28Prince Herito paces in the groom room. Ironically, he is more nervous marrying Amerina than he was secretly courting her as a servant girl. Lord Michael, otherwise known as Lord Mike, shakes his head in amusement. Herito is showing the classic signs of cold feet.
"You would think you'd have been more nervous about courting a servant girl than marrying said servant-turned-princess, Your Highness." Herito scoffs at Lord Mike's teasing.
"Whether she's Emily or Amerina, I've always felt . . . different about her." Lord Mike, as well as the other groomsmen, lean in for more information. After all, if anything can be said about Herito, it is that he is good at keeping secrets.
"At first, I tried to convince myself that I was following my trainer's orders; that I was helping her get the training she needed as a fire mage." Herito sighs as he finally admits what he has been scared to say: "But, before I'd even confirmed that she was a fire mage; I knew that she made me feel strange. I was only ten the first time we met, so I couldn't name what that strange feeling in my stomach was. Once I learned what it was . . . I panicked." Lord Mike stares at the prince in shock. Herito had never told him this.
"I had always been told that Lady Kaldaline was the only woman that I could be with. I felt trapped, both by my station and my feelings." The prince looks up at his groomsmen as he measure if they can be trusted with this next secret.
"I had even gotten to the point where I would have given up my position as prince . . . if only I could be with her." Stunned silence meets the confession. Had Herito really felt this way? Why did he not trust them enough to tell them?
"Well, anyway; its' been nice having all of you as friends. Now, let's get to the wedding!"
Princess Amerina smiles softly at Susan as she puts the finishing touches on her fancy hairstyle. She can't really call it an up-do; Herito had insisted during the preparations that Amerina have her hair done in whatever style she wants for the wedding. It was a smart move on his part; Amerina's hair shines like a black curtain as Susan accents her natural red gleam by clipping small clumps of rubies randomly throughout her hair. To emphasize her authority as a princess and future queen, Amerina wear a circlet of rose gold studded with large cuts of rubies and small cuts of yellow citrine.
"Susan?" asks Amerina timidly of her best friend and sister in all but blood.
"Yes, Your Highness?" Amerina instantly takes offense to being addressed with such respect.
"Susan; you're my closest friend. Please don't call me that." Smiling as Susan understands what is bothering her, Susan gently assures her little sister.
"Amerina; I see you are unclear as to why I call you that. It has nothing to do with your new found position. It is for the simple fact that I respect you. Haven't you ever noticed that I never addressed Kaldaline by her title?" Amerina thinks back to her memories of Susan's interactions with Kaldaline and realizes she's right.
"I see you've remembered. You may not have noticed because of His Highness courting you, but many nobles despise me because I only address those that I respect by their title." Amerina smiles up at Susan and says in an awed voice:
"Thank you for giving me that honor, Susan." Smiling widely at her future queen, Susan curtsies before saying:
"The honor is all mine, Your Highness."
The ceremony was both symbolic and loving in its' execution. It was symbolic of the joining of two formerly warring kingdoms and royal houses. However, the wedding of Prince Herito and Princess Amerina means so much more than just the political ramifications.
It is a victory of two young people who had refused to let their social positions keep them apart. It is a wedding that proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that love is essential to both life and marriage.
Herito and Amerina would both look back upon their wedding day with fondness as they watch over their young princes and princesses playing one day far away; but for now, all that matters to them is when they hear the priest say:
"You may kiss the bride."