Chapter 17: Wedding Day

This is it.

The wedding day.

I am wearing my lovely ideal wedding dress, matching with white gloves and a tiara pinned on my head along with the long veil. My hair is perfectly styled in a dutch braid.

I'm feeling excited yet nervous at the same time. I don't know how weddings exactly work because I haven't attended any such events. All I knew was just to wear a ring and finally kiss, just like I read when I was a toddler in fairytales.

Kiss...

The first kiss I will get is with King Levin and, that will happen now in the ceremony.

I blushed at the realization that this would happen to me too.

"Your Highness, someone is here to meet you." Mr. Luca appeared at the door.

"Oh, who is it?" he signaled me to go to the door without peaking outside. My back was facing the door as he straightened my arm.

"Your Highness, can I remove your gloves?" I look at him suspiciously.

"Eh? What for?"

"Don't worry, Your Highness. I don't mean any harm. Trust me, someone wants to surprise you."

"How can someone surprise me when you already said that it's a surprise?" I kiddingly said as he chuckles.

"You''ll know who it is if you remove the gloves, Your Highness." he smiled.

"Okay, fine." I stretched my arm and gave it to him as he pulls out the gloves off of my arm and made my hand expose at the opened door.

I felt a familiar touch of a warm hand. He gently touched my hand as I grip it tight.

This touch...

It's him.

"You really like pulling someone's chain, don't you." he speaks. I suddenly got embarrassed.

"I-I was just playing around." he chuckles.

"It doesn't matter now. I came here because I haven't heard your voice in the past five days. Don't you miss me too?" I froze at his sudden question and now wondering if I really missed him.

"I guess it's not.." I felt his hand was about to pull away from the grip but I held it tighter.

"I miss you!" I quickly said in a loud voice as I heard him chuckle again.

"Okay, okay you don't have to shout." he caress my hand that made my palm tickles a bit.

"I must go now. Mother might see me here."

"O-oh, okay. I guess... see you later?"

"See you later, My beautious bride." he kissed my hand and carefully let it go.

I get back to my sit while looking at the mirror, mesmerizing the bride look of my reflection. Minutes later, someone knocks on the door again.

"The door is open." as I heard the door open with a light squeak.

"Your Highness, the event is all prepared and almost starting. Please do follow me to the front door of the chapel to get started promptly. Her Majesty Cliodhna and His Majesty Zoltan is now there waiting for you." the coordinator informed.

I stand up and glance at my reflection once again. I straightened up my skirt and heavily breathe and exhaled.

After an hour, I will be a Queen. The Queen of Mondreich.

I walk out of the room and exited the dressing lounge as I saw Mother and Father, already amazed by my appearance.

They smile brightly at me as I saw Mother was about to tear up.

It is sad to realize that I will not be living with them anymore. But it's okay, I know that King Levin will allow me to visit them daily or maybe depends on our schedule.

I also have to learn about Mondreich and its people, stroll around in the city to get to know Mondrians more, and increase my knowledge about this nation as my learning process.

I sigh, already felt tired just by thinking about my first duty as the Queen of Mondreich.

"Oceana..." I heard Mother whisper.

"My one and only precious daughter... I will miss you so much." she attack me with a tight hug as Father joined.

"Don't even hesitate to call for me even if it's everyday. I will still protect you wherever you are." Father said then pulls me for another hug.

"My dear, always remember that we are still here for you, no matter what the circumstances might be." my eyebrows are now knitted to prevent from crying, trying not to ruin my face.

"Mother, Father, please don't make me cry. I want to look perfectly beautiful in my wedding." I wipe their tears off with my thumbs as we giggle.

"Just remember the words we said to you. We mean it." Father ended the conversation with another tight group hug.

"Honey, I don't want to be gaunt too. Let's just stop crying now."

"You're the one who's crying among the three of us, honey." Father teased as Mother hits him with a handkerchief. I chuckle while watching them having a little quarrel like they are only teenage sweethearts.

I will miss this scenario.

The palace I lived in is a fun place.

The workers also celebrate their birthdays in the palace with a little feast and it is ruled by Mother herself. That's why I also treat them as my brothers and sisters. I and Eliz are often always together and she is the closest friend of mine among the workers inside the palace. I will also miss being her partner in crime and tease her with Mr. Luca.

I giggle because of the unforeseen memories as I heard the bell rang which is I'm sure that it's from the chapel.

Okay, this is the time.

Inhale, exhale.

Father offered his arm to me as I cling to him.

The ceremony has now started as the door opened.

The sound of the orchestra is now playing and the first to come out is King Levin's relatives including Prince Ephraim which is just now in front of Mother, facing his back. He turns around and smiles at me.

"You look stunning as always, Princess Oceana." he said.

"Levin sure is so lucky." he added as I look at Mother and smiled back at him.

"Thank you, Your Highness." I said and curtsied.

"No, you can call me Ephraim instead. Starting this day, we are now brothers and sisters in law so stop the formality. If Levin heard that, he will casually be angry at me." he chuckles.

"He also wants you to call him by his name too."

"H-how did you know that?" I went shocked and felt my cheeks heat up.

"It's a secret between brothers." he winks as he started to walk forward.

He left me dumbfounded and assumed that King Levin told him anything.

I shake my head and just shrugged it off as Mother walk forward too.

Prince Ephraim who walks alone on the carpet is the appointed representative as one of the royals in Mondreich on behalf of King Levin as the guardian and the eldest member of the royal. Mother who also just walk alone on the carpet is the official royal representative of Startnstadt on behalf of me as her daughter.

"And now, please welcome our bride, Princess Oceana!" the host announced as father and I step forward and finally walk on the red carpet.

People are screaming and throw some petals at us as welcoming.

My eyes landed on his as I saw him already stunned.

Again, the surroundings gets blurry and I can only see is King Levin, wearing a white tuxedo with a white tibet rose in his pocket.

When I reached the aisle, he widely smiled and offer his arm and look at the priest.

The priest started to speak while we both stealing glances at each other.

Nuptial mass, the liturgy of the word lead by Mother and Ephraim, and then, the rite of marriage.

"King Levin, repeat after me."

"I Levin, take you, Oceana, to be my wife, 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, according to God's holy law. In the presence of God I make this vow." Prince Ephraim who is also the best man gives the ring to the priest, blessed it gives it to King Levin.

"Princess Oceana, repeat after me."

"I Oceana, take you, Levin, to be my husband, 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, according to God's holy law. In the presence of God I make this vow." Eliz who is my maid of honor gives the ring to the priest, blessed it, and gives it to me.

"King Levin Ross Gruber, do you accept Princess Oceana Fleur Saoirse Hansen as your wife?"

"I do."

"Princess Oceana Fleur Saoirse Hansen, do you accept King Levin Ross Gruber as your husband?"

"I do."

The rings were blessed by the priest as it is the time to exchange rings.

"This ring is a symbol of my eternal love. May our everlasting friendship reign forevermore." King Levin said while putting the ring on my finger.

"With this ring, I vow to love and honor you from this moment forward." I said while putting the ring on his finger.

"What God has joined, let no one put asunder. King Levin?" the Priest called him.

"You may now kiss the bride."

The time has finally come to the moment I have been waiting for.

He slowly removes my veil and cupped my cheeks.

"I can finally kiss this lips." he said while he brushes my lower lip with his thumb. His face slowly comes closer, eyes shut.

I was about to close my eyes too when a figured man, wearing in all black was holding a handgun not too far away, hiding in the thick pole of the chapel.

He lifts the handgun and points at King Levin's back. I hurriedly block it by pulling him and made myself go in front to get fired by it but someone pushed us which made us fall down in so much impact.

As I heard a gunshot.