The Maverick's Prince

Ch. 12 - The Big Day

Your eyes fluttered open with the doors to see the packed room, all eyes glued to you completely - a few faces with awe and others with boredom, while a select few even looked to be jealous.
But you didn't care about any one of them, shockingly enough. There was only one patient face in the crowd you worried about picking out.

Suguru stood right in front of his empty throne with the officiator at the center. He held his hands clutched together with the smallest, sweetest smile on his face. 
He wore a luxurious looking coat made of the deepest, jade green material with golden buttons and accents. His vest had a similar color and pattern with slacks that looked to be perfectly ironed. He looked the most handsome you had ever seen him, this being the first time he wasn't casually dressed before you. 
It was a nice change of pace, but you could definitely say you preferred his casual look. It brought him down to earth.

The look on his face almost drowned out the organ music playing to lead you down the aisle. On each side of you were your parents, happily hooking their arms with you to lead you toward your future husband.

Prior to this day you had thought you'd back out, even if it meant backing out while halfway down the aisle. You thought you'd feel the sensation...the need to run...as you walked down the fancy carpet that laid between the newly set up pews in the throne room. 
But you felt everything but. 

Your heart pounded about a thousand miles a minute and you could feel your cheeks heating up hotter than they had ever been. You...confident you - was somehow nervous as hell. But you had no intention of giving up now. 
Something within you was telling you that you had nothing to fear; that marrying Suguru wasn't such a bad thing after all. He had proven himself to be a sweet caretaker who only wanted what was best for his subjects. You could live with being with a guy like that, no weight on your shoulders whatsoever.

The nerves that you had quickly turned into a smile as you drew closer to him. Your feelings were much more genuine than you had anticipated. The distaste and disinterest you originally had with the king had changed completely.

When you had finished approaching the altar, your parents kissed your cheeks and took a seat in the front row. Your mother had a stray tear in her eye and your father the biggest smile you had ever seen on him. That's what this was all for, right?

You had gently taken Suguru's hand that was carefully outstretched to you and faced him, the officiator standing at the middle with their own warm smile. 

"Hi," he mouthed to you as the officiant began to speak. He squeezed your hands that rested in his as part of his greeting.

"We are gathered here today..." the officiant spoke loud and clear as you kept your focus on Suguru. They continued the usual spiel that you tuned out, your mind completely enamored by your arranged fiancé's pearly white smile.

"Hi," you mouthed back with a grin. 

You had barely noticed it was time to speak, being so caught up in Suguru's heartwarming facial expression, until he himself started speaking.

He had nervously cleared his throat before doing so. "Y/N," he began, "I promise to cherish you always, to honor and sustain you, in sickness and in health, in poverty and wealth, and to be true to you in all things until death we shall part." 
It was all completely scripted, you knew that, but something behind the light in his eyes told you he was being more genuine than you had thought.

You held the careful eye contact with him as you repeated those same words, not even hearing yourself as they spilled from your lips. His smile quivered as you spoke, your voice doing its own shaking. You had to admit that you felt quite a bit of stress from the sheer amount of attention you were receiving.

The whole thing didn't feel real at all, even as the thin, metal band was slipped on your finger. In fact, it became all the more surreal. And at that point, it was time for what the audience had been waiting for. 

"You may now kiss the bride," the officiator smiled wide, closing the small book they had read the script from. 

Suguru lifted his eyebrows in your direction as if to ask for permission, slowly leaning down to wait for your objection. But you threw him for a loop and quickly slung your arms around his neck and smashed your lips to his. 
The crowd came to a stand, applause and cheering filling the room as your lips met. He leaned into your kiss, wrapping his arms around your waist and pulling you closer as the most natural maneuver. 

The applause continued as the two of you took one another's hand and began strolling down the aisle as the new Mr. and Mrs. Your smiles were wide as you began to escape the gazes of hundreds of guests. 

"It's done, right?" You sighed as the two of you cooled down in a small office-type room away from the exiting crowd. "Like, you're free now? No more stress from the nobles about you getting married?"

"Well," he nervously chuckled and leaned against the desk that sat in front of a nearby window, "at least the marriage part for now. Going to have to think of a solution for that other part eventually, though."

"Which is a part of our deal," you pointed at him seriously. "I've got my limits."

"I know, I know, I've got it covered," he smiled. There was a brief pause before he continued. "You look really beautiful right now."

Your face quickly reddened, but you snapped out of it as soon as possible. "Thanks, as if I'm not beautiful otherwise," you teased. He bit the inside of his cheek to hide his smile from your sass. 

"You know that's not what I mean," he grumbled and looked away, the edges of his mouth twitching.

"But at least we get to party, right?" You quickly changed the subject. "And this time I don't have to work!" You nudged him with your elbow and wiggled your eyebrows, making sure to give him a winning grin of encouragement.

"Absolutely," he gave a relieved smile. "Let's not keep the public waiting," he then surprised you by leaning forward and leaving a lingering peck on your forehead.

He continued to walk toward the door, leaving you speechless. You weren't intending any of these feelings.