Bride of Alvar (Redemption Saga, Book 1)

Chapter 1

Copyright, Bride of Alvar, belongs to Silver Reins. No part may be copied or retold in any form. Thank you for reading and please vote if you like the book! This book is a first draft version. There is an inconsistency with the name of Alvar's country. That's because I changed the name later on. It is Underland. - Silver

Contrary to a large part of the female population, trying on wedding dresses isn't my idea of a good time.

However, every prospective "bride" needs a wedding dress, and I'm a bride, so here I—unfortunately—am at an upscale wedding dress shop located in downtown Chicago.

Why am I not eloping?

While I sit, waiting for my wedding dress consultant, who had introduced herself as Victoria, to return with a gown, I fidget with the rubber band I perpetually keep on my wrist to stop myself from going down the rabbit hole of my past.

To make matters worse, everywhere around me are brides excited to try on their gowns with their gushing and over-opinionated mothers.

I'm all too aware of why my mother isn't here, and it's not cause she's dead, disabled, or abandoned me.

No, all those reasons would be way too normal for my life.

If my Mom were here she'd tell me I'm making the worst decision of my life to marry Michael Jones. She'd also say that my life and the lives of everyone on Earth are at stake by doing it.

For a long time I'd fought her, trying to reason with her delusions, now I've just accepted it: I live in reality and my mom doesn't.

Rubber band snap. I'm present.

"Hello? Earth to Lucy!" my best friend, Emily, says, waving a hand in front of my eyes.

"Stop it, Em!" I playfully knock her hand from my view. She's the only one here to watch me sift through gowns.

"You look like we're here to choose a casket for your funeral," Emily says, an exasperated expression on her pretty face. "Smile! We're going to get the dress today!"

"Yeah, I know," I mumble.

"What is wrong then?"

"My mom," I say without emotion. I don't cry about it anymore to Emily, now it's only the internal turmoil, the feeling I'm betraying the woman who raised me whenever I do something for myself, that torments my mind. "She wouldn't approve of Mike."

I hate that this is who I am. Raised a freak because of my mother's madness.

"Yeah, but the important thing is you approve of Mike," Emily soothes and gives me a hug. "And you realize she only doesn't approve because she thinks she promised you to the King of Wonderland before you were born."

"King of Underland actually," I remind her under my breath. You'd think Emily would know by now. We'd talked about it enough over the years.

"Lucy, she is unwell, and remember what your therapist told you? Stop feeling guilty about her delusions and remember the years of emotional abuse," Emily rubs my back. "Look! Victoria's back with the dresses."

"Are you okay, dear?" Victoria asks.

"She just misses her mom," Emily covers for my angry expression. "Lost her mom when she was six." I don't stop Emily from lying for me about it because the truth is stranger than fiction.

"I'm so sorry, dear," Victoria says, she takes me gently by the arm and ushers me toward the changing booth. "Come with me and we'll start trying on these dresses. You are going to look so beautiful."