and some of the upper Castes were glad that their King and his fiancée would be able to be happy instead of having to follow through with a wedding that was going to be loveless. Hopeless romantics in the end, I guess. I suppose that it probably had to do something with the fact that Maxon was now seen as more of a human rather than some perfect, all powerful being. Regardless of the fact that it had been three months since the end of their relationship, Maxon still hadn't proposed to me. I tried not to get too stressed about it when I was done on dates with him or lessons for Princess training. I knew that he was taking his time but I couldn't really understand why. We knew that we wanted to be together, knew that we were allowed to be together, and yet he still wouldn't propose.
I couldn't help but be jealous. Marlee was going to give birth to a beautiful baby boy in a week or two, Kriss and Scott were engaged and planning a quick wedding, and this evening was Daniele and Celeste's wedding in Italy. We had all flown out to an ancient city—Venice—that had somehow survived all of the changes and wars that had taken place throughout its history. I was glad that it had. This place was magnificently beautiful. The streets were almost mostly underwater but they had also constructed new roads and bridges that made the living conditions perfect for those that didn't mind the water traffic. I sat on the balcony outside of my room waiting for Celeste to come out of her changing room.
"What do you think?" a soft voice whispered from behind me. I turned around to see my friend in a beautiful white dress, lace running down her arms to where they turned slightly into gloves. The lace was the only part of her dress that remained see-through and the tail was a beautiful mermaid style that lightly clung to her body. She looked like a wedding model of perfection. I smiled at her and walked back into the room, shutting the balcony doors behind us. No chance of the groom seeing the bride before the wedding this way.
"You look amazing, Celeste." I replied, sitting down on the bed as I picked up the box that had my light blue bridesmaids dress. I lightly pulled it out and smoothed out the wrinkles with my hand. "I can't believe you're getting married before me! You're such a brat," I cried, trying to be overdramatic but also trying to play down my jealousy.
"Yes, well Five at least my Prince has had the guts to pop the question." She replied brushing her hair behind her shoulder. She put her hand on my shoulder and smiled at me softly, trying to offer up some form of comfort. "It'll happen soon America. I'm sure it will it's just been so crazy since the last attack on the palace and you really still don't know who is following under what orders DeLisle left behind."
"I know but everyone is moving on with their lives. I'm just ready to finally be with Maxon," I replied. "Shouldn't you be getting your hair done and the hair piece put on? It's a lovely piece of jewelry, Nicoletta was showing it to me."
"I'm worried his family won't like me. We've spent very little time with them as a couple and I'm pretty sure Nicoletta would prefer that you were marrying her brother."
I shrugged my shoulders. "It'll be just fine Celeste. I'm sure they'll love you once you're living out here most of the time. Delegates to Illéa, Daniele and Celeste of Italy."
"It's nice to know that I won't lose my purpose just because I got older."
She walked out of the room and back into her own which left me to finish getting myself ready for the wedding. Lucy had volunteered to come and do my hair for the wedding before she and Aspen went on a longer honeymoon out here. I didn't know what I would have done without her preparing my hair for me because I would have let it hang around and just sit on top of my head. But I wanted tonight to be special for my friend and for me. This was the first time that Maxon and I would be a couple at a spectacular event that many foreign dignitaries would be attending. I wanted them to see me as the future queen of Illéa, Maxon's wife to be. And part of me to make sure that Maxon's eyes were still on me, that I could still amaze and charm him. With the few moments that we had managed to get together, there was nothing I feared more than the idea that he might change his mind about me.
I replayed that Report constantly in my mind. The people of Illéa had question after question and most of them seemed to involve me throwing myself at their king, ruining his engagement with Kriss. The popular opinion at the end of the Selection—the one that said I was a champion of the people but also a secret rebel—turned into one that I was basically no better than an Eight who had been cast out of society because of adultery. It seemed that everyone assumed at some point I had stolen Maxon's virtue and ruined their King. No one seemed to doubt him, though. The weight had fallen on my shoulders to carry the blame and Maxon had thought it best if we kept some distance to discourage any rumors that we had been anything but simply denying our feelings for one another at the end of the Selection which had led to his engagement to Kriss instead.
After Kriss had stepped back into the public light with her relationship with Scott, the people seemed to relax off as many comments about me and rather went with accepting what Maxon had to say about our lack of communication. Still, he had been here and there and there was simply no time to get our relationship back on track. There had been too many failures of trying to plan dates for us to keep making them only to drop them later in the day.
"Coming, Ames?" Scott asked from the other side of the door. I stepped out and greeted him and Kriss who were hand in hand. I was sad to see that Maxon hadn't arrived yet. He was supposed to be walking me down the aisle to where we would line up as a bridesmaid and a groomsmen. Scott caught the worry in my eye and pointed to the door that lead to his bedroom. "He got caught up in a phone call. He'll be out in just a moment but told us to go ahead and head down in a moment."
We separated as they went to take their seats and I went to join the rest of Celeste's friends. Much to my surprise, there were only two or three other bridesmaids. I knew that she had friends before she came to the Selection but I hadn't ever realized the fact that she was more alone and surrounded by people who were shallow and watching out for their own best interests. She had picked only her most true friends to be a part of her wedding and I couldn't help but smile at the fact that I had made the cut.
A pair of arms snaked around my waist and I leaned back into Maxon's chiseled chest. His arms felt like home and I had been missing them so much more than words could ever express. I looked down to his arms that were covered by the fine material of his suit jacket and my body was overcome with the urge to pull it off and stroke his strong arms. "Hello, my love. I'm sorry it took me so long to get down here."
I turned around and smile up into his beautiful brown eyes, closing the distance between us with a kiss. It warmed me and reminded me of all that I had been missing. He pulled away, pointing up to a clock in the corner of the room. "My dear, it's almost time for the wedding to begin and I'd really hate to face the consequences of stealing Celeste's thunder on her special day," he chuckled, brushing a stray curl out of my face. "But I will find you on the dance floor after the ceremony. I have a surprise for you," he whispered, kissing my cheek softly. We walked to our opposite sides of the room, lining up one with another.
As we walked down the aisle I couldn't help but imagine the day that I would finally be walking towards Maxon. The ceremony started and I listened carefully to the words that Daniele and Celeste spoke to each other. "I promise to love you forever and do my best to ensure your happiness." I looked over at Maxon and smiled. I knew now, more than ever, that I would have never been truly happy with Aspen or Scott the way that I wanted to be with him. I knew that I would make him angry and frustrated just as much as I did happy, but that was something that would bring sparks into our relationship as well. My eyes stayed pierced on him throughout the promises and vows that our friends made. Our day had to come soon, I hoped.
