Rice showered down on the streets of Avalor City as the royal coach made it's way back to the palace. It seemed as if the entire kingdom had come out to catch a glimpse of their Queen and her husband, soon to be crowned their new King. It had been 47 years since Avalor had a king and the citizens were thrilled. What made it most exciting of all was that their new King had grown up among them. Many had known him since he was a child. Now, through hard work, determination and a kind heart, he held the highest title in the land (equal to that of the queen of course). He was a true inspiration. A Cinderella story. He gave the people reason to believe that anything was possible. They cheered on as Gabe and Elena waved to them all, wishing they could stop and thank each kind face for their well wishes.

They pulled up to the palace gates and Elena and Gabe gasped at the beauty of the center Courtyard. The sun would soon be setting and strings of hanging Lanterns that adorned the perimeter were ready to light a path to the gardens where dinner, dancing and all other festivities were set to take place. Rose bushes, hundreds of red rose bushes had also been brought in to not only line the path to the reception but to add that extra touch of magical romance. They were everywhere. Gabe stepped out of the carriage and took Elena's hand as she followed. As the coach pulled away, they stood by themselves for a moment and hand in hand, took it all in. In about an hour guests would be pouring through the gates and they doubted that they'd get the time to just stop and breath once that happened. As if on cue with their thoughts, the other royal coach pulled in behind them, disrupting their silent moment. They both playfully grimaced and then chuckled.

"Guess we can't be alone just yet.. it's a shame really" Elena whispered as she leaned in close to Gave and gave him a flirty wink and a shrug of the shoulders. Gabe grinned. She was teasing him and he loved it. And she knew that he loved it. She was just way too adorable. Nearly irresistible in his eyes. In most eyes probably. His, however, were the only ones lucky enough to get truly close to her. Close enough to look into her soul and discover every little secret aspect of her being. He bit his lip, trying to control himself around her as the rest of the royal family approached.

"Congratulations!" Luisa sang as she stepped in front of Gabe and hugged Elena closely. Elena hugged her Abuela in return but kept her eyes locked on Gabe, amused at the look of longing that still lingered on his face. She then audibly let that amusement be known as Luisa released Elena and surprised Gabe with a bear hug.

"Welcome to the familia!" She announced and Isabel, Fransisco and the rest of the family joined in, offering their congratulations and overwhelming the newly Weds.

Gabe reached for Elena's hand, not wanting to lose her to the chaos of the moment. His family was just arriving in a carriage as well, already shouting in congratulatory excitement, everyone was speaking over one another, Naomi and Isabel began to fuss over and bustle Elena's gown. Gabe scratched his head uncomfortably as he tried to figure out how they could excuse themselves without being rude. All he wanted was a second to breath and be alone with his bride without the entire kingdom's doting eyes on them.

"Uhhh... I think we may have interrupted a moment!" Naomi voiced to the small crowd once she noticed Gabe's face.

"Uhhh no... It's ok..." Gabe stuttered but then looked down at his wife who was still staring up at him with her large brown puppy dog eyes. Usually they presented with the air of innocence but this time, there was a look of desire behind them. She wanted to be alone just as much as he did. Gabe, with a surge of masculinity and not wanting to disappoint his not so blushing bride, straightened himself up and changed his tone. "Actually" he began very matter of fact. "Elena and I would love to steal a few moments away before the reception really begins"

"Yes! Go! Goooo" Luisa urged, completely understanding and nearly pushing them towards the palace doors. Gabe and Elena, hand in hand, quickly scampering inside to find a quiet place.

The first floor level of the palace was all hustle and bustle as the staff was in and out of the kitchen and gardens, rushing to finish everything just in time, so Gabe and Elena surpassed it all and found themselves upstairs in Elena's chambers. Now Gabe's as well. They quickly closed the door and in an instant found themselves swept up in each other's arms. Gabe pressed his lips hard against Elena's as he backed her up against the wall with fervor. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hung on tight as she gave in to the new feelings, passions and anticipation of being a married woman. Gabe finally pulled back slightly and stared at Elena who had no intentions of letting go. He grinned with complete satisfaction. He had wanted to do that since the moment they had said "I do". Elena smiled just the same, clearly having gotten what she wanted as well. They continued to cling to one another and remained still with the exception of their heaving chests. They locked eyes and let their gaze do all of the talking. Elena, impatient as always, wanted more but Gabe, the more rational of the pair, just smiled as he gently shook his head "no".

"We have time you know?" Elena pleaded, still a bit breathless.

Gabe looked at his wife and the corners of his mouth turned up into sultry grin, understanding exactly what Elena was referring to. Still, he continued to shake his head "No." He told her "It's not near enough time for what I want to do."

Elena raised her brows with excited curiosity about just what was in store for her on their wedding night. Gabe's eyes nervously widened as he realized that he had unintentionally set up some pretty large expectations. Then all he could do was laugh.

"What I meant was..." Gabe said rolling his eyes as Elena giggled. "Well...I just know that once I have you in my arms I'm not going to want to let you go. I'm going to want to hold you and fall asleep with you. Dream with you."

Elena's eyes softened and cheek bones rose effortlessly high as she affectionately stared at Gabe, touched by how incredibly tender he always was. She sighed a bit, not in disappointment because she would have to wait to be with Gabe, but rather to calm herself down from the moment.

"We've waited this long right?" Gabe asked and gently swept his lips over Elena's. "I want us to take our time. Do it right. No need to rush"

Elena nodded vigorously in agreement. Gabe was right. It was advice that he had given her in nearly ever aspect of her life. And he was always right. They had waited for so long to be together, there was no reason that they couldn't wait a few more hours.

"Good" Gabe whispered and then pulled Elena back in for another kiss. This time it was much slower and controlled. Full of love and joy. They had always shared a deep connection with one another, neither imagining that they could possibly strengthen it. There was something about standing there in each other's arms though, eyes softly closed, lips grazing ever so slightly, and the words of their vows still filling their souls. Even they couldn't explain the feeling. They had chills, they were floating. They were one.

The reception was flawless. They were announced to the crowd just as the sun was setting. It was like a dream to Elena to walk out into the gardens where she had grown up. It was where she had run around wildly as a child, where she would have picnics with her Papi and where she and her Mami would lie in the grass and make up songs together. It was where she and Isa would play hide and seek between the bushes. It was there where she and Naomi would go after counsil meetings to laugh and giggle about Esteban's rules and speeches. It was there where she and Mateo would practice their magic. It was where she and Gabe had shared their first kiss. It was where her own children would grow up and make their own memories. There was no place more special to her. Now, it was where she and Gabe would make their first appearance as the royal couple. They would greet their guests and celebrate their love and marriage. Elena had always loved a grand party and this was by far the most grand she had ever seen from the setting to the food to the people. She and Gabe remained hand in hand the entire evening with the exception of a few special dances that they individually shared with their families. They had taken time to sit together and enjoy their dinner and then took a spin or two around the dance floor with their friends. They greeted neighboring dignitaries. Kings, Queens, Dukes, Chancellors and many other people of importance. Elena marveled at how Gabe had held his own during their meetings. He wasn't the least bit intimidated by the titles. She wasn't sure why she was so surprised though. He had accompanied her on official royal business for years. He knew all the formalities and had the confidence to carry them out. No one questioned his background but instead, sang his praises regarding all of his military accomplishments. When the festivities were finally winding down, Elena and Gabe said their farewells to their guests and then proceeded to mount their beloved horses. Elena on Canela and Gabe on Fuego. Elena gave Gabe a quick wink and a playful grin. Gabe knew what it meant and before he could even give Fuego the go ahead, Elena and Canela were off, racing towards the harbor where they would board the royal sailboat and set off on their honeymoon. Gabe laughed as he set off after Elena, trying to keep up with her.

The next morning, the ship had docked on a secluded island not far from Avalor. For the next week it would be just Gabe, Elena and a dozen or so royal guards, who had promised to try to keep their distance from the Queen and her King consort. As the guards set up the royal tent that they would be staying in, Gabe and Elena walked on the beach, just along the shore, letting the waves occasionally sweep over their toes. Their arms were entwined just as their bodies had been the night before. And Gabe had been right, once they had each other in their arms, neither one had wanted to let go. They never would have made it to their reception had they given in to their earlier wedded desires. Still in that moment ,along the beach, they had yet to let go of one another. They had spent so many years holding back and now they were all in. The sun was just starting to rise, brightening the sky for what would be a perfectly sunny day. The stars weren't going away just yet however, They were still visible in the eyes of Gabe and Elena, who were lost in a lover's gaze. No doubt that those stars would shine on for a lifetime and they would shine solely for one another, continuing to dance out of pure happiness. Shoulder to shoulder, arm in arm, hand in hand, the couple walked in step. After the magical night they had spent together, saying that they were always in sync with the other's movements and feelings had never been more true. They had finally fully joined together. In marriage, union and love.

They finally settled themselves down in a couple of beach chairs, prepared to relax and simply enjoy their time away from the life being a royal.

"I'm going to get something to drink. Do you want something too?" Gabe asked. Elena nodded that she did. Gabe kissed her sweetly on the head and then Elena watched Gabe as he walked towards the tent.

Gabe returned shortly after with two very tropical looking fruit drinks in his hand, smiling foolishly at how perfect every part of his life had become. He even began to cheerily hum to himself. Too caught up in his blissful daze to be paying full attention to his surroundings, Gabe sat down in his chair and didn't even notice that Elena had gotten up.

"Here you go! Enjoy! I even put one of those little umbrellas in it!" He said, handing Elena's drink over to apparently... nobody. "Huh?!" He expressed, bringing himself back to reality. Looking around he finally spotted Elena a little ways down the beach, digging in the sand. He watched her for a moment, wondering what the heck she was up to now and sipped his drink. He then sighed, getting the feeling that he wasn't going to be getting as much relaxation as he thought. He set his drink down and went to Elena's side.

"Gabe! Look at this!" Elena exclaimed, still kneeling in the sand as she peered up at her husband, full of wonder. She held up a golden tablet, adorned with rubies and ancient writings.

"What is it?" Gabe asked, interested but not nearly as excited as Elena seemed to be.

"It looks really old" Elena said and then turned the slab of stone over. "Whoa! It looks like some sort of map! What do you think it leads to? We need to find out!"

Elena's eyes were fixated on her artifact and then before Gabe could even try to convince her to leave it be, she was already on her feet and ready.

"Lets go!" She shouted and just like that, was running off on a new adventure.

Gabe slapped his palm to his face and just shook his head. There wasn't much he could do now though. Her mind was set. He stood momentarily, arms crossed and let a smirk spread across his face. This was one of the many things that he adored about Elena and she was living up to her vows. Not even 24 hours into their marriage and she already had him on his toes trying to keep up with her. So now, he would have to live up his vows and follow her on her crazy adventure. He laughed, thinking about how this was just the first of many and how even though he might protest sometimes, he couldn't wait to see what other adventures their lives together would bring.

THE END