A Queen for the King

Betrayal and Confrontation on the Big Day

The morning of the wedding had arrived and both Arny and the princess sat alone in their own rooms. Parliament had agreed that the marriage must take place in order to prevent Ronan from becoming king. Both Arny and the princess silently got ready as Ronan's army began closing in on Edessa. A soft knock was heard on Arny's door, which made Arny quickly get up to answer the door.

"Princess?" Arny said loudly as he opened the door hoping to find the princess at the other end. To his dismay, Arny was met with Bridgette, who looked disappointed as usual. "Ugh what now Bridgette?" Arny said as he dropped down on his bed "I suppose you came to lecture me again?"

"Yes and no your majesty" Bridgette said as she closed the door behind her "I'll keep this simple in order for you to get down to the cathedral in time: you must learn to control yourself and your sexual desires. They have already cost you dearly."

"Yes yes I know" Arny interrupted Bridgette

"On the other hand, you must prepare your men for battle"

"For what purpose?"

"Now that your marriage has already been intimate before the wedding" Bridgette said "you surely know that your title as king is at major risk"

"Yes I know. I will be sent away to where all those who have been exiled are sent to" Arny said solemnly as he looked outside to find the princess entering the carriage to take her to the cathedral. His eyes followed the carriage as it passed thru the front gates and into the crowd of the townspeople waiting to get a glimpse of the new Queen to be in her wedding gown.

"Yes but there is one thing" Bridgette said as she walked towards Arny who now was sitting up in bed "Your brother is coming. He was just spotted 30 miles outside of a neighboring kingdom heading this way with his men." 

'Are you sure?" Arny asked as he turned around to face Bridgette

"Yes I am sure. Parliament even agreed with the decision to prepare the army to fight."

"Usually parliament would alert me first of an impending attack but okay. I trust your judgement." Arny said as he walked over to the mirror. He calmly put on his sash and medals as he began to think of a plan to defend Edessa. His heart slowly began racing as he placed the crown upon his head, thinking that this could be the last time that he would physically see himself as a king while also being extremely anxious and nervous to marry the princess. The carriage ride to the cathedral was no different, since the thought of an invasion happening at any moment began to plague Arny's mind when he should be thinking of the wedding ceremony with the princess. 

Once inside the cathedral, Arny straightened his suit and crown before making his way down the aisle. The sight of the princess standing at the end of the aisle, waiting for him with hear head lowered and her hands folded together, was enough to put his mind at ease. His focus was solely on the princess and the wedding now. A sense of regret came over Arny. If only he had resisted his temptation and lust for the princess, his marriage and crown wouldn't be up on the line. If only he didn't fall for Celestia in the first place, the princess would fully trust him again, if ever. Everything just seemed so chaotic and up-in-the-air, yet Arny knew that in the last ditch effort to save his crown, he must think with his head. He must not only be a king but think like one too. 

As the wedding ceremony began, Arny couldn't help but take a few glances at the princess. The soft outline of her face shown through her white veil as the sun shined down on her like a beam of light from the Heavens. A diamond crown rested upon the top of her head that was neither too loud or too soft, which befitted her personality. The intricate detail of beading and lace made her wedding gown shimmer as if it was wet. Her dress was modest yet bold for a woman of her background. It was as if the gods above sent her specifically for Arny, as if she was his guardian angel.