Wrongly in Love

34- The Wedding Planner

The next morning... Well, Guinevere barely had the morning to herself as she watched five maids in a daze, who were wearing identical white dresses with matching veils, barge in the room carrying a huge book each.

"Your Highness, your morning cappuccino," said the maid in the lead, using her book as a tea tray and set a few sachets of sugar.

"Mmm..." Guinevere sighed in content. "This coffee is done just the way I like it!"

The maids all breathed out a sigh of relief.

"But it tastes a bit... Odd. Something weird... Like there's a secret addition to the coffee," Guinevere remarked, going for another sip.

The maids stifled gasps. One of them said quickly, "His Royal Highness knows how you like your beverages. He asks us to add sweeteners, to make it taste even better."

Guinevere said nothing, sending a questioning glance at the books.

"Your Highness, we apologise for entering your private quarters without your permission. But we are under orders from Prince Arthur to suggest some wedding ideas." She gestured towards the books.

Guinevere cocked her head, frowning. "Wedding?"

The maids exchanged knowing looks. "Wedding to Prince Arthur, of course."

"Oh," Guinevere realized, flushing red. How can she forget so quickly? "But why so many?"

"Each for the events leading up to and after the wedding," A petite maid motioned at the others, and as if on cue, they handed Guinevere the books, stacking them on the table to form a neat pile. Guinevere studied the books. They all had the same brown cover, but with different titles.

Opening Ceremony
Wedding
Wedding Reception
Tea Ceremony
Wedding Ball

Guinevere's eyes widened. "How am I supposed to plan all of these in a week?"

"Um, Your Highness, didn't you demand new suggestions for your wedding, after he showed you yesterday what he had planned while you were away? You clearly said, 'These decorations are all so tasteless. And what is that vase of camellias doing there? And why does the wedding reception look like a five- year- old' s birthday party?'" A slightly plump maid reminded her.

"Oh... Oh y-yes," Guinevere stuttered. Wait... Why does it seem like I'm forgetting everything that happens within a few hours? "So... I'll have to plan all this in a week and a few days?"

"Well, there's an addition to the events list..." The maids handed her one last book, which they had clearly withheld for later.

Guinevere's eyes widened at the book. It was different from the others, it looked newer with a shiny, red cover.

But it wasn't the color that shocked Guinevere.

It was the title.

EXECUTION

She pursed her lips, looking nervous.

"Prince Arthur has decided to add that event to the list, knowing that you pledged your allegiance to him and he claims that the only way to stop spreading trouble was to execute the troublemakers."

Guinevere bit her lip. "Err... If I might ask... Which troublemakers, exactly?"

The maids exchanged looks of panic, as if to say, Has she lost her damned mind? A tall maid hesitated for a few seconds, then reminded her, "You know, those troublemakers, or should we say criminals, Gusion and his friends, and also your brother, as he is one of his accomplices. The guards had managed to track down their location using magic, and now they'll be a very important part of your wedding."

Guinevere only half-listened to all of this, feeling sick to the stomach. How can she forget her friends? How can she forget her brother? How can she forget Gusion? What has been going on in her mind lately? She'd been always so absent-minded and forgetful lately. And how can she possibly plan an event like this? She could be mean and selfish at times, but she'd never, ever want to watch her friends chopped down by the axe, stoned, beheaded, or any of the other ghastly options listed in the book. Was it a wrong idea overall to listen to the mysterious hood's instructions? Had she fallen right into Arthur's trap?

Unable to flip pages any longer, she set it aside and grabbed the Opening Ceremony book. "Well, this is the first, so I should start with this one. Will anyone help me with some of these?" She asked nonchalantly, as if she didn't care about her friends and brother getting executed and as if it hadn't nearly scared her out of her wits. If she still had any wits already.

"Well, you have a meeting with the florist at ten A. M., lunch as usual in the banquet hall, but you will go to the gardens immediately afterward to test which food should be served at your wedding, followed by a meeting with the tailors at the same place, wedding lessons later at the meeting room, wedding practice after that, you know, for the songs and dances, and dinner. The executioners meeting, well, it will be decided by the Prince."

Guinevere stopped skimming pages, fixing her eyes on a lovely sketch of a long dress with a train, embroidered with pearls and had a distinctive pattern etched on the bodice. If she was like any other girl getting married to a prince right now, she would've been thrilled. But this was no ordinary prince. This was a selfish, power-hungry liar who hatches secret plans to get to the throne. And now she had to figure out what his plan was- and why was he doing it.

The petite maid spoke up again, bringing Guinevere back to reality.

"And, oh, tomorrow, there's a new addition to the schedule. If you ever choose to arrive at the church on a float, if you do want to get married at the church, we'll have to arrange lunch with the parade organisers. They'll decorate the floats, but we'll have to decide whether or not to put banners, flags, ornaments, or an assortment of daisies, roses, and violets on the floats-"

"I've had enough to plan for one day- can I have an hour at least to myself?" Guinevere finally spoke up, annoyed at all this talking.

"Um, we are under orders to watch you-" The plump maid said, and instantly regretted it. The other maids shot her dirty looks, but lucky for them, Guinevere hadn't noticed. She sighed and finished the last of her cappuccino, which had gotten cold.

"I don't care. I'll deal with him myself." Guinevere said dismissively, waving her off.

After a few moment's hesitation, the maids nodded and left. Guinevere relaxed on her plush chair, sighing deeply. She might have played the part of Arthur's bride, but she wouldn't let them get into trouble. Wait... Who are them? Oh, Gusion and her friend, of course! She had to protect them by being in this castle. Maybe the hood's message wasn't wrong after all. But how was she going to protect them, exactly?

That's when a horrible thought came to her.

Arthur was the oldest son of the Paxleys.

She was going to be his bride.

As soon as they got married and Arthur has his coronation ceremony, she would be...

She would be...

The Queen of his Kingdom.

Guinevere looked at the mirror.

It took all her strength not to scream.

Thankfully, she was distracted by the voices coming from outside. It seems like the maids, Guinevere thought. Then her eyes widened, hearing their
conversation.

"Oh my gosh, Laurena! I told you to put only one drop in the drink, am I right?"

"His Royal Highness told me to add two drops. Even Merlin said so," Laurena argued.

"Even so, we shouldn't overdose the whole thing on her! At this rate, she'll forget who she is very soon!"

"Evangeline has a point. We shouldn't overdo it, even if the Queen Empress of Smoked Kebab tells us to. We just have to do it steady but surely, slowly but efficiently."

"Yes, yes, smoked kebab or not. But wait, did we remember to leave a spell on this door-"

The five maids gasped, and together, they all ran back to the servant's wing, hoping no one had overheard their conversation.