Blistered Roses

Chapter 11: The Wedding

"No, no! It goes over there!"

The male wedding coordinator yelled at workers who were finishing the setup in the royal room. He sighed in frustration and rubbed her forehead before taking off to another part of the room where he can continue to order others around.

The royal room was decorated with white fabric hanging on the walls in a half of a circle shape. Candles were put in their posts on the floor or wall where servants would light each candle near dark time. A long table stretched out against a wall where some food and refreshments would be placed or replaced as the night goes on. The floor was shining as much as it possible could and all though it seemed empty, it would soon to be swarm with guests and royals.

Tara held Adelaide's hands in front of her as they stood in a changing room alone where no one would enter without permission. Tara stared at their hands, fingers interlocked, and took a deep breath. They studied each other's hands, the lines that make up their palms, the texture of their skin, and the wound that was trying to heal from them cutting their left ring finger.

Adelaide traced over the wound on Tara's left ring finger, palm-side up, and it was above the first joint horizontal line at the top of her finger. She lifted Tara's finger up to her pouty, sensual, full lips and closed her eyes as her lips touched her left ring finger and a tear came down her cheek. Tara brushed her fingertips from her right hand against Adelaide's cheek and wiped the salty tear from her cheek. Adelaide melted into the warmth of her hand against her cheek and opened her eyes to look in Tara's emerald eyes—those mesmerizing, loving, emerald eyes that she loved dearly.

They didn't say a word to each other—all they needed to say was expressed through their body language and facial expressions. They melted in each other's arms as they held each other close in their wedding dresses. Their lips met a couple of times and often their tongues felt one another to make their kisses more passionate. It was until there was a knock at the door that they had to stop and butterflies overwhelmed their stomachs.

"It's time, ladies." Queen Eadan's voice came through the double, mahogany doors.

"Everyone is waiting." Caoimbe now spoke behind the doors.

Tara and Adelaide stared in each other's eyes for a moment and whispered the three words that meant more than anything to them. Adelaide felt Tara's soft lips against her forehead and she linked her arm with Tara's arm heading over to the double doors.

They opened the doors to reveal both of their mothers standing there in beautiful dresses. Caoimbe looked younger now that she was wearing a dress that complimented her shape and she let her hair down for the first time in years. Queen Eadan already looked young, but with Adelaide's looks, she was a splitting image of her mother. The two mothers smiled at their daughters in wedding dresses.

"We're ready." Tara lied forcing a smile to her mother and soon-to-be mother-in-law.

The Queen extended her arm out to allow Tara and Adelaide to go first in front of her and Caoimbe. They walked in front of their mothers, out the last set of doors, and into disaster.

Adelaide squeezed onto her father's arm a little more than she should out of nervousness. The King gave her a reassuring smile and he looked at Tara who had her arm linked around his as well. He gave her a warm smile that made her smile back at him, almost as if she was thanking him for being there since her father could not. Tara looked up at the ceiling as if she were looking up in the belief that her father is somewhere...somewhere like Heaven and looking down upon her. She took a deep breath and looked at the very tall double doors that opened up to the chapel where everyone was seated and where the Prince and Ardan were waiting.