King | j.b

XXX

~ 6 weeks later ~

"Come on! It's almost time!" cried Rachel as she zipped Ariana's dress from behind. She felt her stomach tighten against the smooth fabric. Her curled hair rested on her chest. Her dress was as white and soft as a dove. Two other servants helped with her makeup and veil.

Her eyes stared into the mirror. She had never seen herself like this before. Who was this girl? She had never seen herself so...  so beautiful. It was almost as if a different person was standing in front of that mirror. She had been made anew.

A sharp tingling sensation shot through her body when she thought of Justin. She wondered what he was thinking about at that very moment. This was really happening. She was getting married. To the king. Over a year ago, not once would she ever imagine something like this ever happening. It would have been a nightmare. But now. Now, it was all she could ever ask for.

"Alright, it's time," one of the servants said.  Rachel looked at the bride.

"You look great."

Ariana smiled at her.

"Thanks." A knocking came from the door.

"Are we ready yet in there?" a muffled voice asked. Ariana adjusted her dress and set her hair in a comfortable position.

"Coming!" she called. One of the servants opened the door for her. She strode out, feeling more confident than ever. Her heels clapped on the marble floor as she passed through the hall. Every step became longer and faster.  She was so eager to marry the love of her life. Her king.

The servant stopped in front of another door leading outside. And beside that was her father. The one who used to hate the king with a great passion. The one who almost declined his request. Almost. Yet he was the reason this was possible. He stood in a nice suit Justin had given him, since none of the villagers owned any fancy clothes.

"Wow," he said covering his mouth with his hand. "I- I can't believe my little girl is getting married." Ariana blushed. Her father reached his arm out to her and she gladly wrapped her arm around his.

"Are you sure your ready for this?" he asked her sincerely. Although he had finally come to accept Justin as a person, he still wanted to make sure this was really what his daughter wanted. She looked at him in the eyes.

"I've never been more sure in my whole life," replied she without hesitation. Dimples formed at the sides of his mouth as he smiled. And just then, she saw a happiness in his eyes she had never seen before. His eyes slowly turned a light pink as they started to water up. She had always viewed her father as a tough man who never cried. And here he was now, about to walk his daughter down the aisle with tears in his eyes.

One of the servants opened the strong door and light immediately spilled into the hallway where she was standing. When her eyes fell upon the sight in front of her, she could not help but smile from ear to ear.

Villagers from the town had put on their most clean-looking clothes. They filled rows of seats, some sitting on the grass. King and queens of different kingdoms sat elegantly in their expensive outfits. A silence overcame them and as the music started to play, everyone rose from their eats.

Walking out, Ariana felt a gust of fresh air hit her face. The sun gleamed in the clear-blue sky. The grass looked greener than it ever had before. The flowers gave the scene a splash of different colors. Birds flew in the air, chirping away, as if they too were celebrating. It seemed like something out of a fairytale. It was all so real yet unreal at the same time.

The wedding music rang proudly in her ears. Everyone stared at her with bright smiles on their faces. She was never used to being the center of attention. As her eyes danced along the crowd, she spotted her mother and brother who looked happier than they had ever been. She noticed the beautifully-layered wedding cake which had a bride and groom at the top. She had never imagined her wedding to be like this. Usually, villagers had small weddings, but this... This was just incredible. Everything was perfect.