Chapter 48

Three weeks later

The Wedding Day

Kenna stood in front of the large wall mirror in her chamber and looked at herself with a critical eye. There was no doubt. Everyone could see that she was expecting a child. Although, her wedding dress had a high waistline to hide the baby bump, you could see a slight bulge. Also her breasts were bigger and her face rounder. But all in all, Mary's Court dressmaker had done well with the wedding dress. The dress, made of pure silk, was cut straight, in a pearl-white colour and reached down to the ankles. The neckline was indeed visible but modestly covered by tulle. In the back, it had a continuous button border with mother-of-pearl buttons. Mary's Court hairdresser had her hair twisted in a chignon hairstyle, and only a few strands fell in curls on both sides of her face. She wore a wreath of flowers on her head where a veil was attached, which reached up to her waist.

"You look just breathtakingly beautiful!" Mary said solemnly. She and Lola had helped Kenna with the dressing and were intrigued by her look now.

Kenna put a hand on her belly. "I'm afraid everyone will see it." She sighed. "I was hoping, that I could keep the secret until after the wedding. What a scandal! A pregnant bride!"

"Only who knows can see it." Mary reassured her. "The dress is so cleverly cut, you can't see about your condition. And if they see it, then they just know that you and Bash had premarital sex. Things like that happened before." She shrugged.

"But not every pregnant bride is a friend of the Queen and get married at the Royal Court." Kenna rolled her eyes.

"As you may remember, I was in the same situation." Lola interjected. "When I married Julien, I mean Remy, I was pregnant, too."

"But no one knew or saw it." Kenna replied. "It's different this time."

"No, they found out later, that I carried the King's child." she said drily. "It's not better, believe me."

"Don't think about that now!" Mary cut in. "It's too late anyway. Bash is waiting for his beautiful bride and can't wait to get married."

"I'm not ready!" Kenna felt a rising panic. "I'm not halfway dressed!"

"Calm down!" Lola put her arm around her friend. "We have plenty of time. I wanted to give you something at first." She took a box from the table and went back to Kenna. "Open it!"

Kenna opened it and then stared at her friend. "How beautiful! A necklace! Is that for me?"

Lola grinned. "You know about the new tradition? Something new, something old, something blue, something borrowed." she explained. "The necklace was a present from my grandmother to my mother. And she gave it to me before I went to France. It has been in our possession for many decades."

"Thank you, Lola!" Kenna hugged her slightly and then put the golden necklace with the turquoise gemstone around her neck.

"All right. Then it's my turn." Mary also took a box that she gave to Kenna. "This is from me."

Kenna's eyes went wide, when she saw what it was. "Your earrings!" she exclaimed. "I remember, that you wore them to your wedding!"

Mary nodded. "That's right. They belong to you for that one day. It's something, I want to borrow you."

Kenna just wanted to thank her, when the door opened and Greer entered. "Am I too late?" she asked, out of breath.

Mary shook her head, smiling. "No, you're still on time."

"Thank God! I had business to do. I couldn't be here earlier." She handed over another box. "I can see, that Lola and Mary had given their presents already. This is something blue from me."

Kenna looked inside. "A bracelet!"

Greer nodded. "With a blue sapphire. Fits perfectly to the necklace. And your wedding dress is new, so we have everything together now."

"That means, everything is ready for the wedding!" Lola said cheerfully.

"Yes." Kenna pressed one hand on her tense stomach and sighed. "I'm not ready! I feel like I'm going to faint any moment!"

"No, you won't. This is completely normal." Mary said reassuringly. "Every bride is nervous before her wedding."

"And the groom as well." Lola interjected, grinning.

"How's Daniel?" Kenna looked at Mary, questioningly

"He's excited, too. Bash is taking care of him. "

"And who is taking care of Bash?" Despite the tension, Kenna chuckled.

"I'm going to look after him." Mary went to the door. "I'll come back and let you know when he is ready. Wait here with Greer and Lola!"

Kenna nodded and then looked at her friends. "I can't believe that I'm going to get married in less than an hour."

"Believe it." Lola smiled. "I wish you and Bash all happiness of the world! After all, what you both went through, you deserve to be happy!"

"Thanks, Lola!" Kenna squeezed her slightly.

"I saw him suffering all the time." Greer interjected, thoughtfully. "He missed you infinitely. But he was too proud to search for you." She sighed. "Men! I'm glad that fate got in the way."

"Yes, I'm also happy." Kenna caressed her belly. "I can't thank fate enough for that second chance."

Time went by in a flash, and Kenna was surprised, when Mary suddenly stepped through the door.

"It's time!" she said solemnly. "Let's go and celebrate the wedding!"