Lady Sophia

Chapter III

She has a nice air around her, like that kind of scent that you can see and touch. Maybe it's her voice or the tips of her fingers. Heaven knows what causes it, but I love it. I get these chills around my fingers, my ears turn red just by being around her and my feelings go numb. I forget about everything except her eyes.

Then I remember I'm still standing right in front of her, she in her lovely white dress, her hair let down and beautiful jewels adorning her neck. I watch her open and close her lips as I savor the sweet scent around me. I will give the head maid a raise just for this. Her lovely brows start twitching and she looks up at me. I feel those butterflies in my stomach until my brain understands her expression. She looks like she is watching a random dude just looking at her without moving, which is actually what is happening right now.

I glanced at my aide who was just mouthing something. "Your...clock"? I ignore him and go back to staring at my precious future wife. Wife. That sounds nice. My wife... hehehehe.

My aide kicks my heel and I look at him, annoyed, though I notice how my sweet bride flinches at the sudden movement. My aide points at my chest and I look down at my clothes, which were covered by the monster's blood. Darn it.

The first time I met my wife —I like how that sounds— and I looked like I had just committed murder. I glance back at her and she steps back a little. I felt a sting in my heart when I noticed the fear in her eyes. I look at the priest who flinches and then starts the wedding ceremony.

"We are here reunited to join this couple in sacred matrimony..." my bride glares at him before her veil covers her beautiful face again. Alice steps back after having fixed her dress, after another sign from the love of my life the priest makes things faster. "Lady Sophia Allen, do you take Duke Aleph Kleas to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you promise to love and cherish him, in good times and in bad, in sickness and health, for richer, for poorer, for better for worse, and forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto him, for so long as you both shall live?"

She stood there in silence for about a minute, her hands holding her flower bouquet with enough strength for her knuckles to turn white. I held on to my desire to hold her hands so she didn't hurt her hands with the stem. Her shoulders raised and lowered a few times, and then she answered coldly: "I do".

The priest sighed in relief and then turned to me, swallowing hard. "Your grace, Duke Aleph Kleas, do you take Lady Sophia Allen to be your lawfully wedded wife? Do you promise to love and cherish her, in good times and in bad, in sickness and health, for richer, for poorer, for better for worse, and forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto her, for so long as you both shall live?"

A smile wandered through my lips and I answered "Yes...yes, I do."

The priest sighed relieved again and then smiled brightly. I kept looking at my bride, now my wife. She kept her head down, her hands holding the bouquet with strength. I was happy to be married to her, darn, it was the most beautiful day of my life. But she didn't look happy. She looked down and unhappy.

Even though it hurt, it was understandable. She wouldn't want to be here, to be married to me. She had another love, another man in her heart. She loved someone, and that someone wasn't me. She must be feeling brokenhearted.

Sophia's POV

This dress and heels are freaking uncomfortable. And this priest is taking forever to finish this ceremony. Isn't there a faster way to end this? I looked down at my poor feet. I heard the "Yes, I do" from the duke and sighed. Finally, this is coming to an end. Now just the kiss and... wait... the kiss... ugh.

I glanced at him and noticed his glare on me. I flinched and looked away. He hates me. with all his might.

Well, on the bright side, this means he won't try to kiss me. I glanced now at the spectators. Their eyes on me felt like those of a hunter looking at their prey and that made me feel small. I had forgotten what kind of place this was. A battlefield where any sign of weakness meant death.