Red's Wolves

Chapter Thirty-Four

The wedding of Alera, Princess of Palazia, and Jere, Captain of the Guard, took place within the village of the forest fae, surrounded by loved ones as well as any and everyone who wanted to attend. As part of Alera's decree as heir and future ruler, she would see members of both kingdoms to no longer be estranged, but come to a mutual understanding of one another, learning and growing from one another, and opening trade amongst them, just as her mother once wished she could have seen through.

With the approval of Hevea, they agreed that a central road would connect the kingdom and the village, cleared and protected for all travelers to come and go with their wares or their leisure. It took some convincing of a people who had spent so long in naive ignorance and fear of the unknown, but once they were convinced that the forest was not going to devour them the moment they set foot within it, they were able to enjoy the beauty of the forest for what it was, and not fear what it wasn't.

Before Alera would be able to rest easy, however, she needed to speak with her grandfather about the dagger of her mothers, and the ability it had to seep up Nicholas' dark magic. Though it wasn't exactly the most ideal conversation to have while planning a wedding, it was an item of interest to all parties involved and one day Alera hoped that the power within could be studied, and better protect both her kingdom and the forest village from the same sort of attacks ever again.

The wedding ceremony would be no different, set to take place in the woods where they could be protected, and though there would be an official coronation at the castle when it was time of her father's passing and Alera needed to assume the throne, they agreed that the first village would be the best place for the celebration.

Palo, especially, as he had made a new home for himself among the forest people, agreeing to assist Havea with their stables just as he had grown accustomed to in Palazia. Come to find out, Palo had also caught the attention of a forest fae widow, and had no intention of leaving the village any time soon.

The wedding would also mark the king's return to the village for the first time since he left with Vessa to make her his queen. Afraid the memories of the village would be too much for her father to endure, Alera insisted he need not make the trip, but the king would not have his daughter married without his blessing or presence. So they traveled together days before the ceremony would take place to help him get settled, and the palpable surprise of the forest fae upon seeing him arrive was evident that many did not think he would ever return.

Hevea welcomed him with open arms, followed next by Palo who saw not his king, but his old friend from their youth, and the three reminisced over faerie wine and firelight about the life they recalled, and the memories of those that had past. Alera remembered watching them arm in arm, carrying each other back to their beds, and as much as she wanted to help them, Jere convinced her that there was no better place for her father now than where he was.

The wedding itself was to be a handfasting ceremony conducted by Hevea within the living woods among the fae and humans alike. It was a tradition of all forest fae that both Vessa and Nyla waived, so it made the most sense to Alera and Jere to honor their customs and traditions. It also made the planning process a lot simpler than if they were to have a traditional wedding in Palazia, especially since the fae were more than happy to provide for the granddaughter of their chief.

The only item Alera did not have prepared was a dress. For a moment she considered just wearing whatever she could find— it didn't matter to her so long as she's and Jere were married. She'd have married him completely naked if she could. But too many of the fae attendants, as well as Jere, told her that her wedding day was a special event, and as such it deserved a special dress.

It wasn't until the day of the wedding that Alera realized how correct they were.

Brigette had traveled with her from Palazia, staying within the bridal suite to assist her in all wedding preparations until it was time for the ceremony. As was tradition, she would not be able to see Jere from dusk the day before the wedding until the ceremony itself, and Alera was getting anxious. To keep her distracted, the forest fae told her stories of their wedding days— and wedding nights— enough to make her blush yet also wonder what stories she would be able to tell to the next blushing bride after she experienced her own wedding night. If she wasn't looking forward to the event before, she most certainly couldn't wait for it to be over now.

She just needed to get married first.

When she was presented with her wedding gown, however, there were no more thoughts about rushing through the event to meet her new husband in the bridal suite. Not when her father informed her that the dress she was to wear was her mother's.

Brigette hushed at her, a warning to not get tears on the material as she helped the princess get dressed. The bodice was adorned with pearls, the skirt fell full to the ground, and the sleeves fell from her shoulders in waterfalls of sheer lace. When Brigette motioned for her to turn around, she thought her maid was going to adjust the ties or fix her skirt, but instead she clipped a red velvet train to each shoulder, spilling out down and behind her. Her breath shuddered as she caught a glimpse of herself in the looking mirror before she was whisked away by her father towards the ceremony site.

Members from both her kingdom and the forest village sat on either side of the venue, surrounded by flowering trees and enchanted wood. Jere looked as though he was going to cry the first moment he saw her walked towards him in her dress on her father's arm. She, herself, was going to cry looking at him, standing ready at attention in his Captain uniform and looking more beautiful than she ever could have imagined.

Her father handed her off, and Jere thanked him for his blessing before he took her in his arms. She watched her father return to stand near Palo, the latter clapping his friend on the shoulder in support and solidarity as they watched their only children join one another in matrimony.

The binding ceremony itself was short and sweet, and the braided tie that symbolized their undying love and endless commitment to come another was woven in the colors of the forest— greens, pinks, white, yellow— and once they were announced married as husband and wife, Jere pulled her in for the deepest kiss as their guests cheered and the trees in the canopy above them showered them all with leaves and petals. Alera even swore she could have heard her wolves howling in celebration of their new union.

The wedding celebration thereafter felt like it lasted for a week, with the dances and dinners and bonfires. It all reminded Alera of that first night she and Jere with with the forest fae, watching the elders tell the story of their people in the flames.

Now, as she wrapped her arms around her new husband, they watched their story play out, from their parents meeting to traveling back to the kingdom. To their births and growing up together every step of the way. To Jere learning to ride to Alera learning to become a proper princess. To the darkness that settled over their home that inevitably brought them closer together, and to their daring escape from the clutches of evil to the welcoming arms of the forest people. It amused Alera, the dramatics of the display, but despite the truth behind it all, it would certainly be a story that needed to be told for generations to come.

A tentative friendliness lingered between the forest fae and the citizens of Palazia, who became more and more friendlier with the more alcohol that was poured the later the festivities carried on. Alera was certain there would be more unions forming after theirs from there on out but in the meantime she was going to focus on her own.

Unbeknownst to them in all of their planning, Palo had been working on some planning all his own. Not too far away from the village, he was able to clear some of the forest, with permission of course, and build for them a small, private cottage where they could stay whenever they came to visit the forest. And it was in that cottage they consummated their marriage, and conceived their first child, and every child they would have thereafter.

Because just as Palazia had become their home, so too now was the forest. They were as much a part of it as they were a part of the kingdom, and they promised to their people, and to each other, that they would never forget where they came from, nor would they be ashamed or embarrassed of their bloodlines.

Through Alera and Jere, the future heirs of Palazia would be canny. The blood of the fae would run through them, and their magic would not be something to be feared. Whether they chose to marry a member of the human lands or a citizen of the fae— if they chose to marry at all— their union would be honored and cherished by all without hesitation or ramifications.

For every time Alera would leave her castle from that day forward, with her kingdom restored, she would remember all she had endured to finally have her happily ever after. With every hum of her mother's lullaby and every wild horse they could tame. With every call of her wolves as they raced from the woods to greet her, to the laughter of her children as they raised their own pups, they would be there for one another, in this life or the next, personal guards and companions for whatever adventure next waited for them along the road ahead.

- THE END -