A/N: Enjoy.

Chapter 4

'Now let's see.'

Was the last thing she thought, when she did not know that preparing a wedding was hard work, especially as the bride for her own wedding, who makes most of the preparations, while the groom has somewhat little participation to it, but to show up with their best men and send invites to families he knows would come.

Emily sighs many times from stress for the past month as she finally manages her wedding preparations, since the servants and maids helped decorate the hall and the godswood. Emily decided that no one will be walking her down the aisle, just because she simply thinks that it's not all that important when she doesn't know anyone close enough to do so. King Brandon would have been a choice since he's her cousin and all, but she thought no. There are many choices on what and how the wedding will turn out to be and what kind of food that needs to be prepared too. She's just glad that the both of them don't have to pay any expenses, since the queen will pay for everything as long as the wedding is happening, which is painfully tomorrow.

Having her white wedding dress ready, she stares at it, which is hanging against the wall. The dress was a v-line off the shoulder with long cover sleeves and laces that covers the white fabric of the whole gown, that also has a sweep train at the back of the dress. It also came with a light grey fur coat, like a shawl, just to keep her warm too. The coat has a simple sleeveless, that wraps around the shoulders and has furs along the edges with a hood. The stiletto heels were just a simple two-inch round toe edge, that were from her late mother's. The shoes were kept in her old room from her late-father, who hid it in a secret compartment that was underground covered by a thick heavy carpet.

Emily glared at the dress, wishing she could just rip it apart and set it on fire, but she couldn't, since she gave her word to the queen that she'll get through it somehow. She laid on her bed, pulling her covers, hoping that something would happen before the wedding starts. She frowned knowing that she won't be free to do whatever she wants, but be shackled down by this thing called marriage.

Emily remembers everything her handmaiden has taught her to be a noble lady and also prepares her to be a nobleman's wife, that also came with the responsibility and the duty. She remembers her lady-like manners, the etiquette to dining and eating, and the way you walk with your head held high, plus the needlework and sewing, like every other skill a lady needs to learn. The red-headed woman placed her arms above her forehead and took a deep breath from all the stress. She thought about how she did not need them for the past years, when she lived in the peasantry side of King's Landing, Flea Bottom, and things called for a dirty job just to get through the day. She survives through odd jobs to the next, so she won't have to be recognized by the gold cloaks. Sometimes her taught skills were a lifesaver on most incidents and dangerous situations, like being a newly hired disguised maid, who would have to teach a daughter of a nobleman's, about dancing and singing lessons, just to steal extra money from the obnoxious lady for the time being, which was a bit difficult when her lady's father was one of Lord Tywin Lannister's loyal dog in their prime times or so she heard.

Emily instantly shook her head and turned to her side, shutting her eyes and forcing herself to a dreamless night.

~

The red-headed gripped her hands on her bedpost tightly as one of the maid tighten her corset to max thinned waist. She cursed silently to whoever came up with a corset as part of women's clothing, just so females could suffocate to death. She wonders why this is not illegal and banned from existence, but no just because of what society. Emily grunts in pain and loses her breath for a second, till she gets used to the squish up guts she is feeling.

Standing up straight, Emily took a huge breath as she placed her hands on her waist. Another maid grabbed her wedding dress and she stepped both her feet into the opening of her gown. She smooths out the clothing and puts on her heels and sees that her world is a couple of inches taller. They placed her coat on and saw her reflection in the bronze mirror and she did not recognize the girl in it, as she just stared right back.

Before putting on the dress, the maids fixed her hair in an updo bun with a wooden stick with a pearl on one end, that has braids wrap around the bun and loose bangs that frames her features perfectly. There were small decorative silver flower pins to her hair, which sparkled beautifully. Light touch makeup were also added, which are light pink rouge blush, painted red lips, and dark eye line with the rouge as eyeshadow.

Emily walked a bit unsteady as she wished she could have a drink right about now just to ease the stiffness off her shoulders. She gripped her bouquet of roses, which she does not recognize where they got them from, since they were not from the north. She only knows of the flowers that can survive the cold weather all year long and these petals were not it. Accept a few flowers when she travels around the south for a few years.

She was escorted by the maids as they tried to be careful with her and the dress. They lifted the back of the dress just so it's not too dirty on the way to where the wedding was taking place.

The queen was seated at the front row on the bride's side and seemed proud and excited how the wedding turned out. Everyone seemed to wait till the sound of soft music began by the musicians. At that, it started so everyone stood up and looked to the back as the curtains withdrew. Instantly the guests froze to their spot as they stared at the most beautiful woman they had laid their eyes on. Several wondered if it's the same woman, who fought with them against the night king and his army, which was months ago, as they remember she was covered in blood and dirt, looking like a feral beast with bloodthirsty eyes in the horrible night.

Gendry's eyes widened when he saw his soon-to-be-wife walking down the aisle. He would be a liar if he didn't think that she was attractive in the beginning, who he first met during the war against the night king and his army. Back then, he was in love with Arya at the time and still is, but with his heart broken, he knew he had to move forward to the future, which still needs healing. Doing his duty when he got his new position as a nobleman from his late father, who he didn't know personally, but he must do what is necessary and a role as the heir to the house of Baratheon.

Anyway, he stared as she came closer to him in short steps and gods was she breath taken. His heart ached as he thought for a second that it was Arya, who was the one in that dress, but shook his head to focus on Lady Emily Stark herself, who will be soon-to-be Lady Emily Baratheon starting today.

He reached his hands out to her as she stood in front of him and he thought that she still looks good even with the poker face, which he smiled faintly as he understood why. This was something they both did not wish for, but here they are about to be a married couple just because two men want to unite their family together.

Both seem to snap out of whatever they were thinking when the man, who is uniting them, tells them to say their sync words and vows, then gives Gendry his coat to put on Emily's shoulders, so she would be under his care. Next, the man wrapped their joined hands with a wedding cloth and for the final part, they hesitated, but quickly kissed each other and turned towards the crowd. Everyone stood up and clapped their hands at the new married couple.

'Finally done.'

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