The Third Wedding

Chapter 23: A Forest Wedding (Part 2)

Upon getting back King Timothy rushed to his daughter, "are you two alright?" He asked trying to keep his cool.

Queen Juliana was much more nervous and began checking them for cuts and scratches.

"We're alright," Sondra said softly.

"Just a few bruises, but nothing serious." Ashton said softly.

"Oh good, you're here, hey I'm sorry about the crash." Leo said as if it was a casual instance, considering the amount of crashes he'd been in maybe it was for him? "The Sun came out, so we're going to move the ceremony back outside."

Victoria was right by his side looking hopeful.

"Leo, the lake is about an hour away, we'll never be able to set up the ceremony in time." Sondra said.

Rosalina began to make her way down the stairs, for the first time she wore a very softly poofy, it was the smallest hoop dress that Sondra could ever remember seeing her in. "If we set up right outside the ballroom it could be in the grassy field?"

Victoria nodded, "not a lake side wedding but still outdoors." She said softly.

Leo smiled, "let's move everything outdoors."

Sondra and Ashton looked at each other,  both stiff and a little sore, but it looks like this was the plan now.

***

How does fatigue affect people so much in the days that are supposed to be the most special? If it weren't for the adrenaline, Sondra probably would have collapsed in exhaustion.

The day had been taxing already and the ceremony hadn't even begun yet.

Victoria also decided she did not wish to take on the responsibilities of the kingdom so she would remain her teacher status.

Due to moving the chair again, one of the carriage routes had to be closed off. Some of the villagers complained, one even wished that the marriage wouldn't last.

People were petty and Sondra was really beginning to doubt her hope in humanity. Maybe magic would have helped in this scenario? Or maybe it could have made things worse, she wasn't sure.

After the chairs were finally set up everyone went to go get dressed.

Sondra wore a short dark green dress with black tights. She decorated it with a beautiful leafy green necklace.

Ashton wore a beautiful silvery suit that made his eyes sparkle with a silver glint.

The royals sat up front in the ceremony.

Sondra was so glad to have Ashton sit next to her. Rosalina sat next to them and in a stint of confusion Sondra leaned over, "Where is Garth?" She asked her sister absolutely bewildered.

"He couldn't make it." Rosalina said shortly.

Ashton looked just as confused, surely he was thinking the same thing? After everything Leonardo and Victoria sacrificed for Rosalina and Garth's wedding day, surely he wasn't missing their wedding on purpose?

They shook it off and paid attention to the wedding.

Victoria's siblings were her wedding party, they looked beautiful dressed in sage green hues.

Victoria was a petite little thing, she wore ribbons in lavender and sage. Her dress was simple yet was rich with elegance.

Everyone stood for the bride respecting the beautiful woman.

The person marrying the two of them was a woman who had been in charge of their service activity when the two had met. It was a romantic gesture.

In the speech something stood out to Sondra. The woman had said, "It's you two against the problem, not against each other."

Sondra squeezed Ashton's hand, happy to have him. They could do it together. Did Rosalina and Garth feel the same way about each other? She shook off the worry.

The entire audience applauded as Leonardo and Victoria kissed. The second Wedding was complete.

***

During the reception things calmed down a bit, they had to be rushed inside for the party due to the rain returning.

The party was calm and the music was soft. There was laughter and dancing.

Sondra was glad for the calm, especially since at one point Victoria had freaked out over a spider in her dress.

Victoria's maid of honor, her sister, kept disappearing from time to time when Victoria needed her most and Sondra spent a chunk of the time searching for her. She didn't blame the maid of honor she realized there was a lot of unrealistic pressure.

After about the 3rd search for the maid of honor Ashton stepped in and took Sondra's hand. He silently pulled her along.

"What are you doing?" She asked bewildered.

He smiled and pulled her close as they got to the center of the dance floor, "this." He said softly and began to slow dance with her.

She sighed gently and leaned in to his shoulder relaxing into his emotional stability.

"Thank you." She whispered feeling her heart grow content alongside his.

"For what?" Ashton chuckled.

"This," she said softly and looked up just in time to see Garth arrive to sit by Rosalina.

"Garth just got here," she told Ashton.

"We should go check on him, something must have happened to make him miss his own brother-in-laws wedding." Ashton agreed and helped Sondra over.

They rushed over to the two, "you made it!" Sondra said happily, "what happened is everything okay?" She asked.

"Yeah," he laughed before looking that them confused, "why wouldn't I be?"

"You missed the ceremony," Ashton said a bit confused, "we assumed something happened since you didn't make it."

"I didn't get the time off work." Garth told them.

"Oh- I didn't realize." Sondra seemed surprised. "Did they not approve of it? My parents could have helped."

"I didn't make it because Victoria and Leonardo didn't tell me what time the wedding was." Garth said in a little bit of a snap.

"And when he found out it was too late to request it off." Rosalina stepped in.

"Yeah, sure," Sondra said deciding this was not the hill she wanted to die on, but as she glanced over at Victoria watching them she could tell this was hurting them.