A Royal Ruse

Chapter 31

Wedding Interrupted

Gadrian stood, waiting for Zita in the dazzling distance. Flowering weeds and tall grass surrounded him.

The day had finally arrived.

The princess was set to become a bride.

Her groom stood tall and fictitiously beautiful next to the carriage that was prepped to carry them off into the next chapter of their lives.

"You're beautiful," he said in that breathy way that normally made Zita want to cry confetti. Today it was stirring a less desirable reaction.

Zita knew that she did not look any more dazzling than she had ever looked. She had never fantasized about her wedding in particular but she knew that brides were generally meant to be adorned. In that case, Gadrian looked more like a bride than she did with rings on his fingers  and a colorfully embroidered cloak flowing majestically from his broad shoulders.

He ushered her into the carriage, her silk day dress, periwinkle and airy, fluttering in the morning breeze. She had to swallow her intense disappointment that she wasn't slipping into one of Magness's custom creations for her wedding day. Zita silently consoled herself by saying that she would wear one of her friend's dresses for her wedding celebration and Coronation as soon as she returned to her homeland.

Because word would have traveled back to Queen Tatiana, the princess couldn't tell her ladies' maid about her plans. So Sahali fixed her up in heavy, kohl-lined makeup and an intricately braided updo; the typical Sandorii disguise.

As she was getting ready, Zita couldn't bear to look at herself in the mirror.

It sickened her to think Gadrian had never seen 'Zita' before. He had only seen her as Nara. What if when she wiped the dramatic makeup off and let the face-lifting hairdos fall, he didn't like what he saw? It's one thing to be told the truth and it's a completely different thing to see the woman you fell in love with melt away before your very eyes.

"My love, are you listening?"

Zita snapped out of her racing mind to look at her husband-to-be. The carriage jingled like a pocketful of keys as they set on their way to the civil hall they were set to get married in.

"You seem worlds away today," he said with an annoyed clip to his voice.

"Oh, I'm sorry. My hair's just pulled a little too tightly," she said lightly massaging her temples. "It's giving me a headache"

He lifted her hand and kissed it. "There's nothing to be nervous about." His gaze turned tender and spell-binding as he looked at her. "It'll be the dawn of the best era in Arnoan history. Queen Zita and the handsome rogue ruling as king by her side."

Zita laughed but felt like crying. Everything that was meant to make her heart dance was making it cringe. Everything that happened that day seemed to bring about a fresh wave of nausea, each one more profound than the last, and she couldn't understand why.

"As I was saying, my mother, father, and brother will meet us at the Congregation Hall. The clan Elder is all set to authorize our wedding. Usually, unions aren't valid unless both parties have witnesses present but my parents have explained your unusual set of circumstances, and after some... persuading he has agreed."

Zita shuddered.

"Afterwards we'll have a feast! We can celebrate and we'll—"

"Feast? There's no time for a feast. We need to start our trip to Arnoa right after we get married. We discussed this. I need to be out of Haddon as soon as possible."