Stranded

51: Liberating love.

EIRA

It was time.

To go down and exhange vows with the man.

The word excited could not even begin to express how I truly felt in that very moment. Full of happiness that had elevated.

Guests had already arrived, patiently waiting for the bride to make an entrace.

Eve was besides me, along with Arwen and my mother. The woman fixed my red veil while the other two did some makeup retouches.

Everything seemed perfect to the point that it felt like nothing could possibly go wrong. That this was my world, gifted by Viktor, and everyone else was living in it.

Carefully, I stepped down the stairs and halted right before the bright golden doors of the banquet. All the people I had taken into my company were there, my friends and the man I was bound to. A wave of nausea washed over me and the tremor in my hands increased.

Feeling a palm engulf my shoulder, I turned to the woman who gazed at me with the most sweetest smile she had ever given me. "Its alright. I was nervous too, my daughter."

I gave her a jittery smile which was pursued by a soft chuckle.

Exhaling all the tension, I shifted my gaze forward straight at the two long doors. "Open them."

The butlers standing obliged and the doors were finally opened. All the heads in the room swept across the floor in unison, their gazes entrapping me. Though my lingering eyes found his obsidian ones, standing at the edge of the room. Black fabric draped around his figure, the black bow sitting neatly at his throat. Viktor's suit was not plain, not at all.

It had golden embroidery done at the edges and around the collar. Truly a beautiful suit that was custom made, piece by piece, stitch by stitch.

Upon being captivated by his sparkling stare, butterflies resonated within my stomach. Viktor existed, he was not a dream. He really did exist and was a beautiful reality that I was going to accept with open arms.

I could feel the lump of saliva forming in the pit of my throat. Taking my mother's hand into mine, I began stepping forward. Each step boosted the butterflies, birthing more and fastened the rapid beating of my heart. It felt like my heart would rip open through my chest and fall before me.

Everyone clapped. The spotlight focused on me, the lights dying down and the soft rhythmic music of cello reverberated throughout the majestic pale walls of the ballroom turned banquet.

It was slightly inundating but I overcame that soon.

I made it past all the adoring pair of eyes and stood before him, my mother's hand loosening around me as she took a seat on the front row. The row filled with all my friends which ceased my lips with a smile.

They were all there.

Even Alexie stared at me with a slight smile.

Arwen shot me a thumbs up and I released a low chuckle.

But it was time for the old man to start saying his words. He carried on and on and with how long his speech was, it was almost tantalising. But then arrived our turn to express our vows and although I had practiced dozens of times, fear of mumbling or tripping over my words already took over me. I had not even the slightest bit of idea what Viktor was going to say or if he even prepared a speech.

But I did.

And I was going to say it, with full confidence.

Clearing my parched throat, I let out a hoarse laugh. Viktor stared at me, lips in a thin line and an impassive expression on his face. Even though I knew he was feeling something, maybe he didn't reciprocate my energy but there was something he definitely felt.