Chapter 53: This is the One

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Princess Axelia

"What about the food?" I ask the women surrounding me at a round table in Queen Ida's study.

It's been a week since Leonidas proposed to me and after days of strenuous meetings between the Cadomian council and Royal Court it has been decided our Kingdoms will unite.

"Axelia, we just started discussing decorations. You haven't even picked the colors yet," Elysse says as she slides stacks of color pallets across the table.

Ereni, Corrine, and Kaisa loom over my shoulders as I leisurely skim through the options.

"Honestly, I don't care what colors we choose," I finally sigh. "They just have to be blue, white and gold to make Cassius happy. You guys choose the best shades."

I want to see the menu options.

Hopefully, Leonidas is on one.

We haven't had time to see each other since his proposal. He's been resting for days while his Kingdom repairs and cleans up bodies from the war to prepare us for tomorrow's wedding ceremony.

I miss him.

Tapping my fingers on my chin, I gaze over the various mountains of papers, sketches, design book and fabrics until I spot the menus at the end of the table.

"Ah ha!" I exclaim and reach only for Queen Ida to lightly tap my hand away.

"Focus, Princess," she insists. "The food choice can wait. Only half the guests will be human."

Bitter, I sit through hours of pointless debate over decorations, venues, placement of guests, flowers, invites, the bridal party, and then--

"Meat! There has to be meat. Steak!" I proclaim and nearly drool flipping through the menu lists. "Oh, potatoes are a must, green beans, corn-- wait, there are seafood options?" I blurt.

Ereni giggles while the others glare because I didn't express an ounce of this excitement towards anything else.

"For dessert?" Queen Ida grumbles.

"Sweet Potato Pie," we unanimously answer.

Queen Ida gazes over the menu at us with a quirked brow and shakes her head but still writes it down.

We continue discussing the glorious subject of fine dining until the door is nearly kicked off its hinges.

"How dare you plan a wedding in this region without me!" Queen Aiko storms into the room. Literally, a thunderous, dark cloud sparking above her head. "Queen Ida, I have never been more deeply offended."

Our eyes shift to Leo's mother, who guiltily lifts the menu in her hand up enough to hide her face.

We are only finalizing the details at this point.

"You were the first person I thought of," I snicker and Queen Ida reclines in her chair to shoot a bone-chilling death glare at me.

"I knew it," Aiko's cloud dissolves as she seems to float her way over to plant kisses on my cheekbones. "That is why I have arrived and you needn't worry or stress another second."

"Good because--"

"Who is the Maid of Honor?" she interrupts and everyone bites their tongues.

"Elysse," I shrug. "It's nice because her brother is Leo's Best Man."

That seems to ease the tension in her slim shoulders as she twirls her silky black hair between her fingers and takes a seat on the table.

"Which one of you humans is Elysse?" she questions them, and Elysse doesn't hesitate to step forward. "If you disappoint I will kill and replace you."

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