Taken- a Selection FanFiction

Chapter 17

I woke up one morning encompassed by warm arms. I wriggled out of Nathan's grasp with a small smile on my face. "Get up," I giggled as I threw the blankets off of the bed.

"El, stop," he grumbled. He put a pillow back over his head, which I immediately knocked off.

"You better be up by the time I come out," I said as I walked into the bathroom.

I had gotten everything for myself in his room. My clothes, my soap- everything. I brushed my teeth and hopped in the shower. I washed my hair especially well today and got out of the shower to dry it. When I came out in a casual black dress without a zipper, Nathan was still in bed.

"El, do you even know what today is?" He grumbled.

"No. Why? Am I supposed to?" I asked as I ran my fingers through my long brown locks.

"The wedding is today."

I froze. Had it already been six weeks? That's impossible! "Oh, God." I plopped down on the bed, creating a depression in the mattress. I put my head in my hands and sighed. "Nathan, they're not coming."

"Yes, they are. They have to be," he said confidently as he got out of bed.

"I don't think they are," I said with tears forming in my eyes. Nathan came and captured me in a hug, and we remained like that until we were interrupted by the doors opening.

"We need the Lady Ray for preparations," said a young woman at the door. "You can wait until after the wedding, can't you?"

I felt a blush creep on my cheeks, and I pulled away from Nathan. "I'll see you later, ok?" I asked. He nodded nervously, and shut the door behind me.

I followed the young woman to a room with three mirrors. Willow was already there, waiting. Her dress was also black, but was tightly fitted to her body. She did look beautiful.

They began fixing my hair and makeup, and I felt uncomfortable since Mary, Cecelia, nor Diana were doing any of those things. They eventually finished and slid the dress over my head.

I turned around in the mirror to face my reflection. I gasped at the sight of myself. My hair was pulled back elegantly, accompanied by a black hemmed headpiece with a flowing black veil.

My makeup was elaborate, yet pretty. My eyeliner was exaggerated over my dark eyeshadow, and my violet eyes looked shocking and eccentric compared to the black on my eyes. The red lipstick dying my lips accommodated the look.

My dress was enormous. The train alone reached back all the way to the door, and there were so many black ruffles on it. I had on a black diamond necklace, adorning my bare neck where my songbird necklace would have normally been.

My thoughts drifted to Uncle Darry at the thought of that necklace. I had always pictured him giving me away instead of my father. He would place my hand in my future husband's, a man I imagined meeting at college.

Those dreams were a distant fantasy compared the the bleak and dreary outfit on me right now. The girls preparing me looked me over excitedly, taking pride in their work of a masterpiece.

They escorted me in front of the largest set of double white doors I had ever seen in my entire life. I was back there for what seemed like an eternity, the bouquet of black roses growing heavy in my hands.

I was on the verge of crying hysterically. I didn't want to get married; I wasn't even eighteen yet! Let alone under these circumstances! Fantasia appeared from around a corner and looked at me with disgust.

"It's time," she said pointing to the doors.

Before I could contemplate what was happening, the double doors were thrown open, revealing a large white ballroom with black decorations. A carpet lined the way for me to walk as the wedding march began.

I plastered on a fake smile as I began the long walk alone. My knees wobbled as I walked nervously, my hands gripping the flowers tightly. I scanned the crowd, but I saw absolutely nobody I knew. Everyone was a stranger.

I stretched the walk as long as I could, which wasn't that difficult because the pathway was long as it already was. Nathan stood at the end beside Harrison, and he offered me a nervous smile.

I took a deep breath as I stepped up to where Nathan was. I was finally here, and it had never felt so final and real. Willow took my bouquet, and I slipped my hands into Nathan's.

My mind was buzzing with so many thoughts as the minister rambled on and on about our glorious leader, marriage, and whatever the hell nobody cared about. I was so nervous, and my heart skipped several beats.

"Now," he said in his rich and deep voice, "for the vows." He turned to get out a book of some kind, but a loud boom sounded and everybody gasped.

Nathan and I got on our knees, and he shielded me with his body. "They came," I whispered joyously.

A guard ran down the aisle it took me so long to get down screaming bloody murder. "We're under attack! The Illèan army is here!"

Chaos sounded all around us, and Nathan, Harrison, and I all grabbed hands and began running toward the exit. We ran through the hallways that was piling up with white debris, and was littered with guards.

We tried going up steps, but I felt something catching my dress. Ray was at the hem of my train, pulling me back. "You get back here! I will not stand for this!" He bellowed over the sound of explosions.

"That's unfortunate!" I retorted as I took the sharper end of my headpiece tiara and ripped off the skirt, cutting it to my knees. I threw the veil, allowing it to trap Ray like a net. His need for show was his downfall.

We ran up the steps, and we were almost to the end. "That's the exit!" Nathan yelled over the chaos. I was pulled back by a CPA guard, separating me from Harrison and Nathan.

"You're coming back down here, little lady," he grunted.

"I'd rather not," I spat. I jumped as high as I could before coming down, jabbing my elbows into his collarbones.

He fell on the ground, but using the skills I was taught, I did a forward roll back onto my feet. He scrambled for a weapon at his belt, but I stepped on his throat with my shoe. His hands went to his throat, exposing his torso. I took this opportunity to jump onto his chest, my thin heel sinking in.

He flailed his arms, but I flung off both of my shoes and stabbed one heel in each of his arms. After leaving him helpless, I ran back to Nathan and Harry.

"Holy shit!" Harry exclaimed. "When did you learn that? Can I learn that?"

"Run!" I screamed. We made it up the steps and out of the underground base.

We were free at last.

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They have finally been rescued!

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