Finding Real Love

Chapter 16

3 months later

"Is that tight enough?" The maid asks, grunting with the force of pulling the corset tight.

"Yup!" I wheeze, unable to breathe at all. "Perfect."

"Not at all!" Corrects Sephira. "Tighter!"

"You... do know... the prince... said he loved... me, and... I wasn't... wear... ing a cor...set at the... time!" I say, trying to get the maid to loosen the ever tightening whale-boned piece of ridiculousness I was being forced to wear.

"Yes, but this is your day!" Sephira exclaims. "Girl," she says, addressing the maid, "You have my permission to put your foot on her back and pull it tight."

"But not mi-oof!" I try to protest.

"Perfect!" The princess is finally happy.

I, on the other hand, am not. Because "I cannot breathe!" I exclaim. "How do you expect me to do anything?"

"I'm wearing one too, Adella!"

"I bet it's not as tight as this!" I complain.

"Mmm, I don't know..."

"I never ever wear these stupid things!"

"It's your wedding day. Get over it."

"Remind me why you're my maid of honour?" I ask, turning to face her with my hands on my super tiny waist.

"Because you know you love me!"

"Ugh." I consent. Sephira laughs as the dress get laced onto me.

It's a big, white dress with mauve flowers flowing down the dress, and lining the hem at the bottom. It's an absolutely stunning dress. I twist and turn in the mirror, wondering if this I can pull off this beautiful dress. Another maid comes in with a veil that will stretch for 20 feet behind me when I walk, like a train. It is white and at the very end it also has the mauve flowers. Two maids put it on and another fixes the tiara of my duchy to my hair. I wear my hair loose because Edward said he loved it that way.

Faith and Grace come in dressed just like Sephira, in mauve dresses that touch the floor, with a white gathered belt that pulls into a flower on one side.

"Something old," Sephira says, touching my tiara. Then, fingering my dress, "something new."

"Something borrowed," Grace says, handing me a diamond necklace and matching earrings that goes with my tiara. I clasp them on and thank her.

"Something blue!" Faith finishes off the rhyme by pushing me into a chair and lifting the hem of my dress to mid thigh.

"Uh, what?" I ask, confused.

"A garter!" Faith exclaims holding up, suprise, a garter with a blue ribbon at the top.

"And I need a garter because?"

"Don't you know the tradition?" Grace asks worriedly.

I feel the blush heating up my cheeks as I realize what they're talking about. "Oh, god." I mutter into my hands that cover my face.

The three just laugh.

"Well, it's time to go!!" Sephira says. Grace helps me up and leads me to the door. Sephira, as my maid of honour, picks up the train of my veil and follows me out. The other two bridesmaids follow us down the stairs.

At the bottom, we meet the groom's party. Edward's best man is his childhood friend, Hale Scrivenor. His other two groomsmen are Sir Harry, who he had known for a while before our prank and loved him even more after I told him what we had done, and, surprisingly, Harrison. Yes, brave, crazy Harrison. I still can't believe he made it safe off the ship. When we found him, admittedly, he looked like a drowned sea rat. But he is alive.

I had asked him to walk me down the aisle even though he was a groomsman. He had agreed immediately.

I smile at Harrison and he proffers his arm. I take it and we stand at the front of the line, followed by Sephira and Hale Scrivenor, then Grace and Sir Harry, but they're chatting about something, and lastly, followed by Faith.

"Harry, dear," I call, "would you care to join us in the proscession?"

"Of course, sweet Lala!" He replies, stepping away from Grace, then proffering his arm to her. We all chuckle.

"Faith, where's Hope?" I ask.

"She should be here soon." As she speaks, the flower girl herself shows up. "Oh my sweet girl! You look so pretty!" Faith coos at her daughter.

"Indeed she does" I agree, notising that the white dress Hope is wearing looks very nice on her.

"Hope, sweetheart," Faith refocuses her attention on her daughter. "Go stand in front of Auntie Della beside Nicholas!" Hope nods and stands in front of me and beside Grace's son, the ring bearer.

I bend down to her level and whisper in her ear, "Don't forget to drop petals and smile! Remember, smile at everybody, not just your Da!" The doors open to the cathedral, as we've all been standing outside, and Hope walks in with Nicholas and everyone stands and smiles at the small children.

I suddenly realize that I'm about to get married and lose the last name Harrison forever... no one will ever carry the name again.

Then, more importantly, I realize I'm about to get married. I squeeze Harrison's hand, and together, we take our first step down the aisle.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ermegerd, WEDDING!!!

Also, in case it was unclear, Nicholas is Nicholas Williams, Grace and Benjamin's son.

And Hope is Faith and _______'s daughter! (Let's play guess the father, dedi to the person who guesses the correct answer first!!!!!!!!)

Happy Guessing, loves!

~Eve