Chapter 19

"An Overdue Wedding"

The events of Victor's proposal to Vanessa at Buckingham Palace were still fresh in the minds of all who had attended and after several months, the Danish Royal Family had at long last, returned to Denmark. After a new wedding ship was built to replace the one that was destroyed, the day had finally come for Vanessa and Victor to be married.

For Ariel, this was a chance to finally move on and focus on the future as opposed to the past, when her life was nearly destroyed by a perverted French Admiral, who was now rotting away on an island prison far away.

"Ariel?" asked a voice on the other side. "I have something for you."

Knowing who the voice was, Ariel walked over and opened the door to her private quarters and gasped as Eric stood with her newly repaired pink and white gown in the hands of several servants.

"Eric, it looks amazing!" gasped Ariel, inspecting the gown and admiring the repairs that were made. "Just like it was when we had our first dinner together."

Ariel joyfully nudged Eric with her elbow upon reminding her of that first night that they had together. Once again,

"You might want to have something to wear at the ceremony tonight," chuckled Eric, as the servants led Ariel to the screen to get her dressed. "It's a wedding, you know, a night to celebrate the union of Vanessa and Victor.

"I'm just very happy for them Eric," said Ariel as she was led to her mirror for one of the servants to apply her makeup. "After everything that has happened, I just want to have a night where nothing unexpected happens. How is Melody and John?"

"They are probably just as excited for the wedding as we are," replied Eric. "I'm just happy that Melody has a possible suitor for the very near future. Speaking of which, I might as well see if they need anything. Save me a dance later in that gown?"

"If that's what you want," laughed Ariel as she hugged her husband tightly, grateful to have a physical piece of her life back. "I'll save a dance for you."

Eric could see that Ariel had not been this happy since their first wedding night and left her alone to enjoy the moment. At the same time, Ariel still harbored over the fact that her only child would soon be growing into a young woman, just as she did once before. In addition, she was also still thinking about Triton and how he was holding up after the battles at sea.

A few hours later, the newly created wedding ship departed the dock at sunset, as per custom in Denmark and in her wedding chambers, Vanessa looked at the mirror nervously as she was helped into Ariel's wedding gown.

She could have also worn the wedding gown that was remade for her during the battle of Ortega, but it would bring nothing but bad memories and that was something that they didn't need right now. So many brave men had died in the two naval battles and wearing it would only open wounds that didn't need to be opened any further.

"Today is just too important," she thought to herself. "Today is the day that I marry the love of my life and that is something that no one, not the French, not the Spanish, can take away from me."

Once Vanessa was fully dressed in Ariel's wedding gown, she was led by her bridesmaids and lined up for the walk down the aisle. Victor stood at the altar shaking nervously while John stood by him and patted him on the back.

"You'll do fine, my friend," he whispered as the wedding march began to play on the organ.

A few moments later, Vanessa walked down the aisle, her face covered with a wedding veil and a gold tiara on her head. For the next few minutes, Vanessa walked slowly down the aisle as Victor admired her beauty. To him, Vanessa looked more beautiful on this day as opposed to the first attempt. Once Vanessa had stepped forward, the same priest who had almost married Eric and Ursula, but married Ariel and Eric began the ceremony.

"Dearly beloved," he said in a grandfatherly voice. "We gather here today to bear witness to the union of the lovely Vanessa and the handsome one known as Victor. For the last few months, our lives have all been turn upside down as a result of war and the loss of so many lives. Let us remember the lives of those who came before us and those who are not here to witness this joyous day."

A deathly silence fell on the wedding, only to be broken once again when the priest began to openly turn the page.

"But let us remember," he continued, his feeble voice booming as loud as it could. "That God had wanted that these two be married in united matrimony and I can honestly say, it is time for us to honor his wishes."

Vanessa struggled to hold back tears and Victor took an enormous gulp as the time had now come for them to once again proclaim their vows to one another.

"Now Vanessa," he said. "If you would repeat after me. Look to your loved one and tell him your commitment to your future with him."

After a few moments, the tearful bride began to proclaim her vows to Victor as everyone watched with excitement.

"You are my lover and my teacher,

You are my model and my accomplice,

And you are my true counterpart.

I will love you, hold you and honor you,

I will respect you, encourage you and cherish you,

In health and sickness,

Through sorrow and success,

For all the days of my life."

Once Vanessa had finished her vows, it was Victor's turn to proclaim his love for Vanessa and unlike her, he had vows of his own he wanted to say. It was vows that his late father wanted him to say if he were to die in an unfortunate circumstance.

"I promise to encourage your compassion,

Because that is what makes you unique and wonderful.

I promise to nurture your dreams,

Because through them your soul shines.

I promise to help shoulder our challenges,

For there is nothing we cannot face if we stand together.

I promise to be your partner in all things,

Not possessing you, but working with you as a part of the whole.

Lastly, I promise to you perfect love and perfect trust,

For one lifetime with you could never be enough.

This is my sacred vow to you, my equal in all things."

Finally, the time had come for the exchanging of the rings and a pair of ring bearers came forward and handed the rings to the priest, who gave one ring to Victor and one to Vanessa.

"Now, the time has come for you both to accept these rings," said the priest, holding his hands out in a blessing position. "Blessed by the power of our master, Jesus Christ, the ring is an ancient symbol, so perfect and simple. I t has no beginning and has no end. It is round like the sun, like the moon, like the eye, like arms that embrace. It is a circle; for love that is given comes back round again. Your rings are precious because you wear them with love. They symbolize your commitment in marriage. They remind you of who you are, where you've been, and where you're going. As you wear them through time, they will reflect not only who you are as individuals, but also who you are a couple."

The Priest then turned to Victor and the young Dane took another gulp as he took his bride's hand and placed the ring on her finger.

"Victor," said the Priest. "Will you take this ring and place it on Vanessa's finger and as you do, repeat after me."

"I give you this ring as a symbol of my vow," said Victor. "And with all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you, in the name of God, the father, the son and the Holy Ghost."

Once Victor had said his piece, the priest then turned to Vanessa, whose tears of joy were running down her face slightly.

"Vanessa," said the Priest. "Will you take this ring and place it on Victor's finer and as you do, repeat after me."

Vanessa then took her lover's hand and placed the ring on his hand and just like he did for her, Vanessa said the same words that Victor had said.

"I give you this ring as a symbol of my vow," said Vanessa. "And with all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you, in the name of God, the father, the son and the Holy Ghost."

Finally, after the distribution of communion and the anointing on their heads, the time had finally come for the priest to proclaim them for who they are now.

"And by the holy powers veseted in me," announced the priest. "And in the name of God and the kingdom of Denmark, I pronounce you man and wife. Go in peace to love and serve the lord and most importantly, one another."

Realizing that they finally achieved their ultimate goal, the newly proclaimed married couple kissed on the embrace as everyone cheered, grateful for them to be married after all that had happened.

Of course, there would be one more guest in attendance and he would come from beneath the sea representing not only Atlantica, but also his own daughter, the Queen of Denmark.