The General's Daughter & His Majesty Book #1

Chapter Thirty Six:

Carperia
Nesrin's POV
The Swan House gets it's name from the white swans that occupy the south lawn of the palace grounds. The scene is borderline dreamy. A group of glass houses sit off the lake. The teal colored dome shaped roofs are breathtaking. The gardens are stunning. There's no shortage of things to look at.

This is where our reception will be. It's beautiful. Even my anxiety and nervousness cannot take that away. I must admit, Carperia is beautiful. The palace grounds are endless with surprises.

"A diamond for your thoughts?"

I glanced at Dargan. He smiled at me. I promised him my smile. I offered it happily.

"Isn't the phrase a penny for my thoughts, your majesty?" I curtsied for him.

"Penny? Do you think me that cheap?"

"Until I see the diamond, I don't believe you." I looked at the dreamy blue lake. "How long do you think it took to build this place? The palace and everything?"

"Hmmm... Five years give or take. The oldest structure is the Swan House."

"Not the palace?"

"No." He is leaning against a pillar just a stone throw away from me. "The palace came last. The Swan House was a gift to Queen Livie, my great grandmother. King Treytan wanted to give a wedding gift like no other."

"It's Treytan, Adryan, Rehan and then you." I tried to trace the lineage. I'm not familiar with CN history. "That's the inheritance lineage."

"Not exactly. King Treytan had two sons. Relian and Adryan. Reliant was older and fit to rule. Adryan be was a General. He lived for war. But without an heir after Reliant abdicated, the crown was passed on to Adryan. Otherwise, I wouldn't be in this lineage."

"You wouldn't be king. Strange. I can't imagine you as anything else."

He chuckled. "When you're bred for this, you know nothing else." He gazed at me. "My offer still stands. A diamond for your thoughts?"

I laughed at his insistence to know what I'm thinking.

"You can rest easy your majesty. I'm not going to play the role of the runaway bride. It's a cliche." I heard an audible sigh from him. "I'm just thinking that this place is too beautiful to be true."

"Is it safe to assume that beauty is what overwhelms you?"

"You can say that."

"Nothing else?"

"You overwhelm me." I approached him. "The way you look at me tells me you hav expectations that I'm not sure I'll fulfill. That overwhelms me. The fact that I am going to be crowned queen tomorrow overwhelms me. Then there's the matter of Cree. I won't indulge in him but promise me that you will let him go."

"I keep my promises." He assured me. He opened his palm. There's a diamond sitting at the center. "See?"

I accepted the diamond. "You just need all around with diamonds in your pocket?"

He chuckled deeply. He cupo d my face in his hands. He pressed a kiss on my forehead. "I can't wait to make you my wife. It means a lot to me that you have agreed to be th first new member of my family. I treasure you for agree to grow a family with me. I know I'm a total stranger but if you're open to getting to know one another, I'm in." He pressed a gentle kiss on my forehead. "Let's go in for the rehearsal."

*
In a few hours, I'll be wed.

I feel like things are moving very fast. The rehearsal dinner is done and I'm supposed to be getting some rest so that I'm bright and ready but my eyes are wide open. I don't think there's even an ounce of sleep in me. None.