and we promised

Epilogue

NATHAN

A few years later

"Are you sure you're ready?", Lewis asks me from where he's standing next to me as my best man. I nod and can almost feel my knees shaking from how nervous I am. Nervous, yet also completely happy at once.

Today is the day I am getting married to the love of my life. I don't think I have ever been happier.

Lewis smirks at me then slowly hits me in the ribcage, to let me know the ceremony is starting. Aria enters through the door first, together with her daughter. They are both wearing some pink gowns making them look like princesses and are both holding a bouquet of roses. As soon as they arrive front, Aria bends down to give Winter a kiss on her cheek, and after hugging me and Lewis once, the girl runs off to her grandparents, Aria coming to stand at the front as bridesmaid. I can't help but notice the intense look her and Lewis share, and the way my best friend smiles afterwards.

My gaze wonders back to the entrance of the Broix Cathedral as Livie walks in together with her father. If my knees were shaking before, I am for sure going to fall now. She looks stunning. Gorgeous. And everything inside me can't believe I get to call her my wife.

Livie is wearing a beautiful white dress, that starts with a corset then grows into a big skirt, fit for a queen. She's wearing a tiara on top of her head, partly to show the world she's the ruler of this land, partly to keep the veil from falling. She's wearing the diamond necklace I gave her as a gift on her birthday around her neck, and the matching bracelet her parents gifted her for our wedding.

Alec leads Livie down the aisle, then, after kissing the top of her head once and whispering something in her ear, she kisses his cheek and comes to stand in front of me.

My eyes fill with tears as I have her so close, my hand already reaching for hers.

"You're gorgeous", I whisper in her ear.

She smiles at me and replies: "You're not looking bad yourself."

We listen to the officiant say the talk. Well, they listen. I am too busy staring at the woman next to me, not believing this day is actually real and not just a dream in my head.

"Mr. West", his voice pulls me back to reality. "You may say your vow now."

I turn to look solely at her, for even though this is a wedding and we have countless guests looking at us, she's the one person this vow is meant for.

"Dear Livie, people sometimes would begin wedding vows by And although I've only known you for such a short time, I knew you are the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. I can't begin mine like that. So, I'll just start again. Dear Livie, I first met you when I was small. Very small. You have been my best friend my entire life, and although I might have not known it then, you have always been my biggest crush. Even as a kid, your smile was the one that made me smile. Your laugh was the only sound I wanted to keep hearing for as long as I live. I first told you I love you when we were seventeen, but by then, I knew I loved you for some time. You have always been my princess, the one I would fight a dragon for, the one I would gladly bow in front of and cherish until my last day. Life pulled us apart, but we have always found our way back to each other. And now, on this magical day, life allows our paths to melt into one for as long as our hearts beat so they can beat for each other.

Dear Livie, saying that I love you can't put in words just how much you mean to me. Three words and eight letters are not enough to show the many butterflies, the many emotions, the happiness that I feel when I look at you. But if three words and eight letters are all our language has until now to express this state of completely giving yourself to someone else and having zero regret of doing it, then I'll guess I'll have to go with it.

I love you, Livie. I love every single thing about you. I love your smile. I love your eyes. I love the way you make me feel. I love the way you make me happy. I love the way you seem to always know what to say to make everyone feel better. I love your strength. I love your commitment to your people and your country. I love how you would never give up. I love your kindness. I love your soul. I love you.

And I know I am the luckiest guy on Earth to be the one who gets to call you my wife.

I'm up for it. Good or bad. Light or dark. Day or night. I'm up for facing everything with you.

You're my best friend. My love. My partner through so much. My happiness.

And starting today, my wife.

I love you, Livie.

It's you and me forever, princess."

The End