Must I Be Your Bride? - Chapter Nineteen

I could feel the eyes on me, but I only paid attention to William. This was it. The confirmation of my love. But one glance at the crowd made William's eyes turn hard, and when I followed his gaze, I saw the sovereign sitting at the front row, watching me with amusing eyes. This completely ruined the moment, the reason I wanted this to happen. Then it happened. My mind went back to almost a month ago, when I was walking out of the theater with my parents and my little brother. We were on our way to have ice cream, my brother and I laughing over my parents sarcastic argument about whether vanilla or chocolate tasted better. And for once, I almost regretted leaving them.

I tried to shake it out of my head and looked back at William. The sovereign wasn't going to ruin this day. But my family just might.

William and I linked hands, and I could tell he was trying to hide that same dullness in his eyes again.

"Don't," I whisper.

"You look beautiful," he says.

The man wedding us was William's father, the king, and I tried to hide how nervous it made me feel. One genuine smile from him, though, did help. He starts to speak. I'll be honest and say I didn't hear one thing he said after the "We are gathered here today..." William and I just stared at each other, each of trying to predict what comes after this. We rule this amazing kingdom?

What snapped me out of it was when the king said William's name, and it took me a while to get what he said.

"William, do you take, Serene, to be your lawful wedded wife? Do you promise to love and comfort her, to honor her and keep her in sickness and in health, in prosperity and adversity, and forsaking all others, as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," William says.

"Serene, do you take, William, to be your lawful wedded husband? Do you promise to love and comfort him, to honor him and keep him in sickness and in health, in prosperity and adversity, and forsaking all others, as long as you both shall live?"

With no hesitation I say, "I do."

"Very well, bring the rings."

A little girl walked over to William, holding an Ivory pillow. She was a beautiful little girl; long wavy brunette hair, the greenest eyes, and an Ivory dress that could almost be mistaken as one of the wedding dresses I had to try on. It wasn't until William let go of my hands that I realized the pillow she held contained the rings.

He reached for one of the golden rings. I was awed by the way it glimmered in his hand.

"William," the king said with a nod.

William met my gaze again before saying, "This ring I thee give, in token and pledge, of my constant faith and enduring love, with this ring I thee wed." He then slips the ring in my ring finger, fitting almost too perfectly.

Now it was my cue to get a hold of the other wedding ring on the small square pillow, and I took in a deep breath. The maids forced me to learn my next words by heart in just an hour. I was afraid I would somehow get it wrong. They thought it would be more civilized to just say this by heart instead of repeating after the one wedding us like 'normal people' do.

So with another deep breath I speak. "This ring I thee give, in token and pledge, of my constant faith and enduring love, with this ring I thee wed."

I take his left hand, liking how I was leading something for once, and slipped the ring on his finger, feeling us somehow closer as soon as I did.

"Now that you have joined yourselves in solemn matrimony, may you strive all of your lives to meet this wonderful commitment with the same love and devotion that you now possess. By the virtue of the authority invested in me as king, I now pronounce you husband and wife."

The king stops to allow the crowd to clap and shout, and for some reason I'm frustrated that I probably don't know any of the people cheering us on.

"William, you may kiss your bride."

And William suddenly grabs me by the waste and wraps me up in a heart-warming kiss, the crowd giving the same reaction they did that day William announced we were getting married (even though he said I would be human). If this crowd is mostly the village, then I can handle that.

"Serene Anne, and William Evan Redsford," the king announces.

We were rushed out by Demitri and John before anybody could stand. I knew where to next. We were going to have the 'after party' in the ballroom, but not before I changed into a gown I can actually walk in.

Demitri and John dropped us off in my room, where the maids were waiting with large smiles, congratulating us a little too much.

They forced William to wait in the bedroom as they prepped me up in the bathroom.

"You did a beautiful job! Once you started to cry we almost panicked but at least your makeup didn't run," the main maid says as she unzips my wedding gown.

"I didn't cry," I say a bit shocked.

"Yes you did, sweetie. You started as soon as you reached William."

I didn't reply. I couldn't remember crying. Did I actually cry? Was that why William was a bit dull?

They dressed me up in a shorter version of my wedding gown. Seriously, almost all the details were exactly the same, except it was lighter, and it reached right below my knees. And the heels they gave me, they were so beautiful and almost sparkled. These are heels I wouldn't mind wearing.

"Alright, we'll give you and your new husband some time, but you are expected to show up in fifteen minutes," she says to me before they all rush out. I don't hesitate in following behind and see William waiting patiently on the bed, looking so amazing in his tux.

When the maids were out of the room I took a seat beside him and rest me head on his shoulder.

"I guess we did it," I say.

"Not yet. We still have a party to go through."

I smile nervously. "Right. Please, don't leave me with a couple of strangers."

"I promise not to." He leans down and gives me a slow kiss. "But promise me something too."

I hum a reply, keeping my eyes closed.

"Don't drink any of the wine."

My eyes open. "Why?"

"The wine is blood."

"And I'm a vampire, so I'll enjoy it."

"Just please, don't drink that blood. It's different from the one I gave you. It's stronger."

I sat up straight and stared at him. "What do you mean it's stronger?"

When he looks away I know something isn't right and I start to get this sickening feeling. "What is it, William?"

"Just don't drink the wine, that's all I'm asking. Come on, we should start going."

He stands but I don't. "William, what aren't you telling me?" I whisper.

There's a long silence before he sighs. "You're a fledgling. You still haven't had human blood. You're not fully a vampire until then."

I'm not sure how to react, but I end up just sitting there looking at the ground. I couldn't believe it.

"How many times must we go through this, William?" I'm surprised I sound completely calm. "What did you give me the other night?"

"I gave you animal blood. I thought you'd want some time to think about this."

"We're already married. We can't just file divorce papers!"

"I know, I just... Don't you want to go visit your family first? You can't, not as a vampire. But you possibly can as fledgling."

I'm absolutely speechless.

"John has read your mind, Serene. Don't think I don't know how much family means to you, because I do." He took his seat again and wrapped his arms around me. That's when I realized there was that ball of emptiness in my stomach, and this time it wasn't William, but it was my family. "And I'm going to let you see them whether you agree to or not. Because I know it's something you want."

And then I start crying, crying on his chest, forgetting how upset it'll make the maids when they see how badly I've ruined my makeup. And I cry for I don't know how long, longer than the time they have given us. Because all that comes next are the recollections of my times with my family. The silly times, the embarrassing times, the sad times, the happy times. I'm homesick. I love William, with my whole entire body and soul, but there will always be that one small part of me that craves the assistance of my family.

"So, do you promise not to have any wine?" William says.

I try to put myself together enough before I look at him and nod. "I promise."
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Author's Note:

I am so sorry! I could come up with excuses on why I haven't posted but I know they're probably useless. I did have a writer's block, though! Hope you guys are still out there! Enjoy!

I promise I will try my best not to take so long again! I wish I could guarantee it but with school you never know. Talk to you soon!