𝒜 𝒟𝒶𝒾𝓈𝓎 𝐹𝑜𝓇 𝐻𝒾𝓈 𝒬𝓊𝑒𝑒𝓃

Valentina: 26

I am on my own.

Childish as it was, I always believed my father would walk me down the aisle. Whether the marriage they would arrange was a true love or one of false realities, I kept hope that he would always be in this moment with me.

Now I stand on my own. And as each and every person rises on their feet and turns to me, I feel as though I was put under a microscope to be observed. Murmurs arise from the crowds, 'What is she wearing?', and 'there's something wrong with her', but I raise my gaze straight at Luke.

He awaits me at the end of the aisle, mouthing 'ignore them. Come to me.'

And so I do.

But with each step I take, I feel as though I'm leaving that dream of my parents at the doors. My arm feels limp and hollow, as if in another life, my dad would have held it for me as I took these steps into a new chapter of royalty.

The only thing holding me from running off like a pathetic mess is Luke's gaze through my mesh veil that hides me from some of the judging stares.

I take the steps up to stand across from him, and look in his eyes. Oh, those icy blue eyes, I would very much like to drown in them. They're so mesmerizing they make me numb, and if I plunged into the depths of the arctic's water, I imagine it would feel something like this longingly beautiful set of pools for eyes.

He takes my hands, and blushes as we turn to the minister.

"Dearly beloved, we have gathered here today to witness the joining of this man and this woman in holy matrimony." The minister begins. "Now, I do believe the two of you have prepared your own vows?"

"Yes," I get out. "I will begin."

A silence ensues throughout the entire church as I pull a folded paper from my pocket, and I take a deep breath before looking up to Luke.

"Originally, I wrote things you may hear at every wedding, such as statements like thank you for being by my side, you're my best friend, love of my life, and while al of those are true, they don't even begin to cover my overwhelming emotions for you, Luke. So I brought with me words I believe you know, in hopes that they may be of better understanding to you." I clear my throat with mist in my eyes. "I find myself in a constant state of wonderwall around you. It was kismet, that we met under this sky with billions of stars and yet the one I fell for was you. We constult, you know. Acting just like absolute imbeciles because we refuse to admit it, this skinny love we've created. We are in constant sphallolalia because we're too proud to admit that every breath is psychomachy. Because my body knows it's wrong to want you and to touch you, and it fights my soul that is desperate for you every day. So with this binding of our beings, I promise you my commitment and my loyalty to you. I am done with all of the escapes and running away; I am yours for as long as you will have me."

I know he knows every single one of these words, because I borrowed his fascinating words pocket dictionary to write my vows. And I know I broke through the layer of ice between us since our last argument, because tears flit down his cheeks one by one, and I finally let an illuminating smile erupt because there are tears on my face too.

"Valentina," He breathes. "That was brilliant. You- you are brilliant. I don't know I will ever be able to live up to that vow, but I will do my best, my queen..."

He brushes my tears away with his thumb.

"I am terrible at professing my emotions, more so under the eyes of my people, but with you I will try my hardest. I get a frisson each time I think of you, my love. Those late nights where neither of us can sleep, and so we balter without intention of being particularly skilled, but only to enjoy ourselves in this frozen state of time we find after the sun disappears. The way your skin looks in the delicate moonlight haunts my vision when I close my eyes, Valentina, and it is because of your stunning presence I am here today" He cups my face with a palm. "I am through constant ustulation around you, and it is because my heart beats for none other than you and only you. I know you like none other, mostly because I understand the pressure it gives to rule a kingdom. And so I promise you a hand to hold, a shoulder to cry on, and arms to carry you when you can't hold yourself anymore. It's okay to break all over me, because I'll pick up the pieces and put you together again like no one did for you as a child. Just like our kingdoms will, we rely on each other. You are my rose, Valentina, and I will be your daisy. I know nothing more than this."

I burst into a silent sob, and Luke pulls me closer to embrace me as I try to calm my wavering emotions down.

"Now, your declarations of intent. Do you, Lukas Camden, take Valentina Calliweld to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do you part?"

Luke's sharp eyes slice the air towards me, and he nods with a new sort of fire in his eyes. 

"I do."

"And do you, Valentina Calliweld, take Lukas Camden to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do you part?" 

Last chance to make a break for it. Last chance to be free of this fidelity.

"I do."

And I know it was those fingers of his that trembled so fervently in my palms that was my undoing. How nervous, how badly I knew he was scared I would turn away from him that kept my feet from taking me back down the aisle and away.

And as I said those words of affirmation, his grip on me eased and his thumb began to rub idle circles across my palms, as if we had the rest of eternity to focus on ourselves.