Josephine

𝓔𝓹𝓲𝓼𝓸𝓭𝓮 87: 𝓐 𝓟𝓮𝓻𝓼𝓲𝓪𝓷 𝓦𝓱𝓲𝓽𝓮 𝓦𝓮𝓭𝓭𝓲𝓷𝓰

June 23, 1984 

Qazvin, Sublime Persian Empire

Josephine's POV

"Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god!" Victoria exclaimed hurriedly as she paced back and forth in the dressing room.

"Victoria-" I replied soothingly, trying to calm her down.

"What if I screw up the vows!? What if I don't do something right!? What if he doesn't like the dress!? What if-!?"

"Victoria!" Missy said, borderline shouting, "Calm down!"

She stopped pacing and continued to take really deep breaths. She was totally freaking out and Missy and I, her bridesmaids, were trying to calm her down. Keyword being trying. The ceremony was supposed to begin in fifteen minutes. She was all dolled up, and ready to go, except for her own reservations. It wasn't Ali-Reza that was the problem, it was mostly about rushing into her new positions as Queen of Persia and Samarkand. But also about the wedding.

"But what if-"

"Victoria, listen to me, I went through this exact same moment at both of my weddings, I know how panicked you are right now, but you need to calm down..."

"Take deep breaths girl!" Missy added her casual way of speaking.

Victoria mellowed out slowly.

"I'm sorry guys, I was just..."

"You're nervous my dear," I replied, "I get it, believe me! But once you start walking down the aisle, everything will feel just right!"

She looked at me, her big brown eyes filled with fear.

"Really? Even with Vittorio?"

I tensed up when she spoke his name. Even she knew to sparsely use it as he left a bloody stain on America.

"Yes... even with that man... on my wedding day... everything seemed right..."

"Wait, wait... Victoria, do you think that Ali will be like him?"

They hated my first husband after they learned what he did to me, and to my countrymen.

"No! Absolutely not! It's just... I'm panicking..."

She took some more deep breaths and fixed the ruffles in her very expensive dress. She stopped shaking and stood up straight.

"I... I'm ready..."

"Are you sure?" We both asked at the same time.

"Yes! I'm ready!" She repeated, more boldly and confidently.

There's the daughter I know!

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The room buzzed with conversation. On one side of the mosque was Ali-Reza's family, the Pahlavis, and other Persian officials. On the other side were our family, officials, and some friends.

Persia is very beautiful. Victoria had to come to Persia because... because uh we banned Islam in 1965. We destroyed all mosques too, but because our relations are normalizing with the Islamic World I might need to consider reinstating the faith.

"Oh my... I cannot believe Victoria is getting married today..." Mattéo whispered to me.

"I know, it seems like yesterday she was this bumbling, curious eight-year-old..."

Mattéo sniffled and I wrapped my arms around him.

"Are you crying, Matt?"

"No! I'm not crying, you're crying!"