Bound by Deception

19.1 The Wedding Day

"You look lovely in this dress, Lady Aria." A young, cheery maid with hair shaped like a goose fretted around the quiet lady of the house, fixing the silk edges of her light pink gown and fluffing the sleeves that covered her thin shoulders.

"Thank you, Beatrice," Aria responded gloomily, practicing her fake smiles in the mirror. She pursed her lips and shifted on the stool when Beatrice's hand skidded up the hem of her dress and around her waist to fix the silver ribbon that pushed in the extra fat of her belly. "Will you be attending the wedding too?"

"I will be working in the banquet area, Miss," Beatrice replied. "Lady Kumar has requested a magnificent feast. It's going to be such a beautiful spread! I hear there's going to be meat and bread and jam all from Yulvire. That country is known for its jam, after all."

"Their jam is good," Aria admitted. With Beatrice's help, she stepped down from the stool and into her flat shoes, which her maid immediately bent to strap on. "May I ask you a question, Beatrice?"

"Of course, my lady."

"This is a personal question, so I will understand should you find yourself too uncomfortable to reply."

"Think not of my feelings, Miss." Beatrice stood and admired her handiwork. "What must you ask?"

Aria fiddled with her robe. "Has a man ever requested to bed you?"

"A few times, but that was long ago when I was in my teenage years," Beatrice swiftly responded. "I haven't been asked since, nor do I have any desire to be asked. I should not know how to reply."

"How did you reply before?"

"With my palm." Beatrice grinned. "Men these days can be so oblivious to the feelings of a woman. To them, no means yes and perhaps means marry me." She rolled her eyes. "Is there something bothering you, Miss?"

"A bit." Aria spun in her dress, gleefully admiring the lavish twirl of her skirt. "A man that I'm being courted by wishes to sleep with me. However, I've only known him for a few weeks." And I don't want it to affect my mission...nor do I want this.

"It depends on your feelings for this man, Miss," Beatrice said. "If you love him, then by all means. The love a man gives in the bedroom can be a very romantic affair."

"Oh, I doubt that." Aria grimaced, reminded of Edward's harsh words. I want to fuck you, he had said. Not make love. Not cherished throughout the night. No, this man wasn't as eloquent with words as Sterling was. He was as blunt as she was, but Aria would never be so rude as to demand rough sex from an acquaintance in public, mission or not.

I suppose I'll ask Sterling and Madame what I should do, she decided, silently following Beatrice down the steps into the bustling dining room. She wove effortlessly through the stampede of servants rushing here and there, correcting decorations and preparing other parts of the wedding reception. If I have to do it for the mission, then I will. Losing one's virginity is not important to me, anyway. I see it, quite plainly, as a burden.

"Aria! Darling, look how beautiful you are!" Lady Kumar floated to her niece and wrapped the girl lovingly in her thin arms. "This dress looks positively magnificent on you, don't you think so, Bhuv?"

"Yes, indeed," Lord Kumar, occupied with the buffet table, carelessly replied. He didn't even spare a glance at his niece or his wife, but neither girl noticed him.

"You will make a fine bride one day, Aria," Lady Kumar gushed. "My perfect, innocent little girl! But we mustn't spoil dear Noah's day. Where is that boy anyway? Have you seen him?"

"No, Auntie." Aria smiled. "He's probably in his room, though. I can go check on him?"

"Please do." Lady Kumar nodded feverishly and swept herself away, fluttering into the kitchen while shrilly commanding the staff to their posts.

Aria returned upstairs to Noah's room. The door was open, displaying the outline of a young man in a fine black suit preparing his tie. Noah didn't notice Aria sneak up behind him and put her hands over his eyes, but he knew who she was the moment her skin touched his.

"I'm nervous," he said when she repealed her hands. He turned and handed her the tie, expecting her to fix it, and without a word, she did. "Am I doing the right thing, Aria?"

"That depends." She tightened the thin strips around his white turtleneck. "Don't you love Eloise?"

"More than anything," Noah said. "But am I marrying her too quickly? Am I rushing this?"

"I don't think you can rush anything when you're in love," Aria said. "If you truly care for her and can envision a future with her, why worry? Think positive and focus on your love, and everything will go fine."

"Easy for you to say," Noah grumbled. "You're not engaged and you still have your pick of the flock."

"Not necessarily. Men don't look for prospective wives with broken knees."

"The doctors fixed them for you."

"And left scars that most men don't want in their lives."

"Your friends do."

"Which ones?"

"The weird funny guy with the tophat and the cool dude who danced with you at the ball," Noah smirked at his reflection. "Look at this sexy dude here."

"Your confidence needs to be brought down several pegs." Aria bumped her fist on his head with a laugh. "And I'm assuming that you're talking about Edward and Sterling?"

"Maybe, if that's who they are."

"It is. Edward and I are courting, and Sterling is...Sterling is just a friend." Aria spun her cousin around and began to lead him toward the door. "Now, stop wasting time, and let's get this wedding started! Don't you want to see your blushing bride?"

"I do." Noah's cheeks flushed. When they reached the bottom of the staircase, where guests were beginning to filter into the mansion, he whirled suddenly and clasped Aria tightly in his arms. "Thanks, Ari. You always know how to help me when I need it."

"Of course." Aria ruffled his hair lovingly. "That's what sisters are for, right?"

"Right." Noah beamed. "And for annoying the hell out of their brothers."

"Shut up and go greet your guests." Aria smacked him lightly, shoving him into the crowd, and Noah pretended to trip before collecting himself and laughing gaily. He disappeared into the flood of people, his voice a mere whisper in the wind coming from the open doors.

"I would advise you to go outside before your aunt catches you," Lord Kumar, who was passing his statue-like niece, whispered in her ear while carrying stolen barfis from the kitchen. He stuffed one into his mouth and added: "Or else she'll have you working like an animal."

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The wedding is officially here! What's going to happen next? Any ideas :D

VOTE/COMMENT/ENJOY :D