She's in the back of the cathedral. (Lucky they let her in at all.) No one understands why she wants to be here, but she does. She has to see this.

The bride is lovely. Elegant. Graceful. Imperial. Like a perfect china doll.

The groom is… ah, barking hell. He sees her. Their eyes meet. It hurts; she looks away.

She forces herself to sit through the entire long ceremony. The vows. The presentation.

She always knew he couldn't marry her. Always knew this day was coming.

It won't change anything, he told her last night.

But.

Oh, it hurts.