Abused to Loved

Marriage to twin fae-Darien

Welcome to the wedding ceremony of Prince Darien and Prince Aaron with Malaya Mikowski.

Darien—I witnessed the chaos that ensued with our mother, who always needed to be the center of attention. Even on her son's wedding day, she couldn't bear that we had chosen to marry a girl we loved instead of one she had picked. Our mother always insisted on having a say in our decisions. She was the reason my training for kingship abruptly ended, and then I had to watch my younger brother being coerced into a job he never wanted.

I attempted to assist him numerous times, but my mother simply had her loyal guard and one of her many consorts remove me and confine me to my room. Although I can never alter the past, I am content with my future, which is with my soon-to-be wife, Malaya.

The wedding paused to allow Malaya to change into her new dress. As she emerged, I stood at the altar waiting for her. The priest offered a prayer over us and called upon the gods to bless our union before prompting me to recite my vows.

"Malaya, my gazelle, you were an enigma when we first met. You were the girl Aaron intended to introduce to our parents, but it was me you met instead, and I was in awe. I had resigned myself to the belief that I would never find my destined mate, yet you appeared when the world seemed dark and unjust. You loved me at first sight, as I did you. You were my beacon of hope, and as I stand here today, I am honored to be by your side in holy matrimony."

With a smile gracing her face and tears glistening in her eyes, Malaya recited her vows.

"Darien, what can I say? You were a surprise to me. When we met, I didn't think I would fall in love with you, but I did. My mortal upbringing taught me to never love or marry more than one spouse, but here in this realm, it is accepted. I felt terrible falling in love with you while I was with Aaron, but he reassured me it was normal in the magical realm. I loved you, yet I was afraid. However, spending time with you and getting to know you, my love has strengthened. And as I stand here today, I am honored to be marrying you and to become your queen as we rule the land in harmony."

After our vows were exchanged, we were prompted to kiss, which we did. We spent the evening with Aaron, dancing and drinking, until our queen became inebriated and started dancing with us. At that point, we encouraged everyone to continue enjoying the party while we retired upstairs to consummate our marriage to our beautiful queen.

We woke up and took a bath while our queen slept, recovering from a long night. As we got dressed, Aaron asked if mum and dad had always disliked each other. I recounted how dad had been in love with an ice fairy years ago, and they had dated for two years. I explained that dad had wanted to marry her, but he was betrothed to mum. Aaron looked shocked, then understanding dawned on him as he realized why mum resented our queen and his wife. He asked me if Malaya being an ice fairy was the reason mum despised her.

I responded with a sad nod, and as he ran his fingers through his hair, he expressed regret, saying if he had known earlier, he wouldn't have brought her here. I countered, saying it was necessary; otherwise, I would never have met her and fallen in love. Aaron nodded in understanding, and after a brief brotherly scuffle, we heard humming and knew she was awake. The sound of the shower confirmed it, and we wagered on who could charm her more. I claimed it would be me, but Aaron was confident it would be him. We stepped into the shower to be met with her fiery stare, and what followed was sheer bliss

After our delightful time, we stepped out as my wife needed to dress for the coronation where we would be crowned the new king and queen of the fairies. The coronation was magnificent, complete with drinks and ballroom dancing. We enjoyed exquisite food and resolved a problem together before my wife left to join her other husband for training. Later that evening, all of my friends, who are also royalty, arrived, each donning their crowns. We observed our queen joyfully playing with the children, her pets accompanying her, looking utterly enchanting.

Our parents joined us, and when Malaya's mother arrived, my father stood still, looking between her and Malaya as if he had just noticed the resemblance. Her mother's eyes sparkled, and upon catching Malaya's father's nod, she ran to our father and kissed him on the lips, to our dismay. However, Malaya's father revealed that his wife was of royal descent and blessed with many soulmates. He clarified that he was not her sole lover—a twist in the tale I chose not to share with our wife, so as not to spoil her good spirits.