Evening Tales: Dark Academia Short Stories

We Danced and Fell: Part 2

My ladies in waiting swirled around me in a whirlpool of fabric and jewels. One pinned my softly curled hair while the other lightly brushed my cheeks with rose powder. I had never felt so out of place and so at home all at once.

The long, flowing white dress I wore was as if I had pulled it from my dreams. The sleeves were sheer white and met on my palms in a small jeweled triangle. The bodice was tight fitting and lined with a thin diamond belt. The skirts fell in pale white folds beneath me, the train sprawled in all directions. This dress was beautiful. My wedding dress was beautiful.

"You are truly a sight, miss." One of my ladies, Agatha, said with teary eyes.

I looked in the gold-gilded mirror set in front of me. I had never looked nor felt more beautiful in my life.

"Thank you, Aggie." I said, taking her frail hands in mine and giving them a small squeeze.

"Prince William will not believe his eyes." She said, shaking her mop of grey curls.

I gave her a small smile. Will and I would finally be married tonight. As soon as I remembered everything at the ball, there was no question that this was what we wanted; to spend the rest of this life and every life after bound to one another.

Of course, William being a prince was nothing new, but it shocked me nonetheless when I found out who he was. Rather, what he was.

"He is ready, miss." One of my ladies said, standing stiff-backed near the door.

My heart did a twirl.

"Alright then."

I gathered my skirts, Agatha collecting the train in her hands, and I made for the door. Will and I had decided that we did not want a large ceremony. In fact, we just wanted it to be us and a few select others. Agatha, the King, the Queen, and my family would be attending, but that was all.

The location of our ceremony remained a secret to me. Last month, on the night of the ball, Will had whispered to me that he wanted to surprise me with the location and I had agreed, just grateful to be back in his arms again. And after tonight, I would be.

"Forever and always." he had whispered to me that night, and I knew he meant it with all of his heart.

Agatha led me down a long marble hall of the palace that I had not yet ventured to. The walk felt long and my legs were nearly aching by the time we reached the end. Two palace guards threw open the doors and I was met with a wall of glass and marble. I gaped as I walked through the gilded doorway.

A large, crystal greenhouse was spread before me, encased by the marble walls of the palace, but the entirety of the glass ceiling let the light of the setting sun shine through, illuminating the vines and plants sprawled throughout the large room. The greenhouse offered a view of the palace lawns, and all the way down to the river. Candles were placed here and there, in every corner of the room. Mine and Will's family sat in carved wooden chairs in the center of the greenhouse, making a mini-aisle.

I teared up as my eyes met Will's, who stood at the center of the greenhouse at the base of a willow tree. The setting sun cast a light orange glow on his tan skin, setting his emerald eyes alight. He stared at me in awe, his lips slightly parted. In that moment, I wanted to run down the small, make-shift aisle and be his wife, but I could not do that to my mother, who had waited for me to get married since I turned sixteen.

Agatha handed me my bouquet of white roses and baby's breath, letting my train settle behind me.

I did not notice when the violin started to play. I did not notice when my feet started to move in that ever so slow gate down the aisle. I was not aware of my mother's tears that fell to the marble floor. I only saw Will. And he only saw me.