Mr Andrew Bedford
and Miss Cassandra Perrin
Invite you to join them
at the celebration of their marriage
Saturday, March 18th, 2017
At 2:30 in the afternoon
Crathie Kirk, Scotland
Reception to follow in the
Ballroom at Balmoral Castle
Saturday, March 18th, 2017
Balmoral Castle
Scotland
07:30
Cassie Perrin awoke that morning in a strange room.
It took a moment for her mind to figure out where she was, but then it hit her, and she grinned happily – today was the day. She was to become an honest woman – or so they said. Cassie giggled as she ventured into the attached bathroom to pee, turning on the shower before she sat down. Her mind could barely comprehend what was about to happen in about six hours' time. Her life was about to change – for the better? Definitely! Cassie slipped off her pyjamas and she stepped into the shower cubicle and under the stream of soothing hot water. Thoughts of the past months of her life flooded through her mind. Just ten months before, she had been a young woman whose life had been turned upside down after a deadly rampage across Europe. At the end of the third week in May 2016, she had received two little girls who were being returned to a normal life – or so they had thought!
Her life had not been normal, not in the slightest. She had been a vigilante for a just a few months, having met the mysterious Mindy at the end of January that same year, and then in mid-April, she had taken a human life for the very first time. It had been a roller-coaster ride, all the way through running for her life during September and October. She had finally settled down and moved to her own home in December, taking on a third child as her own – damn, she was only twenty years old! However, she had met the most amazing man, whom she loved deeply, and had stayed with her, through thick and thin, despite learning that the woman he loved was a murderous vigilante with numerous proverbial notches in her proverbial gun belt.
For some reason, she felt more nervous about current events than she ever did when she was out risking her life wearing a mask.
Elsewhere in the castle...
Nine-year-old Kaitlin Perrin was decidedly unhappy.
The youngster stood in the bedroom wearing just her underwear as she glared at Harper and Naomi.
"I am wearing frilly knickers!" Kaitlin hissed angrily.
Harper laughed as she pulled on a matching pair and grimaced – she was not amused either, preferring plain white or black boy-shorts rather than knickers. An exasperated Dakota was similarly attired, although she was wearing a matching bra as well. Trying to sort out the younger girls - Harper, Naomi, Kaitlin, and Electra – as well as herself was not easy. None of them would be wearing their bridesmaid's dresses for a few more hours as they still needed to get breakfast, but before then, Dakota, Olivia, and Kate were busy showering the younger girls and preparing their hair. It was no easy task as the older girls needed to get ready themselves. Jessica, Charlotte, and Mary were also present and helping where they could. No boys were allowed near their suite of rooms, so nobody weas bothered about being just in their underwear.
"Sit still!" Kate growled as she slapped Kaitlin's bare back with her hand.
Kate was trying to plait the girl's hair which was not easy as Kaitlin would not keep still for more than about fifteen seconds.
"Stop slapping me!" Kaitlin pouted.
"Well, keep the fuck still, you little shit!" Kate growled back.
It took another forty minutes to get everybody in a suitable state to go down to breakfast.
The breakfast room...
"Mum!"
Kaitlin and Naomi ran to hug Cassie who was dressed in jeans and a blouse. Her hair was stunningly arranged, and her makeup was exquisite. Cassie was receiving many looks from the men and boys alike as she had never looked so beautiful. The only people not present were Andrew – naturally, he could not see his bride before the wedding – and his best-man, Cameron.
Cassie was a total bag of nerves. She had been fussed over by her maids – Keira, Sarah, Natasha, and Marinette – who had helped her dress while the Queen's very own hairdresser had spent an hour on Cassie's hair. Indeed, as breakfast progressed, they received a particularly important visitor.
"Is all going well?" a voice asked from the door.
There was a mass of people leaping to their feet as The Queen smiled at everyone before she focussed on Cassie.
"Is everything okay, Cassie, dear?"
"Yes, ma'am, thank you, ma'am," Cassie responded with a broad smile.
"Just wanted to check – get back to your breakfasts, all of you; you girls all look amazing!"
With that The Queen vanished with a brief nod at Electra and Mary.
"Gran's been all over everything – she won't leave the organisation to anybody; I gather she was up at four, this morning, checking the kitchens and the dining room," Mary explained. "And Grandpa has been causing trouble down in Crathie Kirk – I think the Minister is getting a little annoyed with him, to be honest. My Aunt Anne has been sorting out the flowers and she's put quite a few noses out of joint, I can tell you!"
Cassie could not believe all that was being done on her and Andrew's behalf, just so they could have the most amazing and most special day.
Crathie Kirk, Scotland
It was time.
The small parish church in the Scottish village of Crathie had seen many special occasions and many famous individuals passing through its doors and was most famous for being used by the Royal Family as a regular place of worship for when they were in residence at the nearby Balmoral Castle.
That morning, the church was strewn with bunting coloured white and dark blue. Bouquets of multicoloured flowers adorned the approaches to the church as well as in the doorway and on into the interior. There was a heavy security presence for a twenty-mile radius of the church and nearby Balmoral Castle. Special Branch, Police Scotland, Protection Command, the Royal Navy, the Army, and the Royal Air Force, to name but a few. Primarily, and officially, the protection was there for the Royal Family, but unofficially, the protection was also there for the massed congregation of Vengeance and Fusion. No press were allowed within twenty miles of the place and all traffic was intercepted be it over roads or over farmland – as an enterprising camera crew had found out to their cost as they had quite literally stumbled upon a Royal Marines patrol, deep in woodland. All air traffic over the area was banned – a ban which was being enforced by Typhoon fast jets and Apache attack helicopters.
As for the press, they were being force-fed bullshit about a joint security exercise which they had no choice but to believe.
..._...
The vast majority of guests had been present for almost an hour as they took their places in the church.
For the family of Andrew Bedford, it was an eye-opener. They had known Cassie (they understood she hated to be called by her proper name: Cassandra) for a little over a year. She had met their son at university in Stirling and a romance had soon blossomed. At their first meeting, Cassie had appeared quiet and timid, but Andrew had assured his parents that she was a lot of fun. Indeed, Andrew had also changed during his time with Cassie. The knowledge that Cassie, and their son, had taken two young girls and a boy into their charge had been an eye-opener and a change which Harry and Joyce Bedford had not immediately approved of – at least until they had met three very polite and charming young children at Christmas in their amazing new home. However, neither Harry nor Joyce, were stupid. At first, they had begun to think that maybe Cassie and their son had become involved in drugs or something similarly unsavoury. Then they had both received a summons to RAF High Wycombe. As serving Royal Air Force officers, it had not been anything too far out of the ordinary, but the closed-doors meeting classified as Secret, most certainly had been.
They had met a Royal Navy commander by the name of Craig Lawrence and a Special Branch commander by the name of Patrick Haig. Then had commenced the most unbelievable briefing either had ever received during their military careers. They were advised that their son's fiancé was a senior member of a shadowy paramilitary organisation which officially did not exist. They were also informed that their son had full knowledge of this and had supported Vengeance in their operations, just the previous year. They were also informed, in no uncertain terms, about what might happen should either one of them make known any of what they were informed about in that meeting. They would be allowed to discuss the details between each other, and with their son and future daughter-in-law, but their other two children were not to be made aware of any of it. The two officers had been quite literally floored by what they were being told, but after a few minutes it had finally sunk in, and they had both suddenly developed an increased respect for young Cassie who, it turned out, was definitely not as quiet and timid as they had thought.
"Has Cassie taken a life?" Squadron Leader Harry Bedford had asked.
"In the same way that you have, Squadron Leader," Commander Craig Lawrence had replied. "I know that you dropped bombs on Daesh in Syria, just last October, taking lives. From where I am standing, you and Cassie both fight for the same thing and kill those who threaten our shores."
"Touché, commander!"
Flight Lieutenant Janice Bedford had been noticeably quiet during the briefing, but she understood what Cassie and her son were fighting for.
"Cassie went missing, September and October of last year. There were rumours," she ventured.
"Vengeance were being hunted but they succeeded in saving this country and preventing the assassination of the Prime Minister and certain members of the Royal Family," Commander Patrick Haig commented.
"Who is Cassie?" was Janice's final question.
"Her codename is Nemesis."
That was the end of the briefing.
..._...
As was usual, the bride's family and friends occupied the left side of the church, actually spilling over onto the right side as Andrew's family consisted of little more than his immediate family who occupied just part of the front row.
Indeed, his younger siblings were taking part in the ceremony. His younger brother, twelve-year-old Joseph, was an usher and he was assisting the older boys: Euan, Craig, Jordan, Jake, Christopher, and Jeremy with seating the wedding guests in their correct locations. As for his younger sister, eleven-year-old Sina, she was decked out in a beautiful dress and was with the other bridesmaids at the back of the church awaiting the arrival of the Bride and her father.
Andrew stood at the end of the aisle, just ahead of the front row of pews. Beside him stood Cameron as the best-man. Both wore snappy dark grey morning tails with deep blue roses in their lapels.
"You got the ring?" Andrew asked for about the millionth time that morning.
"Same answer to the last time, and the time before that, and the time before that," Cameron chuckled. "It's here in my damn pocket!"
"Just checking," Andrew grinned, his nerves beginning to get the better of him.
The young man gazed over the rapidly filling pews as he nervously waited for his bride. On the right, the front few rows were empty, awaiting the wedding party. Next there were David and Amy Montgomery, Jasper and Lynn Collins, Keira Sharp and her fiancé Blake Schneider, Trevor and Kensi Lai, Eric Cunningham, Scarlett, Amber, and Diana, Rachel Clarkson with Rylee, Simon, and Tanya, Lady Lara Cockburn, Mackenzie and Isaac Morley, not to mention Lily and Hillary. But then came many faces which he had begun to learn. In a striking purple dress and hat, Mindy Lizewski sat with her husband Dave and their children: Stephanie, Jamie, Danny, and Anne-Marie. The girls each wore pale purple dresses which were remarkably similar to their mother's dress. The boys wore light grey suits which matched that of their father. There were many other faces from America present, some of whom Andrew found he did not know the names for. He did, however, recognise Marinette Cheng who wore an amazing pale blue dress and hat ensemble and she sat a few rows behind the American contingent. With her was her own fiancé, Adrien Agreste, as well as their wards: Yvette and Owen. Also wearing a fabulous dress was the long-suffering Alya Césaire who was chatting with a tall young woman who Andrew recognised as Abby Hunt.
Then came a hive of activity as everybody stood while The Queen and Prince Philip took their seats in the Royal Pew to the right of the nave and to the side of where Andrew and Cameron stood. Also, in the Royal Pew, was the Princess Royal and Prince Robert. Slipping into a pew two back from Andrew's parent's Ginny Turner smiled at Andrew in support. Her arrival signified that the Princess Mary had arrived with the second batch of bridesmaids and the mother of the bride.
Indeed, Alexandra Perrin was the happiest woman on earth, that morning, but also a little tearful. Her youngest daughter – oops, not her youngest anymore, she thought as she considered Charlotte. Her little Cassandra was moving on in life. She was about to be married. Alexandra could remember every minute of her daughter's life and she could remember the little girl, not much older than Kaitlin. Alexandra had just come down from the castle having assisted her daughter into her wedding dress. Alexandra had cried almost as much as her daughters – yes, plural, as Sarah had been there as Maid of Honour. Sarah had been amazingly proud of her younger sister and she had shed many tears of happiness as the two girls had hugged their mother. Sarah was outside, in her own amazing dress and she was putting her naval training to good use as she organised the ten bridesmaids into two arrow-straight columns ready to march down the aisle in perfect step – or so help them God!
Then it began – the traditional notes of Wagner's Bridal Chorus blared out from the organ at the back of the church and everybody stood up and all chatter instantly ceased as everyone turned to face the aisle.
The Wedding
First through came a wildly blushing flower girl dressed in an amazing white and dark blue dress which came to just below her knees.
Young Kaitlin had never been so scared about anything in her entire life. She had been overjoyed to be offered the honour of leading Cassie's wedding processional. She had endured the indignities of dressing like a girl and having her hair put up with the flowery tiara, not to mention the frilly knickers and girly tights. However, she had been overjoyed, if not a little unnerved, by Cassie's tears and happiness when she had first laid eyes on her daughter's finished attire. Kaitlin bit her lip as she grinned enormously at all the attention she was garnering from all her friends and the 'adorable', 'so sweet' comments as she passed by each pew on the longest walk of her life, gripping her blue and white posy like her life depended on it.
Then came the bridesmaids, all blushing just as wildly as everybody laid eyes on their amazing deep blue dresses which varied in design from the on-the-shoulder dresses for Jessica, Harper, Naomi, Electra, and Sina Bedford, and the off-the-shoulder dresses for the older bridesmaids Kate, Dakota, Mary, Olivia, and Charlotte. Naomi and Harper had the honour of leading the bridesmaids as they walked side by side, eager to maintain their step. They both grinned like Cheshire cats as all eyes focussed on them and their white and blue posies held in their hands. Kate and Dakota were at the back and both were acutely aware of how much skin was on display. Olivia had seen Craig's jaw drop almost to the floor at the sight of how beautiful his girlfriend looked, not to mention his big sister. Charlotte felt her face getting very warm as she saw Jake following her every move. Mary felt much the same as Ewan's eyes focussed on her barely-there cleavage.
Behind the bridesmaids, the Maid of Honour, Sarah Perrin, followed. Her amazing red hair draped down over her bare shoulders and she lapped up every appreciative glare from the males and enjoyed the envious looks from the females. Sarah was wed to her job, but she fervently hoped that one day, her time would come, but the day was to be her sister's day, and nothing was going to spoil it.
Speaking of whom...
The final pair approached the end of the aisle. Standing side by side, the stunning bride eagerly gripped her father's right arm for support. Captain Richard Perrin, Royal Navy, had never been so proud as he was at that very moment. His daughter was getting married and he had the great honour of handing over her hand to his new son-in-law. His daughter had never looked so beautiful, and the very moment he had laid eyes on the bride, he had been amazed at her transformation from the young tomboy he had known when she had been little, to a stunningly beautiful young woman who was a vigilante to boot.
As the organ continued, they both stepped off on the right foot and stayed in step as they paraded down the aisle. He could feel his daughter's hand left hand shaking on his arm and he gripped the hand with his left to reassure her. Everyone was smiling and Cassie was feeling overwhelmed by all the attention. Her legs felt like they might buckle and as she laid eyes on the back of her husband-to-be, she felt nervous pangs which did not help the situation. Then she saw her mother and the reassuring smile, and her nervousness began to pass. Then she saw her big sister grinning at her, and she knew that everything was going to be fine. Then she turned to look up into the eyes of Andrew and she felt herself blushing furiously at the look of adoration, love, and want on his face. To Andrew she was the most amazing woman had had ever met. Her dress was remarkable in white with dark blue intertwined. Her veil hid her beautiful features – at least until Sarah stepped forward to lift the veil.
Andrew smiled as his father-in-law handed over his daughter to him.
..._...
Immediately after the arrival of the Bride, the organ dived into the introduction for the first hymn after which the Right Reverend Simon Hitch stepped forward to speak.
"Your Majesty, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to Crathie Kirk for the celebration of the marriage between Cassandra Perrin and Andrew Bedford. We begin with a quote from Corinthians: Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you."
There was a general response of, "And also with you."
"We have come together in the presence of God to witness the wedding of Cassandra Perrin and Andrew Bedford, to rejoice with them, and to surround them with our prayers. We are created male and female in the image of God and marriage is a gift of God within creation. God has given us marriage so that husband and wife may live faithfully together. In plenty or in need, in sorrow or in joy, they give each other strength, friendship, and healing. With delight and tenderness, they may know each other in love, and so belong to one another in honour and in joy. In marriage, husband and wife begin a new life together. They are a sign to the world of unity and loyalty; their love enriches society and strengthens community. Marriage is a way of life made holy by God. It is both joy and demand, grace, and work. It is a gift and calling of God and is not to be entered into lightly or thoughtlessly, but reverently and responsibly. This is the way of life that Cassandra and Andrew have chosen. They come to accept each other freely, to give their consent to one another in solemn promises, and to ask for God's blessing."
After a selection of prayers and a reading from The Bible, the minister turned to Cassie and Andrew with a smile.
"Before God and before this congregation, I will ask you to declare your freedom and readiness to enter into the covenant of marriage. I will also ask your families and this congregation to affirm their willingness to support you today and in the years to come." The minister turned to the congregation. "I ask the congregation: if you know of any reason in law why Cassandra Perrin and Andrew Bedford may not be joined in marriage, please declare it now."
Cassie's heart skipped a beat as all she heard was silence and she felt intense relief as the minister continued with the service.
"Andrew Bedford, will you take Cassandra Perrin to be your wife in Christian marriage? Will you love, comfort, honour, and protect her, in times of prosperity and health and in times of trouble and suffering? And will you be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?"
"I will," Andrew almost burst out.
"Cassandra Perrin, will you take Andrew Bedford to be your husband in Christian marriage? Will you love, comfort, honour, and protect him, in times of prosperity and health and in times of trouble and suffering? And will you be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?"
"I will," Cassie almost squeaked out as she struggled to control her emotions.
"Will you promise to be faithful, loving, and caring parents to Jake, Naomi, and Kaitlin?"
"We will," they both replied happily.
The minister then faced the front pews.
"Will you, the families of Cassandra and Andrew, give your blessing to their marriage and will you always support and encourage them?"
"We will," came the response.
The minister then spoke to the church as a whole.
"Will you, the friends of Cassandra and Andrew, support and encourage them in their marriage?"
"We will," came the immediate reply.
With shaking legs, Cassandra turned to face Andrew who smiled supportively down at his blushing bride as he took her right hand with his own.
"I, Andrew Bedford, do take you, Cassandra Perrin, to be my wedded wife: in accordance with God's holy will, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish till death us do part. This is my solemn vow."
Cassie trembled as she spoke her part.
"I, Cassandra Perrin, do take you, Andrew Bedford, to be my wedded husband: in accordance with God's holy will, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish till death us do part. This is my solemn vow."
Cassie was really shaking now as she realised how close she was to becoming a married woman. Then Cameron stepped forward and he placed Cassie's ring onto the cushion which the minister held. The minister then coughed pointedly.
"Oh, yes," young Kaitlin piped up as she dug into a pocket of her dress and produced Andrew's ring which she dutifully placed on the cushion next to the other ring. "There we go, all safe and sound."
There was a ripple of laughter from the pews.
"Eternal God," the minister said, "whose love encircles us all, bless the giving and receiving of these rings. May they be signs of a love which never ends, beautiful, holy, and strong. May they be tokens of commitment and faithfulness and reminders of the promises and vows made today. In the name of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit."
"Amen," everyone intoned.
Andrew went first.
"I give you this ring as a sign of our marriage. With my body I honour you, all that I am I give to you, all that I have I share with you, within the holy love of God."
Cassie squeaked as she struggled to control her emotions as the band of platinum with thirty brilliant cut diamonds grain set into the band slipped onto her finger. Then it was her turn and she struggled to pick up the platinum band for her husband.
"I give you this ring as a sign of our marriage. With my body I honour you, all that I am I give to you, all that I have I share with you, within the holy love of God."
She squealed again as she slid the band onto her man's finger.
"Oh, brother," Kaitlin muttered.
"Most gracious God, source of all true love, we give you thanks that Cassandra and Andrew have answered your call and have given themselves today to one another in the covenant of marriage. Pour out the fullness of your blessing on them. Lead them into that love which never comes to an end. Give them grace to forgive when words or actions hurt. Give them strength to persevere through times of testing and to support each other through darkness and distress. May they be thankful for all that has brought them to this moment. May they joyfully embrace this new beginning, and journey on with ever new delight. Bless their families and friends, that they may be a constant source of strength. Bless their home, that it may be a place of welcome. Bless them in the gift of children, that they may be wise and loving parents. Bless all who celebrate with Cassandra and Andrew, that love may flourish, and friendship touch the lonely. And grant that we, who today have witnessed the sharing and exchange of words and signs of love, may find our faith renewed and our hope restored. May love, the greatest of all your gifts, stronger than death, gentle as a touch, bring us through every passing moment closer to Jesus Christ, our lover and our Lord."
"Amen."
"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace."
"Amen."
"Cassandra and Andrew have declared before God and before you that they will live together in Christian marriage. They have made promises to one another, have exchanged solemn vows, and have symbolised their marriage today by joining hands and by the giving and receiving of rings. I therefore declare them to be husband and wife, in the name of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Those whom God has joined together, let no one separate."
To the tune of rapturous applause, Andrew kissed his bride who needed no prompting to kiss him back. She ignored the tears of joy which flooded down her blushing cheeks and she ignored the fact that there were dozens of people watching her. Until Kaitlin coughed rather too loudly. Then the husband and wife separated.
The rest of the service and the signing of the marriage register was all a blur, but Cassie would always remember seeing the two witness signatures: Elizabeth R. and Robert Windsor. Then had come the Wedding March and the sign that everything was finalised – she was married. She actually found herself giggling as she walked back down the aisle with her husband's arm grasped tightly. She was followed by her entourage of bridesmaids; however, young Kaitlin had insisted on leading her parents out of the church.
Everyone cheered the happy couple as they went past, and Cassie had never felt so happy.
Outside the church...
The crowd flooded out after the bridal party.
"I remember our wedding," Mindy mused as she stepped out into the fresh air. "It was the happiest day of my life."
"Most definitely," Dave agreed as he gave his wife a kiss on the lips.
"Mindy!" Cassie exploded as she hugged her friend. "Thank you so much for coming."
"I wouldn't have missed it for all the world," Mindy replied. "I love every second of being married and I am sure you will too."
"Congratulations, Andrew," Dave said as he shook hands with the newly married man. "But be warned, these vigilante women can be a handful."
"Oh, I have Cassie all figured out; I know exactly how to defuse her," Andrew replied with a chuckle as he kissed his wife on the lips.
Mindy scowled as Cassie grinned.
"So, we finally meet," a voice announced from behind Mindy.
Mindy turned and she froze as she came face to face with arguably the most famous woman in the world. Cassie considered the pair as she watched arguably two of the world's most powerful women – powerful in two vastly different ways. Mindy rapidly curtsied as Cassie stepped back.
"Your Majesty," Mindy almost spluttered.
"Thank you, Mrs Lizewski," The Queen responded with a disarming smile. "Mary has told me a lot about you."
Mindy cast a glance at Princess Mary who stood beside her Gran, a broad grin on her face.
"Has she, ma'am?"
"She is more than a little wayward," Mary rolled her eyes at that, "but she has become an exceptional young woman, partially due to your training. Please enjoy the rest of your time in our country. Cassie, dear, you were wonderful, and your dress is amazing. Good luck in your married life, Mr and Mrs Bedford."
Cassie grinned.
"Thank you, ma'am," she and Andrew replied with the appropriate curtsey and bow.
Mindy curtsied again as The Queen moved off with Mary in tow.
..._...
Cassie soon found herself with her father and mother.
"You look amazing, honey," Alexandra said as she forced back the tears of happiness.
"I am so very proud of you, my dear," Richard said as he gave his daughter a hug. "Ignore your mother's tears, she's really very happy."
Cassie just hugged her parents. Suddenly, she felt very grown up and knowing that they were proud of her meant so much.
"Thank you, both of you."
"Thank you for your daughter," Andrew grinned.
"You're welcome to her!" Richard chuckled.
"Hi, Dad!" Sarah Perrin grinned. "Hi, Mum! Hi, little sis!"
"You look wonderful as well. Thanks for supporting your little sister," Richard said.
"We may not have always seen eye to eye, but I love her very much," Sarah said, hugging her sister.
"This is so amazing!" Charlotte exclaimed as she appeared and gave Richard a hug.
"Another daddy's girl," Sarah grinned.
"That makes three of you," Alexandra pointed out.
"You're not getting married anytime soon, I hope," Richard said to Charlotte.
"As if!" Charlotte responded with a scowl.
Andrew and Cassie laughed.
The Wedding Reception
Balmoral Castle
Piper's Hall
Cassie was feeling more than a little overwhelmed.
"This is all too much, but I thank you with all my heart."
"Oh, my dear child," The Queen began. "Thanks to you and your friends, I still have a country to rule. You have also been instrumental in turning my wayward granddaughter into the most amazing young woman."
Cassie decided it best left at that; after all, you did not argue with a queen, let alone The Queen.
..._...
As soon as the guests had started to turn up, footmen appeared with trays of cocktails to initiate the festivities.
"I don't think so!" Ginny announced as she swiped the glass of something alcoholic out of Mary's hand. "Not for you, either, Olivia!"
"Can't you take a day off?" Mary demanded with a little too much attitude.
"Would you like to take the rest of the day off in your bedroom?" Ginny countered.
"No," Mary muttered sourly.
"I didn't think so – now, go and behave!"
Mary slunk off with Olivia in tow, making for where Ewan and Craig were talking with Kate and Dakota. They had to dodge Kaitlin and Jessica who both appeared to be up to no good, somewhat unsurprisingly. Harper, naturally, managed the first faux pas of the evening as she cannoned into someone while attempting to outmanoeuvre Electra.
"Damn!" Harper exclaimed then she went very pale as she realised whom she had collided with. "I . . . I..."
"Have no fear, young Harper, I don't send too many to The Tower," Her Majesty chuckled. "I am very pleased to see you looking a lot better than on the last time I saw you here at Balmoral."
"Yes, ma'am," Harper replied. "I'm almost back to full health."
"That is wonderful to hear – go have fun and enjoy your childhood."
As Harper ran off, The Queen sighed; she missed having children running around. Then she spied Electra skidding to a halt.
"Electra, I understand that Miss Stephanie is here."
"Yes, ma'am. STEPHANIE!"
The Queen chuckled as Electra yelled across the room and a blonde-haired girl turned around. The girl scowled as she walked over and performed a perfect curtsy.
"Your Majesty."
"I understand that you trained young Electra, here?"
"Yes ma'am – not an easy task, I can tell you."
The Queen chuckled as Electra blushed.
"You trained Electra, who in turn trained my Mary. That training saved their lives and those of my son. Thank you, Stephanie."
Stephanie was speechless and her mouth simply flapped with out any sound coming out.
..._...
Once everyone had arrived and been armed with their initial alcohol, a footman appeared, and his voice carried over all the loud chatter . . . and even Kaitlin.
"Please take your seats. Dinner is served."
There was a fairly civilised scramble as everyone took their seats. Naturally, Cassie, Andrew, and their parents were on the top table, with the Royal party at a table to their right. Princess Mary had somehow managed to not be at the table with her Father and Gran, but instead, she was seated as far away as possible between Olivia and Amber. In fact, all the under thirteens were as far away from the adults as was physically possible without putting the little dears outside. As the starters were laid before everyone, the chatter increased again. Cassie was amazed to find an expensive white wine being poured out for the adults – it was obvious that Her Majesty was sparing no expense. The food was luxurious, in that case an amazing prawn cocktail. Andrew could see that his parents were bemused by everything and eating a meal just a few feet away from the Monarch was just unbelievable.
"This wine is amazing," Harry Bedford commented.
"Cassie, you have some amazing friends," Joyce Bedford said with a smile.
"I know – I struggle with it from time to time, but we're blessed, I can tell you," Cassie replied.
"Well, Andrew sees no problems, so you'll get no complaints from either of us," Joyce grinned as she took another sip of wine.
"I hope Joseph and Sina are having fun," Andrew commented with a sly grin.
"Who did you put them with?" Cassie asked.
"Harper, Electra, Charlotte, Jake, and Diana," Andrew replied.
"They'll be eaten alive!" Cassie grinned.
Andrew grinned evilly.
..._...
The seven children ranged from nine to thirteen.
Twelve-year-old Joseph Bedford was sandwiched between Jake and Harper – normally, not the best place to be, but the boy actually thought that Harper was a bit of a laugh. Jake was nine months older than Joseph, but the two boys had hit it off straight away. As for eleven-year-old Sina, she was seated between Diana and Charlotte with Electra across the table beside Harper. The youngster thought Diana was a total nutcase and she was a little confused with 'Charlie' while Harper was a little goofy. As for Electra, she was only plain weird – but fun. For Joseph and Sina, it was turning out to be an amazing day. They loved Cassie and they were extremely happy for their big brother. However, the pair of them were still trying to figure out the underlying theme which joined together so many very different people. Sina had studied the Americans, of which two appeared to be British, confusing things slightly. As for the American woman, she was scary, however, the man – Dave? – he was dashingly handsome, she thought. There was also something about that Stephanie who that Electra had been fawning over a short while earlier.
"Why are you called Charlie?" Sina asked Charlotte.
Charlotte grinned broadly.
"When I was younger, people thought I was a boy when they met me," Charlotte admitted.
"They still do," Jake teased.
"Funny!" Charlotte scowled back.
"What's that?" Sina asked as Charlotte turned away to speak with Harper.
"What's what?" Charlotte asked.
"That thing behind your right ear?"
"Oh," Charlotte responded, "that."
Charlotte's hair had been plaited and clipped on the back of her head with a flower tiara topping off her bridesmaid's ensemble. With her hair tied up, the tattoo was clearly visible from the right angle.
"Just something from when I was younger," Charlotte said uneasily.
"Oh?"
"You don't want to go there, Sina," Diana warned.
"Okay," Sina conceded.
Joseph had been talking with Jake, so neither of them had heard the exchange, but they both heard Diana's warning.
"What have you said, Sina?" Joseph asked.
"Nothing – forget I spoke; sorry, Charlie."
"Don't be," Charlotte grinned.
"Oh, wow!" Jake exclaimed as the main course arrived.
Enormous plates laden with massive steaks and piles of thick cut chips were set before everyone; it was not a normal wedding fare, but Cassie and Andrew had decided to have something they felt at home with, despite the setting which was far from what the pair were normally used to.
..._...
Neither Cassie nor Andrew saw The Queen, her husband, her daughter, and her son leave the banqueting hall.
The Queen knew that nobody would relax and have fun so long as she was anywhere near the room. Therefore, once the four of them had finished their main course, they had quietly left the room with zero fanfare via a door almost directly behind their table. It was left to Princess Mary to alert everyone that they could let their hair down, quite literally as she pulled out several hair clips and ruffled her hair pointedly – she hated getting dressed up to the nines.
"Thank, God!" she exclaimed loudly, and everyone suddenly noticed the empty seats near the top table.
Cassie grinned at the Princess and she nodded her thanks as the noise rapidly escalated and the footmen appeared with more wine and the desert – lashings of vanilla ice cream and fluffy white meringue.
The Speeches
Cassie groaned as her father stood up and he gently tapped a knife against his wine glass.
"He's going to humiliate me with some bad jokes," Cassie muttered to her new husband.
As Richard Perrin gathered his notes which were scrawled on a bunch of 6x4 filing cards, a hoard of footmen moved swiftly around the room depositing champagne flutes before every adult and every child. Then the footmen returned with large 1.5-litre magnums of Dom Pérignon Vintage Champagne costing over £300 a bottle. Everyone's glass was filled – except for the children who received just a third of a glass. The liquid was perfectly chilled to 10°C and bubbled happily as the father of the bride began his speech.
"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen . . . and Princess!" Richard began and Mary beamed happily as she giggled at something Olivia had said. "Thank you very much for coming to support my daughter on her big day. I know that Cassie is sitting in dread of what I am about to say this afternoon. Let me put your mind at ease, dear daughter . . . I am your father, and I must do what is expected of me."
"Get on with it!" Cassie laughed but then she cringed as her father began to speak.
"Cassandra," Cassie growled audibly at the use of her full given name, "was born twenty years ago, back in November. She was our second child, our second daughter. Our eldest daughter, Sarah, was just three years old, and she was not all that amused to gain a little sister. For the first six months of her life, Cassandra was prodded, poked, and pinched by her loving big sister."
Sarah blushed as she slid down in her chair.
"However, as the two girls grew up, Sarah grew to tolerate the noisy addition to the family. Cassandra was always full of life and she enjoyed tormenting her older sister and filling all our lives with laughter and fun. Then came the incident when she was just seven..."
Cassie buried her face in her hands.
"...and Cassandra thought that somebody was following her, only for us to find out that it had been her own shadow!"
There was a lot of laughter, much to Cassie's embarrassed chagrin.
"Nevertheless, she grew up and at the tender age of twelve, she refused to acknowledge the name 'Cassandra' and she became 'Cassie'. She then developed into an amazing young woman who, by the age of sixteen, was determined not to follow her sister and father into the Royal Navy. Instead, Cassie chose to finish school, and then at eighteen, go to University. There she met a young man called Andrew. That young man used to come by Blairhoyle to collect Cassie and they would vanish for the evening, but always back for 10:30."
"Mention that damn condom joke and I swear..."
"No, I don't think I'll mention the squeaky springs," Richard chuckled as Cassie groaned. "Nevertheless, the day Andrew asked if he could take my daughter's hand in marriage was an incredibly happy day. Now I just have two remaining reprobates to marry off."
Sarah scowled up at her father, but Charlotte had something to say about it.
"You got a long wait, old man!" Charlotte grinned to general laughter.
"Truthfully, Cassie has made me an incredibly happy man and I know she has made Andrew one as well. Welcome to the Perrin family, Andrew. Ladies and gentlemen! Love believes, endures, and hopes. And above all things, love never fails. Please stand and let us all raise a glass to the bride and groom."
"The bride and groom!" everyone announced as they all stood up, raising their glasses up before they all took a sip, then sat back down again.
Then it was the groom's turn.
..._...
Andrew grinned down at his wife as he stood up.
"Now, that was not as bad as you feared, was it, Cass?" he said loudly, and everybody laughed.
"There are many, many stories concerning Cassie growing up – please find me after the speeches," Richard chuckled as he sat down.
"Thank you, all of you, and to you, sir, for the lovely story and the toast. I am well aware that I have married a complicated woman who is strong-minded, but I have always enjoyed a challenge. On that subject, Cassie does not disappoint. As for two little girls and a young man, they are as much a challenge as their mother. Will there be any further children? Anything is possible, and that child will have some loving siblings."
Kaitlin was blushing as was Naomi, but Jake thought it was simply great as everyone looked at them.
"I want to thank Captain and Mrs Perrin for accepting me into their family and I want to thank my own parents, Harry and Joyce for accepting Cassie into our family. Mum thinks Cassie is so sweet – and I have to agree. For some reason, she thinks Kaitlin is sweet, too – and I thought that Mum was such a good judge of character."
"Hey!" Kaitlin called out to much laughter from those assembled.
"Speaking of whom, I would like to say a big thank you to Kaitlin for fulfilling her part as an amazing flower girl."
Kaitlin sank down in her chair, her face redder than ever as everybody cheered.
"That same thank you goes to the very beautiful bridesmaids who helped to bring our fabulous day about – thank you, Kate, Dakota, Mary, Olivia, Charlotte, Jessica, Harper, Naomi, Electra, and my very own Sina."
All the bridesmaids waved as they were cheered, Olivia having had to stop kissing Craig when she heard her name called out.
"Thank you also goes to the young men, Ewan, Craig, Jordan, Jake, Christopher, Jeremy, and young Joseph. You all did amazingly well in keeping things flowing at the church."
There were many happy grins around the room as the boys were cheered.
"Last but not least, we have our exceptionally beautiful maid of honour, Sarah, and my best man, Cameron. Thank you, both of you, for all the hard work you put into the preparation of this day and the day itself."
Sarah stood up and bowed to everyone as Cameron did the same.
"Now, please stand and let us all raise a glass to the amazing parents of Cassie, and all the bridesmaids, and the ushers, not to forget young Kaitlin."
"Here, here!" came the general response as everyone took another sip of their expensive champagne and Kaitlin grinned enormously.
Cameron had deigned not to give a speech, so instead, Cassie rose to her feet.
..._...
Cassie was beyond nervous as she faced the dozens of happy faces spread out before her.
"As my two girls are well aware, I like to keep my speeches short and to the point..."
"We get a lot of speeches," Kaitlin pointed out loudly to more laughter.
"Yes, most of my speeches are down to Kaitlin misbehaving, and my having to explain for the umpteenth time what she has done wrong. Don't look so prim, Naomi, you misbehave almost as much as Kaitlin does – you too, Jake!"
Jake scowled as Charlotte burst out laughing.
"Admittedly, Jake usually only gets into trouble when Charlie comes over," Cassie pointed out, wiping the grin off Charlotte's face in an instant.
After a lot of laughter at the youngsters' expense, Cassie continued with her speech.
"Today has made me incredibly happy, and I have the man of my dreams seated beside me, wearing a ring which binds him to me. I too, wear a ring, which binds me to him, and I happily give myself to him..."
"And she does," Naomi informed everyone. "Several times a night!"
There was a lot of laughter and cheering as Cassie found herself blushing furiously while Andrew simply grinned.
"Can I tell my condom joke now?" Richard threw in.
"No!" Cassie exclaimed with a giggle. "Thank you, Naomi, you've just earned yourself a little speech, later on."
Naomi could be seen smirking unrepentantly as Cassie continued speaking.
"Thank you, Joyce and Harry, for allowing me to take away your son. Thank you, Sina and Joseph, for accepting me as a big sister. I promise to look after your big brother, no matter what. Thank you to all my amazing bridesmaids – who knew that some of them cleaned up so well! I would also like to thank Her Majesty for laying on everything for today. Mary, please relay my thanks."
"Oh, yeah, no problem!" the Princess responded as she momentarily stopped gossiping with Olivia.
"Thank you, Daddy for the lovely speech which was not as embarrassing as I had expected, and thank you, Mum and Dad, for accepting this wonderful man into our family. When Andrew proposed to me, I was speechless for many minutes and I could see his expectant expression change to one of concern as he must have thought that I was going to say no, but I was just staggered that any man would want to marry somebody like me. I don't see myself as special in any way, but Andrew is, and I could think of no other word than 'yes' in response to his question. I will admit, Andrew received a grilling from Kaitlin, but that did not dissuade him from becoming my fiancé. Please raise your glasses to everyone who has made our day so special, including all of you seated before me."
There was more agreement and more drinking of Champagne as a weary Cassie sat back down.
The Cake
Cassie was stunned as their wedding cake appeared from the direction of the kitchens.
Neither of them had laid eyes on it before that moment and it was stunning. It had seven tiers and had to be four feet tall – almost as tall as Kaitlin! The Queen had commissioned the cake and she had supervised every step of the assembly. The bottom three tiers of a deep blue were square and stacked atop one another, directly, with the bottom tier being two feet to a side and shrinking to eighteen inches for the third tier. Then came a tier made up of four hefty circular piers which were actually cakes themselves – they were pure white. The remaining three tiers were circular in shape and stacked one atop the other, directly, shrinking in size from eighteen inches to a mere eight inches at the top. The three upper layers were a pale blue and the cake was topped off with a deep blue rose created from icing sections pieced together. The entire cake was decorated with many more blue roses of varying sizes.
As the cake was wheeled out by four footmen, everyone gasped at the amazing sight. Cassie and Andrew both moved forward to examine the intricate design and they were simply stunned by the care and skill which had gone into producing such a cake. In fact, Cassie did not want to damage it by cutting into the cake, but she knew that she had to. After many photos were taken of the cake from all angles, including several with the bride and groom, the cutting went ahead with much ceremony.
A razor-sharp cake knife had accompanied the cake and as cameras and smartphones flashed, the newlywed couple pressed down on the knife, cutting deeply into their wedding cake amongst a lot of happy cheering.
Interlude
It was time for a break.
While the food was cleared away, everyone mingled, made use of the bathroom, chatted, or nipped out for a breath of fresh air. In the case of Cassie, she vanished to an anteroom where she and Sarah changed into something slightly more comfortable – lightweight evening dresses – for the evening's entertainment. By the time they returned to the hall, the tables had been shifted to the sides of the open space and a large section of the carpet had vanished to expose a wooden dance floor. Curtains had been opened and a raised stage had been revealed at the very end of the hall. Olivia and Craig were ensconced on a single chair, Olivia sitting on Craig's lap while Craig did his best to clean his girlfriend's tonsils.
"He sticks his tongue in any deeper," Scarlett commented to Amber, "he'll be tickling her clit from the inside!"
Amber actually found that uproariously funny as she burst out laughing much to Scarlett's surprise.
"You sure you didn't have a full glass of Champagne?" Scarlett asked her friend.
"Maybe...," Amber grinned as Scarlett just shook her head in dismay.
"She's weird," Sina muttered to her brother as they watched from a few feet away.
"She's hot!" Joseph commented.
"Ewww!" Sina replied, appalled by her brother's brazen comments.
As far as Sina was concerned, girls deserved respect from boys and girls were not sex objects to be pawed over by sex-craved boys who just wanted something to think about when they played with themselves. Her brother was blatantly sexist at times and she found his comments concerning females to be appallingly disgusting.
"How are you guys doing?" Cassie asked the two youngsters.
"We're good, thanks, Cassie," Sina responded for them both. "This is really amazing."
"Hi, Cassie!" Princess Mary exclaimed as she came bounding in.
"Hi, Mary," Cassie grinned. "You having fun?"
"This is so cool! I'm off to go get ready for the first thingy."
"Thingy?" Cassie asked.
"Surprise. Sina, you want to come and help?" Mary asked the starstruck girl before she turned to Cassie. "Cassie, tell her I'm just a normal girl."
"Sina, Mary is really just a normal girl – maybe a little strange, but she loves to have fun with her friends and just try to be normal. Forget she's a princess, right?"
"I'll try," Sina muttered rather unconvincingly as Mary took her hand.
"Come on!" Mary said as she ran off, dragging Sina with her.
Cassie watched as Olivia reluctantly got off Craig's lap and she ran to join Charlotte who was following after Mary and Sina.
References
Wedding Service: The Bible and the Church of Scotland Marriage Service.
Music: The Police – Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic. Mika – We Are Young.