Conquest of Magic

Part 55

I returned back to my room and saw Stanley standing alone on the balcony with a glass of wine in his hand. He looked at me with an emotionless expression, so I couldn't tell what he was thinking. Every time he stands alone like this, something has hurt him deeply, which he doesn't want to share. I could understand why the chat between him and his brother didn't go well. I walked up to him and placed a hand on his arm to get his attention. He gave me a tight smile and looked ahead in the darkness surrounded forest. I wish I could read his thoughts. "Everything will be fine," I said. His eyes locked on me, and he gave me a smile.

We are leaving tomorrow. He said in a sad tone, and I nodded my head without asking any questions. If I could, I would leave this place at this instant. This place holds too many bad memories, and I don't want to stay anywhere near William.

The next morning, we packed our things and carried them to the car. I was expecting some type of chaos or bloodshed. King Edmond was calm and quiet, which is totally unlike him. And William was nowhere to be found. The calm air didn't feel right for some reason. I looked around on my way to the car to see if anything was unusual, but nothing seemed to be off. Stanley looked at me with a smile on his face and asked if everything was alright. A knot of uneasiness tightened in my stomach.

"Something doesn't feel right. It's just too calm." I said nervously, my voice wavering slightly. He looked around and spotted Queen Irna, along with the ministers and the council members. Lord Seraphina and Lord Zephyr walked to us with a smile on their faces. When he stopped in front of me, I smiled warmly at him. He noticed my worried face but said nothing. Lord Seraphina spoke. "I can't wait to see you in your wedding dress." she said with a wink.

I blushed at the thought. "I hope to see you all again soon." I said to them. "We shall meet again very soon." Lord Zephyr said, placed his hand on my cheek and stroked it slightly with his thumb finger. He opened the door for me and I sat in. Stanley sat on the driver's seat and took off. I waved bye to them and sat back.

None of them came to see us off. Even Sophia was nowhere to be found.

"Everything is too calm. Don't you feel something is off?" I asked Stanley with a worried expression. I felt it too. Don't worry too much. Everything will be fine. He said and smiled over at me, his handsome face crinkling around his eyes, and focused on driving.

I sank into the leather seat, resting my head against the glass while the rhythmic sound of the wipers swished back and forth. The car slowed, turning onto a narrow dirt track that veered onto a steep incline. As we crawled up the mountainside, the light rain transformed into a delicate flurry of snow. Peering into the darkness, I struggled to see through the drifts of snow that crossed the path like white ribbons. Shapes and shadows played with the limited light, making it difficult to see the road ahead. As we drew closer and the two amber lights became brighter, I noticed the shape of a man running through the thick forest, seemingly following us. I tried to get a closer look, and what I saw both shocked and amazed me: amber eyes.

We reached the castle late in the evening, where my friends were waiting for us. The moment I stepped out of the car, Terra rushed to hug me tightly. The others, with wide eyes and eager faces, gathered around, clearly anxious to hear what had happened. I smiled at their curiosity, though my exhaustion was evident.

"Are you alright?" Terra asked, her brow furrowed with concern.

"I'm fine," I replied, trying to sound reassuring despite my fatigue.

"You look exhausted," she said, gently touching my arm and narrowing her eyes while keeping her smile in place. I just gave her a weak smile.

"Get some rest. We'll talk tomorrow." Her eyes conveyed a silent understanding that I had no energy left for conversation.

You should go to your room and rest. We can catch up in the morning," Stanley said, heading for the door behind me.

I nodded. He turned to the others, quietly signalling that now wasn't the time for questions.

As I walked inside, I heard snippets of their hushed conversation. "What do you think happened?" one of them whispered.

"I'm not sure, but it must have been intense," another replied.

I took a warm shower, letting the hot water wash away the day's fatigue. Finally, I collapsed onto my bed, the soft sheets a welcome comfort. The moment my head hit the pillow, I drifted into a dreamless sleep, the events of the day temporarily fading away.

The next day, I met with my friends at our usual meeting spot. They were already waiting for me, their faces lighting up with anticipation. As I informed them of everything that had happened, their reactions were immediate and varied.

Tina was the first to react, her eyes widening with joy. "A wedding? That's amazing news!" she exclaimed, practically bouncing in her seat. She threw her arms around me in another exuberant hug, her excitement infectious.

The others quickly followed suit, their initial shock giving way to excitement. "Congratulations!" Claire beamed, clapping her hands together. "This is wonderful!"

Claire, always the pragmatic one, raised an eyebrow. "Wait, you just slipped in a mention of vampires there. What's that about?"

But before I could respond, Terra interjected, "Oh, come on, Kristen! Let's focus on the wedding first!" Her eyes sparkled as she turned back to me. "Tell us everything! Do you have a date set? What about the dress?"

Claire nodded enthusiastically. "And the venue! Have you decided where it's going to be?"

I couldn't help but smile at their enthusiasm. "I haven't thought that far ahead yet," I admitted. "Everything is still very new."

Terra, who had been quietly absorbing everything, finally spoke up. "This is incredible news. We'll help you with all the planning, don't worry." She gave me a reassuring smile.

Jasmine's excitement seemed to grow with every word. "We need to go shopping! Dresses, decorations, invitations—we have so much to do!"

Terra shook her head with a chuckle. "You're already planning everything, Terra. Give her some time to breathe!"

I laughed softly, touched by their support. "Thank you, everyone. I really appreciate it."

Terra leaned forward, her eyes gleaming. "This is going to be the best wedding ever. Don't worry about a thing; we've got you covered."

The happiness around me was overwhelming, and I was secretly looking forward to the wedding. It was all I had dreamed of since the day I met Stanley. After the long discussions and planning, we finally headed back to the castle, and I noticed a swath of people filling the hallway. I have never seen this many people since the day I got here. It got me wondering about the occasion. I spotted one of the maids and inquired.

"What's the occasion?" I asked her curiously. She looked at me like I had grown another head and didn't answer me. She looked at me with a smile for another second and spoke. "It's your wedding princess." She smiled and curtsied.

"Wow." I said to myself,. I knew the wedding was going to happen, but I didn't expect it to be this soon. I was not mentally ready for it. Still, I was not going to be compliant. It doesn't matter, as my happiness just doubled when I spotted Stanley talking to a stranger in the garden. I made my way to him with a big smile on my face, and when I got closer, I felt a familiar feeling wash over me. The stranger turned his head to look at me.

Amber eyes.