The Raven

Bonus Chapter #2

The castle buzzes with the sounds of endless chatter as the servants busy themselves with preparations, eager to ensure that everything goes off without a hitch today. The king and queen actively supervise as the elaborate garden is pruned to perfection, the marble floor of the ballroom is polished to a promising yet not dangerous shine, and the several long tables in the grand dining hall are set with the finest china. Both royals maintain broad smiles stretched across their faces as they do so, intent on making this day as memorable as possible. The bustling of the servants excites them considerably, knowing that today marks a momentous day in the history of their kingdom.

And not only that but in their dear son's life, as well.

For today is the day of the extravagant and dutifully doting wedding ceremony they had promised to Prince Henry and his beloved Caleb. Although it could never make up for the traumas inflicted upon the two boys, it is as good a place as any to make a start.

After confirming that everything is progressing according to plan, the king and queen excuse themselves from their self-appointed supervisory roles, hurrying to ready their own appearances for the royal marriage ceremony. As they swiftly disappear into their own bedrooms, Earl lets out a loud chuckle, finding immense humor in this entire situation; it was not very long ago that His and Her Majesties were seemingly against this union, and now... Well, now the pair could not be more thrilled about the upcoming nuptials.

And as an added bonus, Princess Elaina and the queen's initial plan to marry the young woman to her son has been long forgotten in the influential and joyous uproar among the residents of the palace.

"Are you ready, Your Highness?" Earl asks, knocking lightly upon Prince Henry's bedroom door. The young man turns to him, his pure and unbridled elation clearly evident on his face; he could not appear any more pleased about the current circumstances if he tried. Earl laughs heartily at the prince's display of eagerness and excitement, his heart warming at the sight of the prince so wholly beside himself with happiness; this is precisely what he has always wanted for the boy. "Shall we get this show on the road?" the servant asks, his smile mirroring that of the prince.

"Is Caleb ready? He has not changed his mind, has he?" Henry rushes out, his face reddening in his flustered state. He had not thought about it until this exact moment, but what if Caleb decides he does not want to go through with it? Sure, they are technically already married, but... Gosh, Henry had been anticipating this official wedding ceremony so fervently that he had not realized that his husband could choose not to attend. Caleb would not do that to him, right? No, of course not. But, what if...

"Your Highness?" inquires Earl, his features contorting into a worried expression. "Ella is with His Highness as we speak; she has been attending him all morning. Please, do not fret, Your Highness. If a problem were to arise, you would be promptly notified. However, I am sure you have nothing to worry about, as Prince Caleb is equally as ecstatic about the occasion as you are," the elderly man explains carefully, attempting to soothe the frazzled mind of the younger man before him. While he can understand Henry's concerns, they are entirely unwarranted; Earl knows that Caleb would want nothing more than to proclaim his love for Henry to anyone who would listen.

Prince Henry takes several deep breaths, the long inhales helping only slightly to ease his nerves. Perhaps he is not actually doubting Caleb's attendance, but instead, he is simply overwhelmed with anxiousness that the two finally get to publicly announce their love for one another. Regardless of whatever is troubling him at the moment, nothing could possibly shadow the thrill sparking through his veins at this given moment. "I am ready," Henry states, straightening the dark blue jacket of his suit. He smiles softly to himself, reminiscing the moment when Caleb chose the garment for this particular occasion; it had made his crystal eyes pop, he had said.

Before he knows it, Henry is waiting impatiently at the altar in the garden, surrounded by the blooming flowers that Caleb adores so much. Shifting from foot to foot, he cannot help but feel increasingly nervous as the chairs before him fill with smiling, and otherwise cheerful guests, all of whom have come to witness the union of the two men. As the seconds tick by, Henry sends up a silent prayer that everything will go swimmingly and that this wedding ceremony will be everything Caleb had ever dreamed it to be.

A gentle melody draws the prince's attention to the other end of the garden. He does not even notice as the crowd before him rises to their feet; he is far too captivated by the stunning sight before him to care about anything else. Caleb awaits him at the end of the long aisle, smiling brightly. His black shirt matches his long, midnight hair that falls effortlessly down his back. The crisp whiteness of his slacks and vest enhances the rosy tint to his otherwise pale skin, and those enchanting crimson orbs roam greedily over his husband; Caleb looks almost ethereal at this moment.

Every muscle in Henry's body twitches, itching to run to the beauty at the other end of the ruby-red runner and scoop him into his arms; however, he makes no such movements. Instead, he waits with bated breath as the love of his life slowly approaches him, too entranced by his every move and the steadily diminishing space between them to worry about such trivial things as breathing.

Caleb only makes it halfway down the aisle before he unexpectedly stops, time halting along with him as panic begins to overtake Henry. The dark-haired boy bashfully glances around at the large crowd of people before once again locking his gaze on his charming prince. The smile gracing his lips slowly stretches, completely consuming the rest of his features before he breaks into a run, flinging himself into Henry's waiting arms. The two embrace lovingly, elatedly allowing their mutual affection and excitement to possess them entirely. Neither gives any regard to the sudden murmuring and hardly hushed conversations that spring forth from the unexpected and not altogether proper turn of events.

When the king himself stands before the whispering group of spectators and loudly clears his throat, the audience immediately falls silent. "I thank you all for attending this blessed occasion," His Majesty addresses the crowd. "It is not every day that my only son marries the love of his life, and I am incredibly grateful to all who have accepted to bear witness to this joyous event." Turning to the still embracing couple, he smiles fondly. "Henry, Caleb," he says, gesturing his hands in their directions. "Please feel free to proceed however you wish; this day is about the two of you and no one else. If you prefer to simply scream your vows from the rooftop, we can make that happen for you."

The two boys grin widely at the king, their eyes filled with a genuine appreciation for his words. It takes a few moments before they decide to disentangle themselves from each other. Still, not a single word is spoken from the previously aroused audience as the boys attempt to appear only slightly less eager for the ceremony.

Caleb is wholly sure that not a single one of the wedding officiant's words registers in his mind until he somehow hears the word "kiss," but immediately after the word is spoken, his lips are passionately and hungrily consumed by Henry's.

And, in Caleb's opinion, it was the most perfect wedding anyone could have ever imagined.