Redemption and Reconciliation

Chapter 3

Afreen turned to her fiance. "Reggie, eggshell or pearl."

Regulus looked at the samples she was holding out. "Whatever you want. They look the same, anyway."

Amara, who had been showing them the different tablecloth options, got up and smacked him upside the head. "What's the difference? WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? Are you colorblind? What do you mean, what's the difference? Eggshell is off-white!"

Regulus rubbed his head. "Not everyone eats, sleeps and breathes color, Mar."

Afreen just giggled. "Reg, give me your input. Mar, be nice."

"Off-white sounds odd," Regulus decided, "Pearl it is."

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"Afi, stop fidgeting," Rose said, zipping up the back of the dress. "If you can't sit still now, how will you stay still when I do your hair?"

Amara walked in. "Rose, lay off. She's getting married in an hour. She has the right to fidget."

Rose grabbed a hairpin. "Nervous?"

Afreen smiled softly. "No, just excited. Just wish Reggie's brother could have been here. It would have meant the world to him."

Amara sat next to her. "Reggie burnt off the Dark Mark last night, right?'

Afreen shuddered, remembering Regulus's scream as he had burnt it off, and how it had taken hours to heal the wound. "Mhm. Yeah. Said he didn't want to start his new life with the remnants of his old still on him."

" That's both morbid and romantic," Rose commented. "Close your eyes. Eyeliner time."

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Regulus fiddled with his cufflinks. His arm was stinging.

"As your best friend, I've gotta tell you to calm down. It's going to be fine," Kol sat down next to Regulus. " Roll up your sleeve. I've got the salve. Extend your arm."

Regulus hissed in pain. "I should have done this last week."

"Yeah, you should've, you idiot," Kol applied the salve.

Tristan knocked on the door before poking his head through. "T-minus twenty minutes. Hurry up."

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Regulus turned to the doors as they opened, Afreen about to walk down the aisle. She was clutching a bouquet of  white roses., and looked absolutely radiant. Afi walked up to the altar, handing her bouquet to Amara before turning to him.

"You look like you're about to cry," she whispered, smiling.

"Summer and Rose have a bet running about that. There's no way I'm gonna let Rose win.'

Tristan cleared his throat. "To everyone in attendance, we are here for the wedding of Afreen and Regulus, the ultimate power couple. I know that this isn't traditional, but these two wanted to write their own vows. Let's play along." There was a bout of laughter.

Afi took in a deep breath. "I love you. That's all I can say. Because, if I went into detail, we'd be here forever."

Regulus smiled, taking her hands. "You've said everything  I meant to. But, I will say this. You've saved me, Afi. In every way that matters. I love you."