The Pirate Princess

Chapter 19

I sat in what would soon be mine and Adella's. My mother came in as the handmaid she assigned to me finished the adornments in my hair, followed by a jeweled diadem with a seashell in the center. "Are you ready, Caspia?" She asked, placing her hands on my shoulders,
"Yes," I replied, "I think I am." I turned to face her, and she almost cried when she saw me.
"You look beautiful, sweetheart." She told me; I smiled, hugging her tightly,
"Thank you, Mother." I said, "I didn't have you at my first wedding," I told her, "I'm just happy I can have you at my second." She smiled, cupping my face gently,
"Only this time," she said, "you're marrying the love of your life." I took a breath, and together we swam to the throne room where Edweana and my bride were waiting.

As we entered the throne room, Adella turned around, and I froze in place, my heart skipping a beat as I saw her. She had a pearl beaded shawl that hung off her arms and a similar diadem to mine, only instead of the seashell in the center, it was a single teardrop pearl. When I came to my senses, I swam up to her, taking her hands in mine, "You... You look amazing...." Adella giggled,
"You do too." She said, "Edweana helped me get ready, and your mother brought the diadem to my room while I was getting ready." Edweana placed her hands in ours,
"I am honored to be the witness to your wedding," Edweana told us; before we could reply, my mother spoke up,
"I just wish my brother and sister could be here." I turned to my mother,
"I have an uncle and an aunt?" I asked; Adella turned my attention to her,
"Focus on that later, my love." Adella said, "I want to marry you before something happens that ruins this joyous moment." I nodded,
"Yes." I said, "Mother, can we please get married now?"
"Of course." She said, clearing her throat as she began, "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." I forced a smile as I heard those words. They were the exact words spoken at my first wedding, "Adella if you will repeat after me." Adella nodded, "I, Adella,"
"I, Adella, take you, Princess Caspia, to be my wife and lifelong partner. To love, cherish, and help you protect the sea as your equal." As I listened to the words, I felt my heart grow; these vows didn't speak of being subservient. They didn't say that one of us is the head of our household. They talked of love and equality; is this what true love is like? I wondered.
"Now you, Caspia." Mother said; I took a breath and began to repeat my mother's words,
"I, Princess Caspia, take you, Adella, as my wife and lifelong partner. To love, cherish, and help you protect the sea as your equal."
"With the power vested in me, as Queen of the mermaids, I pronounce you mates. You may now kiss." I cupped Adella's face, kissing her lips gently as Edweana and my mother started clapping.
I am still in awe of everything that has happened to me in nearly two months; I was forced into marriage, discovered the secret of my mother's past as well as meeting her, found out that I'm a princess, pregnant by my husband, and now, married to a mermaid. It seems strange to have all of these things happen, but honestly, this seems right. As if it was written in the stars that all of these things were supposed to happen to me.

Adella and I left my mother and Edweana to go to my-our room. When we entered, Adella began kissing my neck as we made our way into the room. I didn't want to admit that I didn't know what I was doing, but I think she knew. "We don't have to do this now, Caspia," Adella told me,
"Are you sure, Adella?" I asked, "I don't want to deprive you of this." She shook her head,
"We can wait until we know it's safe. Perhaps after our wedding with the inclusion of the people." I kissed her once again,
"If that is your wish, Princess Adella." She giggled when I said her new name, and we kissed each other again and laid down on the bed, talking about our future and already growing family.
I could feel the weight of sleep weighing on me, and soon, I heard Adella snoring and soon, I wasn't too far behind her as the call of slumber finally overcame me.