C A R L I S I A N N
"That took more time than I expected." I expressed after finally choosing the cake I wanted for the wedding.
"This was nothing, my cake tasting lasted three days." Kesis disclosed as she wiped down the counter that Ghalen was leaning against as he slept. She made a great effort not to wake him.
"Three days?" I questioned her in surprise, and she nodded.
"I had to find the right one." She stated with a reminiscing smile as she approached the sink in order to rinse out the cloth, "So how do you plan on wearing your hair for the wedding?"
"An afro maybe or some cornrows." I answered, touching my hair that was current in two puffs.
"An afro sounds lovely, we could add all sorts of decorations to it like red roses to match your dress."
Her words had me nodding in agreement, "My thoughts exactly."
"Your hair is so beautiful." She complimented after glancing at my hair that was currently shrunken.
"Thank you." I voiced, appreciating her kind words.
"Mhm."
"I was planning on braiding it to the side, but I'm feeling a little worn out from all the eating."
"I could do it for you." She offered, surprising me.
"You wouldn't mind?"
"I wouldn't mind at all, Amanté doesn't let me in his hair anymore, I don't see Shamari enough to do his and Marin keeps his hair short." She admitted, seeming excited as she placed the cloth on the counter before washing her hands thoroughly.
"I'm happy I could scratch the itch." I stated, placing my body in the nearest chair which allowed her to begin the process.
"Your hair is healthy, your hair is strong, your hair is easy to manage." She affirmed while I used my element to mould a pick that I handed to her as she used her element to wet my hair to avoid breakage and make the process easier.
"So was Amanté's hair always locked?" I inquired with closed eyes and a relaxed body that was caused by her actions to gently and carefully comb my ends.
"No, he decided to loc it about two years ago." Kesis notified me, which pulled another query from me.
"Would you ever lock yours?"
"I've thought about it once or twice, but it's already hard enough fighting the urge to pull out my braids and twist when I miss my fro so imagine if I got locs."
"I know what you mean." I expressed knowingly because I stayed like that.
Soon we fell quiet which allowed her to begin braiding my hair to the side and she was surprisingly gentle and caring as she would ask me if it was too tight or if I was okay.
"Kesis I—" Marin started, entering the kitchen but he halted his words when his eyes took in the view we were giving him, "My bad, I didn't know you were busy."
"It's alright my love, what did you need?" She inquired, not stopping her actions of braiding.
"It can wait." He assured her while stepping deeper into the kitchen, sparing Ghalen, who was still sleeping, an amused look before taking a seat next to his wife who was standing.
"I think you have reawakened my baby fever Carlisiann." Kesis announced, pulling a chuckle from me that was mostly caused by Marin's surprise.
"And who are you going to have that with?" He questioned her, only earning a light laugh.
-
"I would like to thank you all for joining us in celebrating another year of life for my wonderful fiancé, Amanté. Words aren't enough to express how lucky I was to have met him, so let's raise a toast to Amanté." I articulated before raising my glass of Suli in the air which had the small crowd of people that sat around the table following.
"To Amanté!" Everyone voiced in unison and then brought their glass of liquor to their lips.
"Thank you." Amanté whispered in my ear as I returned my body to my seat.
"It was my pleasure." I expressed with a soft smile.
"How about we head out—"
"Not before dessert." Marin told him, interrupting his sentence before it could even be introduced to a period.
"And we certainly wouldn't want a baby born out of wedlock if the council does not deem Carlisiann fit for the throne." Shamari stated casually as he brought the first course of food to his mouth.
"Shamari, what have I told you about that mouth of yours?" A woman with striking features inquired, and he took his gaze off me to plant it on her.
"Mother I was simply voicing what everyone else was thinking." He defended which gained an eye roll.
"If you become Queen consort of Lvaiekia I should not mind if you remove his tongue." His mother assured me, and I grinned lightly at her words.
"I'll keep that in mind...?"
"Snow."
"That's an unusual name for a Sejlkyian." I stated as my eyes took notice of her fiery eyes and fiery hair that told me her Sejlkyian genes were more dominant than her Lvaiekian.
"I know, but my father is a Lvaiekian and he wanted to set me apart from the other kids." She briefly explained, letting me know what was the original thought when choosing that name.
"He clearly didn't know your personality would do the job for him." One of Amanté's aunts mumbled loud enough for us to hear, but Snow didn't seem bothered, which told me this was probably a normal occurrence.
"I take that as a compliment."
"Still drinking I see." One of Amanté's uncle's asked Snow as she took a sip of her liqueur.
"Remind me, how many children have you fostered this year? Ten, was it?" She asked him, and I almost choked on my drink when this query met my ear.
"None were out of wedlock, could the same be said for you?" He questioned him which had my brows lifting with shock.
"As you can see wherever my family goes, drama follows." Amanté whispered into my ears, and this made me unconsciously blocking out the rest of the conversation I knew mostly consisted of insults.
"I can certainly see why you prefer to celebrate privately."
"I don't like to celebrate at all, I'm only doing this because you asked." He confessed softly, and my eyes met his with surprise.
He really did this because I asked?
"Then I should not make you regret your decision." I stated, and he didn't say another word because something behind me caught his eye.
"It seems like I'm about to, I thought only family was invited." He declared, and I didn't need to turn around to know he was talking about Naila and Keith.
"Yeah, I forgot to tell you, your mother invited them."
"Why?" He questioned me, clearly wanting to know the reason behind her actions.
"She, like me, believes we need to keep a close eye on them." I notified him, letting him know I wasn't the only one suspicious of them.
"Do you really think they'd try to take the throne from you?"
I nodded without wasting another second to show he I held no doubt in my assumptions.
"Yes. Ghalen always told me it's best to expect the worst in people before they have the chance to show you the worse."
"That's spectacularly bad advice." Amanté commented, and I grinned softly with a shrug.
"Probably, but it's a mentality that has never failed me." I told him while bringing a spoon filled with food to my mouth.
"Yet."
"So, when are you going to tell me what happened during the kidnapping?"
My question made him tense slightly, but he quickly forced his body to relax as he asked,
"When are you going to tell me exactly what you see in your nightmares?"
"I tell you what, tonight I'll tell you everything if you tell me everything." I offered, and he kept quiet for a few seconds before speaking.
"Deal." He agreed.
"So will Amanté be having a bachelor party?" Shamari inquired, and Amanté glanced at me briefly before saying.
"You know the Lvaiekian traditions, I'm not allowed to have one." He reminded him, and also me.
"In the law it actually says you need permission from the bride to be." Liana corrected him.
"It doesn't matter because I don't want one."
"Why not? I'm having one." I asked him, and his brows furrowed with surprise.
"You are?" He questioned me, showcasing his surprise in his voice.
"Mhm, Dion has been planning one since we turned fifteen." I announced, and this had him falling silent for a brief second.
"Then I suppose it wouldn't hurt to have one."
"Look at you breaking Amanté out of his shell."
"Someone has to do it." Josh commented.
"When will Grandma and Grandpa arrive?" Amanté inquired, changing the topic as his eyes met his parents.
"Soon, they told me they'd be late because your grandma has an appointment with the doctor." His mother briefed him, and this had worry climbing onto Amanté's brows.
"She's still sick?" He asked, and received a confirming nod in return which had the worry on his brows soaking his features.
"Only a bit."
"If I had known I wouldn't have asked you to invite her."
"Nonsense, you know your grandmother would have been furious if we told her to get some rest." Kesis stated, but this didn't relieve the look of regret and worry on Amanté's face.
"Still, I do not want her to strain herself." He expressed, and his parents offered him a soft, reassuring smile.
"She'll be fine." Marin voiced, before turning his attention to his other son, "Shamari how has training with Carlisiann been going?"
"It's going good, she has real control over her power at the moment."
I smiled at his words because it told me he saw the effort I had been putting into our training whether it be physical or mental.
"She is—" Amanté began, but his words were interrupted by the sound of an explosion and the voice of a guard.
"Take cover! We're under attack."
-
