Here Comes The Bride

Serena stared at her reflection in the mirror, the wedding dress fit her perfectly while the colors accentuated the contrast between her pale skin and blue-black hair. The dress was a shimmering silver with swirling black designs and diamonds sewn in between the folds of the skirt so every movement caused them to sparkle and reflect the light in the room. Over the dress, Serena wore a long, black cloak with a hood, silver fur lining the sleeves and hood.

Her hair was brushed back and secured with braids on either side while the rest of her hair cascaded down her back in a silken curtain that reached below her waist.

Glancing at her reflection one last time Serena walked to the door and followed Victor downstairs and into the corridor that led to the back of the castle, her maids trailing behind while they continued to fuss over her. Reaching the glass doors that led to the garden outside, Serena took a deep breath and squared her shoulders before stepping over the threshold and out onto the snow.

The sky had already turned dark while the snow fell in soft sprinkles, adding more layers to the snow that already covered the ground. Serena was grateful for the cloak which was surprisingly warmer than she anticipated. The hood kept the snow from getting in her eyes and hair but more importantly shielded her face from the wedding guests attending the ceremony. She noticed that a path had been lit through the garden with thick candles on both sides and she followed it passing through the guests, whose eyes she could feel intently scrutinizing her .

Serena eventually reached a small clearing where steps led her up into a white gazebo. Coming to stand beside the King, Serena couldn't help but steal a glance at him, hoping to see his face but just at that moment he turned his head away to speak to Rathgar who stood beside him. So she took the opportunity to study him while his head was turned. The King was tall, taller than Rathgar and well-built, his broad shoulders clearly visible under his coat. He was dressed in a matching black suit with silver trim on the collar and sleeves and the front of his coat. His jet black hair was slightly long in the back, the strands falling just below his collar. He had large, pale hands with long, slender fingers. Suddenly he turned his head back towards her, giving Serena barely enough time to avert her eyes as she hurriedly looked forward to the priest.

The ceremony began and Serena resolutely kept her eyes on the priest, trying to ignore the presence beside her until she heard his voice. His voice was low and deep but held undertones of authority and danger. It was a voice that could command and entice you in the same breath.

Serena had failed to notice that the ceremony was drawing to a close and the King had turned towards her, his hands raised as he reached for the hood and lowered it. Unable to hide her shock, Serena stared wide-eyed into a pair of steel gray eyes, the color of the sky just before the storm. Her eyes slowly appraised his finely chiseled jaw and cheekbones, lingering on his full lips before moving up to his forehead where a few strands of hair had slipped out from under his crown and hovered in the wind just above his eyes.

"She's late", Ivar muttered under his breath, "Perhaps she's scared and run off"

"She'll be here, she's not like the others. She's.....different", Rathgar replied softly, beside him.

Just as Ivar was about to question him, he felt a shift in the atmosphere behind him and turned to look. Even from this distance, Ivar could clearly see the figure that had stepped out into the snow, her face was hidden by the cloak she wore but still he could sense her eyes seeking him out. He watched her walk through the garden, her movements graceful and measured, almost feline in nature. She was taller than he had expected but he sensed an air of vulnerability about her that she kept hidden.

Before turning away, Ivar took a moment to appreciate the dress he had ordered made for her in his kingdom's colors. The silver fabric was soft but not too clingy, just barely hugging her curves in all the right places but loose enough to leave something to the imagination. The court train was just long enough to establish her royal title but not too long so as to be ostentatious. The cloak had been his idea, knowing she was human she would not be impervious to the wintry air, he had made sure it was designed as part of the dress. The diamonds sewn into the dress, sparkled under the moon and stars, capturing the light and reflecting it with a magical iridescence. Ivar was pleased when he heard the low gasps and murmurs of admiration from his guests.

Facing the front, Ivar heard as she came to stand beside him and felt her raise her eyes towards him under the hood, just as Rathgar whispered to him.

"I believe you owe me a drink, Your Majesty, I have safely brought your bride all the way to the altar"

Ivar nodded his head, "Tonight you can drink your fill Rathgar, as much as your cold, black heart desires"

Rathgar's face remained impassive as Ivar turned back to the front.

Ivar paid little attention to the priest in front of him, his vampiric senses tuned specifically to the human beside him. Her heart beat was strong and steady, not a trace of fear, or she was hiding it well. The sound of the blood flowing through her veins was enticing, stirring a faint hunger within. He heard the priest read out the last vows and he realized that it was time for him to remove the hood and place the crown on her head.

Ivar turned towards her and reached out to lower the hood, only to met by the most startling pair of violet eyes he had ever seen. Her eyes were open wide in surprise and her cheeks had a slight pink tinge from the cold while her lips, which had been colored a deep blood red, were slightly parted allowing her breath to escape in visible puffs of air.

He realized that they were still staring at each other and quickly turned to the priest who handed him a crown, which he gently placed on the head of his Queen.

Ivar offered her his arm, and together the Vampire King and his human Queen, walked back through the garden and into the castle amidst the applause of everyone present.